Feb
06
Last week, DC’s own The breakUps held a CD release party at The Black Cat. Maybe that was a little odd, considering that Illness at Ease came out in 2009, but who cares? Their soulful and rollicking fusion of Hammond-organ-punctuated R&B and punk is straight out of the coolest clubs of four decades ago. They can wait a while to bill a show as a CD release party if they want to. My review of this insanely enjoyable album follows after the jump. (more…)
Jan
23
One of the best shows in the area this week will be The BreakUps‘ CD release party at The Black Cat’s intimate Backstage on Thursday. Both live and on disc you can expect to hear great familiar old garage grooves in infectious new combinations. In their own right, The Scotch Bonnets are an intriguing addition to our local scene that should complement The Breakups nicely as the opener. For only $8, this will be a fun night at a bargain rate.
Jan
14
On Monday, January 12, Thee Lexington Arrows came down from Baltimore to open for DC’s the breakUps in the Black Cat’s Backstage. Much like a theater’s downstage, the Backstage is a small room but a great little venue for acts that might not draw a large enough following to fill the main room on a given night, but who do deserve a booking in a club like the Black Cat. On this night, a few dozen fans of raw rock got two sets of blistering songs, each checking in under three minutes long, per the standards of garage/punk.
Thee Lexington Arrows started off the night with their infectious, paint-peeling brand of rock. They claim Dick Dale as an influence, and it is easy to hear in Alex’s guitar, but Matt brings the surf rock with his stop-time rhythm on the skins too. Live, they play harder and faster than they do in studio, and they sound even more impressive with a big muddled sound than they do with a clean studio production. (more…)
