Groove

FUZZQUEEN @ Black Cat 12.18.18

Forged in the glowing embers of Washington DC following the 2016 election and subsequent Women’s March, the members of FuzzQueen are entrenched in the thriving DIY community of the nation’s capital. While keenly aware of the inescapably political nature of their locale, they coalesce around issues of social injustice and feminine power while also reveling in a “seething tension” that serves to both mirror and confront the political climate through sonic exploration. Following a stint in California, frontwoman Erin Frisby returned to DC with husband and bandmate Chris Stelloh. Reuniting with their longtime friend and drummer Ben Tufts, and adding the bass talent of Clinton Cole, the band shed their former Americana aspirations in favor of a more urgent, visceral project. Drawing from the energy of bands like Fugazi, Queens of the Stone Age, and PJ Harvey, FuzzQueen filters raw energy through compositional complexity and Frisby’s operatic training. Although rooted in the current social climate, forthcoming single “Ribbons & Flowers” exudes a more primeval energy. Deftly melding ideas of femaleness with environmental awareness, the song exists in the present but alludes to something more ancient. Combined with their affinity for community engagement, the band taps into a collective power that serves both to heal and embolden.

Melanianade

Melania Trump (Cecily Strong), Ivanka Trump (Emily Blunt), Kellyanne Conway (Kate McKinnon), Omarosa (Sasheer Zamata) and Tiffany Trump (Vanessa Bayer) can no longer stand by Donald Trump (Alec Baldwin).

THE MAKE UP @ Black Cat

The Make Up was an American post-punk band from Washington, D.C. formed in 1995, consisting of ex-Nation of Ulysses frontman Ian Svenonius on vocals, James Canty on guitar and organ, Steve Gamboa on drums, and Michelle Mae on bass guitar. The Make-Up were joined in late 1999 by a fifth member, Alex Minoff (of the groups Golden and Extra Golden), who played guitar with the group until the band’s dissolution in early 2000.

AETHER | Catharsis

Catharsis: One of the great unsettled issues. That it implies a beneficial cathartic effect produced by witnessing a tragic action is clear; how it is produced is in question. Some believe that the spectators, by vicarious participation, learn through the fate of the tragic hero, that fear and pity are destructive and thereby learn to avoid them in their own lives (this interpretation is clearly didactic). Others believe that the spectator, being human and thus subject to disturbing emotions of fear and pity, has this imbalance rectified and these internal agitations stilled by having an opportunity vicariously to expend fear and pity on the hero…. (Handbook to Literature)

MYSTIC BRAVES | Great Company

Mystic Braves: Julian Ducatenzeiler (guitar & vocals), Tony Malacara (bass & vocals), Shane Stotsenberg (guitar & vocals), Cameron Gartung (drums), Ignacio Gonzalez (organ/tambourine)

HUMBLE FIRE | Taliesin

Humble Fire’s upcoming album Builder explores physical and emotional experiences around loss and reconstruction, from family deaths and failed romances to the shocks and stresses they have navigated as a band. Through those experiences, they’ve come to appreciate that reconstruction isn’t something you can tackle on your own: it requires an entire crew. Builder, then, is as much about that process of putting yourself back together, as it is about the relationships that can help or hinder that process. Since Humble Fire’s members have known each other over the past five or so years, they’ve all shown up for each other in different ways as part of that reconstruction crew. They’re lucky to have found family in each other in that way. 

LIL DICKY | Pillow Talking

David Andrew Burd (born March 15, 1988), better known by his stage name Lil Dicky or LD, is an American rapper and comedian. He came to prominence with the release of the music video to his song “Ex-Boyfriend”, which went viral with more than one million views on YouTube in 24 hours. He released his debut album Professional Rapper on July 31, 2015.

BLACK LIPS | Funny

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A lot of excitement and immersion went into creating Satan’s graffiti or god’s art? , Black Lips’ most musically evolved album to date. Production from Sean Lennon, a few guest appearances from Yoko Ono and the exciting addition of new members Oakley Munson on drums and Zumi Rosow (the first female Black Lip) on saxophone have infused the project with a focused energy similar to the spirit that had brought the Black Lips to life in the first place, way back in 1999.

NO BS! BRASS BAND

Based in Richmond, Virginia, No BS! Brass Band has quickly earned a reputation as a premiere band to see for heart-pounding energy and uncontrollable dancing. They take their music into uncharted territory, embracing the spirit of New Orleans into its original East Coast modern funk and fearlessly combining elements of James Brown, John Coltrane, Michael Jackson, and Led Zeppelin into their fiercely original sound.

THE ORWELLS | Let It Burn

The Orwells are an American rock band from Elmhurst, IL, a western suburb of Chicago. The members include Mario Cuomo (vocals), Dominic Corso (guitar), Matt O’Keefe (guitar), Grant Brinner (bass), and Henry Brinner (drums). Their debut album Remember When was released on August 7, 2012, through Autumn Tone Records. Their first EP, Other Voices, was released on June 24, 2013, on National Anthem Records. The band’s second EP, Who Needs You, was released on September 10, 2013, also through National Anthem.