The Weekly Feed: Experimentation Edition
Morning Roundup: Change Edition
Former Blade Staffers Launch 'DC Agenda'
D.C. Insurance Dept. Denies Birth Control Coverage Meddling
Controversy Over Rhee Now to Include Sex, Congress
MONDAY
>> You cannot avoid Toots Hibbert on TV these days. Well actually, it is just that Nissan car commercial with the Clash's version of Toots & the Maytals' "Pressure Drop." The guy who penned that song, "Reggae Got Soul," and numerous other R&B flavored Jamaican numbers is at the 930 Club with the latest version of the Maytals. Hot D.C. go-go combo Mambo Sauce were just added as openers. $26
>> If solo indie acoustic guitar is what you're after, The Rock and Roll Hotel gives you three young sensitive and well-spoken types Owen, Kevin Devine and Manchester Orchestra frontman Andy Hull. $12
>> Three Stars alum Anthony Pirog will perform three times... all in one night. The jazz guitarist will appear on stage at Bossa Bistro and Lounge first with celloist Janel Leppin, then with Jeff Reed and Larry Ferguson as the Anthony Pirog Trio and finally with Leppin, Reed, Ferguson and saxist Rob Muncy to pay tribute to Sonny Sharrock. That's stamina.
TUESDAY
>> For those fans of Austin minimalist juggernaut Spoon who saw the words SOLD OUT in giant block letters on the 9:30 Club Website and wanted to punch a wall – save your hand and fear not. As you all know, anyone who held on to their original 9:30 Club ticket is guaranteed a spot, and anyone with a ticket stub from the Monday night Shins show at the Merriweather Post (for whom Spoon and freak folk act Vetiver are openers) has a chance to get in to their more intimate affair at 9:30. First come, first serve so show up early.
>> Even if you don't come from the land of ice and snow, you can fake it. Hej Hej, aka DJs Natalya and Melissa, will buy a Viking beer or Reyka vodka drink for the first five people to enter Cafe Saint-Ex with Viking Helmets. There will be specials on those two drinks for the duration of the night, and of course, plenty of music from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland and Denmark. No cover.
WEDNESDAY
>> We love British chanteuse Holly Golightly, who will be gracing DC9 with her presence. The Brokeoffs, who are slightly more country sounding these days, will be opening, as well as local bluegrass act The Starlingtons. $10 in advance, $12 at the door.
>> Portland shoegazers Stars of Track and Field owe as much to Radiohead as they do to The Postal Service, and will bring their expansive rock sound to Jammin' Java. Caveat concertgoer: This will be immediately following the Vienna Halloween parade so the traffic will be as intense as the tunes. $12 in advance, $14 at the door.
THURSDAY
>> Going back to the celebration of Scandanavians. Jens Lekman arrives at the Black Cat with his alternately perky and heartbreaking tunes and a new release, Night Falls Over Kortedala. The likable baritone will be followed by Viktor Sjoberg. $12 in advance, $14 day of show.
>> If the energy and banter of the ever-entertaining ex-Plan frontman Travis Morrison aren’t enough to drag you out to the Rock and Roll Hotel, the final destination of your ticket money might be. This show with Jukebox the Ghost (***) and Ra Ra Rasputin will raise money for Survivors and Advocates for Empowerment (SAFE), a nonprofit dedicated to client-based advocacy in the court system for victims of domestic violence. $10 in advance, $12 day of show
>> The Barns at Wolf Trap kick off their American Roots Inspired Folk Music Weekend tonight with gospel-rock singer songwriter Paul Thorn. The shows will run through Sunday and will include two consecutive nights of folk quartet Speidel, Goodrich, Goggin & Lille and cap off with progressive bluegrass-gospel trio Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver's performance on Sunday night.
