Happy New Year DC! 2017 is safely in the books, and now’s the time for pundits and prognosticators to analyze it in gory, frustrating, negative detail. The pop duo of Olivia Mancini and Jarrett Nicolay as Astra Via instead send us a hopeful message with a timely cover of the 1968 classic “This Will Be Our Year” by English rock band The Zombies. Mancini crafted this uplifting video of 2017’s many inspiring moments that shouldn’t be forgotten as we power into 2018. Will we be blessed with new Astra Via originals to follow their 2014 EP SUPERBESTLUCKYSONGS?
DC’s finest podcast Hometown Sounds is excited to present Olivia Mancini and the Mates at our next #DCmusic showcase at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage.
Olivia Mancini’s sense for melody will make any songwriter jealous. Versatility is her true charm – she can stretch the boundaries of musical genres without sounding as if she’s out of place. Olivia Mancini is one of the few female live acts coming out of Washington, D.C. that is equally appealing to a male audience as well as a female audience. Olivia Mancini‘s folk-pop roots combined with her true Rock ‘n’ Roll aesthetic embraces every sense of American culture.
Olivia Mancini has been touring the U.S. and Europe for more than 10 years, performing her original songs as a singer-songwriter, or with her bands, Olivia & the Mates, and Astra Via. Olivia Mancini has performed with top acts like The Hold Steady, STARS, Matthew Sweet, and Melissa Ferrick. Her music has appeared in Gossip Girl, Entourage, ER, and Live wih Regis and Kathy Lee. With years of grassroots development, and now a collaboration with accomplished producer, Jarrett Nicolay (Virginia Coalition), audiences will be seeing her in a light brighter than ever imagined.
RSVP here and come to the free performance at 6 PM on Sunday April 16th!
Olivia Mancini is DC music’s sweetheart. Her big friendly smile and laid back musical style instantly disarm and captivate a crowd. Over the years she’s evolved from badass bassist in mid-2000s buzz band Washington Social Club to develop her own career as frontwoman for Olivia and the Mates, as well as her own singer-songwriter work. She also supports Jarret Nicolay of Virginia Coalition fame in the duo Astra Via and is currently a member of Sara Curtin‘s band. Clicking on Mancini’s Bandcamp page brings up a huge collection of assorted singles and EPs with her many collaborators, which makes the release of her new EP Walkabout surprising as it’s her first album under only her name. The debut single “Easy Right Now” is a love song with a relaxed vintage style, and we’re honored to premiere the music video below. Shot by Lindsay Dirienzo and Amy Hutchinson, the video takes us through a romp through the city with Olivia, with many affectionately lingering shots. The whole thing feels like a happy day in a wonderful relationship.
Grab Mancini’s new EP out on the Aerobic International label and come see her play one (or both!) of two release shows in town. If you’re more a living room type, head to Bathtub Republic on Friday May 13th to see her play with Fluffer, K Pasa USA, and Antonette Garoch; if you prefer ordering exotic craft beers at the coolest bar in town, Galaxy Hut has you covered on Sunday May 15th when Mancini plays with Yours Truly Michele.
Here’s another great video we missed during the winter break. You all know that electronic pop outfit Astra Via is Jarrett Nicolay from Virginia Coalition and Olivia Mancini from her Mates, right? Right! Late last year they released a 3 song EP called SUPERBESTLUCKYSONGS and made music videos for each song. But instead of releasing them separately, why not stitch them together in one epic twelve minute long melange? Watch Astra Via’s goofy and lovable videos for “Good On You”, “And It Tried To Rain” and “Action Junky”, then buy the EP from Aerobic International.
Jarrett Nicolay.
DC.
Olivia Mancini.
NY. Astra Via. Echo Birds EP.
Catchy guitar riffs.
Chunky drums.
Sweet harmonies.
New video.
They forgot about it.
Random footage.
No shows yet. New music coming soon.
Happy Monday!
Mellow dreampop band The Walking Sticks put a welcome emphasis on singer Chelsea Lee’s vocals in their songs. Their new EP Send The Night, a FREE download released last month, is required downloading in advance of their slot on Saturday night at The Black Cat opening for Who Needs a Pulse (formerly Mike & Cody) and DC indie rock darling Olivia Mancini & her Mates. Videographer Sam Janesko created this music video for The Walking Sticks’ new song “You Might Like This Song” from live performance footage and a classic Jimmy Stewart film, and the catchy doo-doo-doo vocal chorus has me definitively liking the song.
Bonus video! Olivia Mancini & The Mates rehearse a new song “Where Are You? (The Science of Love)”, with Pop-Up Video style facts about your brain on love. Don’t miss this great all-DC music lineup Saturday night at the Black Cat!
A longtime fixture on the DC music scene, Olivia Mancini now splits her time between here and Brooklyn. She and her Mates will release a new singles collection called Interregnum on August 20th, surely rolling up some of the tracks posted to Olivia’s Bandcamp recently. You’ve got a great opportunity to see Olivia & The Mates this Friday night at Iota in Clarendon, with supporting acts Nine Times Blue from Atlanta and Nashville’s Luella And The Sun. And if that doesn’t work for you, she’s quite excited to open for Matthew Sweet at the Birchmere on August 23rd. Olivia’s newest music video, a scratchy vintage accompaniment for Ruby, Baby, is a song that parallels Dion’s 1963 hit single of the same name.
