Guster @ 9:30 Club

One of my favorite bands, Guster, concludes their sold out two-night stand at the 9:30 Club this evening (10/30). They’re on their aptly-titled Lost & Gone Forever Ten Year Anniversary Tour celebrating the 10-year anniversary of their strong-from-start-to-finish Lost & Gone Forever album. Catchy songs with beautiful harmonies and percussive hand percussion – what more could you ask for? Anyway, two sets, no opening act, and they'll be playing Lost & Gone Forever in its entirety as the second set.

I caught last night’s show, and they definitely fleshed out the arrangements of the album nicely, incorporating a few guests (which I won’t reveal) into the festivities in true Guster fashion. Lead singer Ryan Miller got stronger as the night went on, with the perennial underrated “other voice” Ryan Gardner and Joe Pisapia providing lush harmonies and backing vocals, so essential to their sound.

I must say, it was great to see drummer Brian “Thundergod” Rosenworcel going old-school and taping up his hands to play a good deal of hand percussion. On recent albums he’s been playing a lot more conventional kit drum, but it just doesn’t pack the same energy as his hand percussion.

Their first setlist focused mainly on tracks from later albums (none, sadly, from Parachute), plus they threw in some first-listens of songs from their upcoming new album. I was pretty psyched to hear them play “X-Ray Eyes,” and they did a simply hypnotic version of “Come Downstairs & Say Hello.”

Yeah, the show’s sold out, but you most likely pick up a ticket off of Stubhub or from somebody out front of 9:30 Club.

Todd Wright Joins the 40/40 Club

Singer/songwriter/producer Todd Wright, former lead singer of Getaway Car and occasional player with the Pat McGee Band (among other things), has got a pretty cool project going on. Begun back on 9/30/09, he’s writing, recording and releasing one song every week for 40 consecutive weeks, culminating with his 40th birthday. Songs will be available for free download every Wednesday. That’ll be 40 songs in 40 weeks. Wright’s got a wicked pop sensibility, and some great production values, so it’s worth checking out.

You can catch him live Sunday, November 1st at the Rock n’ Roll Songwriters Circle at Jammin Java, along with Luke Brindley, Anthony Fiacco and Shane Hines. And download a song a week every Wednesday - just use the link below...

A Case of the Fridays - Monday Edition

We kick off things with “Sweet Girl” by Ringo Deathstarr. I’ve been intrigued by their band name for so long, and I finally listened to them. Not quite as good as a mating of The Beatles and Star Wars, unfortunately. Anyway, “Sweet Girl” comes to you with a lot of sonic wash, ambient sounds, reverbed guitars and vocals full of 80s ennui. Love the name, not quite as much the track. Like what you hear? Ringo Deathstarr (above) will be at the Black Cat in Washington, DC tonight, Monday, October 26th.

MP3: Sweet Girl – Ringo Deathstarr

And now we close things out with “The Speed Is Deceiving,” the first track off of the new CD Nature Is A Taker from Uninhabitable Mansions. It’s got a bit of a mellow 80s flavor mixed with a dose of 90s sophistication. This band/“art collective” features includes members of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Au Revoir Simone and Dirty on Purpose. If you like what you hear, they’ll be at the Rock & Roll Hotel in Washington, DC this Thursday October 29th.

MP3: The Speed Is Deceiving – Uninhabitable Mansions

An Early Preview of Pink Jams! - Great Music for a Great Cause

Pink Jams! is a project started by DC native Christa Floresca to honor her friend Jen, who lost her battle to breast cancer in 2007, and to raise money for for breast cancer research. Pink Jams! is partnering with the Justin Trawick Group and Memphis 59 for a special show at the Clarendon Ballroom on Wednesday, November 18 at 7:30, to benefit the 2010 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.

Justin Trawick has been compared to everyone from Jason Mraz to John Prine, although his music calls to mind the gritty rock sensibilities of Butch Walker and the unique vocal cadence of Clem Snide's Eef Barzelay. Memphis 59's rollicking roots rock sounds like the Jayhawks as interpreted by the Replacements' Paul Westerberg.

