Thursday, November 24, 2005
MySpace Monday #4: Special Holiday Weekend Edition
It's not Monday, but the Thanksgiving holiday has provided me with a nice opportunity to catch up on things here and post a special edition MySpace Monday column. Consider this next week's column a few days early...or the last couple of Monday's columns a little late.
Gist
If you're in town for the holiday weekend, you can check out a couple songs from the new Gist CD, Diesel City, on the D.C. band's MySpace page ("Asunder" is my personal favorite from the ones I've heard off the new CD) and then head down to the Black Cat on Saturday night (11/26) for the official release party for the new disc. Sentai and The Hint open this mainstage show, which starts at 9pm and costs $8. Check them out on MySpace: [Gist] [Sentai] [The Hint]
Rose
When IOTA owner Stephen Negrey, or anyone on the staff there, tells me to check out an artist, I listen. They've introduced me to a number of great acts over the years and I got to check out another of his recommendations, Rose, for the first time when I played IOTA's Hurricane Relief Benefit in October. Rose's voice is haunting and it's coming from someplace else, somewhere not every singer finds. You can check out a few of her tracks on MySpace, but a live show is needed to really do it justice. She'll be at IOTA on December 5, with Michael Fracasso and Mark Charles, another artist I really enjoyed catching at the IOTA Hurricane Relief Benefit last month. It's an 8:30pm show with a $10 cover. Check them out on MySpace: [Rose] [Michael Fracasso] [Mark Charles]
Honor By August
D.C.'s Honor By August has something that not every young band does, a true fanbase. As their show at Staccato last weekend made obvious, this is not just a band that has their Moms, Dads and co-workers coming out to make the room look full. They have people up front singing the words, shouting out for songs and looking like the type of people who will bring friends to the next show. Honor By August returns to the 9:30 Club on December 9, opening for Kenin and State Radio. It's a $15 show. Check them out on MySpace: [Honor By August] [Kenin] [State Radio]
Mike Maloney
Earlier in the week, on this very blog, there was a post about some changes at the IOTA open mic. The new host for the weekly Wednesday night event is former Morris frontman Mike Maloney, who has a MySpace page fittingly called "say it with me: open! mic! nite!" On December 12, Maloney plays an IOTA show with Brandon Butler and The Sounds Of Kaleidoscope. Check them out on MySpace: [Mike Maloney] [The Sounds of Kaleidoscope] Brandon Butler does not have a MySpace page, as far as I know. Go buy yourself a copy of his disc "Killer On The Road". "Sparks" is one of my favorite songs of the last year. Order the album online at this link or click here to launch the album's iTunes page.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
An Early Case of the Fridays
It’s a holiday weekend for most people, so I’ll post an mp3 today. It’s not turkey and stuffing, but here’s Angie Aparo’s “Hush.” Modern rock with incredible vocals, top-notch production, and a hook that'll stick in your head. Enjoy your turkey and football, kids.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
The Best Mixtape I Had
There’s a certain sense of anticipation that comes when one receives a new mixtape (CD).
If you're pretty keen on that feeling, the International Mixtape Club might be of interest to you. Each month members receive an assignment (another member’s address), and then must send that person a mixtape (CD) - so every month every member ends up sending and receiving a mix.
It's run by DC resident Ryan Goldman, and it's been getting some recent press. Check out the BBC article here, and learn more about it and how to join.
If you're pretty keen on that feeling, the International Mixtape Club might be of interest to you. Each month members receive an assignment (another member’s address), and then must send that person a mixtape (CD) - so every month every member ends up sending and receiving a mix.
It's run by DC resident Ryan Goldman, and it's been getting some recent press. Check out the BBC article here, and learn more about it and how to join.
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Changes at IOTA's Weekly Open Mic
This past Wednesday was long-time host Steve Hagedorn's last night running IOTA Club and Cafe's weekly open mic night, which has been around since the early days of the 11-year old Arlington club. Mike Maloney, an IOTA bartender and a musician from the bands Morris and Rise, will take over hosting duties. The open mic will now begin at 8pm and run until midnight.
Thursday, November 17, 2005
A Case of the Fridays
Two mp3s for y’all this week (that’s just my New Jersey accent coming to the surface).
