Monday, March 22, 2010

Thank you, everyone!

Because we could have just sent out an email, but we had such a fun time at DC Does TX this year that we wanted to make those congratulations public. These will probably read a little bit like liner notes, but whatever.

Vandaveer, Pree, Deleted Scenes, Typefighter, Le Loup, U.S. Royalty and Middle Distance Runner: You all played fantastic sets. Typefighter gets an additional thank you for stepping in at the very last minute.
Lovejoy's: We couldn't have asked for a better place to host our event.
Eric Gerber: You couldn't make it down, but you sure helped us set it up.
Austin Grill: For sponsoring us and hosting our fundraising show in Alexandria. Thanks to Jay Smith for setting up that fundraising show.
Dogfish Head: For providing us with the tastiest free beer of the festival. Thanks to Deleted Scenes and Joe Hospital for setting that up.
All Our Noise: We kept using your videos on the site because you do it better than anyone. Thank you.
Laura and Richard: For designing the fantastic posters and postcards that you saw all over Austin
Dan Corbin: For his help in informing Austin residents about the show.
All of you: For coming. We saw a few familiar faces but a lot of unfamiliar faces. We hope you all enjoyed yourselves as much as we did.
Anyone we may have forgotten: Thank you, too!

-Valerie and the entire DC Does TX crew

DC Does TX Spotlight - Typefighter

The DC Does TX email account has already received one question as to which band played the space that Title Tracks was set to inhabit. (Title Tracks had an emergency and had to leave the festival two days early. We still love them.) The band that stepped up to the plate was Typefighter and even though the show is over, they deserve a spotlight mention as well. Lead singer Ryan McLaughlin is actually a DC Does TX veteran, having played bass in the inaugural show with indie stalwarts Pash, but Typefighter has more in common with the Federal Reserve than Pash's Slumberland sound. The upbeat folky tunes are anchored with fantastic keyboard and melodica of Mary Voutsas for a sound that's delightful regardless of your genre preferences.

AON Sessions: Ryan McLaughlin (Typefighter), "Foolish Bastards" from All Our Noise on Vimeo.

DC Does TX Spotlight - Le Loup

In 2007, Le Loup quickly rose to national consciousness with the release of The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nation's Millennium General Assembly. Sam Simkoff's formula for mixing banjo and entrancing loops quickly caught the attention of Subpop imprint Hardly Art. But it was with their most recent release, Family, that they've coalesced as a band with a sound that's equally hypnotic and energetic with a live show that puts on the same effect. The AV Club DC named Family one of the Top 10 DC releases of the past decade.

Le Loup - Planes Like Vultures from hardly art on Vimeo.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

DC Does TX Spotlight - Pree

Although Pree's lead singer-songwriter May Tabol used to be in experimental rock band Le Loup (also on the DC Does TX bill), make no mistake, Pree sounds nothing like Le Loup. Tabol's unique vocals often bring to mind Joanna Newsom, but the dissonance and song structure bring to mind Modest Mouse...if Modest Mouse ever used a glockenspiel and flute. Perhaps that's why they got invited to play a recent show at the Kennedy Center. Pree is signed to DC label The Kora Records and will also be performing at their official SXSW showcase after DC Does TX finishes. Enjoy the video for "In the Parlor," shot by the excellent DC blog, All Our Noise.

AON Sessions: Pree, "In the Parlor" from All Our Noise on Vimeo.

DC Does TX Spotlight - U.S. Royalty

One of DC's most consistently touring bands, U.S. Royalty combines the rootsy feel of '70s southern rock with the arena ready charisma of the '90s best Britpop imports. The Washington Post commented on their ability to make girls dance after their packed CMJ set this October and they'll be back in the studio recording their first full length for Engine Room Recordings soon. They have a 7" and an EP out already and if you can get the songs out of your head, we'll be very surprised.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

DC Does TX Spotlight - Middle Distance Runner

Middle Distance Runner has been one of DC's most consistent indie rock bands over the last few years. The overarching sound is feel-good indie pop (their concerts can end in sing-a-longs whether you knew the words or not) but they pull from elements from everything from country and shoegaze. They just released their second full length album, The Sun and the Earth on Engine Room Recordings last year and have already had a song from that album appear in an MTV program. Enjoy the video below for "The Unbeliever."

Middle Distance Runner "The Unbeliever" from maxwell sorensen on Vimeo.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

DC Does TX Spotlight - Deleted Scenes

Deleted Scenes is one of DC's most diverse and criminally underrated rock bands. They can write country bar songs, use reggaeton influenced beats, remind you why you loved Neutral Milk Hotel and throw around their voices (and themselves) with unmatchable intensity. They've got new material in their arsenal, but in case you needed reminding as to why they're worth seeing: here's Pitchfork's 8.0 review of last year's Birdseed Shirt.




AON Sessions: Deleted Scenes, "Ithaca" from All Our Noise on Vimeo.