A Sunny Day Shines On A Rainy Night

Gails of wind and pouring rain could not stop devoted music fans from packing DC9 for shoegazers A Sunny Day in Glasgow Sunday night. The six piece band from Philadelphia (no, they're not from Scotland) sparkled as they performed songs from their critically
acclaimed 2009 effort "Ashes Grammar."

They played an incredible set, selecting some of the best tracks from the 63 minute album, opening with two of their most popular songs, "The White Witch" and "Failure," moving into "Nitetime Rainbows," also the title track of a seven song EP released earlier this month. The songs sounded even better live than on the album, due largely in part to talented new vocalists Jen Goma and Annie Fredrickson, who replaced former singers Lauren and Robin Daniels.

There was so much going on at any given point onstage it was almost overwhelming, whether it was guitarist Josh Meakim blazing out a solo, Goma and Fredrickson singing intricate harmonies or Ben Daniels playing a number of different instruments, including an electric mandolin on one number.

Fredrickson took time between songs to talk to the audience. "Since we're in DC, I just want to say it's awesome that healthcare passed," she said to a roar of applause. "Well, it could be better, but it's good."

The set wasn't without some surprises. Mixed in with the ethereal, dreamy songs of "Ashes Grammar" were two heavier compositions. Drummer Adam Herndon pounded his crash cymbals and kickdrum while Ryan Newmyer turned his steady bass strumming up in the mix, laying down a menacing rhythmic foundation for Daniels and Meakim to fill out with layers of distorted chords. All the while, Goma and Fredrickson maintained their sweet, melodic vocals with Meakim adding vocoder harmonies. The energy in the room instantly morphed from a euphoric daze to a rock frenzy that was nothing short of spectacular.

A Sunny Day in Glasgow mingled with the ecstatic crowd following the set and thanked fans profusely as they made their way back into the wet DC night craving more.

-Joseph Rabinowitz

Great New Music At DC9

California quartet and recent Sub Pop signees Dum Dum Girls played a show with London lo-fi trio Male Bonding last night at DC9. Dum Dum girls combine classic 60s girl-group harmonies and songwriting with garage punk edge and surf rock guitar, fitting perfectly into the new wave of beach inspired, lo-fi rock music coming out of the indie scene. The group started as a solo recording project by lead singer and songwriter, Dee Dee, in Los Angeles. Later experimentation with different lineups led to the final group of three more female musicians.

The Girls played older material mixed with a few tracks off their new LP “I Will Be” due out March 30. Despite suffering from a bad sore throat, Dee Dee fought through the set, still managing to belt out a short-but -sweet show in her deep, gentle croon. The Girls sounded great, bringing the Phil Spector Wall of Sound-like harmonies of “I Will Be” to life in heels, striped leggings and short, black dresses.

Male Bonding took the stage next, rifling through a furious set of punk-inspired garage rock. “More bass in the space!” yelled one excited fan against the stage. Singer and bassist Kevin Hendrick cranked up his amplifier and yelled back, “More bass in your face London! I mean DC!” Male Bonding will release their debut LP, “Nothing Hurts,” May 11 on Sub Pop. You can also hear them on a newly released Paradise Vendors Inc 12” compilation of lo-fi bands in the UK garage rock scene.

DC9 is the perfect venue for smaller acts. The small upper floor puts fans right up close with the performers for an intimate concert experience. The sound is great and tickets are usually $15 or less, even as low as $7. The nightclub has frequent 18+ shows and features two bars for 21+ guests. It’s located at 1940 9th Street NW, just down the street from the 9:30 Club and only a few blocks from the U Street Metro stop.

For more information about DC9 visit www.dcnine.com

-Joseph Rabinowitz

Welcome to the new WRGW News

If you've never visited our site before, you might have noticed we've made a lot of major changes.  We've spent the past two months working on a brand new site that is intuitive and attractive, and we're excited to share the final result with you.

If you've regularly followed our news blog you're probably shocked to see the dramatic change of appearance (in a good way, hopefully).  The new website gives us a a better medium to share more breaking campus news stories, exclusives, feature stories, and editorials.