Matt Hoffer leads off with his track, “Standing Eight Count.” His breathy vocals lend a sense of urgency to this well-produced modern rock single. Try some.
Alas, my favorite local band evar, Less Traveled, is no longer together – but that doesn’t mean you can’t take a listen to their track, “Circle.” It’s damn funky with an irresistible guitar hook. Right-click, save as…
Matt Hoffer leads off with his track, “Standing Eight Count.” His breathy vocals lend a sense of urgency to this well-produced modern rock single. Try some.
Alas, my favorite local band evar, Less Traveled, is no longer together – but that doesn’t mean you can’t take a listen to their track, “Circle.” It’s damn funky with an irresistible guitar hook. Right-click, save as…
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Well-Read & Half-Dead #3: Benny Fatigue (and maybe a cure)
I know. Benefit Fatigue. You’re sick of hearing about New Orleans. Every time you check e-mail, somebody else is begging for your scarce dollars and your scarcer playtime, asking you to come to a show for the benefit of displaced people, or pets, or pianos, or something else that sank when it should have floated. And if it’s not the hurricanes, it’s some other disaster, somebody else who’s worse off than you in some guilt-inducing way. You have sympathy. You’re a good person. But enough is enough. You just want to go to a rock show where the music is loud and the crowd is hot, where the vibe is about sex and booze and noise, where it’s fun.
OK, I hear ya. But this is DC, people. We should be able to have it both ways, and I’ll tell you why: Three good reasons.
1. The Straight Edge Tradition. DC is the very crib of music that’s pissed off and loud and about something. You don’t have to have an X on your hand to groove on authentic anger. And that’s an energy we can use.
2. Righteous Peeps. Some folks rag on the DC scene because it’s not as big as New York’s. Well, it’s no small town either. I say we have just the right number of people here: We all know each other, or just about, but we have the critical mass to make some good shit happen. DC rockers and club owners, from Arlington to U Street to Silver Spring and points all around, are all past masters at supporting each other and putting together DIY projects. The whole fucking town feels like the parking lot at a Grateful Dead show, but with punks. You won’t find that vibe anyplace else, and it rocks.
3. Non-Profit Heaven. DC is the world capital of non-profit groups. Every charity and cause going has an office here -- a lot of you work for them. That’s something no other town on the planet can boast. Sure, it means some pretty square clothes at happy hour, but so what. We’re not about the look, people.
What does this add up to? I’ll tell you. EVERY SHOW IN TOWN SHOULD BE FOR A CAUSE. That’s right. Every show. Why not? We’ve got the energy, the compassion, and a couple bucks even -- we just want the rock as well. Most of us already end up spending $10 for cover and $5 for a beer. An extra $5 a night is not gonna break the bank. If raising that cover to $15 is too scary, let’s just tack an extra buck onto each drink and put that in the kitty. So here are your assignments:
NON-PROFIT GROUPS: Get off your duff and sponsor a show. It doesn’t cost you anything cash-wise. Your part is to lend your name to an event and promote the shit out of it. You’re already spamming the world with as many appeals as you can crank out. Offer your contacts something they can use: a night out, with great music. Any kind of music -- the stuff you actually like. And if you know any tax angles, by all means share them with your new showbiz partners. Deductions are there to be used.
MUSICIANS: You guys have been busting your humps playing charity gigs for no pay, and we all owe you. It shouldn't all fall on you. So when every gig is for a cause, you get paid for every gig. A bigger gate, a bigger bar total, a fair split -- it can all be worked out.
CLUBS AND VENUES: Listen when the non-profits call. Done right, these events mean more people at the show and a bigger gate. Work with the people involved -- the cause should be doing promo for you, and there should be enough pie at the end of the night: some for the cause, some for the musicians, some for you. Everybody wins.
FANS: When it’s taken for granted that any show you go to has a reason, you don’t have to feel bad about your choices. Hear the music you want -- somebody will benefit. And you can deal with the extra buck per beer. You’re not 16 any more, scraping up nickels to get wasted on Natty Bo. If a decent drink is worth $5, it’s worth $6.
So that’s my theory. It’s a vision that only DC could make real: Every show should be a benefit, and everyone involved should benefit, every time.
