DRAGONETTE is Coming!

As many of you know, I adore Dragonette. They are what Pop Music should be: well written, pop-sensitive, and completely carefree. When they were listed to open for Little Boots I nearly died... and then I really did die when the show was cancelled.

BUT NOW, thanks to the powers that be, and some good juju, they are coming anyway (but this time by themselves at DC9 instead of 9:30 club)!

Get Your Tix HERE

If you don't have their latest album, Fixin' to Thrill, definitely pick it up. It tied as my favorite Pop album of 2009 with La Roux's S/T debut.

For fans of Ladyhawke, Lykke Li, La Roux, Little Boots, Lady Gaga.... and other acts that start with "L."

la riots @ ultrabar tonight!

LA Riots, whom I consider the apex of remix artists, are going to be at Ultrabar tonight! I am going to be there, along with a few other folks, in what is sure to be a great set by a fantastic DJ duo. These guys, when I saw them in NYC last year, made me dance like an epileptic hooker on laced weed. It was delicious.

Check out their music on their MySpace (yeah it sorta still exists), including the tracks I like to play often:

LA Riots @ ultrabar 7/23

LA RIOTS (dj set)

ULTRABAR

Metro: Gallery Place/Chinatown - Red/yellow/Green Lines (exit towards
Galleries 9th Street) Metro Center - Red/Blue/Orange Lines (exit

towards SW 12th & F Street)

THR. JULY 23 10:00 doors

21+

So, as hinted in the previous entry, LA Riots are coming to spin at ULTRABAR here in the glorious District of Chodea.  It is very exciting.  They were the best act that I have ever seen, as far as DJ's go, and I encourage everyone to see them when they're here.  Go, goddamnit!

the Majr - dj gig tonight @ dupont hotel

Tonight I (the Majr) will be playing at Homo Hotel Happy Hour (4H), a GLBT-based non-profit fund-raising organization that shifts venues every month. This month's edition is at the newly renovated Dupont Hotel (formerly Jury's). My set will run from 7:15-9:00 p.m., with an opener from DJ Tommy Cornelis. It should be a hoot.

SHIFT identifies itself with all orientations, genders, blah blah etc., so it is a blast to help out a community organization of any kind. Even if the sound is not quite loud enough to rock out to your optimum, we hope you come out and enjoy hearing some great tunes and helping out a great cause.

This month's "4H" event supports Whitman-Walker Clinic’s Gay Men's Peer Counseling program. As Whitman-Walker is the leading clinic in the metropolitan area for AIDS research and treatment, and D.C. having the highest percentage of HIV-infected residents... this is a big deal. So, if nothing else, come support something real... ok, that's enough of that. I swear I won't start yapping about feline AIDS being the leading killer of domestic tabbies or my fertility issues next.

Come visit, say hi, and keep dinkin' and drancin'.
-the Majr

phoenix on the fly

~*NEWSFLASH*~

Phoenix, one of the most influential dance-rock bands since their 1996 formation, is coming to the humble, yet stellar, venue of Rock & Roll Hotel. Announced today, the french quartet (Thomas Mars, Deck D'Arcy, Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Brancowitz) are playing Sunday June 21, and have lined up special guest Amazing Baby, of Brooklyn.

Phoenix first got my attention when their song Too Young was used in a party scene in 2003's fabulous film Lost in Translation. Since then, I have become an admirer of their ability to infuse clear, intelligent lyrics with danceable, electro-infused rock. Two weeks ago, on Saturday Night Live, they performed two excellent songs (that I have played at SHIFT) from their teaser EP, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. If Lisztomania and 1901 are any clue, their upcoming full-length (of the same title) is going to be brilliant.

Tickets go on sale Friday April 17, that is THIS FRIDAY, at 10:00 a.m.

The LP of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix drops (U.S.) May 26, 2009. Get it, and check out their website(free download of 1901 on there). These boys have come a long way from being the backing band for AIR, so let's strap one on and dance our faces off.

