The Sound of The District
BY KELSIE EHALT// Twenty-four years after the release of their last studio album Dear You, the pioneers of pop-punk, Jawbreaker, are thrilling audiences once again on their reunion tour. Not shying away from their hiatus, the band posted on Facebook “Remember when Jawbreaker was last in DC and Bill Clinton was in the White House”?
BY JULIA SMITH// I heard James Bay’s music for the first time four years ago at a quintessentially SoCal music festival called Weenie Roast, hosted by KROQ at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre (may she rest in peace). During a festival that was part indie/alternative/flower crown girl haven, and debatably part Cinco de Mayo celebration, Angelinos and Orange County natives baked under the sun in enthusiastic throngs to hear radio’s most-played alternative artists. James Bay, a fresh new face on the scene, played early in the day at the smaller stage – the perfect venue for this singer/songwriter. Recalling that performance, the first word that comes to mind is honest.
Continue reading “James Bay at The Anthem, 3/8”
BY VISHAL NYAYAPATHI// This past January, English electronic R&B musician and producer James Blake released his most recent full-length project entitled Assume Form. At 12 tracks long, Assume Form delivers a dynamic discussion of ontology, love, and age. Matching the intensity of his poetic lyrics, fluttering piano melodies (“Assume Form), processed vocal riffs (“Barefoot in the Park), and complex trap beats (“Tell Them”) create a unique aural palette with which Blake explores the complexities of life in Los Angeles. While opening up a door for collaboration, Blake has maintained his intense, often melancholic sentiment by drawing vulnerability from features such as Travis Scott, ROSALÍA and André 3000.
BY TAYLOR GALGANO// I’ve been following Dillon Francis’s DJ career since I was about 15 years old. During my early high school years, Dillon was still an up-and-coming artist. That all changed in 2012 when he dropped two major singles that earned him some credibility in the EDM community: “IDGAFOS” and “Bootleg Fireworks”. I can still remember blasting both of these bangers on my iPod Touch. During this time, Dillon was noticed by famous DJ Diplo, and his career was on the rise.
BY VICTORIA MIDDLETON// Californian singer-songwriter Matt Costa is opening for indie-pop duo Tennis tonight at Black Cat.
Costa released his first album in five years, Santa Rosa Fangs, this May. Five years is a long time away for the prolific artist who has released 7 EPs and 6 full-length albums in the past 15.
Costa was discovered by No Doubt guitarist Tom Dumont in 2003. Since then he has toured with artists such as Oasis, Modest Mouse, Death Cab for Cutie, and Jack Johnson. In the time since the release of his last album in 2013, Costa soundtracked the award-winning documentary Orange Sunshine, which follows a group of hippies and surfers as they navigate the world of psychedelics in the 60s and 70s.
Continue reading “Singer Song-writer Matt Costa opens for Tennis at Black Cat DC”