Make it so.
OK, I hear ya. But this is DC, people. We should be able to have it both ways, and I’ll tell you why: Three good reasons.
1. The Straight Edge Tradition. DC is the very crib of music that’s pissed off and loud and about something. You don’t have to have an X on your hand to groove on authentic anger. And that’s an energy we can use.
2. Righteous Peeps. Some folks rag on the DC scene because it’s not as big as New York’s. Well, it’s no small town either. I say we have just the right number of people here: We all know each other, or just about, but we have the critical mass to make some good shit happen. DC rockers and club owners, from Arlington to U Street to Silver Spring and points all around, are all past masters at supporting each other and putting together DIY projects. The whole fucking town feels like the parking lot at a Grateful Dead show, but with punks. You won’t find that vibe anyplace else, and it rocks.
3. Non-Profit Heaven. DC is the world capital of non-profit groups. Every charity and cause going has an office here -- a lot of you work for them. That’s something no other town on the planet can boast. Sure, it means some pretty square clothes at happy hour, but so what. We’re not about the look, people.
What does this add up to? I’ll tell you. EVERY SHOW IN TOWN SHOULD BE FOR A CAUSE. That’s right. Every show. Why not? We’ve got the energy, the compassion, and a couple bucks even -- we just want the rock as well. Most of us already end up spending $10 for cover and $5 for a beer. An extra $5 a night is not gonna break the bank. If raising that cover to $15 is too scary, let’s just tack an extra buck onto each drink and put that in the kitty. So here are your assignments:
NON-PROFIT GROUPS: Get off your duff and sponsor a show. It doesn’t cost you anything cash-wise. Your part is to lend your name to an event and promote the shit out of it. You’re already spamming the world with as many appeals as you can crank out. Offer your contacts something they can use: a night out, with great music. Any kind of music -- the stuff you actually like. And if you know any tax angles, by all means share them with your new showbiz partners. Deductions are there to be used.
MUSICIANS: You guys have been busting your humps playing charity gigs for no pay, and we all owe you. It shouldn't all fall on you. So when every gig is for a cause, you get paid for every gig. A bigger gate, a bigger bar total, a fair split -- it can all be worked out.
CLUBS AND VENUES: Listen when the non-profits call. Done right, these events mean more people at the show and a bigger gate. Work with the people involved -- the cause should be doing promo for you, and there should be enough pie at the end of the night: some for the cause, some for the musicians, some for you. Everybody wins.
FANS: When it’s taken for granted that any show you go to has a reason, you don’t have to feel bad about your choices. Hear the music you want -- somebody will benefit. And you can deal with the extra buck per beer. You’re not 16 any more, scraping up nickels to get wasted on Natty Bo. If a decent drink is worth $5, it’s worth $6.
So that’s my theory. It’s a vision that only DC could make real: Every show should be a benefit, and everyone involved should benefit, every time.
Make it so.
Monday, November 14, 2005
New Music Blog In Town
There's a new D.C. music blog called Mudsugar. According to the site, they are a "locally owned and operated on-line magazine and city guide that reflects the heart and soul of the Washington, DC alternative music, alternative art and independent film scene."
Thanks to MattWDC and DC Blogs for this news.
Thanks to MattWDC and DC Blogs for this news.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
A Case of the Fridays
It’s the end of the work week, kids. Put your headphones on, listen to some mp3s, and stare off into space pretending to do some work.
Anyway, I’m really liking Ben Lee’s new album, Awake Is The New Sleep - it's shimmering, melodic acoustic-pop at it’s finest. Try some “Into the Dark.”
The Philly-based band Marah is pretty much my favorite act to see live. Those bastards don’t have a DC date on their current tour, but I can hope, right? So for now I'll just have to rock out at home to “It’s Only Money Tyrone.”
Finally, need to get a jump on the weekend? Take a listen to the manic danceable energy of “Afro Lover,” by James to get things started.
Anyway, I’m really liking Ben Lee’s new album, Awake Is The New Sleep - it's shimmering, melodic acoustic-pop at it’s finest. Try some “Into the Dark.”