Buy your tickets and a t-shirt, or make a donation if you're unable to attend, and support the efforts to cure breast cancer.

Photo of Christa and Justin courtesy of Peter Forman

Friday Evening Video - Fistful of Swoon by Vandaveer

Photos from the Victoria Vox show at Strathmore 9/30

Victoria & Her Jumping Flea (Ukulele)

Victoria playing her "mouth trumpet"

Victoria with her Strathmore Artist in Residence Mentor, Marcy Marxer

Victoria adding her name to a list of ukulele greats for a fan

Amy Regan @ Wonderland Ballroom 10/25

New York-based singer/songwriter returns to DC for another show at the Wonderland Ballroom in support of her self-released EP and then there is this. Her voice combine the effortless stylings of Norah Jones with the majestic diction of Joni Mitchell, and calls to mind the precocious maturity of Basia Bulat. Her genre-bending EP features elements of jazz, uptempo contemporary country, and more traditional folk tunes. Come check out her show Sunday at 8 pm at Wonderland to see why she was recently named one of Music Connection's Top 100 Unsigned Artists.

Photo courtesy of Emily Rawlings
EP design courtesy of Jeff Schram

Honeychuck @ Jammin Java Friday 10/23

Local alt-rockers Honeychuck have their CD release party this Friday, October 23rd over at Jammin Java in Vienna, VA. Lead singer Debra Guy’s Ethridgesque vocals bear the weight of the world and mesh well with the searing guitar tones of T. Wesley, especially on the title track. Plus, their blend of acoustic/electric guitars keeps things from getting overly heavy. Pick up a free copy of their new album Life As You Know It with admission, and check out the title track below.

MP3: Life As You Know It – Honeychuck

Photo by Rachel Buchholz

Hotspur's "Chandelier" on mtvU

"Chandelier"

Hotspur (on mtvU this Monday!) | MySpace Music Videos

Today DC-area power-poppers Hotspur will be debuting the video for their first single (“Chandelier”) off of their new album You Should Know Better By Now on mtvU’s show “The Freshman.” Their video will be competing against videos from four other artists. Online voting, which begins today, will determine the winning video, which then gets added to the mtvU rotation.

A Chance to Open for Shinedown @ 9:30 Club

Is your band interested in opening for Shinedown at the 9:30 Club December 2nd? On Tap is holding open submissions (enter here) for a show that will benefit Operation Homefront, a non-profit that provides emergency and everyday life assistance for our troops and families when they return home. The deadline to enter is October 20th.

The B-Film Extras @ Jammin Java 10/18

Self-described “explosionists” The B-Film Extras will be at Jammin Java this Sunday, October 18th. Sonically, they’re powerful and sweeping with a sharp melodic edge. And they can bring it live, having put on a fine rock show their last time out at Jammin Java. Definitely a band to keep an eye on. Check out the pulsing urgency of "Sad World" below.

MP3: Sad World – The B-Film Extras

Wax Tailor @ DC9 Thursday 10/8

French electronic/trip-hop producer Wax Tailor will be performing live tomorrow, Thursday, October 8th at DC9. He’s touring in support of his new album, In the Mood For Life. He keeps things interesting and catchy on the new CD with samples and guest performers, mixing flavors and genres, in a similar vein as RJD2 or Moby.

Wondering what Wax Tailor sounds like live? Check him out performing live at Nouveau Casino earlier this year w/ Mattic on "House of Wax" above. And I’m definitely digging the funky old-school flavor of “B-Boy on Wax.”

MP3: B-Boy on Wax (f/ Speech Defect) – Wax Tailor

Photos from the AA Bondy show at the Rock & Roll Hotel 9/10/09

A.A. Bondy swathed in light

Technicolor Dave Godowsky

Disco ball that A.A. requested be turned on