Author Archives: Sheki

Need a night to laugh off the politics? Pauly Shore is coming to DC, and he’s got the right dose of funny that you need.

Pauly Shore and Showtime Networks have come together to create Pauly-tics, a live stand up performance that will be aired on Showtime later this fall. It will of course feature the one and only Pauly Shore, as well as an array of political comedians and celebrities.

This Saturday at the 9:30 Club, catch all the action with a pair of free tickets for either the early show at 5:30 PM or the late show at 9:00 PM. Each of the shows will be seated and taped for the Showtime special.

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By infusing a mix of pop, rock, Middle Eastern and African music, folk, and dub, Yeasayer creates an eclectic blend that the band perfectly describes as “Middle Eastern-psych-snap-gospel.”

Since Yeasayer’s emergence onto the music scene in 2007 with the release of their critically-acclaimed debut All Hour Cymbals and then their sophomore smash Odd Blood, they have continued to share their cultural mash-ups around the world.

Yeasayer will start their North American tour in sync with the release of their upcoming new album Fragrant World on August 21st, including a stop at the 9:30 Club on Wednesday, November 14th. It will be the place to be in DC come November, and here’s your chance at a pair of free tickets to experience the musical spectrum of Yeasayer.

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Rather than following fads, Matthew Sweet has always been one to create his own signature style.

Although he has been cranking out jam-worthy music since the mid-’80s, his breakthrough came with the release of his 1991 album Girlfriend. This year just so happens to mark the 20th anniversary of the album. Hence the name of the tour, which will be featuring the album in its entirety for all to relive.

Last September, Sweet debuted his latest album, Modern Art. The name behind this album simply came from a possible idea for a title. After further examination, Sweet noticed that it resembled the term “modern heart.” It was from that point that he knew what this album would represent, the two competing forces against the ever-refreshing state of time and the aged emotional heart. It is these two concepts that truly bring out what you will experience listening to Modern Art.

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Vetusta Morla: A force of rock music from Spanish origins coming to U Street Music Hall this Wednesday, March 21st.

Spain Arts & Culture and 9:30 Club are proud to present Madrid’s greatest export, whose two studio albums, 2008’s Un Dia en el Mundo and last year’s Mapas, received the Gold Record and the Platinum Record in Spain, respectively.

Both albums were released on Pequeño Salto Mortal, their very own label, “created to offer themselves a secondary road to bypass the usual channels of the recording industry.” No strangers to thinking outside the box, they refuse to be labeled merely as World Music, but draw heavily from “outside the rock tradition” while still remaining loyal to its core. Vetusta Morla sold out La Rivera (think twice the size of 9:30 Club) five nights in a row, but you have the chance to see them in a more intimate setting right here in DC.

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Blending a mix of folk, indie rock, and post-punk beats with a kick of eclectic instrumentals is the London-based band Fanfarlo. Once you’ve absorbed the melancholy yet heartfelt sounds of Fanfarlo, you’ll know you’ve been hit with something special.

The roots behind the band Fanfarlo can be found from the bedroom project of the Swdedish lead singer/songwriter Simon Balthazar in 2006. The name of the band comes from their own personal love of literature; Fanfarlo is a reference from Charles Baudelaire’s novella, “La Fanfarlo.”

If you happen to be a Sufjan Stevens or Arcade Fire fan, you won’t be disappointed by Fanfarlo’s literate pop songs.

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Delicate fingers generate beauty by spelling it out on the keys of a piano. Just when you think it can’t get any better, the voice behind Coeur de Pirate starts to come alive. For all the French-speaking impaired out there, Coeur de Pirate translates to “Pirate Heart.” Coeur de Pirate is the stage name behind the Quebec native Beatrice Martin.

It was clear from the start that music would be a major impact on Beatrice Martin’s life. At the tender age of three, she was already musically prepping on the piano. By fifteen, she became a keyboardist for the post-hardcore band December Strikes.

After a few short years, she took the plunge and embarked on creating her own identity as Coeur de Pirate. Beatrice continues to grow as an artist, and late last year she released her newest album Blonde.

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Actor-comedian JB Smoove cannot miss a comedic beat. Don’t plan on keeping a straight face with his mouth ready to attack a mic.

If you love Curb Your Enthusiasm, the hit HBO show, then you’ve caught a glimpse of JB Smoove’s talents as Leon. Of course, his talents don’t stop there; he has also guest starred on The Chris Rock Show and Premium Blend.

So to all those around the DMV, here is your chance for an evening filled with nonstop laughter because we’ve got a pair of tickets to give away. Don’t miss JB Smoove this Saturday (1/14) at the 9:30 Club.

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Jane Birkin has graced us over the years with talent ranging in both music and film. Her musical beauty has struck a chord with audiences throughout the last four decades from all over the world.

Although Jane Birkin was born and bred in London, she would go on to audition for a French film in 1968. It was from that point Jane Birkin’s musical French roots would be paved.

For many years she had remained geared toward a French audience, until about six years ago in 2006, when she released Fictions. Fictions was packed with enormous music powerhouses, from Tom Waits, Neil Young, and Rufus Wainwright.

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At the age of twenty-three, most of us are fresh out of college, in search of our path through life.

For Markéta Irglová, at just the tender age of eighteen, a path lead her straight to a starring role in the indie hit film, Once. She not only landed a main part, but also helped write the music for the film’s soundtrack. Success continued to follow her when she was nominated and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, “Falling Slowly,” with co-star and fellow The Swell Season bandmate Glen Hansard.

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The Sanders Brothers had the rare gift of blending the sounds of Psychedelic Rock and Motown Funk to brew up the audacious grooves of “Black Rock.” 

Coming from an improbable place, a small Southern Texas town, in this unlikely place, Kool & Together had the talent to ignite a fire of talent both lyrically and musically.

The single “Sittin’ on a Red Hot Stove” is a funk number that will get your blood boilin’ and your head burnin’ with its groovy beats.

One lucky winner will receive Kool & Together’s Original Recordings 1970-77 from Light in the Attic Records. This set assembles the band’s recordings from the 1970s, as well as rarely-heard private press 45s.

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