From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.
Comedy on the Table at Velvet Lounge. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Show your support for Capital Pride while supporting local comedians by heading over to the Velvet Lounge this Friday, June 7, for Comedy on the Table. If you’ve been in DC long enough, you’re sure to have heard of this biannual comedy event. If you haven’t heard of it, listen up as it’s completely worth your time.
Comedy on the Table is a comedy show that began as a way to highlight some of the funniest women performing in DC while supporting local causes and organizations. The inspiration came from Permanent Wave, a feminist collective based in New York that would put on benefit concerts that showcased female musicians.
Since beginning in October 2011, Comedy on the Table has expanded to include male comedians as well. Some of the participants this time around have been performing in the area for upwards of four years while others are a bit newer.
A Great Night For Great Comedy
Organizer and performer, Valerie Paschall, told me that many of the performers from previous Comedy on the Table events have gone on to acclaim at even bigger events. Some, she said, have “gone on to win local comedy competitions, open for touring acts at the Improv and Arlington Drafthouse and get slots on the Women in Comedy Festival in Boston.” With a cover charge of only $5, this might be your best opportunity to see some of the funniest comedians around.
For this show, Comedy on the Table will be returning to the Velvet Lounge for the third time. They’ve been known to pack the house, so be sure to get there on time. And because this show only happens twice a year, you’re guaranteed a new slate of comedians from previous shows (with the exception of the very funny and friendly organizer/comedian, Valerie Paschall).
Details for the show are:
- The place: Velvet Lounge
- The cover charge: $5 (and there are always sweet drink specials at Velvet Lounge)
- The start time: 7 pm doors, 7:30 pm show time.
- The lineup: Kat Timpf, Michal Ketner, Dana Bell, Glo, Curt Mariah, Valerie Paschall. Hosted by Matty Litwack.
For this show, Comedy on the Table will be supporting Capital Pride. Past beneficiaries have included House of Ruth, Martha’s Table and HIPS.
For even more information, along with videos of some of the performers, check out the event’s Facebook page.
Get an RSS Feed for all Borderstan stories or subscribe to Borderstan’s daily email newsletter.
Velvet is by contributor anokarina from the Borderstan Flickr pool.
Photos of the Day are pulled from the Borderstan Reader Photos pool on Flickr.
Today’s photo, Velvet is by anokarina. The photo was taken March 24 on U Street NW.
If you don’t already have a Flickr account, you will need to sign up for one, and then join the Borderstan Reader Photos group. Already a Flickr member? Join the group! You can submit up to five photos per day in the Borderstan reader pool. We are looking for photos from DC’s Dupont, Logan and U Street neighborhoods.
Get an RSS Feed for all Borderstan stories or subscribe to Borderstan’s daily email newsletter.
Dupont Circle last April: Great spring-like weather is predicted for this weekend. (Photo credit: theqspeaks from Flickr Borderstan Reader Pool)
From Laura Herman. You can follow Laura on Twitter @Lmhhabs.
First and foremost: Spend time outside this weekend! If possible, take the day off on Friday to enjoy the delightful spring-like weather that we have in store. With a high of 70 degrees, I know that I’ll be making a beeline for an outdoor happy hour spot right after work. My favorite outdoor happy hour in the neighborhood? We’ll save a full roundup for when it’s actually spring, but Mandu’s front patio and Local 16’s rooftop make my late-winter cut.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, Thursday night calls for grabbing someone special (perhaps you botched Valentine’s Day? This is your opportunity to redeem yourself) and heading over to the Corcoran Gallery for their Thursday Date Night promo, which runs every Thursday throughout the month of February. You’ll be able to snag two-for-one admission (it’s usually $10 per person) and you can also check out the “Champagne & Kisses” special available at the Corcoran Café, which includes two glasses of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries or a cheese and fruit plate ($15).
Danny Shapiro offers up live music suggestions for the weekend at four DC venues. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Danny Shapiro is an avid music lover who has the good fortune to live very close the music scene on the 14th and U corridor. A list of his previous reviews is at the bottom of this column. Comments or questions? Send Danny an email.
• • • • • •
Music lovers, rejoice! With the incredibly rainy week behind us, the sun is now shining on a weekend chock full o’ great local gigs. I’ve painstakingly sorted through the sundry offerings and given you my top four picks below. See you at the shows!
