gig bag

After an amazing few months, the summer is coming to a close. But not before we take a moment to shed some light on some of the things that have helped to make this the hottest season on record for us here at DZ HQ. And now without further adieu, your last day of summer camp update:

First up on the docket I am proud to announce the release of the latest work from the always entertaining (and sometimes bemusing), the one and only Sitcom from Baltimore.

Since its digital release earlier this year, "Gig Bag" has already received some kind press from the likes of Stereogum, Tiny Mix Tapes, and GoldFlakePaint, and is available now for the first time on professionally dubbed pink cassettes with five-page liner in a limited run of 100.

"those who keep a keen eye on the U.S bedroom-pop scene will probably be aware of Jake Lazovick’s talent; one of those precocious, prolific acts that the country seems to have an abundance of, now and forever... there’s certainly a buried strain of implacable magic to his work, the kind of half-buried feeling you’re unsure of where it came from, or where it belongs, but which constantly tugs at you from the very heart of his weirdly wonderful songs. The new record does this from the outset." - GoldFlakePaint 

"Jake Lazovick’s latest album under his Sitcom moniker sounds like both his loneliest and most accomplished to date. Gig Bag feels like a largely solitary endeavor — with only background vocals from Joanna Smith occasionally penetrating the fold — but it’s never alienating. In fact, most of these songs sound like they’re begging for connection, yearning and presumptively hopeful... Lazovick makes muted pop songs for small spaces, insular notes that appeal to the introvert in all of us." - Stereogum 

"What on this surface of his live shows looks like flailing sketch of 101 Things to Learn in Art School, Lazovick’s worked his way into downtempo and house-influenced dance jamz with an oblique awareness of the performative body, the manic space between smile and frown, the body as DIY punchline. I guess it’s appropriate that the project’s been known as “Sitcom;” Lazovick’s performance feels like the taut ethos of a Seinfeld or Friends episode without the laugh track, a hit or miss confidence that’s probably essential these days in performance. Like Phil Elverum’s more stream of conscious efforts turned Demetri Martin one-liners (with maybe a dash of the Wiggles), Lazovick combats the roaring chaos of punk with a fearless gesture, a wonky boom-bap, an uneasy chuckle from the back of the room." - Tiny Mix Tapes

Tapes will start shipping early next month and your first chance to pick one up in person will be on September 7 at The Crown in Baltimore when Sitcom plays with Outer Spaces and Gun Outfit (more info can be found here).

Moving along to some more news that gives me the windows-down breeze-in-your-hair feeling that could only come from a stretch on the old American highway system, both Big Hush and Wildhoney are prepping to hit the road and take the country by storm before the next ice age sends us the way of the mastodons.

  

Big Hush will be putting the pedal to the metal starting this weekend, so keep up with the band and find out where they're playing in your town by clicking the tour poster above.

And as if I weren't already the luckiest boy in the world, I'm thrilled to say that I will be accompanying Wildhoney on their trek in support of Cymbals Eat Guitars and Field Mouse starting mid-September! Needless to say, I'm overwhelmingly excited to join my friends on their nationwide tour, so check out the dates above and come chat me up at the merch booth, where I'll have the full DZ distro on display and freshly pressed copies of the band's new "Continental Drift" 4-way split vinyl with The Spook School, Mercury Girls, and Tigercats from Slumberland Records which premiered on BrooklynVegan earlier this week (listen here).

But before hopping in the van, there's three DZ gigs going down 24 hours prior to my departure:

Thursday, September 8 at The Lilly Trotter Tea Lounge

Donovan Wolfington, Caddywhompus, and Dove Lady

(click here to RSVP)

Saturday, September 17 at The Lilly Trotter Tea Lounge

Hovvdy, Yours Are The Only Ears, and Airhead DC

(click flyer to RSVP)

Sunday, September 18 at Hole In The Sky

Escape From DC Brunch XV: Yohuna, Cat Be Damned, and Slip Disco

(click flyer to RSVP)

Like there weren't already enough awesome things happening in this post, here's a brief recap of some of the more spectacular moments since the last update:

Half Waif was featured on the Best New Track section of Pitchfork, who had this to say about one of my favorite tracks from the record:

"Plunkett’s beautifully ornamented melodies—intricately woven, as if using harmonies to climb into the sky—recall Judee Sill’s flanged poise, or more so, the New Age webbings of Enya. Still, grounding the glassy “Turn Me Around” is a searing double-dutch beat that points square at pop radio. The music contains dark shadows as well as sugar—were you to text this Bandcamp link to a friend, the most appropriate emoji pairing might be a crystal ball and a lollipop." - Pitchfork

For more personal insight on the album, check out this recent interview Nandi did with The Village Voice, where she talks about blending analog atmospheres and digital recordings, her musical influences growing up, and more.

