The Scene

MusicDetour.com’s commentary on music, performances, and the DC metro area music scene

Self-publishing an album can be one of the most difficult and most rewarding processes that an independent artist can experience. Jah-I-Witness has successfully completed his second self-published album with “The Struggle, The Love, the Glory” (The S.L.G.) and this is one you definitely gotta check-out. This album is a big departure from his first album, “Stranger”, which was a cutting edge eclectic/artistic mix of sounds that focused on rockin’. From the first cut of the album, The S.L.G.’s strength is in its lyrics and its dope production. Jah-I’s always been known as a nice MC, but with this album he demonstrated that he’s also a hot producer. (more…)

While we are stuck in the middle of winter with snow and ice storms (and the President mocking our laughable ability to deal with winter weather), there is light at the end of tunnel. I revel in watching music outdoors and The Merriweather Post Pavillion has just announced its first show of the year. If you’re a fan of pop-punk, mark your calendars for April 25th when Fall Out Boy, Cobra Starship, All Time Low and Hey Monday will help open-up Merriweather for the season. The gates open at 5:00pm, so arrive early and tailgate (does MPP allow tailgating?). Tickets go onsale January 31st at 10am. (more…)

For years, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has been suing people for sharing files. One of the main problems is that the RIAA has never been remotely transparent about who they are suing. Now I’m no legal scholar, but it occurred to me two years ago that this seems to violate the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Unfortunately, the RIAA’s tactics for suing file-sharers have been so egregious that no one has had the financial power to fight their lawsuits. They sue for as much as thousands of dollars per song with total lawsuits in the frequently in the millions. If the plaintiff wants to fight the lawsuit, the RIAA’s lawyers make it clear that it is going to cost more to fight than they have in assets. Then, plaintiffs are usually given the option to settle for the amount of their total life savings. This is certainly a criminal action by the RIAA, but no one has had the courage to fight back until now. Enter Joel Tenenbaum. (more…)

One of the dopest hip-hop acts on the screne is coming to Washington, DC in February. Mos Def is playing at the 9:30 Club on Monday, February 23rd. If you want to go, I’d get tickets now because 9:30 Club has been selling out a lot of shows lately. Speaking of sold-out shows, Thievery Corporation sold-out 5 consecutive shows there this week. During the Inauguration there were also quite a few sold-out shows there including The Beastie Boys, Sheryl Crow, and Talib Kweli. Just trying to see that if you want tickets to see Mos Def, get them while they’re there.

On February 7, eight excellent punk and ska bands from the greater DC and Baltimore area will get together for the second annual The Clash tribute night at the Sidebar Tavern on Lexington St. in Baltimore.  It is obvious that the Clash have been a tremendous influence on musicians and fans for three decades and counting.  The politics underlying their lyrics and musical compositions are more relevant now than ever.

So it is refreshing that these bands will put aside their own setlists for a night to pay direct homage to Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, and their influences.  Cover is only $7, so get thee to Charm City, rockers! For a list of bands playing, check-out after the jump. (more…)

Deleted Scenes has been on tour around the country for the month of January. To end their tour they are playing a show at The Metro Gallery in Baltimore, MD on Saturday, January 24th. Being on the road can make bands tired, but nothing re-energizes a group like ending that tour back home (or at least close to it). The show starts at 8:30pm, doors open at 8:00pm. Also playing are Lush Farm and Vinny Vegas.

On Friday night, if you have any partying left in you after staying out until 4am at the DC bars for the Inauguration, then you might want to check out the 9:30 Club. Lionize will be playing to promote their new album “Space Pope and the Glass Machine“. I caught them two weeks ago opening up for the Pietasters, these guys are for real. Their solid grooves are punctuated by a conscious dispostion – I definitely preferred their show over the Pie Tasters (I really don’t get the punk “skanking” which is nothing like real reggae skanking). Anyway if you prefer punk-ska, there’s going to be some of that at 9:30 Club Friday with The Players Band. Doors 8pm, Can’t Hang 9pm, The Players Band 9:45pm and Lionize starts around 11pm. Tickets here. (more…)

With the Inauguration behind us, I would like to take some time to explain MusicDetour.com as a whole. Right now, what the site is clearly most useful for is a calendar/list of concerts. If you are looking for a specific show at a particular venue or by a specific artist, look through the sitemap. All of the artists and venues that we have listed in the Musicdetour database are listed in the sitemeap. The focus of the site is currently on the greater Washington, DC metropolatin, but we hope to expand soon. Readers of the site will have the ability to add venues, artists and concerts in the near future; this will give you the opportunity to list concerts by your favorite band or at your favorite venue near you (if you’re interested in helping now, email dave@musicdetour.com). (more…)

INAUGURATION DAY SHOWS, BALLS AND MORE!!!! Yes, the day that everyone’s been waiting for has tons of music. Whether its Aretha Franklin belting it out at the Swearing-in Ceremony or people gettin’ funky at the Balls, there’s music . . . Where are you going to go? Well if you don’t know, we have all the Inauguration shows that we know of (or that the public can get into) listed after the jump. (more…)

The Inaugural Kick-Off concert, “We Are,” was definitely a success and traffic was definitely a mess. HBO is playing two encore performances of the concert on HBO.com and on the TV at 1pm and 9pm Monday, January 19th. From what I heard last night, the show was incredible. It sounds like the crowd estimate was somewhere around 400,000 . . . that is huge. If you were able to attend the concert and would like to share your story, leave a note in the comment section or email me, dave@musicdetour.com. I’d be more than happy to post pictures or have you write a guest blog-post about the event. The same is true about any of the big inaugural performances, your experiences would be great to hear.