I write music picks monthly for ON TAP Magazine in Washington, DC
These are this months concert previews that I wrote...
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1
Peter Hook Presents “Unknown Pleasures” at the 9:30 Club
One of Joy Division's founding members is revisiting the old songs from "Unknown Pleasures" on a modern tour that comes to DC this December. Bassist Peter Hook, who later went on to help form New Order following the death of Joy Division's lead singer Ian Curtis, has hit the road for a US tour with his band, The Light, to play all the songs from the 1979 album. "Unknown Pleasures" was Joy Division's first record and one of the most influential releases of the "post punk" era, as the 70s wound to a close. "She's Lost Control" is one of the many classic tracks from the LP and it will be interesting to hear this current interpretation of the haunting soundtrack.
Starts at 9:30 p.m. $25. - Jason Walsh
9:30 Club: 815 V. St. NW, D.C.; 202-265-0930; www.930.com
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4
Scythian and Enter the Haggis at the 9:30 Club
It will be a night of Celtic mayhem in the Capitol. Toronto's Enter the Haggis joins forces with local Irish rockers, Scythian, to get fans warmed up as seasonal yuletide temperatures begin to drop. Enter the Haggis has dropped three records in the past five years, touring incessantly across the countryside, bringing their eclectic brand of Celtic sounds to whatever stage they can find. Hometown heroes Scythian, a regular favorite at DC's Shamrockfest, promise to provide a high-energy performance that will leave fans gasping for oxygen and Guiness. For your double dose of traditional Irish sounds flavored with punk, jazz, and more, don't miss the Haggis or Scythian at the 9:30 Club this month.
Starts at 9:30 p.m. $15. - Jason Walsh
9:30 Club: 815 V. St. NW, D.C.; 202-265-0930; www.930.com
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4
Warpaint, Rewards, and Family Band at the Rock
Hailing from Los Angeles, the all-girl four piece Warpaint bridges genres with trippy and unpredictable post-punk stylings that are mystical and enchanting. Having self-released their own debut, “Exquisite Corpse,” an E.P. mixed by Red Hot Chili Peppers John Frusciante, they have continued to hone their unique magical melodies and are now on the road with Rewards and Family Band, both rooted in Brooklyn, New York. This bill boasts three very individualistic acts that rely on experiment and creativity.
Starts at 8:30 p.m. $14. - Jason Walsh
Rock N Roll Hotel: 1353 H St. NE, D.C.; 202-388-ROCK; www.rockandrollhoteldc.com
MONDAY, DECEMBER 6
The Sword, Karma to Burn, and Mount Carmel at the 9:30 Club
Austin, Texas has become the modern Nashville, producing countless bands and artists of all different shapes and styles. The Sword is one of these hard-working bands that is a throwback to the heavy, classic-rock riffs of the 70s while stirring in a strong dose of metal doom. Now supporting their third studio release, “Warp Riders,” the guys who once supported Metalllica, Trivium, and Lamb of God, are striking out on their own. Opening for The Sword are Karma to Burn, an instrumental combo from Hicksville, West Virginia, and Mount Carmel, a three-piece from Columbus, Ohio.
Starts at 9:30 p.m. $20. - Jason Walsh
9:30 Club: 815 V. St. NW, D.C.; 202-265-0930; www.930.com
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10
The Misfits and Juicehead at the Quarter at Bourbon Street
The Fiend Club has loaded the hearse and hit the highways of the nation, rolling to a ghoulish halt in Baltimore. The Misfits, risen from the dead…or was it the 80s?…are back once more. Led by Jerry Only, with Black Flag’s Dez Cadena on guitars, and original Misfit drummer Robo pounding the “Horror Business,” the classic music that lay dormant for far too long is back in this classic threesome lineup that promises to revisit those glorious, dark days of yesteryear. Though never a reconciliation with former lead vocalist Glenn Danzig, the Misfits have proven that they are quite capable of throwing down those classic horror tracks without him.
"Its been over 30 years and 30 years from now, people will still be playing our albums because we will never water down what we do,” Only says. “Our goal is to keep perspective on who we are and always stay true to ourselves. Our next album will only reinforce how potent the band has become with time. We plan to continue as always, to eclipse the past, block the sun and drag humanity by the throat into a world of darkness filled with ghouls, goblins and creatures of the night, where we are king."
On board for the ghastly pilgrimage of the Crimson Ghost is Juicehead, signed to the Misfits Records label, who will be soon dropping their new release, “How to Sail a Sinking Ship.” It will most definitely be a night that lives up to the expectations of fans and as the band states, “one thing is certain, The Misfits are here to stay and once again, every day is Halloween.”
Starts at 7 p.m. $15 advance/$18 day of show. - Jason Walsh
The Quarter at Bourbon Street: 316 Guilford Ave. Baltimore, MD; 410-528-8377; www.bourbonstreetbaltimore.com
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11
George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic at the 9:30 Club
They’re gonna bring the funk. You know that’s a given when George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic arrive anywhere in the Mothership. With their roots rolling back to the late 50s when they were first dubbed, The Parliaments, the “funk masters” have gone through decades of evolution and this current stacked lineup of capable musicians will always have the party rocking long past dawn. However, this year saw the loss of one of their family. Longtime guitarist and vocalist Garry Shider passed this summer and the band release a statement that reflected their shared sadness.
“Aside from being the core of the group, the main conduit between George and the band, as well as one of the greatest guitarists, vocalists, and songwriters to have ever lived, Garry was the heart of the group, a perpetual family man, with a propensity for laughter, love, and happiness everywhere he went. No creature on this world or any other can replace Garry Shider. He is virtually un-clone-able. We will all miss Garry more than any words or songs can say, and we wish his incredible, undeniable soul all our love as he passes into the next world.”