Down south, DZ alum Adam Torres has been prepping for the release of his upcoming album "Pearls To Swine" on Fat Possum Records, and the folks over at NPR have been keeping the new tracks on repeat. Just earlier this week, they featured "High Lonesome" on their Heavy Rotation feature, and last month they premiered the video for "Juniper Arms" which you can watch below:

Last month's half-decade celebration was a stellar success, featuring nine incredible bands playing to a packed crowd and enough free seltzer and ice cream to keep everyone sweet and bubbly the whole night through. The folks from Femchord used the chance to record an interview with Mal Devisa (which you can listen to here), Melted Magazine took some time to chat with Swings (which you can read here), and Julia Leiby took some intimate performance photos (some of which are below, the rest you can see here).

Mal Devisa

Dove Lady

Middle Part

Leapling

Before signing off, I want to send my love and gratitude to all the bands and friends who came together to make the anniversary show the most infinitely special time I've had all my years at the helm of this rinky-dink operation, and I'm impossibly grateful for all the support you all have shown me for the past five years. Cheers to ever-growing friendships and more marvelous music for many years to come~ ♥

cinco años

Funny how fast the time flies when you're having fun. Almost five years ago our first release came out, and now it's time to take a moment to look back and celebrate...

Saturday, July 9 at Hole In The Sky DC

DZ TAPES 5 year anniversary ft.

Big Hush, Wildhoney, Swings, Mal Devisa, Leapling, Two Inch Astronaut, Dove Lady, and Nox

(click flyer to RSVP or visit tiny.cc/dz5yr)

Special shout-out to everyone who's helped things progress to this point, and special thanks to Mike from Red Table Press for the absolutely gorgeous 5-layer glow-in-the-dark silkscreen poster design above - prints are limited to a small run of 10 and will only be available at the show, which will also be featuring a visual retrospective of photos and posters by Chris Suspect, Michael Andrade, Alex Schelldorf, LA Johnson, Sean Berg, JD Deardourff, and more.

~

Elsewhere in the DZ universe, Half Waif has kicked off their full national tour with Pinegrove (full list of shows can be found here) and is somehow still able to put out some quality content for the music community near and far. Just take the following examples:

- A dazzling new track exclusively appearing on the "afterthoughts" mixtape by minikin, a benefit for We Make Noise, an organization that makes music accessible for underprivileged youth in Brooklyn.



- A contribution to the "Forever Beautiful" compilation, serving to benefit the victims of the Pulse shooting as part of the OneOrlando Fund as a symbol of solidarity as the city rebuilds.


- A solo performance of "Overthrown" by Nandi captured on video by Chiu Productions.

Meanwhile, our old friend Adam Torres is gearing up for the release of his upcoming full-length album on Fat Possum Records, and has dropped two new singles recently. Check out "Outlands" on NPR's All Songs Considered and "High Lonesome" below, premiered by Stereogum:



We've also restocked both Big Hush releases by request, with second pressings available in limited quantities in the merch store:

Lastly, those of you in Tokyo can look forward to seeing some of our latest releases available to touch and feel with your hands and ears at Tape School. Many thanks to Gejio and the kind folks there for their continued support of our little operation and many others just like it~

probable depths

With their new album "Probable Depths" released into the wild earlier this month (and streaming below), Half Waif is gearing up for an eventful summer, and the previously mentioned plans are just the beginning...

Starting late June the band will join Pinegrove and SPORTS on a full nationwide tour, spanning two coasts, two countries, more than 25 shows, and over a month on the road (click the poster above or here for full details).

