On May 16, Joe Lally will be hitting the road, opening his huge tour in Pittsburgh. He’s scheduled to play the Black Cat on May 28. Dischord has the dates. [Label needs to learn how to spell Pittsburgh correctly].

Just like the Old Days, 9353 is gigging around town. Just like the Old Days, 9353 is making cool posters. Just like the Old Days, 9353 singer Bruce Miles Hellington is covering every available surface in said town with said posters. “9353 has never sounded better than it does at this moment! what’s that about?” Hellington says in an e-mail, adding in another that the dates on the poster are a little wonky: “the last one is cancelled and the next to the last one is iffy,” he says. Still, that’s at least three chances to catch the last shows in which 9353 will be “playing exclusively oldies” Hellington says. Below the jump, 9353’s new poster.
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Charlie Fishman, founder and executive producer of the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival, will host a birthday concert for the late, legendary Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald, featuring local jazz talents, at the Lincoln Theater on Saturday, April 26.

The concert features three acts: Jam on U All-Stars (featuring frequent U Street jazz luminaries such as saxophonist Antonio Parker and drummer Nasar Abadey, with conductor Bobby Felder); Will Smith and the W.E.S. Group with Special guest vocalist Cynda Williams; and the DC Bass Choir, featuring Herman Burney, Jr. and Steve Novosel.

At the concert, Fishman will also announce the theme and lineup for the 2008 Duke Ellington Jazz Festival, scheduled to take place October 1-7.

Tickets are $20 and available at the Lincoln Theatre box office at 1215 U Street, NW. (202) 328.6000.

WASHINGTON, DC:

Sunday, April 20, 2008

The Roots & Friends
Gov’t Mule
Toots & The Maytals
Thievery Corporation (DJ Set)
Warren Haynes Solo Acoustic
Umphreys McGee
DC Boys Choir
CityDance

If the weather cooperates on the National Mall, this has the potential to be a great way to kick off the festival season: It’s family-friendly and you don’t even have to skip work. Given the lineup, the sound is going to be proper. Oh and it’s FREE. Details at the official event page.

I can’t really disagree with Anne Midgette, who reviewed the Washington National Opera’s new production of “The Flying Dutchman” in the Washington Post. It’s a mixed bag (Senta, who was played by Lori Phillips last night, was excellent). But I will say this: the most Wagnerian elements of the opera—the creepy ghosts, the enormous bass riffs, the lines about doomsday and eternal damnation—were enough to ward off the after-work sleepiness that I was feeling at the beginning of the overture. For a metal and horror fan such as myself, it’s a great story, and the abstract expressionist staging was well suited to the telling. Playing through April 10th.

Dischord will be holding court at this weekend’s MaCRoCk festival at James Madison University. The festival–which stands for Mid-Atlantic College Radio Conference–has been an annual affair for some time now. It started in 1996. I think I went to the second one. Back then it was small–a few nights of bands, a few tables set up for labels to sell their goods. [Full disclosure: I skipped seeing Elliott Smith!]

The festival has grown to be a big deal.

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Kev Brown, who is a featured producer at Friday’s BeatDown producer showcase at Club Five, breaks down the secrets to his production style in this great video:

One of the region’s production stars, Kev has worked with the likes of De La Soul, Marley Marl, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Raheem Devaughn, Biz Markie, and a number of local hip-hop artists. With his process firmly rooted in the MPC based technique of beat making, he has forged a unique sound that pays homage to such greats as Pete Rock and the late J-Dilla. Definitely check him out on Friday–it should be a great event with a number of talented producers and hip hop acts on the bill.

Also: Kev and Los Angeles’ LMNO have just released a collaborative project entitled ‘Selective Hearing’ on Up Above Records. Support that real hip hop!

Double Bonus: Kev Brown and Kaimber at last month’s J-Dilla Tribute at XM performing a cover of “The Official”

Sohrab Habibion, who if you’re old like me might remember from the D.C. band Edsel, is playing Friday night at Comet Ping-Pong with his new band Obits. Obits, which also features Rick Froberg from Drive Like Jehu, seems to triangulate between Sonic Youth, the Fall, and Dick Dale if the tracks on the band’s MySpace page are any indication. Edsel has a surprising presence on the Web for a band that broke up in 1997–a respectable Web site, plus a MySpace page with a bunch of friends that are similar local indie-rock ghosts: Shudder to Think, Velocity Girl, Chisel.

Hey, go see Obits! (Just like Jason told you to last week!) And listen to a little Edsel here!
DOWNLOAD:
Edsel, “Feeder” (1990)
Edsel, “Port Wood Finish” (1995)

Grammy-winning hip-hop legends De La Soul will be at MCCXXIII on Thursday, March 20th. Special DJ set by 9th Wonder–the original producer/DJ from Little Brother who has also worked with Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige and a number of underground hip hop acts.

Thursday at MCCXXIII is usually an 18-and-over hip-hop/dance night called Spank, which leads me to wonder how this show will go over with the millenials. Especially given the fact that De La is about as old school you can get while still being relevant and 9th Wonder tends to spin a hip-hop set that relies heavily on golden era nostalgia. Interesting, this will all be very interesting…

Thursday @ MCCXXIII
1223 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC
March 20, 2008
Doors open @ 8:30PM
FREE WITH PASS/TICKET

Brian Bromberg, a jazz bass player whose 2007 CD Upright Downright was nominated for the 2008 Best Contemporary Jazz Album Grammy, begins his 2008 tour in DC with a show at Blues Alley on March 25.

Bromberg will be leading a quintet featuring saxophonist Gary Meek drummer Joel Taylor, keyboardist Tom Zink, and rhythm bassist Larry Antonino, with Bromberg playing lead bass—which encompasses electric, acoustic, piccolo, and synthesized basses. The tour will feature music from Upright and Downright, as well as Bromberg’s earlier albums.

Tickets are $30. However, if you’re not able to make either of the two sets (8:00 and 10:00) at Blues Alley on the 25th, the band will also be at Annapolis’ Rams Head Tavern on the 27th.