Bicycle Thieves have become well-known around the D.C. area for their polished melodies and catchy hooks (listen to a couple of mp3s here). Lucky for you, you'll have a chance to check out their crowd-pleasing music tonight at Unbuckled (9 p.m.! Black Cat backstage! Be there!). Frontman Jon Kaplan chatted with DCist about having his song featured on MTV, how a band can apply for a D.C. arts grant, and the local scene.

DCist: Can you tell us a little bit of the history behind your band and how you got together?

Kaplan: I used to have another band called Bicycle Thieves and it went through a lot of changes a couple years ago. I asked Dan Perriello to fill in on drums because I liked what he was doing with his then-current band Thinking Out Loud. One night, when we were getting together to practice, I asked if he would bring Mark Lewis (guitar, vocals) along to see what it was like playing together, because Mark was also in Thinking Out Loud; Mark came along and the rest is history. Scott Aronson (bass) was a member of the old Bicycle Thieves and, luckily for me, stuck around for the new version as well.

DCist: At one point Bicycle Thieves received a grant from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities towards completion of your EP. How did that process work? Do you think more bands should consider applying for similar grants?

Kaplan:I think the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities does great stuff. I met Jose Dominguez, who works there, and he really helped me a lot with the grant process. I had applied for the Young Artists Grant and didn't get it, because one of the qualifications was that it had to be an innovative art project, and they didn't consider making a CD to be innovative, understandably. This was compared to some of the other projects, which included a ballet choreographed to take place on the escalators in the Metro and other projects like that. Anyway, I ended up getting a grant through the Small Projects Program and it helped immensely. It really wasn't that hard to apply for and I think a lot of bands should do it. You have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. All of the info is on their website.

DCist: Your song All That's Missing was featured on the "Real World" (which season was that?). How did you go about getting your song on there?

Kaplan: Ah yes, that was on the New Orleans season...was it 9? It was one of those times when you send your CD to someone and they actually listen to it and end up liking it. Honestly, not much more to it than that, though, believe me, it doesn't happen all that often.

DCist: You've been nominated for several Wammies and won in the past. There was some controversy about the 2004 Wammies and the process involved in choosing winners; some accused the organization of awarding prizes to less relevant, older acts (the Rhodes Tavern Troubadours won this past year for Best Rock Group). What do you think of the Wammies?

Kaplan: That's a tough one...I think WAMA and the Wammies are what the members make of them. My friend Mike Holden did a lot to get newer and younger artists to join up and vote each other onto the ballot this year, but I think many people were still frustrated by some artists winning over and over. We won a few Wammies and maybe people got sick of seeing our names on there too, which is understandable. When it comes down to it, I don't think winning or not winning a Wammie is a life-changing event for a DC band, or should be. Look at all the bands that have come out of here and never had a thing to do with the Wammies...Dismemberment Plan, Fugazi, etc. I guess it all depends on how much relevance you place on awards of any kind, be it the Grammys, Oscars, or Wammies.

DCist: Give us your impression of the D.C. music scene. Has it supported you or held you back in certain ways? What local acts do you enjoy?

Kaplan: I think it's a similar thing to the Wammies...it's what you put into it. There are a lot of great bands, all depending on your taste. It's such a subjective thing and I think DC shares that with any major city. There are a bunch of bands I like around town, and I can't think of them all right now...I guarantee I'm forgetting someone, but a few are: Monopoli, Army of Me, Mike Holden, Brice Woodall, Laura Burhenn, Shane Hines, Shwa, Laura Tsaggaris, Justin Jones, Timothy Bracken, and of course, Cartel.

DCist: You've played everywhere from Fort Reno to Iota to the HFStival one year. Are there some past performances that stand out to you? Does the group have a preferred venue that they like to play?

Kaplan: All of those that you mentioned have been great in their own ways, whether because it feels like an accomplishment or just feels like we played a good show. Steve and Jane at Iota are some of the best people in the club business, and I think if you asked touring acts who come through and play at Iota, they would agree. Playing the Black Cat back in November was great as well...the crowd, the other bands, the people who work there...everything. I got to open for Art from Everclear at the Birchmere...that was pretty cool too.

(Image from meticulous.com)