The Features with opener Heyrocco at Black Cat, Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Heyrocco at Black Cat 5-15-2013

The Features at Black Cat 5-15-2013

 

I like a couple songs by both the Features and Heyrocco, the tickets were cheap at Black Cat, and the set times were early enough to take the metro home, so I took a chance on this show.  It was worth the money, but being worth $15 isn’t really fabulous.  Heyrocco seems to have some promising songwriting, but their stage presence and sound engineering wasn’t great. Their main effort at connecting with the audience was asking everyone to dance over and over, but the music wasn’t all that dance-inspiring. It came across as cute and slightly clueless about getting an audience going. They did not provide any examples of dancing to their music themselves. They were very polite to the audience, and towards the end announced sheepishly that their van had broken down and they needed a place to stay.  They suggested a sleepover where they could play songs for the host.  I so wanted to volunteer – if I had a bigger house, I would have.

The Features sounded a lot better, though they also struggled with instrument vs. mike levels. I think that was the sound guy’s fault, since it plagued both acts. Their act wasn’t very engaging, though. They didn’t move around on stage much and only spoke to the audience a few times. They did appear to be completely professional in their musicianship, just not must in terms of performers.  I left shortly before the end of their set. The evening ended up rather forgettable.

Favorite song by Heyrocco: Elsewhere

Favorite songs by the Features: Another One and  I Will Wander

Local Natives and Superhumanoids at 9:30 Club April 5, 2013

I was supposed to go to this show with Eric, Jill, and Bernie, but Eric was sick most of this weekend, so Trish filled in for him last-minute. We had a wonderful spot on the balcony that I guarded jealously until everyone else arrived, but was very glad for it when the show started.  The view was fantastic.

Superhumanoids were an entirely forgettable opening act. Electronic with pretty female vocals. Jill compared them to Purity Ring, though not as good. Good enough for background music and not particularly great on stage.

LocalNatives lived up to the hype. They were amazing musicians and had great energy on stage. It was also refreshing to see people on stage who looked like adults. I think I’ve been overdosing on bands that probably can’t all drink legally yet. The audience was 100% with the band, singing and dancing until the balcony shook. It was a great show. Well worth it.

Local Natives, 9:30 Club, 04-05-2013

Superhumanoids, 9:30 Club, 04-05-2013

The Hill and Wood and Bethany and the Guitar at a house concert April 6, 2013

I went to this house concert alone because Eric was sick and I really wanted to see The Hill and the Wood.  It was part of a house concert series organized by NXNWpresents. The venue was a twenty-something group house that seemed to be inhabited by young men, based on the décor. The audience was likewise almost entirely 20-somethings. I got there about 40 minutes before the music started and parked myself in a corner, checking Facebook on my phone, being antisocial, because I didn’t feel like engaging the 20-somethings in conversation.

Bethany and the Guitar was the opener. They are a local DC act, and were really pleasant to listen to, though none of their songs seemed memorable to me. I would enjoy hearing them in a bar or club as background music, but nothing they performed that night intrigued me enough to download their music.

The Hill and The Wood made it obvious how much work Bethany still needs to do to be a national-caliber act. Typical indie, slightly folksy with interesting songwriting, but so well done. Their vocals were amazing, and several of their songs blew me away live. I absolutely want to see them again, and I want to drag my friends along next time.  Listing to their music here.

Bethany and the Guitar, 04-06-2013

The Hill and the Wood, 04-06-2013

 

Phosphorescent, Strand of Oaks at Rock & Roll Hotel, 3-26-13

Phosphorescent at Rock & Roll Hotel, 3-26-13 

Brian, Julia, Joel, Jill, and I all went to this show, but Jill and I arrived earlier and since the show was sold out, the place was packed, so we never connected with the others. We did find the Indie Meetup group, though, and met a few interesting people that we talked to between acts.

We had trouble finding parking that evening, so we missed the first part of the opener Strand of Oaks, but I can't say that I was sad about it. It's a singer/guitarist and a drummer, and they were good, but I wasn't all that engaged in the performance. Mostly, I remember the drummer bobbing his head like Animal from the Muppets. It was pretty funny.

