― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 21:19 (twenty-two years ago)
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.
― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 21:26 (twenty-two years ago)
― Chris H. (chrisherbert), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 22:10 (twenty-two years ago)
― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 04:22 (twenty-two years ago)
― Debito (Debito), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 04:32 (twenty-two years ago)
SALT (listed first, because it's my night, dammit)synthfunk, indiepop, dancehall, grime, electropunk, hip hop, industrial, hitsDJ's Sad and Lonely1st Wednesday monthlyCafe Saint-Ex
<>indiedisco and beyondDJ Will Eastmangenerally 3rd Saturday monthlythe Black Cat Confusiondisco, new wave, funk, postpunk, hiphopDJ's Serpico, William Alberque, Cullen Stalin, Sadgenerally 4th Saturday monthlythe Black CatYellow Feverreggae, groove, soul, hip-hop, dubDJ's Yellow FeverTuesdays biweeklyCafe Saint-ExSpilt Milkrock, disco, funk, mod, punk, soulTuesdays biweeklyRedBlowoffindie house?DJ's Bob Mould and Richard MorelSaturdays9:30 ClubTaking the Pissjingle-jangle indie pop & psychedelicoccasional FridaysMarx CafeWe Fought the Big OneUK post punk, shoegaze, guitar pop, indie danceDJ's Brandon Grover and Rick Taylor1st Friday monthlyMarx CafeThe Wag60's garage soul & trashDJ Mark Zimin1st Saturday monthlythe Black CatThe Mousetrapbrit pop, indieDJ Mark Zimingenerally 2nd Saturday monthlythe Black CatColdcoldwave, darkwave2nd Sunday monthlythe Blue RoomAtmospherepost punk, UK indie, dream pop3rd Sunday monthlythe Blue RoomThe Melting Poteverything, 1964-1980DJ Neville Chamberlain Thursday biweeklyCafe Saint-ExUH-HUH!rock and rollDJ JohnnySundaysCafe Saint-ExGroovesoul, mod, garageDJ Beat Neat-OThursdays biweeklyCafe Saint-ExI'll work on a whole separate list of the club/hip hop/EDM events...― Brian Miller, Wednesday, 11 February 2004 14:55 (twenty-two years ago)
Confusiondisco, new wave, funk, postpunk, hiphopDJ's Serpico, William Alberque, Cullen Stalin, Sadgenerally 4th Saturday monthlythe Black Cat
Yellow Feverreggae, groove, soul, hip-hop, dubDJ's Yellow FeverTuesdays biweeklyCafe Saint-Ex
Spilt Milkrock, disco, funk, mod, punk, soulTuesdays biweeklyRed
Blowoffindie house?DJ's Bob Mould and Richard MorelSaturdays9:30 Club
Taking the Pissjingle-jangle indie pop & psychedelicoccasional FridaysMarx Cafe
We Fought the Big OneUK post punk, shoegaze, guitar pop, indie danceDJ's Brandon Grover and Rick Taylor1st Friday monthlyMarx Cafe
The Wag60's garage soul & trashDJ Mark Zimin1st Saturday monthlythe Black Cat
The Mousetrapbrit pop, indieDJ Mark Zimingenerally 2nd Saturday monthlythe Black Cat
Coldcoldwave, darkwave2nd Sunday monthlythe Blue Room
Atmospherepost punk, UK indie, dream pop3rd Sunday monthlythe Blue Room
The Melting Poteverything, 1964-1980DJ Neville Chamberlain Thursday biweeklyCafe Saint-Ex
UH-HUH!rock and rollDJ JohnnySundaysCafe Saint-Ex
Groovesoul, mod, garageDJ Beat Neat-OThursdays biweeklyCafe Saint-Ex
I'll work on a whole separate list of the club/hip hop/EDM events...
