In the News
Reunited indie pop band Velocity Girl have announced the upcoming release UltraCopacetic, their remaster of debut 1992 album Copacetic. The deluxe package includes b-sides and a complete Peel Session from 1993 on vinyl, CD and digital. Abby Jones with Stereogum explains the frustrations the band had with the album’s original mix. Tickets for their DC show at the Black Cat on Saturday November 23rd are on sale now.
Free Palestine
DC bands Ekko Astral and Black Eyes released new songs benefitting Palestinian causes. Black Eyes gave a live recording of “No Sleep” by Huggy Bear to a compilation called NO SLEEP TIL PALESTINE IS FREE! on Minnesota label Girlsville, benefitting the Palestine Red Crescent Society. This one’s coming out on cassette in mid-July.
Ekko Astral’s new song is called “holocaust remembrance day”, and “all proceeds to go directly to GoFundMes for families fleeing an onslaught of Israeli military violence.” Jael Holzman’s writing about the song’s background is worth reading.
DC Music Vid
Powerful hard punk band Outerloop are heading out on tour to hype their new 6-song release EP 2. Two songs from the release are getting pressed to a special limited-edition 7” by local distributor Scattered Records: last year’s “huracán” and the new single “Spectacle”, which also got this music video treatment from Britain Weyant and Bradley Atom. Don’t you dare miss out on tickets to their hometown album release show Saturday June 29th at Comet Ping Pong!
Don’t Stay Home
Monday June 17th
Guitarist Nelson Dougherty and drummer Keith Butler Jr. of jazz punk rockers ¡FIASCO! have a new group called Deep Space House Band, playing Monday night at Rhizome along with french horn player Abe Mamet and violinist Jamie Sandel’s experimental improv duo LMB.
Tuesday June 18th
Catchy, poppy alt-rocker Hays Dowdy and psychedelic rock band Argo and the Violet Queens play Tuesday night at Songbyrd before Baltimore’s Adjective Animal headlines.
Wednesday June 19th
There are so many celebrations all throughout the city for Juneteenth that you can’t go wrong. WaPo going out guru Fritz Hahn has a great roundup, and we’ll point you to the free day-long event at the Anacostia Community Museum featuring DuPont Brass, Alex Vaughn, Too Much Talent Band, CuzzinB, and the front porch host Noochie.
Thursday June 20th
The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Kogod Courtyard is a lovely and unique space to see jazz on select Thursday nights for their Take 5 series. This Thursday they host cellist Janel Leppin, playing both with partner Anthony Pirog and her seven-piece group Ensemble Volcanic Ash. Free but why not register just in case.
Friday June 21st
The City of Alexandria’s free Jazz Fest at Portside kicks off Friday night with The Lovejoy Group, Brooklyn trumpeter Brandon Woody, and DC’s creative jazz/hip-hop producer and MC Kokayi.
Saturday June 22nd
Finally here and worth the wait, Amanda MacKaye’s all-star punk band Bed Maker celebrate the release of their self-titled album Saturday night at Comet Ping Pong. The addition of psychedelic punk band Des Demonas make this a can’t-miss show for DC punk fans.
Sunday June 23rd
It don’t feel like summer time until you can hear that go-go swing on the dazzling rooftop of the MLK Library. The Go-Go Archives continues their Sunday afternoon go-go series for Black Music Month with Anwan ‘Big G’ Glover’s Backyard Band.
Honorable mention:
The Honey Larks at Earp’s Ordinary in Fairfax
See You Next Week
We had a blast spinning DC music at the Seventh Stanine Fest at Rhizome this past weekend. A special hello to any new subscribers we met there. A playlist might be forthcoming if folks are interested. The heat dome is settling in for the week ahead, so drink some extra water. Thanks for reading, back next Monday.
-PV