Capital Swamp: The DC Resource Thread

The only electronic night i have ever been to is called Matter and it is held at the Blue Room on 18th street. I am not sure if it still exists, as i havent seen it listed for a while. The Djs played a lot of techno, including all the requisite hip german stuff, but whenever i went, there were 20 people there, and everything was being played at lounge volumes. it was a bit sad really, though the bar has a good beer selection.

SALT (listed first, because it's my night, dammit)
synthfunk, indiepop, dancehall, grime, electropunk, hip hop, industrial, hits
DJ's Sad and Lonely
1st Wednesday monthly
Cafe Saint-Ex

<>
indiedisco and beyond
DJ Will Eastman
generally 3rd Saturday monthly
the Black Cat

Confusion
disco, new wave, funk, postpunk, hiphop
DJ's Serpico, William Alberque, Cullen Stalin, Sad
generally 4th Saturday monthly
the Black Cat

Yellow Fever
reggae, groove, soul, hip-hop, dub
DJ's Yellow Fever
Tuesdays biweekly
Cafe Saint-Ex

Spilt Milk
rock, disco, funk, mod, punk, soul
Tuesdays biweekly
Red

Blowoff
indie house?
DJ's Bob Mould and Richard Morel
Saturdays
9:30 Club

Taking the Piss
jingle-jangle indie pop & psychedelic
occasional Fridays
Marx Cafe

We Fought the Big One
UK post punk, shoegaze, guitar pop, indie dance
DJ's Brandon Grover and Rick Taylor
1st Friday monthly
Marx Cafe

The Wag
60's garage soul & trash
DJ Mark Zimin
1st Saturday monthly
the Black Cat

The Mousetrap
brit pop, indie
DJ Mark Zimin
generally 2nd Saturday monthly
the Black Cat

Cold
coldwave, darkwave
2nd Sunday monthly
the Blue Room

Atmosphere
post punk, UK indie, dream pop
3rd Sunday monthly
the Blue Room

The Melting Pot
everything, 1964-1980
DJ Neville Chamberlain
Thursday biweekly
Cafe Saint-Ex

UH-HUH!
rock and roll
DJ Johnny
Sundays
Cafe Saint-Ex

Groove
soul, mod, garage
DJ Beat Neat-O
Thursdays biweekly
Cafe Saint-Ex

I'll work on a whole separate list of the club/hip hop/EDM events...

24 Hour Access: 24 Hour Psycho

February 28, 2004 at 5:30 p.m.
A first for the Hirshhorn---the Museum will open the Douglas Gordon exhibition for twenty-four consecutive hours. 24 Hour Psycho (1993), the artist's video installation that stretches the Hitchcock classic into a twenty-four-hour experience, is the inspiration for this all-night happening. Launch the leap year with this unique, drop-in event, which will also include music, gallery discussions, and a "Meet the Artist" interview with Douglas Gordon conducted by Hirshhorn Director of Art and Programs and Chief Curator Kerry Brougher on Sunday at 3 p.m. in the Ring Auditorium. "24 Hour Access: 24 Hour Psycho" is made possible through the generosity of Aaron and Barbara Levine.

http://hirshhorn.si.edu

The following music (presented by Signal 66) will be played:
5:30 ˆ 7:00pm DJ Sandwich Man
7:00 ˆ 8:00pm Band Chessie
8:00 ˆ 8:30pm DJ Debut
8:30 ˆ 9:15pm Band The Hipnotix
9:15 ˆ 9:45pm DJ Beat Neat-o of Groove
9:45 ˆ 10:30pm Band Rose
10:30 ˆ 11:00pm DJ Neville Chamberlain
11:00 ˆ 11:45pm Band The Phobes
11:45 ˆ 12:15am DJ Neville Chamberlain
12:15 ˆ 1:00am Band Sounds of Kaleidoscope
1:00 ˆ 1:30am DJ Happy Family
1:30 ˆ 2:15am Band Sons of Disobedience
2:15 ˆ 2:45am DJ Neville Chamberlain (tentative)
2:45 ˆ 3:30am Band Gully Jimson

Habib Koite from Mali at the National Geographic Grosvenor
Hall--Habib's got a nice live cd out--He trys to meld styles from
different parts of Mali, and while he's not a big fave of mine he's
definately not bad

Bobby Sanabria & Quarteto Ache at the K. Ctr. Eisenhower Theater--A
wonderful percussionist, bandleader, and sideman (not to mention a
college professor) who is very charismatic and entertaining with his band

Los Hombres Calientes from New Orleans at the Clarice Smith Center-An
interesting bunch from New Orleans who blend that city's jazz with
flavors from throughout the Caribbean. I believe WPFW's Jim Byers is
hosting and leading a chat with them as well.

