The 5th Annual Vocal Jazz Competition Has Begun

Be a part of the 5th annual international competition for jazz vocalists: The 2005 Jazzconnect.com Jazz Competition. Vocalists from around the world are invited to participate by submitting a recorded performance of their work which will be placed on the Jazzconnect.com Internet stage. The international jazz community will then be invited to listen and cast their vote. The competition and voting is done entirely on-line from the Jazzconnect.com website.

This years grand prize includes performing main stage at the 15th Annual East Coast Jazz Festival in Rockville MD, President's Day Weekend on February 17, 2006 and recorded live. Travel expenses and accommodations at the Four Seasons Hotel are included.

The competition will accept entries from September 1 - November 15, 2005 and the voting, done by the general public and the judges will begin on November 20, 2005. Contestants may enter online.

Dewey Beach Music Conference

The 2005 Dewey Beach Music Festival and Conference begins today in Delaware with fours days of events and three nights of free live music from 175 acts. The full list of performers is available here and it's not too late to book a hotel room, according to this list. And to make it even easier, here are some directions from Washington, DC to Dewey Beach, DE.

IOTA Benefit Show for Red Cross Hurricane Relief

On Saturday October 1, from 1-6 p.m. (doors at noon), IOTA Club & Café will hold a benefit concert for the Red Cross Hurricane Relief Effort. Featured artists include Little Pink Jr., Phoebus, Maurice (of Evenout), Nefrit El-Or, Mike Holden, Josh Read (of Revival), Tim Bracken, Rose, Mike Maloney (of Morris), Leah Morgan, Mark Charles (of The Apparitions), Suzanne Brindamour, Jon Kaplan (of Bicycle Thieves), Timmie Metz (of Worry Stones), These United States, JP Hyland and Shane Hines. The event is an all age’s show and will be hosted by Jeff Campbell (of Hungry For Music).

Final Q And Not U Shows

Dcist has this write-up online now, highlighting Q And Not U's last shows, which took place this past weekend at the Black Cat in DC.

[UPDATE: The band is selling their van. Read about it here on their MySpace blog.]

The Sonic Circuits International Electronic Music Festival

The Sonic Circuits International Electronic Music Festival originated in Minnesota 12 years ago when the national office of the American Composers Forum solicited works using electronic technology in new or experimental ways, but it wasn't until 2001 that a National Endowment for the Arts grant allowed the Washington branch of the forum to support several concerts here and in Baltimore.

According to Jonathan Morris, who heads the local American Composers Forum, "the national program is gone now after it was unable to raise money to support it, but Sonic Circuits is still going strong here." It will take place throughout October in various venues. (For information, visit http://scdc.alkem.org/ .)

Performances will include a concert Oct. 22 at the new GALA Theatre-Tivoli featuring the world premiere of "Efficiency," by local dancer Jane Jerardi, integrating video, choreography and music by British electronic music composer Robin Rimbaud, aka Scanner, along with a live performance by sound artist Stephen Vittellio of a piece done in collaboration with Scanner, and a sound installation by visual art curator Welmoed Laanstra, who will place sound booths outfitted as surround-sound portable toilets outside various gallery spaces Oct. 14 through Nov. 5. Contributing will be local artists Alberto Gaitan and Alex van Oss, Germany's Helmut Kopetsky (the latter two using "sounds of Washington buildings") and New Yorker Jennie C. Jones, with a sound art piece inspired by native son Duke Ellington.

Thank you to Washington Post for this information.

Tonight: Networking Happy Hour & 6 Pts Volunteer Info Session

Come hang out tonight, Wednesday, September 21st for the 6 Points Music Festival Volunteer Information Session (see this post for additional details) and our monthly ArlingtonMusicScene.com happy hour at Iota Club and Cafe in Arlington, VA. The event runs from 6pm to 8pm and is free. Bring your instrument along and stick around for the open mic that begins at 8pm.

If you get there and don't recognize anyone, look for the people with the really nifty masking tape nametags. Hope some of you can make it out! We always have a good time. ;-)

Rock Stars Who Went Back To Work

ilXor.com has an interesting discussion about rock stars who went back to work. The post starts off with an example of how "after R.E.M.'s 'Fables of the Reconstruction', before hitting the real big time, Peter Buck went back to work in his local record store" and then asks if people know of other famous musicians who have done something similar. Click on that links above to see a list of back-to-work musicians that's still being added to.

