Monthly Archives: September 2013

Entertainment, Music, The Daily Feed
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Hot Ticket: Volcano Choir @9:30 Club – 9/12/13

Volcano Choir

It’s been almost four years since Volcano Choir released its first album, but – praise baby jesus (yes, that’s a Talladega Nights reference) – just last week, they released their second album Repave and will be performing this Thursday at the 9:30 Club.

Time span between albums isn’t surprising asmany of the group’s members have been actively involved in other music exploits, most notably John Vernon, the leader singer of Bon Iver, and their freshman album Unmap evolved from years of mail-based – yes, USPS – communications consisting of letters, notes, audio clips and other explorations of musical ideas.

It’s this avant-garde, collaborative exploration of the limits and bounds of music that make Volcano Choir’s music truly beautiful and pure, and those aren’t some kitschy, word vomit adjectives, I mean them. Continue reading →

Weekend Flashback
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Weekend Flashback: 9/06-9/08

Pepe food truck at Yards Park concert series jacquesofalltrades

One of my favorite things about photography is capturing dramatic light. Sure the subject is important but sometimes the shot needs a little something extra. How about adding some blinding sun rays or maybe some lens flare? Maybe instead of adding light you focus on the dark causing what little light there is to stand out like a beacon. It’s all about experimentation. If you haven’t played with light in your photographs yet I encourage you to do so; it will open a whole world of possibilities into your work. As it happens many of our photo contributors managed to capture some amazing light this weekend. Let’s take a look, shall we?

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Music, The Features, We Love Music
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Hot Ticket: Blondie and X @ 9:30 Club, 9/9/13

Chris Stein, Debbie Harry and Clem Burke (Photo courtesy of Press Here)

Chris Stein, Debbie Harry and Clem Burke (Photo courtesy of Press Here)

As a young music collecting kid, I undoubtedly came across the sixth studio album by Blondie, The Hunter, in the cassette selection of a retailer like K-Mart or Ames. “Neat!” I probably said while snapping it up in 1982, little realizing that the band already had broken up and this likely was their last album.

Flash forward to 1997, and I’m living here in DC, so I get to go the HFStival at RFK Stadium, where Blondie stage an unlikely reunion to play their first public show in 15 years. Wow! And then the band awakens to put out a few more albums before continuing to tour for many more years.

Recently, the band has surprised me yet again with another burst of creative activity, releasing the calypso-flavored Panic of Girls in 2011 and now returning with a new album, Ghosts of Download, to be released this fall. The first single, “A Rose By Any Name,” featuring The Gossip’s Beth Ditto on guest vocals, is a welcome dance number with nu disco flourishes. The album reportedly holds quite a few tracks influenced by today’s electronic dance music (EDM) movement.

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Essential DC, Fun & Games, Music, Night Life, The Daily Feed, The District
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STRFKR @9:30 Club – 9/4/13

STRFKR rebeccaejohnson

Last night, STRFKR, the absurdly named and spelled Portland-based electronica group, put on an energy-filled show at the 9:30 Club.

You knew the night was gonna get weird – in a funny/ridiculous way – when the lead singer Joshua Hodges (aka Sexton Blake) walked out wearing what can only be described as the dress Norman Bates wore in Psycho; in fairness, Sexton’s frock was prettier. Continue reading →

Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Miss Saigon

SG-6564-1024x773
Signature Theatre’s production of Miss Saigon. Photo credit: Christopher Mueller

An impoverished woman who turn to prostitution to make a living in hopes of sending her child off to live a better life. The mostly good-natured man man who “saves” said mother and child. Signature Theatre’s Miss Saigon shares a few common traits with Les Miserables. Both musicals were written by the French duo of Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, so it makes sense.  Both also set out to be prime examples of the epic blockbuster musical, one where every word is a song and big numbers are orchestrated to put the musical into musical theater. The barricades of Les Mis are matched by the swooping helicopters of Miss Saigon when it comes to iconic imagery.

On Broadway, famed producer Cameron Mackintosh made both productions into long-running hits. At Signature, Eric Schaeffer and company attempt to fit as much giltz and glam of Miss Saigon onto the small Max Theatre as possible. Unable to fit a whirly bird into the production, the show instead is dressed to the nines with ripped parachutes, barbed wire fences, and metal grating that creeps from the stage into the audience. The ensemble that takes to this rough and gritty stage is strong, but has noticeable holes that makes this rendition solid, but not show-stopping.

