ARCHIVE of District of Cacophony

April 5, 2007 | PREVIEWS

Things to do in DC when you’re dead (April shows part 1)

April is full of good shows that I don’t have time to go see (see: last night, when I was just too tired to go see Xiu Xiu). This is kind of a good thing, ‘cuz it means that even if I just go to a third of the shows I’d like to, it will still mean a lot of rocking.

Tonight I am debating whether to go out at all, but might be up for the Black Angels at the RnR Hotel. I’ve only heard a few songs by them, and haven’t listened lately, but I think they are good from what I remember. Fun psychedelic rock. Alternatively, closer to home, VAZ are playing at the Velvet Lounge — brutal noise rock, I believe. Actually I am kind of leaning towards going to see VAZ, they are playing with other noisy metal-type bands.

Saturday night I may not be here (probably be in New York for my friend’s 30th birthday. Plus it’s Easter…) but if I am still in DC, working on my final paper, I’ll sadly skip Dirty on Purpose at the Rock and Roll Hotel in favor of seeing the great local bill of Benjy Ferree, the Cassettes, and the Aquarium at the Black Cat. I’ve seen the Cassettes before, a long time ago, and have always found Shelby Cinca’s bands to be likable. The Aquarium are pretty rocking from the mp3s I’ve tracked down, and everybody has been praising Benjy Ferree so much that I ought to check him out.

Next week there is still too much rock… Monday Erase Errata (experimental stuff) at RnR Hotel… Tuesday Trans Am (enigmatic post-rock and synth-rock) at Black Cat… and on Friday, the perfect band to see on Friday the 13th, the one and only MADE OUT OF BABIES (angry spastic rock) opening for Don Caballero (a good band who play instrumental rock). I’m pretty siked for Made Out of Babies, I listened to them a lot this past winter.

Geesh there is so much more too… Check out the calendar to the top right. I’ll send out more info on those bands later. Also I might try to get tickets to Trans Am in advance, I think it might sell out, they are an interesting band and don’t perform very often.