The Disco Biscuits
Concert Reviews, Reviews

The Disco Biscuits Deliver Improv, “Untz” to the Anthem

Kicking off their winter tour in DC, The Disco Biscuits played a pair of shows at IMP venues last weekend, delivering two spectacular nights of EDM-infused jams and deep musical exploration. After an evening in the intimate confines of the Lincoln Theatre on Friday, the band's Saturday night rager at The Anthem lived up to the scale of the room in which it was performed. Known for their extended improvisation and danceable grooves, the four-piece outfit put on an epic party at the Southwest Waterfront.

The Disco Biscuits

The Disco Biscuits

With no opener on the bill, fans piled into the Anthem well after the ticketed showtime. If you haven't attended a Disco Biscuits concert before, being among their fan-base is a unique experience unto itself. As the crowd filed into the lobby, I overheard one attendee, clearly one of the uninitiated prior to that evening, say to their friends, "Wow. There's a lot of glitter and animal costumes here, huh?" The crowd resembles the meeting point of a rave and a drum circle, with dreaded hippies and neon-clad dancers converging on the scene to enjoy the dazzling light show and the "untz" that defines the band's sound.

The band wasted no time, taking their opening tune, "On Time," for an extended jam that flowed seamlessly into "Tricycle," before making another transition into "Aceetobee." This tune became the focal point of the set, featuring a 30+ minute jam segment that spotlighted guitarist Jon "The Barber" Gutwillig and keyboardist Aron Magner exchanging leads and locking into intense grooves with the other two members of the band. Following an unfinished version of "Loose Change," the band concluded the set-opening "On Time" and the set.

Beautiful light show courtesy of Disco Biscuits' lighting director, Johnny Goode 

Light show by Disco Biscuits' lighting director, Johnny Goode

Two of the distinguishing features of the Disco Biscuits live experience are "inverted" songs, where the band will rearrange the order of composed sections of their songs that surround the jam, and "sandwiches," where the band will segue from one song to another during a jam and eventually return to finish the previous song. The second set prominently featured both. Following an extended set break, the band returned to the stage, literally wearing their love for DC, with Barber sporting a 9:30 Club t-shirt and drummer Allen Aucoin wore a Capitals t-shirt. The band launched into "Magellan," which provided a great soundtrack for the crowd to get back into the swing of things, gradually ramping up the energy into an intense and outstanding jam. The rest of the set included two sandwiches, the first coming out of "Jigsaw Earth" with a length rendition of "Munchkin Invasion" and an extended drum solo. The rest of the set was made up of a "Story of the World" sandwich, with the first ever inverted version of "Therapy" providing the meat.

All told, it was another outstanding two-night run in the annals of history for the nearly 25-year-old jam band. Following a similar two-nighter in 2018, we can only hope that the Biscuits will make this an annual tradition!

Photo Gallery

Photo Gallery

Photo Gallery

Enjoy photos by our photographer Josh Brick  of Josh Brick Graphics.

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Concert News

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Continue Their String of Sold Out Performances – Tickets Are Still Available for the NorVA

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong had truly exceptional, exponential growth in 2018. The band has been steadily selling out performances with the help of their insatiable fans, the Flock, and creating unbelievably creative spectacles including their Halloween "Red Hot Sgt. Peppers" (Beatles and Red Hot Chili Peppers) and "New Year's 'Steve'" (musicians named Steve) themed shows.

Their 2019 Winter / Spring Tour started out on January 24 at the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, and the band is coming off a sold-out appearance at the revered Capitol Theatre in New York.

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong - Winter 2019 Tour - Southern VA & North Carolina
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong - Winter 2019 Tour - Southern VA & North Carolina


As the band makes their way south towards Florida, they have set their sights on Southern Virginia and North Carolina. This band continues to sell out their Winter Tour and has already sold out three of their four appearances in the region - Jefferson Theatre in Charlottesville, The Orange Peel in Asheville, and the Lincoln Theater in Raleigh.

With an incredible night of funk with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and The Fritz, we anticipate this performance at The NorVa will sell out. Better to be safe than sorry and buy these tickets, so you can spend a cold polar-vortex evening staying warm with a sizzling night of music at The NorVa, in "NorFlock", Virginia!

Performance Details

Performance Details

Performance

Details

Thursday, January 31, 2019

Show: 8:00 PM

The NorVa

https://www.thenorva.com

317 Monticello Avenue

Norfolk, Virginia 23510 (Google Maps Link)

$20

 Buy Tickets Now
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Concert Reviews

Relive Moogatu’s Set at Union Stage [Audio/Photos]

At the tail end of 2018, we caught Moogatu opening up for The Werks at Union Stage on The Wharf. This funky, wompy prog rock band is jam-packed with talent and put on a impressive set.

