In addition to helming the growing yet very tightly-knit Blight Records empire, Ben Schurr also creates innovative work under the handle Br’er. His newest music video “Help Me Live” dropped earlier this week, coming from last year’s iconic release BRUNCH IS FOR A$$HOLES. Shot by Renee Regan, Ben Usie and Zak Forrest, the vid presents Schurr’s vividly lit face referencing both hospital life support and edgy kink. You can and should see Ben performing as part of trip-hop flavored label-mates Luna Honey at their album release show Friday night at Hole in the Sky.
Hometown Sounds
Showing The World How DC Rocks
Podcast for July 11th, 2018
Tony is all about sweeties this week, while he and Paul discuss parking at the Wharf.
Tracklisting:
Jonny Grave – Fever [Jonny Grave]
Color School – Own [Close Enough To Fix]
We Capillaries – Reconteur [People Food]
Mustafa Akbar – Get Down Wit It [DJ single]
Seán Barna – Routines feat. Adam Duritz [Cissy]
Honey – F*ckboys [I’m Your Best Friend Admit It]
Or listen in SoundCloud:
Subscribe to the Hometown Sounds podcast in Apple Podcasts, Overcast, TuneIn or your favorite podcast app! (and tell a friend too!)
The North Country – My Understanding
We are firmly on record as suckers for live studio recording videos, when done with skill and care. The North Country‘s chief crooner Andrew Grossman brings both to writing, performing, filming and editing “My Understanding”, a new philosophical musing from the mind behind the new Christmas classic “Don’t Shop Just Love”. This is marked as #1 in Little Room Sessions, and we hope there’s more coming soon.
Don’t Stay Home This Week 7/09
It’s another fantastic week in live #DCmusic, with some great outdoor and free options. Instead of staying home, come out and give us hi fives until our hands hurt like hell.
Monday 7/09:
The Fort Reno outdoor concert series continues every Monday and Thursday in July, exposing devoted crowds to new bands. Tonight it’s unofficially the “Night of 1000 Saxophones” with Cool Baby, We Capillaries and King Soul.
Tuesday 7/10:
Huge respect to Takoma Park’s Rhizome for assembling so many adventurous bills of music. Tuesday night the DIY house hosts Heart of the Ghost, a trio featuring Jarrett Gilgore (Alto Saxophone), Luke Stewart (Double Bass) and Ian McColm (Drums). Also on the bill is Moses, Forrest, Ogg, promising “Neural re-alignment via audio-visual meditations. Methods include oscillating bowls, guitar textures, lasers and weird signal processes.” The touring feature on this night is Detroit’s Matthew Daher.
Wednesday 7/11:
Your Hometown Sounds buds Paul & Tony are back at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage for our monthly #DCmusic showcase this Wednesday. This is your chance to catch the huge hip-pop ensemble allthebestkids, led by dashing silver-jumpsuited Cody Valentine. Get there right at 5:30 for a prime spot up front.
Thursday 7/12:
As the recurring joke for many years of Fort Reno shows goes, when will seminal post-hardcore band Fugazi’s hiatus end with a surprise show on the outdoor stage? Well in case you haven’t heard, The Messthetics has half the band with Joe Lally on bass and Brendan Canty on drums, plus the unstoppable guitar shredding of Anthony Pirog. Born Dad and Taciturn round out a huge night of music Thursday night.
Don’t Stay Home This Weekend 7/05
Is it the weekend already? Putting the Fourth in the middle of the week is just messy. Here are your live music picks to get more #DCmusic filling your life with joy.
Thursday 7/05:
July in DC means seeing edgy and upcoming DC bands play the outdoor stage at Fort Reno. Tonight the legendary concert series hosts No Plans, a new band from Jack on Fire’s Jason Mogavero, plus Victor Archie and Inner Ear Studio’s Don Zientara.
Friday 7/06:
DC rapper Shy Glizzy headlines a show Friday night at the Fillmore in Silver Spring. Also known as El Jefe, he’s got his sights on a national audience.
Saturday 7/07:
Pearl Street Warehouse is the place to be Saturday night to celebrate the new eponymous album by blues frontman Jonny Grave. Many area music outlets have blurbed about the release, including us! The dazzling pipes and songwriting of Lauren Calve kick off a night of raucous fun.
Sunday 7/08:
The Velvet Lounge hosts our Sunday night DC music pick. The eclectic lineup includes Don Zientara, punk rock from Weird Babies, no-wave from Taciturn, and experimental guitar sounds of Ben Harbert and Chris Hamley.
Don’t Stay Home This Holiday Weekend 6/29
Hometown Sounds is taking a short breather next week, so today we’ve got a bonus size lineup of #DCmusic picks for your holiday weekend.
Friday 6/29:
Head up to College Park’s MilkBoy ArtHouse tonight for a night of modern bluegrass and folk music. By And By describe their sound as “Arms Wide Open Bluegrass & Americana”, and Rock Creek Revival are right up that alley too.