Hoo-effin'-ray!
-the Majr

spring show-tacular '09 (april)

Wednesday April 1 - The Presets - 9:30 Club
Easily the best two piece I have ever seen returns to 9:30 club, but for the first time as a headliner. I have seen The Presets thrice, and they always put on an amazing show. Once almost three years ago at Rock-N-Roll Hotel, again when they nearly upstaged The Rapture in 2007, and again when opening for (and destroying) Cut Copy last year. This Australian band is the epitome of danceable electro, and they not only know how to put on a good show, but they repeatedly deliver. I love them so much that I am going to NYC to see them at Webster Hall, as I have a DJ set at Duplex Diner that conflicts. GO SEE THEM! They are brilliant.

Saturday April 4 - Mates of State - 9:30 Club
Though I will not be able to see Mates of State, I am so glad that they still are making beautifully melodic music. Their latest, Rearrange Us, was one of the best albums of 2009, and they picked a decent opener, in Black Kids. I look forward to seeing them soon, and really hope they are able to spread their great sound to as many cities as possible.

Wednesday April 8 - Death Cab for Cutie / Ra Ra Riot - D.A.R.
I do not like D.A.R. Constitution Hall, at all. I think it is awful, and I refuse to see anything else musical there after seeing Death Cab there two Decembers ago. It is an awful space. That being said, Death Cab for Cutie is the kind of band that revels no matter where they play, and they picked up one of my favorite new bands, Ra Ra Riot as an opener. I, instead of gracing the awful steps of D.A.R., will see Ra Ra Riot on Saturday in their own headlining show at Webster Hall, in NYC. If you do not have it, please go get their debut LP, The Rhumb Line.

Tuesday April 14 - The Faint / Ladytron - 9:30 Club
The Faint are the second best live act I have ever seen. They repeatedly deliver. Only Radiohead has put on a better performance, in my eyes, and I would tell anyone to go see them. Ladytron is okay live, with most songs borderline underwhelming, while others are wonderfully polished (see: Soft Power). The concert will be much more of a contrast than people expect, with Ladytron often low-key live. Still, this is the best one-two punch on the road right now. Try not to cut yourself.

Friday April 17 - Lily Allen / Natalie Portman's Shaved Head - 9:30 Club
Lily Allen is a wonderfully mouthy Brit, with a lovely sense of propriety. Bless her heart. She picked up Natalie Portman's Shaved Head as an opener for her tour, a band that put out one of my favorite songs of the last year, Me + Yr Daughter. This show sold out faster than Lady Gaga ditched DC. My favorite moment, if I was actually able to see this show, would have to be screaming the lyrics to F**k You, by Lily Allen. It brings warmth to my soul.

spring show-tacular '09 (march)

The Spring Concert Series commences this Friday and lasts until the end of May. It is all extremely exciting, with 11 shows of glorious proportions. Today, let us just preview the end-of-March shows.

Friday March 20 - The Ting Tings - 9:30 Club
This Friday, The Ting Tings will once again embrace D.C. with their 2-piece prowess. Though they have very few songs to play, with one LP of 10 tracks, they are sure to put on a fun show. I especially look forward to hearing Fruit Machine and Great DJ live. That's Not My Name happens to be my favorite track, but it is definitely wearing out its welcome on the club speakers (and I am guilty of loving the L.A. Riots remix). This show should have a fun, mixed crowd, and the energy should be just enough to translate into a fun after-evening, especially being Friday. A totally valid kickoff to the insanity that will be make me Spring Concert Cunt '09.

Sunday March 22 - Bloc Party - 9:30 Club
On Sunday, Bloc Party will grace the stage of 9:30 with its brand of sonic-laden dance-punk, and its rabble of a following. Bloc Party, not especially known for a great show, is still highly anticipated by yours truly, as I have yet to experience them live. I especially look forward to hearing new tracks like Ion Square, Your Visits Are Getting Shorter and Ares. The old favorites, like Banquet, Like Eating Glass, and Helicopter are sure to get me pushing people around, no matter how good or bad the live translation. Finally, something that does not suck on a Sunday. Take that Jesus.

