Entertainment, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music

The Winning Ticket: Dance for the Dying, Ugly Purple Sweater @ Red Palace, 9/29

photo courtesy of Dance for the Dying

Today We Love DC is giving away a pair of tickets to see Dance for the Dying, Ugly Purple Sweater, and  Fire and the Wheel at Red Palace, this Saturday, September 29th! Tickets are on sale now through the Red Palace website or Ticket Alternative, and tickets can be purchased at the door. This is an EP release party for Dance for the Dying. Check out Dance for the Dying’s song “Thug Love“, and Ugly Purple Sweater’s “The Water’s Edge“. 

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address until 4pm today. One entry per email address, please.

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 in 24 hours or they will forfeit their tickets and we will pick another winner.

The winner will be on the guest list (plus one) at Red Palace 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 be accompanied by a parent or guardian if he/she is under 18 years old.

Saturday, September 29th

Dance for the Dying (EP Release)

Ugly Purple Sweater

Fire and the Wheel

Red Palace

Doors 8pm/show @ 9pm/$8/18+

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music

The Winning Ticket: The Spring Standards at Red Palace, 9/20

photo courtesy of The Spring Standards

Today We Love DC is giving away a pair of tickets to see The Spring Standards at Red Palace, this Thursday, September 20th! Tickets are on sale now through the Red Palace website or Ticket Alternative, and tickets can be purchased at the door. Their sound is sometimes folk, sometimes indie-pop, Americana leaning, with a definite country flair at times. This year, they released a double EP titled yellow//gold. Check out these videos for a taste of their range of sound, from the indie-pop-rock “Here We Go“, the country/bluegrass flair of “The Hush” , and folk loveliness of “Bells & Whistles”.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address until 4pm today. One entry per email address, please.

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 in 24 hours or they will forfeit their tickets and we will pick another winner.

The winner will be on the guest list (plus one) at Red Palace 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 be accompanied by a parent or guardian if he/she is under 18 years old.

 

The Spring Standards

Thursday, September 20th

Red Palace

Doors 7:30/show @ 8pm/$10/18+

Entertainment, Interviews, Music, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music

Q&A with Girl In A Coma

photos courtesy of Girl In A Coma

This week We Love DC guest writer Greg Svitil got a chance to chat with bassist Jenn Alva of rock trio Girl In A Coma about life on the road, music as catharsis, Amanda Lepore and more.  Girl In A Coma will be playing at Red Palace on Friday, July 13th.

Greg Svitil: You seem to be touring non-stop lately.  How has spending so much time traveling and playing shows grown your connection as band mates and as friends or sisters? 

Jenn Alva: We do tour a lot and luckily, we love what we do. The girls and I have always been great friends from even before GIAC had begun. That was an advantage in becoming band mates. We were able to communicate calmly about band decisions and writing. The amount of time we spend touring has really helped as well. We are a tight team. We are family.

Greg: You manage to squeeze a lot into your time on the road.  Beyond nightly shows, you’ve been doing a lot of radio shows such as NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert, and Nina has been playing solo as well.  How do you balance everything and maintain your energy level? 

Jenn: We try to do as much as we can on the road. We actually feel like we should be doing more. Our energy levels remain high because we adore our latest album Exits & All the Rest, and fall in love again with old songs we dust off and place in the set. Which keeps us excited to play day or night. Continue reading

Entertainment, Interviews, Music, Night Life, People, The Features, We Love Music

Q&A with Plants and Animals

 

photo credit: Laura Totten

Plants and Animals are a post-rock trio from Canada, currently based in Montreal. Their energetic, guitar-driven indie sound has garnered them acclaim and recognition from the likes of Paste, Filter, and Nylon, among others. They are currently on tour of the US and Canada, and are making a stop at DC’s Red Palace this Friday, April 6th. WeLoveDC’s Alexia Kauffman got a chance to chat with guitarist Nic Basque, and here’s what he had to say.

Alexia Kauffman: How’s your tour going?

Nic Basque: Oh, it’s going well! We’ve done a few shows where we’re from, in Montreal, Quebec, and we went to South by Southwest, and now we’re on the West Coast, driving to Portland.

Alexia: How did South by Southwest go for you?

