As this is my first column as a Cultural Revolutionary, I thought I might write something so extraordinary, something so completely different, that it would forever shift this column’s reputation from the “music nerd” column to the “trenchant, yet wry arts commentary” column. Never would I even consider for a moment writing a formulaic “welcome back” column solemnly describing all the wonderful things offered to Washingtonians this fall. Of course, I really don’t know what trenchant means, and people who try to be wry generally aren’t. That threw a spanner in the works, and of course, I don’t really have any better ideas. So welcome back. What do expect from a music nerd, anyway?
For all you blas? urbanites, I know how wonderful it must be to live in the big city all the time and take advantage of all its delights. That’s great. This column isn’t for you. This column is for you first-years; you could have gone to that “small, liberal-arts college” (read: hippie school) in the middle of nowhere, but you didn’t. Be grateful?allow me to help you realize the wisdom of your decision. Moreover, this column is for all of the returning Hoyas who spent more time than they’d care to admit passed out in the bathroom at Rhino’s last year. There’s more streets in Washington than M. There’s even a U! I kid you not!
There is a wealth of good music in this wonderful city, and it’s to our advantage to enjoy it and to allow it to enrich us, if not inspire us. Even better, you can afford enrichment on a college student’s budget; you might be surprised to learn that not all concerts are as expensive as that Dave Matthews show you shelled out 60 bones for this summer.
Washington is truly the best city for a college student to experience good music in the country. It has little of the hype that surrounds New York and Los Angeles. Less stringent liquor laws than either Chicago or Boston allow underage patrons into nearly all local venues (albeit at the price of a rather conspicuous hand stamp). Yet, most major national acts include a D.C. date on their tours. All told, as an introduction to good live music, Washington is hard to beat.
The heart of the discussion of rock music in Washington begins and ends at the 9:30 Club. It attracts national acts that only rarely venture into clubs of its modest size, offering fans a chance to see big names in a smaller venue with excellent sound. On the other hand, the 9:30 has a reputation for exposing smaller bands to wider audiences. To mention just one of the most interesting shows to come to the 9:30 this fall, Built to Spill will play a pair of shows on Sept. 14 and 15. Later this fall, music fans can look forward to shows from Wilco, Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, The Donnas, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, as well as St. Germain and Charlatans U.K.
The other major point of music interest, the Black Cat, has found itself at the center of the D.C. indie scene over the past few years. In September, the club is moving to a new space, which hopefully will preserve its virtues, specifically its small size and low cover charges, while improving upon its vices, namely ventilation and the P.A. system. The new space’s first test will come when Modest Mouse rolls into town for a pair of shows on September 28 and 29.
But the clubs are just the beginning; the foundation of the D.C. music and dance culture lies in its local scene, where homegrown sounds give the city its true color. Go-go, a hybrid of funk and hip-hop that has more to do with a slow, syncopated groove and call-and-response lyrics than tight, flourescent, leather boots, is the closest thing Washington has to an indigenous music. Chuck Brown, the man who started it all, will be at the 9:30 on Aug. 31. Two other local favorites, True Love Always and Hot Pursuit, who both record for Arlington’s Teenbeat label, are tentatively scheduled to perform in October.
There you have it. A wealth of music no more than a Metro ride away?and with the new Georgetown Metro Shuttle starting in September, there is no need to worry about costly cab rides. Living in a city like Washington, I would suggest that you owe it to yourself to take advantage of its cultural treasures. Champs isn’t going anywhere. One night soon, and hopefully more often?take a break, and enjoy some music.
