Keeping things going with a very special Friday night edition of the DC House Grooves Show on Underground Quality Radio. Join Andy Grant, Ramirez & Katrina Mir for a couple of hours of deep, underground jams live from the basement in Washington DC, with custom visuals courtesy of Capsaicin. Tune in with the embed below, or join in the chat over on YouTube.
Huge thanks to everyone who came out and danced with us on Sunday at Beats Maneuver at 12|30. We hope you had an amazing time! Major thanks to Jephté Guillaume for delivering an amazing set on the upper level, to Ramirez for pulling this one together, to Drew Hogans and UDP Music for all the hard work and help give the sound an extra boost, to our local support KayLaSoul and Baronhawk Poitier for bringing the heat on the lower level, to Kochi & Katrina Mir for keeping it real on the door all night long, and to all the bar and security staff at 12|30 for helping everything go smoothly. I especially enjoyed going back to back with Baronhawk Poitier on the lower level. Always great to vibe off super talented DJ! I hope we can do it again soon. With another great celebration of house music at Beats Maneuver behind us, we’re heads down planning our next moves, so watch this space for more Beats Maneuver news coming soon!
In case you missed it, here’s last Saturday’s DC House Grooves Show on Underground Quality Radio with me, Katrina Mir and Ramirez. 2.5 hours of quality underground tunes. Really feeling the vibe of this one, going some really interesting places. We’ve got things sounding real nice down the studio now, which helps keep things on point!
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_Zk3r3Jje0[/embedyt]
Another amazing line up of events this weekend, Thursday through Sunday. Check the Top Picks links below for the full list for each day. Just click the link to see the event list over on Facebook. For those of you interested in production and sampling, take a look at Sonia Maria‘s Sampling Workshop at Rhizome on Saturday afternoon. Looks like a super interesting exploration of sampling culture from hip-hop through electronic dance music. If you’ve got some free time on Saturday afternoon and want to learn more, the workshop is free with RSVP, although a donation of $10 is recommended.
RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sound-sampling-workshop-tickets-50574881833
Info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1920247284946657/
Highlights for the weekend include Uncle Benny’s with Grant, Joe L & Benoit and Late Night Mischief with Fred Everything, Team Zapata and Philco on Friday.
On Saturday LoSoul with Navbox at Flash will be quality, as will Deep Sugar with Wayne Davis open to close at Club 1722 in Baltimore.
On Sunday, I recommend The House that U Built with Vanniety Kills, The Elders and Raptorstein at El Techo followed by Sam Burns and Hold Tight: Better Listen 12 Release Party at Eighteenth Street Lounge. All quality options!
Here’s are the Top Pick links for the weekend, Thursday through Sunday. Plenty to keep you busy!
That’s all for this weekend. We’re taking a weekend off this week, but I’m sure we’ll be out and about. See you on the dance floor!
Sincere thanks to my friends who came out to support me at my birthday celebrations at Body Werk Summer Sessions and Flash last weekend. I realize you have so many great choices here in DC, so it really meant a lot to me that you made the effort to come out. If you couldn’t make it to Flash on Saturday, you can stream or download my set here:
All in all, it was an amazing, but exhausting, birthday weekend, which took us from the Rock’n’Roll Hotel to Flash to The Paradox. I regret not making it to the Soundwaves Boat Party, Sunglass Sundays or Groovetop, but this old man could only handle so much fun in one weekend!
FORWARD Festival 2016 Preview
Right… lots to cover this weekend, and as usual I don’t have much time. Currently bashing this out while attending a conference in Las Vegas, so need to keep it quick. Before I get into the weekend’s activities, I wanted to give you all a heads up about FORWARD 2016, DC’s annual 5 day festival celebrating electronic creative culture. The ninth annual festival starts on Wednesday May 11, and runs until Sunday May 15, and this year the theme of the festival is duality. Check the flyer below for details of all the events, then check the day by day preview below. Some great events in this year’s festival, including FORWARD and DC House Grooves presents Disco Knights with Anthony Mansfield, Team Zapata and Body Werk on Saturday May 14, and of course the free FORWARD on the National Mall parties on Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon. For the best deal, pick up a FORWARD Pass for only $40, or you can buy tickets for individual events by visiting the individual event page, which I’ve listed in the preview below. A FORWARD Pass gets you entry to every event, plus a limited edition FORWARD 2016 t-shit and a FREE cup of coffee from Bump’n’Grind.
FORWARD 2016 T-Shirt
Not a bad deal! If you are feeling generous and want to donate to the festival, you can do so by sending a PayPal payment to david@eightyeightdc.com. Please contribute whatever you can afford if you value this annual celebration of electronic music and culture.
