Concert Picks for the Week of March 28th

A quick hello and an update on my latest...
Here's this week's list of concert picks, as presented on Citystream DC.  The site also put up a nice photo and my bio on its contributors page. Trouble is, they misspelled my last name! (It's usually the first one that gets mangled.)

And just to add a little more, here's a quick peek at some of the new music I picked up earlier this month when I was up in Toronto, which is, BTW, a fabulous city. I was there to visit College Girl and see her performance in a UofT production of "Rocky Horror Picture Show" (it's a mother's dream to see her daughter in a corset and ripped tights while she does the pelvic thrust). The show was great fun, she was terrific and it just happened to be Canadian Music Week. The PR person I contacted via email was kind enough to give me credentials for the two days I would be there, so I had lots of fun checking out the music scene. On the Saturday, I walked around the Royal York hotel and checked out the exhibition booths, gathering a few freebies...

PREACHERS SON - Love Life & Limb (self-released)
A pretty impressive package - full jewel case and insert booklet with artsy design, although I’m not sure I want to know what that fleshy, bloodied thing is in the photo under the disc tray. Gavin Friday appears on one track (“Lipstick”) and the overall look of the male/female duo is The Ravenettes gone Goth.

TORONTO’S SUPERSTARS - Various Artists
18 tracks by 18 different artists in a full jewel case with a cheesy, generic art cover. Despite going through the CMW program a few times, and reading about over 100 bands who'd be playing in the city during the fest, I can’t recall seeing any of these names before, which would mean not a single one of them played the festival!? Doesn’t bode well.

RAISED EMOTIONALLY DEAD
Oops. I generally avoided picking up the freebies that were obviously metal or super-hard rock, since it’s a style I generally don’t enjoy. Looking at this one - in a simple clear plastic sleeve - more closely, I see that the band’s logo is the initials (are?) R.E.D. dripping blood. Probably not gonna be my bag, baby.

JOSE CLAUDIO SILVA
Another general rule I had was not to grab CD-Rs that had no markings other than a name in sharpie, thinking it’s a sign that the act hasn’t put enough effort into what they're doing. But this one was being distributed in the cushy international lounge, so I felt it might be an exception.

MUSIC FROM IRELAND: SXSW 2011/CMW 2011 - Various Artists
The front cover lists SXSW in the title, the back cover cites CMW. Hey, at least the Canadian fest gets some billing. The only reason I even heard about CMW in the week before I visited was a casual mention in an email with a band's itinerary that included a Toronto date. Meanwhile, every other music related missive I got was SxSW this and SxSW that. The Canadian fest was definitely way smaller, but that made it so much more mellow and easy to navigate.  Anyhoo, in this two CD package, the first lists artists heading to Austin (hey, there’s James Vincent McMorrow, whom I met at Jammin Java when he opened for Bell X1), the second is split between CMW players and a bunch listed as “Indie.”

JENAVIVE - Demo (self-released)
A cardboard case with a photo, it says “Demo” as the title of the four track disc.

O/CD Tally: 43
(if I ever get around to actually counting all the digital downloads, thus number may amount to something)

Happy Saint Patrick's Day with the Pogues and a flash mob

Top o' the evening to ya. Me grandmother was a Gillis. And, while I did not wear green nor drink a beer today (I need not play to stereotype), I hope you had a most wonderful day.

In one bit of Irish celebration, I posted a new story to examiner.com, with a photo gallery from last week's 9:30 Club concert by the Pogues.

  And here's another bit of Celtic fun, a flash mob of Irish dancers.


Drink responsibly. Get home safely!

evolution of a musical love affair - Elbow is the band I adore.

It started with a Facebook posting from my friend, Nate, a musician who lives in Chicago (I’d give credit to his lovely bands but, since he’s about to pass me a leaked album advance, I’ll keep it at that).

