Jammin Java Mid-Atlantic Band Battle VIII

Although I have moved the CPF "headquarters" to a new site, I thought I'd post the link to my slideshow of photos from Tuesday night's Band Battle here as well, since it's the place where most people will land first if they follow host Nate Ihara's suggestion to visit ClosePersonalFriend.com.

I wrote an article about the evening as well, but the Content Management System at my examiner.com column was acting up today and it got lost in the ether. Hope to have it back up asap.

And, since I'm judging again tonight (Thursday), there will be more local music news coming soon.

We Get Out - Wallflowers, Sixpence None the Richer, Easy Star All-Stars

Since we last met on here at CPF HQ, I’ve been out and about, enjoying live music. C’mon along!

First, The Wallflowers, launched their fine new album, “Glad All Over,” with a cozy show at the Black Cat. I summarized that show with a photo gallery for examiner.com, and you can see it here.

The soundboard guy was nice enough to give me his set list, so there are a few new pages around that, plus a shout back to a rare show theband did at Alcatraz prison, at Whatcha Gonna Play.com.

The weekend after, I was at my lovely little local, Jammin Java, to see Sixpence None the Richer, best known, of course, for the sweet little ditty, “Kiss Me.” Singer Leigh Nash’s voice is the touchstone for that band, so it was a bit alarming when the first part of the performance showed her having vocal problems. If she had been an “American Idol” contestant, it would have been a case of “you’re a bit pitchy, dawg.”

Luckily, she was able to pull it together by the time, late in the set, when “Kiss Me” came up and so, the night ended on an up note. 

Perhaps Nash's issues wouldn’t have been so noticeable if it weren’t for the fact that the opener, Elenowen, had such beautiful harmonies in a short set that drew from two EPs and included a cover of Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire.”

And then, to complete a trio of nights out, Hubby and I went to the impeccably restored Howard Theatre for our first visit to see a night of reggae with The Easy Star All-Stars. (I had mentioned the show in a preview piece for examiner.com.)

 

Openers The Aggrolites (see them below) did an enjoyable set, including a bouncy cover of The Beatles’ “Don’t Let Me Down.” (God bless the Fabs, they sound good in so many different styles.) Trouble was, the group started late and seemed to run long and it became apparent that, for whatever reason, the All-Stars were slow in getting to the club. (Hubby said he saw one of them walk across the back of the stage near the end of the Aggrolites’ set, as if to say, “Okay, you can wrap it up now.”)

And so, much as we enjoyed the All-Stars’ take on songs by Michael Jackson (“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” was an early burner), Pink Floyd and Radiohead (I’m particularly taken by their version of “Karma Police”), we were burned out before the end of the show and didn’t hear what I imagine would be a rousing late-set performance of “Thrillah.” We left about an hour into the set, during a version of "Beat It" which, to my mind, suffers from being slowed down to a reggae riddim.

 Still, a good night out - and proof that we ain’t dead yet.

Back into Battle (of the Bands)

Tonight will be the final of the Jammin Java Mid-Atlantic Band Battle VII and I will, once again, be at the judges table to help pick the winner. It's always fun, a great chance to hear new music and a challenge to pick one winner when the talent is generally at a very high mark.

The club posted info about the event on its web site, and made me sound kinda cool, which is a little embarrassing but also most appreciated. Not adverse to reciprocal back-scratching, especially if it gives me a chance to promote local music, I mentioned the show in "This Weekend in DC concerts," the preview column I write for examiner.com.

The event is hosted, as ever, by local musician and charmer Nate Ihara, frontman for We Were Kings, who directs people to this blog for pictures and comments on the event. So, if that's how you got here, welcome and thanks for dropping by. The photos will go up ASAP.

In the meantime, here's a fun little video to kick off Friday night...

Have a great weekend!

Having a fun. Weekend

This is Nate Ruess, lead singer of fun. (The band's name, BTW, is not specifically intended to drive copy editors crazy, with its lowercase beginning and unnecessary punctuation. I read just today that it's that way to differentiate them from a Swedish metal band.)

The band played a triumphant set at The 9:30 Club on Friday, the second of two sold-out nights, coming about two and a half years after I saw them play the much smaller Jammin Java. (You can see pics and a set list from the J2 show here, she said, shamelessly plugging her other web site.) A longer discussion of the show, along with more pics, will go up at my examiner Concert Photography column tomorrow (if I'm good), but I just wanted to let you CPF pals know that I'm not dead.

Battles, Sex and Death

As I write this, I’m listening to the BeeGees’ “Trafalgar” (on vinyl), inspired by a viewing last night of “That Hamilton Woman,” a 1941 film starring then-newlyweds Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh as, respectively, Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton, who carried on a long-term affair while both were married to others and Nelson was keeping England safe in perpetual naval battle with Napoleon.

