The Scene

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

Every year thousands of people come to Washington, DC to see fireworks on the National Mall for Independence Day. While DC may not be Philadelphia (where the Declaration of Independence was written) or Yorktown, VA (where the Revolutionary War was won), the Nation’s Capitol is one of the best destinations to celebrate the summer’s biggest holiday. There is a lot of music playing throughout the region all weekend long (by the way it’s great when the 4th falls on a Saturday), so make sure you check-out the schedule after the jump. (more…)

This Saturday, head out to the Alexandria Recreation Center to catch some great live music . . . for FREE! This year’s Del Ray Music Festival should be a great time to take the whole family out and enjoy an eclectic mix of music. I’m not entirely sure where the festival gets its name, but if you do, please share it in the comments section. The music will be rockin’ from 10am-10pm. Grab your sunscreen and make your way to Alexandria. Full line up with times after the jump. (more…)

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has been filing lawsuits against “pirates” (aka music file-sharers) since 2003, but few people have tried to fight them. They sue users for an absurd amount of money for each song that they upload and these people usually have uploaded songs in the 1000s. In fact no case has gone to trial . . . until now. A jury of your “peers” found Jammie Thomas-Rasset guilty of willfully violating copyright law – cost: $1.92 million! You read that right, $1,920,000 or $80,000 per song and they convicted her of sharing 24 songs. (more…)

Free concerts at Fort Reno Park, near the American University campus, have been a staple of muggy DC summers for more than three decades.  Beginning next week, there will be a show each Monday and Thursday evening through the end of July at 7:15.  Fort Reno Park is near the AU-Tenleytown Metro.  Fort Reno shows are still embued with the spirit of the DC straight-edge punk scene, though a variety of local bands will play.  Dogs and kids are welcome; drugs and booze are not. Crowds can be large, with a wide range of ages represented, though most who come are teenagers who are very lucky to grow up in DC.

The full schedule has been anounced, with a few “TBA” slots.  Expect more news, and at least one or two show reviews, in the coming weeks.  More after the jump.  (more…)

By now I’m sure that everyone is aware of GoRemy’s “Arlington: The Rap“. The Washington Post had an article on Remy and an interview with him to get into his brain. While I would never take him anywhere near half-seriously as an MC, he does have potential  as a satirist. We all know the pitfalls of living in one of the wealthiest places in the US and people can appreciate Remy both for his local roots (you recognize the landmarks) and the irony of living in that society. I’m not sure if he’s doing live shows, but if he is they would definitely be interesting to see. Please let us know in the comment section if he’s got some shows coming up, especially if they are in Arlington.

When I first moved to northern Virginia, I assumed (wrongly) that Jammin’ Java was a reggae venue. However, this Wednesday (the 17th) Jammin’ Java will have some great music with a reggae legend. Pato Banton is bringing his peace inspired lyrics and great spirits to Vienna, VA. The show starts at 8:00pm with local reggae favorites The I-Ternals. There’s no better way to celebrate “Hump Day” than with an uplifting show. Buy tickets here.

The recording industry is infamous for signing bands and artists into bad contracts that do not lead to greater things for the artists. Usually, the record labels explain the lack of success for their artists by claiming that the market couldn’t bear their music. It is rarely mentioned that this problem stems from the label investing more money in certain artists than others. The determination about which artist to invest in is frequently “from the gut” and has nothing to do with data, but rather with the feeling that certain executives have about particular bands. None of this even begins to discuss when bands are signed to eliminate competition.

When most people think of record contracts and “getting signed”, they think of big name artists making millions of dollars, but a typical record contract creates exploitation similar to that of a share-cropper. (more…)

After getting out of a bad record contract (more on the point of bad record contracts another time), Politicks is happy to be realeasing its new album this weekend. Politicks will be performing with The Influence and Atom Strange at Iota Club on Friday, June 12th starting at 9:00pm. Tickets are $10 at the door for those 21+. The album, Paint It in Color, will be sold for $10 at the show, so go and get your copy. The album was mainly produced by the band and has given them the freedom to harness their original blend of Rock and Funk.

After hearing Chrisette Michele for the first time on The Roots‘ Rising Down , I thought that Michele was a new type of singer that would change the sound of music. Her track on that album, “Rising Up,” has one of the most original beats (of course thanks mainly to ?uestlove of The Roots) and a bit of a political edge to it. When I found out that Chrisette Michele’s sophomore album, Epiphany, debuted at the number 1 spot on Billboard, I went out and bought the album to see what exactly this talented artist had in store.

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There are two festivals this weekend in the DC Area: Celebrate Fairfax and Capital Jazz Festival. Now, I’m not sure why Fairfax is worth celebrating, but this festival ends up being a good time every year. This year not only is the most populous county in VA bringing Blues Traveler to town, but their also bring in Tone Loc, Naughty by Nature and Sugar Hill Gang for some old school hip-hop jams. Across the river in MD, the Capital Jazz Festival should be good fun for all even if you aren’t a big jazz fan. Also, don’t forget about the Louisiana Swamp Romp on Sunday at Wolf Trap.