Nate wrote:

Just listened to the new elbow record 3 times in a row at the coffee shop while trying to read a book... I've read 14 pages in 3 hours and stared out the window for the remainder. Either this record is brilliant or ive just had some sort of stroke.

Upon reading that, I immediately added a comment:

I adore that band. Jealous you got to hear it in its entirety. Arriving this week, yes? Guy Garvey... Be mine.

Some background:

Elbow is a British (Manchester-based) band, featuring a supremely talented singer-songwriter (the aforementioned Guy Garvey) that I was turned onto by a guy who works at my local CD trade-in store. Based on the stuff that I give away and purchase/trade for in return, he suggested a 2002-dated album called “Asleep in the Back,” by said Elbow. He was right; I thought it was great. Over the past few years, hubby and I have seen the band a few times and about two years ago – at Sixth and I Synagogue – promoting the wonderful CD,  “The Seldom Seen Kid,” they gave one of the best live concerts we’ve ever been to together.

So, the prospect of a new Elbow album is, indeed, exciting. The new album, “Build a Rocket Boys!” gets a physical release in the United States on April 12, but a digital version will be available tomorrow (March 8) to coincide with the March 7 UK release.

I was delighted to hear a song from the album on Internet stream from KCRW, the hip Los Angeles NPR station. (I was on the phone with my husband when it came on, courtesy of KCRW's Internet stream and he immediately said, "I'll hang up so you can listen." That's how much we love 'em!)

When I got a press email from a publicist who’s working the new album, I tried to score an advance of the music, but she balked. (“Thank you so much for the lovely words - the love that has been pouring in has been next to none. This band is truly loved!” she wrote back to my gushing comments. But no music.) So, a few hours after leaving the comment on Nate’s wall, I got an email from him that started with a link to a zip file…[redacted] and then said:

not sure how you fee about piracy, somali or otherwise.... but do with this link what you will.     alls i know is the first track alone is worth it.

To which I replied:

(sound of Marianne screaming with joy!)

it's not piracy.

I will buy the CD when it's out and see the show and throw myself at Guy and do all other forms of fangirl worship.

burning a copy immediately to share with Terry.

thanks so much!

(how'd you get it?)

Nate’s explanation:

i have many dear nerd friends that are able to troll the internets for things like this.... and even if it's just to hear something like this a few days early it's completely worth it.  what an amazing record!      

i'm a late comer to the elbow party after just finding out about them last year. but i can't remember the last band i heard that i was able to go back and love everything they've done. so this is a pretty exciting record for me and i can't wait to see them live...

See? This is not about pirating music. This is that rare joy that the music-obsessed share when a band makes music that means something very personal to them and the anticipation of new material is delicious temptation.

And so, last night and tonight, hubby and I immersed ourselves in the new album. And yeah, it made a helluva first impression. And I trust it will grow to reveal itself even more over time.

Here is a taste for you of the extraordinary Elbow, recorded live:

Me and Justin Bieber

We share a birthday today. I hope he's having as much fun as I am!

My Own Cash Money: Culture Vulture

I don’t like to see retailers go out of business. I still get a pang in my heart whenever I pass by either of the two local shopping centers that once held Tower Records stores. Still, I like a bargain as much as the next person (probably more), so I make a point of checking out any media outlets that put up those black, red and yellow “everything must go” signs.

Happily, Borders Books isn’t closing all of its stores and there’s only one here in Northern Virginia that’s going under, the Tysons location, which is not one I frequented often. The Borders on Route 7 in Sterling is my preference and I was just there before Valentine’s Day, picking up a copy of SUN KIL MOON’s “Admiral Fell Promises” (1) as a present for Hubby.