― Brian Miller, Wednesday, 11 February 2004 14:55 (twenty-two years ago)
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 Man7:00 ˆ 8:00pm Band Chessie8:00 ˆ 8:30pm DJ Debut8:30 ˆ 9:15pm Band The Hipnotix9:15 ˆ 9:45pm DJ Beat Neat-o of Groove9:45 ˆ 10:30pm Band Rose10:30 ˆ 11:00pm DJ Neville Chamberlain11:00 ˆ 11:45pm Band The Phobes11:45 ˆ 12:15am DJ Neville Chamberlain12:15 ˆ 1:00am Band Sounds of Kaleidoscope1:00 ˆ 1:30am DJ Happy Family1:30 ˆ 2:15am Band Sons of Disobedience2:15 ˆ 2:45am DJ Neville Chamberlain (tentative)2:45 ˆ 3:30am Band Gully Jimson
― Brian Miller, Wednesday, 11 February 2004 14:57 (twenty-two years ago)
Habib Koite from Mali at the National Geographic GrosvenorHall--Habib's got a nice live cd out--He trys to meld styles fromdifferent parts of Mali, and while he's not a big fave of mine he'sdefinately not bad
Bobby Sanabria & Quarteto Ache at the K. Ctr. Eisenhower Theater--Awonderful percussionist, bandleader, and sideman (not to mention acollege professor) who is very charismatic and entertaining with his band
Los Hombres Calientes from New Orleans at the Clarice Smith Center-Aninteresting bunch from New Orleans who blend that city's jazz withflavors from throughout the Caribbean. I believe WPFW's Jim Byers ishosting 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 WisdomOrchestra at 2 p.m. at the Smithsonian S. Dillon Ripley CenterLecture Hall
La India and Sonora Caruseles at the Washington Hilton, 1919Connecticut Ave. NW salsa__________________________________Tues. 2-17
Peru Negro at the Kenn. Ctr- Excellent Afro-Peruvian veteran combo--ifyou like Eva Aylon or Susanna Baca this outfit's blend of soaringmelodies, strumming, and funky drumming (on instruments includingwooden boxes and donkey jawbones) will be up your alley__________________________________Other cool stuff:2-11-Super Furry Animalsfrom Wales at 930;2-12( & 2-13) jazz singer Jane Monheit at theBirchmere; 2-13-Atmosphere at 930;2-14 Black Dice at Ottobar;Jazzsinger 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...
― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 16:05 (twenty-two years ago)
― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 16:16 (twenty-two years ago)
― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 20:08 (twenty-two years ago)
― Brian Miller, Wednesday, 11 February 2004 21:08 (twenty-two years ago)
Which reminds me...any news regarding a new location for the Metro Cafe?
― j.lu (j.lu), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 21:10 (twenty-two years ago)
― Brian Miller, Wednesday, 11 February 2004 21:28 (twenty-two years ago)
― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Thursday, 12 February 2004 05:39 (twenty-two years ago)
dc-improv-announce-owner@yahoogroups.com
salsanews@aol.com
the blow_up@hotmail.com
bw_zydeco@yahoo.com
― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Thursday, 12 February 2004 05:47 (twenty-two years ago)
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.
― Brian Miller, Thursday, 12 February 2004 14:49 (twenty-two years ago)
― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Thursday, 12 February 2004 14:59 (twenty-two years ago)
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?
― Brian Miller, Thursday, 12 February 2004 15:33 (twenty-two years ago)
― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Thursday, 12 February 2004 15:39 (twenty-two years ago)
― Brian Miller, Thursday, 12 February 2004 16:20 (twenty-two years ago)
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.
― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Thursday, 12 February 2004 17:19 (twenty-two years ago)
― Brian Miller, Thursday, 12 February 2004 17:53 (twenty-two years ago)
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.
― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Thursday, 12 February 2004 18:55 (twenty-two years ago)
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.
― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Friday, 13 February 2004 04:38 (twenty-two years ago)
― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Friday, 13 February 2004 04:42 (twenty-two years ago)
― Brian Miller, Friday, 13 February 2004 22:59 (twenty-two years ago)
― Michael Minnich, Wednesday, 18 February 2004 23:16 (twenty-two years ago)
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.
― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Monday, 1 March 2004 18:31 (twenty-two years ago)
― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Monday, 1 March 2004 19:40 (twenty-two years ago)
― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Monday, 1 March 2004 19:43 (twenty-two years ago)
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.
― Brian Miller, Monday, 1 March 2004 20:06 (twenty-two years ago)
― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Monday, 1 March 2004 23:32 (twenty-two years ago)
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.
― Brian Miller, Tuesday, 2 March 2004 03:09 (twenty-two years ago)
how long have you been in DC? what is the reason for the instability?
― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Tuesday, 2 March 2004 03:47 (twenty-two years ago)
― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Tuesday, 2 March 2004 14:24 (twenty-two years ago)
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
― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Tuesday, 2 March 2004 15:43 (twenty-two years ago)
― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Tuesday, 2 March 2004 15:46 (twenty-two years ago)
― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Tuesday, 2 March 2004 17:15 (twenty-two years ago)
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...
― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Tuesday, 2 March 2004 18:53 (twenty-two years ago)
There's the once.twice festival coming up in Baltimore next month-
April 15th - 17th, 2004Baltimore's 4th Annualonce.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.
― Brian Miller, Wednesday, 3 March 2004 20:22 (twenty-two years ago)
― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Thursday, 4 March 2004 04:26 (twenty-two years ago)
― Brian Miller (Brian Miller), Thursday, 4 March 2004 06:53 (twenty-two years ago)
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...
― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Thursday, 4 March 2004 16:52 (twenty-two years ago)
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".
― Brian Miller (Brian Miller), Thursday, 4 March 2004 18:24 (twenty-two years ago)
― Brian Miller (Brian Miller), Friday, 5 March 2004 00:56 (twenty-two years ago)
"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."
― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Tuesday, 9 March 2004 05:45 (twenty-two years ago)
So I don't think DC's gone utterly down the pan. Close, but not gone yet.
― paul c (paul c), Tuesday, 9 March 2004 15:42 (twenty-two years ago)
― Steve Kiviat (Steve K), Tuesday, 9 March 2004 17:35 (twenty-two years ago)
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!
― paul c (paul c), Tuesday, 9 March 2004 17:40 (twenty-two years ago)
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.
― Brian Miller (Brian Miller), Tuesday, 9 March 2004 18:27 (twenty-two years ago)
X-post - yes the Folklife Fest has been on life support for a number of years ( due to a lack of funding and to National Park Service restrictions on how much of the national mall could be used) but they were promised more money this year to go big for a month on the national mall, and now that has been taken away .
― curmudgeon, Monday, 9 February 2026 05:33 (three months ago)
If you really want to ruin a city's cultural life and civic institutions you need to be thorough.
Ordinarily I wouldn't credit a toddler with much focus or follow-through but the track record speaks for itself.
Ruint: the Smithsonian, the Kennedy Center, the Post, the White House, the Institute of Peace, PBS, Congress, the Folklife Festival, the Supreme Court, and public service as a noble calling.
Next up: Memorial Bridge, the airports, Amtrak.
Please nobody tell him about Wolf Trap, the Zoo, or Ben's Chili Bowl.
― calmer chameleon (Ye Mad Puffin), Monday, 9 February 2026 13:30 (three months ago)
https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/779769/ekko-astral-jael-holzman-peace-order-miri-tyler-threats/
Uh oh
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 19 February 2026 04:55 (three months ago)
https://wtop.com/music/2019/02/record-store-owner-early-dc-punk-producer-skip-groff-dies-at-70/
I miss Yesterday and Today Records so much. I specifically miss the ads they used to run in the City Paper.
― Infanta Terrible (j.lu), Thursday, 19 February 2026 14:50 (three months ago)
https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/779769/ekko-astral-jael-holzman-peace-order-miri-tyler-threats🕸/Uh oh
this keeps crashing my browser (google chrome)
― Toe Bean Sprout (Boring, Maryland), Thursday, 19 February 2026 15:48 (three months ago)
I was having the same problem and thought it was me. But I finally got it to work
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 19 February 2026 19:23 (three months ago)
It seems to work better on my laptop than my phone.
So one member of Ekko Astral quite awhile back and blamed the singer/bassist for being a jerk. Now the drummer quit and blamed and sorta threated the singer who went to court to get a "peace order" to keep the drummer away from them. Drummer is giving up alcohol and getting therapy. There's a lot more detail in the article. It's sad as I like the group and like one of the drummer's side project where she leads her own band.
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 19 February 2026 21:42 (three months ago)
City Paper was trying to fix tech issue.
