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Tuesday, June 3
• We’re fans of Adam Green and the Moldy Peaches, but it’s Lightspeed Champion that we’re excited to see tonight at the Black Cat. Tracks like “Galaxy of the Lost” and “Midnight Surprise,” much like frontman Devonte Hynes himself, are a total trip. Hynes has a blog that he regularly updates with his illustrations, videos, and more. Real good stuff. Check it out.
Wednesday, June 4
• Local “smart pop musician” Mara Levi’s album What Are You? has been out for more than a year, but we’ve just recently discovered the cute and cheeky “Homo Song.” Levi, who also books performers at the lesbian bar Phase 1, plays at DC9 alongside Rachel Sage and the Sequins.
Thursday, June 5
• We loved the White Rabbits when they first stopped by the Black Cat last year to open for Cribs. Since then, our affection has remained unchanged, but the band’s popularity sure has escalated. Now the guys are back in town, this time as headliners on the Black Cat’s main stage. “The Plot” and “While We Go Dancing” are ideal for the unfamiliar, but it’s the sinister sounds of the piano behind “Fort Nightly” that really gets us going.
• Okay, so drummer George Barnett likened making music to casting spells. It’s not like you didn’t already know the Brits are kinda kooky. So These New Puritans may be total weirdos, but as long as they continue to make us dance to songs like “Numbers” and “Swords of Truth,” we’ll pretend otherwise. And you should too.
Friday, June 6
• For most people, things don’t get any better than college, but for Thao Nguyen those four years at William and Mary were only a precursor to greater things: Since picking up her diploma, she’s graduated from playing campus venues to opening up for artists like Laura Veirs and now Rilo Kiley at the 9:30 Club. We’ve chosen to highlight “Swimming Pools,” a track with a strong feminist message. Read what Thao had to say about the song.
• We know close to nothing about the NYC postpunk band Foreign Islands, but that won’t be the case for long. A quick listen to its tracks, and we were hooked on party anthems like “We Know You Know It.” The band opens for the Presets at the Rock and Roll Hotel.
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