Wednesday May 11
FORWARD presents Geng (Purple Tape Pedigree) at Bump’n’Grind
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1612978972277294/
Thursday May 12
FORWARD x Amalgamation x LENG present SULLY – UK & COPOUT – NYC at Zeba Bar
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/226206594405113/
Friday May 13
FORWARD x Computa Age present Mungo’s Hi Fi at Songbyrd Music House and Record Café
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/526481354221073/
Saturday May 14
FORWARD on the Mall with Anthony Mansfield and David Rosenberg
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/234096023619033/
FORWARD x DC House Grooves Present: Disco Knights with Anthony Mansfield, Team Zapata and Body Werk at Zeba Bar
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1679281688990320/
Sunday May 15
FORWARD on the Mall with Ultra Naté and Lisa Moody
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/234096023619033/
FORWARD Meltdown with Rosario & Benoit at Songbyrd Music House and Record Café
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/228131467555077/
Back to this weekend, which brings us all the usual amazing events, along with the annual Funk Parade on U Street, along with all the associated events and after parties. I’ve included a special section for Funk Parade Picks below, and a special Funk Parade section in the listings featuring all the events on my radar. See below for all this week’s picks, then check the full listings below. Many many great events this weekend, but if you want my advice, check out the Pre-Prescription Funk Parade Day Party, then head over to the Prescription with Fred Everything. Saturday grooves sorted!
*** Thursday Picks ***
Preview with Paul Geddes at Flash
Playlist with Jubilee, Ramirez & Kochi at Eighteenth Street Lounge
Official Movement Pre-Party: Âme (DJ set) & Solar at U Street Music Hall
The Acid House at The Bourbon Room, Fredericksburg
*** Friday Picks ***
WTF?! radio show with Kochi, Corduroy Mavericks and Ramirez on Sugar Shack Recordings
Radio Slave, Dekmantel Soundsystem, Joe L at Flash, with Dance Party Chronicles featuring Martín Miguel, Remote Ctrl and Heights in the Flash Bar
Baltotroit with Boss Ross, Steve Kirn and Itzjack at Dr. Clock’s Nowhere Bar
Strictly 4 the Dance Floor with Ernest Fountain at Zeba Bar
LENG Presents WOLF DEM, Alex Gardel, & Tsurugi at Backbar
Vague Output & 4 Hours of Funk present Teddy Douglas, Graham & Fleg and Ben Jenkins at Club 1722
*** Funk Parade Picks ***
Tapwagon Soundsystem Biergarden Rewind with Aaron Sparks, Brothers Brau, DJ LoveGrove, Jacob Jay, Kochi, Tim Jackson & Will Eastman
Pre-PRESCRIPTION : Funk Parade Day Party with Jus Nowhere, DJ Nav, DJ Reets, Martín Miguel and HOT COFFEE
Funky For U: Volume Two (Funk Parade Day Party) at The Velvet Lounge
Funk Love Massive at Industrial Bank
Heavy Rotation: Funk Parade Afterparty Edition at Black Cat Backstage
Sao Funky Afterparty with Fort Knox Five & Qdup at Tropicalia
*** Saturday Picks ***
Prescription with Fred Everything, Team Zapata, Hot Coffee & Markinthedark at 300 Morse Street
Romanian UVAR Meets Muted Noise: Nu Zau, Sepp and Halo Varga at Flash, with Foot Therapy ft. M//R and Ben Jenkins in the Flash Bar
ESL Saturday with Greg Wilson, DJ Provoke, Philip Goyette and Chris Brooks at Eighteenth Street Lounge
Natural Resources with Pacific Fur Company at Dr. Clock’s Nowhere Bar
***Sunday Picks ***
ESL Sunday with Sam The Man Burns, Mr Bonkerz and Sunday’s Rooftop with Anthony Collins, Edo, Benoit at Eighteenth Street Lounge
Those are my picks for this weekend. Here’s the full listings. Make it count!