An IG post from another musician scheduled to perform at Ekko Astral’s upcoming liberation weekend with shows at Black Cat ( & elsewhere) raising some money for trans causes, addressed the sad issues from the City Paper article
https://www.instagram.com/p/DVB8ttbEZdL/?igsh=MTRxemsyeDU1djR6dA==
― curmudgeon, Monday, 23 February 2026 19:43 (three months ago)
I see in a Chris Richards substack post that dmv producer Yoyo has put out a dc rap compilation called All Roads Lead to Rome. The producer says some of it has "free car" music and some soundcloud r& b. Apparently some of the rappers are doing a dc thing where they flow and phrase ahead of the beat.
Chris also mentioned that there's also a new dc hardcore punk comp called Future Left Behind
Chris loves hardcore punk from many eras, and that style of dc rap.
I haven't heard either album yet.
― curmudgeon, Monday, 23 February 2026 20:12 (three months ago)
From Baltimore Banner:
Philip Glass pulled his new symphony in protest from the beleaguered Kennedy Center. Now, the acclaimed Baltimore-born composer is bringing the work home.
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will perform the Maryland debut of Glass’ Symphony No. 15, “Lincoln,” on June 4 and June 6, 2027, at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The orchestra, which announced its next season on Tuesday, will also perform the piece on June 5, 2027, at its sister venue, the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda.
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 24 February 2026 14:56 (three months ago)
https://pitchfork.com/news/topshelf-records-drops-ekko-astral/
Pitchfork covering Topshelf Records dropping Ekko Astral after recent issues
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 24 February 2026 15:00 (three months ago)
Maybe i’m late but it seems like many Adelphi Records releases are on Apple Music now.
― Mollusk, Virginia (Boring, Maryland), Sunday, 1 March 2026 18:17 (two months ago)
seems like none of the jazz releases though
― Mollusk, Virginia (Boring, Maryland), Sunday, 1 March 2026 18:22 (two months ago)
Oh so just the blues, folk, etc. . Hmmm, I wonder why. Not that I know how many jazz ones they ever released.
I see that Cuneiform records that doesn't allow its stuff on Spotify , is putting out 2 cellist Janel Leppin records in late March. One is her more jazzy group Ensemble Volcanic Ash and the other one is just under her name.
― curmudgeon, Monday, 2 March 2026 22:13 (two months ago)
oh boy, the Wammies are coming up March 28 and an email tells me the VIP tickets are sold out . The Wammies which didn't happen for 2 years are back and to nominate a musician you had to pay the Wammies $20. A number of good DC musicians decided they didn't care about the Wammies or didn't know about them and are not nominated
Their 7-9 award show will just feature 3 performances- The Blackbyrds, Kara Lavchenko, Wammies own youth choir
I haven't heard of Lavchenko but she has 5,000 IG followers
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 3 March 2026 19:47 (two months ago)
Finally posted my March dc concert calendar last night. Got behind on it as I was writing a bunch of previews for upcoming City Paper spring arts special.
You can find it at steve blogspot
The full list has multiple Ghana Independence Day events, a Don Zientara interview, 90 year old Herb Alpert, soul events at Blue Dolphin & Lamont’s, punk rock, DJs, rap, go-go, norteno, Ethiopian, Caribbean , Asian, a gospel show, blues, last night’s Tipa Tipo ( tropical yachtrock meets cumbia ) gig at Comet Ping Pong and more .
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 5 March 2026 14:56 (two months ago)
Brendan Canty isn't talking in his IG story today about the digital release of 1992 Albini recorded Fugazi demo, but his daughter Mabel June's (of Birthday Girl DC) first solo release Mumbled Songs. I saw her sing some of these indie-pop-folk songs @ Rhizome.
https://mabeljune.bandcamp.com/album/mumbled-songs
― curmudgeon, Friday, 6 March 2026 20:10 (two months ago)
proud papa
― Mollusk, Virginia (Boring, Maryland), Friday, 6 March 2026 21:18 (two months ago)
On Thursday, the Kennedy Center filed a lawsuit against against local jazz drummer Chuck Redd in D.C. Superior Court, citing a breach of contract. The lawsuit, which states that Redd was to be paid $6,500 for the appearance, cited the following as damages: “lost goodwill with the public, wasted marketing expenses, and sunk costs preparing for a concert that did not occur.”
