(Updated at 11:55 a.m. Sept. 28) Stoops and porches around Adams Morgan once again are set to become intimate venues for jazz, rock and other music this weekend.
PorchFest, Adams Morgan’s annual fall music festival, is slated to return with three dozen free concerts in front of a dozen homes and businesses in the neighborhood Saturday, according to organizers. The performances are scheduled to run from 2 to 6 p.m.
The music is set to include Afro-Brazilian female percussion band Batala and “blues, jazz, rock, soul, folk and much more,” PorchFest co-founder Nathan Ackerman said in an email. Additional details on the performers weren’t immediately available.
Festival organizers will have maps for the concerts online and at 18th Street and Columbia Road NW Saturday.
Started in 2013, PorchFest is put on by the Adams Morgan Partnership Business Improvement District and Cultural Tourism DC.
Photo via Facebook/Adams Morgan PorchFest
Adams Morgan residents and visitors are probably used to music emanating from the bars along 18th Street, but on October 3, they’ll be able to hear music coming from almost every street in the neighborhood.
That evening, musicians will play sets on stoops and porches throughout the neighborhood as part of the third annual Porch Fest.
Porch Fest is a free festival in which residents and businesses open their porches or patios to musicians to play for gathered crowds and passers-by. The festival is organized by the Adams Morgan Partnership BID and Cultural Tourism DC, a nonprofit organization that attempts to bring art and cultural events to public places throughout the city.
Participating porches will host three different musicians or bands at 3, 4:30 and 6 p.m.
Kristen Barden, executive director of the Adams Morgan Partnership BID says that they’ve already booked all of the porches for this year’s festival but are still accepting applications for musicians, who can contact organizers through their Facebook page.
“We’re about halfway there,” she said. “We need about another 15 musicians in order to have enough for all the porches.”
Barden said that the musicians already signed on play a wide range of styles and instruments. While most sets are acoustic, Barden says if the porch owner is willing to provide electricity, bands can play plugged-in sets.
“So far we have a ukelele band, an original singer-songwriter of folk music, a jazz singer, an alternative country rock band, some acoustic folk rock, a jazz pianist, a spoken-word-infused hip-hop artist and a contemporary pop vocalist who plays piano covers,” Barden said.
The Adams Morgan Partnership BID distributes free maps showing porch locations during the event from their headquarters at 1640 Columbia Rd. NW. Barden said that last year they distributed over 1,000 maps.
“Families open up their porches and we have musicians play all afternoon,” Barden said. “It’s a great way to get out and walk around the whole neighborhood.”
Photo via Facebook/Adams Morgan Porch Fest
DC Jazz Jam will celebrate its six-year anniversary on U Street with a free show and open jazz jam contest at The Brixton (901 U Street NW) from 6:30-10:30 p.m. on Sunday.
The house band for the anniversary show will be composed vocalist Aaron Myers, pianist Wade Beach, guitarist John Lee, bassist Blake Meister and drummer Tony Martucci.
Local musicians are invited to join the band for a cutting contest, which Meyers describes as a “rap battle for instruments.” During the contest, two people will exchange solos and attempt to “cut” the other person. The audience will decide the winner at the end of each round based on skill, expression and audience connection.
“You’re going to see musicians coming out and bringing their A-game,” he said.
D.C. Jazz Jam organizer and drummer Will Stephens said the first jazz jam in August 2009 formed from a post on Craigslist. The band met for the first time over beer 30 minutes before the show and didn’t perform to a single audience member until a saxophone player walked in around the 2 hour mark.
Now the jams attract between 20-25 musicians every week, he said, and he has to keep a close eye on the sign-up sheet.
“I hope the takeaway is community building, and not just within the jazz community,” Stephens said. “The Brixton is a neighborhood establishment, so people come stop in from the neighborhood and that builds community.”
D.C. Jazz Jam performs every Sunday at The Brixton from 6:30-9:30 p.m. with rotating special guests.
Image Courtesy of Aaron Myers
Black Cat at 14th Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com.
Listen Local First is turning one-year-old!
And to celebrate, the DC-based organization that builds awareness and creates opportunities for local musicians and venues is having a birthday party at the Black Cat (1811 14th Street NW) on Friday, October 19.
The special Listen Local First show will feature the touring DC based collective “The 9 Songwriter Series.” The show presents nine musicians, featured over the past year by Listen Local First, collaborating with one another to make for a night of great local music.
The show starts at 8 pm. Tickets are $10 and are available online. More information is available on the event’s Facebook page.
Get an RSS Feed for all Borderstan stories or subscribe to Borderstan’s daily email newsletter.
Tropicalia. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com
Fourteenth Street’s latest dance hall-lounge, Tropicalia, will host Sierra Leone-born musician, Sorie Kondi, for a live musical performance this Thursday, October 4 at 9 pm.
