Six Points Podcast #2

The second Six Points Podcast is now online. These are MP3 files that can be played on most computers, downloaded and put into an iPod or MP3 player, or burned to CD. This Podcast highlights artists who will be playing the Six Points shows at the Clarendon Grill and Rock Bottom Arlington.

Click here to download Podcast #2. There are also links to all the Podcasts on the mainpage at ArlingtonMusicScene.com. For those with Podcast aggregators, you can access the Six Points Podcast feeds at:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/SixPointsMusicFestival

For those not familiar with Podcast aggregators, they are "a tool to subscribe to RSS feeds which supply downloadable files" according to DopplerRadio.com, home of the Doppler Podcast aggregator, which you can download on their website.

Find posts to other blogs that mention Podcasts, through this Technorati.com podcast link.

Trying Out Audioblogger

Future Of Music: DC POLICY DAY

From the Future of Music Coalition (FMC):

On Tuesday, April 12, FMC is hosting a one-day DC Policy Day, where we will apply a laser-beam focus on four critical topics emerging in the Courts, Congress, and at the Copyright Office: digital audio broadcasting and the future of radio, low power FM and community voices, health insurance and musicians, and Copyright in the Courts and Congress. Please join us if you can, or spread the word!

What: Future of Music DC Policy Day
Where: Kaiser Family Foundation's Barbara Jordan Conference Center
1330 G Street NW, Washington, DC
When: Tuesday, April 12, 2005, 10 AM to 6 PM
http://www.futureofmusic.org/events/dcpolicyday05/

The Policy Day will feature keynote speakers FCC Commissioner Jonathan
Adelstein and Representative Diane Watson (D-CA) as well as a diverse
selection of panelists, including:

Claudia Bach - AdvisArts Consulting
Ann Chaitovitz - National Director of Sound Recordings, AFTRA
Jeffrey Cunard - Partner, Debevoise & Plimpton, LLP
Adam Forest - Executive Director, Fractured Atlas
Berkley Etheridge - Vice President, National Music Publishers Association
Jim Griffin - CEO, Cherry Lane Digital
Joseph Kluger - President, Philadelphia Orchestra
Mila Kofman - Assistant Research Professor, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
Alex Maiolo - Partner, Lee-Moore Insurance
Chris Mays - VP and Program Director, KMTT Seattle
Matt McConville - musician, Annapolis Musicians' Fund
Margot Nassau - Royalties and Licensing Manager, Smithsonian Folkways
Nan Rubin - Community Media Services
Hannah Sassaman - Organizer, Prometheus Radio Project
Jule Sigall - Associate Register for Policy & International Affairs, US Copyright Office
John Simson - Executive Director, SoundExchange
Gigi Sohn - President, Public Knowledge

A complete schedule is available at:
http://www.futureofmusic.org/events/dcpolicyday05/schedule.cfm

Space is limited so reserve your seat now!
https://www.futureofmusic.org/events/dcpolicyday05/registration.cfm
The suggested donation for attending the event is $25. A limited number of
student and musician scholarships are also available on the website.

MGM v. Grokster

In what some are calling a "landmark-in-the-making case on the legality of file-sharing networks", oral arguments took place before the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. this morning in MGM vs. Grokster.

According to CNN.com, "At issue is whether the entertainment industry can continue aggressively pursuing not only those who illegally download copyrighted songs, movies and photos, but also those who sell file-sharing software and services. A San Francisco-based federal appeals court in August ruled those file-sharing companies were not responsible, since their products do not directly tell users where they can download protected material."

Here is one blogger's take on SCOTUSblog.com, a blog that follows the actions of the United States Supreme Court, and another blogger at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (www.eff.org) posted these key points from the courthouse steps, following the hearing.

For more information on the case and the history behind it, check out this posting to www.eff.org.

Download Music By Six Points Artists

The first Six Points Radio Show/Podcast is now online for downloading at www.sixpoints.blogspot.com, as an mp3 files. The file contains music from all the artists playing the Monday, April 11 Velvet Lounge show and can be downloaded and then opened on a computer, played on an iPod or mp3 player, or burned to CD.