Nic: It was great! A bit insane, but we got lucky. Our label and management company organized a showcase in a church, so it was pretty calm, and we had good sound. That was great. And we did a couple of bar shows, and those were fun too. I think it was the first time we traveled there with a sound engineer, and that made a huge difference. We were a bit more in control, so that was great. But it was insane!

Alexia: I’ve heard it’s like totally nuts! Did you have any favorite moments while you were there?

Nic: Well the show was fun, and we went to a Mexican place we go every time where they have avocado margaritas- that was fun. We saw some friends too…In terms of shows we didn’t see much except for the showcase. It’s so weird the conditions that bands are playing, that it’s tough to really enjoy bands there. Continue reading

The Daily Feed

Hot Ticket: Brandt Brauer Frick @ Red Palace, TONIGHT!!!

You gotta love that video and that sound!

Brandt Brauer Frick are a trio of German musicians creating a unique sound that is often described as “acoustic techno”. Using primarily non-electronic instruments they craft intricate pieces that somehow find a common ground between classical music and the dance-floor. Their avant-garde concept and non-traditional approach seem intended for the more cerebral listener but through sheer charisma and compositional genius they manage to lend it a delightful pop sensation. On their latest album “Mr. Machine” BBF have expanded into a larger ‘ensemble’ to create a moody, rhythmic, cinematic masterwork.

It is a bit of a mystery whether or not the full ensemble will be on hand tonight. Word on the street though is that whatever formation Brandt Brauer Frick take in their live shows, they are always very special affairs that are not to be missed. BBF are in the US to perform at MoogFest in North Carolina this weekend and are hitting DC on their way down South. I highly recommend taking the time tonight to catch a rare US appearance by this one-of-a-kind band.

Brandt Brauer Frick
w/ Outputmessage (Live)
@ Red Palace
9pm – TONIGHT!
$10

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, We Love Music

Hot Ticket: Dark Dark Dark @ Red Palace

photo by Tod Seelie

Embrace the chill in the air and get in the mood for fall with Dark Dark Dark at Red Palace tonight. Moody piano and clarion female vocals are joined with understated percussion and layers of cello, accordion, horns and backing vocals to create a dark, dramatic and beautiful melange. Check out the video for their single “Daydreaming” from their album Wild Go here. The group, from Minneapolis, Minnesota is on tour supporting Eastern European-inspired folk duo A Hawk and A Hacksaw.

A Hawk And A Hacksaw
Dark Dark Dark
Pillars and Tongues

Red Palace
Tuesday, October 4th
doors 8:00/show 8:30
$12

Entertainment, Music, We Love Music

We Love Music: Clutch @ Red Palace, 9/18/11

IMG_2285b
all photos by author.

This a concert review that is more about a beer than a band. Rather, this is a beer review that is more about a band than a beer. Or how about, this is a review that is about a beer that is named after a band who played a concert in honor of their beer. The band and the beer are called Clutch. The beer hails from Colorado. The band has its roots in Maryland. The concert in honor of the beer was at The Red Palace in Washington DC. The events that follow took place on Sunday night.* It was awesome and I’m sorry you weren’t there.

But really few people were. The performance space at Red Palace was full of people but since it’s a tiny space it could only hold so many. All told about a 150 lucky Clutch fans piled into the Red Palace for a free show by the band. So relatively speaking to the Red Palace, there were ‘a lot’ of people there. But compared to your standard Clutch show at 9:30 Club (or at HFStival the day before), you could say this beer show was quite exclusive. But exclusive sounds kind of stuck up and this event was far from that. In fact I would describe Clutch the band and this event as the complete opposite of stuck up. So instead let’s describe this concert with one of the region’s, nay, the country’s best rock bands as limited edition. I like that. Music collectors enjoy things that are limited edition. Usually we’d use the term to describe an object, but I think it’s safe to use it to describe this intimate free concert. I mean how often do you get to pile into a tiny room for free, drink a mighty tasty beer designed by one of your favorite bands, then listen to them play five or six rare ‘acoustic’ arrangements, before having your face rocked off when they unleash Pure Electric Rock Fury in the form of monster jam versions of some of your favorite tunes?