Moogatu is Brian Raubacher (guitar, vocals), Chris Lee (guitar), Brian Zupruk (bass, vocals), Jeff Hunter (drums). LOCKN' regulars will remember that they won the 2016 ROCKN' to LOCKN' contest and got to play on the main stage just ahead of Turkuaz.

With snow and rain on the forecast, we figured readers' would appreciate some new audio and photos to check out. Relive their full Union Stage set below!

Click here to see the setlist for Moogatu's performance at Union Stage on December 29 2018


Photo Gallery

Photo Gallery

Photo Gallery

Enjoy photos by our photographers Josh Brick  of Josh Brick Graphics and Caitlin Moore  of Caitlin Moore Photography.

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Greensky Bluegrass at The Anthem
Concerts this Week

Goodman’s Good Mix – Concert Picks of the Week – January 28

Week Of:  January 28 — February 3, 2019

Summary: Cool Stuff

Are there hundreds of amazing things you see/hear/feel this week? Yes. 

Am I a broken record every week? Yes.

But there's a handful of things happening THIS WEEK that are cooler-than-it-feels-outside. These are some ways to get involved/learn/honor the music community and ideas that are not your typical shows: 

Plus, MORE shows in the links below, with personal choices in bold, along with a list of the DCMR staff top picks and cool "gems" that you don't want to miss.  


Mon — January 28

DCMR Staff Recs
Monday Jams & Mics & Such
Hidden Gems

Tue — January 29

DCMR Staff Recs
Hidden Gems
Open Mics

Wed — January 30

DCMR Staff Recs
Wed Jams & Mics & Such
Hidden Gems

Thu — January 31

DCMR Staff Recs
Cool Thursday Stuff
Hidden Gems

Fri — February 1

DCMR Staff Recs
Hidden Gems

Sat — February 2

DCMR Staff Recs
Hidden Gems

Sun — February 3

DCMR Staff Recs
Cool Sunday Stuff
Hidden Gems

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Photo Credit: Eric Kelly
Concert News, Interviews

BAYNK On Relocation, New Music, And Multivitamins

Updated January 30th at 10:30 PM:  Due to venue constraints, BAYNK will not be setting up full visual production as detailed below; he will instead perform a more traditional DJ set.

    “a divine mixture of light and shade, the rough with the smooth” // CLASH
“shows off the simple 'less-is-more' songwriting...a staple of his output” // Complex

To say the last two years have been a whirlwind for New Zealand native BAYNK would be quite the understatement. Last year alone brought a sold-out debut U.S. headlining tour, a special guest spot on San Holo’s Fall tour, and the release of four new singles. As if that’s not enough to mark 2018 as one for the books, BAYNK also took the plunge and moved halfway across the world to L.A. 

Taking full advantage of his incredible momentum, BAYNK will be returning to D.C. this Saturday, February 1. Prior to his performance at U Street Music Hall, I had the opportunity to chat with the artist about his adjustment to the U.S., the story behind his latest singles, and how many bottles multivitamins it takes to make it through a tour.

From NZ to L.A.

I wanted to start by talking about your move to L.A.! What was the motivation for the location change?

I guess, first and foremost I was coming out here four or five times a year for shows anyways, so it made sense financially.

Photo Credit: Eric Kelly

Photo Credit: Eric Kelly

I also wanted to get out of my comfort zone a little bit. In New Zealand, there's not a lot of people to collaborate with; I wanted to find people I had never met before. I found that I was doing the same stuff over and over again [in New Zealand], so I wanted to try new things and push myself a little bit. 

I'm a first generation American, so I know that moving to a new country is kind of scary. How was the transition for you?

You know what, it was fine! I had my manager and team, who I had all met before in L.A., so I had a little bit of a base. Also whilst touring, I wasn't scared to push them to set up an apartment. So I've moved since and it's very exciting! 

Environment & The Songwriting Process

You touched on this a little bit when you were talking about why you moved, but I'm curious as to how your approach to songwriting changes when you're in a different location? Do you end up producing a different sound overall?

It changes as required, but I don't think it's necessarily different from space to space. It depends on what's around me; usually, I have a field recorder or a microphone, so maybe I'll record random sounds around me. 