HFStival Line-Up Announced

DCist is reporting that the 2005 HFStival line-up has been announced:

Foo Fighters
Coldplay
Billy Idol
New York Dolls
Garbage
Interpol
Good Charlotte
Social Distortion
Echo and the Bunnymen
Sum 41
The Bravery
They Might Be Giants
Louis XIV
Unwritten Law
The Stereophonics
Jimmy's Chicken Shack
Citizen Cope

The concert will be Saturday, May 14 at M&T Bank Stadium (that's the home of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens). Tickets are $40 and go on sale this Saturday, April 2, at noon through Ticketmaster and pre-sale information is available on live1057.com.

If you're a D.C.-Baltimore area band, don't forget that you can register to participate in the Big Break, which will give one band the opportunity to open this year's HFStival.

Stream Interpol's 9:30 Club Show

Last night's Interpol show at the 9:30 Club in D.C. can be streamed from NPR's website, courtesy of their program, "All Songs Considered." The opening set from Blonde Redhead is also available for streaming.

Thanks to DCist for the tip on this.

Six Points Artists On Z104 Tonight

Z104's Jenni Chase will be featuring artists from the upcoming 2005 Six Points Music Festival on her Capital Scene radio show tonight at 9pm. More information is available here on the Six Points blog.

Sing at a Washington Nationals' Game

Z104 is offering aspiring National Anthem singers an opportunity to audition for "the chance to compete before judges at RFK Stadium to sing the National Anthem at a Washington Nationals game," according to the station's website. Interested singers must call 202-274-4800, leave their name, age, daytime phone number, city/state of residence, and sing for 30 seconds. Entries will be accepted from Monday, March 21 through Friday, April 1. More details are available here at www.moremusic104.com.

Thanks to DCMetblog.com for the tip on this.

Technorati.com

With millions of blogs (short for weblog) online now, many musicians and music-related events get as much, or more, press on blogs as they do in the mainstream, traditional media. The website Technorati.com calls itself "the authority on what's going on in the world of weblogs" and "displays what's important in the blogosphere--which bloggers are commanding attention, what ideas are rising in prominence, and the speed at which these conversations are taking place."

With a quick search on Technorati.com, anyone can find out what over 8 million tracked blogs (as of this posting) are saying about any subject. For example, if you type ArlingtonMusicScene.com into Technorati.com--the same way you would type it into a Google or Yahoo search--you'll get these results. Or entering "Six Points Music Festival" generates these results.

The results of any Technorati search may vary each time you search, if new information has been posted to a blog about the subject. According to the site "activity is monitored and indexed within minutes of posting," so anyone can keep up with what's being blogged on a particular subject, music-related or not, with a quick Technorati search.

D.C. Artist's Song On NBC's Today

D.C. area musician Rob Hornfeck reports in this post to the ArlingtonMusicScene.com Yahoo Group that his song "Hot Bacon" was heard Tuesday during a segment on the NBC show "Today". A video clip is available here on the NBC site and the song can also be download from The Rob Hornfeck Enterprise page on WashingtonPost.com/mp3.

Volunteers Needed for Six Points

If anyone would like to help get the word out about the 2005 Six Points Music Festival, there's still time to sign-up to volunteer by e-mailing the festival's Volunteer Coordinator, Cynthia Lin. More information is available here on the Six Points blog.

HFS Big Break

Though Washington and Baltimore's alternative rock station WHFS went off the air at it's old home of 99.1 FM months ago, the station found a new home shortly after at 105.7 FM, where HFS music can be heard throughout the weekend and where some former 99.1 DJs now host shows. Plans have also begun for the 2005 HFStival, including the Big Break, which each year gives a local band the opportunity to open the HFStival. Bands have until 3pm Friday, April 1 to submit their CD. DJs Big O and Dukes will announce the five finalists at noon on Monday, April 4 on 105.7. Those five bands will then compete on Friday, April 8 at the Recher Theatre for the festival's opening slot. More details, including a publicity release form, are available at www.live1057.com.

