Amanda Blank @ Rock and Roll Hotel

I have already posted about Amanda Blank but thought it would be worth telling you that she is rolling through town again tomorrow night at Rock and Roll Hotel. Amanda Blank was badass when she opened for Matt and Kim and expect she will be even better at the smaller Rock and Roll Hotel. Tickets are $16 and they are still available. Doors at 9, show at 10. Check it out!

Free Wine and Choclate at ACKC TODAY!

Yum...Thank you Jonathon @Nouveau Pauvre for this great idea/deal! With their new liquor license in tow, ACKC is showcasing its new selection of wines (and new liquor license!) paired with their signature delicious chocolates. Savor some reds, whites and sparklings paired excellently with chocolates from around the world.

If I did not already have plans tonight, I would definitely be going.

http://www.thecocoagallery.com/

Of Montreal - 930 Club

Of Montreal is playing at the 930 Club this Thursday, 1/28/2010. As you could probably guess, tickets are sold out but that doesn't mean you can't buy them on Craigslist or just go to the 930 Club and see if someone has extra. Some funky indie-rock here...check some of their stuff out below. Their videos are pretty rad:

Of Montreal on Myspace

My Top Movies of 2009

I saw many movies this year and here is my list of the 10 best. Again, this is not a comprehensive list since I did not see every movie and there are still about 10 on my list that I want to see (ie Precious, Inglorious Basterds, The Hurt Locker)

10. Zombieland



9. The Cove



8. The Hangover



7. Where the Wild Things Are



6. In the Loop



5. (500) Days of Summer



4. Avatar



3. Up



2. An Education



1. Up in the Air

Thievery Corporation - 930 Club

Thievery Corporation is and has been playing a slew of shows at the 930 club this week; all of which sold out extremely quickly. Until I saw them at Lollapalooza, I knew very little about Thievery Corporation. Hailing from DC isn't the only reason this DJing duo sold out all their shows. All of their music is perfect for dancing around to but would also be perfect driving muisc. It's really hard to put a finger on what style of music they are but I would have to say its a mix of jazz, reggae, lounge music, and electronica. Interesting fact: the band was formed in 1995 at 18th Street Lounge...yes, that 18th Street Lounge that everyone has been to at one time or another. Check out these DC natives below:

Thievery Corporation on Myspace

Top Songs from 2009

15. passion pit - sleepyhead/the reeling
i chose both of these songs and would not think twice about adding moth's wings or little secrets as well. passion pit is the freshest sound in music from 2009.

14. arctic monkeys - cornerstone
this song gets me every time. heartbreakingly sad but in an arctic monkeys kind of way.

13. la roux - bulletproof
electro-pop at it's finest.

12. neko case - this tornado loves you
an indie pop-rock queen's love ballad done oh so right.

11. bon iver - blood bank
a haunting and mystical love song. vocals and lyrics to match.

10. matt and kim - daylight
catchiest song of this year. hands down.

9. the noisettes - wild young hearts
the music is almost as undeniable as Shingai Shoniwa's voice. the ins and outs of young love perfectly described in one song.

8. empire of the sun - standing on the shore
the biggest thing down under shows us why they are just that.

7. yeah yeah yeahs - zero
yyy's go dance and do it right. and karen o's vocals are as good as ever in this one. unadulturated fun.

6. big pink - dominoes
"these girls fall like dominoes!" paying homage to your many conquests and slutty women turned out to be your breakout hit.

5. girls - lust for life
my new anthem and life motto. makes me want to get up and do shit with my life...or just sit around with my friends, get drunk, and do nothing.

4. miike snow - animal
i can't tell which is better the original or the crookers remix...either way this song (and band) has been popping up all over the place lately.

3. animal collective - summertime clothes
perfect description of summer in the city. all set to one of the best animal collective beats of all time.

2. jay z feat. alicia keys - empire state of mind
made/makes you jealous of all your friends who live in nyc. and alicia keys chorus is loud, heartfelt, and stays with you long after the song is over.

1. phoenix - 1901
the best little ditty of the year. a happy upbeat song about those fleeting closing time moments right before the lights come on when you are looking for ms. right now.


honorable mentions (to name a few and in no order):
beach house - norway
the dirty projectors - stillness is the move
the avett brothers - i and love and you
phoenix - listzomania
lily allen - the fear
bat for lashes - daniel
julian casablancas - 11th dimension
camera obscura - french navy
taylor swift - you belong with me
pete horn and scarlett johansson - relator

Top Albums from 2009

Below is my top 10 albums list: 

10. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone

9.  Miike Snow - Miike Snow

8.  Metric - Fantasies

7.  Bat for Lashes - Two Suns

6.  Girls - Album

5.  Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3

4.  Passion Pit - Manners

3.  Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

2.  Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!

1.  Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

And there you have it...if you don't like it, suck it.

Elivs at 21 @ The Govinda Gallery

Alfred Wertheimer's collection "Elvis at 21" is on display at the Govinda Gallery in Georgetown. The collection shows, as stated by the title, Elvis when he was a young man. Taken in 1956 when Elvis was 21 years old, Wertheimer was able to gain unprecedented access into the life of Elvis Presley; access that no journalist or photographer would ever gain again. If you are an Elvis fan, like myself, you should definitely check out "Elvis at 21" at the Govinda Gallery. Below are some of the pictures you can see from the collection.

Govinda Gallery

Julian Casablancas @ 930 Club

Last night, I went to go see Julian Casablancas, lead singer of The Strokes. He has a new solo album out called Phrazes for the Young, which is his first solo album and therefore was the highlighting theme of the show. I was supposed to see it with my friend and fellow "gig buddy" Alaina but she was sick and couldn't make it. Luckily, my girlfriend Tracy stepped in last minute and attended with me. Although, musically, it was not her cup of tea, she said that she thoroughly enjoyed it and recognized Julian from The Strokes. The show sold out last minute so there were a bunch of people who showed up thinking they could still get tickets and were immensely dissappointed when they read the "SOLD OUT" signs. We arrived just as the opening act was finishing, but still managed to get a space where we could see almost everything.

Julian played a short set that included just about every song from his album including my two favorites, 11th Dimension and Out of the Blue. For those of you who haven't heard any of the songs from Phrazes for the Young, it sounds like a more upbeat, funkier version of the Strokes. Good music to jam to and some dancing going on throughout the crowd. You could tell that people were enjoying themselves and really liked Julian, even if it was because he is the lead singer of one of the best bands of the past decade. His voice is unique and undeniable. His lyrics just as poetic as his work with The Strokes. During the encore, he sang, "I'll Try Anything Once," one of the best songs off the last Strokes album. All in all, it was a great show that only added to my love for Julian Casablancas, the Strokes, and the 930 Club.


CHECK OUT SOME JULIAN CASABLANCAS BELOW:

Julian Casablancas on Myspace