Because it's usually a different music type, I don't think it's the location influencing the process of writing the song. The place I'm at more dictates the emotion the track takes on; however I'm feeling, I basically want to try and make a song that represents that.

"Off Limits" & "Settle"

Your most recent single, "Off Limits" was released in early December. I've been jamming out to it pretty much since then! How did the single come together?

That was definitely a sunny L.A. song. I'm glad you enjoyed it, thank you very much for saying that! 

It was a hot day in L.A., and I loved the girl's voice from Glades. I hadn't heard too much about them, but I reached out and asked them what they were doing. Turns out, they were finishing up their album like five minutes from me in an Airbnb! 

So I popped down the road, and it was the quickest five hours—I sat on their couch and just muddled around. It all just sort of came together...they write really quickly, they're like a writing powerhouse.

Another single you released earlier last year was "Settle". I was watching the video for it and noticed you had a directors credit, which I found interesting! I know that usually musicians usually come with an idea for the video, but it seemed like you had a lot more involvement in this. How did you come up with that concept, and what was the idea behind it?

I've actually directed the majority of my music videos! I get really creative if I'm doing multiple genres of art.

I tend to think of the visual at the same time that I'm making the song; that in a way inspires the song as well.

"Settle" didn't have a lot going on in terms of production and I wanted to use the beautiful words from Sinead [Harnett] as the main instrument the whole way through. I wanted the visual to reflect that, which is why there's a lot of black and white, and there isn't that much going on. It's an idea I had wanted to do for a while, especially the 360-degree camera work.

How was the execution of the video? Was it harder than you expected or did you have an idea of how it would go?

It's always harder to execute than to come up with the idea! I know exactly how I want it to look, but then working out how to do that takes time. It's a lot of watching YouTube tutorials and talking to one of my creative directors, Spencer Graves and my producer Jeremy [Hartman]. Figuring out how to make the video is always the hard part.

Nort​​​​​​h American Tour & Vitamins

The last time last time you were in D.C. you played an outdoor gig, where it was SO hot outside.

Oh my god, it was so hot, I remember that...it was so much fun, but so painfully hot!

That's D.C. for you! Now that you're playing in the winter and also inside, in a more traditional concert environment, what changes can the crowd expect to see?

A lot. I love playing outside, but it brings down the production; it becomes more of a D.J. set, which is still a lot of fun. It's nothing like these shows will be though.

I put a lot of emphasis on the stage production for this tour. There's an LED frame-like object that I'll be bringing into the mix. I'm programming it now, so it's pretty exciting!

Musicians have a pretty intense touring schedule, which is difficult on both the mind and body. What do you do to take care of yourself while you're on tour?

I have like five bottles of multivitamins for morning and night [laughs]. No matter what, I get sick on every tour, but this is going to be the tour that doesn't happen!

I try to go for a run once or twice a week; now that it's winter, that probably won't happen. Being on a bus with twelve people, if one person gets sick on the bus then at least like 50% of the others do.

Yeah, it's kind of like being back in college with all those germs spreading around...

Yeah yeah, it's exactly the same thing! It's like revisiting my university days [laughs].

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Performance Details

Performance Details

Performance

Details

Friday, February 1, 2019

Doors: 10:00PM

Show: 10:30PM

U Street Music Hall

​Website

1115 U Street NW

Washington, DC, 20009

(Google Maps Link​)

$15 - In Advance

$20 - Day of Performance

 Buy Tickets Now
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gnash performing at U Street Music Hall
Concert Reviews

gnash Is Sunshine On A Day Filled With Rain

Conjuring up positive energy from a crowd soaked as a result of the relentless rain is no easy feat; in fact, some would say it’s impossible. But those individuals have never met gnash, an artist who is the embodiment of sunshine.

gnash performing at U Street Music Hall

Decked out in The Broken Hearts Club merch from head to toe and his signature round sunglasses, gnash energetically sprinted onto the U Street Music Hall stage. Wasting no time, he jumped (quite literally) into “imagine if”, the second track off his debut album ‘we.’

Finally processing the fact that that he managed to sell out the venue at the close of the song, gnash blurted out,

“Holy fuck there’s a lot of people...hi everybody!”

It’s in this moment that I recognized why he's sold out the venue; despite his millions of streams and endless accolades, he felt like one of your friends. Missing was the standard barrier between a successful musician and his fans. That’s precisely what has cultivated the unique energy flowing throughout the room.