Monday March 23 - Cut Copy - 9:30 Club They are a decent band that returns again (3rd time in about a year), so I am not attending. I am sure they will sound great, and the teens will hop about to them. But, this ex-teen will be saving his energy for what looks to be an insane schedule. Let your lights and music shine, Aussies.

Tuesday March 24 - Britney Spears - Verizon Center
Say what you may, but I look forward to seeing how much of a spectacle this show will be. I accidentally double booked (read below) myself, and must see this show, as it was a gift. So, I am sending Lt. Lush to see and review the Friendly Fires/White Lies show at Black Cat. Madame Spears is sure to create a fun time, and I look forward to her vocoder and pasties. Another boost is that the opening Pussycat Dolls, whose front lady can actually sing, are supposed to put on a good show. I look forward to hearing the former's Do Something, Breathe on Me, and the latter's When I Grow Up. America: where dreams come true, no matter how much your pussy is hanging out.

Tuesday March 24 - Friendly Fires/White Lies - Black Cat
Friendly Fires is a great new band with some stellar tunes, including Paris and On Board. White Lies is the most hyped pre-LP band since Hot Hot Heat of '02. The latter delivered in a good way with Make Up the Breakdown. Let us see if White Lies can do the same. Their first hit, Death, is especially good. I impore anyone to listen to that track, as well as its Crystal Castles remix. I am sure Lt. Lush will have a lot to say about these bands when he returns from the show. Now, I just have to get rid of my ticket and cry a little... and then go get drunk enough to scream like I have a training bra, at the Verizon Center. Hooray!

Here's to reviewing and experiencing the best acts in the world... I hope. Next, for April, we have Lady Gaga, The Presets, Mates of State, Ra Ra Riot, Ladytron and The Faint. All very exciting.

The show schedule is to the right ---->

-the Majr

fischerspooner emerges

Fischerspooner, an band that epitomizes everything I love in music, art, and expression, has announced a new album out (May 5), called Entertainment. They are touring as well, including a date at our beloved 9:30 club on May 10. They are also playing two dates in NYC, one at the Music Hall of Williamsburg May 7, and Webster Hall May 8. I cannot convey how excited I am about this in this blurb, but I can implore you to PLEASE go see them. Tickets are on sale this weekend.

According to their website, "Fischerspooner is an art pop performance project created and helmed by Warren Fischer and Casey Spooner that makes music, dance, fashion, film and photography. Their work fuses fine art and pop culture, as in their renowned outsider pop shows bursting with stage effects presented in both art galleries and traditional concert halls. Their full-length albums of music include 1, a punked-up digital party record trussed with conceptual lyrics; and Odyssey, a rich emotional fantasia with a deep, expansive sound. Fischerspooner’s third album Entertainment, a sophisticated pop epic bubbling with hooks, releases in May, 2009."

"In conjunction with each album, FISCHERSPOONER develops a dynamic performance that theatrically realizes and furthers their creative concepts and ideas. Legend amongst outsider teenagers and sophisticated arts elite alike, the shows are renowned for their rich mix of art, dance, music and fashion. Hairy monsters, feathered chorus girls spitting blood, raucous new versions of their underground hits, and storms of glitter - a FISCHERSPOONER show is a phantasmagoric experience that is all the way live." - MySpace

If you are unfamiliar with Fischerspooner, and want to check them out, I definitely recommend listening to the following tracks: "A Kick in the Teeth", "Emerge", "Just Let Go", "Danse en France", "The Best Revenge" and "Never Win."

Do it.
-the Majr

return of the kings

Depeche Mode has returned! And, they are touring their arses off this spring and summer in support of their new album, Sounds of the Universe, to be released on April 21 in the US. This (sure to be brilliant) tour includes a stop at local Nissan Pavilion, in Bristow, Virginia (TUE. 7/28). Always one to embrace a bit of strife, DM's international tour begins in Tel Aviv, Israel on May 10th, and ends September 5th in Sunrise, Florida.

