GW Student to Play Rock and Roll Hotel (video)

Is And Of The, a band led by GW student Drew Bandos, will perform at the Rock and Roll Hotel tonight at 9:00 pm. Click here for more info and watch the video below.

Monday Concert Preview

The much-hyped Wavves & Best Coast double-headlining tour hits the 9:30 club on Monday. The indie scene's current "it" couple of Nathan Williams and Bethany Cosentino have been playing dates together through January fresh off the release of their split "Summer Is Forever" EP.

The two bands received media attention for their respective summer 2010 releases.

Concertgoers can expect to hear bright, beach-pop guitar riffs with plenty of "ooh" and "ahh" girl-group style harmonies from Best Coast, while Wavves brings a high -energy, snotty punk delivery and shout-along choruses to the stage.

Opening act No Joy also contributed a song to the "Summer Is Forever" EP. The track, called "Hawaii," is roughly a two-minute buzz saw of swirling lo-fi guitars, distortion and reverb-laden vocals that fades into a lengthy feedback-heavy outro.

Doors open at 6:30 Monday night. Tickets are still available for $20.

-Joseph Rabinowitz

Bob Dylan Plays Smith Center

Folk legend Bob Dylan performed in front of a sold-out Smith Center this Saturday night. The set list included songs from throughout his extensive recording history, including 1965’s Highway 61 Revisited up to Modern Times, the musician’s 2006 effort.

Admirers of all ages filled the crowd. The backstage entrance was packed with fans trying to send the folk icon bouquets and other gifts. One excited fan screamed, “I’ll give anybody here $1,000 cash to get me a handshake with Bob Dylan.”

At 69 years old, Dylan can still put on a show. The veteran performer rifled through 16 songs, including a two song encore, in under two hours, playing harmonica, guitar and keyboard.

His gravelly voice lends itself well to the blues. He sounds like a man with his share of stories, and it adds to the Dylan mystique. Classics like “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” and “Ballad of a Thin Man” received different arrangements, while others such as “Just Like A Woman” remained pretty faithful to the recorded version.

The audience shouted along to the chorus of a rousing rendition of show closer “Like A Rolling Stone.” After his set, Dylan took a few moments to salute the audience, hands pointed in the air, as they gave him a jubilant sendoff.

-Joseph Rabinowitz

Fountain Fling Continues in the Rain

On Saturday afternoon, hundreds of students flocked to the Mount Vernon campus for the annual Fountain Fling event, despite cloudy skies and rain.

The event was moved to the Lloyd gym due to the weather, but was still a great success with student performances, giveaways and a concert by the well-known alternative rock band State Radio. Students were crowd surfing and enjoying the band that recently had three sold-out concerts at the 9:30 club and opened for Dave Matthews Band in 2008.

GW was the last of seven stops on the Save My Oceans tour, which advocates against global warming, plastic pollution and overfishing. The “bag monster” also made an appearance at the event. The Bag Monster ‘attacks’ on college campuses to educate about the importance of reusable bags and the amount of unnecessary waste created from single-use plastic bags. The costume is made up of 500 single-use plastic bags and represents the amount an average person uses in one year in the United States.

The Surfrider Foundation was also in attendance to spread awareness about the protection and enhancement of the world’s oceans. Brita water filters and reusable water bottles were given out along with free food and Fountain Fling t-shirts.

“I am very impressed with the turn-out, especially considering the rain and moving of locations,” said Alyssa Abraham, who lives on the Vern and helped plan the event with Program Board. “It shows that GW students are willing to make the trip to the Vern if there is a good reason to.”

For more information on the Save My Oceans film, book and concert tour, go to www.savemyoceans.com

Video: Public Enemy “Bring the Noise” to Campus

Believe the hype. The hip-hop group Public Enemy played a concert at Lisner Auditorium last night but turned heads outside the venue when they arrived on the back of a flat bed truck.

Most known for their hits “Fight the Power,” and “Bring the Noise,” the performers began their open-air performance at 18 & G Streets and winded their way through campus.

The event, “An Evening with Public Enemy: Concert to Fight Youth Homelessness” benefits the Sasha Bruce Youthwork, a D.C. homeless shelter for youth.

Concert to Consider: Eli 'Paperboy' Reed and the True Loves

Last week, DC was graced with a visit by Eli 'Paperboy' Reed.  The 9:30 Club was converted to a dance party as the band's wails brought back the early days of soul and funk.  From his Beaver Cleaver hairdo, to Wilson Pickett-like sound, Eli 'Paperboy' Reed was definitely worth the trip.

Click here to listen to the full review:  Eli 'Paperboy' Reed

- Shawn Willis