Redd cancelled the Christmas jazz jam appearance due to the building name change. Kennedy Center hed has threatened to sue him for a million dollars
― curmudgeon, Sunday, 8 March 2026 19:52 (two months ago)
lol
― Mollusk, Virginia (Boring, Maryland), Sunday, 8 March 2026 19:53 (two months ago)
Grinnell is a fucking moron like all of them
https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/03/06/nso-director-quits/
The head of the NSo at Kennedy Center quit ; the Kennedy Center sued a dc area jazz drummer , and a congresswoman is suing to stop the planned closure.
― curmudgeon, Sunday, 8 March 2026 19:54 (two months ago)
Grinell out at K. Center replaced by May 2024 pre-Trump facilities guy Matt Floca who stuck around and has been supervising construction and putting up Trump's name at K Ctr for Trump. Guy once worked for DC govt before joining k Ctr
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 14 March 2026 06:02 (two months ago)
sure might as well have the janitor run it
― Mollusk, Virginia (Boring, Maryland), Saturday, 14 March 2026 08:51 (two months ago)
yep
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 14 March 2026 16:30 (two months ago)
Seeing reports on Facebook that dc area based drummer Robert Mousey Thompson just passed away . Thompson is best known for drumming with James Brown in Brown’s later years
In 2014 he was interviewed about those years. I think I first saw him play with his DC group in 2015 at Carter Barron and again some years later. He was still out there playing around town on ocassion. I think he was about 69 years old. Guessing it might have been a heart attack.
https://www.drummersresource.com/robert-mousey-thompson-interview/
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 14 March 2026 17:14 (two months ago)
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/14/us/politics/kennedy-center-judge-order.html?smid=bsky-nytimes&smtyp=cur
A federal judge in Washington on Saturday ordered that Representative Joyce Beatty, Democrat of Ohio, be allowed to participate in a planning meeting about the future of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, temporarily resolving a minor standoff with President Trump.
The ruling appeared to give Ms. Beatty, an ex officio member of the center’s board of trustees, a window into the president’s goals for remaking it in his image, after dozens of performers canceled shows in protest and patrons worried about a proposed multiyear closure of the performance space....The center’s board is scheduled to meet on Monday, though Ms. Beatty argued that the purpose of the meeting had not been explained and that she had been kept out of the loop.
...Judge Christopher R. Cooper of the Federal District Court in Washington agreed that Ms. Beatty needed to receive a more thorough accounting of the meeting’s agenda and be allowed “a meaningful opportunity to lodge her dissent.” ...Ms. Beatty has also asked the court to issue a more permanent order barring Mr. Trump from closing and redeveloping the site. Judge Cooper has not yet considered that request...
In the 37-page opinion, Judge Cooper laid out a list of documents — including budgets and planning reports — that must be sent to Ms. Beatty within 24 hours, “to the extent they exist.” He added that the government’s claims in the lawsuit that no plans had been finalized, just four days before the board could meet to approve them, “borders on preposterous.”
― curmudgeon, Sunday, 15 March 2026 01:22 (two months ago)
https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/781107/stand-by-me-at-40-mystery-friends-and-amythyst-kiah-city-lights-for-march-12-18/
I previewed the Sarau de Samba Brazilian music dance party for City Paper that was this afternoon at Glen Echo Park’s Ballroom back room. It was big fun. DC area based Brazilian musicians led by Pablo Regis on a 4 stringed little instrument plus a trombonist and many percussionists all sat at a rectangular table and played and sang and led the mostly Brazilian crowd in call and response and chanted old school samba songs with Portuguese lyrics. Lots of dancing go on also. There was a samba dance lesson early. About 100 people in a small room.
― curmudgeon, Monday, 16 March 2026 00:03 (two months ago)
https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/781828/spring-arts-guide-2026-the-concerts-we-cant-wait-for/
In early February my Washington City Paper arts editor sent out a request for us freelancers to submit Spring arts events pitches 4 days later. I researched and checked around and sent in a bunch of ideas in many genres. As she has many writers covering rock, my rock pitches didn’t get accepted but a number of my other pitches did and I got them written. I posted my April 9 Brian Gilmore book talk on Black DC poets yesterday and today my 5 music ones are posted.
