The dog days are officially upon us, so we decided the most logical thing to do is sick a wolf on ’em. Le Loup rocketed out of nowhere onto the local music scene in late 2007, with a Hardly Art record deal and international tours before we could even learn the names of all seven people in their lineup. The first album was recorded before Sam Simkoff had cohorts, and while it was by…

Like some poorly constructed M. Night Shyamalan film, something must be in the air killing off our favorite D.C. bands. The latest casualty is Telograph (***), who we’ve reviewed several times in the past. The band, which will be playing their farewell show at the 9:30 Club this Friday, wrote the following on their MySpace blog: Dear Friends, It is with a heavy heart that we announce this: Telograph has come to an end. We…

As the clock rolls down on 2007, we’ve done as bloggers tend to do and taken a look back. The DCist music staff scratched our chins, tapped our temples, and compiled a list of our favorite local acts of the year. Whether it was because they released a new album, had some great shows, or just finally wore us down with press releases, these are the D.C. musicians that really made us proud to call…

>> Blues Alley’s Christmas music extravaganza continues tonight with The Redd Brothers, a group led by vibraphonist Chuck Redd and pianist Robert Redd. Sets are at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tickets are $18 + $12.50 surcharge/minimum. >> If smooth jazz is your thing, head down to the Birchmere tonight to hear Boney James play selections off his latest release, Christmas Present. Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. show are sold out, but that’s what Craigslist…

FRIDAY: >> Bay Area songstress Goapele’s (pictured) musical background is almost as diverse as her ethnic background. Born to a South African political exile father and a mother whose parents survived the Holocaust, she studied at the Berklee College of Music and later would form musical partnerships with the likes of hip-hop acts like the Hieroglyphics crew and E-40. However her 2005 release, Change It All, established her as especially talented when it comes to…

Local favorites Le Loup came to the Black Cat Monday night as part of their short road trip with last night’s openers, Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos. At first glance, both bands seem to subscribe to the same basic trends in rock: the two bands feature a total of fifteen members between them, complete with non-traditional instrumentation. However, the comparisons ended there as the guys and gals from the District showed just how…

Monday >> It’s Saint Lucy’s Day! Hej Hej, the DJ night dedicated to Scandinavian pop and rock, is getting festive for this start of the Christmas season with drink specials and holiday hits in addition to their regular fare. Pop into Café St.-Ex in your finest crown of candles, and you might even get a free drink. 10 p.m., FREE. >> Le Loup are also celebrating tonight, in a homecoming of sorts for the local…

Múm is the latest in what seems to be a global trend of acts that believe the bigger the band, and the more unusual the instrumentation, the better. Though only two original members of the group remain, Gunnar Örn Tynes and Örvar óreyjarson Smárason, there were seven musicians on stage during last night’s concert at the historic 6th and I Synagogue. The ensemble employed the following instruments over the course of the show: guitar, bass,…

Two of our favorite local acts, Le Loup and These United States are taking the main stage of the Black Cat tomorrow night, in celebration of the release of Le Loup’s album, The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations’ Millennium General Assembly. Both bands have graced the pages and stages of DCist in the past, so today we’re trying something different. Le Loup’s Sam Simkoff and Dan Ryan and TUS’ Jesse Elliot and…

FRIDAY: >> Howard University alum Eric Roberson performs tonight at the Black Cat along with Emily King. Doors open at 9 p.m. $17. >> It’s pretty much the end of times: Vanilla Ice will be at Foggy Bottom bar McFadden’s tonight, “drinking, partying, and hosting the night” starting at 10 p.m. $5 Jager bombs and $2 Bud and Bud Light bottles are little enticement to make this event anything more than laughable, but maybe if…