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Music, The Features, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: Black Prairie @ U Street Music Hall, 9/15/13

BlackPrairieF

As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader periodically. Keep your eyes open for opportunities to find out what tickets we’re giving away, and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

Today, we are giving away a pair of tickets to see Black Prairie at U Street Music Hall on Sunday, Sept. 15 (presented by the 9:30 Club).

What are two members of an already prolific band The Decemberists supposed to do in their downtime? Why, start another band and start pumping out more records in a few short years! And so indie rockers Chris Funk and Nate Query rounded up a few other musicians and formed bluegrass band Black Prairie. Well, jazz-klezmer-bluegrass band Black Prairie, perhaps? No need to keep it simple when you have this much energy!

For your chance to win these tickets, simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am and 4pm today. Feel free to leave any comment, but perhaps share your favorite song by Black Prairie! One entry per email address, please. Tickets for this show are also available through Ticketfly.

For the rules of this giveaway…

Comments will be closed at 4pm and a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be notified by email. The winner must respond to our email within 24 hours or they will forfeit their tickets and we will pick another winner.

Tickets will be available to the winner at the U Street Music Hall box office window on the night of the concert. The tickets must be claimed with a valid ID. The winner must be old enough to attend the specific concert or must have a parent’s permission to enter if he/she is under 18 years old.

Black Prairie
U Street Music Hall
Sunday, Sept. 15
doors @ 6:30pm
$15
All ages

Featured Photo
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Featured Photo

34/52 - maryland state fair dracisk

There are really only two carnival rides that I enjoy riding: the Scrambler and the Swings. I know, I’m lame. But that’s not the point. The point is that carnivals and fairs are some of the best places to take photos as Kim has so excellently demonstrated in this wonderful shot from the Maryland State Fair.

I am a huge fan of carnivals and fairs for the myriad opportunities they provide for practicing a variety of photography techniques. Where else will you find people from all walks of life gathered together for a day or evening of good, old-fashioned fun? Look for the most interesting characters, or private moments that otherwise go unnoticed in the crowd, and get candid shots that every street photographer will envy. Channel your inner photojournalist and document life at the fair; maybe interview a couple of the workers running the games or the members of the 4-H club showing off their prize pigs. Bring your tripod and a shutter release cable so you can capture some long exposures of the carnival rides glowing in the night. (Personally my favorite thing to do.) The possibilities are endless but if you somehow manage to run out of ideas there’s always funnel cake. And fried Oreos. And fried Snickers. And ice cream. And cotton candy. And, well, you get the point.

P.S. If someone brings me a funnel cake I’ll share it with them. And by share I mean they can have a bite. What?

Entertainment, Interviews, Music, People, She/He Loves DC, The Features
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He Loves DC: Don Kim

She/He Loves DC is a series highlighting the people who love this city just as much as we do.

If you need a reason to smile then Don Kim is a guy who can help get the job done. Whether he’s on stage cracking a joke, at home playing music with his friends, or out at a bar playing a game of darts with a beer in hand, Don’s the kind of guy you want to be around.

Most recently, the ukulele toting singer-songwriter released an animated music video for his song “Beaver + Duck = Love.” Go ahead and try to watch that video without cracking a smile. I triple dog dare ya.

What is it about DC that makes it home to you?

For a long time, I didn’t love DC (gasp!). I went to college at the University of Maryland (Go Terps!) thinking that I was hitting the road as soon as I was done. I tried to leave but I was immediately drawn back. Over time, I realized that all my complaints about this area were because I wasn’t looking for the right things. Sure it’s stuffy, there’s lots of politics, and jumbo slice tastes horrible (except when drunk), but it’s also full of highly under-appreciated art, culture, and music. It’s home to me because whatever I’m in the mood for, I can find it and I’ve been spending the last 5 years looking for all the gems that this area has to offer. It’s been an amazing adventure and I learn something new about this place everyday.

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Music, News, Night Life
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Update on the Passing of Josh Burdette, That Guy at the 9:30 Club

An impromptu memorial to Josh Burdette in the lobby of the 9:30 Club Monday night

An impromptu memorial to Josh Burdette in the lobby of the 9:30 Club Monday night

Longtime 9:30 Club manager Josh Burdette, 36, was found dead in his home in Kensington, Md. early Sunday evening, according to reports from the police department in Montgomery County.

According to news reports, Burdette’s death is being investigated as a suicide.

