Results tagged “threestars>”

During last month's Sonic Circuits Festival, an elbow-to-elbow Velvet Lounge got to see legendary recluse Jandek perform a very intense set with dissonant guitars, creepy vocals and a lot of keyboards. It was a beautiful thing, but the people who left immediately afterward missed one of DCist's most exciting finds of the festival. Drummer Jason Mullinax, who performs as Pilesar, put on a set that completely warmed up and engaged the audience. The percussion-based songs with great melodies and interesting sounds totally won over the Velvet Lounge patrons still in attendance. Plus, he handed out kazoos and cupcakes while embarrassing his wife Ashleigh for her birthday.

Many times when we see that a band has more than five members, we predict certain combinations of instruments. But Gestures isn't your ordinary band, so they haven't tripled up on guitar players. They don't even have one guitar player. With two drummers (including Mark Cisneros from Medications), one clarinet, one trombone, one saxophone, and one tuba, Gestures has all the elements of a jazz band or a classical ensemble. Yet the driving rhythms and melodies clearly draw as much from punk rock as they do from jazz or classical music. You won't hear any vocals, but it's just as easy to imagine a guitar playing some of the parts that are instead played by trombonist Bob Chapman or saxophonist Kriston Capps (who is also DCist's weekend editor, so he did not participate in this interview). In fact, it's easy to hear some of the same psychedelia that permeates albums like Sookie Jump by The Rude Staircase (a band in which tuba player Jon Lebovitz was a member.) Yet, for the large variety of influences and their occasional tendency to go completely unhinged, all of their songs are actual songs, not extended jam sessions. Which is why we're eagerly anticipating their upcoming EP.

When Afrobeat marvels Nomo came to DC9 two months ago, not many people had heard of their opener, Last Tide, and certainly nobody there expected a sound that drifted so far from jazzy horns and African percussion. Last Tide's atmospherics lay somewhere between shoegaze-inspired haze and dark new wave synths. This is especially noticeable when keyboardist Libby Dorot takes the vocals, recalling Tina Weymouth's Talking Heads tracks.

There's something very thoughtful and intentional about Frau Eva. The trio of Vanessa Degrassi, David Klinger and Ben Usie (singers and multi-instrumentalists, all) have clearly thought through every note, every lively "la da da," and every heartbreaking melody. No drumbeat seems misplaced. It's as if they took the bohemian spirit of Devendra Banhart, the pathos of Ben Gibbard and the meticulous arrangement of Grizzly Bear and turned these elements into their own soft-spoken anthems, referencing everything from Hermann Hesse to The Smiths. The songs on the their EP, Rip Out The Threads, can effectively soundtrack intimate moments alone.

More often than not, one hears about bands who move out of Washington D.C. for greener (or cheaper) pastures in Baltimore, Philadelphia or New York. Laughing Man made the reverse trek. Drummer Michael Harris and singer/guitarist Brandon Moses came from Philadelphia just over a year ago and started making a name for themselves at house parties, in cafes and on college campuses. It was a college campus (American University’s) where they picked up bassist Luke Stewart and became a fuller sounding trio.

Considering that The Tennis System draws from a lot of well-loved influences (The Beatles, The Smiths, My Bloody Valentine, anything harDCore from the 1980s), they sound surprisingly different from most other bands in the area. Most bands that may share their appreciation for reverb and distortion or even large-scale sound might go for a dreamier route. But The Tennis System goes straight for the gut. The songs are certainly well crafted, but their energy and sense of urgency assumes that no listener may have a second chance to notice it. They’re melodic and powerful without giving up their sensibilities of what they enjoy up to the alter of industry or blogosphere-deemed “cool.” But people are starting to take notice.

This was the Three Stars interview that we thought wouldn't happen. Initially, The Fordists balked at the idea of having their thoughts and opinions in print for the District (and the DCist staff) to take the wrong way. And while the philosophy of Lee Elmore, George Weissgerber and Jason Lobe toward music and what it means to be a musician might run slightly against the prevailing grain, these opinions aren't anything new or dangerous. The dream that they're living is being able to play music that they feel good about for their friends. It's the sheer passion for the work that really defines the Fordists, and their apprehension stemmed from whether they'd be seen as anything besides people who clearly put a lot of thought into everything they do. It's hardly a new outlook on music, but it's always a good one.

