Monthly Archives: October 2011

If there’s one running thread among the last three larger events TVD has sponsored, it’s been the phenomenal promo poster work from our friend Rich Bernett. From our SXSW showcase in Austin earlier in the year to the last two DC Record Fairs, Rich has been the man behind the stellar designs. In addition it should be mentioned, he devoted his time and talents gratis. And it’s not been for TVD alone—Rich has amassed hours of work on a million projects for a million bands this year.

Rock, Paper, Zombies! – a Halloween-themed, 62 poster retrospective of Rich’s work will haunt the Strathmore Mansion this coming Friday night (10/28) as will performances from some of the bands for whom Rich has designed posters. I’d go on a bit about what to anticipate, but Rich himself has this covered:

As the video attests, Rich is also bringing with him a number of regional poster designers to display their work on Friday and it’s these artists who Rich will be chatting up here at TVD over the coming days in anticipation of Friday night’s RPZ! event.

Kicking it off, Rich chats with another friend o’ TVD—the man behind the very first DC Record Fair poster—Mr. John Foster.

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Zola Jesus’ vocals give me an OBE (outer body experience); she tethered three synths and tribal beats to the body of infinitely mesmerizing songs she performed live at the Black Cat last Friday. I am still asking myself where the lines between dream and reality blurred; something this graceful and profound could only be a fleeting dream in this eyesore city, but the photos I furiously snapped erase all my skepticism.

Nika Roza Danilova, whom you know as Zola Jesus, has been to DC before. I was lucky enough to catch her at the Red Palace, where she performed an intimate set for a packed room. Like last Friday’s show, Zola wore a sheath that doubled as a projection screen, with fractured light projected onto her body. This effect is mesmerizing and adds to her overall ghostly charm. For those seeing her live for the first time, the effect is intense. Sometimes it appears as if she is being electrocuted, and we’re witnessing the very last harrowing sounds she’ll ever utter.

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An early show at 9:30 Club meant that the crowd was an interesting combination of high school and college students and “casual Friday” young professionals. The Wombats and The Postelles drew a diverse crowd that participated in the show by dancing, singing, and occasionally crowd surfing.

The Postelles played up their DC connections by talking about singer Daniel Balk’s brother who is a student at GW. Balk even gave his brother a shout out and told the ladies that his brother “is much better looking.” By the time they played my personal favorite, “She She,” the way some of the girls in front of the stage acted made me think that Daniel is in fact the better looking brother.

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Battles is one of those bands that when you are listening to them, you know it.

Every track on their 2007 debut full-length Mirrored is distinguishable, with “Atlas” as a particularly solid stand-out. The UK has specifically over-exposed the band’s music by placing it in Audi and Honda commercials, the TV show Skins, and the song “The Line” is even featured on the soundtrack for Twilight.

But if you are like me and prefer to hear your music not within the confines of an economical foreign car or in close proximity to teenage vampires, but instead in a concert venue, you are in luck! We are now giving away a pair of tickets to Battles’ performance at the 9:30 Club this Sunday(10/30), plus the newest LP Gloss Drop on vinyl!

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