Double Dagger’s Last Show.

Double Dagger's last show.
Double Dagger's last show.
Double Dagger's last show.
Double Dagger's last show.
Double Dagger's last show.

Great show, best night. I stage dove, in fact all the photographers stage dove… wait, EVERYONE stage dove. Denny’s dad held it down at the front for the whole show! So much fun, what a good send off for one of the best bands the city has ever seen. Thanks for the memories, guys.

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Double Dagger’s last DC show @ the Black Cat

Double Dagger @ Black Cat

Double Dagger @ Black Cat   Double Dagger @ Black Cat

Double Dagger @ Black Cat  Double Dagger @ Black Cat

This was a fun show, and pretty packed, in the Backstage of the Black Cat. The popular belief is that DC kids do not dance at shows, but that was proven untrue here… while it was not as wild as Baltimore or NYC, Double Dagger fans got moving and the band worked up a sweat. It was a great time, and a great start to 3 days in a row of me seeing this band.

Ty Segall @ Golden West

Ty Segall @ Golden West

Ty Segall @ Golden West   Ty Segall @ Golden West

This was a fun little show, put on by Unregistered Nurse booking. Highlight – when the singer/guitarist grabbed an excited girl from the crowd and taught her how to play his guitar part for the current song! (pictured above).

THOU & Full Of Hell @ Golden West.

THOU @ Golden West
THOU @ Golden West
THOU @ Golden West

This weekend, I saw one of my favorite metal bands, THOU, who are on Southern Lord and a myriad of other labels, and who hail from my hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana (minus the singer Bryan Funck, who is from New Orleans). I have known Bryan for years and he is a stellar dude in the world of diy booking, touring, and all around everything… and the band is pretty incredible. Challenging modern doom that doesn’t fall into the familiar cliches of the genre… recommended. You can find out more about them, and download songs and whatnot, at their website.

TV On The Radio @ Virgin FreeFest 2011

TV On The Radio @ FreeFest 2011
TV On The Radio @ FreeFest 2011   TV On The Radio @ FreeFest 2011
TV On The Radio @ FreeFest 2011

I’ve seen them a couple of times this year already, but TVOTR are always good live, and they were one of the highlights of this year’s Virgin FreeFest at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Two Door Cinema Club, Bombay Bicycle Club @ Virgin FreeFest 2011

Two Door Cinema Club @ FreeFest 2011
@ FreeFest 2011
Bombay Bicycle Club @ FreeFest 2011

Two bands with club in their names that played at virtually the same time at the FreeFest 2011! It took some wrangling, but I managed to get to shoot both bands and even got a aerial view:

@ FreeFest 2011

The Black Keys @ Virgin FreeFest 2011

Black Keys @ FreeFest 2011
Black Keys @ FreeFest 2011   Black Keys @ FreeFest 2011
@ FreeFest 2011

Closing out the main stage, and the last rock band of the night, the Black Keys (who I’d never seen before) had the crowd anticipation stoked high before they came on stage… and they didn’t seem to disappoint, though I was way too burnt out to really appreciate their set. I’d like to see them again someday without having to work for 11 hours before they played!

Patti Smith @ Virgin FreeFest 2011

Patti Smith @ FreeFest 2011
Patti Smith @ FreeFest 2011

I never expected to see Patti Smith live, but was very pleased to be wrong about that… she put on a great, fiery show at FreeFest, and was one of the only artists I heard speak about politics and other weighty topics (which DID generate a few boos from some people in the audience). Her band was tight, she was full of energy, playful… great show. I’d love to see her again in a setting where she had time for a full set.

Okkervil River, Grace Potter & the Nocturals @ Virgin FreeFest 2011

Okkervil River @ FreeFest 2011
Okkervil River @ FreeFest 2011
Grace Potter & The Nocturnals @ FreeFest 2011

Two groups I had never seen before, both put on good live shows, though Okkervil River surprised me more, I didn’t expect them to have as much energy live… they put on a pretty rockin’ performance.

Natural Child @ Ottobar.

Natural Child @ Ottobar

Natural Child are a pretty awesome band from Tennessee, I have seen them twice now (both times brought to Baltimore via Unregistered Nurse Booking), and both times they impressed me. Slowed down, very melodic garage-y punk rock, with funny lyrics and song concepts… good stuff. Check them out when they play your town.

The Death Set, Eyeball Skeleton, Adventure @ Windup Space

The Death Set.
The Death Set.   The Death Set.

Continuing in the trend of photos that I haven’t posted for months, here are shots from the Death Set’s matinee show at the Windup Space a few months back, during Death Fest weekend. Always fun to see these boys. Also included are some shots of Eyeball Skeleton and Adventure (with Mark Brown). And the lovable Russ & Gonz from the Windup Space.

Mana @ Patriot Center

Mana.
Mana.   Mana.
Mana.

This was a really fun show. I wasn’t super familiar with this band before the show, but they are a total over the top rock band from Mexico, sort of a Latino U2 or something. More lights on stage than I have seen at almost any show ever!

Wash Post Mana Tear Sheet Cx1
Wash Post Mana Tear Sheet Cx2

 

Nobunny, Scott Reynolds, Milo, Deep Sleep.

Deep Sleep @ GW
Nobunny @ Golden West
Scott Reynolds @ GW   Milo & Friends

2 cool shows at the Golden West, one photo post! Milo from the Descendents even made an appearance at the Scott Reynolds show and was nice enough to pose for a few photos!

