Spike'd Sundays: Sundays @ Capitol Skyline Hotel

SPIKED SUNDAYS - Calling all those who believe life doesn't get better than a burger, a beer and pooldeck of bikinis!

Hosted by Top Chef contestant Spike Mendelsohn of Capitol Hill's Good Stuff Eatery.

Beach balls, rubber duckies, bad language, and BBQ throw-downs welcomed and encouraged! The classic Capitol Skyline Hotel, designed by Morris Lapidus (architect of the Fontainebleau in Miami) has turned a corner. A wet, glistening, chlorinated corner. It's called The Capitol Skyline Pool. Inspired by a city that's exploding with style, yet starving for some edge, we've transformed the grand, glorious Miami-Beach-like pool into an Oasis of "anything goes."

Cover: $10 at door (includes free burger) and all drinks, all summer, are $5 or less. Pool parties run until Labor Day

Capitol Skyline Hotel Pool...prrrrretty nice

The Govinda Gallery

David Burnett's photography collection entitled 'Soul Rebel: An Intimate Portrait of Bob Marley' is on display at the National Harbor location of the Govinda Gallery.  There are two locations of the Govinda Gallery.  One is in Georgetown and the other is at the National Harbor across the water from Old Town Alexandria in Maryland.  I first came across the Govinda Gallery with my friend Ashley.  While she was living in Georgetown the two of us went to an exhibit by Henry Grossman called 'Kaleidoscope Eyes: A Day in the Life of Sgt. Pepper,' which showed an intimate depiction of the Beatles while they were recording Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.  The gallery is very small but the exhibits are primarily based around music.  Recent exhibits included Stanley Mouse' Grateful Life (Marsh drew many of the quintessential images we now associate with the Grateful Dead).  The next exhibit opens sometime after June 14th and I'm excited to see what the it will bring...hopefully something along the same lines as the killer past exhibits.  Check out the three aforementioned exhibits below: 

Soul Rebel: An Intimate Portrait of Bob Marley by David Burnett

Kaleidoscope Eyes: A Day in the Life of Sgt. Pepper by Henry Grossman

Grateful Life by Stanley Mouse

And for good measure I'll add my favorite song from each of these artists (although it's hard to choose just one): 

Bob Marley, The Wailers - Three Little Birds

The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever

The Grateful Dead - Uncle John's Band

Au Revoir Simone: Rock and Roll Hotel 5/30

Au Revoir Simone is performing at the Rock and Roll Hotel this Saturday May 30th. They are the headliners and their two opening acts, The Antlers and Jeff Lewis, aren't to shabby themselves. Doors open at 8:30 and the show begins at 9:30. Tickets are $12 presale or $14 day of show. Au Revoir Simone is an electronic, indie pop band from Brooklyn with a light, fresh sound that is easy on the ears but still stays true to both the electronic and indie genres. An interesting factoid I found online: the name Au Revoir Simone comes from the movie Pee Wee's Big adventure when Pee-Wee is says "au revoir Simone" to a minor character. Check out Au Revoir Simone below:

Au Revoir Simone on Myspace

Spotlight Lollapalooza: Rye Rye

Rye Rye is an up and coming rapper straight out of Baltimore. She is young and has a fresh sound that is very hardcore and upbeat. I first came across her music while I was in line at American Apparel with my friend Kareem. Kareem was bopping his head to the beat and the guy behind the register asked if he liked Rye Rye.  Kareem (and myself included) had no idea who she was but I went and checked her out that night and it was love at first listen. Rye Rye was discovered by MIA, is one of the first artists on MIA's new record label N.E.E.T, and even collaborates with her on the track "Bang" (which was featured in the new movie Fast and Furious). Rye Rye will be performing at Perry's Tent and I hope that I will be able to catch her show. With so many unbelievable acts performing at Lollapalooza, I'm going to have to pick and choose carefully which artists to check out, which ones I can miss, and which might be performing in the DC area in the near future. Check out Rye Rye below:

Rye Rye on Myspace

Some more by Rye Rye

Rye Rye - Bang ft. M.I.A.

