Stars of the Lid/Christopher Willits/Hammock Roll Call!

Been psyched for this one for a while. :D


Apparently the two guys that make up SOTL have a string section backing them live? Very intriguing.

I am most certainly there for this one, though I am not excited about the venue. Hopefully get there early enough to cozy up to the bar and grab a stool.

Agreed that this show is better suited for a seated venue.


Warehouse theater would've been perfect if it were still around.

Originally posted by azaghal1981:
Agreed that this show is better suited for a seated venue.


Warehouse theater would've been perfect if it were still around.

I would think that they will have rows of chairs set up as they have for other shows.

Originally posted by jd930:

Originally posted by azaghal1981:
Agreed that this show is better suited for a seated venue.


Warehouse theater would've been perfect if it were still around.

I would think that they will have rows of chairs set up as they have for other shows.

Really? Never seen that at Iota, but I would love that. I have a feeling I will need to show up very early on this one.

I've never seen that there either.

I've been to at least one show (Paul Curreri & Devon Sproule) that was seated like that. It was within the last 6 months or so.

I really wish that I could make the SOTL show, but have a prior commitment. If I was going, I would be getting there very early, as I think it is going to have a huge draw. And I noticed that it was listed in the last page of the Style section of the Post today.

I am curious to hear reports after the show so that I can be really jealous of what I missed.

Hammock's "Kenotic" album is a must own. Simply stunning. I hope to make this show…

Redsock, I'll buy you a beer if I see you there.

If I was going, I would be getting there very early, as I think it is going to have a huge draw.

i'm very curious as to how this will draw. i turned down this show because i didn't feel comfortable offering the $1500 guarantee they sought. i just can't imagine that many people around here caring about SotL.

i'm also missing it because i have sudden infant at the velvet lounge, which is just as a rare an appearance in dc as SotL. hammock should be really good live, too.

You know, I too orginally expected a low turn out between all of the bands being low profile for this area plus it being a combination of sleepy bands which don't go down too well with the scenesters. Then again, maybe I'll end up having to put up with a packed house. Crap. Good for the bands though.

I'll be there, barring work doesn't fuck me up. I have to work that day till 2:00PM or so plus there's the 2 hour drive to the venue. If I can swing it, I plan on getting there early for dinner which I need to squeeze in along the way anyway.

I've never eaten there. That sounds like a good idea.

sudden infant's pics look scary…..

Originally posted by snailhook:
i'm also missing it because i have sudden infant at the velvet lounge, which is just as a rare an appearance in dc as SotL. hammock should be really good live, too.

Man…SotL really hated playing a room that didn't have seats, didn't they?
Overheard off-mic right before they started:
"Ok team…let's do it; let's play this garage."

The apology for not being able to find a place with seats in dc was amusing and so was the between-song banter:
"It's classical music in the rock club format. Here's another hit."

All that being said, they did still succeed in making a lot of beautiful music.


Hammock were excellent too; was all that material new? Pretty sure I heard one of them saying it was.


Christopher Willits was good too but he should've been placed before Hammock in the lineup.

I was lucky enough to have a bench, thank god. Sotl was good, but not great. I think in a different environment it could have been great. Iota just isn't my favorite venue, largely due to the crowd chatter. Even though there was much, much less of that last night, you still got it from the Cafe across the bar.
Not a sold out crowd, but a decent one, mostly fan boys and the occasional dragged along girlfriend. Snailhook, you would have lost money on this one, but the sound at the VL would have been amazing.

On that note, what's the deal with Rob, is he no longer there? He's working sound around town now? Did the new owners can him?

The chattiness was most noticeable during Christopher Willits.


Other than that, I didn't really hear much of it.

I agree with you Azaghal on all accounts.

Christopher Willits was good but I have to admit that he just didn't resonate with me all that well. Very nice guy but except for his last very sleepy song which knocked everyone out (put us to sleep) it was all a little too glitch pop for my taste. I did very much like his last song though.

Hammock were such an amazing treat for me after being a big fan of theirs for years. Live, they were all I had expected…which was a lot. They definitely should have been 2nd on the bill. We were extremely lucky to get to see them since they never perform live with this being only their 2nd performance ever. Other than doing a live NPR thing for the Echoes show in Philadelphia and some record store performance in Tennessee, that's it for any upcoming shows. These guys sure aren't hot to trot the globe. Marc told me they want to get back in the studio to record their next album. They just released their latest one only weeks ago! (Cover designed by Jonsi from Sigur Rós and his boyfriend who were the ones to get Hammock to perform for the Rice Boy Sleeps art project, their 1st show and it was private.)

Stars Of The Lid were excellent. Glad they brought the string section with them. They had everyone without a seat sitting on the floor and half of those were falling asleep…in a good way. LOL. Definitely not boring but so relaxing.

Must mention that the sound at Iota was incredibly good last night. Couldn't have asked for much better short of performing in some very high end smallish venue. I was thinking the performance theatre at Morgan State University in Baltimore would be a perfect venue, sound wise, for these bands but I can't image that ever happening there. It's small, full of nice wood, and state of the art.

Originally posted by azaghal1981:
The chattiness was most noticeable during Christopher Willits.


Other than that, I didn't really hear much of it.

Agree with you again though I did, on occassion, hear a bit of chatter from the other room.

Have to mention that the show room audience was about the most respectful crowd I think I've ever seen at any show.

Redsock, I didn't see you there. Azaghal, there were about 4 or 5 guys whom I thought might be you but felt too stupid to go up and ask. Hopefully I'll get to meet you at another show.

Check your PM's. I didn't read your last one until I got back.

Originally posted by redsock:
Snailhook, you would have lost money on this one, but the sound at the VL would have been amazing.

but one has to wonder if more people would have showed up if it was in downtown DC as opposed to out in the 'burbs. when i was a DC resident, i would have taken a chance on this if it was in the district.

Originally posted by Jaguar:

Originally posted by azaghal1981:
The chattiness was most noticeable during Christopher Willits.


Other than that, I didn't really hear much of it.

Agree with you again though I did, on occassion, hear a bit of chatter from the other room.

Have to mention that the show room audience was about the most respectful crowd I think I've ever seen at any show.

Redsock, I didn't see you there. Azaghal, there were about 4 or 5 guys whom I thought might be you but felt too stupid to go up and ask. Hopefully I'll get to meet you at another show.

Sorry Jag, not sure how we missed each other. I was sitting at the bar that joins the cafe, so the chatter i heard might have all been coming from over there.