Continue reading

Entertainment, Interviews, Music, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music

Q&A with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. is a talented duo from Detroit. Blending electronic elements with traditional rock instruments and vocal harmonies reminiscent of the Beach Boys and Paul Simon, they have crafted a unique and catchy sound.  Their live shows demonstrate their flair for the dramatic- with hand-crafted marquees flashing their moniker “Jr. Jr.”, bubble machines, and fans-onstage dance parties. Riding on the high of playing Lollapalooza 2011 this summer they are touring the US, spreading good times and harmony as they go.

Co-founder Daniel Zott took some time out of his busy tour schedule to chat with WLDC’s Alexia Kauffman about the band, their roots, and living your dreams.

Continue reading

The Daily Feed

Clutch the band introduces Clutch the beer


courtesy of NBB.

Clutch just may be the most bad ass band to have ever come out of these parts (hailing from Germantown, MD and making 9:30 Club their home). Now this bad ass band has teamed up with New Belgium Brewing (of Colorado) to design their own bad ass beer: “Clutch Dark Sour Ale”.

To celebrate their eponymous libation, Clutch are hosting a free launch party at Red Palace on Sunday night. On hand will be ample supplies of Clutch Dark Sour Ale and all the members of the band to mix it up with their fans and fellow beer aficionados. Rumor has it that Clutch will perform some kind of acoustic set for the lucky fans who gain access to this first come, first serve – 200 capacity event. For fans of a band that normally fills the 9:30 Club with ease, this intimate performance will be a very special event. My advice – get in line early. Good luck!

Clutch: The Band, The Beer
@ Red Palace
Sunday, September 18
7pm doors / 8pm show
21+ / First Come, First Serve

Music, Night Life, We Love Music

We Love Music: Marissa Nadler @ Red Palace, 7/29/2011


courtesy of Marissa Nadler.

Last Friday night Boston chanteuse Marissa Nadler entranced the audience at DC’s Red Palace with her dreamy folk songscapes. On tour with her was fellow Bostonian singer/songwriter Mike Fiore, who performs as Faces On Film. It was a low-key evening of quiet, beautiful music for a small but attentive and appreciative audience.

Continue reading

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Daily Feed, We Love Music, We Love Weekends

Hot Ticket: Marissa Nadler @ Red Palace, 7/29/2011

Head over to Red Palace Friday night for an evening of sultry, dreamy indie-folk with Boston chanteuse Marissa Nadler. Her music is melancholic and lovely, at times reminiscent of Mazzy Star.  She has received a good amount of  buzz lately: her self-titled album was featured on NPR’s First Listen, and she was one of SPIN’s 5 best new artists in June. Her single “Baby, I Will Leave You In the Morning” from her latest album was featured on the Pitchfork Playlist. She’s wrapping up her summer tour of US and Canada with fellow Boston indie-folksters Faces on Film.

Marissa Nadler
w/ Faces on Film
@Red Palace
7/29 – 10pm – 18+
$10

Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music

The Winning Ticket (Extra): The Coathangers

We’ve got a bonus ticket giveaway this week courtesy of Red Palace. Up for grabs are two tickets to see The Coathangers play there TONIGHT! The Coathangers are an all girl, post-punk band from Georgia who are establishing quite a name for themselves based on their crazed personae, the chaos-quotient of their music, and their riotous live shows. Check out this Youtube video for a taste of their sexy/scary riot grrl routine and enter to win these tickets if you like what you see/hear.

For the rules of this giveaway…
Continue reading

Entertainment, Music, We Love Music

Hot Ticket: Weekend Edition

lenka_img03_hires
photo by Guy Aroch.

The city is chock full of great live music options this weekend but there a few performances that we wanted to make sure show up on your radar. Rather than deluge you with Hot Ticket columns through-out the day, we decided we would round-up these concert recommendations for you here. Consider this your one-stop shop for weekend concert recommendations. (PS- Let us know if you like this idea in the comments section, if you dig it maybe we can turn this one-off feature into something a little more regular.)

For all your weekend concert needs…
Continue reading

We Love Music

We Love Music: Acid Mothers Temple @ Red Palace, 4/14/11

acid1
All photos courtesy of Acid Mothers Temple

On Thursday night, I cruised down to the Red Palace to catch an offbeat show. When I first heard about a self-described “guitar freak-out” psychedelic rock collective from Japan, named Acid Mothers Temple, I knew they’d be up my alley. I love noisy bands that can bring a ton of energy to a venue. I love going to shows that push the boundaries of music, that are truly an experience unlike any other.