"So You Wanna Be A Blogstar?"

Blogger.com is currently running this article* called "So You Wanna Be A Blogstar?" in which the author, Grant Shellen (also a musician), explains how blogs can be a useful tool for bands. The article gives some tips on how a band can use a blog to relay news, photos and other information to their fans. The article also provides a link to this article, "Five Mistakes Band & Label Sites Make."

*you'll need to be logged into a blogger.com account to read that article.

4th Annual Susquehanna Music & Arts Festival

Susquehanna Music and Arts Festival is a non-profit organization whose primary purpose is to promote awareness and appreciation of traditional and contemporary folk music and arts in Washington D.C., Baltimore and surrounding areas, through concerts, workshops, and children’s programs.

The 4th Annual Susquehanna Music & Arts Festival, aka SMAF, will take place over Mother's Day Weekend (May 6-8, 2005) on the rustic expansive acreage of the Ramblewood Resort in Darlington, MD. The gates will open at 3 pm on Friday, May 6th and 9 am on Saturday, May 7th and Sunday, May 8th.

A ticket order form is available online and offers festival attendees their choice of individual day passes or 3-day ticket packages which can include the option of camping or other overnight accomodations.

To continue its celebration of great music, SMAF will present preview concerts featuring many of the artists that will be performing during the festival. The concerts will be held at the Vandiver Inn in Havre de Grace, MD. Doors open at 6 pm and the concerts will begin at 7 pm. A light dinner will be included with admission. Check the performers link for a performance schedule.

WashPost: "Lend Them Your Ears"

In a story from Friday's Weekend section, titled "Lend Them Your Ears: Breaking Stories From the Music Scene," The Washington Post's Richard Harrington highlights "hopeful artists working their way toward the spotlight" in the Washington music scene.

The article includes blurbs on Q and Not U, Washington Social Club, The Carlsonics, Dead Meadow, The Hidden Hand, The Westcott Brothers Band, Blues on Board, The Mary Shaver Band, Melanie Mason, The Linwood Taylor Band, Raheem DeVaughn, Deborah Bond, Oktbrwrld, Koko Boom, After Hours, Zwei, Mary Sue Twohy, Patty Reese, Andy Zipf, Jon Kaplan and the Bicycle Thieves, Blue Moon Cowgirls, LadyRhythm, Niki Barr, Lisa Moscatiello and the duo of Lori Kelley and Cletus Kennelly, where the article mentioned that they'll be performing "April 11 at Murky Cafe as part of Arlington's 6 Points Festival."

A link to the article from the mainpage of washingtonpost.com, also features a link to the Post's MP3 site, telling readers "MP3: Free Local Music".

WAMA Panel Rescheduled For Next Monday

The Washington Area Music Association (WAMA) panel, "Thinking Outside The Box," previously scheduled for February 28, but postponed due to inclement weather, has been rescheduled for this coming Monday, March 21. The panel discussion will focus on building an audience through creative production, marketing, and promotion of your music, with guest speakers Blake Althen, Jennifer Cutting, Rachel Panay and Mary Sue Twohy. The panel will take place from 6:30-8:30pm at the Charles Sumner School in Washington, D.C. More information, including a bio on each panel member, is available in this post to the Yahoo Group.

For Those At SXSW: SPIN Text Messages

With more than one ArlingtonMusicScene.com reader down in Austin for SXSW this weekend, it might be helpful for some people to know this: Austinist is reporting that SPIN magazine has a text-message system set up that will send your phone "2-4 messages a day, helping you to schedule out your showcase hopping as well as other exclusive info on all of the parties not listed on the schedule." Just send a text message to 68423 saying "SXSW" and they'll let you know where all the cool kids are hanging out.

