 |
a new FREE "scene zine" covering DC's film culture. FilmScene DC. Try it for FREE!
 EDITOR'S NOTE:
Well, here’s the new look! Sound clips, photos, plus all the news you've come to expect from Performance Update. Sorry about this issue being late, but we're back and badder than ever. Okay, I confess, most of the artists in this issue are ones I have written about often. It took a long time to do the programming and I'm late, but I make a solemn vow to cover a much wider range of acts in future issues, so stay tuned. Tracking down all the needed links for the new format will be an on-going process, and will get easier as I create an extensive database of local acts -- so bands: be sure to email me your web site addresses and/or where to find your sound clips and also let me know if you are not already a subscriber and want to get on the list (it's free). Dig. On with the multimedia show... IN THIS ISSUE: NEWS Digital City Maps the Local Scene Citizen Cope Fans Create a Virtual Home SHOWS YOU WOULD HATE TO MISS 24FPS PHASER w/ MIKRONYTES BILLY ANNE CREWS, DOUG STEVENSON and LEE WILHOIT SWING SPEAK SAMPSON w/ GEPPETTO ADAM WEST w/ THE CRUMBS, 555 and POSEUR BILL CRAVIN DOGS w/ LAST TRAIN HOME STICK 'EM UP NEWS FOR MUSICIANS Can Your Fans Ask You a Question? Band skinny from 'The DC Skinny' Message Board Own the deck that Basehead and Emmett Used Fender Squire P-Bass for Sale HUMAN POP CLOCK |
|
Digital City Maps
the Local Scene Local info is a big focus for web sites these days, from Yahoo's DC section to Washington.Sidewalk.com and the Washington Post's Style live. Digital city is one that I recently discovered, with lots of content including plenty of articles covering local music. They've hired local DJ Leslie White to cover the scene and I counted 29 full length articles on local artists. Her page is called "Hometown Groove". You have to scroll down the page to find the articles, past Leslie's bio and a reader survey, and then past a towering column of innane comments from the site's readers. The articles are great. Leslie interviews the artists and writes magazine style. There's a link to the artist's web site where available, too. Artists like Poole, Tuscadero, Dead Girls and Other Stories, Tom Principato, smartbomb, The Kennedys and lots more local names are covered. New articles are added weekly. It's worth a look. Musicians are encouraged to send promo-packs and CD for consideration, and the address is right below Leslie's Bio.  Check out Digital City's DC site and their local music page.
Citizen Cope Fans Create a Virtual Home Serious Cope fans Dave Hill and Art Parnell have created a web tribute to one of DC's most creative artists. Clarence Greenwood, aka Citizen Cope, spun records for DC legend Basehead, and has gone on to create a solo career crafting deep, soulful, bluesy songs anchored to a hip hop groove. He's one of those artists that, when playing solo acoustic, brings the room to a hush. When he plays with his bands, the groove is unstoppable. This Web site, called Cope-Land, follows Clarence's career with a complete discography covering the Basehead years, Citizen Cope's one release and even his work on the Lazy K CD called "Life in One Day,", which stands as one of my favorite records of all time. Cope-Land is at http://members.xoom.com/BLOWFLY/
It's cheaper than you think to reach
thousands of DC music lovers. Click for info! |
|
Friday, February 26
24FPS at Metro Cafe (1522 14th St. NW, 202-518-7900). Do you see the acoustic instruments? Do you understand that this band takes those strings (and drum skins), stretched over wood, to the limits of sonic dynamic and human expression. If you've seen 24fps play, then you do. Otherwise, you owe it to yourself to see one of DC's best bands of all time winding and wending their brand of alternative depth and groove -- before some major label gets wise and whisks these cats off to the land of stardom where they belong. |
24fps
|
|
Sunday, February 28
PHASER w/ MIKRONYTES at Galaxy Hut (2711 Wilson Blvd Arlington, VA 22201, 703-525-8646). Phaser is one of those bands that are easy to envision on a huge stage -- not because it's a big band, there's just the four of them up there, but because their sound is big. Dynamic peaks and swells and grand Beatelsy chords and melodies combine with the Skalsky brothers trading lead vocals to create a sound that competes with the name-acts any day. Put this in the cozy, artsy Galaxy Hut environment and you're in for a treat because the band has a kind of modesty and warmth that translates anywhere. The miKroNytes feature Derek Morton, in case you know who he is. I'm ignorant on this one and a web search turned up nothing, so if you know about this band, feel free to fill me in. |
