In The News
A bit light in the DC music news this past week, so we’ll point you to two reviews and photo roundups of rapper Logic’s recent show at Echostage, from Parklife DC and District Fray [subscription required].
Summer Bandcamp
Here’s some notable recent Bandcamp releases for your ears and wishlists:
Singer/producer Jules Hale released her third full length album of delicious dream-pop as Den-Mate, Grow Up & Out. Pre-order the cassette now.
Genre-hopping rapper Ardamus of The Lucky So & So’s also fronts the funky rock band Strangers That Clique, who just released their sophomore EP After Hours. Catch them Friday June 30th headlining DC9.
Soulful ska/reggae veterans Eastern Standard Time keep the crisp offbeats flowing on their new album Clockwork. Cassettes are almost gone as we write this, so you might have to settle for vinyl.
For the many fans of 2010’s DC post-punk/indie-rock band Two Inch Astronaut, we can’t tell you that their indefinite hiatus is over. But we can let you know that their 2013 album Bad Brother got remixed & remastered for its 10th anniverary, and Lonely Ghost Records has the limited cassette run for sale.
DC Music Video
The indie folk band Near Northeast played their farewell (for now) show last year before dispersing to different cities to pursue new paths. But, as they say, “The rumors of our demise have been greatly exaggerated”. Our hearts were warmed by the viewing of this new music video for “Shadow”, the lead-off track from their 2021 album Gatherings. Multi-instrumentalist Austin Blanton created this “found footage glitch art music video” entirely from open source Python code, which you can download, reuse and remix yourself on GitHub.
Don’t Stay Home This Week
Tuesday June 20th
Tuesday night’s metal lineup at The Runaway might require not just earplugs, but earmuffs. See a collab set called A Cold Sweat Of Quiet Dread from DC “progressive doom trio” Myopic and Baltimore “one-man doom/sludge project” At The Graves; Et Mors, “creat[ing] a soundscape to the dystopian reality that is living in the 21st century’; Mares of Thrace from Canada; and DICQBEATS, “a goddamn noisy menace”.
Wednesday June 21st
DC DJ’s Mathias and Nativesun take club dancers on a world tour with their free monthly event Layover Wednesday night at The Owl Room.
Thursday June 22nd
The Runaway gives us what we want more of these days: a solid three band bill of new-ish DC bands. Thursday night features Cecil & Delilah, Dr. Horsedoctor, and Big Cry Country.
Friday June 23rd
Burial Waves is one of those super-groups the DMV should be more famous for. Jimmy Rhodes and Ross Hurt of Black Clouds recruited Kyle Durfey of Pianos Become The Teeth, Kevin Hilliard from Caverns, and Matthew Dowling aka SWOLL from The Effects to create this powerful new band. Their 2021 debut release Holy Ground finally comes out on vinyl, and Friday night Comet Ping Pong provides the live music celebration with openers Teen Mortgage.
Saturday June 24th
https://www.rhizomedc.org/new-events/2023/6/24/threefourfivenoonespherepeakbloom
https://dice.fm/event/q9rmp-dyeboy-disaster-artist-cherub-tree-24th-jun-quarry-house-tavern-washington-dc-tickets
Sunday June 25th
Does the DC brunch scene have room for some live & loud rock & roll? The Pocket finds out this Sunday from noon to 3 PM with Ex Reverie from Philly, NYC’s Freaky Wilderness, and a rare chance to see the Pirog brothers share the same bill. Anthony Pirog performs a solo set of guitar sorcery while Kenny Pirog leads his bluesy rock band Wanted Man.
Coda
Thank you for reading, and for being a part of the DC music scene. You want to go to a show soon? Let’s hang. See you next week, friends.