Thursday May 5
Preview with Paul Geddes at Flash
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/230972737280018/
Playlist with Jubilee, Ramirez & Kochi at Eighteenth Street Lounge
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/606149252881543/
Buena Deep with Mr. Wright & DFMO at Jimmy Valentine’s Lonely Hearts Club
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/103736260037384/
Official Movement Pre-Party: Âme (DJ set) & Solar at U Street Music Hall
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/950771901686349/
Transmission 4/4 with Philip Goyette at Velvet Lounge
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/601980643301839/
Fun & Bass Revenge of the Fifth at Revolution Darts & Billiards, Centerville
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1051255434953201/
The Acid House at The Bourbon Room, Fredericksburg
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/527586710780679/
Markus Schulz Watch The World Tour at Soundcheck
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1988420658049026/
Friday May 6
WTF?! radio show with Kochi, Corduroy Mavericks and Ramirez on Sugar Shack Recordings
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/817007208405764/
Radio Slave, Dekmantel Soundsystem, Joe L at Flash, with Dance Party Chronicles featuring Martín Miguel, Remote Ctrl and Heights in the Flash Bar
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/543770419130906/
Baltotroit with Boss Ross, Steve Kirn and Itzjack at Dr. Clock’s Nowhere Bar
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/256723324673826/
Strictly 4 the Dance Floor with Ernest Fountain at Zeba Bar
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/978963558866500/
ESL Fridays with DJ Big Will Rosario, Will Eastman and Qdup at Eighteenth Street Lounge
More details: https://www.facebook.com/18thStLounge/
LENG Presents WOLF DEM, Alex Gardel, & Tsurugi at Backbar
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1049422741795749/
Vague Output & 4 Hours of Funk present Teddy Douglas, Graham & Fleg and Ben Jenkins at Club 1722
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/474412609420182/
First Friday with Oso Fresh at Colony Club
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/275132769495891/
Element presents: Grum with Christauff and Dave Cortex at U Street Music Hall
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1071348912886740/
Pulse Fridays with DJ Biskit at Pulse Nightclub, Baltimore
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1036804023065462/
FUNK PARADE – Saturday May 7
Funk Parade 2016 on U Street
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/882479311870318/
Tapwagon Soundsystem Biergarden Rewind with Aaron Sparks, Brothers Brau, DJ LoveGrove, Jacob Jay, Kochi, Tim Jackson & Will Eastman
Pre-PRESCRIPTION : Funk Parade Day Party with Jus Nowhere, DJ Nav, DJ Reets, Martín Miguel and HOT COFFEE
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/282597602072687/
Funky For U: Volume Two (Funk Parade Day Party) at The Velvet Lounge
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/514386895399683/
Funk Love Massive at Industrial Bank
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/836947726428506/
Aztec Sun, Sub-Urban Sol, DJ Jon Q at DC 9 Nightclub
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/222080514835891/
PitchBlak Brass Band, Nappy Riddem and Fort Knox Five ft. Qdup at U Street Music Hall
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1113370448705683/
Tropicalia Funk Parade Soundstage: Johnny Popcorn, Rufus Roundtree and Da Bmore Brass Factory, People’s Champs at Tropicalia
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1712468688991940/
Heavy Rotation: Funk Parade Afterparty Edition at Black Cat Backstage
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/102181130193032/
Sao Funky Afterparty with Fort Knox Five & Qdup at Tropicalia
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/985208078195409/
Saturday May 7
Prescription with Fred Everything, Team Zapata, Hot Coffee & Markinthedark at 300 Morse Street
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1595386367448343
Romanian UVAR Meets Muted Noise: Nu Zau, Sepp and Halo Varga at Flash, with Foot Therapy ft. M//R and Ben Jenkins in the Flash Bar
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1561225234177896/
ESL Saturday with Greg Wilson, DJ Provoke, Philip Goyette and Chris Brooks at Eighteenth Street Lounge
More details: https://www.facebook.com/18thStLounge/
Shipfaced Launch Party with Tek Los and Jon Swink
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1735576556654638/
HouseArrest with Zacheser and special guests AlexNOIZE & RawleNightLong at Rock’n’Roll Hotel
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1584619911856069/
Silent Disco Shaw at Cambria Suites Washington DC Convention Center
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1739458489634575/
Natural Resources with Pacific Fur Company at Dr. Clock’s Nowhere Bar
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/175512472843506/
REV909: Daft Punk/French House Tribute & Indie Dance Classics with Will Eastman, Ozker at U Street Music Hall
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1238830289477615/
Sunday May 8
ESL Sunday with Sam The Man Burns, Mr Bonkerz and Sunday’s Rooftop with Anthony Collins, Edo, Benoit at Eighteenth Street Lounge
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/937855292980085/
Aftermath Sundays with Playin’Fields at Masa 14
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1543393065962125/
Wally Lopez at Soundcheck
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1155591864472485/
Spiritual Sundays at Savannah’s, Baltimore
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/568414063329434/
Andy Grant here… dropping the royal DC House Grooves “we” this week to check in with a half-assed round up of the best underground house and electronic music events in and around DC this weekend . Between work, sickness and family stuff, I’ve just had too much going on to pull together the usual comprehensive listings, so this week you’ll all have to make do with an abbreviated edition. There’s a lot more going on in and around DC, but the selection below represents the best of the bunch, in my opinion at least. Check the events below, and keep your eyes and ears open for other stuff that might be going on.
So how about last weekend then? Too many good times to mention over the holiday weekend, but the high points for me were opening the main room at Flash for Kai Alce and Chez Damier on Friday night (huge thanks to the Flash crew for booking me for that slot. Love you guys!), getting down on the Flash Rooftop celebrating Lisa Frank‘s birthday on July 4, then going back to back with DJ Nav at Tropicalia on Sunday night at Milk Chocolate City presents The Return of Mr V on Sunday. An epic weekend all round… the only question is, can we top it this weekend? Well here are my suggestions for you best bets from Thursday to Sunday:
On Thursday, I suggest checking out the Milk Chocolate City happy hour at Dunya, then head over to catch special guest Meegs at The Business End at Velvet.