So far the likes of GoldFlakePaint, The Revue, The Deli, and Brooklyn Vegan (who premiered the album earlier this month) have all had some lovely things to say...

“Combining pop sensibilities with the classical textures of violins and twinkling pianos, Brooklyn’s beguiling trio, Half Waif, sends un on a dazzling journey in her album Probable Depths… With swelling vocals, billowing synths, and blinking electronic melodies that lull us into a dream, the album is both achingly private and daringly open, as if each song was a stolen glance into Plunkett’s sonic world, each painting an acutely fine and deliberate stroke of her emotive life. A mellifluous pirouette of musical resplendence.” - The Deli Magazine

“what the full ‘Probable Depths‘ LP does is to throw its arms fully around the listener, not to tease you with the world itself depicts but to invite you all the way in and ask you to stay awhile, until what once felt distant and perplexing feels beautifully nuanced, a lush, vibrant, world, fierce with fire and fervour, that, over time and repeated visits, end up cozying up in, without the smallest intention of leaving.” - GoldFlakePaint

“Bjork’s got this feel, so does St. Vincent, but Chairlift’s Caroline Polachek is my favorite comparison. She and Plunkett share the stirring ability to mix clarity with out-there samples, pop-worthy hooks with Advanced Music Theory-final-thesis-worthy composition and finish it all with an ethereal, bleeding poetic sense.” - The Revue

“if you’re at all a fan of the type of pop artists that have a foot in the modern classical world, you should check this out. “Nest” has more than a few hints of Julia Holter, while most of the album is up a more similar alley to My Brightest Diamond/early Sufjan/etc. The whole eight-song thing is a great listen” - BrooklynVegan

And if that's not enough for you, check out the music video for "Nest" on DIY Mag and the band's full live set from a recent visit to the studio at WPIR Pratt Radio.

* * *

In other exciting new from DZ HQ, the next two tapes will be out next month, both very special rereleases for longtime friends of the label Wildhoney.

On their 2015 LP "Sleep Through It" (Deranged Records), the band proved themselves masters of creating a cohesive, yet diverse, full-length set of songs that left the listener wanting more. Critics noted the band's thoughtfulness and attention to dynamic.

In the other corner are "The Forgotten Works", the two EPs that started it all - a self-titled release (Nostalgium Directive) that showed off the band's heavy punk influences and first nervous forays into pop, and “Seventeen Forever” (Photobooth Records) on which the group advanced bravely forward, refining their sound and highlighting their catchy vocal melodies.

Meanwhile, a very special DZ alum Adam Torres has signed with Fat Possum Records for the release of his upcoming record due out in the fall! Adam and his band have a string of dates lined up in early June, check the full announcement here for the full schedule. 

Lastly, the 14th installment of Escape From DC Brunch is going down June 12 at Hole In The Sky, come BYOBrunch at enjoy a sunny afternoon of friendly vibes and groovy jives with Sitcom, Beverly Tender, and the new Poppy Patica full band lineup (click flyer for details):

I'm sure there's a few other things I've forgotten to post about with all the excitement boiling over in this post, so stay tuned for more updates on upcoming changes to boogie down~

take my hand and run

Plenty of good shows coming up, so let's take a look at what's going on with the DZ crew in the next few weeks, but ICYMI Romantic States have just put out a fantastic new 7" on Nebraskan Coast, which you can stream/download below. The band is playing a few gigs this weekend to support the release, so make sure to check them out if you're on the East Coast!

Thursday, January 21 at The Candy Barrel in New Brunswick, NJ

w/ Rita Fishbone, Halfsour, and Lil Nae Nae & The Jegadone Boys

(click here to RSVP)

Friday, January 22 at Alphaville in Brooklyn, NY

w/ Lame Drivers, Halfsour, and Summer Saints

(click here to RSVP)

Saturday, January 23 at The Crown in Baltimore, MD

7" Record Release w/ Wildhoney, Halfsour, and Quitter

(click flyer to RSVP)

Friday, January 29 at Songbyrd Music House in Washington, DC

Big Hush w/ Soda and Kid Claws

(click flyer for details)