Phaser 
|
|
Monday, March 1
BILLY ANNE CREWS, DOUG STEVENSON and LEE WILHOIT at PAUL WARREN'S DC SONGWRITERS SHOWCASE at The Rhino Bar (3295 M St. NW, 202-333-3150), 8:30pm. It's part two of Chattanooga night at Rhino Bar -- Billy Anne and Lee are both from Chattanooga, TN, and discovered at the last show that they went to brother/sister schools. Their styles have a little less in common. Lee plays his own, clever brand of Southern rock and Billy Ann is more in the alt-rock vein. They're both great songwriters and do really well in this unplugged, acoustic format where you can hear what they're singing. Doug Stevenson is not from Chattanooga, but plays a rootsy rock sound that would fly in any bar-room on the skirts of Lookout Mountain. Billy Anne now co-hosts the show with Paul Warren. Paul will perform, as usual, his melodic, winding and emotion steeped songs. This showcase happens every Monday night and has a variety of great guests. It's worth making your regular Monday night hang. |
Lee Wilhoit 
|
|
Thursday, March 4
SWING SPEAK at Butler's in the Grande Hyatt (1000 H St. NW, 202-582-1234 ext. 4765), 8:00pm-12:00am, free. Jamie Glover's Professional Musicians Network is kicking off what he calls "downtown's only Swing Jazz Club." Jamie works hard promoting great swing and jazz shows around town. Here's what this one is -- it's a great swing jazz band playing in the cigar bar at a nice hotel. Sound like your speed? Then don't miss this one. Not your style? Well that's what I'm here for. Extras: dancing, 65 leather seats to lounge in, cigar giveaways and discounts, $4 sky martinis and $2.50 Becks beer. |
SWING SPEAK 
Photo: Carmen Campagnoli
 Sound clip courtesy of RightOnRhythm.com
|
|
Friday, March 5
SAMPSON w/ GEPPETTO at Metro Cafe (1522 14th St. NW, 202-518-7900). Catch 'em now -- lead singer Paul Weil is going snow boarding later in the month and I'm betting we won't see another Sampson gig 'til April. These guys take funk and jazz, rock and a touch of ska and blend it into one of DC's best live shows. They're young and energetic, but skilled, keeping a grip on the sound so you can let loose in the grooves. Geppetto is listed as funk/jazz/rock, so get there early for a long night of funky-ass jams. Anyone know where I can find a web site for Geppetto? |
Sampson 
|
|
Friday, March 5
ADAM WEST w/ THE CRUMBS, 555 and POSEUR BILL at Velvet Lounge (915 U St NW, 202-518-8944). Okay, I'm not going to mince words here. Adam West kicks ass. They play fast, guitar-driven, dead-on-target hard rock. The Crumbs hail from Virginia Beach and stay true to their punk roots -- Ramones style. 555 and Poseur Bill I haven't seen and can't find on the web. More on them when I know more. |
ADAM WEST 
The Crumbs 
|
|
Saturday, March 6
CRAVIN DOGS w/ LAST TRAIN HOME at The Barns at Wolf Trap (1624 Trap Rd., Vienna, Va., 703-255-1900, 703-218-6500 Concert Line), 7:30pm, tickets are $12 and available now by calling Protix at 703-218-6500 or stop by any Protix Outlet (Waxie Maxie's Music & Video, Olsson's Books and Records, East Coast - Georgetown & Chantilly) or The Barns Box Office, 1635 Trap Rd, Vienna, VA, 703-938-2404. It's the Cravin' Dogs 13th Anniversary Reunion Show, and they're bringing out some original members to mark the occassion. Cravin' Dogs to me seem comfortably settled into a 70's rock-ala-folk-rock sound, and after 13 years there is no doubt they are tight. They play original songs and their sound is something like Jackson Browne with a southern feel -- with with a little psychadelia and the occasssional Bozz Skaggs groove mixed into the blend. Outstanding DC Americana band Last Train Home opens the show and will be showing off all the songs on their recently recorded and hopefully soon-to-be-released CD. This is a quality, quality band. ADVANCE TICKET PURCHASE IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. |
Cravin' Dogs 
Last Train Home
|
|
Saturday, March 6
STICK 'EM UP at Politiki (319 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, 202-546-1001). This is a funk band with a punked out lead singer. The groove is tight and real smooth -- despite the mohawk. Check out the sound clip. |
Stick 'Em Up 
|
DID A FRIEND FORWARD THIS ISSUE?
We love them for supporting us and sending it to you, but what are you going to do when they're on vacation? Sit at home? Watch cable? Knit? Subscribe to PERFORMANCE UPDATE now! It's free! AND NO POUTING! |
|
CAN YOUR FANS ASK YOU A QUESTION?