Live Music On St. Patrick's Day in D.C. Area

It's just about noon on St. Patrick's Day, which means that many in the D.C. area have likely begun leaving their desks for the bars. For those looking for places to go, DCist, the Going Out Gurus and On Tap magazine offer their suggestions, some of which include live music.

-On Tap reports that Clyde's of Georgetown will feature live bag pipers.

-Fin Mac Cool's on Capital Hill has music at 9pm from Scythian, who were just featured on Z104's Capital Scene this past Sunday.

-The newly expanded Ireland's Four Courts, in the Courthouse section of Arlington, has live music from Ronan Kavanagh, Sanford Markley, and Sharif.

-And DC101's 6th Annual Kegs and Eggs started at 8am at Lulu's, with live music from Better Than Ezra, Sum 41, Carbon Leaf and Corey from Slipknot.

There are just a few places to catch music today or tonight. Add your suggestions in the Yahoo Group.

Six Points Artists On Z104

Z104's Jenni Chase will be featuring artists from the upcoming 2005 Six Points Music Festival on her Capital Scene radio show in the coming weeks. More information is available here on the Six Points blog.

ArlingtonMusicScene.com Happy Hour

Our next happy hour at IOTA Club and Cafe in Arlington is this Wednesday, March 16, from 6pm to 8pm. Read more about it here.

Future of Music Coalition News

The Future of Music Coalition (FMC) is a not-for-profit collaboration between members of the music, technology, public policy and intellectual property law communities. The FMC seeks to educate the media, policymakers, and the public about music / technology issues, while also bringing together diverse voices in an effort to come up with creative solutions to some of the challenges in this space. The FMC also aims to identify and promote innovative business models that will help musicians and citizens to benefit from new technologies.

Some upcoming FMC events and opportunities that may be of special interest to members of the DC metro area music commmunity include:

DC Policy Day - Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Time: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
(detailed schedule and panel descriptions)

Location:
Kaiser Family Foundation's Barbara Jordan Conference Center
1330 G St. NW, Washington, DC
Closest Metro Station: Metro Center

Over the course of the day, experts representing a wide range of perspectives will discuss and debate four emerging policy issues with a focus on their impact on musicians, performers, songwriters, and citizens. The four policy issue topics will be: Digital Audio Broadcasting & the Future of Radio, Low Power FM & Community Voices, Health Insurance, and Musicians Copyright in the Courts and Congress. Confirmed panelists, as of 3-13-05, will include key note speaker and FCC Commissioner, Jonathan Adelstein. Those interested in attending the panels can register online. Scholarships are also available to those who qualify.

FMC Summer Internship in DC
FMC is offering an unpaid internship in DC for the summer of 2005. This internship is a great opportunity to learn about the issues at the intersection of music, technology, law, and policy. Someone with practical computer wizardry skills is preferred. E-mail wendy@futureofmusic.org with a resume if you’re interested.

FMC at SXSW
For those who will be in Austin, TX sometime in the next two weeks for South by Southwest, FMC’ s Jenny Toomey and Michael Bracy are both speaking on panels. Jenny is moderating the Artists’ Give Advice Panel, with Robyn Hitchcock, Nona Hendryx, Mary Lou Lord, Jon Langford and Todd Snider on Friday, March 18th at 3:30 PM. She will also be on the Health Care for Musicians Panel on Saturday, March 19th at 1:30 PM. Michael is on The Shape of Things to Come Panel on Saturday, March 19th at 12:00 noon.

IOTA's 11th Anniversary

Tuesday, March 15 marks the 11th anniversary of IOTA Club and Cafe opening it's doors. Located in the Clarendon section of Arlington, the club has hosted national acts such as Norah Jones, Frank Black, John Mayer, Jack Johnson, Glen Phillips, Colin Hay, The Thrills, Jason Mraz, Ray Manzarek of The Doors and many others.