We'll give you a little walkthrough that covers the new features and layout of the new site.

1. New Logo - We went for a more modern, iconic logo, with obvious attention paid to the colors of the words in WRGW News.

2. Animated Headlines - On every page, you'll see an animated graphic that shows you the tops stories of the day along with a little blurb about it.  Clicking on the title takes you right to the story.

3. Featured Content - On the right hand side of the site you'll see the"Featured Content" and "Flickr Stream"sections where we'll post all the latest videos, Flickr galleries, sound bites, and pictures that showcase the latest news and stories on the site.  We're making a big push to go beyond simply written content and focus more on visuals and audio for a more unique way to get your news and analysis.

Footage of Justin Pierre’s WRGW Visit / Kogan Performance Hits Web

Motion City Soundtrack's Justin Pierre alongside WRGW's Jill Plevinsky. Photograph from www.mydinosaurlife.com.

Motion City Soundtrack’s Justin Pierre stopped by WRGW Studios early last month. The footage of his trip, recorded and edited by his crew, was recently posted on his website http://www.mydinosaurlife.com

Check out a part of his interview with WRGW’s Jill Plevinsky and his performance in Kogan Plaza:

Lady Gaga’s “Fame Monster” Leaves Us “Speechless”

A Track-by-Track of Gaga’s Newest Album

Lady Gaga’s new album, “The Fame Monster,” has the pop icon delving into her inner “monsters:” that which she fears the most, and that which she has discovered about herself while travelling across Eastern Europe after the release of her breakout album, “The Fame.” An anemic eight tracks in length, Gaga’s sophomore effort, which has already sold over 350,000 copies since its debut last week, pulls no punches, giving us some creative, catchy, and occasionally creepy tunes. With roots in electronic dance music akin to what you would hear in nightclubs across the pond, “The Fame Monster” gives us a fiery and fascinating blend of tracks that are as vibrant as they are vicious. Let’s dissect this monster:

Theater Review: Of Mice and Men at Church Street Theater

The Keegan Theatre’s “Of Mice and Men” is a touching reenactment of a story many of us first discovered in high school.

A classic staple of American Literature, John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men explores a common theme in his work—the lives of migrant workers in the Eastern United States during the Great Depression—by focusing on two ranch workers that travel together, in the hopes of earning enough to buy their own plot of land.

Director Kerry Water Lucas’ version of the story, currently at the Church Street Theater by Dupont Circle, focuses on the theme of friendship. Danny Gavigan, in the role of the friendly yet mentally disabled Lennie, is most convincing in the moments when he expresses his feeling for George, played by Mark A. Rhea.

When the black stable keeper on the ranch questions Lennie about George’s intentions, Gavigan responds with an immediate pain that overwhelms the scene, shadowing the subplot of racial tension at the ranch.

In the final moments of the play, as Lennie kneels and looks out over the river, trusting George completely even as he takes out the pistol by which Lennie meets his end, the agony of the loss of friendship again overwhelms a scene that has powerful socio-political subtext. The lighting and sound in the final scene improves noticeably, complementing the powerful emotions in the scene.

The set design is stark, yet beautiful, dominated by movable wooden partitions that alternatively resemble a fence in shambles or a downtrodden barn.

Some of the supporting cast is less successful in their approximations of the other ranch workers. Lee Matthews, the token woman the play, is tragically misunderstood and tragically theatric. Her performance seems more appropriate for a Broadway production than a small intimate stage.

Matt Bolie plays the wistful farm hand Candy. He has lost his hand on the farm and received $250 of compensation, about half of what George and Lennie need to buy up the plot they have in mind. Bolie’s character undergoes a complete transformation throughout the play, from a cheerful and hopeful accomplice in the plan, to a devastated skeleton of a man when his dog, a pride and joy, is shot and buried.