: March 25- Sweet Thang (from Backyard Band ) & Tabria (of Rare Essence) w/ a special backing band @ Sycamore & Oak ( go-go & r& b)April 9- Yilian Cañizares (Cuban-Swiss violinist singer ) @ Library of Congress April 14 & 15- Natalia Lafourcade @ Strathmore Music Center ( Mexican indie-folk)May 3- Protoje @ Fillmore ( reggae)May 13- Juan Manu @ Strathmore Mansion (Moved from El Paso to DC mariachi-influenced violinist who is part of Strathmore Artists in Residence program)
― curmudgeon, Friday, 20 March 2026 02:51 (two months ago)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2026/03/25/concerts-dc-april/
The freelancer who does monthly concert recs for the W. Post suggests worthwhile US & UK & European punk, techno, industrial, rap & r&b but never jazz, Latin, African, Asian
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 26 March 2026 00:23 (two months ago)
My April dc area concert list is up at Steve K... blogspot dot com
Lots of international stuff plus djs, US & UK rock, gospel, roots, r&b, rap and more
― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 1 April 2026 05:57 (one month ago)
Howard Wuelfing who put out an anthology of his late '70s/early 80s DC punk zines -Descenes & Discords will be part of a chat w/Mark Jenkins (who did zines, a DC punk book & more) & John R. Davis (book on dc punk zines) about Wuelfing's zines and dc punk April 11 @ 2-3:30 pm @ MLK Library
https://dclibrary.libnet.info/event/16021018Registration link for free event is advised-
― curmudgeon, Sunday, 5 April 2026 16:51 (one month ago)
https://www.hillrag.com/2026/04/03/celebrate-50-years-of-peterbug-academy-with-documentary/
There's a doc out about Peterbug Mathew, DC resident . I missed this 1st screening at MLK Library April 4th but hopefully there will be more showings
So this guy Peterbug Mathew has a shoe shop in SE DC capitol hill area and he mentors kids and has for years had a Peterbug Day at his place where obscure soul and sometimes go-go acts play (and he just mentions the event on his own Facebook and doesn't spell out specifics regarding when the acts are there that day but it's still a cool event if you wing it ) . His next Peter Bug Day is June 20th for Juneteenth (as is Home Rule Fest at Walter AReed)
― curmudgeon, Monday, 13 April 2026 20:59 (one month ago)
Ha, so this guy who got hired by Trump folks and then wrote an Atlantic article about his efforts to save visual art paintings and such at Kennedy Center is getting slammed as a fraud in Washington Probs IG comments
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 18 April 2026 15:14 (one month ago)
link?
― The New Blockader (Boring, Maryland), Saturday, 18 April 2026 15:27 (one month ago)
nm I found it
totally worried about the fate of the National Symphony, they still haven’t announced a season yet.
― The New Blockader (Boring, Maryland), Saturday, 18 April 2026 15:49 (one month ago)
Crazy. Is there a location yet? Back in February I read :
The venue that is being currently explored as a possibility is the DAR Constitution Hall near the White House.
https://operawire.com/national-symphony-orchestra-looking-for-new-venue-to-perform-during-kennedy-center-renovation/
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 18 April 2026 18:58 (one month ago)
no announcement—haven’t had the heart to ask the ushers if they have scuttlebutt
― The New Blockader (Boring, Maryland), Saturday, 18 April 2026 20:00 (one month ago)
I am a subscriber so I assume I would hear as soon as possible if a new season is announced.
― The New Blockader (Boring, Maryland), Saturday, 18 April 2026 20:01 (one month ago)
I have updated my April music events calendar Steve blogspot .
Something I added that I didn't mention earlier here was some Filmfest DC movies. My wife and I saw "The Essence of Eva" about vocalist Eva Cassidy, a Bowie, MD raised singer who in the late 80s and early 90s sang locally, put out a duets album of jazz, blues, and soul standards with Godfather of go-go Chuck Brown, and a live at Blues Alley release. She sadly died of cancer at age 33 and became a posthumous star in the UK and Europe thanks to her versions of "Somewhere over the Rainbow" and a Sting song
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 25 April 2026 02:37 (one month ago)
There's a drama film at Filmfest DC Saturday night with an actress playing the role of Egyptian singing legend Ulm Kulthum.
