Solar Powered Sun Destroyer 03.25.2010

#6
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Solar Powered Sun Destroyer
Bellflur
Rock & Roll Hotel

I think there was another band, but we missed them because Ms. BG and I were eating at the Argonaut.
Bellflur have a ton of stuff - two percussionists, a violin, everyone seems to have a keyboard or sampler or some piece of electronic equipment in front of them. Anyway, I thought they were good and would probably check them out again. They kinda reminded me a little of CVB (probably just because of the violin) and BvS (probably because I was listening to them all day).
It's been almost three months since I've seen SPSD last, but they've definitely been working hard. They're working on their first full-length album right now and must have a great producer working with them because all of the songs are really tight and they seemed much more confident on stage. I've liked them since the first time I saw them, but they've seriously come a long way and should be proud.

Bellman Barker 08.14.2009

#43
Friday, August 14, 2009
Bellman Barker
Rock & Roll Hotel

So it was the R&R Hotel's 3rd anniversary party featuring a few local bands including Lady TJ's favorites Bellman Barker. It was OK, I guess. They played a fairly short set of new songs and covers. It was not as traumatizing as the R&R's 1st birthday though, with the AWK fail.

Clutch 08.08.09

#41
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Clutch
Lionize
Caverns
Sonar

Ms. Ch and I had the distinct privilege of taking a young English lass to her first concert ever! I think she liked it even though it was very hot, sweaty and crowded. I have definitely been to sold-out shows at Sonar before but I think this was the most uncomfortable one. It doesn't help when people spill beer all over your legs and talk smack about how they're going to beat up the opening bands (which always seems to happen at Clutch shows).
Speaking of being threatened, DC's own Caverns started out the show with a fairly lengthy set of their heavy piano rock. I enjoyed it and definitely would not beat them up in the parking lot afterwards.
Moving farther north, Silver Spring's Lionize put on a great set. I really enjoyed them and didn't hear any threats since they sound much more like Clutch than Caverns does.
Finally, the mightly Clutch in all their bearded glory came out. Had I been alone, I would have definitely fled to the perimeter much earlier but since I was with two other ladies, I felt like I should stand my ground behind the two tallest dudes in the club. Anyway, Clutch played a pretty long set for their home-state crowd and my two favorite songs were near the beginning. We didn't stay until the bitter end because after you've given hundreds of incidental lapdances for no tips and you're all sticky from other people's spilled beer it's not quite as appealing no matter what the lead singer looks like. Still, had a great time in my favorite city. Iggie's Pizza is awesome! Now I'm off to post my missed-connections ad for that beardo in the gray t-shirt (who unfortunately did not grope me at all).
Here's a video of the show:
Pure Rock Fury

Solar Powered Sun Destroyer 08.06.09

#40
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Solar Powered Sun Destroyer
Gray Young
Prisms
Eat People
Comet Ping Pong, CT Ave NW

So very tired. Apparently 10pm is the new 8pm and now it's 2am. Georgetown ho's and d-bags are the dumbest people I've come across today and I took the metro filled with tourists AND was on the Kennedy Center shuttle with a woman who was talking about how JFK was assassinated in 1951 when she was in high school. But I did get to see some awesome Tuvan throat singing from Alash and their American dude Shawn. And I got to practice my Russian a little while trying to become a throat singing groupie. [I totally got all their autographs.]
Later...
Eat People is from Frederick and reminded me somewhat of Verbal but with lyrics and neck tattoos.
Prisms was really good - much like SPSD.
Gray Young was also good and in the same vein.
SPSD played some new songs and some old songs and managed not to kill me with their theatrical haze.

Fort Reno Monday

#37
Monday, July 20, 2009
Meredith Bragg
Hey Arbore
Fort Reno

I couldn't hear very well due to the loud teenagers behind me. Hey Arbore was a mostly-female popish group.
Meredith Bragg is a boy - singer-songwriter stuff that I wished I could have heard better.
I need to lie on the ground and look up at the sky and trees more often.

Caverns 07.02.2009

#35
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Caverns
Aerialist
The Eubonics
Fort Reno

I got there early enough to catch the end of The Eubonics. Look 'em up, cuz I don't know what to say about them.
There definitely weren't as many people there as Monday night but still a good crowd. Saw some really nice dogs too. Had a lovely picnic with Ms. TJ and her dude who keeps hanging around. He was trying to breed fireflies.
Aerialist was good - Arlington rockers.
I really like Caverns and this set was no exception. They played some songs I don't recall hearing before. I was less concerned that they might injure themselves, although as soon as they got on stage the sky looked very ominous. But the huge dark cloud passed over and the moon was out by the time they ended with nary a drop of rain having fallen. Oh and this was the 5th time I've seen them, so welcome to the club Caverns!

Ft. Reno Concert 06.29.2009

#33
Monday, June 29, 2009
Small Doses
Cigarbox Planetarium
Fort Reno
WTOP article

Fun evening under the clouds and stars. Can't really describe Small Doses - 3-piece rock outfit. Cigarbox Planetarium was like lounge music with a keyboard and guitar. I liked their lamps.