Muzsikas at the Freer-Hungarian vocal combo
________________________________________________________________

Sat. 2-14

Sanchez and Richie Stephens at the Crossroads-Jamaican lovers rock for
Valentines Day
_________________________________________________
Sun. 2-15

Haj Youness, Casablanca, Moroccan oud player and the Voice of Wisdom
Orchestra at 2 p.m. at the Smithsonian S. Dillon Ripley Center
Lecture Hall

La India and Sonora Caruseles at the Washington Hilton, 1919
Connecticut Ave. NW salsa
__________________________________
Tues. 2-17

Peru Negro at the Kenn. Ctr- Excellent Afro-Peruvian veteran combo--if
you like Eva Aylon or Susanna Baca this outfit's blend of soaring
melodies, strumming, and funky drumming (on instruments including
wooden boxes and donkey jawbones) will be up your alley
__________________________________
Other cool stuff:2-11-Super Furry Animals
from Wales at 930;2-12( & 2-13) jazz singer Jane Monheit at the
Birchmere; 2-13-Atmosphere at 930;2-14 Black Dice at Ottobar;Jazz
singer Dee Dee Bridgewater at K. Ctr.;Carmaig De Forest at Roots Cafe;

To get on my DC African/Latin/World whatever events ocassional e-mail thing, contact me at ritmika@hotmail.com The above comes from that...

Which reminds me...any news regarding a new location for the Metro Cafe?

dc-improv-announce-owner@yahoogroups.com

salsanews@aol.com

the blow_up@hotmail.com

bw_zydeco@yahoo.com

Dizzee's supposedly coming back for a bigger tour in the summer, but I'm not sure if he'll hit DC or not. I don't know of anything regarding Dear or Mayer, but if they came I imagine it would be at 5ive, unless it was a one-off somewhere else.

What's odd it that it seems to be only the EDM scene that really tries to escape the city - the most successful go-go and indie artists are, if anything, too tied to DC.

Is it odd that the most interesting and boosterish electronic dance DJ in DC over the last year has been Bob Mould?

The DC go-go artists have seemingly given up on being national and international acts (go-go hasn't crossed over) although Chuck Brown gets flown to Japan periodically to play.

Dischord indie rockers are always playing worldwide but such gigs just never get much local press here. Q and Not U are also booked to play that big fest coming up in California over the summer(Coachatella or something). Black Eyes toured Europe awhile back.

Why did they locate it in Georgetown? You can only make so much money from selling prog to white hats from GW. Better to be on U st with a big deep house section. They never seemed to have their shit together anyways. They cheated me out of $40 once but totally inadvertantly. I had my revenge during their clearance sale I guess.

As for Q and not U, I tried to see their last show at the Black Cat and ended up waiting in line for an hour by myself. As I was waiting, the show sold out. That is all. They need to play here more often.

I always wanted to check out the Grits & Gravy dj night at Bar Nun... Years ago I saw DC rappers Opus Okuben playing with a live band at the now defunct Metro Cafe. Wow, they were great. Now they just mostly play Europe, sometimes with Ny jazz guy Steve Coleman. They were at Black Cat around New Years Eve but I missed them.

anyways, wednesday night P Brotzmann is playing with Hamid Drake and William Parker. Its at Twins on U st (btw 13th and 14th?) at 8pm.

DC 9 is in the original Asylum space, I'm not sure what it was between then and now. Half the music I've heard played there has been great indie/hip hop/disco, the other half has been too much midrange compressed guitar and singers that sound like they're in beer commercials. Which is a better hit rate than most places, but the DJs seriously can't mix or sequence their tracks.

List of EDM events is not so good. Seems like no place is doing well with regular nights and lineups are changing like crazy. And Cubik is filling the main room at Nation with the level of talent that would have played the front room at Buzz.

how long have you been in DC? what is the reason for the instability?

Is the below show which is at the Ottobar coming to DC?

