The Run Down - Saturday March 15, 2008

This weekend is fairly light in terms of shows. First off the Pela show last night and tonight were canceled due to injury. Luckily they still have some locals playing Johnny Brenda's tonight. One of my faves, The Squaaks, is playing along with Jotto, The Chimeras, and Thinking Machines. If you missed the Black Lips in Philly last night, you can catch them in DC at the Black Cat tonight with Quintron & Miss Pussycat. Beware! The Ides Of March!

mp3: The Squaaks - Two Hippies --> website --> buy
mp3: Black Lips - Veni Vedi Veci (Diplo Remix) --> website --> buy

The Run Down - March 14, 2008

While many of you might be out in Austin this weekend, there are still a few sweet shows around the area tonight. Here in Baltimore, The Metro Gallery has Kadman's CD Release with Rain The Shining and The Water opening for them. In DC there's a great show at the Rock and Roll Hotel with *****Pela*****(UPDATE!!! Pela has canceled due to injury---refunds at the door---- Greenland, Bellflur, The Coats, and The Shakes are still performing----that's still a pretty darn good show). Finally in Philly you don't want to miss Black Lips and Quintron & Miss Pussycat at Johnny Brenda's.

mp3: Black Lips - Veni Vedi Veci (Diplo Remix) --> website --> buy
***SHOW CANCELED***mp3: Pela - Lost To The Lonesome --> website --> buy
mp3: Greenland - Solace In The Sea --> website --> buy
mp3: Kadman - Sorry --> website --> buy

The Run Down - Wednesday March 5, 2008

There's plenty of shows tonight to keep area fans happy indeed. First off in Baltimore, THE Cadence Weapon will be performing at the Ottobar with Born Ruffians and Food For Animals. In DC, Matt Costa and Jonathan Rice play the 9:30 club. Finally there are three great shows in Philly. At Johnny Brenda's you can check out the Stills. The Khyber has a great indieshoegazerelectro show with Panda Riot, Ports of Call, and The Coast. Finally the Fire has Spanish Prisoners, the Graboids, Northern Valentine, and Cheyenne.

mp3: The Stills - Retour A Vega --> website --> buy
mp3: Matt Costa - Cold December --> website --> buy
mp3: Born Ruffians - This Sentence Will Ruin, Save Your Life --> website --> buy
mp3: Cadence Weapon - Oliver Square --> website --> buy
mp3: Food For Animals - Swampy Summer Jam --> website --> buy
mp3: Panda Riot - Like Flowers At Night --> website --> buy
mp3: Spanish Priaoners - Some Among Them Are Killers --> website --> buy

The Run Down - Tuesday March 4, 2008

Have I mentioned the crazy amount of shows this week. I mean good gravy boat gazoog(wha?) even Tuesday is jammed packed. Here in Baltimore be sure to bear witness to Savory James performing an all Nirvana cover set at the Talking Head with 4th Horsemen, Nocnitsa, and Red Rocket. At the Black Cat in DC do yourself a favor and take in Say Hi and Caverns. Finally in Philly, the only place to be is Johnny Brenda's to see the one and only Cadence Weapon along with Born Ruffians and Ape School. Well I lied. There is one other place to be in Philly and that's at the First Unitarian Church where Matt Costa and Jonathan Rice perform.

mp3: Cadence Weapon - House Music --> website --> buy
mp3: Born Ruffians - I'm One Of Those Girls --> website --> buy
mp3: Say Hi - Spiders --> website --> buy
mp3: Matt Costa - The Ballad Of Miss Kate --> website --> buy
mp3: Savory James - Sit Still --> website --> buy

The Run Down - Monday March 3, 2008

Heeeeere we go. In Philly there's Say Hi at Johnny Brenda's. In Virginia catch These United States at IOTA. In DC you have the choice between The Sketches opening up for Blind Melon at the 9:30 club, The Muggabears and Sisters at the Red and the Black, or Ilad, Lindsay Holler & the Dirty Kicks, and Stella Schindler at DC9. Have a good one.

mp3: Say Hi - Bluetime --> website --> buy
mp3: The Sketches - Dizzy --> website --> buy
mp3: The Muggabears - Automatic Others --> website --> buy
mp3: Ilad - Looking Glass --> website --> buy
mp3: These United States - Burn This Bridge --> website --> buy

The Run Down - Tuesday February 26, 2008

Tuesday is here and there doesn't seem to be any shortage of shows. DC is where it's at tonight! You have the choice of seeing Wilco at the 9:30 club, St. Vincent and Foreign Born at the Rock and Roll Hotel, or Barton Carroll and Dave Ihmels and the Red and the Black. If you're up in Philly make sure you check out Bowerbirds, Phosphorescent, and Ginmarco Cilli at Johnny Brenda's. Have a good one.

mp3: Bowerbirds - Slow Down --> website --> buy
mp3: Wilco - Hummingbird --> website --> buy
mp3: St. Vincent - Paris Is Burning --> website --> buy
mp3: Foreign Born - Union Hall --> website --> buy
mp3: Barton Carroll - Certain Circles --> website --> buy