Compared to the pitiful music section at my local Best Buy, and the hit-skewed shelves at Target, Borders is one of the few stores in my area that can actually offer a chance to browse, find more obscure titles and maybe make some discoveries. The trick, though, is that the chain’s prices are higher than most other options. In today’s look-see, the deal was 20% off list price so most CDs, ticketed at $14.99 and up, were no real deal.  I’ll be back when the discount gets to 30%, but there was one rack of discount CDs – most $10 and under – that made for a good treasure hunt. That’s where I found:

THREE DOG NIGHT – Icon (Geffen)

Twelve tracks, and I could sing almost every one from memory. Some personal favorites – “Liar,” “Eli’s Coming,” “One” and “Mama Told Me (Not to Come).” 3DN may not have written their own stuff but they knew how to choose ‘em and how to make ‘em sound good. That said, the packaging is a total snooze – just one group shot on the back cover – so I will rip the tracks and send the disc on its way. (2)

PATTI SMITH GROUP – Wave (Arista)

It’s not that Patti Smith can do no wrong. Sometimes her stuff is over-the-top, indulgent and pretentious. But she’s Patti GD Smith (!) and she's earned the right to do as she wishes. And when she hits the nail on the head, as on “Dancing Barefoot” here, she’s the goddess. I have this on vinyl, as I do a few of her LPs, but I’m willing to swap analog for digital at a cost of under $5 and with two bonus tracks. (3)

The magazine racks were 40% off, so it was time to catch up with the latest issue of Uncut, the British magazine that mounts a CD on each issue. The February issue offers NEW MUSIC FOR A NEW YEAR, with Wanda Jackson, The Low Anthem, Old 97’s, Joan As Police Woman, and a bunch of artists I don't know - yet. (4)

A week or so ago, I picked up another of the British publications with CD's attached:

HARVEST REVISTED – Various Artists

From Mojo, a collection on which you have a grab bag of contemporary artists covering the Neil Young classic. I don’t know most of the names here – Doug Paisley, Jane Weaver, Neville Skelly – but have heard of Phosphorescent and Villagers, and saw Smoke Fairies open for Laura Marling last year. On first listen, I enjoyed hearing the songs again after a long time, but my main response was to want to go back and hear Neil Young sing the material. Tracks like “Old Man” and “Alabama” have enough inner strength to hold up under new interpretation, but only Young can sing the lyrics to songs like “A Man Needs a Maid” and make them not sound silly. (5)

On the way home from Borders, I stopped for groceries and popped into the Blockbuster in the same shipping center. It, too, is going out of business and, cruising through the $5.99 previously viewed DVDs, I kept saying to myself, “yeah, but I can get it on Netflix” and thus reinforced why the store is doomed. And yet, I grabbed a dirt cheap ($1.00!) copy of an HBO film starring Grad Girl’s favorite actor and, next to the cashier, found a cardboard display with CDs going for half off. And thus, I found (for $6.25):

TWILIGHT: NEW MOON – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Atlantic)

I’ve read one book, seen one movie (on video), so you can’t call me a Twi-hard. But this soundtrack contains previously unreleased (as far as I know) recordings by Death Cab, Thom Yorke, The Killers, Bon Iver & St, Vincent, Grizzly Bear…like tuning in to a cool radio station (another dying breed. Sigh). The jewel case has a series of scratches across the front cover – has Jacob been here? (6)

Catching up on some other recent purchases, back at ye olde CD Cellar, I traded in a bag of no longer wanted physical discs and brought home just a few new acquisitions:

 CIAO MY SHINING STAR: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy – Various Artists (Shout! Factory)

As one half of the Miracle Legion, Mark Mulcahy was responsible for one of my favorite albums of 1989, “Mr. And Mr. Ray,” a little known, and therefore highly underrated classic of early alternative pop (Michael Stipe was a big fan and touted them at the time). When Mulchay’s wife died a few years back, a group of musician friends like Thom Yorke, The National, Dinosaur Jr., Juliana Hatfield and others recorded this tribute album to help him out financially and no doubt, emotionally. At the time of its release (2009), I got this album as a generic-sleeve advance, and wanted to have it in the permanent collection in its full packaging. ($1.99) (7)

