get gooey

The Sweets keep riding their rolling riptide here in early 2014. The band has been spread the love most recently with the Zing Zang EP, one half of a split cassette with fellow North Carolinians Petey, out now on Bleeding Gold Records. They've also got a new track appearing on the If You Fall I'll Fall With You compilation from Edils Recordings, and did an interview with Reverb Raccoon where they discuss all their recent and upcoming releases, including the Greatest Hits and a future project with Goodbye Boozy Records.

Additional news of note coming down the pipeline includes the imminent arrival of DZ12, which is in its final phases of production (more info on that to follow), and It Is Rain In My Face. self-titled cassettes, which are back in stock over on Mat's bandcamp page (along with a snug and stylish new silkscreened t-shirt).

Reservations for the Iron Chic show at The Dougout filled up within hours of going public, but that's not the only upcoming event in Northeast DC worth checking out. If you like pizza and live in the district, you should stop by Hole In The Sky on Saturday, January 22 for the fifth installment of their art show series in which they'll be cooking up a 6 ft. pizza and surrounding it with pizza-themed artworks of the visual, installation and performance persuasion. The gallery will showcase works by artists previously featured here including Sean Berg, Ryan Ford and Red Table Press (who designed the awesome poster below commemorating the event). Come inside from the cold and enjoy some warm and gooey goodness with us!

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)