Tony ponders what makes “pub rock”, while Paul reminisces about collecting remixes.
Tracklisting:
Bumper Jacksons – White Horse [single]
Yesferatu – By Design [single]
The New Travelers – Composure [single]
Makeup Girl – Living Safe [single]
Will Eastman – Tell Me feat. Patrick Baker (Eau Claire Remix) [Hilo Remixed]
Luna Honey – Honey [Peace Will Grind You Down]
Tony causes mayhem at a roller rink, while Paul acquires a drum kit.
Tracklisting:
Bells & Hunters – I Do [Modern Witch’s Songbook Vol. III]
Dunc – All Night [A Way Home]
Will Eastman & Haile Supreme – Evolution Supreme [single]
Uptown Boys Choir – Disclaimer [unreleased]
Bless – You’re Always On TV [7″]
Dove Lady – Ferbalicious [One]
Hometown Sounds is truly honored to present DJ, producer and DC legend Will Eastman at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage for our June #DCmusic showcase.
Leader of numerous indie bands since age 15, Eastman pushes boundaries, melding house, techno, disco, and left-field sounds in his DJ sets and productions. His DJ career began in 2000 when he started Bliss, a monthly resident night focused on emerging dance music. Held in a no-attitude/no velvet rope setting, his Bliss residency, meant to be a temporary creative project, set him on course for a career in music. Growing over time in popularity and stature, Bliss helped shape D.C.’s expanding dance music scene and became the city’s longest-running emerging dance music club night, lasting 15 years and eventually morphing into the popular dance music website Blisspop. Building on his experience, Eastman dedicated himself to a full-time DJ and music production career in 2007 and found immediate success with his 2009 disco/house debut single, “Feelin’”, which received endorsements from dance music legends Fatboy Slim and Donald Glaude. More original productions and remixes followed, receiving broad support from artists as diverse as Daniel Avery, Aeroplane, and Tiesto, earning Will features on BBC Radio 1 and NPR. From 2011 to 2013 he was a member of the group Volta Bureau whose song, “Alley Cat”, topped Beatport’s Indie Dance chart for an unprecedented 11 straight weeks.
After nearly two decades as a DJ, in which he helped transform the D.C. dance music scene, he released his debut full-length album Hilo in 2017, which featured collaborations with Patrick Baker, Eau Claire, and Outputmessage.
In addition to making and playing music, Will is owner of U Street Music Hall, a music-focused venue that hosts DJs and live bands and is equally revered by its clientele and the talent that performs there. Named one of America’s top 10 dance clubs by Rolling Stone and best dance club in the region by the Washington Post, U Hall’s laid-back environment with no dress code, 1,200 square foot cork-cushioned floor, award-winning sound system, and internationally-recognized programming—from on-the-rise acts to veteran crowdpleasers—have helped make it a music lover’s paradise since opening in 2010.
RSVP here and come to the free performance at 6 PM on Friday June 23rd!
Last week Hometown Sounds hosted a live performance by MC and producer Kokayi at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. (Did you miss it? Watch the full video here!) Though his musical output was solo, he tapped DJ and video artist Kevin Chambers a.k.a. Flash Frequency to provide visuals for the performance.
Earlier this week, DC’s longtime legendary electronic producer and DJ Will Eastman released his long-awaited debut full length solo artist album Hilo and its first music video, and lo and behold the abstract, trippy animations from Flash Frequency are here too! “Froggie” opens the album with a slow build to dance floor reverberations reminiscent of the glory days of 90s rave mainstays Orbital and Sasha. The full album is an emotional journey through Eastman’s struggles with anxiety, depression and acceptance of his discovery as adopted, communicating through dance floor beats, peaceful ambience and guest appearances from Alex Tebeleff, Eau Claire and Outputmessage. I can’t wait to hear this at full volume at U Hall.
DC, do you need some DJ mixes to get you through the afternoon? Good, cuz here are a couple of local gems for your streaming pleasure.
In case you missed the tribute to DC mix that LA transplants Nadastrom put together for the BBC Radio show Diplo & Friends back in February, the hour long set featuring tunes from locals & expats Tittsworth, Fugazi, Doug Lazy, Oddisee, Deep Dish and lots more is now streaming on SoundCloud.
U Street Music Hall owner and Volta Bureau employee Will Eastman, under his new solo moniker Pentamon, put together a nice mix for the Baltimore music blog More Or Less’s mix series MOLCAST. This DJ mix devoted to techno parallels the new Saturday night vibe at U Hall. Enjoy!
DC music video of the day! Volta Bureau is THE electronic dance band to watch in DC right now. Outputmessage, already with a number of great albums and singles to his credit, added Micah Vellian (with whom he previously collaborated as Dmerit) and DJ Will Eastman to transcend all their previous music output. They’ve only released a few singles and remixes to date, but an album must be coming soon, and with it wider recognition and accolades. For now, here’s their debut single Hope.
Hometown Sounds 