Lala Lala at DC9
Lala Lala specialize in songs which sound like they should be the last song on the album. You know how some albums end with a particularly portentious song? That song which adds emotional kick to the work by leaving you with the impression that there is some unfinished business? Think All Apologies or Glory Box. Well, a whole lot of Lala Lala's songs sound like that last song on the album.
Lala Lala are also big on lyrics perfomed like chants: a little bit psychedelic, a little bit shoegazey, and totally hypnotic. This is not to suggest however that Lala Lala never rock out. Some of their songs are basically garage-rock with more vocal effects. So yes they do have the occasional high-energy, headbanging moments. Disclaimer: those moments make for the best photos and may be over-represented in the gallery above.
Slothrust at Rock N Roll Hotel
I've seen Slothrust many times over the years and they have always sounded too spot on to be playing such dingy venues (the Trash Bar, really?) It's like "Hey, these guys are actually good, what are they doing here?" As I recall they're all music school grads and thus far more competent than the competition at that level. Fortunately for my sense of propriety Slothrust have kind of broken out in the last year or so and are now playing to hundreds of fans at lovely venues like the Rock and Roll Hotel.
Even better, or maybe worse, they seem to have developed a cult following in DC. People have been singing along to their songs for a few years now and there seem to be more of these amateur vocalists at every show. One guy was wearing a Britney Spears T-shirt with multiple Britneys on it which reminded me of this (though it actually has more to do with this). Slothrust seem to have tapped into something and it's weird, man. Personally I just like their music because it's catchy while also having with some serious oomph and clever lyrics on top of that. It's like a delicious musical layer cake of some sort.
Posted: 8/13/2017 at 6:00pm Tags: Rock N Roll Hotel Slothrust
Tancred at Rock N Roll Hotel
Jess Abbott of Tancred has undergone prehaps the most complete metamorphosis from bedroom folkie to grunge goddess that I have ever seen. This simply is not what she sounded like a few years ago. Plus there's, well, a band with her on stage now. But her musical themes still tend towards the personal, sometimes confessional, sometimes slice-of-life storytelling. Lots of "I" and lots of "You" in Tancred's music. It's just that now You and I are backed by catchy guitar hooks and the occasional straight up rocking out.
Posted: 8/13/2017 at 5:00pm Tags: Rock N Roll Hotel Tancred
Diarrhea Planet at Brooklyn Bowl
You like guitars? You like rock? You like guitar rock? You like diarrhea? You haven't read my or anyone else's previous reviews of this band? Well then let me be the first to tell you that this is totally the band you're looking for.
Diarrhea Planet's Website, Music.
Posted: 7/2/2017 at 11:00pm Tags: Brooklyn Bowl Diarrhea Planet
Red Baraat at Brooklyn Bowl
I'm quite certain that Red Baraat invited three and only three people on stage to dance with them. I distinctly heard them say "three". They got more volunteers than that, a lot more. See, a Red Baraat show is already a total party. When you give people the chance to show off their moves on stage, having spent the last hour practing on the dance floor, quite a few of them are likely to be up for it.
Congratulations to Brooklyn Bowl for making it to their eighth year anniversary and for having such excellent and diverse taste in music. They're doing eight celebratory shows starting with Red Baraat's bhangra-funk, followed by nights of rock-n-roll, salsa, soul and more funk (lotsa funk... it's almost like they want people to dance). Brooklyn Bowl has always been one of my favorite venues so I couldn't be happier for them. I hope they stick around for 80 years.
Posted: 7/2/2017 at 4:00pm Tags: Brooklyn Bowl Red Baraat