The current tour is a tribute to a man that meant so much to the band, and a celebration of his life. If you’re down with the funk, then the P-funk gots what you need this December.
Starts at 8 p.m. $40. - Jason Walsh
9:30 Club: 815 V. St. NW, D.C.; 202-265-0930; www.930.com
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12
“WRECK THE HALLS 2010” with Street Dogs, Flatfoot 56, The Have-Nots, Mason Summers, and Key Figures at the Ottobar
The 6th Annual “Wreck the Halls” tour started by the Street Dogs draws a close to yet another season. However this year saw the release of their self-titled record, “Street Dogs,” the band’s fifth studio offering. Led by former Dropkick Murphys frontman Mike McColgan, Street Dogs have continued the urban punk legacy that started long ago in the alleys of Boston, the city where this tour winds to a screeching halt. Supporting them on this festive event are Celtic upstarts Flatfoot 56 from Chicago’s South Side, Boston’s The Have-Nots, Mason Summers from Maryland, and Key Figures rounding out the bill. For a night of working-class anthems with traditional influences and gritty inspiration, the “Wreck the Halls” tour is a must for the holidays.
Starts at 7 p.m. $13. - Jason Walsh
Ottobar: 2549 N. Howard St. Baltimore, MD; 410-662-0069; www.theottobar.com
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16
A John Waters Christmas at the Birchmere
The quirky Baltimore filmmaker is again revisiting some yuletide cheer with a performance of his interpretation of holiday classics that were released on the 2004 album, “A John Waters Christmas.” The show will see Waters arrangements of non-traditional standards and covers, such as Tiny Tim’s “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” Alvin and the Chipmunks “Sleigh Ride,” and the ever-classic, “Santa Claus is A Black Man.” It won’t be your typical night of Christmas carols, but for those that appreciate the warped sense of humor of John Waters, it will likely live up to those expectations.
Starts at 7:30 p.m. $45. - Jason Walsh
The Birchmere: 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, VA; 703-549-7500;www.birchmere.com
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 28
Government Mule at the Warner Theatre
Warren Haynes and his band, Government Mule, are coming to the Warner Theatre this December with their Southern stylings that will rock the rafters. Supporting their new release, “By A Thread,” which the band recorded at Willie Nelson’s Pedernales Studio in the Texas Hill Country, Government Mule continue the journey started long ago. “It feels like we’re moving forward and backward at the same time,” Haynes said. “Hardcore fans tend to not want us to move too far away from where we started, but the band never wants to stay in one place for very long.” This will be a chance to see where the band has arrived before the start of a new year.
Starts at p.m. $35. - Jason Walsh
Warner Theatre: 13th and E St. NW, D.C.; 202-347-4707; www.livenation.com
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29
GWAR, Infernaeon, The Casualties, and Mobile Deathcamp at the 9:30 Club
“Eons ago, there existed an elite group of chaos warriors who ravaged the galaxy with a boundless hatred of all things alive.” Yes, GWAR is returning to DC for what might be the most insane performance ever to explode on stage. The notorious shock metal creatures released their twelfth studio album, “Bloody Pit of Horror,” on Metal Blade Records this year following up 2009’s “Lust in Space.” GWAR is not a band for the weak of heart, as you have to expect the unexpected from one of the craziest stage shows ever executed. Be prepared to duck or run, as you just never know what may come flying into the audience. Formed by musician film students from Richmond, Virginia in 1984, GWAR has continued their campaign of filth, decadence, and destruction for the past three decades proving the immortality of the outfit. Adorned in nightmarish armored costumes as sacrifices performed by slaves regularly share the stage, a night with GWAR will never be forgotten, but be sure not to wear your best Sunday clothes. Oderus Urungus, Balsac the Jaws of Death, Flattus Maximus, Jizmak Da Gusha, and Beefcake the Mighty want everyone on the planet to witness “The Bloody Tour of Horror Live.” Tasked with supporting the self-proclaimed gods will be Infernaeon from Tampa, Florida, The Casualties from New York City, and Mobile Deathcamp from Ohio, so you better go see these guys, because I don’t think they’ll survive the tour.
Starts at 6 p.m. $22. - Jason Walsh
9:30 Club: 815 V. St. NW, D.C.; 202-265-0930; www.930.com
from November:
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12
Suicidal Tendencies and Underdog at the 9:30 Club
Venice’s Suicidal Tendencies have continued to hit the road hard for the past two years, this time in support of their newest release “No Mercy Fool!/The Suicidal Family,” which sees Mike Muir and Mike Clark revisiting songs from ST’s 1987 sophomore record, “Join the Army,” and one of their early Venice side projects, No Mercy. Clark and Muir did the No Mercy band before fusing it into the Suicidal family for the third record, “How Will I Laugh Tomorrow…” in 1988. Muir said they wanted to go back and do these songs proper and have them recorded better than they were on the original releases.
“It kind of goes back, but without being kind of sounding dated or something like that,” Muir said. “So for the recording with this, what we wanted to do was basically not try to just go massive distortion or something like that. We wanted to really make sure that it was played, it was played tight, and really heavy, and without having the distortion being played and you know, we think it sounds killer.”
Aside from his ST gig, Mike Muir runs Suicidal Records, and continues to tour and record with his other two projects, Infectious Grooves and Cyco Miko. This year, Suicidal Records has also released a Suicidal Tendencies DVD, “Live at Olympic Auditorium,” as well as a live 2-CD split from a 1995 Paris show of both Cyco Miko and the Grooves. Opening for the West Coast hardcore pioneers on the “Join the Army/Déjà Vu” 2010 tour are the 80s skate core legends, Underdog.
Starts at 6 p.m. $25. - Jason Walsh
9:30 Club: 815 V. St. NW, D.C.; 202-265-0930; www.930.com
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