It was a big, grand, old-fashioned movie, part manly action flick (the sea battle was quite impressive for its time) and soapy chick weepie. Watching old movies, especially ones with torrid love affairs, shown in chaste 1940’s style, where passionate kisses are strictly lips smushed together (no tongues, please!), makes me wonder how the great screen couples of that period – Leigh and Olivier, Hepburn and Tracy, Gable and Lombard – would have handled the Nearly Anything Goes style of today’s sexy films. How would these great screen icons have played tonsil-hockey?

Olivier has a death scene, too, as Nelson is killed in battle at Trafalgar (hence, the inspiration for today’s musical selection and accompanying visual). I know I’m watching way too much MSNBC when, in the middle of our tragic hero's death throes, I’m thinking to myself that he kinda looks like pundit David Corn, of Mother Jones magazine…And then there’s the moment when Leigh/Lady Hamilton gets news of Nelson's demise and goes into a immobile stare before collapsing to the ground. Cinephiles tend to talk about so-and-so’s death scene, but I’m actually more fascinated by actors who need to portray the intense emotion of hearing that a beloved one has died. On the whole, Vivien Leigh did a pretty good job.

Anyway, that’s the sex and death part. As for battles of the non-naval type, I was asked to judge again this past week at Jammin Java’s6th Mid-Atlantic Band Battle. I was there for two nights; seven bands competed on each night for top honors and the right to return for the finals in February. Fourteen acts in two nights...it's still a bit of a blur.

Local musician Nate Ihara, of We Were Kings, hosted again and he always does a good job of pimping this here blog when he introduces me in the Meet the Judges moments, promising photos, videos and scandalous backstage stories. Sorry to say there’s no scandal here, but I did post a story and photo slideshow of Wednesday night’s event at examiner.com. So, please visit there and you can get a full(er) report.

In that article (part two, covering Thursday night, will follow soon), I gave background on the competition and tried to give each band at least one photo; most got two. Needing to stay put at the judges’ table, I wasn’t able to get up close, and some bands were just easier than others to shoot from a distance. I have a few random shots that didn’t run in the examiner story as they would have looked redundant. Here, then, are some outtakes for y’all:

The Dirty Jacks won the night, although there was some stiff competition.

Grand Rivival opened the show. Turns out, I had seen them at a previous MABB (put their name in the search and you'll see). With a new drummer, the band has really tightened its sound since then.

Grand Revival again (note shirtless guitarist on left).

Here's Groove 8, whom I would definitely try to catch again.

The Later Sun brought some nice folk-rock harmonies to the evening.

Finally, the "dreamy" (he likes me to say that) Nate Ihara, opening the envelope that contains the name of the winning band.

As I said, a second examiner.com story will go up soon. My twitter account (@mariannemeyer) will announce it right away, or you can watch this space. 

Hey, it's Saturday night -  go out, have fun, be safe!

Keep On Rockin' In The New Year

Greetings, Close Personal Friends, and a most happy new new to all!  

For a change, the hubby and decided to get out of the house on New Year's Eve and drove off to my favorite local venue, Jammin Java, for a "Big Ol' Super Classy Throwdown" celebration with Native Run (formerly known as Big River) and other local musicians who've helped make the club a hub of great area talent. It was an all around wonderful night, with dancing, laughter, kisses and a champagne toast for all at midnight.  A nattily-dressed Nate Ihara opened the show.

Native Run's Bryan Dawley joined Nate for a few songs, adding beautiful mandolin accents to "3000 Miles."

Among the added guests, the Miller sisters, Justina and Marie, whose harmonies worked very well on two covers, "Moon River" and "Kiss Me" (the Sixpence None the Richer track)

Luke Brindley's solo set showed off what a fine songwriter he is, with "You Are Not Alone" and "We Go Together" as standouts, again with support from Bryan.

Brindley Brother Daniel came onstage to add his musical support...

...alas, I didn't get a good shot of Daniel playing what appeared to be tabla drum as he accompanied Luke on the always show-stopping instrumental, "Dervish."

I grabbed a shot of Nate, his lovely girlfriend Aleksandra and producer/musician Mark Williams as they posed for someone else.

This was actually the first time that The Band Formerly Known as Big River performed as Native Run.

A peek inside, from outside.

You lookin' at me?

Native Run has energy to spare, always an invigorating show, and a great way to welcome in 2012.

We Get Out (Part One) – Mike Viola at Jammin Java

Some weeks, despite telling the visitors to Citystream DC what concerts I think are worth seeing, I don’t get out myself. Sometimes, I just stay home and listen to the music, as I am doing tonight, playing EZRA FURMAN & The HARPOONS’ “Inside the Human Body” (1) rather than moving my butt down to Jammin Java to see the live show. You could call me lazy but, since I opted to stay home and get some work done, including updating this here blog, I will not take your insult.

Besides, I was at the club last night, enjoying the delightful pop tunes of Mike Viola. He was one of my picks for this week’s Citystream column, based on the high praise of a FB friend – one I met, coincidentally, through this blog. Since we share similar (great) taste in music and she adores Viola and his previous band, The Candy Butchers, I felt it a good bet that I would enjoy him, too.

And now I am, in fact, a fan. Taking the stage alone, with just a guitar or piano to accompany him, Viola played almost two hours worth of songs that I had never heard before, and yet my attention never flagged. His writing is crisp and tight - each word means something - and he has a way with pop melody that makes it seem effortless which we all know (or should) is extremely hard to do. I was reminded, at times, of artists like Fountains of Wayne (though Viola is less sarcastic) and Harry Nilsson.

Though he was written for numerous films, and yeah, I would have loved to hear his version of “That Thing You Do!,” he rambled through his deep catalog, graciously accepted requests, and told amusing tales of teenage music geekdom. When an artist who’s been around a long time comes to a small venue like Jammin Java and the crowd is about 50 people, I flinch a little and worry that maybe he/she will be grumpy and feel unappreciated. Viola, however, was in a great mood. He had a quality, not quantity, audience – they listened intently, called out for obscure favorites and were with him every step of the way. He said it was the last night of the current tour and that the tour had been wonderful, and I believed him.

 

He was also a sweetheart after the show, chatting merrily with anyone who wanted a photo, an autograph, even advice on moving to L.A. I wanted to buy one of the CDs he had for sale, but had no cash on hand, so I went off to find an ATM. By the time I got back, there were only two of the half-dozen titles left for purchase. I told Viola about the preview blurb, and mentioned that, being “late to the party,” I wanted him to recommend which CD I should buy. He glanced at the merch table, saw the two lonely discs and said to forget it, he’d send me something in the mail. And he wouldn’t even take my $10, just my card.

In all honesty, I was disappointed on the ride home that I didn’t  have a disc of his to play, as I was eager to explore his material. He mentioned that he hoped to back this way for a gig in May. If he returns, count me in. Here’s me and Mike Viola, an artist I’m looking forward to getting to know…

 (photo by Lisa Winston Wilentz)

The Battle is Over.

Why has it taken me so long to racap the last night of the Jammin’ Java Mid-Atlantic Band Battle, which took place this past Friday? There’s some of my usual inertia, no doubt (rare and happy are the writers who welcome and honor deadlines) and maybe it's because it’s always so much fun that I’m sorry when I have to admit it’s over.  The club is always such a fun place to hang, but to have a free tab for food and drink (that’s our “pay”), a comfy seat with a clear view of the stage, the chance to hear fine local music, chat with area friends and promote the CPF cause of world domination…that’s a great night out!

The judging part can be hard, though. Not in the sense of it being a labor but in that it can be very difficult to choose just one favorite band. The four acts that competed in the finals were of wildly varied styles, but each earned its place on the bill by winning a previous night of competition. So, unlike the preliminary nights I’d judged, I knew there wouldn’t be a stinker in the bunch. As I said to some of the musicians I chatted with, sometimes the scoring (we rate on a set of criteria including songwriting, musicianship, style and audience response) makes me think of a swimming meet. It can come down to fractional differences that determine the winner.

Here’s how the night played out...
First up was Light Speed Rescue, a band of young players whose hip-hop/rock blend was as potent as the first night I saw them.

Despite having the unenviable opening slot, the guys gave it all they had, and the lead singer even wound up stripping to the waist in the final song. It's the kind of gesture that can seem over-the-top, but it didn't feel contrived at all, and the guy was buff, so all good.

Second to the stage was the Chris Collat Band, an older bunch of cats whose veteran status came through loud and clear in tight jams.

 Last time I saw the CCB play, they reminded me of Dave Matthews Band. This night, the songs made me think of Hootie and the Blowfish, but that's a double-edged sword (as huge as Hootie was, I never got it).

Delta Rae was next, another totally pro outfit whose choice of soundcheck song (Billy Joel's "New York State of Mind") hinted at the strong melodic nature of their originals. Here's one of the two female vocalists with Nate Ihara, the Hardest Working Man in Local Showbiz, who hosted the event yet again. (BTW, Nate's band, We Were Kings, are playing with Delta Rae on March 10 at the IOTA. See you there.)

With four-part harmonies and a bit of southern soul, these North Carolina siblings and friends became the band to beat.

And here's where the joys (and pains) of judging really come in. The last act of the night, The Silver Liners, won the one preliminary Battle that I didn't judge, and so was the one band on this night that I hadn't seen before. What a great surprise! As one of the club staff told me afterward, "they really brought it."

The band came roaring out of the gate with a garage pop song called "Hot Mess" and proceeded to rip through eight tunes in their half-hour set, all of them crackling with guitar-fueled hooks.

 Though they didn't need extra help, the Silver Liners brought on a friend, rapper Dom-O, onstage for one number.

A highlight of the set, "Better Than Your Boyfriend," became my new favorite track, the kind of sharp, angular pop that Franz Ferdinand made safe for radio. I was delighted to see it listed on the six-track demo EP that the band handed out after the show. (O/CD Tally: 24)


Like I said, it was a tough call to choose just one winner. When the scoresheets were taken away to be tallied, I was as eager as the audience to find out which band would win the cash, equipment, studio time and future headlining show. (The judges don't talk about their scoring; it's all secret ballots.) As it turned out, Delta Rae took the top honors and, though I felt bad for the other guys, I'm sure you'll be hearing from all of them again - especially here, as I look forward to writing about their future shows. When the music's good, nobody's a loser. (Does Hallmark do a line of cards for musicians?)

Hey, look what I found....(I can't remove the second Silver Liners link; sorry)...support local music!

Battles Musical and Automotive

I am still recovering from “carmageddon,” this past Wednesday’s horrific commute in a snowstorm that put the DC area into gridlock from mid-afternoon to the following morning. For myself, I got into my car at 4 pm, leaving from in front of Jammin’ Java, in Vienna, which I have tracked as being approximately eight miles from my home.  

I walked through my front door at 12:30 am. Yep, it took 8.5 hours to get home. I could tell you the whole story but I’m trying to get past my personal suburban version of PTSD, so we’ll move on. But first, a shout-out to Sully, the Brave Little Yaris, who made it home even while scores of other, bigger cars were left wanting.

Speaking of Jammin Java (did I mention that five hours into my commute, I was back in front of the club, having been twice turned around by disabled cars that made the previous roads I was on unpassable?! Oh, wait. I said I’d move on…)

Anyway, I wanted to put up the last photos from the Battle of the Bands in case any of the bands and/or fans who were there have come to the site, even after all this time, to get a little love…

(a few of the bands gave me CDs, so you’ll the O/CD Tally going up.)

HYE-TENSION opened the show with an engaging set that put me in mind of Elvis Costello and the Strokes, which is a very nice mindset indeed. (O/CD T: 20)

 CURBSIDE MANNER is a five-piece band that offered two lead vocalists and a violin player, who did a credible take of the Charlie Daniels’ chestnut, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” (O/CD T: 21)

BTW, the band's 5-track EP has a nice, Beach Boys-y sound, which was not fully in force during the live show. 

 

For just three guys, RHYTHM SECTION made quite a noise, including what they said was a Katy Perry cover, but I didn’t recognize it in the trio’s brooding style.

Ooops. We can't forget Nate Ihara, who hosted the night yet again and pimped out Close Personal Friend in every introduction. Here he is, introducing the fourth act of the night, Delta Rae...

DELTA RAE, a six-piece act from one of the Carolinas, is a country-tinged outfit with two female and two male vocalists. They did one nearly a cappella number that was extraordinary and won the night’s top honors with a set that was totally pro from start to finish. (O/CD T: 22)

An all-female quartet named IVY ROSE also had its act honed to a sharp edge. I love watching young women rock out and, like I said before, sometimes the scores come down to just a few minor points indeed. 

Again, the night ended with a band that went for the jugular, ONE CITY MILE, who roared through a hard, but polished, rock set. (O/CD T: 23)

Again, the winner this night was Delta Rae. They will return to Jammin Java on February 18,  along with the Chris Collat Band, Light Speed Rescue and the first night's winner (I wasn't a judge), The Silver Liners, to compete for the grand prize. I'm not sure yet if I'll be judging then - if it's snowing, I may just stay home and whimper - but from the bands I've seen compete, it's gonna be a tough call to pick just one champion.

Oh, and one more Battle of the Bands-related thingy. I got an email from Aaron Thompson, who competed on the night I didn't judge. He asked if I'd link to his video on the site and, since I think it's quite good, glad to do so. You can check it out here. 

And, as Aaron wrote in his note, "Be sure to watch the end. ;) "

Okay, now that I’ve caught up with that, we’ll return to our (ir)regularly scheduled blogging about other musical happenings.

Thanks for dropping by!