No Lens Flares Here: Odd angles, stark contrasts, bleeding edges—we could be talking about a Darrow Montgomery gallery, although in this case it's WaPo art critic Philip Kennicott previewing the National Gallery of Art's new exhibit marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of photographer Harry Callahan. Kennicott writes: "It’s a small miracle that no matter [...]
My colleague Jonathan L. Fischer reported yesterday that local band Tennis System is leaving D.C. for sunnier pastures in L.A. Can't say I blame them. The band's playing a farewell show at the Rock & Roll Hotel March 4.
As was widely reported yesterday, TBD is undergoing a major revamp. Again. But, troopers that they are, they [...]
Hey, they tried.
But after three years, neo-shoegazers Tennis System are leaving D.C. for L.A. to "to further ourselves as musicians," the band writes on its blog today. Sad! But we had some good times, such as...
...this One Track Mind, about Tennis System's song "Esoteric."
...this demo, of the song "Snowden," recorded during the Snowpocalypse.
...this Snow Day [...]
Good morning! Still recovering from FreeFest? I am! The reviews are starting to pour in: Here's Click Track's. Here are some thoughts from TBD, although the roundup piece by Andrew Beaujon is also a review of, um, me. (Thanks for the kind words!) Here on Arts Desk, we'll have some more coverage today, including tons [...]
Endless soft tacos, a five mile bike ride, and a lot of standing in line. Somewhere in there I saw some concerts, too.
Tennis System: Apparently Tennis System had a rough trip down to Texas. According to guitarist/singer Matty Taylor the band's shows in Richmond and Lexington were shut down by the cops before it [...]
Tennis System's Matthew Taylor and Ra Ra Rasputin's Patrick Kigongo have been working together over the past couple of months to organize Done & Done, a music festival designed to cultivate an exchange of ideas between music scenes in D.C. and New York. But sometimes they jam, too. Intrigued by the concept of playing outdoors [...]
Certain types of music were born to soundtrack snowstorms—ambient electronica, Japanese minimalism, most songs by Galaxie 500. And of course: shoegaze.
Of course, making music for a snowstorm and during one are entirely different endeavors. For the former, the goal has to be atmosphere, often in the form of noisy, ethereal soundscapes conjured via a critical [...]
If you were hoping to catch some live music tonight, you're probably out of luck. Yet while today's hazardous conditions may make getting to venues difficult, they won't stop local artists from making music—including, lest I forget, the guy who lives across the street from me and plays sax for what must be 13 or [...]
Some local events, announced today, that will raise money for victims of the earthquake in Haiti—a catastrophe that the Red Cross says may have claimed 50,000 lives:
"DMV Helps Haiti" at Busboys & Poets: There will be a discussion, an open mic, and an auction featuring works by Demont Peekaso. Suggested donation: $10. Sunday at 6:30 [...]
To the vociferous power duo Japandroids, rock, it seems, can be an adjective, noun, or verb. In a sprawling set at a nearly packed DC9 last night, the Vancouver band—shambolic, self-conscious, in its best moments inspired—played the bulk of its well-received 2009 debut, Post-Nothing, while rarely failing to remind an appreciative audience just how hard [...]
