smooth ride

DZ11 cassettes are dubbed, packaged, and will be shipped out by the end of the week, and Cactus Mouth called the Greatest Hits "a joy to listen to ... if you dig on lo-fi bedroom pop then scoop this goofy little release up." So to thank everybody for their support, a contest has been posted on the facebook page giving you the chance to win a free digital download of every DZ release to date. Here's a preview of the booty you could be looting, this one's "Coupe Deville" by The Sweets:



In live music news, the Dougout received some kind words from Myspace last week, putting it on their list of "The 16 Best DIY Venues in the US" as their top choice for Washington, DC. Admittedly this took us by surprise, as there are a handful of other solid spots for house shows in the district, but we are honored nonetheless and certainly appreciate the recognition.

The next event is lined up for February 25 and will feature Iron Chic, Collapser and The Rememberables. Because the demand for spots to this show is so high, we're taking reservations for spots starting today at noon on a first come first serve basis. Visit this link to reserve your spot, and take a look at the event page for more details.

This past Sunday we hosted a handful of talented local acts at a show commemorating our two-year anniversary. I'd like to thank all the friends and fans who came out to help us mark the occasion, the bands Teen Liver, Wildhoney, Expert Alterations, Cool People and Circus Bear for playing great sets, and Red Table Press for adding some style to the bar with the custom sign you'll see below, along with some pictures snapped and lent out by a few lovely gents.

Teen Liver (courtesy of Jason)

Teen Liver (courtesy of Ahmad)

Cool People (courtesy of Jason)

the greatest hits

The Sweets are two brothers from Winston Salem, NC who've been playing garage pop together for the past year, baking up a sticky mess of music despite going to different schools a few hundred miles apart. The duo wrote and recorded almost 50 original tracks in 2013, varying in styles from loud and fast garage punk to hushed and supple bedroom pop, so we took the best of both to release as the Greatest Hits. Limited to 50 twizzler-red cassettes, DZ11 is sure to be snacked up soon, so find yours in the candy store before they're gone.

The Dougout will be celebrating its two year anniversary soon, and to commemorate the occasion we're putting on a show featuring performances from a few old friends and some new local talent. Check the event page here for details, and check out the bands below:


☯ Teen Liver
☯ ☯ Wildhoney
☯ ☯ ☯ Expert Alterations
☯ ☯ ☯ ☯ Cool People
☯ ☯ ☯ ☯ ☯ Circus Bear

Before signing off, I'd like to thank everyone who came out last Friday to see Speedy Ortiz, Grass Is Green, Two Inch Astronaut, and Collapser. The bands were all phenomenal, the house was overflowing with people, and we got some stellar shots of the show from Chris Suspect and a few of our friends right here for your viewing pleasure.

 Speedy Ortiz (courtesy of Suspect)

Speedy Ortiz (courtesy of Ahmad)

Grass Is Green (courtesy of Suspect)

Two Inch Astronaut (courtesy of Suspect)

Collapser (courtesy of Geoff)

post-solstice explosion in sound

2014 is finally here and as some of you have already noticed, pre-orders for DZ11 are now live. With winter's longest days behind us, there's no better time to let The Sweets warm you up with the soft sun-crisped sounds of summertime. Catch a glimpse of lazy fun times ahead in the video for "She Says" from the "Just The Dudes EP" released on Bleeding Gold Records last year, and now through the end of January you can take an extra 10% off anything in the store by using promo code "loveandrockets" at checkout.

Those of you in the district looking to catch some good live music are welcome to join us January 17 at the Dougout for a volcanic display of talent from Carpark Records and Exploding In Sound Records.

ϟ Speedy Ortiz (Northampton, MA)
ϟ ϟ Grass Is Green (Boston, MA)
ϟ ϟ ϟ Two Inch Astronaut (Silver Spring, MD)
ϟ ϟ ϟ ϟ Collapser (Washington, DC)

Hot and steamy rocket-powered glow-in-the-dark prints designed by Red Table Press will be available in limited numbers. Click the poster below for more details about the show.