The Philly-based band Marah is pretty much my favorite act to see live. Those bastards don’t have a DC date on their current tour, but I can hope, right? So for now I'll just have to rock out at home to “It’s Only Money Tyrone.”
Finally, need to get a jump on the weekend? Take a listen to the manic danceable energy of “Afro Lover,” by James to get things started.
Habitat For Humanity Benefit
Takoma Park, Maryland roots-rocker Billy Coulter and his band will host a benefit concert to support Habitat for Humanity’s hurricane recovery effort "Operation Home Delivery" on Saturday, November 19 at the Half Moon BBQ in Silver Spring. The show, which will also feature an acoustic set by the U-Liners, gets started at 9pm. Tickets are $6 or 2-for-$10.
"Operation Home Delivery" will build and deliver houses via Mississippi River barges to the places and the people who need help recovering from hurricane damage on the Gulf Coast. According to this press release on habitat.org: the homes will mirror traditional Habitat homes, simple, decent places to live, providing approximately 1,100 to 1,300 square feet of living space. "These are not mansions by any means," said Jonathan Reckford, Habitat’s chief executive officer, "but to the homeowners, they will be palaces."
"Operation Home Delivery" will build and deliver houses via Mississippi River barges to the places and the people who need help recovering from hurricane damage on the Gulf Coast. According to this press release on habitat.org: the homes will mirror traditional Habitat homes, simple, decent places to live, providing approximately 1,100 to 1,300 square feet of living space. "These are not mansions by any means," said Jonathan Reckford, Habitat’s chief executive officer, "but to the homeowners, they will be palaces."
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
CD Baby and Best Buy Join Forces
A press release courtesy of CD Baby:
CD Baby Brings More Than 100,000 Albums of Independent Music to BestBuy.com
MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 8, 2005 - Best Buy is launching an independent music catalog at BestBuy.com that will give shoppers access to the largest online library of independent music. Through an alliance with CD Baby, Best Buy customers can access and purchase more than 100,000 hard-to-find albums sold direct from the artist.
CD Baby handles online sales and distribution for independent artists and labels. More than 75,000 artists sell their music through CD Baby, making it the largest seller of independent music on the Web.
"Best Buy believes the future of music depends on consumers exploring new music and connecting with new artists," said Gary Arnold, senior vice president of entertainment for Best Buy. "As the link between the artist and the consumer, Best Buy is in a unique position to help generate excitement by exposing people to talented independent artists. It's a responsibility we take seriously, and that's why this agreement with CD Baby is so important."
The alliance with CD Baby is part of Best Buy's overall commitment to provide consumers with as many entertainment choices as possible. Best Buy stocks a deep catalog of music that goes well beyond simply carrying new releases. Offering the CD Baby catalog online will provide an even more diverse selection of music to Best Buy customers.
"Best Buy selling deep catalog directly from independent musicians like this is the beginning of a 'long tail' revolution," said Derek Sivers, founder of CD Baby. "This will highlight the most amazing musicians in all genres of music, that are bypassing the record labels to sell directly from musician to fan."
The CD Baby alliance will be featured on front page of the music section on BestBuy.com. A link will take customers to a searchable library of independent and unsigned artists. Consumers can browse by style of music, check out the top selling albums on the site, and can even search by location to discover talent from their part of the country.
About Best Buy Co., Inc.
Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) is an innovative Fortune 100 growth company that continually strives to create superior customer experiences. Through more than 840 retail stores across the United States and in Canada, our employees connect customers with technology and entertainment products and services that make life easier and more fun. We sell consumer electronics, home-office products, entertainment software, appliances and related services. A Minneapolis-based company, our operations include: Best Buy (BestBuy.com and BestBuy.ca), Future Shop (FutureShop.ca), Geek Squad (GeekSquad.com and GeekSquad.ca) and Magnolia Audio Video (Magnoliaav.com). We support our communities through employee volunteerism and grants from The Best Buy Children's Foundation.