The play continues to vacillate between hope and destruction: Lennie accidentally kills a mouse by “petting it too hard” and then receives a baby pup—a dog on the farm has just had young; the black farm hand overcomes his loneliness and accepts Lennie’s presence shortly before a striking confrontation at the door with the ranch owner; Lennie and George seem to be well on their way to success when an unfortunate misstep destroys their hopes yet again. It leaves the audience with a deep confusion about optimism and pessimism, as well as the inevitable intervention of luck in life.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Directed by Kerry Waters Lucas. About 2 hours 20 minutes running time, $30 general admission, $25 for students/seniors. Through Nov. 29 at the Church Street Theater. For tickets, call 703-892-0202 or go to http://www.keegantheatre.com

Free Concert in Mitchell Theater This Friday

WRGW will be hosting its monthly "Friday Night Live" series this Friday, October 30th at Mitchell Theater located at 514 19th Street.

This month's free concert will feature "American Dairy," "Honor By August," and "Oh, the Story!"

Honor by August has played with Bon Jovi and Peter Frampton and won the Grand Prize in Billboard's World Song Contest:



Oh, the Story!



American the Dairy



The concert is entirely free, and the fun starts this Friday at 7:30, so be sure to catch it out!

It's "Official": Kathy Griffin's Memoir a D-List Dream Come True

By Alex Laska

You think you know Kathy Griffin.

You think you know her, because you’ve watched her multi-Emmy-winning show, “My Life on the D-List.” Because you’ve seen any of her numerous HBO Specials, such as “Kathy Griffin Is… Not Nicole Kidman.” Because you’ve listened to her Grammy-nominated cd, “For Your Consideration,” and laughed out loud. Or maybe just because, let’s face it, you secretly thought it was kind of funny when she told Jesus to suck it.

But as it turns out, you don’t know Kathy Griffin at all, not until you read her new book, “For Your Consideration: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin.” A mouth-watering 350 pages in length, Ms. Griffin’s memoir explores aspects of her life you’d never even realized existed. From her dysfunctional family life in Oak Park, Illinois, to her days of getting bullied by the other students AND the nuns throughout Catholic school, to the interminable months she spent clawing her way to the top of the talent heap at the Groundlings, Kathy shows us what her life was like before the Bravo series, before the Emmy wins, and before all the fame. Hollywood’s Public Enemy Number One gives us a never-before-seen insight into her early life, showing us the framework for what would become a successful, if not notorious, career bringing down the A-Listers for fun and profit.

Zune HD vs. iPod Touch, which is better?

By Dan Keylin

Take a short walk around campus and one thing you'll notice is that everyone is holding either a iPhone or iPod.  Apple is the king of MP3 players, and Microsoft is looking to change that.

The Zune HD was released today to a moderate level of fanfare, and I decided to get one.  I've also been a proud owner of an iPod touch, so I'llcompare and contrast the two devices:

[caption id="attachment_2466" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The Zune HD is one slick device."][/caption]

The first thing you'll notice is that the Zune HD is smaller than the iPod touch, and about a hair thicker, but it also weighs only about half as much, and feels very well-built.  The OLED screen is stunning, and comparing a Zune HD and iPod touch side by side, you can tell the Zune HD has far better color contrast; the blacks on the Zune HD look deep black, while the blacks on the iPod Touch look dark gray and washed out.

The user interface on the Zune HD is also amazing.  The touch screen is just as responsive as the iPod touch, and menus have really smooth animations.

When you play a song, a background is a picture of the artist, and album art is in the middle of the screen.  If you are playing a song by a popular artist, there will actually be pictures and biographies of that artist that you can see as you play the song.  It's a great touch, and makes the now three year old iPod touch interface look dull in comparison.

"Contrary to the name, the screen resolution is NOT high-defintion."

Watching videos on the screen look great (although contrary to the name, the screen resolution is NOT high-defintion).  The picture viewing is basically the same as the iPod touch, including multi-touch so you can zoom in and out by pinching your fingers.  It seems the multi-touch on the Zune HD works just as good as multi-touch on the iPod touch, which was a pleasant surprise.

While the Zune HD no doubt beats the iPod touch in regards to screen quality and user interface, it also has several shortcomings.

For one, there is no massive application store for the Zune HD, at least not yet.  Microsoft is trying to have iPhone app developers port their applications to the Zune HD, but they aren't in the Zune marketplace yet, although there should be a somewhat expansive app library for the Zune HD by the holiday season.