Friday, Dec. 3: Political Scandal Begets Rock Opera Genius
Dirty Bomb ‘Welcome Back, Jack’ Release Party @ Velvet Lounge ($10)
If I told you that one of the most notorious political criminals of the past generation, Jack Abramoff, would be the inspiration and protagonist/(antagonist?) for a DC journalist-cum-musician’s entrée into the rock genre, would you believe me? Well, come see the performance of Dirty Bomb‘s rock opera ‘King of the Hill’ with your own eyes on Friday night.
‘King of the Hill’ incorporates factual details from the Abramoff scandal, with all of the emotion, drama, ambition, greed, and paranoia that only the world of the lobbyist could espouse so fondly. Launched onto the DC scene at the National Press Club’s Battle of the Bands ‘Journopalooza’ in January 2010, the performance will be every hard rock lover/politico’s dream come true.
And, for just a tenner you’ll get an action-packed triple billing; support acts Poor But Sexy (local yacht-rockers) and soul band JC Brooks & the Uptown Kids round out the night’s stellar set.
Check out more Dirty Bomb info at their official website.
Saturday, Dec. 4: Ladies, Take the Reins
Warpaint @ Rock and Roll Hotel ($12 adv/$14)
No plans yet for Saturday night? Sorted. Exploding onto the scene this year, Warpaint are a quartet of Los Angeles-based indie-rock mavens who have taken by firestorm the music scene on both sides of the pond. Gracing the District’s H Street NE corridor on the verge of embarking on a world tour in support of their debut LP, ‘Fool’ (Rough Trade Records), these ladies are not to be missed.
Warpaint shine with their lush harmonies, haunting post-punk guitar rhythms, and walking bass lines that hypnotically bring you into the focus of lead singer Emily Kokal’s unapologetic messages of austere independence. Originally gaining credence on the LA scene by scoring a #1 EP on Ameoba Records’ local artists chart with 2009’s Exquisite Corpse, Warpaint have blossomed and delivered the type of debut album that will stand the test of time.
Check out their MySpace page as well as the band’s official website for further evidence of their greatness.
Sunday, Dec. 5: Jazz Days of Yesteryear, Revisited
CapitolBop’s Jazz Loft @ Red Door, 443 I St. NW
During the Bebop era of American musical history, the Jazz Loft of New York City was a metropolitan institution; friends would gather at the top of an apartment for a trove of jazz-in-the-round treasures. Musicians across the jazz spectrum would trade off performances, culminating in a capstone sonorous jam session to end the night right.
The first-ever D.C. Jazz Loft, created by CapitolBop, is inspired by this platform, and will highlight the District’s supreme cadre of improvisational musicians, ranging from bebop, to free-jazz, to fusion, and beyond. For a truly unique night out, with free entry to boot (a small donation is requested to support the night’s fees) take a trip back in time to experience the best in jazz improv.
For an added bonus, perhaps we DC bicycle lovers can recycle our Dandies & Quaintrelles DC Tweed Ride outfits!?
Sunday, Dec. 5: Gather ‘Round the Campfire, BYOS’mores
Stornoway @ Black Cat ($10 adv/$12)
If you’re a fan of the Fleet Foxes, Travis, Liam Finn, and the Gaslight Anthem, you’ll be an instant fan of Stornoway. Taking the UK by storm, we are quite lucky to have Stornoway in our own 14th Street backyard. Their music brilliantly layers banjos, electric riffs, keyboards, and harmonic vocals into a soulful purity that sounds refreshingly and distinctly apart from their aforementioned musical peers.
I guarantee the show will be a trip back to your favorite local campsite, and the bonfire you and your friends gathered around to celebrate youth’s freedom. The indie rock influence thrives amidst their country swing, and the results are fantastic. Grab a friend or three and close the weekend right with this fantastic group. Visit the band’s MySpace page and official website to discover their catalogue of hits.
Previous Posts from Danny
- Anatomy of a Concert, Act 1: The 9:30 Club
- Danny’s Weekend Picks for Live Music
- Danny’s 4 Nights, 5 Concerts (Part 2)
- 4 Nights, 5 Concerts: 1 Week in Danny’s Life (Part 1)
- On The Lookout: Danny’s Upcoming Must-See Shows
- Danny’s Journey Through Three Unforgettable Concerts
- Music: Danny’s Back with 3 Weekend Picks
- Danny’s 3 Quick Picks for Weekend Live Music
- Weekend Recs: A Live Music Road Map
- Live Music: Recap of a Great 3-Show Weekend