Riding the high of his positivity, gnash continued to impress as he gushed about the nation’s capital. An L.A. native himself, gnash explained he needed to FaceTime someone before the next song to ensure the night was memorable. 

gnash FaceTiming with Imad Royal

“I wanted to make this night super special because my good friend and producer Imad Royal is from D.C....so we gotta go hard for him. I swear to god Imad, please pick up...OH, he picked up!”

gnash FaceTiming with Imad Royal

Next up was “super lit”, a collaboration between the two artists, which gnash emphasized was performed exclusively for the D.C. crowd. 

But gnash is far from a one trick pony; the night was not without its calmer, introspective moments. Particularly notable was the second to last song of the set, “the broken hearts club”.

After laughing off the technical difficulties surrounding his acoustic guitar, the artist paused before the final chorus,

“This last time, can we put our arm around somebody near us? Tonight was all about coming together, and you guys did that. We didn’t just come to a concert; we became one tonight by singing together and saying ‘I love you,’ being positive, and being great.”

With his innate ability to touch so many souls with genuine messaging around critical topics, it’s pretty clear that gnash is destined to become a longtime fixture in the music industry. 

Photo Gallery

Photo Gallery

Photo Gallery

Enjoy photos by our photographer Ana Medvedeva. 

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AZTEC SUN performs at the 9:30 Club in Early 2018
Artist News, Concert News

DC’s AZTEC SUN Opens for Galactic at The 9:30 Club

Late last year, Galactic announced they would perform another two-night run at the 9:30 Club on February 15 and 16, 2019.

Although Galactic are legends of funk and based out of New Orleans, they have solid roots in Washington, DC, making this upcoming performance a hometown reunion show of sorts. Guitarist Jeff Raines and bassist Robert Mercurio grew up a stone's throw away from the venue in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Although Raines and Mecurio have since made their homes in New Orleans, we will always be happy to call these masters of funk one of our very own.

Last years performance was a two-night funk-a-polooza in which the second night sold out. Night two featured DC's very own AZTEC SUN. This marked AZTEC SUN's first appearance at the 9:30 Club. Their "funk with soul" sound and energetic stage performance truly won over many new fans who were wowed and curious. Between acts new fans could be heard audibly inquiring, "where is this band playing next? I want to see them again!"

AZTEC SUN enjoying their first appearance at the 9:30 Club

AZTEC SUN clearly enjoying their time at the 9:30 Club in 2018

AZTEC SUN enjoying their first appearance at the 9:30 Club

AZTEC SUN clearly enjoying their time at the 9:30 Club in 2018

Both High & Mighty Brass Band and AZTEC SUN are opening for the upcoming show.

In the year since their last appearance at the 9:30 Club, AZTEC SUN, worked with Alan Evans of Soulive to record their debut full-length album In The Name of Everyone.

With new songs in their catalog, more touring under their belt, and another year of experience, we expect another memorable performance for AZTEC SUN.

DC Music Review has the full confidence that Saturday's show will SELL-OUT a second year in a row. We recommend that you purchase a using the link below before it is too late.

Performance Details

Performance Details

Performance

Details

Friday, February 15, 2019

Doors: 8:00 PM

Show: 9:00 PM

9:30 Club (https://www.930.com/)

815 V Street NW

Washington, DC 20001 (Google Maps Link)

Galactic ft. Erica Falls
High & Mighty Brass Band

$30

 Buy Tickets Now

Saturday, February 16, 2019

Doors: 8:00 PM

Show: 9:00 PM​

Galactic ft. Erica Falls
Aztec Sun

$30

 Buy Tickets Now

Venue Review:  Learn More About the 9:30 Club, parking, food recommendations, and more.

Associated Albums

Associated Albums

 Albums

If you haven't heard AZTEC SUN's latest album be sure to listen below. Be sure to purchase CD's at the 9:30 Club's merchandise stand. AZTEC SUN has some very limited edition vinyl editions, however we are not sure if they will be sold out before the performance.

Enjoy on Spotify

Enjoy on iTunes

Related Articles

Related Articles

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Greensky Bluegrass and Billy Strings at The Anthem 2018
Concert News

Greensky Bluegrass’ Winter Tour Returns for Two Nights at The Anthem with Billy Strings

This isn't your mother's jam band; this ain't yer granddaddy's bluegrass.  It definitely is the best JamGrass you'll get on the East Coast this winter.  Greensky Bluegrass is about to launch their current tour this week in  St Petersburg, Florida, and not even two weeks later will again descend on The Anthem  for two powerful shows.  February 1st and 2nd will mark their return to DC, with opener Billy Strings.  The tour is timed with the release of their new album, All For Money.  Expect to hear a number of the tracks from this album at The Anthem, as only a few of the songs have been previously released as singles. The album features 12 new songs, and was recorded in Asheville, NC at Echo Mountain Sound studio.