Saturday, January 30 at Bathtub Republic in Washington, DC

Nice Breeze w/ Go Cozy, Grace Vonderkuhn, and What Moon Things

(click here to RSVP)

Saturday, February 6 at First Unitarian in Philadelphia, PA

Two Piece Fest IX w/ Romantic States and more

(click here to RSVP)

Sunday, February 7 at Black Cat in Washington, DC

Two Inch Astronaut LP Release w/ Hemlines and Laughing Man

(click here to RSVP)

More fun things are in the works for the coming months, but for now I just want to send a final thank you shout out to Post-Trash, Wake The Deaf, Circuit Sweet, and DC Music Download for the kind press on some of the DZ homies~

cough

Surprise! Big Hush are back with a brand new EP called "Who's Smoking Your Spirit?" out on December 1. The first single "Cough" premiered yesterday on The FADER, who called the release a "fuzz-heavy, shoegaze pop whirlwind," and got some cryptic explanation of the track, dubbed by guitarist/vocalist Owen Wuerker as a song "about trying to remind yourself that you still have some control over the kind of person you are...you can nurse a cough for so long that you start to forget you're sick."



The release show will be November 30 at Black Cat with our friends Wildhoney and Cigarette. If you live in the District you may have seen these slick show posters on an electrical box near you, and a small run of screenprints will be available at the show c/o the wildly talented JD Deardourff. Don't miss this killer bill and your chance to snag one of these beauties and a copy of "Who's Smoking Your Spirit?" on pro-dubbed cassettes limited to 100 copies (click poster for details).

agenda

The time has come - I'm proud to introduce you to Hemlines, a four-piece feminist punk band from Washington, DC whose explosive rage manifests itself through ferociously conscious vocals and heavy, dynamic instrumentation. Their debut EP "All Your Homes" features five fiery tracks that unapologetically challenge patriarchal oppression with a focused anger, demanding respect and taking no prisoners.

The band has hit the ground running and after a fantastic collection of shows on the road, they're back in town tonight at the Black Cat for their EP release show with Homosuperior. Don't miss your first chance to grip your copy of the limited-edition, hand-dubbed-with-love, smokey-red cassette (click pic for details).

"[Hemlines] zigzags through a swath of the punk spectrum with observable skill... [they] weave pop-punk melodies around moments of raucous hardcore. Sonically, the effect is eye-opening...true vocal viciousness. Hemlines crosses a kind of line between empowerment and revenge fantasy...consider keeping your head on a swivel, Hemlines might be coming for you." - Washington City Paper

“[All Your Homes] explodes out of the gate... a no-fucks-given feminist machine. All Your Homes runs the gamut of the feminist feelings spectrum: at once fiery, inspiring, and heavy. Five energetic but concentrated tunes meld the anxieties many feel but don’t know quite how to express." - DCist

A few other DZ darlings have some fun things planned for the near future as well, don't sleep on these shows:

Sunday, October 4 at the Pinch

Big Hush w/ Warm Sun, Brief Candles, and Neiv

(click here to RSVP)

Saturday, October 10 at Everybody Hits in Philadelphia
Romantic States w/ Halfsour, Marge, and Fleabite
(click flyer to RSVP)

Sunday, October 11 at Hole In The Sky
Escape From DC Brunch VII: Nitemoves, CrushnPain, and Flash Frequency
(click flyer to RSVP)

Thursday, October 15 at Above The Bayou

Big Hush w/ The Goodbye Party, Missing Earth, and Collider

(click flyer to RSVP)

Sunday, October 18  at Ottobar in Baltimore

Romantic States w/ Wildhoney, Pity Sex, Spencer Radcliffe, and Blacksage

(click flyer to RSVP)

Plenty of good things in store, don't miss out on these gigs and get your ears ready for DZ18.

windjammer

Now that In It Together Fest 2 is behind us (more on that later), it's time to look forward to more fun in the setting summer sun:

Beginning tomorrow Romantic States will be joining Beach House on tour around the Northeast to help celebrate the release of their new album Depression Cherry on Sub Pop, and will have a limited second run of yellow tour-only cassettes at the shows!