On Friday, I’d say your best bet is my old mate from back in Scotland Funk D’Void, who will be headlining the main room at Flash with support from Lake People and Feroun, while I’ll be on duty down in the bar with Charles Martin. Trev-ski and Chemical Ali will be at the controls up on the rooftop. Also worth a look is Don’t Call it a Come Back at Napoleon, with a great lineup including Sergio Santos, Navbox, Jubilee, and Benoit Benoit. Getting the band back together, just like old times! Last, but not least, Back in the Day at U Street Music Hall promises a quality night of old school vibes for the heads. If you were there back in the day, this is the one for you.
On Saturday, take your pick between Body Werk at DC9, showcasing the Milk Chocolate City DJs, or Lee Burridge, Navbox and Brian Monaco at U Street Music Hall, before heading up to Baltimore for Arapu at the Dark Room, or Deep Sugar at the Paradox for afters. Make sure you grab your advanced tix for U Hall if you plan on going… it will sell out!
Finally, on Sunday, grab one of the last few tix for the Soundwaves Boat Party with Hector, then head up to the ESL / Public / Dirty Bar triangle for Navbox & Friends Navbox & Philip Goyette‘s birthday parties at ESL, Sunglass Sundays with Super Flu at Public and Groovetop with The Scumfrog at Dirty Bar. Plenty there to keep you grooving into Monday Morning.
OK then… before we get to this week’s picks, here’s this week’s mix. It’s one of mine from the amazing Midnight Project party with Fred P back in January, which has recently seen a surge in interest. Very pleased with how this came out.. definitely worth a listen if you like the deep shit and haven’t take it for a spin yet.
Right… that’s it for this week. I’ll be heading off on vacation the next couple of weeks, so likely to be sticking to this half-assed format through July. Hopefully you’ll still find it useful. See you on the dance floor!
Picks for Thurday July 9
Rooftop Happy Hour House Vibez Pt. 3 at Dunya
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/991945167483841/
The Business End w. Philco & Wave Age ft. Meegs at Velvet Lounge
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/725096297637028/
Picks for Friday July 10
LoveCamp: Ft Meegs & DJ Nav at The Embassy Row Hotel
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/785341298252662/
Funk D’Void (Barcelona) and Lake People (Germany) with Feroun at Flash, with Andy Grant & Charles Martin in the Flash Bar, and Chemical Ali & Trev-ski on the Flash Rooftop
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/867731649965265/
Don’t Call it a Come Back with Sergio Santos, Jubilee, Navbox & Benoit Benoit at Napoleon
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/786306611467679/
Back in the Day featuring Terry Mullan, Freefall, Sketti, Buster & Ray Casil at U Street Music Hall
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/492607030895235/
ESL Fridays with John “Roc” Mateo, Joe L, All Good Funk Alliance, J Mack & DJ Provoke at Eighteenth Street Lounge
More details: https://www.facebook.com/18thStLounge
BaltoTroit at Dr. Clock’s Nowhere Bar
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/462032437280685/
Picks for Saturday July 11
Deep: feat Funky People at Embassy Row Hotel
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/472286946268585/472514416245838/
Good Buddies w. Wave Age & Philco ft. Navbox at Rock’n’Roll Hotel
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/409503079235500/
BODY WERK Milk Chocolate City Showcase at DC9 Nightclub
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/445137555665453/
Lee Burridge with Navbox, Brian Monaco at U Street Music Hall
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/369243979931335/
ESL Saturday with Will Eastman, Mr Bonkerz, Thomas Blondet, DJ Soul, Juan Zapata, James Dellastatious & Tommy Cornelis at Eighteenth Street Lounge
More details: https://www.facebook.com/18thStLounge
ARAPU (ROMANIA) / Jonathan (NY) / Jubilee (DC) at The Dark Room, Baltimore
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/372473722962482/
Deep Sugar Backyard BBQ with Ultra Naté, Lisa Moody, Donna Edwards & the Deep Sugar Residents at The Paradox, Baltimore
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1616232831953214/
Picks for Sunday July 12
Soundwaves Boat Party w/ Hector
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1130307646995785/
Navbox & Friends Navbox & Philip Goyette’s Birthday Bash at Eighteenth Street Lounge
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/449788505194468/
Sunglass Sundays with Super Flu, Schubert, David Martin & Harold Figueroa at Public Bar
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1614415722149670/
Groovetop with The Scumfrog on Dirty Bar Rooftop
More details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1595000364120954/