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I've been a bit distracted lately since I've just launched a new web site that's been taking up my time and energy. I haven't abandoned this blog, but it will have to take a back seat for a little while longer while I take care of the new baby...


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We Get Out - Matt Nathanson, Sarah Jarosz

Trying for a quick recap of the musical week just past...

It began, as Mondays generally do, with the posting of my weekly concert picks column for Citysteam.com in which I wrote about shows by Hey Rosetta!, Glasvegas and Sierra Leone's All Star Refugees, among others.

But first, I throw us back in time to the week before, and a different set of concert picks with acts like
The Antlers, Todd Snider, River James and others. The one show that I made a distinct effort to get off my butt and see was Todd Snider's, but the label never answered my request (file under: Work With Me, People! just send an email one way or the other, 'K?) and other things came up. The last show on the list was Matt Nathanson, a personal favorite, but he was opening a three-act bill at Merriweather Post and that meant a bad ratio of hassle:fun.

The great thing, though, was that I had gotten word that Matt (he's such a good guy, and I've followed him so long, I'll break from the last name convention) would be doing a "secret" show at Jammin' Java on Monday night and, thanks to my lovely pals at the club, missing the very brief ticket window announcement on Twitter and email was not going to stop me from getting in.

I saw the show, loved it, wrote about it for examiner.com and got over 1,000 hits in one day for the review and photo gallery. The hits came, I do believe, from the fact that Matt's people posted the link on his Facebook fan page, which came as a nice surprise.

For the full review of the show and lots of pics, check out the story on examiner.com.

Among the shows that were listed in this past week's previews there was a return area appearance by the lovely Sarah Jarosz, who did a wonderful sold-out show at Reston's cozy CenterStage last month and was coming back to Jammin' Java with her two amazing sidemen on cello and fiddle. I made it out to that show, too. Also SRO and a thing of string-fueled beauty. 

Afterwards, I chatted with the trio and they pretended to remember me. Nice people, gorgeous music.

Today was a day to add some new music to the collection in actual, physical CD form. Borders, which appears to be decreasing its music department all the time, had sent out an email about a 40% off sale on CDs and DVDs, so I took a ride out Route 7 for a look-see. As I've said before, Borders prices are high to begin with ($15 and up for most new releases), so it takes a sizable discount to make buying there worthwhile. I tried to stay within budget and brought home the following:

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE - The Open Door EP (Atlantic)
Five-tracks from 2009. ($2.99)
PATTON OSWALT - My Weakness is Strong CD/DVD (Warner Bros./Degenerate)
Local boy (he grew up in a Virginia town about 90 minutes from here) made very good, and very funny. I once saw him walking past the movie theatre at Reston Town Center and blurted out the name of a neighbor/friend who went to school with him. Strange, I know, but he's probably used to much worse. ($10.19)
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC - Original Broadway Cast (Columbia)
Confession: I have to check to see if I already have this (or is it just on vinyl?) but couldn't risk missing out. Save the receipt. ($5.99)
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - London Calling: Live in Hyde Park DVD
I'm not the Brooooooooce fanatic I once was, but when I saw that this concert opens with "London Calling," (doh!) I felt I had to see what the Boss has been up to live lately. ($11.99)
SLY &  The FAMILY STONE - Stand/The Woodstock Experience (Epic/Legacy)
Hubby and I had both "Monterey Pop" and "Woodstock" on our Netflix queue in recent weeks and were struck with how well the music has held up over the years. Some of the performances were jaw-dropping. This Sly double-feature - the original "Stand" album plus the full Woodstock performance - made for groovy Saturday afternoon listening. ($11.99)
UNCUT Magazine  ($9.99) - Happy Birthday, Bob Dylan issue, with a 16-track CD of Dylan cover songs (Robyn Hitchcock, North Mississippi North Stars, Soweto Gospel Choir) or birthday-themed songs (Sufjan Stevens, Wanda Jackson, Hank Williams). The magazine is publishing four different  covers for  the mag/CD. I opted for the young, Tarantula-era Dylan.

YTD O/CD Tally: 50

The-Not-So-Sweetlife Festival (explained)

I never got around to telling the story here, though I did send an email to an editor, telling her what went wrong. So, I'll use that as a starting point to tell the tale. Though I generally try not to live in the past, I saw one glowing review of the event written by someone who must have had either VIP seats (the only people allowed in and out of the pavilion) and/or an extremely strong bladder.  For the rest of us, Sweetlife was a travesty.

For me, the show was a mess on the professional and personal level....

professional:
we (hubby and I) got there about 2 pm.
there was confusion about my press tix and photo pass  -
even with a printed email confirmation
(got the first, not the second)

was going to cover for my examiner.com column, but needed pit photos,
which I wasn't going to be able to get.
so, we thought we'd just hang and hear the music.
or not...

which leads us to the personal level mess:

hubby and I go into the GA pavilion seats.
since they are GA seats, only one of us at a time can go out for food, drinks, bathroom, or we lose the seats.

meanwhile, the lawn is filling up with people and it begins to rain.
after Cold War Kids' set, hubby leaves to pee, and when he returns to the pavilion, there's a crush of people wanting to get away from the rain  and he's told he can't come back in.
since the ushers can't tell who had seats inside and who's just trying to get out of the rain, they're not letting anyone in.

hubby calls me on the cell phone and tells me he's stuck. (thank god he had his cell phone)
the crowd is growing and getting restless.
one guy gets abusive and the bouncers drag him away.
another bouncer tells the crowd he's going to start picking up people and carrying them out.
the vibe is ugly.

At this point I figure, as much as I want to see Girl Talk and the Strokes, I will have to pee in the next 4 hours and then I'll be stuck on the cold, wet lawn, too.
and I miss hubby  :-)
maybe I shouldn't make him wait outside?
so we split.

my other regret - the drunk guy we'd been sitting behind - the one dressed like a Tequila bottle (foam suit) - is coming back from the rest room as we're leaving.
I would have liked to have seen his reaction to being told he couldn't get back in.

we left as Crystal Castles were going on.
got home while Lupe Fiasco was playing.
I started following the twitter feed from the event and couldn't tell if things had gotten better.
tweets were split between people inside the pavilion (with full bellies and strong bladders) who were simply loving the music
and people outside who were really, really mad.
not sure when/if they resolved the crowd situation.

BTW, though Merriweather Post events are usually run by IMP, this was (badly) handled by a different group.
but a lot of IMP people were there and everyone associated is going to be blamed for what could have turned into a riot.

I didn't pay for my tickets, so I was just frustrated, but if I had paid, I would have felt royally ripped off.
there may be some very angry people out there.

a shame, too, since the cause was great and the music line-up was terrific.
I blame it on inexperience, not greed.
still, a mess.

The Not-So-Sweetlife Festival

You know there's probably gonna be trouble when the guy in front of you is dressed as a tequila bottle.
(It was one of those foam sheaths with a hoodie-like head piece that made the cap, although he just let it dangle down his back). And that wasn't even the first sign that the Sweetlife Festival, which is probably ending just as I type this, wasn't going to go well.

Oops. The president is about to make a speech, so I'm totally distracted. Here are a few pics of Ra Ra Riot, whom we thoroughly enjoyed (I just downloaded their latest from emusic.com) and Cold War Kids, whom we've seen before and who solidified their rep as a damn fine band.

I would have more and better photos but the PR people messed up my photo pass. That, too, will be explained further. But for now, let's go to the White House...

 Cold War Kids

 Ra Ra Riot

 Ra Ra Riot

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)

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