Two years ago, dance-rockers Ra Ra Rasputin played their first show in D.C. at Wonderland Ballroom. Since that time, they've developed a steady following. They've also played at most of the live music venues in the District, and up and down the East Coast. In a few weeks, however, the group will be performing, for the first time, at 9:30 Club. Mark your calendars, the show is Friday, July 10th. The line-up also features fun, radio-friendly locals The Dance Party and Casper Bangs, as well as Brooklyn's awesome Tigercity. If you haven't heard them before, Ra Ra Rasputin's stuff is synth-heavy, dance-friendly, and a little dark. Sometimes sounding like The Knife (as on their track "Elif") and at others, like the layered, energetic !!! (Chk Chk Chk) with some Trans Am thrown in. Recently, we sat down with Brock, Ken, Anna and Patrick to discuss the upcoming show, the proliferation of Ra Ra-prefaced band names, the D.C. music scene, day jobs, and the perils of rehearsing in a capoeira studio.

When does a local band start to really become local? When does it cease to be local? Is Laughing Man considered local even though they only recently moved to D.C. from Philly? Are Jukebox the Ghost or Thao Nguyen still local artists even though they no longer live here? Can D.C. claim Animal Collective at all since Geologist lives somewhere within city limits? For several months, I wrestled with this question, and as such hesitated to interview Farley Miller, the brains behind local avant-garde project Cannot Be Stopped. By the time I’d really gotten a chance to check out his brand of drum-initiated electronics, I’d found out that he’d be moving to California upon graduation from American University (which happened in May.)

We've already mentioned once just why we find the Baltimore/D.C. dual citizens of Impossible Hair incredibly interesting, but it bears repeating. Most of these guys have been playing in bands of varying degrees of notoriety for over a decade and have perfected all of the elements of writing a good song. Many of their songs are short and sweet, barely over two minutes, moving seamlessly from one song to the next. While this hearkens back to the days of early rock and roll, their ability to bend and twist these elements without dumping on loads of reverb makes Guided By Voices the most oft-used reference point for describing Impossible Hair. And while Guided By Voices is an easy reference point for any band that has short songs with unusual song structure and angular guitar riffs, much like Bee Thousand, their debut album, What Is the Secret of Impossible Hair? pits fantastic track after fantastic track, so even though there are fourteen songs, they seem to end far too quickly.

Loose Lips aren't here to start a revolution. The Fairfax foursome channel bits and pieces of the greatest parts of pop music over the past four decades. Although the vocals (at least on the recorded material) immediately recall Interpol's Paul Banks, their synth melodies don't sound dark and introspective but upbeat and breezy as if injected with a dose of 1960s California pop, with a side of working class grit. But Loose Lips doesn't sound so much like they're retreading their influences as reimagining them. When those familiar guitar riffs are found in such a well-crafted song, like the five on the new Weighing Winter EP, the familiar sounds fresh again.

When outsiders (or heck, even locals) think of D.C. music, dance bands don't exactly come to mind. There are a few acts that have added loops or synthesizers on top of jangly pop tunes or angular rock riffs, but straightforward dance bands aren't really around. Enter Lode Runner. They care about putting on an entertaining live rock show and putting on an intricately rump-shaking dance night with equal fervor. It probably comes as no surprise that singer/multi-instrumentalist Scott Bauer helps run Velodrome, which puts a DJ and a live band in the same room. There's a cerebral aspect to Lode Runner, as the music is very technically complex. But they take that technical complexity and try to run it in the same vein as Cut Copy, by mixing in new wave guitars with their electronic blips and steady drum beats. And on top of it all is Brock Boss' baritone, which is of a rare quality you might expect to hear from British post-punk outfits. Bauer, multi-instrumentalist Eddie Rodela and drummer Ken Quam took some time out to talk to DCist in Adams Morgan about the intricacies of their set up and songwriting process.

