Featured Shows of the Week! July 9
Monday July 9 2012
Matisyahu @ Rams Head Live!
Since first emerging on the international stage in 2005, Matisyahu has established a reputation for following his muse—from the stripped-down roots reggae of the gold-certified Live at Stubb’s to the trippy ministrations of Youth to the polished pop eclecticism of Light. Then, in 2010, he returned to the venerable Austin venue that introduced him for Live at Stubb’s II, demonstrating that all those travels had somehow only strengthened his connection to his musical bedrock. It was a whirlwind half-decade journey, one that earned Matisyahu a place in pop culture at large.
Musiq Soulchild @ Howard Theatre
Philadelphia native Taalib Johnson a.k.a Musiq Soulchild, is a soul artist whose unique style blends R&B, Soul, Funk, Rock, Blues, Jazz, and Hip Hop, creating a sound unlike any other. “I consider myself a soul artist because it encompasses all genres of music!” Musiq states “I like to make music that means something to people, nowadays there are so many categories and labels, I just wanna make music that matters!” Musiq Soulchild has had 2 platinum albums, 2 gold albums and 7 hit singles. He has received awards from Billboard, BET, ASCAP, BMI, and Soul Train. Musiq has also earned award nominations from MTV, American Music Awards, NAACP, and 9 Grammy nominations, including 3 for his 2007 album Luvanmusiq. Besides being a successful recording artist, Musiq is notable for his creative and unique way of titling his albums and songs. In addition to being a platinum selling artist, Musiq has garnered TV and print ads from Mc Donald’s, GAP, Coca Cola, Levi Strauss, and Nike. All of this talent, hard work, and determination have allowed Musiq to flourish into one of the few R&B soulful artists that still exist.
Tuesday July 10 2012
Les Rhinocéros @ Black Cat
“Hailing from the Washington, DC area, the young band Les Rhinocéros delivers a crazy world in sound, blending aspects of rock, world music, noise, ambient and jazz. The trio of teenagers was formed in 2008 while the players were still in high school, and has developed since then into an intense and wildly imaginative group that takes music to its extremes. Emotional, minimalistic, intense and grooving, this is music that goes beyond imagination to the edges of sanity. The group continues their sonic experiments by adding unusual instruments into the traditional rock band setting.” – Tzadik
It’s no surprise that Yeveto was created to perform a live, original score at a Creative Alliance screening of the 1920 German film Der Golem. The instrumental band’s new album, Remote Unelectrified Villages (and I don’t just mean “album” figuratively—this is a vinyl deal), feels like the score to a movie that is both lush and deeply personal—an epic indie created out of a series of small scenes.
Wednesday July 11 2012
Tom McBride @ Jammin’ Java
Over the past two years, McBride has already shared the stage with artists Dawes, Eli “Paperboy” Reed, Futurebird, William Elliott Whitmore, Ellis Paul, Kevin Kinney, The Bogmen, Dan Bern, Dead Heart Bloom among many others. He was recently featured at both the 2010 CMJ Music Festival in New York City and the 2010 Dewey Beach Music Conference in addition to the over 150 shows he performed throughout the past two years, including performances at notable venues like Mercury Lounge (NYC), Pianos (NYC), Rock-N-Roll Hotel (DC), World Café Live (Philly), IOTA Club & Café (VA), Evening Muse (Charlotte), Mercy Lounge (Nashville), Eddie’s Attic (Atlanta) among others. McBride has received songwriting recognition throughout the region including at the annual Mid-Atlantic Songwriters Association awards (“Dear James”) and his songs have been licensed and featured in film (Pocket Full of Gold, Swing, The Proposal) and web-series episodes (In-Between Men).
Thursday July 12 2012
Mr. Little Jeans @ U Street Music Hall
Many people’s introduction to Monica came with her haunting, beat-damaged cover of Arcade Fire’s “The Suburbs,” essentially doing to that song what James Blake did to Feist’s “The Limit to Your Love.” She’d similarly flipped Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” on 2010′s Angel EP, but Mr. Little Jeans’ has since come into her own. Her forthcoming full-length debut—recorded and produced by Tim Anderson (Ima Robot, Dead Man’s Bones) in L.A., Monica’s new home base—promises untold treasures that happily blur the lines between pop and art, light and dark.
Friday July 13 2012
Black Dog Prowl @ Fillmore Silver Spring
Black Dog Prowl is screaming guitars, door-busting drums, driving bass and powerful vocals. Think of the musical lovechild of Led Zeppelin and Soundgarden combined with the vocal styling of Kurt Cobain and Jim Morrison.
Gritty vocalist and guitarist Josh Finver fronts this Washington, D.C., based four-piece that features Robert Peters on lead guitar and an explosive rhythm section made up of bassist Schuyler Allen and drummer Enzo Ferroggiaro. Though the band takes inspiration from rock pioneers that have come before, Black Dog Prowl has a sound that is very much its own and a high-energy live show that is among the best the nation’s capital has to offer.
Satuday July 14 2012
Best Coast @ 9:30 Club
Best Coast is a surf pop band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 2009. The band comprises Bethany Cosentino (vocals, guitar) and Bobb Bruno (lead guitar). Best Coast released their debut album, “Crazy for You,” on July 27, 2010, on Mexican Summer Records. The album debuted at No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100. Songfacts reports that actress Drew Barrymore directed the music video for their track Our Deal.
Beach blanket lo-fi pop from Bethany Cosentino, (formerly of Pocahaunted), inspired by Bethany’s longing for Los Angeles while spending her days in NY attending Eugene Lang College, Best Coast sprung forth during her first days back in California. She says we can expect “songs about summer and the sun and the ocean and being a lazy creep,” with “drums, beach boys bass lines, and other amazing things” added by her friend Bobb Bruno.
The Flash Band Summer Showcase @ Fairgrounds
Forty musicians. Ten brand new bands. One night of great music. The Flash Band Summer Showcase brings together a group of experienced musicians, introduces them through a meet-and-greet jam session and gives them a month to form and practice as one-time flash bands. For musicians it allows the opportunity to take risks, try something new, and play with new folks. For the audience it’s a chance to see a diverse group of local musicians.
The Flash Band Summer Showcase will bring the Flash Band concept to the big stage. The Half Street Fairgrounds provides an ideal summer venue with their large outdoor space, some food trucks and a bar, just outside the Nationals Stadium. Each band will be given one fifteen minute set at the final show, and each set must include at least one original song written since the Flash Band formed.
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