A handful of people got that experience at the show, but I felt like I was missing something. It was weird and offbeat, but it wasn’t the transcendent event I hoped it would be. In my head, I imagined a bunch of guys nodding in rhythm, hanging on every note the guitarists would bless us with. The band gave us a few moments like this, but for the most part I just didn’t find them that intriguing.

I enjoyed openers Shilpa Ray a bit more – they were an unusual four-piece, with Shilpa playing harmonium jams while alternating between singing, yelling and growling. Their songs worked well, and I could feel the intensity when the band hit their groove.
Continue reading

The Daily Feed

Hot Ticket: Acid Mothers Temple @ Red Palace, 4/14/11

Pink Lady Lemonade

Do you like guitars? Do you like noise? Do you want to have your mind blown?!

Acid Mothers Temple, a Japanese “guitar freak-out” band, make their Red Palace debut on Thursday night. This is a band that’s cranked out dozens of albums over their 15-year career. Their music lies somewhere around drone and psych rock. It’s going to be challenging; it will bend your definition of ‘music’. You can probably tell by now whether you’re intrigued, or whether you want to stay as far away as possible. I heard great things about their show last year at DC9 – here are some pictures if you’re curious. (Warning: contains guitar abuse.)

In case you couldn’t guess by the name, the band has attracted a cult-like following (being somewhat of a cult itself). I plan to be indoctrinated on Thursday. Bring earplugs.

Acid Mothers Temple Melting Paraiso U.F.O
with Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers
Thursday, April 12th
Red Palace
$12 adv/$14 day of

Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music, We Love Music

The Winning Ticket (Extra): Fences


photo by Lindsey Byrnes

Since so many people tried to win tickets yesterday and since we could only pick one winner, we decided that we should give all of those who didn’t win yesterday, a chance to win tickets to a different free show happening this holiday weekend!

Today, we are giving away a pair of tickets to see Fences perform at the Red Palace on Sunday, February 20th.

Fences has been getting love in the press with his self-titled debut that SPIN magazine recently named one of their 10 Best Albums You Might Have Missed in 2010, calling the album “sorrowful, self-deprecating, and charming pop-folk songs with catchy keyboard melodies and lyrics about squandered love.” NPR digs Fences too; they featured his song “My Girl The Horse” as one of their songs of the day last Fall. I am just discovering Fences myself, but I am getting a real “best kept secret” vibe from the guy. Judging from the tunes on his Myspace page, he probably won’t a be a secret much longer.

For your chance to win simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am and 4pm today. One entry per email address, please. If today doesn’t turn out to be your lucky day, but you still want to check out Fences this weekend, tickets are just $10 and can be bought here.

Free Fences track and contest rules after the jump!

Continue reading

Entertainment, Music, We Love Music

We Love Music: The Postelles / Snowmine / Dinosaur Bones @ Red Palace, 2/12/11


“The Postelles” by Harper Smith.

Two bands from New York and one band from Toronto come to the Red Palace on a warming Saturday night. There is a festive crowd present looking for some good pop music tonight. I am looking for the usual alchemical combination of originality and accessibility. There are lots of choices in indie rock music and pop bands, and it is nice to see tonight did indeed offer some good choices in these fields.

Continue reading

The Daily Feed

Hot Ticket: The Postelles @ Red Palace 2/12/11

If you have not been to the Red and the Black lately, you are in for a pleasant surprise. They have combined their space with the upstairs space from the Palace of Wonders and have an attractive and thankfully bigger space now called the Red Palace. The stage is higher off the ground, the PA is larger, the DC9 guy has run the sound when I have been there, and it just has a nice club feeling inside rather than the former cramped space which felt more like an attic than a club, since it basically was an attic.

So why head out there this Saturday? Well, the Postelles bring some of their New York pop/garage rock to the new stage. Could they be the heirs to the Fleshtones? No, I think they have a little more indie rock to their sound than flat out garage pop, but boy can they do pop harmonies. I will be interested to see how harmonize live and in person over the course of a full set. And with sets from New York’s Snowmine and Toronto’s Dinosaur Bones, there will likely be some great sounds emanating from these three touring bands.

The Postelles
w/Snowmine, Dinosaur Bones
The Red Palace
Saturday, Feb 12th
$10 Advance, $12 Day of Show