About CD BABY
CD Baby (cdbaby.com) was started as a hobby by musician Derek Sivers in 1998 as a way to help some friends sell their CDs online. CD Baby's democratic service gives any musician worldwide distribution for their music. Through word-of-mouth among musicians, CD Baby grew into the largest seller of independent CDs on the web, paying over $20 million directly to over 75,000 artists. Apple iTunes invited CD Baby to be one of their backend digital distributors, and now CD Baby's digital distribution catalog provides over 600,000 songs to digital music services like Rhapsody, Napster, MSN Music, Yahoo Music, and more. Esquire Magazine's annual "Best and Brightest" cover story said, "Derek Sivers is changing the way music is bought and sold... one of the last music-business folk heroes." Sivers is Winner of the 2003 World Technology Award.
CD Baby Brings More Than 100,000 Albums of Independent Music to BestBuy.com
MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 8, 2005 - Best Buy is launching an independent music catalog at BestBuy.com that will give shoppers access to the largest online library of independent music. Through an alliance with CD Baby, Best Buy customers can access and purchase more than 100,000 hard-to-find albums sold direct from the artist.
CD Baby handles online sales and distribution for independent artists and labels. More than 75,000 artists sell their music through CD Baby, making it the largest seller of independent music on the Web.
"Best Buy believes the future of music depends on consumers exploring new music and connecting with new artists," said Gary Arnold, senior vice president of entertainment for Best Buy. "As the link between the artist and the consumer, Best Buy is in a unique position to help generate excitement by exposing people to talented independent artists. It's a responsibility we take seriously, and that's why this agreement with CD Baby is so important."
The alliance with CD Baby is part of Best Buy's overall commitment to provide consumers with as many entertainment choices as possible. Best Buy stocks a deep catalog of music that goes well beyond simply carrying new releases. Offering the CD Baby catalog online will provide an even more diverse selection of music to Best Buy customers.
"Best Buy selling deep catalog directly from independent musicians like this is the beginning of a 'long tail' revolution," said Derek Sivers, founder of CD Baby. "This will highlight the most amazing musicians in all genres of music, that are bypassing the record labels to sell directly from musician to fan."
The CD Baby alliance will be featured on front page of the music section on BestBuy.com. A link will take customers to a searchable library of independent and unsigned artists. Consumers can browse by style of music, check out the top selling albums on the site, and can even search by location to discover talent from their part of the country.
About Best Buy Co., Inc.
Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) is an innovative Fortune 100 growth company that continually strives to create superior customer experiences. Through more than 840 retail stores across the United States and in Canada, our employees connect customers with technology and entertainment products and services that make life easier and more fun. We sell consumer electronics, home-office products, entertainment software, appliances and related services. A Minneapolis-based company, our operations include: Best Buy (BestBuy.com and BestBuy.ca), Future Shop (FutureShop.ca), Geek Squad (GeekSquad.com and GeekSquad.ca) and Magnolia Audio Video (Magnoliaav.com). We support our communities through employee volunteerism and grants from The Best Buy Children's Foundation.
About CD BABY
CD Baby (cdbaby.com) was started as a hobby by musician Derek Sivers in 1998 as a way to help some friends sell their CDs online. CD Baby's democratic service gives any musician worldwide distribution for their music. Through word-of-mouth among musicians, CD Baby grew into the largest seller of independent CDs on the web, paying over $20 million directly to over 75,000 artists. Apple iTunes invited CD Baby to be one of their backend digital distributors, and now CD Baby's digital distribution catalog provides over 600,000 songs to digital music services like Rhapsody, Napster, MSN Music, Yahoo Music, and more. Esquire Magazine's annual "Best and Brightest" cover story said, "Derek Sivers is changing the way music is bought and sold... one of the last music-business folk heroes." Sivers is Winner of the 2003 World Technology Award.
Wilco Party at Dr. Dremo's
CALLING ALL WILCO FANS...This Thursday, November 10, from 8pm to 9:30pm, stop by Dr. Dremo's Taphouse in the Courthouse section of Arlington--located on the Orange Line of the D.C. Metro--for the "Wilco Live Album Release Party," where you'll be able to check out the band's new double live album "Kicking Television" and have a chance to win Wilco prize giveaways. You can currently preview four songs from the new album on the band's official website. And this wouldn't be much of a MetroMusicScene post if I didn't point you to the Wilco MySpace page.
Monday, November 07, 2005
Grokster Shuts Down
File-sharing service Grokster shut down today and agreed to pay $50 million in settlements. According to their website, Grokster hopes to re-launch as a pay service soon. For more on the Grokster story, see this Associated Press story on WashingtonPost.com.