Last year, for the 10th anniversary, the club held a month-long celebration. Though there are no known plans for cake or big festivities this year, there will be live music on the club's birthday. Mike Holden And His Band, Laura Burhenn and David Andrew Smith will play. This is a 21 and over show, and the music starts at 8:30pm. IOTA is located two blocks from the Clarendon stop on Metro's Orange line. More details are available here, in this post today to the ArlingtonMusicScene.com Yahoo Group.

I normally avoid shameless plugs for my own music on this blog, but IOTA's birthday is news and my band is playing that night. I had to get this one in here. -MH

Shamrock Festival Today

The 2005 Shamrock Festival, previously mentioned in this February post, takes place from noon to 9pm today in the Ballston section of Arlington. Presented by HiBall Events, proceeds from the event go to Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN).

The event features 20 acts on four stages, along six city blocks. The entrance to the event is located approximately one block from the Ballston stop on Metro's Orange Line.

Check out today's weather forcast at Capital Weather.

Cherry Blossom Festival Musical Performances

Held each each year, to commemorate a 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington, D.C., the National Cherry Blossom Festival features two weeks of events, including live music, from March 26 through April 10.

Some of the musical performance highlights:
(click on the underlined titles for links to additional performance details)

Cultural Performances at the Tidal Basin Stage
Date: Saturday, March 26-Sunday, April 10th
Time: Performances held daily beginning at Noon.
Fee: Free:

The Tidal Basin Stage plays host to a wide range of performances, from Japanese culture groups to local acoustic musicians.

Cherry Blossom Festival Concert
Date: March 31, 2005 - March 31, 2005
Time: Concert starts at 7:30 pm
Location: St. Augustine's Episcopal Church - 6th Street & Maine Avenue, SW
Metro: Waterfront- SEU,Green
Fee: Free

A program of chamber music played by a variety of performers. Program will include singers and instrumentalists.

Concerts at Union Station
Date: March 29, 2005 - March 31, 2005 and April 05, 2005 - April 07, 2005
Time: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Location: Union Station - 50 Massachussetts Ave., NE; in the West Hall
Metro: Union Station,Red
Fee: Free

Enjoy cultural performances and demonstrations presented by Union Station's 130 merchants.

International Drumming Showcase
Date: April 08, 2005 - April 08, 2005
Time: 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Location: South Plaza at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU,(Blue, Orange)
Fee: Free

International drumming groups join local DC drumlines in an exciting drumming showcase. The exhibition will feature the taiko drummers of Tamagawa University - one of the top 15 taiko performing groups in Japan.

Tori Amos In Georgetown March 17

The Washington Post reported in Wednesday's Style section that D.C. area native "Tori Amos will be at Barnes & Noble in Georgetown at 6pm on March 17 to sign copies of her new autobiography 'Tori Amos: Piece By Piece,' as well as her latest album 'The Beekeeper.'" The article also mentions that the event is free, but that a wristband is required to get in; those will be available beginning at 9am that day. The Georgetown Barnes & Noble is located at 3040 M Street NW.

Podcasting

On his personal blog, GoodspeedUpdate, DCist Editor Mike Goodspeed this week provided a link to a list of public broadcasters who Podcast. For those not familiar with the term, podcasting is, as Goodspeed explains in his blog, "the practice where you can download the audio program to listen to on your computer, MP3 player, and yes, even iPod." The list, originally posted to Current.org includes the BBC, Democracy Now!, and various radio stations.

Happy Hour Next Week

The next ArlingtonMusicScene.com happy hour will take place Wednesday, March 16, from 6pm to 8pm, at IOTA Club and Cafe in Arlington, Virginia. These are designed to give musicians, music industry professionals, music fans and anyone else who would like to attend, the opportunity to network outside of the typical show scene. Basically, the happy hours are meant to be an opportunity for people to get together once a month, have a couple drinks and talk music or whatever you'd like. If you get there and don't recognize anyone, look for the people with the masking tape nametags.

IOTA's weekly open mic will follow the happy hour, for those who want to play or catch some live music that night. Sign up for that is at 8:30pm.