DEAD CAN DANCE – Spiritchaser (4AD)

I keep buying DCD albums in hopes of getting more tracks like “The Carnival is Over,” which I discovered on a late-night chill compilation and fell in love with because of Brendan Perry’s beautiful, sonorous voice. But this is the second album of theirs I’ve bought and been disappointed by (the other was “Serpent’s Egg”), being dominated by a middle eastern chorus. ($3.99)

I need to go back further into the band’s catalog and find “Into the Labyrinth.” (On amazon.com, it appears to be out-of-print, with new copies starting at $30 and used at $13.) (8)

BEN HARPER & The INNOCENT CRIMINALS – Lifeline (Virgin)

I couldn’t resist – a CD and a DVD, both in nicely designed gate-fold sleeves in a slipcase with a photobook. ($3.99) (9)

If you don’t know about the “Pop Deal of the Day,” head over to the Columbia Records sales site that offers one sweet offer each weekday, usually a box set at greatly reduced prices, sometimes special deluxe editions that would be very hard to track down in these days of no damn record stores!

Though almost every day is a temptation, I have so far stayed sober and purchased just two:

LOUIS ARMSTRONG – The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings (Columbia/Legacy

Billed as “The definitive box set celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the legendary jazz innovator,” this was a steal at $18 - a box set of 89 songs on 4 CDs, remastered, with hardbound book. And speaking of Satchmo, our family had a strange and wonderful experience recently. One of hubby’s elderly uncles passed away and, being a WWII veteran, his graveside service featured a flag-folding ceremony and a live rendition of taps. In an email exchange with the young man who played the funereal trumpet, he mentioned that one of Louis Armstrong’s surviving relatives gave the soldier a trumpet mouthpiece that had been used by the Great One and told him to use it at military services. So Uncle Ed went to a better place with Satchmo helping him along. How cool is that? (10)

BROADWAY: The AMERICAN MUSICAL – Various Artists (Columbia Broadway Masterworks/Legacy)

This one was $24 for 5 CDs, over 100 songs from classics like “My Fair Lady,” “West Side Story,” “Cabaret” and tons more from the Great White Way. When I was growing up in Queens, NY, my mom and brother and I used to go to the theatre about once a month, or more, sitting in the cheap seats and taking advantage of any student discounts we could get in on. Columbia Records was the go-to label for all the original cast albums and I still have a ton on vinyl. Until such time as I can properly transfer them for digital use, this will be a great holdover  and, if I choose to rip/burn the set, a good gift idea for the family. (11)

Wait! There's two more...

ARETHA FRANKLIN – Greatest Hits 1980-1995 (Arista)

“Freeway of Love,” “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me),” “Who’s Zooming Who” and a bunch of tracks I confess I don’t know at all. Since I got this one for just $1.50 at the Thrift Store, I can’t raise a real stink, but the 1985 hit duet with Annie Lennox, “Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves,” is not included, so I guess RCA was being dickish about letting it go. (12)

BRIGHT EYES - The People's Key (Saddle Creek)

I have a monthly subscription to emusic.com, which offers digital downloads at about half the price of iTunes and came thisclose to buying the new Bright Eyes album there, for $5.99. Glad I hesitated, 'cause I found the physical CD for just $7.99 at Target, and Conor Oberst is a guy who knows packaging. After all, he and his little indie label once hand-glued individual mirrors to the covers of "Fevers and Mirrors" in its initial pressing. This one is a die-cut, fold out cover with a booklet of photos.

And so, O/CD Tally: 37

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!

Once More Into the (Judging) Breach

Tonight, I'll be back at the judges table at Jammin' Java for the final round of the fourth Mid-Atlantic Band Battle and since our resident "dreamboat" host, Nate Ihara, is very good at mentioning the web site in his judge introductions, I felt I'd better put up something new to let y'all know that, yes, indeed, CPF is open for action. I've actually been pretty busy with another web project that will be going online in the next few weeks, but I can say no more at the moment.