The Run Down - Friday February 22, 2008

As usual, Friday brings a slew of great shows. Here in Baltimore The Macgregor Burns Band, Good Guise, and The Break Ups play the Ottobar. In DC the Black Cat has the show of the week with Travis Morrison Hellfighters, The Epochs, and Zulu Pearls. In Philly you could go see Atlas Sound, Valet, and White Rainbow at Johnny Brenda's or The Alien Architect, Children of Jah, Waheed, and Ghetto Songbird at The Fire.

mp3: The MacGregor Burns Band - Drink Anything --> website
mp3: Travis Morrison - Any Open Door --> website --> buy
mp3: Zulu Pearls - Ways To Wind You Up --> website --> buy
mp3: The Epochs - Right On --> website --> buy
mp3: Atlas Sound - Knife (Grizzly Bear Cover) --> website --> buy
mp3: Valet - Kehaar --> website --> buy

The Run Down - Wednesday February 20, 2008

First off, before you go see any live music tonight, be sure to catch the lunar eclipse. Sometimes nature has the best performances. After that head on down to the Ottobar to check out Akrobatik with Snapz, Make Shift Deluxe, and T.M.F.. Akrobatik is a great MC with a flow and mentality similar to KRS One (though still worlds apart) and should provide a great show. If hip hop and Baltimore aren't in your sights, maybe Black Mountain and Bon Iver will do the trick in Philly at Johnny Brenda's. Or if you really want some indie head over to The Fire to see the ever changing sound of Tiger Saw along with Boatload of Madmen, Joshua Park, Anna Vogelzang, and Nu Cultures. First things first though, make sure you look up.

mp3: Black Mountian - Angels --> website --> buy
mp3: Bon Iver - For Emma --> website --> buy
mp3: Tiger Saw - Tigers On Fire --> website --> buy
mp3: Akrobatik - Time --> website --> buy

The Run Down - Thursday February 14, 2008

Before I run down the list of ridiculously good Philly shows, I must mention a fine Valentine's Day show right here in Baltimore. The Lo-Fi Social Club is dimming the lights and lighting candles for Famous Lovers and the Soundscapes. Find someone and go to that show. If you're in Philly, you can't complain about the shortage of shows for the next couple of days. Today is no different. Johnny Brenda's has A Sunny Day In Glasgow, Remote Islands, and The Offering. North Star has Small Town Fires, Sounds Under Radio, Hey Angel, and The Armchairs. Finally the epic Northern Liberties Winter Music Festival continues at the Fire with a folkish night of These United States, Wes Matthews and the New Way Down, Extraordinaires, Birdie Busch, Hezekiah Jones, Bee Team, and Sister Three. Go. Love. Listen.

mp3: A Sunny Day In Glasgow - No. 6 Von Karman Street --> website --> buy
mp3: Remote Islands - Philadelphia --> website --> buy
mp3: Small Town Fires - The Abdomen Drum --> website --> buy
mp3: Famous Lovers - John Batt --> website --> buy
mp3: The Soundscapes - Here's When --> website --> buy
mp3: These United States - Slow Crows Over --> website --> buy
mp3: Hezekiah Jones - Albert Hash --> website --> buy

A Remix & The Run Down - Saturday February 9, 2008

Finally it has happened. When I first popped in MGMT's super great fantastic album Oracular Spectacular, I had two thoughts. The first was, "Dang this is the bee's knees!" The second was, "There's gonna be some killer remixes of this." Sadly I waited and waited, checked the hype machine, checked my email, checked my mailbox, but nothing....until last night. I received an email last night containing the first remix of MGMT's Kids blended with DFA 1979. It's great. Check it.

mp3: Peter Dragontail - KFA 1979 (Power Of The Dragon Edit) --> myspace

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As far as shows are concerned, there's many great ones tonight. At Johnny Brenda's in Philly, White Williams smokes out another venue with Ecstatic Sunshine and Rings. In Baltimore you have the choice of going to the Lo-Fi to check out The City Veins and Lights Resolve or heading down to the Metro Gallery for The Squaaks, Baby Aspirin, and Goldbug. Enjoy.

mp3: White Williams - Route To Palm
mp3: Rings - You Remind Me (Ruby Beats Remix)
mp3: The City Veins - Toe The Line
mp3: The Squaaks - Two Hippies

The Run Down - Saturday February 2, 2008

There are two shows worth mentioning going on tonight. If you missed A Sunny Day In Glasgow last night at the Lo-Fi, you check them out tonight at the Velvet Lounge in DC along with Screen Vinyl Image, The Offering, and Twin Earth. Also if you missed The Spinto band at the 8x10 on Thursday, you can check them out tonight in Philly at Johnny Brenda's with The Whigs and Plants and Animals. Sweet.

mp3: A Sunny Day In Glasgow - Best Summer Ever --> website --> buy

mp3: The Spinto Band - Oh Mandy --> website --> buy