Thursday March 25th
DEFINITIVE JUX PRESENTS:
Murs
The Perceptionists
(Feat. Mr. Lif, Akrobatik, DJ Fakts One)
RJD2, C Rayz Walz
Hangar 18, SA Smash and more
Doorsat 8pm/ Show at 9pm- ALL AGES

3 years! I want stuff NOW ;)

I've been complaining to friends for 2 or so years that I wish someone would book all of the Afropop and Latin acts that play for free in Central Park in NY each summer, in DC... So I'll have to form my own group to do this...

There's the once.twice festival coming up in Baltimore next month-

April 15th - 17th, 2004
Baltimore's 4th Annual
once.twice:festival of sound and video art feat.
AKUFEN . DIMBIMAN . AGF . CHRISTOPHER WILLITS .
DABRYE . SUE COSTABILE . MATTHEW DEAR .
GHISLAIN POIRIER. NAUTICAL ALMANAC.JIMMY EDGAR
MYLENA BERGERON . CAROLINE HAYEUR .
SCOTT PAGANO + more TBA

once.twice also runs the occasional Treatment night at Sonar, the last one in November featured Magda and Sammy Dee.

On a different note, any musicians (d.j.'s?) who wanna perform for free outdoors or maybe at Carter Barron or other locations during the June 18-21st 2nd annual Fete de la Musique DC should call 202-724-5614 or e-mail jose.dominguez@dc.gov . There will also be meetings at the DC Arts Commission, 410 8th St. NW , 5th Fl. on Mon. 3-15 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 and on Thurs. 3-18 from noon to 1.

I'm trying to encourage them to expand the musical horizons of this event...

Five is a great venue, nearly perfect, but the different promoters that do nights there only really book house, d+b, and reggae. There was the electroclash/breaks night there, too, but that's over and has turned into a retro night.

9:30 Club, as you mentioned, is a live music venue. They'll have the occasional DJ, but it always comes off as a bit out of place.

It costs a lot of money to run a club in DC due to the scarcity of suitable spaces. In a town with 8-foot ceilings in 95% of all buildings, there’s going to be a lot of competition for the remaining few with large open spaces. Permitting, safety codes, and accessibility standards are pretty tightly enforced, which means you have to sink a lot of money into a space before you can do anything with it. This goes for bars, dance clubs, live music clubs, and pretty much everything. And don't even get me started on ANC's and "voluntary agreements".

"After over 4 years in business, the owners of Now! Music and Fashion
have decided to close permanently, so we can move on and pursue
other opportunities. We've had a blast talking to you about music,
putting on instore performances, and participating in the local
community. But the best thing about running a record store has been
the opportunity to meet you. Many thanks to our loyal customers and
friends we've made along the way.

We will be having a going-out-of-business sale beginning this
weekend. All clothing and music (except consignments and bargain bin
stuff) will be on sale for 30% off the regular price."

So I don't think DC's gone utterly down the pan. Close, but not gone yet.

They're also stocking the Ellen Allien album and remixes, Coloma's Finery. I think I even saw that Damon Album demo double 10" there, too!

Melody on Conn. Ave. is very underrated - I always thought they were better than DCCD for keeping up with current releases and pointing customers in the right direction. Good international and classical sections, too.

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/764043/what-to-do-in-dc-ramona-bernice-johnson-reagon-city-lights/

I previewed the celebration of the late Bernice Johnson Reagon show at Strathmore tonight

Thought about going to Jlin but it’s a schlep from where I live and the 7 pm start time wasn’t great for me

Ah.

I went last night to the Bernice Johnson Reagon tribute at Strathmore. The remaining Freedom Singers were inspiring. Toshi and band were good . Lots of guests

Some June 21 DC area gigs- Home Rule Fest w/ Imani-Grace Cooper, Farafina Kan African drummers, New Impressionz, Backyard Band go-go @ Walter Reed; Peterbug Fest ;
Positive Force @ St Stephens; Giant Barbeque Fest w/ go-go; Adobo DMV ; Buddy Guy, Kingfish Ingram @ Wolf Trap; Ohio Players @ Birchmere

Positive Force 40th aniv. news via Mark A's FB: PF is moving the Friday 6/20 and Saturday 6/21 shows into the St. Stephen's sanctuary, which should allow them to add at least 200 more people, to the benefit gigs

https://www.lechemag.com/home/adobo-the-flavorful-movement-uniting-the-dmvs-global-community?fbclid=PAQ0xDSwKaMT9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABpxgmunUez4rQQVvtLVsOjzpyQvwjf4kL0rR1gRy9i-k4Sq17BOF5jUjsTXmy_aem_WMq1pOCkBPybur-B7OiRJg