Phosphorescent is technically just the singer/songwriter Matthew Houck with a hired backup band. The last time I saw him was at Black Cat and I was blown away by how amazing he was live. I had never before thought I was an alt-country fan, but that sold it for me. This show was not as good. The sound was poor at Rock and Roll Hotel so I ended up not enjoying the new songs I don't know yet, because I couldn't really make out the vocals. I was also distracted by an obnoxious audience member for quite a few songs, and at other times by the seemingly drugged-up keyboardist who kept trying to steel the limelight. The show was ok, but it didn't live up to the hype from SXSW that I heard about on All Songs Considered, so I was a bit let down. I'd still go see him again, but I'm hoping for a better venue next time - one with good sound.

Robert DeLong, U Street Music Hall, Feb 14, 2013

Robert DeLong, U Street Music Hall, 2-14-13

I can't believe I forgot to review this show for so long! That's what I get for spending all my time planning my 40th birthday party last month. I saw this show on Valentine's evening with Trish and Jill. We all have awesome husbands for letting us go out that night.

Robert Delong was actually the first opener at this show, but he certainly had the most enthusiastic following. There were tons of people with neon face paint, bandanas and home-made orange X shirts showing their love for DeLong. It was well deserved. His set was fantastic and it absolutely "made us fucking dance" (from Global Concepts, his biggest hit.) I ABSOLUTELY would go see him again.

The Virgins were second on stage and were an absolute snooze-fest. I happen to love their single Rich Girl, but apparently, that's the only tune they have going for them, and they were boring on stage.

Haim is a sister act of 3 women and a pretty boy drummer that I think was hired help. They were really good live (better than recorded), but by the time they went on I was beat, so I listened from a bar stool where the view was really bad. I'd be happy to see them again paired with another act I was excited about.

Shoulda, coulda, but didn't write these concert reviews

I rediscovered music in 2010, not too long after getting my first iPod (years after everyone else) and having my 2nd baby. Suddenly I was able to find music I like again. Back then, I wasn't as obsessed with documenting all the great shows I saw, and I don't have any reviews to post about my early concert-going experiences, but here are a few memories I have from the missing shows:


June 7, 2010
Broken Bells and POP ETC
9:30 Club
Trish called me up day-of with a spare ticket and I met her there. We talked to a funny drunk kid and wormed our way near the front on the floor. I didn't like the show much - too slow for me.

June 11, 2010
Mason Jennings
State Theatre
Went with Eric. The opener was Jessica Lee Mayfield who was really impressive and has been making a name for herself for the past few years.  Love the venue, just wish they booked more acts I like.

July 2, 2010
Sleigh Bells
Rock & Roll Hotel
Saw this show with Eric and LOVED it. We made instant-friends with the couple standing next to us in the front row, I got to talk to Alexis at the merch table, and she even spit water on me from the stage. Awesome.

July 7, 2010
She & Him The Chapin Sisters
9:30 Club
Dana scored us last minute tickets from Craigslist - back before Stubhub took over! It was a good show, but not that memorable. I did completely creep out the instant-friends from July 2 by finding them in the crowd. They thought I was a stalker.

July 12, 2010
Civil Twilight and Paper Tongues Neon Trees and ME TALK PRETTY
9:30 Club
Only $10 and I got to see Neon Trees when they were nobodies. He's got an amazing voice and stage presence.

August 5, 2010
Keane Ingrid Michaelson and Fran Healy
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Went with Laura while Eric watched all 4 of our kids. Ingrid was so fun, Keane was boring.

August 6, 2010
Arcade Fire Spoon
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Went with Anna, Paul, Dana, and Trish, and it was AMAZING. Only the 2nd? show of the tour supporting the Suburbs album, which later took off.

August 9, 2010
Phosphorescent J. Tillman
Black Cat
Trish talked me into this one. J. Tillman had a great way with the audience. I don't remember much of his music, but I remember he was charming. Phosphorescent impressed the socks off of me, and they played forever. I think I got home at around 2 am.

August 14, 2010
MGMT and Devendra Banhart Violens
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Eric and I went because I talked him into it. It wasn't a very memorable show. Mostly, I remember that I wore a pink sparkly shirt. That's about all.