If a band chooses a sweet name like Solar Powered Sun Destroyer, they've already set themselves up for hefty expectations. The moniker brings to mind an all out guitar assault that leaves ears bleeding and brain cells, well, destroyed. The truth is more interesting. Yes, all five members of Solar Powered Sun Destroyer count various hardcore bands among their influences, and guitarists Justin Horenstein and Dave Davies (no, not the guy from the Kinks) both have considerable technical chops. But the guitar parts veer more toward the post-rock end of the spectrum, and the vocal melodies of John Kneip are at once powerful and sweetly emotive. At their most visceral, they could find a spot next to bands like The Life and Times or Explosions in the Sky. At their most experimental, they bring to mind M83.

When we reported back in August that Le Loup guitarist May Tabol had left the Unbuckled alums to focus on her solo work, we figured that it probably wouldn't be long until we started hearing more about her. Sure enough, after the summer had given us a few whispers and early performances and come colder weather, we started hearing a whole lot more about Pree.

To say things are looking bright for Christon "Christylez" Bacon is a major understatement. Last year, he was the first hip-hop artist to be named an Artist-in-Residence at the Music Center at Strathmore. Just in the past month, he performed to a packed house on the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage, delivered an impressive performance at this year's Wammies, and picked up two awards, Rapper of the Year and Rap/Hip-Hop Recording of the Year for his debut studio release, Advanced Artistry.

We've all gotten them: unsolicited MySpace messages from bands. Usually the bands aren't anything you'd be interested in, they need a lot more practice, or both. In this case, we got one from Static Brigade, who described themselves as "a dc/baltimore/uk based electro-futurepop trio." That was enough for a click, and it didn't disappoint.

Over the past five or ten years, the District has seen an infusion of talented young jazz musicians, with many players being products of the fine music programs found at the area's universities. Saxophonist/composer/educator Brad Linde is part of this new crop, and in a relatively short period of time he has become a familiar face in the local scene.

All four members of True Womanhood are 23 years-old, and they come across as appropriately youthfully excited about what they're doing. They'll each gladly let you know anything and everything cool that's going on around town. But while that youthfulness initially translated into a sort of skittish stage show, the band has grown into its spirit and fervor, channeling it into crazy beats to go along with their highly emotive songs.

by DCist contributor Dave Weigel

Drummer Lenny Robinson is one of the busiest players in the District's jazz scene. Gigging regularly with the area's best for over 20 years, and also leading his own groups, he should be a familiar voice to any fan of local music. Combining formidable technique with an impeccable sense of swing, his playing retains a sense of individuality while staying true to the traditions of jazz drumming.

Shelby Cinca is a longtime fixture in this town, going back to the early 90s with his days with the noisy post-punks in Frodus. Following that band's 1999 breakup, Cinca played with Fugazi's Joe Lally in Decahedron, and then formed a whole slew of other bands, the most well-known of which is probably The Cassettes. With The Cassettes, Cinca shifted gears away from the sound and fury of many of his previous bands toward a rootsier tone that owed heavily to classic rock in its early days, and has moved more heavily into folk-influenced territory since a significant lineup shift 5 years ago.

We've seen the guitar, piano, drums trio before in DC but Caverns take that combination into a territory so far removed from the tightly crafted pop songs or gritty garage rock that sounds a little more familiar. The intricate melodies of pianist Patrick Taylor and the dissonant shrieks from Kevin Hillard's guitar make for strange bedfellows, but the somewhat harsh juxtaposition, especially when backed by drummer Ross Hurt is not only memorable but highly enjoyable. It's clear upon repeated listens that they're just as influenced by classical and jazz music as post-rock and punk. Never has such a complete sonic assault sounded so sweet.

Hearing her tell it, you'd think emoniFela has been making music for a number of years. The truth of the matter is she's not old enough to vote in next week's election and when she was born, the emerging medium for recorded music, CDs, came in long, rectangular cardboard packaging. Yet at age 17, the high school graduate has already rocked stages on both the West and East coasts while rubbing elbows with the likes of KRS-One and D.C.’s hip-hop elite.