Rye Rye Feat. M.I.A. - Bang (Teen Wolf Remix)

Rye Rye - Reasons

Rye Rye - Wassup (Crookers Remix)

David Guetta: FUR 5/24

David Guetta is DJing at Fur Nightclub tonight.  The show costs $30 bucks and he goes on at midnight.  David Guetta is one of the top DJs in the world and has a few hits here in the United States.  Fur is always a ridiculously good time so I suggest you try it out tonight, since there is no work tomorrow.  Check out some of his song below: 

David Guetta on Myspace

Liberation Dance Party: DC 9 every Friday

Check out Liberation Dance party every Friday at DC 9. Liberation Dance Party features cool new music by both up and coming artists as well as some established favorites and includes music videos playing up on a screen. A very cool scene and always a good time. As an incentive to get there early, they offer an open bar from 9 - 10:30pm. Drink your free booze then dance your face off: not a bad Friday night after a long week! I have attached the website for Liberation Dance Party and a link to songs from last weeks playlist which include many artists I have already covered on DC Disco and many that I will be covering and/or seeing in the upcoming months. ps. Liberation Dance Party has an exciting artist in residence for the month of June...one of my favorite new bands, Natalie Portman's Shaved Head (but I will discuss them next week).

Liberation Dance Party's Website

Last Weeks Playlist

Here are my top 10 (in no particular order) from last weeks playlist...ENJOY!
MGMT - Kids
Yelle - ACDG (Tepr rmx)
Friendly Fires - Skeleton Boy
Natalie Portman's Shaved Head - Sophisticated Side Ponytail
Royskopp - Happy Up Here
Passion Pit - The Reeling
Kid Cudi - Day 'N' Nite (Crookers Remix)
Hercules and Love Affair - Blind
Junior Boys - In The Morning
Vampire Weekend - The Kids Don't Stand A Chance (Chromeo Remix)

The Hangover

Two of my friends and I went to the Washington, DC premier of "The Hangover." The film was directed and produced by the same people who did Old School and it is very evident with certain scenes and cameos. I won't say too much about the movie except that it is definitely worth the price of admission and insanely funny and crude. The move stars Bradley Cooper (Sack from Wedding Crashers), Ed Helms (Andy from The Office), Justin Bartha, and Zach Galifianakis. Other stars and cameos also include Heather Graham, Jeffery Tambor, Mike Tyson, Rachel Harris, and Rob Riggle.

Check out the trailer for "The Hangover" below:

Tally Hall: DC Nine 5/21

Tally Hall is playing at DC 9 tomorrow, Thursday May 21st. Doors open at 8pm and tickets are only $10. I have actually seen Tally Hall before. They played a show at Denison my senior year and they were very entertaining. I had never heard of them nor had any intention of going but my friend Pete convinced a bunch of us to go. Well worth it. The highlight of their show is the cover of Biz Markie's one hit wonder, "Just a Friend." When I saw them at Denison, the lead singer used a megaphone and went into the audience while singing. Overall they have a funky, upbeat sound with a nerdy vibe but their music is worth checking out. You'll get a little rock, a little rap, a little bit of everything.

Tally Hall on Myspace






More from Tally Hall:
Tally Hall - Just A Friend (Biz Markie)
Tally Hall - Smile Like You Mean It (Killers Cover)

At the Movies: Coming Attractions Trailer Night

This is my first post dealing with the another one of my favorite things to do in DC: going to the movies, especially at the E Street Cinemas.  The first movie I saw there was Slumdog Millionaire before it was out in most if any other movie theaters and I have been back several times.  Tomorrow night the E Street Cinema, along with the DC Film Society, is hosting a Coming Attractions Trailer Night for the upcoming hits of this summer.  Many of the trailers for the big name movies coming out will be featured: Terminator Salvation, Funny People, and Bruno just to name a few.  There will also be many others along with voting on which movies you have to see this summer and which ones you'd rather miss.  It's $8 and starts at 7pm.  The link for the E Street Cinemas is on the right but as you can guess it is on E Street very close to Metro Center.  I would highly recommend this to anyone that wants to get excited about summer movies or just flat out enjoys the previews as much or more than the features themselves.  Below are links to trailers of movies that I can't wait to see this summer, which will be reviewed after I've seen them: 

500 Days of Summer

Whatever Works

Rudo y Cursi

Summer Hours

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Bruno

Funny People

The Informers

Public Enemies

Humpday

The Brothers Bloom

Rock the Boat

Taking Woodstock

Paper Heart

The Boss

Bruce Springsteen is playing at the Verizon Center tonight at 7:30 and I am too broke to even consider going...(tear). If anyone is going please let me know how the show is. Thank you. That is all.