The Dance Party is an ’80s new-wave, dance-punk, pop quartet. Don’t take the name lightly because the guys come with one motive: to make you dance. Singer Mick Coogan delivers high-energy vocals and catchy lyrics on top of synth-pop beats that have you wishing you’d busted out leg warmers before hitting the dance floor.

Backing up Coogan are Kevin Bayly on guitar, Drew Doucette on keys and synth, Jeff David on drums, and Danny Hoag on bass. The band’s debut full-length album came out in 2007, and since then the guys have been working on new hits.

“We have killer recordings in our possession, waiting for release,” Coogan says. “And we have hot jams in our pocket. We have what you want.”

Coogan’s favorite Dance Party jam is the new and addictive “Sasha Don’t Sleep.” With lyrics that go, “Gotta get up get up get up / It’s what she lives for / kissing on the dance floor / Sasha oh you’ve got your eye on me / Sasha Oh I know you don’t sleep,” the song describes a girl who lives to dance and that’s about it. It’s not earth-shattering content, but the song’s got a hook that your body can’t deny.

“Sasha Don’t Sleep” is posted in its entirety on the band’s MySpace page. Unfortunately, Coogan says there are legal implications for the band’s producer if they release entire songs anywhere other than on an album, so fans can only stream clips of other songs online. Bummer. But be careful where you listen, because a dance sesh could break out at any moment.

The best way to enjoy the band is to join in the dance party at a show. If you haven’t had a good make-out session in a while, Coogan says the band might give you the opportunity if you come to their next show. The guys will perform at the 9:30 Club on Saturday, December 27.

To tide you over until then, check out our Q&A with Coogan.

Do you love rockabilly music but can’t stand the slicked-back, greasy look that often goes with it? Well, leave the pomade behind and check out the Hall Monitors, a band from DC.

The quartet that dons matching outfits “out of convenience,” according to drummer Mike Sullivan, perfects the retro-garage, rockabilly sound. It's bluesy, with an appropriate hint of R&B and, of course, rock roots. Singer/guitarist Sean Crowley’s rustic voice fits seamlessly over the music, while the group’s backup vocals complement his. It’s also a treat when Ginger Richards (vox/guitar) croons alongside Crowley. The two sound so flawless on “I Don’t Want No One Else” that when the song’s over after a mere minute and a half, you’ll probably press play again.

A side of the band that doesn’t have the chance to shine through the music—but is apparent in the bio and Q&A responses—is that the members are a witty bunch.

How’d they get together? The band members will tell you it happened after a drunken night in the District when Crowley, Mike Sullivan, and Matt Sullivan (bass) were beaten up by a group of Yankees fans. For some reason, the guys launched into a version of the Standelles’ “Dirty Water.” Their arresting officer, Richards, was impressed and asked them to start a band with her. The guys agreed only because they believed she was the love child of Ginger Baker and Keith Richards (is that even possible?). And the rest is history. (Okay, so that story might not be completely accurate. Get the “real” story after the jump.)

Unfortunately, the Hall Monitors don’t have any albums released yet, but interested parties can stream tracks on the band’s Web site and MySpace page. Or better yet, go to the band’s show tonight at the Quarry House in Silver Spring.

Members of the band discuss their dream tour, how they really came to be, and more in our Q&A.

The Moderate is a band. Yes, that’s obvious, but it’s also refreshing. On the album AM/FM, released last summer, the band plays like three interdependent parts that follow smalls bits of dissonance with great harmony. Ignoring trends of studio overproduction and wizardry, musicians Jim Dempsey, Drew Marks, and Mike Maloney instead rely on just an electric guitar, bass, and drum kit to make their rollicking sound.

Two parts North Carolina and one part Maryland, the Moderate sounds just like three friends creating a glorious racket. Imbued with the bare simplicity of the Black Keys paired with the looseness of the Grateful Dead, the band knows not all songs have to fit nicely into a 2½-minute package. The Moderate uses space. Each musician plays as if he genuinely appreciates the others’ musical prowess, and the listener can hear that interaction in each song.

“What do they know about rock and roll?” sings Dempsey as he strums his raw, tremolo-infused electric guitar in “Rock and Roll.” The track builds on a flat note and a volume that fluctuates between restrained and roaring to produce a sense of anticipation before its crowd-pleasing climax. Head-banging transitions by drummer Drew Marks and the steady pluck of bassist Mike Maloney provide the glue for a song that never outstays its welcome.

War Child, which opens today at E Street Cinema for a one-week special engagement (tickets can be purchased here [both screening times are sold out]), documents the harrowing yet inspirational story of Emmanuel Jal, a former Sudanese child soldier turned activist and hip-hop artist. Jal’s rhymes speak of his experiences, and his music carries a strong message of peace and reconciliation. The film, directed by local filmmaker Karim Chrobog, follows Jal as he journeys back to Africa to reunite with family and friends and to visit the grave of Emma McCune, the British aid worker who changed the course of his life. After Hours chatted with Chrobog and the London-based Jal about the film.

What was once a four-piece band in 2006 dwindled down to a duo and now survives as a solo project: DC native Chris Walker is the only man left behind the folk-rock outfit Kitty Hawk.

He explains that the reason for the diminishing lineup is that “all of us are constantly changing shape.” As long as Walker sticks it out, we’re okay with that.

Kitty Hawk creates calming tunes that can be borderline depressing but pretty nonetheless. Now that Walker is manning the project alone, the end result is slightly different, but he says the only noticeable change is the accompaniment of more bossa nova and samba beats on the keyboard.

Kitty Hawk offers several tracks on MySpace (be sure to listen to “Monsoon Season” and “Move Me”) and a few downloadable tracks on its Web site. Walker says he’s always creating new music, but when asked when fans can expect a new album, he answers, “Probably never.”

For now, if you want to hear new Kitty Hawk tunes, that means tracking Walker down at a show. Hearing the real thing is better than a recording anyway, right?

Luckily, Kitty Hawk is part of the Federal Reserve collective—a group of like-minded emerging local artists—along with bands and artists such as These United States, Laura Burhenn, and Vandaveer. The first Monday of every month, some of the Reserve’s bands and friends perform at Iota for $5.

Though Walker prefers more intimate, stageless venues, you can catch him at Velvet Lounge on December 9 (with PWRFL Power; 9:30; $8) and Iota on December 12 (Federal Reserve Holiday Show; 9 PM; $12).

We got the scoop on Walker’s favorite part of the local scene, his plans for new years, his  favorite venue, and more.

It’s 11 AM on a Friday morning and I’m sitting in my favorite Old Town Fairfax bar, the Auld Shebeen (3971 Chain Bridge Rd., Fairfax; 703-293-9600). I’m preparing for my interview with bartender Aaron Irwin, 32, who asks if I want something to drink. Still in my late-night bar mindset, I think, “He can’t be serious,” and politely decline. A couple of minutes later, he pulls up a chair with a soda in his hand and a smile on his face, and I start to realize just how quickly this family-friendly restaurant and bar transforms itself into the alcohol-infused, music-pumping Thursday-night dance spot I know and love.

Having bartended for ten years, nearly three of them at the Auld Shebeen, Aaron knows all aspects of this Fairfax favorite—from the Irish-music performances to Thursday night’s college crowd to the restaurant regulars. Here he tells us about the bar and what it’s like to be a part of the staff as well as his plans to take his love for music and restaurant management to the next level.