Interviews are hard to get. You may have noticed, as a local musician, chances are that Rolling Stone or even the City Paper aren't racking their cumulative brains to try to figure out how to reach you and ask you that burning question. Your fans might be, though. You remember them, right? The folks that pay their hard earned cash at the club door to see you shake your booty on stage. Performance Update has started a listserve (an email distribution service) called dc-bands. It lets fans and artists communicate over the internet. You join, they join, we tell the bands who's on board, and then the dialog begins via email. It's like an on-going interview where you get to talk to your fans, and reach potential new fans, too. Build a buzz. Get your words out. Strengthen the bond between you and your admirers. Send news about upcoming shows, events, new recordings, web site updates, anything. And your email address remains confidential. To join, send a blank message to dc-bands-subscribe@egroups.com. Once you've joined, you'll see the messages that are sent to the list, plus you can send messages to dc-bands@egroups.com. And don't forget to let Performance Update know you're a member. We'll get the word out that you're on-line. Let the dialog begin. Get the Band Skinny from 'The DC Skinny' Message Board The Skinny is a web-based message board for bands and musicians to communicate with each other about shows, clubs and possible co-bills. Check it out here: http://www.stickemup.org/disc1_toc.htm Own the Deck that Basehead and Emmett Used Own the 16 track analog tape recorder that captured the cuts that got Basehead and Emmett Swimming noticed. It’s the Tascam MR-16 that used to belong to Marco Delmar, winner of the 1998 Wammie for Producer of the Year. The deck is in excellent condition -- Marco took great care of it and its current owner has, too. Priced to sell at $2,100. Call (202) 416-8069 by day, or (301) 320-8787 in the eve. Fender Squire P-Bass for Sale Fender Squire Precision bass, 4 yrs old, in great shape and has a real nice P-bass sound. Comes with chipboard case. Asking $115. Email Mike or call him at 703-658-9448 evenings. This listing came via the DC-Music EGroup, a listserve giving the DC music community a place to communicate. LinkExchange Member |
|
WATCH MARDI GRAS IN REAL TIME
Okay, so I wrote this story while the Mardi Gras celebrations were in full swing, and then never got an issue out. But web cams are still cool, so if you love Bourbon Street, check this one out. The camera is trained on Tricou House, also known as 711 Bourbon St., and you can see what's going down in the Quarter. When you get to the web cam page, you'll see a grey box. Give it a minute to initialize. There's a warning at the site about the possibility of adult images, but you'll have to wait a whole year for Mardi Gras 2000 to see that the resolution and lighting doesn't reveal anything you couldn't show on TV. Tricou House's web cam.
 Cooler free graphics than you can imagine! Lose your emotional virginity at www.zeldman.com |
|
CURRENT POPULATION ESTIMATES
The U.S. population at time of publication was estimated at 271,957,883. These figures include births, immigration to and from the US and folks returning home from stints overseas. They also have been adjusted for the number of deaths. The numbers reflect the number of new people in this country, of which most are from births. It is a myth that immigration is the major cause of population explosion in the U.S. There is a person born in this country every eight seconds, and an immigrant arrives here every 30 seconds. Reproductive health facilities in Washington State giving safe, effective abortion services, stopped 48,000 unwanted pregnancies in 1998. Funds for these services around the country are waning rapidly under pressure from organizations that believe it is morally preferrable to bring those unwanted people into a world with very grim prospects for them. The battle over who's right is still being waged, and the tide has begun to turn against women -- who deserve the right to decide whether or not to bring a child into their lives. More alarming stats on this situation in coming issues of Performance Update. World population at time of publication is estimated at 5,969,814,367. Six billion, here we come.
Check out the U.S. and world population estimates at the U.S. Census Bureau web site.
SCIENTISTS MEMO WORLD LEADERS Here's an interesting web site that contains some great info, links and a letter from scientists to world leaders calling for attention to the threat of the population boom. The site is called Human Population and Resource Use. HOW CAN YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE? By supporting organizations that are working hard at solving this global dillemma. Here's a couple: Zero Population Growth
Population Action International
|
|
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a request to musicnews@usa.net.
PERFORMANCE UPDATE is published every other Thursday by U.S. Publishing Co., 4418 MacArthur Blvd. NW, Washington, DC 20007-2593 -- Sam Spencer, editor and publisher. U.S. Publishing does not guarantee the validity of the information herein (although we try pretty hard to get it right) and accepts no responsibility for any damages, inconvenience, mistakes, cancelled shows or lost time in productivity suffered as a result of reading this newsletter. COPYRIGHT STATEMENT: This document may be copied, faxed, photocopied or forwarded via e-mail or by any other means by any private citizen as long as there is no charge required for sending it or making it available. Professional and commercial copy restrictions: other than reviews of this work, which in our understanding may include up to 500 words as part of the review, no part of this document can be used in a commercial medium (including but not limited to publications, web sites and broadcasts) without written permission from U.S. Publishing. The term "commercial medium" is meant to include but not limited to any medium that requires a fee of any kind for delivery or availability of any of its content, or is primarily funded by advertising. Please contact the publisher at musicnews@usa.net to obtain permission for use of this document in a commercial medium. |