Written by DCist Contributor Abby Lavin
Acerbic campaign ads, Redskins season, pumpkin ice cream from Max’s…it’s officially autumn. And what better way to commemorate Canadian Thanksgiving on Monday night than with a sundry cornucopia of local music at the Rock and Roll Hotel?
Jazzy songstress Laura Burhenn and indie collective Meredith Bragg and the Terminals are two acts you wouldn’t expect to share a bill with heavy-rock trio Dead Meadow. But together, the three rising stars represent the broad scope of DC’s independent rock scene.
In keeping with the fall harvest vibe, Laura Burhenn’s solo set was like a steaming mug of apple cider: soothing and distinctive. Her haunting soundscapes are brimming with diverse influences, from Etta James to Cat Power. I’ve been listening to her on my iPod for a while now, but the shock of seeing such lush vocals coming from such a tiny person made her live performance an entirely different experience.
Next up was Meredith Bragg and the Terminals. Lead singer Meredith Bragg has a knack for folky ruminations on love, failure, and the afterlife. The Terminals’ percussion and twangy guitars synchronized so beautifully, you never would have guessed that they were playing together for the first time in months. Drummer Jonathan Roth was the band’s anchor, stepping things up a notch to compensate for their missing keyboardist, Brian Minter, a cornerstone of the group.
Bragg is a vocal chameleon; last night alone he channeled the Barenaked Ladies, Michael Stipe, and Bright Eyes on various songs. The band also invited comparisons to alt-country-ers Songs Ohia when they covered their track “Two Blue Lights.” An Oklahoma native in the audience remarked that she felt like she was back in her home town.
While Bragg writes emotive ballads about romance and rejection, if Dead Meadow’s girlfriends ever broke up with them, they would probably just smash their guitars. The headliner’s blend of psychedelia, metal, and grunge put a bad-ass cap on the evening. But we’ll save the details, including an interview with DM, for Three Stars later in the month.