Thanks to Stereogum for the heads-up on this.

SXSW 2006

The dates for the 2006 South By Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival and Conference have been set for March 15-19 and applications from artists interested in playing festival showcases are now being accepted. The early submission deadline is October 7, with a $10 application fee, and the final deadline for submissions is November 7, with a $25 application fee. More showcase information and an application are available here.

Thanks to earvolution.com's Liner Notes for the heads-up on this.

DC Music Photos

There's now a DC Music photo group on Flickr.com, where anyone with a Flickr account can post pictures related to music in the Washington Metro Area. Flickr accounts are free and the new group can be viewed by anyone. To learn more about Flickr, click here.

CMJ Recap

New York City-based blog Coolfer offers this recap of the CMJ Music Marathon 2005, which took place September 14-17 in NYC. Now in it's 25th year and one of the most popular annual music events in the country, the marathon is designed to highlight up and coming acts who have yet to hit the mainstream. Several DC-area artists played this year's festival, including Army of Me, Brandon Butler, Dead Meadow, Monopoli, Virginia Coalition and Washington Social Club.

Blocktoberfest: This Saturday, September 24th

Blocktoberfest takes place this Saturday from Noon - 9:00 pm in the "Ballston Entertainment Zone" next to Ballston Common Mall on Wilson Boulevard in Arlington. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the gate and children under 13 are free.

Billed as "Fall's biggest street festival," the event will encompass five city blocks and features 20 local bands, including Welbilt, Lloyd Dobler Effect, JunkFood, The Kelly Bell Band and Dewey Beach favorites Love Seed Mama Jump. Blocktoberfest will also feature numerous vendors selling Bavarian food and beer, an Oompah band, face painting, carnival games, and an after party at the Clarendon Ballroom. Blocktoberfest is presented by Hi Ball Events, organizers of Ballston's annual ShamrockFest and the Big Night DC New Year's Eve gala.

All proceeds from Blocktoberfest go to Stop Child Abuse Now.

Thank you to Dcist for this information.

Hurricane Relief Benefits This Weekend

This Sunday, September 18th at 8 pm, Austin Grill (Silver Spring) hosts the "A Heart As Big As Texas Fundraiser," featuring Leaving TX, Rob Thorworth, Tony De, Jon Kaplan of Bicycle Thieves, Mike Holden, Tim Metz, The Making, and Andrew Grimm and Andrew Norsworthy of Junestar. All proceeds from the $10 cover go to the American Red Cross for the Hurricane Katrina relief effort and everyone paying the cover will be entered into a drawing for an iPod Mini and other prizes.

Also on Sunday, September 18th, running from 4-10 pm, Washington’s Modern Music Z104, along with Entertainment DC, will sponsor a “Capital Scene Rock for Relief” benefit concert at the State Theatre in Falls Church, Virginia. The concert will feature local artists Barakus, Evenout, Michael Jantz, Junkfood, Lloyd Dobler Effect, Viki Nova, Sharif, and Wonderjack. All the entertainment will cost only a $10 cover charge, with the proceeds going to the American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina disaster relief fund.

The 6 Points Music Festival is Looking For Volunteers

ArlingtonMusicScene.com's 6 Points Music Festival is currently seeking volunteers to join its festival planning committee.

If you would be interested in helping plan the 2006 6 Points Music Festival, a Volunteers' Information Session will be taking place next Wednesday, September 21st from 6-8pm at Iota Club and Cafe in Arlington, VA during the regular monthly ArlingtonMusicScene.com happy hour.

An outline describing the leadership positions available in the committee is located in the files section of the ArlingtonMusicScene.com Yahoo! Group. In addition to the leadership roles, there will also be many smaller tasks that the planning committee will be delegating to volunteers for completion as needed during the course of the festival planning process. If you have any questions, please contact Melissa DePaulis at saphire482@yahoo.com.

The third annual Six Points Music Festival, scheduled to take place from Thursday, April 6 through Saturday, April 8, 2006, will showcase primarily local performers at venues throughout Arlington, VA and the Washington DC Metro area. This past year's festival featured over forty bands and solo artists at venues such as IOTA Club and Café, Velvet Lounge and Madam's Organ, to name a few, and we are in the process of adding more to our 2006 line up.