For now though, here are two recent things that have gone interwebal in the recent past. The first is a new outlet, Citystream DC, which is very much like Citysearch DC, not only in nominal similarity but in how it's looking to cover the same local content. And it has the same editor as well. Much like my weekly concert roundup for the 'search, I am giving the 'stream a listing of upcoming shows, this time in a thingy we're calling The Next Ten Days...

Meanwhile, back at examiner-land, I posted a photo gallery from an intimate promo show given by R&B star Raphael Saadiq...

Since I opened my last posting with a gripe about getting caught in the awful snowstorm-induced "carmeggedon" of a few weeks ago, I feel obliged to mention that today was an absolutely Bee-Yoo-Tee-Ful day. I know that spring isn't yet here to stay, but it was certainly lovely to get outside and feel some sun.

That's all for now. It's off to the Battle. If you've come here on Nate's recommendation, I hope it will be the start of a nice relationship and yes, I will post photos from the event ASAP.

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!

Back to the Battle

If anyone came to the site during its "down time" to see photos from the Jammin Java Battle of the Bands, held earlier this month, I'm sorry you didn't get to see them in a more timely matter. But now, without further ado, here's what went down on Wednesday, January 12th:

The first act to take the stage was the CHRIS COLLAT BAND, who set the bar very high for the night with an accomplished set that had a polished, DMB-style vibe.

Next up was I AM AVERNA, five young guys led by a singer with a monster voice.

Yet another young quintet. SUB-RADIO STANDARD, had the middle slot. (There were only five bands this night as one group, Starryville, was no longer in the lineup).

And now, a special guest star! While I was grabbing a drink between acts, I ran into another fine local musician VINCE SCHEUERMAN. Vince was just a teenager when he fronted beloved area band Cactus Patch, which morphed into Army of Me, and now leads a new outfit called River James. I told him I wanted to take his picture for the blog, but Vince vetoed a solo shot ("I feel like a farm animal," he protested gently) so here's a Facebook-style shot of me and him.

The penultimate (I told you I love that word) band was SKYLINES, a six-piece band that had lots of energy and a violin player to help vary its sound.

And the final band of the night, OH SO PELIGROSO, took us out with a fiercely compelling set that made the final decision a tough one.

Still, the winner was....Chris Collat and company. Sometimes, it really comes down to just a few points on the scoring card.

Which brings me to another, different kind of point. The last time I wrote about the Battle of the Bands, a few people left comments calling into question the judges' decision on Tuesday night. They complained that the band that won didn't have the same number of vocal fans as one that didn't. Just for the record, the judges work from a set of criteria that includes musicianship, style, songwriting and other factors, crowd support being just one of them. So, ultimately it's a talent, not a popularity, contest. The judges don't discuss the scores as we each write them down and the final tally is done by someone else working at the club. Hope that clears things hope.

BTW,  OH SO PELIGROSO gave me a copy of its full-length CD and I picked up two CD-Rs that other acts distributed to promote upcoming shows.
McTWIST - "So I'm Off"
BRIAN HUBER - 3-track sampler (including a song called "Snuggies" which is as scary as it sounds)
All of which makes the O/CD Tally: 19

We Now Return to Our Regulary (?) Scheduled Blog

Ah......I exist again.

A little over a week ago, just as I was in the midst of judging the Jammin Java Battle of the Bands, where the CPF site was mentioned repeatedly over the course of three nights, leading to more traffic than I've seen here in quite a while, the site disappeared. This was the result of my renewing the domain name and, while doing so, transferring to a new domain service where I made mistakes in resetting the DNS. (And if that makes sense to you, you're much more of a geek than I am.)