Microsoft is going to have a lot of trouble catching up to Apple's App Store, so if applications are a deal breaker to you, the Zune HD may not be the device for you right now.

The iPod touch's internet browser, Safari, is also superior to the Zune's updated version of internet explorer, which froze several times on me.

[caption id="attachment_2465" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Comparing (from left to right) iPhone, Zune HD, iPod touch."][/caption]

Perhaps most important is that the Zune HD only works with a windows computer, so all those Mac users will have to use bootcamp or another program to run windows on their Macbook.  If you have a windows computer, Zune Software (Zune's version of iTunes) is really nice, and a new change of pace from iTunes.  Both iTunes and Zune Software have their strengths and weaknesses, with iTunes having a simpler UI with more in depth options, while Zune Software was a much better album artwork matcher (it got pictures for about 90% of my library compared to iTunes which only got about 60%).

Overall, both devices are on an even level.  The screen and user interface on the Zune HD are truly amazing, but it falters when it comes to its internet browser, lack of applications, and support for Macs.

If you have a Mac and don't know how to run Windows on it, you should probably stick with your iPod.  If you have a Windows computer the Zune HD is a bit more compelling option at this point if applications aren't a necessity for you.  Either way, you really can't go wrong.

Music Minute

iTunes Top Five

1. You Belong With Me- Taylor Swift


2. Heartless-Kayne West


3. Live Your Life-TI


4. If I Were a Boy-Beyonce


5. Womanizer-Britney Spears

Upcoming CD Releases
November 11^th
Christina Aguilera- Keeps Getting Better
David Archuleta-David Archuleta
Tracey Chapman-Our Bright Future
Deborah Cox-The Promise
Missy Elliot-Block Party
Enya-And Winter Camer
Gnarls Barkley-Who’s Gonna Save My Soul
Music Soulchild- On My Radio
Seal-Soul
T-Pain- Thr33 Ringz
Taylor Swift-Fearless

Concerts this Weekend:
Friday
Common-Love
Hellogoodbye-Sonar
Dar Williams with Lucy Wainwright- Birchmere
Joel McHale-Warner Theatre
Saturday
Alejandro Escovedo-Avalon
Cassandra Wilson-Warner
The Decemberists-Rams Head Live
Dark Star Orchestra-930
Sunday
The Cheetah Girls-Verizon Girls
Alejandro Escovedo-Birchmere
Ben Kenney-Black Cat

-Taylor Barnes

Leonard Bernstein Remembered at Kennedy Center

Yesterday, Marin Alsop led the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in a rare performance of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass at the Kennedy Center. The cast of performers was over 200 and included soloists, choirs, and a marching band.

2008 marks what would have been Bernstein’s 90^th birthday. Concert series have been held across the United States to commemorate his work as one of the most pivotal and well known American composers and conductors.

George Washington alumna Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis originally commissioned the mass for the opening of the Kennedy Center in 1971.

While Bernstein’s mass was a special one time performance, the Kennedy Center is constantly hosting world class artists. Tickets for the remainder of the National Symphony Orchestra’s classical season are on sale and going fast. And don’t forget, free concerts are held every day at 6 pm on the Millennium Stage.

-Joe Lewis

Max Raabe Performs at Lisner

Max Raabe and the Palast Orchestra came to the Lisner Auditorium on Tuesday and performed a variety of songs from their latest album.

Performing in front of a nearly packed auditorium, the orchestra showed the vigor, personality, and humor it is well known for. Their latest CD is a compilation of songs from the 20s and 30s, and has been very well received by critics. Raabe and his orchestra all originate in Germany, and the majority of the CD has German songs from that era. However, notable songs sung in English included, “Singing in the Rain,” “Cheek to Cheek,” “You’re the Cream in my Coffee,” and “I’ll Kiss Your Hand, Dear Lady.” Besides the beautifully interpreted music, Raabe also has an amazing stage presence, and is capable of eliciting both excitement from the music, and sadness from his tone. However, he also is quite the wit, and had the audience regularly cracking up throughout the performance.