Kondi is known for singing about his personal journey (he was born a blind) in four different languages, while playing a variety of self-crafted instruments that create a distorted bluesy sound. Thursday night’s show is Kondi’s first on his five-city, U.S. tour.
After Kondi, D.J.s Chief Boima, Underdog and Mothershiester will start-up a Pan-African music explosion of Afro-pop and electronic beats to keep the evening going.
Tropicalia is located at 2001 14th Street NW in the lower level. Doors open at 7 pm; there is no cover for this event. For more information, visit the website.
Get an RSS Feed for all Borderstan stories or subscribe to Borderstan’s daily email newsletter.
A weekend of live music at venues throughout the city. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com
This weekend (October 5-7) is DC’s Sweet Tea Pumpkin Pie Festival, a homegrown music event that showcases more than 200 bands at 13 venues throughout the city.
The festival is technically free, but purchasing wristbands for the weekend (prices range from $1 to $10) helps to support local and out-of-town musicians.
This fall’s festival is the third Sweet Tea Pumpkin Pie happening, following last year’s two successful festivals organized by District resident, Dave Mann.
More information on participating musicians, venues and the weekend schedule is available on the Sweet Tea Pumpkin Pie Music Festival website.
Get an RSS Feed for all Borderstan stories or subscribe to Borderstan’s daily email newsletter.
Get live music listings at eight venues in Borderstan. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Check out the live music listings for Thursday, June 24 through Sunday, June 24… always plenty of to hear at clubs in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area.
Music in Dupont-Logan-U Street |
|||||||
Venue |
Thursday
|
Friday
|
Saturday
|
Sunday
|
|||
Black Cat |
Gifts for the Homeless Presents Banding Together 2010: The Battle of the Law Firm Bands Time: 7pm Price: $10 |
Billy Woodward and The Senders, Nunchucks, The Chariots Time: 9pm Price: $10DCRe:MIXtape: An All DJ Night w/ DJ Sets by Hugh McElroy, Gideon Forman, Aaron Leitko, True Womanhood, Hume, Noon:30, Buildings, Laughing Man, Shock Diamond and more! Time: 9:30pm Price: $5 |
3rd Annual Bike Prom Time: 9pm Price: $10Peppermint: Indie Dance Pop from Scandinavia, the UK, and Beyond w/ DJ Milk Time: 9:30pm Price: $5 |
XMC, Joey Wyoming Time: 8:30pm Price: $8 |
|||
Bohemian Caverns |
Michael Thomas Quintet Time: 8:30pm, 10:30pm Price: $20 Adv/$25 Door |
Michael Thomas Quintet Time: 8:30pm, 10:30pm Price: $20 Adv/$25 Door |
|||||
DC9 |
The Hundred In The Hand presented by: Liberation Dance Party Time: 9pm Price: $8 |
Two Sisters Time: 9pm Price: Free before 11pm, $5 after |
Walter Schreiffels, John Bustine Doors: 8:30pm Price: $10 Adv/$12 Day of |
||||
HR-57Center for the Preservation of Jazz and Blues |
Jazz Jam Sessions Time: 830pm – midnight Price: $8 |
Antonio Parker Quartet, Saltman Knowles Time: 9pm-1am Price: $12 |
Jimmy Jackson Quartet Time: 9pm-1am Price: $12 |
Jazz Jam Sessions Time: 7pm-11pm Price: $8 |
|||
9:30 Club815 V St. NW |
Bettye LaVette Doors: 7pm Price: $25 |
Tinariwen w/ Miles Seaton (Akron/Family), Geologist (Animal Collective) – DJ Set Doors: 8pm Price: $30 |
Who’s Bad: The World’s #1 Michael Jackson Tribute Band Doors: 7pm Price: $15Matt Pond PA w/ Wintersleep Doors: 11pm Price: $15 |
Hole w/ Foxy Shazam Doors: 7pm Price: $45 |
|||
Twins Jazz1344 U St. NW |
Pascal Niggenkemper Trio Time: 8pm, 10pm Price: $10 |
The Full Ascent Time: 9pm, 11pm Price: $10 |
The Full Ascent Time: 9pm, 11pm Price: $10 |
Love Deluxe Time: 8pm, 10pm Price: $10 |
|||
U Street Music Hall |
Steez Promo Presents: Dub Nation DC (Dieselboy, Smash Gordon, Marmoset, Encryption) Time: 10pm Price: $10 |
Michael Jackson Is Still Alive (DJ Bis, James Nasty, D Painter, Harry Hotter, Chris Nitti) Time: 5pm Price: FreeRed Fridays: Marques Whatt, Joe L. & Arsam Time: 10pm Price: $10, Free before 11pm |
Bliss: Will Eastman, Stereo Faith, Vanniety Kills Time: 10pm Price: $10 |
Title Tracks, The Points, DJ Kim (Kicks!), Chad America Time: 9pm Price: $8 |
|||
Velvet Lounge915 U St. NW |
Hip Hop Showcase Doors: 7:30pm Price: $8 |
Mindpower: Freestyle Workshop Time: 2pm-5pm Price: $5Spectral Vision, The Deaf Scene, Black Dog Prowl Doors: 7:30pm Price: $8 |
|||||
Get live music listings at eight venues in Borderstan… below the fold. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Below the fold are listings for Thursday, June 10 through Sunday, June 13… always plenty of live music at clubs in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area.