September 7, 2010
The Airborne Toxic Event Calder Quartet
Sixth & I Historic Synagogue
First time I saw ATE live, and it was amazing. They brought strings, and the acoustics in the synagogue made it an unforgettable show.

September 8, 2010
Best Coast Cults
Rock & Roll Hotel
I wish I could forget this show. Trish talked me into it, and I hated every second. I ended up leaving early and sitting in a nearby bar waiting for it to end so Trish and I could leave together.

September 11, 2010
Vampire Weekend, Beach House and Dum Dum Girls
Merriweather Post Pavilion
A great weather night out on the lawn. I liked the chandeliers on their set.

September 13, 2010
of Montreal and Janelle Monáe
9:30 Club
Janelle Monae is one of the very best acts I've ever seen live. Absolutely enthralling, and I don't like R&B inspired music. She's a consummate performer. Of Montreal sucked by comparison.

Sept 25, 2010
Virgin Mobile FreeFest 2010 T.I., M.I.A, The Temper Trap, Ludacris, Jimmy Eat World, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Matt & Kim, and Yeasayer
This was a transporting experience for me. The first full day to myself without family obligations in YEARS, coupled with discovering several acts I came to love - Edward Sharp, Matt & Kim, and Yeasayer especially.

Oct 3, 2010
Foals Girl In a Coma
Black Cat
Loved Girl in a Coma, then left early during Foals. I bought a shirt and got to talk to the band.  I'm such a fangirl about this band.

Oct 5, 2010
The xx and Zola Jesus Warpaint
9:30 Club
LOVED Warpaint, hated Zola Jesus, left early underwhelmed about XX.

Oct 22, 2010
Two Door Cinema Club Grouplove and Penguin Prison
Black Cat
Grouplove blew me and Eric away live. They are great performers. The rest was unmemorable.

February 17, 2011
Darwin Deez Painted faces
Black Cat
Went with someone who know a band member. Darwin Deez was funny, but not very good musically.

February 18, 2011
Max Bemis and Say Anything and River City Extension
Ottobar
Went for River City Extension (3 pieces out of 10, acoustic set) and got to talk to a band member at the merch table. Again: FANGIRL!

February 24, 2011
The Low Anthem Bobby and Daniel Lefkowitz
Sixth & I Historic Synagogue
Saw with Dana, Alex and a friend. Beautiful, but sleep inspiring. Loved the bug-chirp cell phone trick.

April 2, 2011
Warpaint PVT
Black Cat
Took Eric to see Warpaint. They weren't as good the second time.

June 28, 2011
Matt & Kim
The Thermals and
Autobot of Flosstradamus
9:30 Club
AMAZING live, as usual. You can't help but party out with the band. Love Kim's crowd-surfing booty dance.

Sweetlife Festival Recap, Merriweather Post Pavillion, 5/1/11

If you were torn about attending the Sweetlife Festival, you really didn't miss much. I was disappointed. I got there near the end of the second band, U.S. Royalty, which was pretty good from the one song I heard, then Walk the Moon came on for a blink of an eye while I was away from my seat and was done by the time I got back. I barely paid attention to the hip hop band Theophilus London- all I remember was his shiny silver hat. Ra Ra Riot sounded beautiful but had an entirely forgetable stage presence, as did Cold War Kids. Crystal Castles was unbelieveably bad. The sound quality was horrible. Lupe Fiasco was another hip hop band, so I paid no attention at all. Girl Talk had the best stage show, but that's a DJ that does mash ups of popular songs, so all he did was push play and then jump around the stage yelling "yeah" now and then while an army of people danced on stage and shot toilet paper and confetti and balls and ballons into the audience. The Strokes had absolutely no stage performance, just an entertaining lights show, though they sounded great. Julian seemed to be blissed out on something. And it rained. We had seats in the pavillion, but because it
was general seating, if you left for the bathroom you gave up your seat, so I held it for 5 hours.

You missed nothing. I'm glad I heard the Strokes, though, and that I passed on buying 9:30 club tix for Cold War Kids and Crystal Castles earlier this year.