>> Ceu will be bringing her gorgeous voiced Brazilian pop sound to the 9:30 Club. In addition to samba, expect to hear reggae, electronica, and neo-soul elements. $20
>> Ex-Concrete Blonde Johnnette Napolitano will be at Jammin’ Java. Those who are unfamiliar with her post-CB output should check out her extremely chilling version of Coldplay’s “The Scientist” found on the Wicker Park soundtrack. $18
FRIDAY
>> The priestess of the piano, Tori Amos, returns to D.A.R. Music Hall to present her myriad assortment of alternate personalities on the American Doll Possee Tour. Unique beat-maker Yoav opens.
>> If you’re more in the mood for getting your eardrums absolutely destroyed, Japanese metal trio Boris will gladly oblige as they come to D.C. touring off of their 2006 album, Pink. $12.
>> Must Love Trash comes back with a bang, marking their first show since their drummer’s back surgery, at a Halloween Costume Party at The Red & The Black. Good time hard-rockers The Frustrations and The Falsies open. Did we mention that there will be candy?
>> Spanish outfit Macaco (whose name is spelled differently than George Allen's favorite insult) surrounds their flamenco guitar strumming with lush electronica and pop. The combination is intermittently successful on CD, see how well it works live at 8 p.m. at Lisner Auditorium, DC
SATURDAY
>> Locals Bellman Barker (***) may be more noted for their easy, breezy infectious pop hooks, but their homecoming Halloween show at the Velvet Lounge promises a crazy-scary night of costumes, giveaways and general mayhem.
>> Rumi at 800: A Sufi Celebration is a day of music, poetry, special tours, and Persian and Turkish food in honor of poet and mystic Rumi, born in 1207, who inspired the founding of the Whirling Dervishes and remains one of the world's best-selling authors. With vocalist Lida Saeedian, an Iranian-born singer, plus vocalist Humayun Farzad, Kazem Davoudian on santur (hammered dulcimer), and percussionist Behrouz Jamali. Note: Free tickets (up to 4 per person) can be reserved in advance through Ticketmaster 11 am-9 pm, Freer & Sackler Galleries,
>> Concha Buika is a female vocalist who merges flamenco with soul, jazz, funk, and folkloric copla music. Of Equatorial Guinea background, Buika grew up on the Spanish island of Mallorca, and first achieved fame singing house music. She will be at Lisner Auditorium at 8 p.m., DC
SUNDAY
>> Young Leeds-based act The Lodger will be hitting U.S. shores for the first time and making a stop at The Velvet Lounge. Their stateside debut, Grown-Ups, has already spawned the smash hit “Kicking Sand” in the UK, and hopes to enjoy similar success in the States with a sound that owes much to The Wedding Present and The Smiths.
>> Andy Hull returns for a second time this week to the Rock and Roll Hotel, this time with a band, the critically acclaimed R.E.M.-meets-David Bazan act Manchester Orchestra. They’ll be bringing along two Raleigh acts, their co-headliner and recent Sony signees, the young and energetic Annuals (pictured) and environmentalist art-rockers The Never.
Steve Kiviat contributed to this week's agenda. Images courtesy Spoon and The Annuals.
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Boris rocks. Just sayin'.
yo la tengo is at the birchmere in alexandria tomorrow (tues. oct. 23). just sayin'
That's one hell of an indie rock week. Sunday choices seem particularly difficult as there is also the Weakerthans (930 club - early show) and XYZ Affair (Black Cat). And I think the Drive-By Truckers are playing in Baltimore the same night. Insane. For my money, I would pick the Weakerthans, I think.
Missing the Canadian trifecta this weekend: The Tragically Hip/Joel Plaskett on Friday night, The New Pornographers on Saturday, and the Weakerthans on Sunday. All shows at the 9:30 Club. All are early shows as Canadian bands must be able to catch the third period of the evening's hockey game.
What's with the lack of a review of the Spoon show last night?!
Reyka Vodka!
I just got back from the Iceland Airwaves festival and want to get my hands on a bottle. Anyone know a liquor store in DC that carries Reyka? And if you say you have a Brennivín hook up, I just might faint.