Sunday, July 20, 2008
music
live
"I like to forget why I'm doing things and just do them," claims Bellman Barker bassist, Thomas Hunt, "It's not like that baseball movie." So, a future reference for aspiring bands: in the way on intent, being a musician is very much unlike Field of Dreams.
For one, it's not a formulaic process. Hunt, Aaron Estes, John Matingy, and Mike Buspamante (new comer Steve Dennis now plays keys) recorded their 6-song EP, Anise & Anisette in Columbia Heights with digital tracking, one mic, fairly typical computer speakers, and a lot of Mexican food. However, toting a CD iced with smiley 60's pop undertones and a bouncy sincerity makes drawing a crowd a tad easier than digging a baseball diamond. Making a "conscious decision to never stop moving," the year-old band earned the sweet right to play, this past weekend, on the Black Cat's Main Stage (U St., DC), with local indie's Pash and Jukebox the Ghost. Their live sound varies from the recorded one in the way that buying a really good drink at a bar differs from mixing a really good drink in your kitchen; it's all about atmosphere. On stage, Bellman Barker skips from jogging, high spirited tunes to skank-able dance-around refrains, throwing in bells and maracas for good measure. Following a cheerful, gapless set, all five band mates end their portion of the evening with the stamping "Two Bees", exiting the stage, in front of a sold out room.
DC's local indie pop scene is a bit scattered and it's refreshing to find a band wading through it, constantly evolving their sound. "We're tearing apart the arrangements, and getting our fingernails underneath them… making them more interesting," says Hunt. Even if they're playing just to play, Bellman Barker started building a music career from scratch and are well on their way towards home plate.
...read more. [ In local shows ] Tuesday, January 29, 2008
The next four days hold a few fantastic ways to spend an evening in the DC area.
Thursday the 24th, 9 pm - Juniper Lane, Jupiter One and Celeste Starchild at IOTA Club & Café. - A rootsy-pop filled evening at the (aforementioned) best small venue in the area.
Friday the 25th, 9 pm – Liberation Dance Party at DC9. - Every Friday - Djs spin a mix of rock, electronic, hip-hop and music videos.
Saturday the 26th, 9 pm - Jukebox the Ghost (CD Release), Pash, and Bellman Barker at The Black Cat.- Deservingly trendy bands play deservingly trendy venue. CD release included. Possible stage antics. Review of this next week.
Sunday the 27th, 9 pm – Mike Maloney and Justin Trawick at Galaxy Hut. - Arguably, two to the area’s best singer/songwriters play at Wilson’s Blvd’s tiniest bar/club, with the very, very best artwork.
Monday the 28th, 9:30 pm - The Shackeltons and Raise Up Roofbeams at The Red & The Black Bar.- Pennsylvania based and about to release a brand new cd, on their way to SXSW, The Shackeltons, a rumored mix of volatility and poetry, partner with like-minded Raise Up Roofbeams. H Street rejoices. I have a problem with fixing long, comma-ridden sentences.
...read more. Wednesday, January 23, 2008
One of DC’s favorite guitar wielding artists, Andy Zipf has no promotional rule book and that’s working out just fine. From “Podjacking” (using an iPod’s broadcasting capabilities to send bursts of short targeted marketing messages) to making customized t-shirts and postcards for his fans, to holding the AZ Corporation Jukebox (a covers-only show, determined by fan’s emails), Andy Zipf has created his own niche in the music industry. His most recent plan, the Pfriends on Pfilm (Andy Zipf : Pfriends on Pfilm) Tour, takes Zipf, Pete Lim (percussion/keys/bgvs) and Brad Wolf (new media artist, VJ) on an east-coast-ish ride through some of their favorite venues, projecting in them images onto a screen and themselves that coincide with the music. The hope is for a live soundtrack appeal. The whole shebang starts this Friday, January 18th, at Fairfax’s SOTA and goes through February 2nd.
Check out the video.
...read more. Wednesday, January 16, 2008
DC’s 9:30 Club has booked Wilco for February 26th and 27th. Pre-sale tickets go sale tomorrow, Wednesday the 9th.
Sorry, I had to just blurt it out.
Wilco, the first of many bands to somehow hold their indie rock face in a major label world (currently crumbling to the ground… but I digress…), has kept alt-folk lovers guessing since the 90’s. With a deep love of and respect for experiment, literature, and Pro Tools, Wilco has expanded far beyond their Chicago loft.
I love the effect Wilco seems to have on critics. No one’s ever sure what’s brewing, but the fact doesn't stop them from guessing. A lot of time is spent pulling apart the band’s discography. Someone dredges out the controversial Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and someone shoots back with the less experimental Sky Blue Sky. Everyone empties their Jeff Tweedy facts all over the table. Rehab, oohhhh. Then, an album hits and it all starts over.
Personally, there’s little I wouldn’t do, or pay, to stand in a room and experience any amount of Glenn Kotche’s drum playing.
So, If anyone’s looking for me between 11:55 p.m. tonight and 12:05 a.m. tomorrow morning, I’ll be pressing the “refresh” key on WilcoWorld.net, credit card in hand.
...read more. Tuesday, January 8, 2008