Last year, Greensky's DC appearance included a mixed venue schedule with a show at the 9:30 Club and one at The Anthem.  Back by popular demand, and with popularity definitely on the rise, the band will command both shows at the larger capacity, 6500 seat Anthem.   Even though this is the largest venue on the current tour, Greensky Bluegrass will fill the building and raise the roof with their own very personal interpretation of bluegrass music, self described as "mixing the acoustic stomp of a stringband with the rule-breaking spirit of rock & roll". 

Hailing from Kalamazoo, Michigan, Greensky Bluegrass is Paul Hoffman (mandolin, lead vocals), Anders Beck (dobro), Michael Arlen Bont (banjo), Dave Bruzza (guitar), and Mike Devol (upright bass).  Billy Strings is another local favorite who also plays the DC area regularly and a perennial talent at DelFest in Cumberland, Md.  These two bands make a habit of over-delivering in every way, and compliment the pure grass jams and musical talent with a highly tuned visual light show.

Definitely don't be late and miss the opener, Billy Strings.  Also from Michigan, at 26 years old he's one of the hottest pickers and bluegrass performers on the circuit.  When not touring with his band, he's all over the various festivals and sits in on numerous stages, including Greensky's, recently at the Strings & Sol Festival in Puerto Morales Mexico.

Performance Details

Performance Details

Performance

Details

Friday & Saturday

February 1 & 2, 2019

Doors: 6:00 PM

Show: 7:30 PM

The Anthem

(https://www.TheAnthemDC.com)

901 Wharf Street SW

Washington, DC 20024

(Google Maps Link)

$40 - $60

 Buy Fri. Tickets Now
Buy Sat. Tickets Now

Venue Review: Learn more about The Anthem, parking, food recommendation and more.

Related Articles

Related Articles

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The Boys Are Back In Town as Greensky Bluegrass Performs in DC!
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The Disco Biscuits
Concert News

The Disco Biscuits Return to DC for Two Nights This Weekend

Last January, The Disco Biscuits became the first band to offer a unique two-night booking at IMP Venues. The Philadelphia-based jam-band played The Anthem for a Saturday night blowout on the heels of a more intimate show for their biggest fans at 9:30 Club the night before, with tickets for the 9:30 Club show available only to those who purchased a two-night pass to attend both shows. Only a matter of weeks later, rising jam-grass outfit, Greensky Bluegrass, followed suit and an exciting tradition was born. For bands that are perhaps too niche for a two-night booking at the Anthem, this provided an incredible opportunity for fans to have unique experiences each night, with the 9:30 Club performance providing a sort of "family affair" vibe, while the Anthem offered a larger-than-life party.

The Disco Biscuits at The Anthem in 2018

The Disco Biscuits at The Anthem in 2018

On the first night of last year's run, bassist Marc Brownstein remarked, "Our favorite thing about these two night shows is that we know everybody here tonight is gonna be with us tomorrow night. We love that." Clearly, the band felt, just as the fans did, that this two-night format made both shows feel special in their own ways, encouraging fans to buy the two-night pass and make a weekend out of the affair.

This weekend, the Disco Biscuits return to DC for a second installment of this two-night party, but the venues have changed a bit this time around. On Friday, the band will make its debut at the Lincoln Theater, a new and unusual setting for the intense laser show that accompanies the band's EDM-infused explorations, before returning for their second performance at the Anthem on Saturday night. Tickets are available for both nights and can be purchased using the links below. ​

In the days leading up to this exciting two-night run, you can relive the magic from last year's Disco Biscuits shows at 9:30 Club and the Anthem by checking out our recap post and photos by Josh Brick of Josh Brick Graphics.

Performance Details

Performance Details

Performance

Details

Friday, January 25, 2019

Doors: 7:30 PM

Show: 9:00 PM

Lincoln Theatre

(https://www.thelincolndc.com)

1215 U Street NW

Washington, DC 20009 

Google Maps Link

$80 
(Total for GA ticket to both shows)

 Buy Tickets Now

Performance Details

Performance

Details

Saturday, January 26, 2019

Doors: 6:00 PM

Show: 7:30 PM​

The Anthem

(https://www.TheAnthemDC.com)

901 Wharf Street SW

Washington, DC 20024

(Google Maps Link)

$40 – 95

 Buy Tickets Now

Venue Review: Learn more about The Anthem, parking, food recommendation and more.

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