On Sunday - "Gloria !" film as part of Filmfest DC 4pm @ MLK Library (In 1800 Italy Teresa discovers a beautiful instrument (a pianoforte) in a storeroom. Teresa's revolutionary "music machine" gathers an amazing quartet of young women: the most dynamic musicians of Sant Ignazio) *
Unrelated to Filmfest DC but showing on Sunday is -- *Razz doc director's cut plus additional footage (Jeff Krulik & Richard Taylor film about 70s era dc proto-punk rock band) 3 pm @ Greenbelt Cinema followed by Razz at the Bayou footage 6-8 @ New Deal Cafe* *
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 25 April 2026 02:42 (one month ago)
More April events I didn't know about April 1 when I first posted my calendar-
tonight April 29-
* Everybody's Fly w/ Fab 5 Freddy discussing his book w/ Wendel Patrick of hiphop studies of Peabody inst. who's also a pianist @ 6:30-8:30 free w/ registration @ the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center at 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.*
*Andy Beta for his book Cosmic Music: The Life, Art, and Transcendence of Alice Coltrane 6pm @ People's Book in Takoma Park*
― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 29 April 2026 17:51 (one month ago)
I have never listened to the City Cast DC podcast but I get their emails and the person doing dc recommendations of things to do is a caricature of a certain type of annoying whitebread person who moves to DC
Love it or hate it, Jazz in the Garden is a summer staple (don’t act like you didn’t love it back in your intern days). It returns on May 22 with one of our favorite D.C. bands “Oh He Dead.” It’s free but you need tickets, which you can get via lottery starting the week before each show. So bring your blanket, buy some sangria, give into the mosquitos, and pretend you’re a jazz aficionado.
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 30 April 2026 21:42 (one month ago)
I’ve been an Arlington resident for four years and not been bothered by mosquitoes. NB I am originally from Minnesota and I know mosquito-bothering
― Brenton Wood Conference (Boring, Maryland), Thursday, 30 April 2026 22:03 (one month ago)
Finally finished my May concert calendar and posted it Saturday morning May 2. It does include that Oh He Dead gig plus it had that Adams Morgan porch day that attracted masses of people, and my usual mix of Ethiopian shows, go-go, old and newer rock, southern soul, Caribbean, Latino, Asian, and r& b
At steve blogspot
― curmudgeon, Monday, 4 May 2026 04:08 (three weeks ago)
My Washington City Paper editor in chief Mitch Ryals is leaving after 5 years at that position and 3 years as a dc news columnist there to join the Banner. My arts editor there Sarah Marloff is taking over for Mitch. No word yet on if a new arts editor will be hired or when. City Paper full time staff is very small.
― curmudgeon, Sunday, 17 May 2026 20:34 (two weeks ago)
I am gonna do a nostalgia weekend and see the Slickee Boys reunion for their 50th anniversary of playing garage punk psych pop, on Saturday at 930 Club.
On Sunday going to Heavy Metal Parking Lot outtakes film showing at AFI silver.
Speaking of nostalgia- am excited about Henry Rollins and Ian Mackaye having a hand in releasing in August of Cramps tapes from way back when
― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 27 May 2026 17:01 (four days ago)
https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/786674/celebrating-50-years-of-the-slickee-boys/
The garage rocking psychedelic Slickee Boys 50th reunion
― curmudgeon, Friday, 29 May 2026 23:28 (two days ago)
Hoping all the Kennedy Center news stays good. Court overruled the name change and the decision to shut down without doing an actual study. Trump then posted on Truth Social he was gonna give up on the place if he can’t keep his name on it and run it his way.
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 30 May 2026 05:23 (yesterday)
Old guy me remembers when Petworth was the name of a go-go band & had a demographic that reflected that. Now today's Petworth Porch Fest like the earlier Adams Morgan ("Admo" as the bros say) Porch Fest has a million obscure to me pop and rock acts mostly
Petworth Porchfest w/ djs Native Sun, Leon City Sounds more 2-7pm @ 524 Taylor St NW Back Porch; Aurelions ( Baby Alcatraz & Mark Cisneros)5 & Des Demonas 6 @ Lymons Tavern; UCB @ 6 @ Upshur st & Experience Band @ 7 @ main stage Petworth Rec Ctr. Hue (bouncebeat metal) 5pm 🧵
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 30 May 2026 16:44 (yesterday)