The final show of the tour is an all-day Windjammer at Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore with additional performances by Future Islands, Dan Deacon, Ed Schrader's Music Beat, and more. Best of all, the event is a benefit for Living Classrooms' Believe In Music program, serving to uplift Baltimore City students academically, culturally, and spiritually, while promoting self-expression and community awareness through music education. Tickets for that one are long gone, but check out the full tour schedule here for your chance to close out the summer with a bang.

Meanwhile back in DC, the second In It Together Fest was a wild success, and though we're still working to finalize the total amount of funds raised for our partner organizations, preliminary calculations suggest we'll more than double last year's numbers! Stay tuned for more details as things fall into place, but for now enjoy some of the moments that made the second In It Together Fest an incredible weekend of artistic expression, community building, and progressive action.

Two Inch Astronaut (courtesy of Echo Bay)

Bless (courtesy of Matt Dunn)

Cayetana (courtesy of Matt D. Cohen)

Wildhoney (courtesy of Andrade)

Thou (courtesy of Sharon)

RDGLDGRN (courtesy of Matt Dunn)

Chester Hawkins (courtesy of Matt D. Cohen)

Wing Dam (courtesy of Xaq)

June Gloom (courtesy of Sharon)

Mark Andersen of Positive Force with DC Councilman David Grosso

Until next time, keep a curious eye on things to come. DZ17 and other fun news is just around the corner...

infestdc mixtape

The long wait is finally here, and I'm proud to share with you the latest DZ project, the InFestDC mixtape. This 70-minute compilation features 22 choice cuts recorded live at DIY shows around the District, and showcases talent from DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and more.

Featuring live tracks by:

TWO INCH ASTRONAUT / SWINGS 

WILDHONEY / MANNEQUIN PUSSY / BIG UPS

NEONATES / ROMANTIC STATES / JAIL SOLIDARITY

WITCH COAST / THE OBSESSIVES / ET AL. / RADIATOR HOSPITAL

LAUGHING MAN /  TEEN LIVER / HEMLINES / SITCOM

POLYON / MATTRESS FINANCIAL / TRUNKWEED

PASSING PHASES / MERIDIAN / NICE BREEZE

In 2014, a group of DC musicians, artists, and other community members teamed up to throw the first In It Together Fest, a four-day celebration of DIY culture held at 17 venues around the city. The inaugural fest raised over $2500 for two amazing local non-profit organizations, We Are Family and Casa Ruby LGBT Community Center. This year, we're aiming to raise the bar quite a bit, and in preparation for the next In It Together Fest we've put together a mixtape, limited to 250 copies professionally dubbed on slime green cassettes, All proceeds from this tape and this year's In It Together Fest are going towards one or two local non-profit organizations To Be Announced.

We hope you'll take the time to check out this awesome archive of DC's vibrant DIY show culture, and mark your calendars for the next In It Together Fest, July 31 + August 1!

better

This weekend wraps up Romantic States' month of mini-tours as the band makes their final stops in Pennsylvania and New Jersey:

• Thursday 2/26 @ The Nest in Philadelphia, PA
• w/ Buster, Telepathic, and Furthermore
• Friday 2/27 @ Circuit City in New Brunswick, NJ
• w/ Secret Mountain, Fraternal Twin, and Slime Boyz
• Saturday 2/28 @ MakeSpace in Harrisburg, PA
• w/ Jana Hunter, Wildhoney, and Deletions

Meanwhile here in the District we've got a special Sunday matinee lined up for March 1 featuring some incredible and eclectic talent from around the East Coast to promote the next In It Together Fest.

Pile from Boston, who are starting off a nationwide tour in support of their new album 'You're Better Than This' on Exploding In Sound Records, will be headlining the bill. Playing alongside them in the afternoon will be Radiator King and The Effects, and as the day turns into night things will be get jazzed up with the help of Moor Mother Goddess from Philadelphia, Hypercolor from Brooklyn, and Ian G. McColm from Richmond.