9:30 Club co-owner Seth Hurwitz Monday released a statement praising Burdette, popularly known as “That Guy at the 9:30 Club”:

Continue reading →

Weekend Flashback
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Weekend Flashback: 8/30-9/02

World War II Memorial fountains with lit Washington Monument in background JasonianPhotography

There goes summer. And we’re all back to work and/or school. Well, let’s try and imagine it’s still the weekend for a little bit longer. Since we had a three day weekend, we’ve got a extra large Flashback for you, so get that second cup of coffee and ignore that pile of work on your desk. You’ll appreciate this break later. Continue reading →

Entertainment, Life in the Capital, Music, Night Life, The Daily Feed
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We Love Music: Empire Of The Sun @ 9:30 Club – 9/1/13

Empire of the Sun 9-1-13 rebeccaejohnson

To begin, if you’re reading this article before 9pm on Monday, go immediately over to the 9:30 Club and somehow get yourself a ticket to tonight’s sold out Empire of the Sun show. Don’t worry if you have to pay above face value, it will be worth it, trust me.

I’d been listening to the Empire of the Sun 2008 freshman album Walking On A Dream for about a year, having been introduced to them via my Ladyhawke – another Aussie music up-and-comer, Pandora channel recommendation. The strongly drum and synthesizer driven tracks combine effortlessly with lead singer Luke Steele’s brilliant, bordering on nasally, vocals. As a child of the 80s, I’m a junkie for electronic music and their 10 track album has become a staple in my music arsenal. Fortunately, I only had to wait until June for their next album Ice On The Dune and then until yesterday to catch them live.

Going into the show, while I was familiar with the group, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from a live show. Their album covers feature the duo in elaborate costumery and David Bowie-esque make up, surrounded by landscapes and creatures straight out of Dune or the Ursula K. Le Guin novel The Left Hand of Darkness; the covers could easily be Labirynth or Legend or The Dark Crystal movie poster rejects, and their music videos continue this motif, especially their latest track “Alive.” All of this plus pictures of their U.S. tour, which just kicked off, had me definitely expecting a fair amount of pagentry, but as soon as the lights went down, it was clear that Empire of the Sun was going to go far beyond. Continue reading →

Music, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: R.I.P., That Guy at the 9:30 Club

Matt Nathanson @ 9:30 Club Matthew Straubmuller

Regulars of the music scene in Washington, DC, awoke to shock Monday morning — an important face among them was among them no longer.

Josh Burdette, popularly known as “That Guy at the 9:30 Club,” passed away of unknown causes, apparently sometime late Sunday night. A spokesman for the 9:30 Club confirmed his death in a posting on the club’s website forum at 7:13am Monday morning.

For many attending concerts at the 9:30 Club, Burdette was an integral part of the experience. The man’s imposing figure and his many tattoos and piercings made him impossible to miss. But instead of being scary or weird, Burdette was simply nice.

In 2006, Burdette explained his attitude toward his work to Chris Richards of The Washington Post:

“It’s really a customer service job. We’re the face of the club, and we have to do our best to be as friendly, polite and accessible as we can. It’s not an us-versus-them mentality here — we want to avoid that antagonism. If you need our help, ask us. Some of us look big and scary, but we’re just people, too. We’re just working our jobs. Then on the rare occasion when we have to do something more on the security end of things, we’ve already established that we’re there to help.”

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The Daily Feed
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Nats Avoid Sweep, Pull Back to 6.5 Behind Reds

One more win!
One more win!
courtesy of oddlittlebird.

That was exciting. That is all the analysis I have. The entire game I was planning this post around another disappointing Nats lose, a lose they couldn’t afford. I was ready to write about how this was yet another game the Nats let slip away although they were never really in it. Ohlendorf started off poorly and ended up allowing four runs on nine hits with no walks and no strikeouts. It was a tough game to watch and one that had many fans switching to Breaking Bad.

The Nats were able to pull within one in the fourth inning before Ohlendorf allowed his fourth run in the fifth and then their lead expanded to three runs when Krol allowed a run on a single to Eric Young, intentional walk to Satin, and single to Lucas Duda before being pulled for Mattheus in the top of the seventh. Down three runs the Nats were able to get one of them back immediately with a Desmond two out single followed by two wild pitches and a Ramos single to score him from third.

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Nats Crumble Versus Mets in an 11-3 Loss

A little class never hurt anyone
courtesy of Jano Silva DC

Starting pitcher right-hander Dan Haren had an incredibly rough night on Saturday when the Washington Nationals lost to the New York Mets 11-3. Haren lasted 2 and 2/3 innings and threw 57 pitches (41 strikes). The Mets managed nine hits and seven runs off Haren and struck out three times.

Despite a turnaround from his performance earlier this season, Haren seems to have struggled in his past two starts. But the loss isn’t in Haren’s hands entirely. Continue reading →