Get live music listings at eight venues in Borderstan… below the fold. Friday and Saturday shows at the 9:30 Club are sold out. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Here is your listing of live music at venues in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area. If you want to head out your door at the last minute to take in some music close to home, here are the places to go.
Get live music listings at eight venues in Borderstan. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Here is your listing of live music at venues in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area. If you want to head out your door at the last minute to take in some music close to home, here are the places to go.
Bohemian Caverns: The Jolly Twins Quintet play Friday and Saturday night at 8:30 and 10:30 pm. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Here is your listing of live music at venues in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area. If you want to head out your door at the last minute to take in some music close to home, here are the places to go–the list is below the fold.
The 1200 block of U Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
If you need a reminder on why you live in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area, then here you are. Be sure to check out the galleries, music and theater listings–links are at the bottom of this page.
Friday, April 30
Open Mike Night. The LGBT DC Center is hosting Open Mic Night at the Center, 1810 14th Street NW, at 8 pm: “Join us at the DC Center on Friday April 30th at 8:00 PM for a night of queer poetry and spoken word. This open mic night is hosted by Mike Brazell. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to come prepared to share your work. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Mike Brazell.”
American Sign Language Open Mic Poetry. Busboys & Poets has ASL open mic poetry tonight at 11 pm. At 14th and V NW location; $5 cover.
Saturday, May 1
Farmers Market Opens for Season. The 14th and U Farmers Market opens for the 2010 season this Saturday. The time is 9 am to 1 pm (Saturdays only) on the northwest corner by the Reeves Municipal Center. Kids and dogs are welcome. Check out the market’s page on Facebook to find out what types of produce are expected.
Embassy Tours. Cultural Tourism DC is kicking off its Passport DC series with free embassy tours: “Embassies from A to Z–Australia to Zambia and many in between–will treat guests to a rare opportunity to enjoy the cultures of their countries all in one day during the Around the World Embassy Tour.” A total of 35 embassies are participating in the tour. Remember that many embassies are located in Dupont Circle or close by.
Register, Vaccinate Your Pet. The District’s Department of Health will hold a vaccination and registration clinic from 1 to 4 pm for dogs and cats at the Shaw Dog Park. Dogs must be on leash, and cats must secured in a carrier box. The vaccinations are free, but there are registration fees. Here’s more information.
Pop-Up Gala. The Cultural Development Corporation hosts the Pop-Up Gala at Long View Gallery, 1234 9th Street NW; tickets required.
Sunday, May 2
Rami Kleinstein Concert. The DC Jewish Community Center, 16th and Q NW, is having a one-hour Rami Kleinstein concert in its parking lot (Q Street side) from 6 to 7 pm. DCJCC’s blogger says Kleinstein is an “Israel rock god.”
You and Your Dog. The Adams Morgan Main Street Group is hosting BowWow PowWow at Marie Reed School (18th and Wyoming NW) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is “a day of fun and festivities for you and your dog.” There will be a dog agility demonstration, 11 contests, information about adoption from WARL and more. (Rescheduled from April 25.)
2010 Police and Fire Field Day. The annual Police and Fire Field Day is 11 am to 6 pm at Fort McNair. The annual event features competitive events between the DC police and fire departments plus family-oriented activities. Tickets are $10 per family. Fort McNair is by Buzzard Point in SW DC and is Metro accessible via the Waterfront/SEU stop and Metrobus 70 and 71 lines.
All Weekend: Galleries, Music, Theater
This Friday and Saturday: Chuchito Valdes performs at HR-57, located at 1610 14th Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Thursday through Sunday: Here is your listing of live music at venues in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area. If you want to head out your door at the last minute to take in some music close to home, here are the places to go–the list is below the fold.
Who’s playing at the Velvet Lounge on U Street? Find out below the fold. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Here is your listing of live music at venues in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area. If you want to head out on foot or take a quick taxi ride for some music in the neighborhood, here are the places to go–the list is below the fold.
Find out who’s playing at Twins Jazz, 1344 U Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
This is a weekly feature that started last week: a listing of live music at venues in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area.
If you want to head out on foot or take a quick taxi ride for some music in the neighborhood, here are the places to go–right below the fold. (more…)