An after the show interview with several of the band members revealed that what may seem like a carefree and easy performance on stage is actually quite the opposite. Baritone Saxophonist Rainier Fox says of the band, “Max is quite the perfectionist. It may seem easy on stage to perform, but it is much harder to look like its easy, act like its funny, and perform well than what we portray on stage. It takes quite a bit of practice.”

Aside from his latest CD, Max Raabe and the Palast Orchestra have released covers that include such well known hits as Britney Spears’ “Hit Me Baby One More Time,” and “Oops (I Did It Again) as well as Salt and Peppa’s, “Let’s Talk About Sex”. After leaving the stage, a ten minute standing ovation brought all the twelve members back to the stage for several memorable encore performances.

-Pat Miller

Music Minute

iTunes Top 5
1.Fearless-Taylor Swift
2.Womanizer-Britney Spears
3.Live Your Life- TI featuring Rhianna
4.So What-P!nk
5.Hot N Cold-Katy Perry

Upcoming CD Releases
October 20th
AC/DC-Black Ice (Wal-Mart Exclusive)
October 21st
Ludacris-Theatre of the Mind
Matisyahu- Shattered
Of Montreal-Skeletal Landing
October 28th
Ryan Adams and The Cardinals-Cardinology
Bloc Party-Intimacy
Coolio-Steel Hear
The Cure-Dream 4.1.3
Kaiser Chiefs-Off With Their Heads
Toby Keith-That Don’t Make Me A Bad Guy
John Legend-Evolver
P!nk-Funhouse
Snow Patrol-A Hundred Million Suns

Concerts this Weekend
Friday
Sugar Hill Gang-Zanzibar
School of Rock: Tribute to Van Halen-8X10
Elton John-John Paul Jones
Robin Williams- Smith Center
Saturday
The Misfits-JAXX
Lewis Black-Patriot Center
Robin Williams- Smith Center
Sunday
TI & T-Pain- Patriot Center
An Acoustic Evening with Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt-Warner Theatre
Method Man and Redman-SONAR

-Taylor Barnes

Music Minute

iTunes Top 5
1.    Womanizer-Britney Spears
2.    Live Your Life- TI featuring Rhianna
3.    So What-P!nk
4.    Let it Rock-Kevin Rudolf & Lil Wayne
5.    Hot N Cold-Katy Perry

New CD Releases
Tuesday October 14th
Ashanti- The Vault
Boo and Boo Too-No Tiempo
Jo Dee Messina- Unmistakeable
Keane-Perfect Symmetry
Lucinda Williams-Little Honey

Concerts
Thursday
Of Montreal-930
Halloween Fearfest-Merriweather
Friday
Odd Girl Out- SONAR
Martin Sexton-Birchmere
Girl Talk-9:30
Saturday
Lupe Fiasco-Loyola
Girl Talk-Sonar
Shwazye-Santa Fe Café College Park
Ra Ra Riot- Black Cat
Sunday
Glactic-930 Club
Rise Against with Alkaline Trio and Thrice- Rames Head Live!
The Australian Pink Flyod Show-Warner Theatre

-Taylor Barnes

Movie Review: The Express

Yesterday was the advanced screening of the movie, The Express, starring Dennis Quaid and Rob Brown.  Full of trials and hardships, The Express is a true story based on Ernie Davis's (Rob Brown) experience playing for Syracuse University's football team under the leadership of Coach Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid).  Ernie is the first black football player to win the Heisman Award, but it was not an easy journey.  The movie shows all the obstacles Davis had to endure being a black athlete in a segregated society.

The Express had all the elements of a sports movie; an underdog team fighting to the top, an athlete with an abnormal amount of talent and a coach with a tough exterior, but is really a sweetheart.  The film does a good job of integrating the racial issues on the football field and in society as a whole.  The football scenes were full of excitement, but were careful to not be overdone.  And if you're not a sports fan - don't worry - you will still find this movie interesting due to its lovable characters and dramatic plot.

Although the film had action, comedy and romance, it seemed a little lengthy.  With the move running just over two hours, it would have been just as effective if it had been shorter.

Overall it was a good sports film and will have you engaged the entire time.  The Express comes to theaters this Friday, October 10th.

- Roxanne Martin