Article on the Adobo DMV DJ party with DJ Pedro Night

https://bsky.app/profile/ekkoastral.bsky.social/post/3lpmihue6gs2q

Ekko Astral bluesky thread of dc rock and indie pop bands they like

So I have updated my concert calendar a bit with *Luciane Dom & band @ Creative Alliance in Baltimore (good Brazilian singer from Rio) tonight, Artscape this coming weekend plus other stuff . Look for the *asterisks* Should have done a heads up here about the late addition of the Bourbon & Bluegrass fest that had Swamp Dogg

steve k @ blogspot

Here in Arlington there was a failed restaurant called “Chicken & Whiskey” so that’s what I keep think the “Bluegrass and Bourbon” festival is.

It seems like the pricey barely publicized “Bluegrass and Bourbon” fest was not marketed to a music crowd

https://www.sethlorinczi.com/p/they-hate-babies-and-old-people-the?utm_source=post-banner&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=posts-open-in-app&triedRedirect=true&fbclid=IwQ0xDSwKexhpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHktKbg7iiy0sroNRobIp-LYk99-U2S5fAXok7B9vpps8gIAes-Mbf_1BgMCr_aem_0Pb9EYDGOcUJZSLuF50Idg

Substack post by someone on early to mid 80s dc band 9353

Added more events to my steve k blogspot calendar

I saw Colombia Negra with Black Alley Friday at the Go-go Museum. Fun early evening event

I liked Ekko Astral when I saw them open for Bad Moves, but not sure I feel like crowding into little dc 9 for the their gender liberation fest weekend late show. Earlier night fest gig at Black Cat looks interesting too.

Another cumbia band in town tonight -- Frente Cumbiero. They sound kinda klezmer, ska, and New Orleans at certain times

*"Ain't No Back to a Merry Go Round" doc about Black & Jewish protestors against the then segregated Glen Echo Park in MD , Friday @ 2:15 & 6:15 @ AFI Silver, and then a bunch of June showings during the day between June 2nd and 5th *

That Plenty Happening dc rock comp put together by GW students is ok

Saw Blacc Print Experience @ Takoma Station last night. They did a go-go take on line dance song "Boots on the Ground (where my fans at) " , plus Chuck Brown, Betty Wright, and more. Not great but decent enough. Takoma Station Tavern unlike most clubs that host go-go, start the Friday night go-go gigs at 7:30 and they're over by 10 or 11 (rather than starting at 10 or 11 and going to 3 am). They have jazz and Latin Jazz and neo-soul on other nights

Weather alerts didn’t keep you away? Nothing happened here in Arlington until well after midnight, though all the reports said nasty stuff would happen earlier in the evening which made me cancel my plans.

Last time I drove in DC in a torrential climate change downpour it was scary, streets starting to flood, I-395 in Virginia habitually has standing water right where I need to exit, etc.

Boring, I feel betrayed that you live in VA

In PG county record store news, the amazing Memory Lane has moved to a bigger location

Ha! Yeah a recent (three years ago) move for love, the things we do to make a partner happy

Very sweet

Aww nice .

I lived in Arlington for many years but a few years ago moved to Takoma Park, Md not too far across the dc line and close to Rhizome and Takoma Station. The worst of the weather Friday didn’t affect me. I saw that Rare Essence gig down at Fast Eddie’s in Prince George’s County got cancelled due to weather. I also have those memories of storms on 395 and on dc streets.

So Memory Lane Records is in Forrestville now

I used to live in Frederick. Among the advantages of moving here is I can go to way more concerts now that I’m just across the river.

Speaking of heavy rainstorms I'm moving to Cambodia in July. Renting our house in hyattsville so planning to come back. Need to set up my reoccurring payments to WPFW before I bounce

I got hailed on in Falls Church today

I decided at last minute not to go to Ekko Astral Gender Liberation weekend events, but saw some clips this morning in Instagram stories. Ekko had a bunch of guests with them-- they did a Bad Moves song with Bad Moves, some vocalist sang Fleetwood Mac "Dreams" with them , Ted Leo and others were there too.

I liked Ekko when I saw them open for Bad Moves whom I also like.

I saw Takaat (members of Mdou Moctar's band without Mdou) do a show last night at Comet and the drummer was especially great (guitar and bass were good). JMB Mfers opened and started psychedelic before going motorik with the hurdy gurdy and the guitar and drums. I didn't stick around for other band Opt Out that had been added to the bill.