Saturday 6/30:
H St. NE’s Rock & Roll Hotel has a strong lineup of DC indie rock Saturday evening. You should already know Paperhaus from their many years of hosting DCDIT house shows. Park Snakes channel goth and post-punk vibes, while Bacchae represent the agitated punk youth.
Sunday 7/01:
On July 4th Union Stage hosts an independent music and skate festival called either Brokechella or Moechella. We’re not quite sure. But you can get a preview of the music Sunday evening at Dew Drop Inn from a wide swath of the DC music scene, including Karen Culi, +E, Mr. Daywalker and a new band called Barefoot Lefty.
Monday 7/02:
The 50th anniversary Fort Reno season kicks off Monday evening at 7:30 with a fantastic lineup of Lotion Princess, Time is Fire and Des Demonas. Invite your coolest friends to check out DC’s premiere outdoor music series.
Tuesday 7/03:
There was a time when go-go music was pushed out of DC’s city limits. Now you can hear that distinctive go-go beat at one of the most swank venues in DC, The Hamilton. Tuesday night the lineup of Rare Essence featuring Jas Funk and E.U. featuring Sugar Bear unites two of the longest running go-go acts for a night of true DC satisfaction.
Wednesday 7/04:
Come on, it’s the Fourth! Go watch fireworks!
Bumper Jacksons – Miss Mary Mack
We’ve got one more video before a little break next week for Independence Day. Bumper Jacksons write new songs inspired by 20s era hot jazz, folk and blues, but today’s tune is a classic that many will remember from childhood. “Miss Mary Mack” is a traditional clapping game performed here joyously as a warmup and recorded live in Ridgefield, CT on June 12th by pedal steel player Dave Hadley. Our friendly DC music podcast neighbors The Circus Life celebrate their 5th anniversary with a big show at the 9:30 Club on Saturday July 14th, and you’ll catch Jess and Chris performing a Bumper Duo set if you go.
The CooLots – Doors
The CooLots make a powerful blend of rock and R&B with a unique intersectional lineup of choice names: Huggie, Crystal, Awesome Rita, Dappho the Flow-Er and BoomCLAK. Their debut music video “Doors” comes from their 2017 album Rebirth, and director Clyde Jones delivers a beautiful visual that makes excellent use of color. The video depicts the five members confronting demons at an abandoned house and emerging more unified. Follow the CooLots on Instagram for daily doses of pride, beauty and soul.
Presenting allthebestkids at the Millennium Stage
Hometown Sounds, the finest source for #DCmusic, is thrilled to present 10 piece hip-pop-pyche-rock band allthebestkids for our July showcase at the Kennedy Center’s free Millennium Stage.
Allthebestkids come from the future, with one purpose; to spread the highest vibrational music this world has ever known. Instead of attempting to manipulate the past in their favor, ATBK wield pop, soul, hip hop, & psych rock as their luminous love filled mega sword, striking at the heart of darkness wherever they land. Those with pure intention, there’s no need to worry 🙂 – Allthebestkids will effortlessly fill your emotional tanks with the energy you so desperately desire, reminding you of something forgotten long ago. We are all the best kids.
RSVP here and come to the free performance at 6 PM on Wednesday July 11th!
Don’t Stay Home This Week 6/25
It’s another strong week in #DCmusic shows. Hometown Sounds lovingly encourages you to get out of your air-conditioned, Netflix-enabled hidey hole and onto the dance floor singing along to some great tunes. Here are our suggestions for the week to come.
Monday 6/25:
Ryan Walker and Stephen Russ are two endearing DC musicians that share not just a friendship but also a birthday, and that was yesterday. Stephen’s new band Bal Boheme joins Ryan’s group The Beanstalk Library for a night of musical celebrations tonight at Arlington’s Galaxy Hut.
Tuesday 6/26:
Kudos to Black Cat for hosting a snazzy two band bill on a Tuesday night. The Beginner’s Mynd channel 60s era psychedelic rock, and Ezra Mae & The Gypsy Moon make smoky garage-y blues. Get on this.
Wednesday 6/27:
Seán Barna is a drummer and singer swapping time between DC and NY, and his unique vocal and lyrical style sound like no one else here. Come here his band The Monogamists perform songs from Barna’s upcoming release Cissy, a “gasping, 5-song exploration of isolation, anxiety, queerness, and mortality” at SongByrd Wednesday evening. Plus you get Rob Stokes Band and Brooklyn’s Laura Wolf, and life is just grand.
Thursday 6/28:
Little League Champs play pop-punk and mashup style music, including “anthems from the 90s and songs you would’ve heard at Warped Tour in 2006”. AdMo’s SongByrd hosts the release show for their debut EP Hot Ice Thursday night, with support from Broke Royals and Eli Lev & The Fortunes Found. That’s a fun as hell lineup from start to finish to lead into the weekend.
Hometown Sounds 