Keyboardist and producer Lorenzo “Zo!” Ferguson may not be a household name but he's been quietly amassing a strong list of credentials, particularly in the world of hip-hop, in D.C. and beyond. He's contributed his talents to projects by Slum Village, Little Brother, and Kev Brown as well as released nine solo projects.

Charles Ostle is becoming one of the more sought after drummers in D.C.'s jazz scene, especially amongst the crop of younger players that have emerged over the past few years. In addition to performing with groups such as Inner Loop, Motel, and others, Ostle also chose to start his own band, a relatively rare step for a drummer to take. His group, The Oscillators, will be releasing its debut album, Beat Tectonics, on September 7th at the Bossa Bistro & Lounge.

Imperial China have created a sound that at once echoes this city’s musical history yet stands apart from anything else this city has offered previously or offers presently. Musically, the guitar riffs and speak-sing vocal delivery show a definite homage to bands like Minor Threat and Fugazi. The lyrics on songs like their EP’s opener “There Is No Translation” could as easily be a critique of the city as a fight with a friend. However, the overwhelming vibe on their EP runs closer to bands like Battles or Don Caballero with their rhythm-driven, heavily percussive sound. It’s at once experimental yet pattern-driven and it’s refreshing even as it blisters in your eardrums. Their live show is also ridiculously loud and energetic. As the trio of Brian Porter, Patrick Gough and Matt Johnson thrash about the stage, it’s hard not to pay attention and even harder not to start beating time with both feet (which in some cities is known as dancing.) We sat down with Porter and Johnson to discuss recording with Devin Ocampo, BYOB venues in North Carolina and why it’s refreshing to see their favorite bands mess up.

Fever is on a mission. They've already gotten some nods of recognition as openers for national acts like Pela and The Mae Shi, and understandably so. Singer Alex Clarke sounds like The Strokes' Julian Casablancas would if he had Jeff Buckley's soul (or actually cared, period.) This works well with the punchy, danceable tracks that also gives a nod harder organic rockers like Kings of Leon. Plus, their subject matter runs the gamut from French landmarks to their bassist's dog, so what's not to enjoy? Still, these guys are hungry for the growth of both their sound, and their surrounding community. We sat down at Dahlak (where they're currently in the midst of a six show residency) with singer/guitarist Alex Clarke, singer/bassist Justin Rodermond, drummer Aaron Baird and guitarist (and former Three Stars interviewee) Chris DeWitt to find out their ever evolving lineup, their commitment to alternative venue spaces and what they feel their responsibility is to the D.C. music scene.

A few months ago we profiled the Black and White Jacksons, who may have been our first Three Stars profile with a member from a former (and defunct) Three Stars subject. Now we bring you another DCist first: a band with members from not one, but three former Three Stars veterans. Cobra Collective may have only come into existence in late 2007, but if something about their sound is just a wee bit familiar, it's because they've picked up a few members of The Bonapartes (including the distinctive voice), The Third Programme, and Death By Sexy.

When The City Veins first started in early 2007, they were a good band. A four piece with sincere musical ability, we took notice (and not just because one of them is also our Nats columnist). But after Adam Bayes exited the group, and left the remaining members, Aaron Tarr, Charles Gray and Spencer Vliet, to figure out how to turn themselves into an operative three piece, The City Veins became a really great band. It was in that transition that they started messing with time signatures and looking at things from a different perspective. They went from merely talented to really interesting. The three-man line up remains today; the band recently recorded a second EP and has booked a slew of shows for the next couple of months. At their recent CD release show at Iota, they even experimented a little more -- bringing on additional players to suddenly bump the trio up to a seven piece wall of sound. They're testing the waters and sticking to what they know best. And it's working for them.

All three of the songs on The Moderate's release, AM/FM, show a very strong imprint from singer/guitarist Jim Dempsey and drummer Drew Marks' home state of North Carolina. From Dempsey's twangy drawl to the songs' seemingly heat and humidity laden relaxed tempo, there's no question where this band's roots lie. The blues that they evoke on "Lost Boy", "Rock and Roll" and "Blue Eyes and Barflies" could make your puppy cry.