IOTA is located along Wilson Blvd., two and half blocks from the Clarendon stop on Metro's Orange Line. Directions and other information about the club is available at www.iotaclubandcafe.com.

Another SXSW Blog

Continuing the trend of posts to this blog about a festival that will take place about 1500 miles from the D.C. area but--as one of the finest music festivals in the world--deserves the attention, here is one more suggestion on something South By Southwest (SXSW) related to check out: The blog SXSW Baby. For anyone headed to Austin, Texas for the festival, that blog, along with the official SXSW site, is a good place to start.

There is plenty to check out in Austin within the official SXSW music line-up, but there's also plenty happening outside of what you'll find in the official events and SXSWBaby.com appears to be a good place to get dialed into some of that. For example, here's a list of unofficial shows from showlistaustin.com that SXSWBaby.com points to.

Another blog worth checking out before heading to SXSW is DoneWaiting.com/SXSW, which was previously mentioned in this post.

Pam Bricker Memorial Event

Rhome Anderson reports on the WashingtonPost.com's GOG blog that a memorial will be held for vocalist Pam Bricker at Blues Alley on March 16. According to Anderson's post, "A house band will be augmented by invited performers representing the broad range of styles that Bricker covered in her performing and recording career. All proceeds will be set aside for a college fund for Bricker's son." Bricker passed away on February 20.

Stream Wilco's 9:30 Club Show

For those who missed Wilco's performances at the 9:30 Club in D.C. last month, the webcast of the February 24 show can still be streamed from NPR's website. The band's interview and performance on "Talk of the Nation" is also still available online.

Wilco fans can get their hands on a guitar decorated and signed by frontman Jeff Tweedy, available on eBay, with proceeds going to a scholarship fund for a local school in Chicago. The auction ends the morning of Tuesday, March 8.

For anyone in NYC, Tweedy will be speaking at the New York City Public Library on April 7, as part of a discussion on intellectual property. More information on the event, including ticket information, is available in this article on Earvolution.com.

2005 Six Points Music Festival Line-Up

The line-up for the 2005 Six Points Music Festival has been announced and can now be viewed in this post to the ArlingtonMusicScene.com Yahoo Group by the festival's selection commitee chairperson, Melissa DePaulis. Check the official Six Points Music Festival blog for more details soon.

More Music News Resources

Several weeks ago, the WashingtonPost.com's Going Out Gurus--known for their online chat that takes place every Thursday at 1pm--launched their own blog. Music is a frequent topic in their blog and you can access an archive of all their music-related blog entries by clicking here.

Continuing with more news about South By Southwest (SXSW), the Austin-based DoneWaiting.com an unofficial SXSW blog that's been updated frequently with information on events, such as showcases, that will be taking place during this year's festival.

Load Up On SXSW MP3s

Whether you're heading to South By Southwest (SXSW) in a couple weeks or not, you can load up your MP3 player with music from many of the acts playing this year's festival. SXSW is featuring free downloads on their website and the Austin-based blog moletiemedia.com created this list of links to all the MP3s, as mentioned in this blurb on their site. As one commenter on that site suggests, "Enjoy the music. Buy the artists’ CDS!!"

Thanks to Weird Curves for the tip on this.

Music News On DCist

Another resource for music happenings in the D.C. area is the music section of DCist.com. Officially launched on September 7, 2004, DCist describes itself as "a website about the Washington, D.C. area and everything that happens there. That means news and events, restaurants and nightlife, happenings, goings-on and observations." Music-related postings to the site include a "Weekly Music Agenda," highlighting various shows in the D.C. area for the coming week.

Taylor Carson Wins Texas Roadtrip

Taylor Carson was the winner Saturday night in the singer/songwriter finals of On Tap's Texas Roadtrip. This earns him a performance slot at a venue on 6th Street in Austin, Texas during the South By Southwest Music Festival in March. Carson joins the three winners of the band competition--No Second Troy, Getaway Car and Monopoli--who will all perform in Austin as well.