Thursday, November 03, 2005
A Case of the Fridays
Instead of posting some mp3s once a month, I’m going to try to do it every Friday. Because listening to music is much better than working.
--First up is Marwood’s “Monday Over Friday.” Even though they're from NYC, Marwood seems to have been adopted by the DC/Metro area. And I can’t stop singing the chorus to this song in my head – hopefully I’ll be hearing the live version at their December 3rd IOTA show.
--If you like the sing-along choruses of Blink-182, you’ll probably enjoy Sugarcult’s tight little pop punk gem, “Memory.” Take a listen.
--I had never heard of The Notwist until I received the most recent CD from my mixtape club. And now, the beautiful hypnotic instrumental build of their song, “Consequence” has succeeded in burrowing itself into my brain.
--I’m really digging Army of Me’s new track, “Perfect.” It’s got a retro-eighties sound, with haunting Cure-esque vocals and reverbed guitars. Nice work. Go see ‘em live at Jammin’ Java on November 13th.
--First up is Marwood’s “Monday Over Friday.” Even though they're from NYC, Marwood seems to have been adopted by the DC/Metro area. And I can’t stop singing the chorus to this song in my head – hopefully I’ll be hearing the live version at their December 3rd IOTA show.
--If you like the sing-along choruses of Blink-182, you’ll probably enjoy Sugarcult’s tight little pop punk gem, “Memory.” Take a listen.
--I had never heard of The Notwist until I received the most recent CD from my mixtape club. And now, the beautiful hypnotic instrumental build of their song, “Consequence” has succeeded in burrowing itself into my brain.
--I’m really digging Army of Me’s new track, “Perfect.” It’s got a retro-eighties sound, with haunting Cure-esque vocals and reverbed guitars. Nice work. Go see ‘em live at Jammin’ Java on November 13th.
DCist: "Karaoke Returns to the Galaxy Hut"
DCist.com has this story on the return of Karaoke to Galaxy Hut. Galaxy Hut is located on Wilson Boulevard in Arlington, between the Courthouse and Clarendon stops on Metro's Orange Line, and has live music several nights a week.
Back in August, Melissa DePaulis blogged here on this site (we were called ArlingtonMusicScene.com at the time) about the sale of Galaxy Hut by longtime owner Alice Despard to longtime Galaxy Hut bartender Lary Hoffman.
On a related note, Galaxy Hut has a MySpace page.
Back in August, Melissa DePaulis blogged here on this site (we were called ArlingtonMusicScene.com at the time) about the sale of Galaxy Hut by longtime owner Alice Despard to longtime Galaxy Hut bartender Lary Hoffman.
On a related note, Galaxy Hut has a MySpace page.
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Six Points Music Festival 2006
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Random Music Notes
-- Sprint launched a music service on Monday that offers $2.50 downloads that customers can get right to their phones. Upon purchase, the song is also sent to their computer. For more information, check out this write-up in Tuesday's Washington Post.
-- Also on Monday, Apple reported that 1 millions videos have been sold through the iTunes Store in under 20 days. MSNBC has these details.
-- Strathmore is producing podcasts featuring "music by artists presented by Strathmore who will appear on [their] stages over the next few months." A non-profit arts center with a new 1,976-seat concert hall and a historic mansion, Strathmore is located just outside the Beltway in Montgomery County.
-- All music showcase applications for the 2006 South By Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival must be received by Monday, November 7.
-- Want to write for this blog? Send a sample of your writing or a link to your blog to: blog at metromusicscene dot com.
-- Also on Monday, Apple reported that 1 millions videos have been sold through the iTunes Store in under 20 days. MSNBC has these details.
-- Strathmore is producing podcasts featuring "music by artists presented by Strathmore who will appear on [their] stages over the next few months." A non-profit arts center with a new 1,976-seat concert hall and a historic mansion, Strathmore is located just outside the Beltway in Montgomery County.
-- All music showcase applications for the 2006 South By Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival must be received by Monday, November 7.
-- Want to write for this blog? Send a sample of your writing or a link to your blog to: blog at metromusicscene dot com.
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