Depeche Mode is also the first to sign onto the new iTunes venture called "iTunes Pass," its first foray into anything remotely close to subscription music. In this, fans can periodically snag extra tracks, remixes, and any extra goodies the label or artist decides to make available for an all-inclusive fee for that particular artist. For Depeche Mode, this is perfect for the hordes of hardcore fans (like Lt. Lush), and those who would sell their first born to have front row tickets (*ahem*).

Check out DM's new single, "Wrong," on Myspace Music.

In other formidable news, one of my favorite bands, The Helio Sequence, has been signed to open up for Keane on their approaching tour. This includes a stop at the dreadful (but tolerable for this performance) D.A.R. Constitution Hall, here in the District (TUE. 5/19). Do not miss this fantastic 2-piece band whose latest LP, Keep Your Eyes Ahead, was one of the best albums I have heard in years.

Stay up to date with tour dates of non-suck bands/acts, as well as great dance nights, and general magnificent goings-on, with our "Events that Matter" tab to the right--->
-the Majr

Ticketmaster/Live Nation - news

Today in less than an hour, the world of concerts and ticketing will hold its breath, as the U.S. Department of Justice antitrust division begins its initial hearing in the scheduled merger of Ticketmaster and ClearChannel's Live Nation. Upon further cognition, the consequences of such a powerful combination could be either very bad or very good for the consumer.

On that note, having such control over shows, they could raise their already large (and somewhat arbitrary) "convenience" fees, which would be an economic blow for the common concert attendee. The positive aspect of such a merger is the convergence of big-money technology that will help getting tickets and attending shows easier than ever (which is overly optimistic in nature).

The subcommittee on antitrust, competition policy and consumer rights, chaired by Herb Kohl, D-Wis., will meet at 2:30 p.m. EST in Dirksen Senate Office Room 226. “The Ticketmaster/Live Nation Merger: What Does it Mean for Consumers and the Future of the Concert Business?” will be the label of the hearing, and will hopefully put into spotlight the often borderline-abusive fees and charges, as well as big corporation competition intimidation for which both of these companies are known.

According to Pollstar.com, "It could be a lively session, considering the subcommitte’s membership includes Sen. Chuck Schumer, who has called for an investigation into Ticketmaster’s handling of the recent Bruce Springsteen ticket onsale, and Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, who has recorded music in his own right and has been an outspoken critic of music piracy."

Among the first witnesses scheduled today are Ticketmaster's Irving Azoff, Live Nation's Michael Rapino and Jam Productions’ Jerry Mickelsen. The hope, on this end, is that the DOJ takes the most balanced position between consumer interest and economic consequence. Witnesses listed on the committee’s Web site are Azoff, Rapino, Mickelson and David A. Balto, a senior fellow with the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C.

What do you think?
-the Majr

faintron '09

File under f'awesome news.

The Faint and Ladytron, two of the most popular electo-based bands of the the last 10 years, have decided to co-headline a tour this Spring. This is resplendent news for anyone who has seen The Faint live (amazing), loves the dark ambience of Ladytron's stage presence, or is simply looking for a quality show where you do not want to drink yourself into Betty Ford waiting for the cacophony of the opening band to cease.

Though each of their most recent full-length albums have been a bit of a let down, the positive note is that nearly a year has passed since. In this, we know that the initial push to play new material is over, and older material will be joyfully resurrected! I cannot bash either of the bands' latest LPs too much, but it barely takes half a listen to either Danse Macabre (The Faint) or Witching Hour (Ladytron), to feel the quality dichotomy.

So, for all you big fans, they are coming to 9:30 Club April 14th. Get your tickets here.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, below is a fun playlist for your listening pleasure.

Music Playlist at MixPod.com