Ice Age, Dope Body, Pontiak, Purling Hiss, Roomrunner, Sprayer, True Widow.

Ice Age @ GW
Roomrunner @ Fraziers   Dope Body @ Fraziers
Sprayer @ GW
Purling Hiss @ GW

Shot several shows in Hampden last week… 2 at the Golden West presented by Unregistered Nurse and another at Fraziers. Saw several new bands, including Denny Bowen (of Double Dagger)’s new band Roomrunner, and Ryan Kidwell (Cex) and Jeremy from Ponytail’s new one Sprayer. Great times all around.

Ok Go & Pamplamoose @ Kennedy Center.

Pomplamoose @ Kennedy Center
OK Go @ Kennedy Center

Two fun, light-hearted vaguely internet-oriented bands at the Kennedy Center to celebrate a decade of the Millenium Stage, which showcases free bands EVERY DAY, which is crazy when you think about it. Pamplamoose was full of fun stage banter, while Ok Go!’s show was lots of bombast, with a big video screen that didn’t quite work, 3D glasses, confetti cannons firing every few minutes… quite a spectacle!

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Ice Age & Give @ Golden West.

ice age @ golden west
ice age @ golden west   ice age @ golden west
ice age @ golden west
ice age @ golden west   katrina ford, cullen stalin
Give @ golden west

Monday night’s Ice Age show with Give and Death Domain at the Golden West (brought to you by Unregistered Nurse Booking)was a lot of fun… cool to see such a buzzed about new band play Baltimore as their 3rd show of their first US tour! Give was also a band I’d heard alot about and really enjoyed… they seem to be part of this current movement of looking back to hardcore and punk’s earlier days, but I like that! They were fun to see. Ice Age (or is it iceage? I’m unsure.) were fun and somber and Danish and VERY YOUNG. They seemed a little awkward at first, but got into it after a few songs… and the crowd certainly responded, there was lots of slamming and dancing going on, at least at the front. Good times.

Dillinger Escape Plan @ Talking Head

Dillinger Escape Plan @ Talking Head
Dillinger Escape Plan @ Talking Head   Dillinger Escape Plan @ Talking Head

Dillinger Escape Plan played a not-quite-secret-but-unpromoted show at the Talking Head, a very small venue behind Sonar after their recent two days opening at Sonar for the Deftones. It was pretty crazy! Everyone that showed up was a devout fan and there was alot of diving, surfing, moshing and other shenanigans. By the end of the show, the ceiling air duct was destroyed and the guitarist’s face was covered in blood. Wild times.

Maryland Death Fest – Day 4 : Coroner, Nuclear Assault, Skinless, Ghost, Citizens Arrest & more

Coroner @ MDF 2011
Gravehill @ MDF 2011   Citizen's Arrest @ MDF 2011
Malignant Tumor @ MDF 2011
Malignant Tumor @ MDF 2011   Ghost @ MDF 2011
Gravehill @ MDF 2011
Coroner @ MDF 2011   Coroner @ MDF 2011   Skinless @ MDF 2011
Skinless @ MDF 2011
Malignant Tumor @ MDF 2011   Nuclear Assault @ MDF 2011
Skinless @ MDF 2011

Finally! The last MDF 2011 post… so many photos to dig through! This final day was pretty fun, though I was dead tired. The surprise of the day for me was probably Skinless’ last show, which was ridiculous, with the singer stagediving and jumping into the crowd constantly. Malignent Tumor, who I’d never heard before, had a circle pit like no other, full of inflatable penises and other assorted insanity. Most fun crowd experience of the fest. Also, Nuclear Assault invited the crowd on stage with them, which was really really fun.

Other notable things were the dude from Exhumed playing in ANOTHER band (Gravehill), Cthulhu showing up for a visit, me saying I’d believe that Ted Leo was going to be playing with Citizens Arrest when I saw it… then realizing I was standing next to Ted Leo.

Another big deal for me was managing to make (with the help of my friend Dustin) this happen:

reunited

Yes, that’s Marel, the woman from the Deathfest City Paper cover, posing with Jason, the security guy in the photo, both standing in the same spot that picture was taken last year. I had tried to connect with her for several days, we finally managed to make it happen on Sunday. She was really nice, and said that she started getting texts about the City Paper cover as soon as her plane landed at BWI and thought people were joking! Too funny. Glad we could get this shot.

Maryland Death Fest – Day 3 : Voivod, Exhorder, Acid Witch, Cretin, Impaled Nazarene

Impaled Nazarene @ MDF 2011
fans @ MDF 2011   Acid Witch crowd @ MDF 2011
Voivod @ MDF 2011
Exhorder @ MDF 2011   Voivod @ MDF 2011
Exhorder crowd @ MDF 2011

Over the halfway mark with my MDF photos! Day 3 was a little more relaxing for me, the highlight was getting to see Exhorder, a New Orleans thrash metal band that I grew up on and hearing about, but never was able to see live (a little before my time), as well as seeing Voivod again… they were excellent and the crowd seemed super stoked. Many people told me their set was their high point of the whole show. My favorite discovery of this day was Acid Witch, who I had never heard before but who I thought were excellent live. Cretin was also good live, playing with Matt Harvey from Exhumed (he seemed to be guesting in at least one band a day at this MDF).