Bellman Barker 04.28.2009

#22
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Cage the Elephant
Bellman Barker
9:30 Club

I met up with my friend TJ and her friends for her favorite local band Bellman Barker for an early show at 9:30 Club. I missed the first few songs but I liked what I saw - laid back indie rock with some random instruments and samples thrown in. It was their first time playing 9:30 Club so it was a great night for them.

Cage the Elephant are a five-piece of very young looking dudes from KY who are probably one of the next big things. They reminded me somewhat of The Blood Brothers mixed with blues rock. The live show was very spastic, while their recorded stuff sounds a little different. I really liked a couple of the songs but overall it was not really my thing.

Review: Camper van Beethoven 01.08.2009

#1
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Camper van Beethoven
Maple
The State Theatre

This was Camper's 25th anniversary tour. I think they actually played for two hours. I couldn't even think of any songs that they didn't play (though they obviously didn't play them all). I was kinda hoping they would play Matchstick Men a second time though...

Review: Municipal Waste 11.23.2008

#40 Sunday, November 23, 2008
Municipal Waste
Magrudergrind
Misery Index
Rock & Roll Hotel

Finally got to eat at Dr. Granville Moore's. Very good, but too much food. So we were way overstuffed when we waddled over to the R&R for this show. Just before the show started there was a fire call next door on the roof so we got to watch about 8 fire trucks pull up and the extension of ladders and hoses and such. Very exciting.

Misery Index I hadn't seen in a while. Their roadie was that hot dude with the leg-tattoos who used to work at the Ottobar. He was showing off his legs to some chicks near the pool table, not that I got much of a glimpse. Anyway, apparently Misery Index is a fairly big deal now. I thought they were good - typical death metal stuff.

Magrudergrind is from DC and I've never seen them before despite my renowned love of grindcore. I suck.

Municipal Waste was pretty enjoyable. It was weird that I recognized their singer from my various outings in Richmond but not because I've seen MW before. They played a relatively long set and even did an encore: Municipal Waste wants to chill with the new president (video clip).
*correction - I did see MW before - with GWAR - I just forgot...

Review: New Rock Church of Fire 09.12.2008

#21
Friday, September 12, 2008
New Rock Church of Fire
Mas y Mas
Caverns
Rock & Roll Hotel

We missed much of Caverns while eating the beer board and then trying to figure out our bill at the Argonaut. I'm sure we'll catch them again soon since we all love instrumental rock so much.

Mas y Mas - uh, I'm not sure how I feel about them. It was sort of OK, I guess. Possibly I don't get it or possibly the molester-mustachioed guitarist, standing drummer, and extremely-tight-cut-offs-wearing bass player were just too much for me after eating a bunch of cheese and beer. I don't know.

New Rock Church of Fire I have heard of due to their extensive sticker graffiti near my office (does one of them work in Rosslyn?) and the fact that they're a DCist Three Stars band. I really liked them, and not just for their sexy mustaches (yes, I have been watching Magnum PI on regular basis lately). It's probably the Iron Maiden influences. Anyway, they have a smoking dragon piñata that could give our office camelcorn a run for her money. Unfortunately, there's no air circulation in the R&R Hotel show space so the extensive use of theatrical haze forced us to leave before they were finished. Not a bad show for $10.

And I forgot this little piece before - two guys doing windmills does not a moshpit make. Please read up on the subject.

Review: last of the Fort Reno summer concerts

#19
Monday, August 11 2008
These United States
Jukebox the Ghost
Fort Reno

Even though it's in my 'hood and I love forts, I've never really been to Fort Reno for anything. Since this was my first night back in town since mid-July, I called up Ms. C to see if she wanted to check out these two bands on the grounds at the fort.
Even though I'm not a hipster, I had read good things about Jukebox the Ghost on DCist in the past. I thought they were good - kind of poppy, indie stuff. Dogs and babies seemed to love it.
I had enjoyed These United States in the past and this time was no different. I felt like there were more of them this time and I don't think I saw a banjo but we were pretty far from the stage. It was actually surprisingly cool for an August evening in DC but it was a fun time. Next year I will have to bring a chair.

Review: Assrockers 6.6.08

#17ish
Friday, June 6, 2008
RPG
Assrockers
the Red & the Black

I had wanted to see the Assrockers for some time, based on their name alone. They hadn't been playing out for a while, so when I saw an interview on DCist I figured it was time to get on the ass-wagon. The upstairs show space at R&B is super-small so it was totally packed for Assrockers. We got there a little after it started and were definitely entertained. I will probably check them out again in the future.
Then, for some mysterious reason, almost everyone left before RPG started. Which is a pretty assy thing to do. It's also too bad, because RPG was really good. Made up of some all-stars from the Richmond music scene, they play kind-of bluesy southern rock. And there are beards. And the singer has purty hair. And they have a song about alcohol (which fortunately has nothing to do with alcohaulin ass). I would definitely check them out again. [BTW I think that was Randy from Lamb of God. I used to see the Adler bros. all the time at Jaxx but I only saw him on stage before.]

Not Reviews

I don't know if these really count as "shows" because I didn't go to these places with the primary goal of seeing the bands play.

