Are you a local band? Did you release a full length album in 2011? Did we forget to review it? If you answered yes to the first two questions, the answer to the third is probably also an affirmative. Oops. Our bad. We're sorry. We'll do better in 2012. Still, since "we'll do better" doesn't sound much like a retroactive "we'll review your album," relax. We'll do that, too. Here are some brief thoughts on the local LPs that we'd meant to analyze earlier. more ›

MONDAY

"Gezelligheid" -- a Dutch word loosely translatable as "cozy" -- is the term Andrew Bird uses to characterize the unique and intimate series of holiday concerts he debuted last December at churches in Minneapolis and his native Chicago. This week, the show comes to D.C. for a three-night stand at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, the dramatic architecture and superb acoustics of which should make it an sublime setting for Bird's captivating, loop-layered solo violin compositions. Julianna Barwick opens tonight and tomorrow night, with Marissa Nadler taking over the supporting slot on Wednesday. Sold out. 8 p.m. more ›

Last year we reported on the strong presence the District had at the annual music industry spring break that is SXSW in Austin, TX. This year, in addition to official shows from The Hall Monitors, Benjy Ferree, These United States and, oddly enough, Frodus, there were a number of unofficial appearances as well. The DC Does TX day party returned to Austin for its second year, District-based Exotic Fever Records held a shindig of their own, and a few acts like Laura Burhenn and Wild Fictions had some performances without other locals on the bill. There are always at least 20 fantastic shows going on at the same time at SXSW, so we didn't make it to everyone's performances, but here's a quick look at some of the excellent shows that we did catch. more ›

Between her stellar voice, aggressive riffs and critical praise, recent Three Stars alum Carol Bui has given us plenty of reasons to pay attention. But for those who haven't yet caught on, here's another one: she's just finished a video for "Modern Dance," directed by former Let's French guitarist Maxwell Sorensen. more ›

There's more to Carol Bui than meets the eye (or the ear). Which is saying something considering that her latest release, Everyone Wore White, is a complex tapestry that not only showcases her capabilities as a guitarist but fleshes out several corners of her history and personality. Bui draws from influences as disparate as Fugazi and traditional Vietnamese tunes (one of which she sings a capella to close out the album) and sings about life's rough patches with a tone that's disarmingly bold and direct. Her toughness and sensitivity shine through, but she's also witty and approachable. That's part of the beauty of her music: she's honest and forthright, yet leaves so much in her nuances for the listener to discover. There's a reason she's on the list of DCist's favorite local acts of 2007. more ›

The name may be unfamiliar, but the players behind Club Tiger Promotions are highly recognizable to any one who follows the D.C. music scene. Local artists Carol Bui and Jay Smith of Middle Distance Runner have started an all-ages venue, The Lab in Alexandria, which will both give under-age bands a place to play with their more seasoned peers and serve as an environment where, as Bui puts it, "kids feel totally comfortable and safe... more ›

After listening to local artist Carol Bui's Everyone Wore White, released earlier this month on 54º 40' or Fight! Records, one gets the feeling that she would have been a superstar if the album came out in 1995. Owing more to P.J. Harvey and post-grunge than Lily Allen or Feist, the album seems like an out of place throwback as far as the mainstream goes. What we are left with is a strong effort... more ›

MONDAY >> At the ripe young age of 24, Patrick Wolf has already achieved a lot: three albums of brooding electronica and orchestral pop, modeling campaigns for Burberry, headlines in the British tabloids and at least one on-stage altercation that found the lupine violinist attacking his strung-out drummer with a cymbal. Drama notwithstanding, Wolf's latest, the surprisingly upbeat The Magic Position, is undoubtedly one of this year's best. Come see what all the fuss is... more ›

FRIDAY: >> Starting tonight, George Mason Stadium plays host to the region's annual D.C . College Cup. The soccer teams of George Washington, American, Howard, and George Mason will square off in two rounds of games. Though the tournament is conspicuously missing national powerhouses UMD and UVA, the event will still showcase some of the best young talent around. GW and AU kick off tonight's slate (5:00 p.m.), with Howard and GMU rounding the night... more ›

>> The Capitol Fringe Festival officially kicks off tonight, and we'll have our daily picks of Fringey goodness rolling out for you soon enough. You can buy all your tickets online, by phone at 866-811-4111 Mon–Fri, 9 a.m.–9 p.m. and Sat–Sun, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., or in person at the festival box office at 507 7th Street, next to the Warehouse Theater. The festival runs through July 29, and features over 100 productions from D.C.... more ›

>> Spoil your senses at Night #2 of the current WPA\C Experimental Media Series. Curated by Brandon Morse, whose own work we've recommended again and again, the one-night exhibition will include video and audio works by a slew of talented newcomers. And though this series is part of ColorField.remix, if we've got Morse pegged correctly this will be a kick in the pants to the usual staid, stripe-y paintings you may associate with the... more ›

We are, of course, still pulling for any ban on all ages shows at bars to fail miserably. But we always support the idea of alternative, non-bar venues putting on shows as well. So we were happy to learn this week that Murky Coffee, the independent coffee shop in Clarendon that many area residents claim boasts one of the best cups of coffee in town, is going to start hosting bands. The schedule is... more ›

Over the past few years, Carol Bui has been working hard building a following for her inventive and emotive post-punk. After a summer spent in the studio recording the follow-up to her highly praised debut, This is How I Recover, Bui's show at next week's DAM!Fest kicks off three weeks of touring that will take her as far west as Madison, Wisconsin. Bui's reputation for excellent live shows precedes her, and material from the new... more ›

As a rather fervent concert goer, I've been watching my October Outlook calendar with alternating excitement and dread as my concert calendar gets more and more crowded. This all came to a head yesterday as I started putting in the DAMfest schedule and noticed a whole bunch of scheduling conflicts in the making. Area indie rock fans are going to have some tough choices to make the last full week of October. Thursday, Oct.... more ›

MONDAY >> Tom Kierein tells us that this is our last day of "comfortable humidity," before that familiar wet hot D.C. summer returns. Seize the day and head to Fort Reno to take in Wooly Mammoth, Len Bias and Polynation. 7:15 p.m., free. TUESDAY >> Leave it to Canada to fuse punk and folk. The Weakerthans @ the 9:30 Club, with The New Amsterdams and Raising the Fawn. 7:30 p.m., $14. >> Three Stars alums... more ›

FRIDAY: >> Get in line early tonight at the Rorschach Theatre in Columbia Heights for a special Pay-What-You-Can performance of their revival of Tony Kushner's A Bright Room Called Day. Set in Berlin in the 1930's, Bright Room is one of Kushner's (Angels in America, Homebody/Kabul) earlier plays, but by no means his least accomplished. If younger District residents aren't able to connect easily with Zillah, who is consumed by a hatred for Ronald Reagan,... more ›

>> Proving once again that country legends, unlike most rock stars, actually can age well, Wanda Jackson (pictured right) makes an appearance on the Black Cat mainstage tonight, where she will no doubt trot out classic hits like "Big Iron Skillet" and "Let's Have A Party." But with over 50 albums worth of songs to choose from, including some backed up by the Oak Ridge Boys, let's hope she performs a few obscure numbers from her songbook. DCist is hoping for "Please Don't Sell My Daddy No Wine." With Rosie Flores. Doors at 9 p.m.; $18 adv., $20 at the door. more ›