Click the flyer below to RSVP and get more info:

Down in the southwest, Adam Torres hits the road this week, kicking off his tour with shows in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California:

• Wednesday 2/25 @ a house show in Waco, TX
• w/ Lomelda and Tapajenga
• Thursday 2/26 @ The 806 in Amarillo, TX
• Friday 2/27 @ a house show in Santa Fe, NM
• Saturday 2/28 @ Firecreek in Flagstaff, AZ
• Sunday 3/1 @ a house show in Long Beach, CA
• Monday 3/2 @ Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles, CA
• w/ DUGAS
• Tuesday 3/3 @ a house show in Los Angeles, CA
• Wednesday 3/4 @ Trunk Space in Phoenix, AZ
• w/ Canids, Madison Avery, and Cloud District
• Thursday 3/5 @ Great Job House in Tucson, AZ
• w/ Human Behavior and Karima Walker
• Friday 3/6 @ El Cosmico in Marfa, TX
• w/ Molybden
• Saturday 3/7 @ Studium in Austin, TX
• w/ Real Live Tigers and Loblolly Boy

More info on Adam's tour and other big things in store can be found on his website.

stay sweet

This first month of the year packed quite the punch and things are showing no signs of slowing down. We've got two great shows lined up next week - click the flyers to RSVP.

On Friday, January 23 at the Communiverse with Baltimore babes Et Al. and Boy Spit pairing up with local lovelies Passing Phases and Nice Breeze.

Then the very next night, Big Hush share the stage with Wildhoney, on tour supporting their debut full-length album Sleep Through It on Deranged Records. The bill's filled out by Expert Alterations and Myrrh Myrrh.

The final lists from last year were slow to trickle in, but GoldFlakePaint bestowed its honors upon the Wholes EP, naming it one of their Favorite Tapes of 2014, pointing to the release's "tight instrumentation and seemingly effortless harmonies bundled with powerful songwriting." Echo Bay caught the band live on VHS in the wild performing an unreleased track titled "Walk On" at the Rocketship show, check it out!

If you missed the Daytrotter session by Adam Torres, make sure to take a listen to his new material and updated renditions of old favorites.

And finally, I'll leave you with some photos from last week's show at The Beehive, featuring Emperor X, Sitcom, Trunkweed, and Br'er. Thanks to everyone who came out and to Alex Schelldorf for the pics!

Emperor X

Sitcom

Br'er

hushed

The next DZ release is in production, and it's one I'm really excited to have worked on - it feels great to finally collaborate with a local artist that I've enjoyed seeing for quite some time. Big Hush play patient shoegaze folk sentiments, with crystalline vocal harmonies piercing through three layers of fuzzy sepia-toned guitar. Hazy rock melodies washed in sunburnt distortion flow through all four tracks, blanketing your ears in an enigmatic overdrive like a warm breeze enveloping your outstretched hand while cruising windows-down on an open road in the mid-afternoon. Dreamy and seductive, this release will have you feeling somewhere between a comatose kitten and a hypnotized house plant.

You can stream the title track from the Wholes EP below, and a run of 100 pro-dubbed cassettes are due for release on November 4.

Those of you in the DC area looking to catch a live glimpse of the band can see them this Friday, September 26 at the Communiverse with label friends Wildhoney and Two Inch Astronaut. A few other DZ jaunts are also lined up for the near future: In Chicago, where I'll be for the next week, Pool Holograph will be playing at Phyllis' Musical Inn on September 27 (Cassette Store Day!) and again at Township on September 29. Back in the district I'll be hosting DC maniacal funkwits Foul Swoops and high-speed chasers Thee Lolitas, Baltimore power couple Romantic States, and Boston pickle punks Halfsour on October 5 at the Dougout. Click the flyers below for more details about each show, and keep your eyes peeled for more from DZ14 in the near future.

i didn't ask your permission

With The Sweets cassettes having all sold out, and Easily Suede tapes following in suit, production on the next DZ release is right around the corner. While no pertinent details can be made available just yet, there will be more to share later this month. For now, take a look at the new video for "Sister":

Friends of the label Wildhoney are one of Baltimore's finest shoegazing noise pop punk bands, and they've got a brand new 7" release coming out on Photobooth Records. The "Seventeen Forever" single will feature 3 new tracks and is set to drop this oh-so-special Sunday, April 20.

Lastly, thanks to the Washington City Paper for the shout-out to the Dougout in their Best of D.C. feature! It's an honor to be recognized and we look forward to supporting live music in the district for as long as we're able to.

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)