Friday, April 11
Turbojugend Party featuring Blondsai, The Shirks
Velvet Lounge
See, we didn't go to the Velvet Lounge with the express purpose of seeing the bands. And, in fact, even most of the Turbojugend people didn't watch the bands even though they booked and paid them. The Shirks do not have any kind of online presence, therefore do not actually exist. What I remember is that it was punk rock and that a guy kept spitting beer on the crowd. Barely anyone watched Blondsai, but I thought they were good. They're similar to Be Your Own Pet and they have a sparkly guitar. There were some interesting tattoos on the various Turbojugend folks though.

Saturday May 3
Godamn Nasty Truth
Sin City Gamblers
Krug's Place, Frederick MD
With a name like Krug's Place, you can safely bet that this is a tiny slice of Western PA in MD - Steeler paraphernalia everywhere and such. We also watched the first band Hellgrammites (?) who were also OK. You can listen to the other two on their myspace pages linked here. They were both good. I mainly went here to hang with L&A since I don't see them too often. We played Photo Hunt for a while but it was a pretty tough version. They have a lot of dart boards at this place but we didn't actually play darts.

Saturday May 10
Witch Doctor
Elk Casino, St. Marys PA
I also watched the other band, a Ramones cover outfit, but don't remember their name. Apparently J&A and I all missed Blitzkrieg Bop (no, they didn't close with it). Witch Doctor contains some familiar faces (Stump, that Keith guy from the J&A wedding) and since I was in PA for my niece's baptism, I thought I would check out the show since everyone at my house had already gone to bed. I didn't stay for the whole thing but Witch Doctor has a lot of songs that they cover. There were definitely more people at this show than in Frederick for original music. I hadn't been to the Elk Casino since my friends worked there in high school. I think it's safe to say it hasn't really changed.

Review: Disfear 04.17.2008

#10
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Disfear
Triac
Parasytic
Rock & Roll Hotel

The first metal show I saw at R&R Hotel was the time I was here for one of my favorite Swedish acts, Witchcraft. And now the second metal show I've seen at R&R Hotel is Swedish rock band Disfear, fronted by Tomas Lindberg of At The Gates fame. I had no idea what Disfear's music was going to sound like (I like to be surprised) but I would probably say it's "straight-ahead rock-and-roll" (as Franco used to say about his punk projects). I just read that Pitchfork gave them an 8.3, which explains why they were invited to play in DC (since DC's smaller clubs only tend to pick music-snob caliber indie rock).

Of course I really enjoyed Triac for their Baltimoran neck-tattooed grindcore. Yay! I will definitely make an effort to see them again. The problem with grindcore is that none of the bands ever play long enough because their songs are too short. Although I guess I could see where it would be pretty exhausting to play that fast and scream that much for too long.

I came in when Parasytic was still on - I guess that partially explains the large number of crust punks in the crowd. There were several bike messenger-looking guys and even a kid with a His Hero Is Gone hoodie. Seriously crusty.

Review: Washington Social Club 1.26.2007

#3
Friday January 26 2007
Washington Social Club
These United States
Black Cat

Very fun show. Special thanks to Ms. LK for asking me to go and getting me a ticket, so I could still get in, despite the huge line down the block. In the cold.
I think I might have seen These United States before. Some might be interested to know that they have a bearded banjo player.
Washington Social Club I don't think I've seen before, though I've heard at least a few of their songs and the singer looks very familiar. I've probably just seen him around. I highly recommend their live show to anyone.

Review: American Sinner 3/22/2006

March 22, 2006

Verbal

American Sinner
Faces on Film

DC Nine

So, dW's birthday and no Verbal due to illness. We did hit DC Nine for Magic Hat #9 and chatted with the other 2/3 of Verbal for a while.

American Sinner are locals - sort of a Camper van Beethoven/They Might Be Giants/Weird Al Yankovic (only because of the accordion) kinda vibe. How many bands can play a NIN cover with an accordion and electric violin? That's what I thought... Most of their songs were gospel meets new-wave. I would check them out again.

Faces on Film was doing some kind of out-of-tune guitar duel and then also putting us to sleep so we left.

And of course, I always love being accused of being racist because I'm hurrying to my car because I'm tired and have to pee and I'm too fat to button my coat so I'm starting to get cold. Yeah.

Review: Bad Boys Running Wild 4/16/05

April 16, 2005
Bad Boys Running Wild
Grog & Tankard
Washington DC

So very tired...
Death Metal Roze, Miss Jezabel, and I couldn't figure out where to go or what to do so we headed down the street to the old Grog & Tankard. I finally broke my streak of never going out in my own neighborhood and now they are both well aware of why I just don't do it. Bad Boys Running Wild is exactly what you would think - a Scorpions tribute band. Weird costumes and fake German accent and all. Overall they were pretty good (except the drummer kept slowing down in the middle of the song and then picking the tempo back up near the end - by age 35 you should at least be able to keep time). The crowd of mostly neighborhood types (I've seen some of those people on the bus before) was SO LAME. SOOOO LAAAAME. Ugh.
3.194/5 for the band
no score for asshole DC peeps