I watched in horror (well, disappointment) as closepersonalfriend.com seemed to evaporate. I knew the bits (bytes) and pieces of it still existed somewhere on the web, but I couldn't get the URL to connect to the material. It's the first time that has happened in five + years of doing this blog and I was surprised to realize how much it means to me to have CPF out there where people (all six of you?) can see it.

I had resigned myself to another day of dealing with GoDaddy customer service (their commercials suck, but the people on the phone are lovely; I don't blame them for my error) but then, a friend who came to dinner this evening was kind enough to answer my call for help and found the key to making it all work again. Hurrah for Mark!

CPF is back, baby! Better late than never, I hope, I will post the remaining photos from the Battle.
In the meantime, here's my ballot for the Village Voice Pazz & Jop Poll (I'll tell you more about my choices soon).

Thanks, as ever, for stopping by.

A View from the Judges Table

Last night, I was one of three judges at Jammin Java’s fourth Mid-Atlantic Battle of the Bands, and will be there again tonight and tomorrow night as we choose one band each night (it also took place Monday, but I wasn’t there) to compete for the grand prize - including $$, a headliner show at the club and a recording session - on February 18th.

This is the third time I’ve been asked by the club to be a judge, and it’s a lot of fun. I’m no Simon Cowell, and so I’m not out to dash anyone’s hopes of moving up in the music business, but there are definitely bands I’ve seen and enjoyed at past events - like Sing Me Insomnia, Escape the Armada and The Shields Brothers - that I wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. My favorites don’t always win, and there are bands I wouldn’t cross the street to see platy again, but everyone who takes the stage got there legitimately. Some don’t have what it takes - yet, or maybe never - but kudos for trying.

 The first band up was a group from local high schools, Friday Harbor, who didn't have much of a crowd due to snow delays, but made their moment count.

Next up was Grand Revival, whose frontman had the look of INXS' late Michael Hutchence and the vocal style of Eddie Vedder.

Nata Ihara, lead singer for a fine local band, We Were Kings, has been the host for many of the nights I’ve judged. He’s a fun, humorous flirt (tell him he’s “dreamy”) and keeps the crowd pumped. When he introduces the three judges, he usually calls me “freelance writer for the Washington Post,” but I haven’t contributed to the paper since they cancelled the biweekly local sections  (one for Arlington, one for Fairfax county) where my “Live!” columns appeared (for five years; it was a great gig while it lasted).

So, last night I told Nate to mention this blog and tell people I would be posting pics from the event. I had only my small point-and-click camera and didn’t want to leave the judges table to get close, so these are not quality shots but, hopefully, they’ll give you a sense of the event and let the participating bands know they were, indeed, being noticed.

The act in the next three shots is Light Speed Rescue. It was the third band to play but took the top spot, winning the night with a nice blend of rock, funk and hip-hop.

The only female on the bill was Robin Cook, who took the bold move of appearing solo, accompanied by a computer playing dance beats and with some cool lighting effects. She was mostly in shadow (sorry about the dim shots) and brought a disco vibe to the otherwise rock-skewed night.

Here's "dreamy" Nate, stopping by the judges table...

Nate took my camera up close to the stage to get a shot of The Elevators, a funk band who were fifth on the bill. That makes them the penultimate band. (Look it up; I love that word!)

 I took this shot of the band's lead guitarist, who played some tasty Pink Floyd-like licks during a longer jam - and yeah, I know Floyd's not technically funky, but it was cool.

And the last band of the night was billed as Scott Norris, led by the lead singer of the same name. Is it just me, or does he have a bit of a Justin Timberlake look? The sound, however, was more straight-on rock.

And finally, here's Nate again, announcing the winner. I can’t tell you how I voted, but suffice to say I think justice was served.

If you read this and you’re coming to any of the remaining Battle nights, stop by the judges table and say hello. And Nate is also giving away free copies of the new We Were Kings two-track CD, which I enjoyed listening to on the ride home. So come to the show and grab one while they last. (O/CD Tally: 15)