How did you spend your summer vacation? Minimalist composer Richard Chartier spent his in the basement of the Museum of American History. For three months, starting in June, Chartier recorded the "Grand Tonometer," a four-octave instrument built by German physicist Rudolf Koenig from 1870 to1875. Recording each of the instrument's 660 tuning forks from strike [...]
Oscillate Mildly
His steampunk days could be behind him, but noted
Rockville thereminist Arthur Harrison is happy busking
By Sadie Dingfelder
It’s a Thursday night at the Black Cat, and aloof 20-somethings in shapeless shirts and skinny jeans are leaning against the bar, angling for drinks. They are temporarily out of luck: The bartender is deep in conversation with [...]
The Real World DC premiered last night to mixed reviews, but that hasn't discouraged three local musicians who are hoping to gain some national attention from the 23rd season of the MTV phenomenon.
"I've never watched The Real World before this year," said Will Whitney, a Takoma Park native and the drummer for Real World cast [...]
It's your last chance to meet the D.C. Real World cast before it ascends to the plane of reality celebrity. The Real World premiere party is tonight at Tattoo Bar, and for just $5.00 (or $20, for "VIP" access) you can watch the premier alongside cast member Josh Colon. Of course, if you're an aspiring [...]
Even if you somehow failed to notice the half-dozen men toting shoulder-mounted cameras, it was patently obvious that something was amiss at last night's Rock and Roll Hotel show. For one thing, no one had ever heard of the headlining band, Wicked Liquid, though two of D.C.'s big crowd getters, Once Okay Twice and Politicks, [...]
I recently reported that monkeys like Metallica. In continuing animal-music news, it turns out that Barry White puts sharks in the mood for love.
Workers at a London aquarium played Barry White for a reluctant zebra shark named Zorro, and it was so effective, Zorro's violent and amorous overtures to other sharks apparently disturbed some visitors.
If you want to mellow out a monkey, play him some Metallica.
That's the surprising result of a new study by Charles Snowdon, a
University of Wisconsin-Madison psychology professor. The researchers played clips of music— including Metallica's
"Of Wolf and Man," Nine Inch Nails', "The Fragile," Tool's "The
Grudge," and Barber's "Adagio for Strings"—for cotton-top tamarins.
The other day, I beat a few thousand spry college kids to stand at the front of the stage at the Charlottesville, Va., Wilco show. Unfortunately, that was only the first leg of the general-admission triathlon. The second: Maintaining my position–and staying awake–during the monotonous opening act. Though there were times when I wanted [...]
The other night, Lissy Rosemont of Junior League, the subject of this week's One Track Mind, came over, chain-smoked on my window sill, and explained how her solar-panel-powered house led to songwriting advice from Death Cab for Cutie. (However, she'd only do an interview if I agreed to name her many band-mates: Dale Manning, Devin [...]
Can you compose catchy keyboard riffs and sing backup? Would you describe yourself as "catted-out?" Then you might be just what The Dance Party is looking for. Details on that and more from my recent One Track Mind interview with lead singer Mick Coogan follow.
You sing about a "zombie rock mistress with jet black lipstick." [...]
