The Run Down - March 27, 2008

If you have a ton of energy and are looking to vent it somewhere, might I suggest the Lo-Fi Social Club in Baltimore. There you'll find the high octane performances of Matt & Kim, The Death Set, The Pharmacy, Naked on the Vague, and Soiled Mattress & The Springs. If you look for a much calmer, yet still entertaining evening perhaps mosey your way down to the Black Cat in DC to see Xiu Xiu, Thao With The Get Down Stay Down, and Chris Garneau.

mp3: Thao With The Get Down Stay Down - Feet Asleep --> website --> buy
mp3: Matt & Kim - Yea Yeah --> website --> buy
mp3: The Death Set - Had A Bird --> website --> buy

The Run Down - Wednesday March 26, 2008

This week is a little light on shows, but the quality is top notch. The Black Cat in DC has one of our favorites, Vandaveer with Laura Burhenn (Georgie James) and Sean Walsh & The National Reserve. Up in Philly there's Blitzen Trapper and Fleet Foxes at Johnny Brenda's and Xiu Xiu and Thao with The Get Down Stay Down at the First Unitarian Church.

mp3: Vandaveer - Parasites & Ghosts --> website --> buy
mp3: Fleet Foxes - Mykonos --> website --> buy
mp3: Blitzen Trapper - Sci-Fi Kid --> website --> buy
mp3: Thao With The Get Down Stay Down - Beat (Health, Life, and Fire) --> website --> buy

The Run Down - Thursday January 31, 2008

The last day of January has some quality shows for you. Here in Baltimore the Ottobar is hosting Judd & Maggie's CD release party with performances by Steve Hefter and Friends of Friends, Carousel Rogues, and Harrison Hudson. In Philly you can catch Lupe Fiasco at the Fillmore or head on over to the Khyber to see C Rayz Walz, Reef The Lost Cauze, Viro the Virus, and more. In VA, Thao with The Get Down Stay Down is having their CD release at IOTA with David Shultz and the Skyline. In DC the Red and the Black has Ilad, with Square Trio and Sun Committee. Finally at DC9 be sure to catch Zulu Pearls. Many of you were probably expecting to see Robbers On High Street, but a band member had to be taken to the hospital. Hopefully everything is okay. Zulu Pearls is still a fantastic band, so keep your plans intact for DC9 (it's only $5).

mp3: Judd & Maggie - Sleep Interrupted --> website --> buy
mp3: Lupe Fiasco - Little Weapon --> website --> buy
mp3: C Rayz Walz - Electric Avenue --> website --> buy
mp3: Thao with The Get Down Stay Down - Feet Asleep --> website --> buy
mp3: Ilad - National Flags --> website --> buy
mp3: Zulu Pearls - Dancing + Drinking --> website --> buy

Thao With The Get Down Stay Down

Folk music is somewhat of an enigma to me. Sometimes I love it. I'm a big Dylan fan, and I'm enamored by Joan Baez. Sometimes I get sick of it. I don't know. There's a lot being played on the local radio station and it really drives me nuts when I just want to hear a good rock song. What it really boils down to I guess is the writing and production of these songs. Thao Nguyen and her band The Get Down Stay Down succeed in both of these areas repeatedly. Thao has natural beauty radiating from her music, making her solo stuff a breath of fresh air in the every growing Folk music scene. Pairing her music with the Get Down Stay Down's fluid beats guitars and brass is quite extraordinary, and has me looking forward to their next release coming on January 29, 2008. Being released on Kill Rock Stars, We Brave Bee Stings is being marked on my calendar as I write this. You should too.

mp3: Thao With The Get Down Stay Down - Beat (Health, Life, and Fire) --> website --> buy