A lot of concert goers in DC never make it past the usual well known spots like the 9:30 Club, Black Cat, DC9, etc. When one does decide to branch out and try something new, St. Stephen’s Church is a likely choice due to its scrappy DIY spirit and long punk rock tradition of hosting fundraisers for Positive Force and other organizations. The bands that typically play shows there are enthusiastic about their craft in infectuous ways, which leads me to the new DC pop-punk band American Television. Even though they only have one song up on Bandcamp, that didn’t stop them from making this music video for “Optimist”, a still-unreleaesd track from their forthcoming EP. The band’s unbridled excitement to play a show this Saturday 8/15 is obviously no joke as they practice, flyer well known DMV record shops and beef up at the gym. This killer all-ages Saturday night show includes Baltimore’s Canker Blossom along with locals Rememberables, Six Foot Machine and Boardroom Heroes.
Hometown Sounds
Showing The World How DC Rocks
Podcast for August 11th, 2015
Paul & Tony wax philosophical about spicy food, cassette releases and advance ticket sales.
Tracklisting:
Baebo Baggins – Team feat. Babenstein & Babe Simpson [POSI+IVE]
DTMD – While You Wait [While You Wait single]
Wylder – Sunstroke [Sunstroke single]
The Effects – Fix As The Reason [Fix As The Reason / Close The Gap]
The Combs – Do It Again [Do It Again single]
ShadowHill – Final Lullaby [Last Resort]
Or listen in SoundCloud:
Subscribe to the Hometown Sounds podcast in the iTunes Store or your favorite podcast app! (and tell a friend too!)
(Photo credit Sara Hemmings)
Wylder – Sunstroke
Indie folk band Wylder are four young & talented men recently graduated from the University of Mary Washington. Now spread between Northern VA and points further south in the Commonwealth, the band they started in college as “Save The Arcadian” gears up for the release of their debut album with a single & music video for “Sunstroke”, a feel good folk tune with snappy violin and a singalong chorus that you can download for free right now. July saw Wylder make it to the finals in Jammin’ Java’s Battle of the Bands, so if “Sunstroke” is your new summer jam, don’t miss them compete against Jocelyn Faro, Port Harbour, Calm The Waters and Aztec Sun on Saturday August 21st!
RDGLDGRN – Runnin’ Away
One thing’s for sure, RDGLDGRN ain’t runnin’ away from DC anytime soon. The second single to drop from their upcoming sophomore release is “Runnin’ Away” and it is a catchy singalong rap/rock tune designed to maximize Green’s dancing moves. The new music video features footage and photography by Good Boy Media and omnipresent scene photographer Michael Andrade shot at U Street Music Hall on June 18th and Dave Grohl’s massive Foo Fighters anniversary show at RFK Stadium on July 4th. RDGLDGRN can rock a club and a massive stadium, but I personally wish they’d held onto this video just a bit longer and included footage of their Babe City show last Friday for In It Together Festival, though video cameras probably would have been destroyed in the tightly packed sweaty mayhem.
Lightshow – Score
DC rapper Lightshow‘s profile has only grown since Complex Magazine‘s nod as one of the hot new rappers to watch out for two years ago. His latest mixtape Yellow Tape And White Chalk 5 channels the recent outrage over police conduct in the country, and its new single Score doesn’t let up one bit as he raps about the death of Baltimore’s Freddie Gray over an instrumental by Shy Glizzy.
Podcast for July 28th, 2015
Paul clues Tony in to obscure vinyl terminology and they find out just how much the iPhone knows about the local music scene.
Tracklisting:
Louie Lastic – Reactions [Soulection White Label]
Night Kitchen – Fever Dream [Hunger Games]
Sara Curtin – Summer [Michigan Lilium]
BRNDA – Extinct [Year of the Manatee]
Near Northeast – Delmarva [Curios]
Jake Starr & The Delicious Fullness – By the Grace of Mod [By the Grace of Mod 7″]
Or listen in SoundCloud:
Subscribe to the Hometown Sounds podcast in the iTunes Store or your favorite podcast app! (and tell a friend too!)
Jack On Fire – Condos
Masters of saying the wrong thing at the right time, punk provocateurs Jack On Fire bring a long-awaited overdose of snark to the Fort Reno stage tonight. As long as the rain holds off, the season of outdoor shows draws to an all-too-early close before the August doldrums/mass evacuation. From their pay what you want download Greatest Hits Nov. 2014-Feb. 2015, littered with gems like “The NSA Has My Dick Pics”, “Andy Harris Needs To Smoke Some Weed” and of course “Cocaine (Will Turn You Into An Asshole)”, enjoy one full minute of JOF’s catchy single “Condos”.
A MARC Train Home – Coarse Hairs
Last month’s announcement of the departure of lead singer Lia Pisa-Relli caused some to worry about the future of dream rock band A MARC Train Home. But never fear, DC! They quickly found Genevieve Moore to take over vocal duties and their first show with the new lineup Friday night at the Rock & Roll Hotel is getting the full stage treatment with lights and fog machine courtesy of Ramtin from Drop Electric. With These Quiet Colours, Technicians and Uptown Boys Choir filling out the bill, your Friday night DC music plans are set. Here’s the music video for “Coarse Hairs”, track 1 from their FREE debut full length album It’s Easier To Make A Mess. Be on the lookout for the hot Starfleet tattoo on video model Shoshie Sennett, if you’re a nerd like me.
Mellow Diamond – Namesake
Life and musical parnters Janel Leppin and Anthony Pirog are the secret sauce that makes a whole lot of DC music more interesting. It’s an uncommon joy to see one or both of them appearing live with a wide variety of bands including Wanted Man, The El Reys and Laughing Man. In addition to collaborating on a pair of excellent albums as Janel and Anthony, their individual outlets are equally amazing. Last year’s album Palo Colorado Dream by The Anthony Pirog Trio landed on a number of jazz critics’ year-end best-of lists, while Janel’s all-female quintet Ensemble Volcanic Ash made a solid impression with audiences at this year’s Washington Women In Jazz Festival with an instrumental lineup including harp, stand up bass and Janel’s trademark effected cello. While we wait patiently for the debut album release by her solo ambient moniker Mellow Diamond, Janel and Michael Hindert created this video accompaniment for the dreamlike song “Namesake”. And guess what! Janel and Anthony play a free show the Fringe Fest this Saturday evening with Brooklyn vocalist Marilyn Carino. Open your mind to some truly exceptional and very different forms of music.
Sara Curtin – Sweet Dreams
Singer Sara Curtin takes the title of her new single “Sweet Dreams” literally in the music video directed by Paul Abowd. Amongst the dreamy shots of Curtin singing are close ups of ingredients on their way to becoming a cake. Personally, I was a bit bummed the dessert didn’t turn out to be browines. Nothing better in this than a brownie ice cream sundae, amiright? Curtin’s new full length album Michigan Lilium drops July 24th, and everyone celebrates the release on Thursday August 6th at the Rock & Roll Hotel with openers Stranger in the Alps and The North Country. What better way to celebrate an album’s birthday than with cake for everyone? Just sayin’.
Hometown Sounds 