Stereogum had a review of the Gender Liberation weekend thing.

Last night I saw Shirletta Settles and guests sing soul at Westminster Church. She did line dance song "Boots on the Ground (where my fans at) " Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come", a Chaka Khan and Rufus song, Etta James "At Last" and other covers. She works for DC Dept of Recreation and books events at DC senior centers and some of her work colleagues sang as well. She's got a pretty good voice though not as great as the late Eddie Jones who I once or twice saw him bring her up onstage there as a guest. Westminster was packed. Local tv news guy Mark Segraves who likes roots music was there.

My Steve K blogspot dmv concert calendar for June is finally posted. Got some cool movies at AFI and some book talks in addition to music gigs. Capital Bop website has more jazz gigs, and there others if you want every hardcore punk and metal gig

I did a City Paper preview of Marvin Gaye: Melancholy and Genius in Black Culture and Media at the Library of Congress
Professor I. Augustus Durham’s talk with Marvin Davis of the Library of Congress that is Thursday June 5 at 6 p.m. at the Library of Congress, 10 1st St. SE. loc.gov. Free; advance tickets are sold out, but seats will open on a space-available basis (as many people get free tickets in advance and then don't go)

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/765368/world-pride-recommendations/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/art/2025/06/09/smithsonian-kim-sajet-national-portrait-gallery/

Smithsonian not rolling over for Trump, while noting they don’t want museum heads to get political

Good

I’ve been pleasantly surprised that next season’s Kennedy Center offerings, so far are pretty normal. Haven’t seen a jazz season announced yet but I checked my email from last year and it was announced some time in June last year.

Only Hiphop event now listed is the previously postponed Noochie's front porch that is now set for November 9. International music acts still listed through 2026. Dance is there but no Alvin Ailey dance company

Yeah Ailey is a notable exception. Not sure if that was a deliberate snub by the KC leadership, a choice by the dance company, or something else like.

Like scheduling issues

I heard that Washington Performing Arts deliberately decided to not use the KC.

Yep, saw that.

Lots of interesting to me local things happening lately, but between family events and working on some City Paper writing, have missed some events I was interested in. I added more Juneteenth and Saturday June 21 events to the concert calendar.

Positive Force's Juneteenth event was moved from Malcolm X Park to St. Stephens due to likelihood of late afternoon and evening rain

DC cops shut down the scheduled TOB bouncebeat go-go "5 Years of Good Trouble" event scheduled for near the site of the former BLM plaza at 16th & H says the organizers on their Instagram page and folks who went to go see the show/rally

I had an old people music day and evening Saturday- saw a doo wop trio and then a rapper doing an Ice Cube song at Peter Bug Day at 13th and E Se at the Peter Bug Shoe Repair shop; then went to MLK Library for the Revolution Summer 1985 panel, and then up to the Parks at Walter Reed for Farafina Kan african drummers, Plunky and his afro-funk band, New Impressionz, and Backyard Band (the last 2 are go-go)

Impressive day!

Thanks. It was. It got really hot out at Walter Reed. Took my time flipping through records in a tented area for a bit. Backyard was really good even if I had seen them do many of those songs before.

https://www.hillcenterdc.org/jim-thomson-global-sounds/

For Jim Thomson's 10th anniversary of doing "Global Sounds on the Hill" concerts in a small room in the old Hill Center building in SE DC, not too far from the capitol, I wrote a profile of him for the Hill Center website largely regarding the international music he books there, but also mentioning that he's a dj and a musician as well.

Also previewed Step Afrika dance company w/ guests Sweet Honey in the Rock & the Farafina Kan drummers director, on Friday & Saturday at Strathmore; plus cumbia guy Yeison Landero w/ Chicha Morada at Songbyrd Wed July 2

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/766687/what-to-do-this-week-june-26-to-july-2/

Me on 40 years of dc punk activists Positive Force past, present, future

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/766964/positive-force-at-40-looking-at-the-activist-groups-past-present-and-future/

Hey is the KC going to have a jazz series next season?

Fun fact: I met my now-wife because of Positive Force. 27 years ago next month.

So you could say that it's been a force in my life. A positive one, even.

Some local jazz acts listed for Millennium Stage in August but no national acts so far

And I haven’t found any news that Jason Moran quit or was fired, so I’m crossing my fingers.