In the News
Our news roundup this week includes more about venues than tunes. First up, CapitalBop profiles U Street’s last surviving classic jazz spot JoJo.
Meanwhile, Michael J. West for CityPaper introduces readers to DC’s newest jazz venue The Carlyle Room, new home of the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra.
DCist covered activitst Ron Moten’s ground-breaking this past week on Anacostia’s Go-Go Museum and Café, and the ribbon-cutting on the 29-foot bus-based Go-Go Mobile Museum.
DCist also wrote about Bethesda’s Micah Hendler and the Jerusalem Youth Chorus he founded to advocate for peace in the war-torn region.
Finally, Mark Jenkins at WaPo chronicled the pandemic-era changes to dance-rock band Light Beams.
DC Music Video
Those bubble-grunge gloomscrollers in Flowerbomb have just dropped a bussin’ new music video, and we are pumped to show it to you. Directed by Mitchell Worley, who also helmed the delicious vid for “Your Ideal” by Cinema Hearts, Flowerbomb’s “I Don’t Wanna Know” is a subtle showcase of singer Rachel Kline’s range of emotional performance that rewards repeated viewings and attention to detail. (That green door!)
Flowerbomb throws a release party for the EP Gloom Scroll Vol. 1 on Friday January 19th at the Pie Shop with emo band Cherub Tree and Mystery Friends’ frontwoman Abby Sev. Plan ahead and get tix now!
Don’t Stay Home This Week
Monday November 20th
Storytelling indie-rock band Grimm Winter headline Songbyrd Monday night, along with shoegazers Toro from Silver Spring and sweet indie pop from Mieke.
Tuesday November 21st
Instrumental post-rock band The Messthetics (ICYMI, it’s Joe and Brendan from Fugazi with Anthony Pirog on guitar and they slap hard) play Songbyrd this Tuesday night, and they’re bringing along Indonesian composer and Kronos Quartet collaborator Peni Candra Rini. See you there?
Wednesday November 22nd
Jazz vocalist Elin, formerly of the DC band Alma Tropicália and frequent collaborator with Thievery Corporation, will pay tribute to the recently passed legendary Brazilian vocalist Leny Andrade at Blues Alley for two sets on Wednesday (Thanksgiving) evening.
Friday November 24th
Maryland-based R&B/soul keys maestro Zo!, Detroit producer Tall Black Guy and DC singer Debórah Bond land their long-running Abstractions tour at Pearl Street Warehouse for two shows Friday and Saturday night along with the Queen of Indie Soul, Conya Doss.
Saturday November 25th
Dennis Kane is an underappreciated gem of the DC music scene. In addition to co-producing Mary Timony’s comeback solo album Untame the Tiger, Kane has released 9 count ‘em 9 full albums of haunting instrumental neo-classical music as The Hunted Hare over the last few years. Now he’s back making psychedelic folk-rock under his own name, and celebrates the release of a new single “I Know the Light” at the Black Cat’s Red Room Saturday night, with special guest singer Anna Connolly. There’s sure to be a lot of cool people at this show.
Sunday November 26th
The Sunday after Thanksgiving is the spot reserved every year for singer Laura Tsaggaris’s holiday music show at the Miracle Theater, presented by Union Stage. The refreshed classics and new tunes like “Get In the Mood” featuring her full band kick off at 7 PM.
Happy Thanksgiving, DMV
Have a great week with friends and fam, coast a little at work if they make you show up, drink & eat responsibly. We are always thankful for the thriving community that’s always evolving in the music scene here. Stay safe, back next week.
-PV