***Please note that this meeting is for those interested in assisting in the planning of the music festival and no specific information about how to be a festival performer will be released at this time. However, participating on the festival planning committee will not affect your chances of becoming a festival performer when that information is announced in the near future.***

Dr. Dremo's Future

The blogosphere is alive today with talks about this weekend's Arlington County Board meeting, during which the future of the Dr. Dremo's property will be discussed. The bar is at risk of being demolished to make room for a 10-story building. But first, the property must be re-zoned, as two-story commercial property is all that is currently permitted. This weekend's meeting will give citizens a chance to weigh in on the issue.

Both DCist and Metroblogging DC have details on the hearing, which will take place Saturday, September 17 at 9am at in Room 307 of Courthouse 1 at 2100 Clarendon Blvd. There are more details on the meeting on the county's website. The Dremo's property (2000 Wilson Blvd.) is item #58C under "Regular Hearing." Those who can not make the meeting can post a comment for the board through the county's website.

WAMA Seeks Bands, Volunteers For Benefit

From the WAMA Mini-News, 9/10/05:

Many WAMA members have called and emailed offering to do something to help people on the Gulf Coast. The Crossstown Jam will be assembled for the benefit of flood victims, Sunday, October 9, 2005. The event will take place at many locations in the Washington area.

Hundreds of volunteers will be needed to perform, stage, promote and coordinate the shows. Sponsors will also be needed to offset expenses - we want 100% of the funds to go to helping people. If you have a venue, a sound system, lighting, stage equipment, or you are a tech person, or a roadie, - you are invited to participate. You do not need to be a WAMA member or from the DC area.

Anyone interested in helping, can fill out this online form.

Bloggers at FMC Policy Summit

Several bloggers are attending and reporting from the Future of Music Coalition's (FMC) Policy Summit, taking place through September 11 at George Washington University in D.C. Now in it's firth years, "the FMC Policy Summit is a forum for musicians, lawyers, academics, policymakers and music industry executives to come together to discuss and debate some of the most contentious issues surrounding digital technology, artists’ rights and the current state of the music industry."

Bloggers at the summit:
IPTAblog
CopyFraud
Coolfer

A technorati.com search for "FMC" or "Future of Music Policy Summit" might lead to more blogs doing the same thing.

There's also at least one person Podcasting from the event. Click here to access Derek Slater's recap from Day 1 of the summit.

Z104 Radio Teams With Local Artists for “Rock for Relief”

Washington’s Modern Music Z104, along with Entertainment DC, will sponsor a “Capital Scene Rock for Relief” benefit concert Sunday September 18th at the State Theatre in Falls Church, Virginia.

The concert runs from 4 – 10 p.m. and will feature local artists Barakus, Evenout, Michael Jantz, Junkfood, Lloyd Dobler Effect, Viki Nova, Sharif, and Wonderjack.

All the entertainment will cost only a $10 cover charge, with the proceeds going to the American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina disaster relief fund.

The event will be hosted by Z104 midday personality, Jenni Chase, who hosts a weekly “Capital Scene” local music program every Sunday evening at 9 p.m. on Z104. “The local music scene is filled with talented bands who are also incredibly generous and giving of this talent in a time of national crisis,” says Chase. “Everyone at Z104 is appreciative of the artists, entertainmentdc.com, and the State Theatre for their efforts in helping us put together a great concert for a great cause.”

For more information, contact Bonneville, DC Director of Marketing, Mary Kay LeMay at 202-895-5000 or via email at mklemay@wtopnews.com

Local Musician's Article Featured in the Washington Post

Martin Royle, lead singer of the local band, Washington Social Club, has written an article that was featured in the Washington Post this past weekend, describing his experiences in the D.C. music scene.

Red Cross Fundraiser at Front Page (Arlington) Tonight

Tonight, Tuesday, September 6, The Front Page in Arlington, VA (located across from Ballston Mall) will be hosting a fundraising party for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. 25% of the food and beverage sales from the evening after 5:00 pm will go toward the Disaster Relief Fund. The evening will feature live music and great food and drink specials. Come out and support the American Red Cross and have a great time! The Front Page is located at 4201 Wilson Blvd. Call 703-248-9990 for more information.

The American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need due to the Hurrican Katrina disaster and thousands of other disasters across the country each year.

Financial donations can also be accepted at the Arlington County Chapter by phone, email or via its website at www.arlingtonredcross.org. Or you may drop by the Arlington Red Cross Chapter the hours of Mon-Fri 8:30am - 4:30pm. Be sure to indicate that your donation is to be forwarded to the American Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund.