The collaboration of Talib Kwlei soul singer Res–also known as Idle Warship–blasted through the East Coast last week, playing two shows at Southpaw in Brooklyn and The Black Cat in DC. The dynamic duo went on tour to support their latest full length, Habits of the Heart which was released last month. Check it.

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Always a treat when I attend concerts and the concert goers vary in age, ethnicity and background. Tonight was one of those nights.  The audience waited anxiously for the lovely ladies of Les Nubians serenade them, but before that happened Jazz vocalist Akua Allrich won the crowd over with her honest and lush vocals –trust me she’s going to be a force to be reckoned with, keep your ear on her!  Between sets DJ Underdog breezed the crowd through some of the latest and greatest afrobeat, house and soul rhythms. Then for the next hour or so Les Nubians transported us through songs from their debut album, Princesses Nubiennes to their latest effort Nü Revolution.  I’d have to say that an hour wasn’t enough they burned the stage and left us wanting more.

Photos by Jati Lindsay. Please support.

People, where have you been? // Have you been hiding // in your big houses?
~ Little Dragon, “After the Rain”

I had to hear it right then. I remember getting the itch at a board meeting where everyone gathered in a cramped room to host yet another meeting about meetings. Yawn. I finally found an excuse to sneak upstairs to the main office to make copies and fiendishly tapped “Blinking Pigs” into the YouTube search bar. I couldn’t shake the hollow, vibrating intro and subtle percussion that builds up to Yukimi Nagano’s effortless vocals. In the middle of my work day, for three and a half minutes, I blasted “Blinking Pigs” at full volume and danced buoyantly between my co-worker’s cubicles. For the first time, I was grateful for the copy machine’s sluggish turnaround, buying me enough time to repeat steps one (confirm main office door is locked), two (press play) and three (bounce around gleefully).

Nagano, the lead singer of the Swedish synthesized soul-pop band, Little Dragon, reminds me of one of my favorite older cousins, Elaine, who used to take photographs of legumes to make them appear slightly pornographic and held cookie parties for NYC’s elite arts underground in her Lower East Side loft. Elaine also took me to my first salsa dance class in New York when I was a teenager. I stomped around awkwardly in combat boots because she sprung the lesson on me, and my winter gear left me woefully unprepared. What Yukimi and Elaine share is the ability to migrate effortlessly across genre confines. They both splintered their own glass ceilings delicately and deliberately rather than smashing through them. Or, as I like to say, “Different approaches, same F-U.” They both embody grace, behave strangely, remain feminine and admirable all at once. And they play in a boy’s world without apology.

Neither Yukimi nor her bandmate, Hakan, succeeded in being accepted into music school. Tell that to the 750 people who swayed impatiently to the electronic folk band (sans vocals or audience interaction) while awaiting Little Dragon’s performance at the Black Cat last Saturday, January 22, and see if they blink.

It had been a long time since I’d been to the Black Cat, but opening act Billygoat’s “Little Miss Sunshine” / “Amelie” soundtrack vibe warmed me up, albeit slowwwwly, for some Little Dragon. Little did I know that we were all about to go into a collective trance, or that the kiss-and-grind fest would commence as soon as Dreamykimi hit the stage. Wow. The audience was getting it IN. Enhanced states of consciousness? Definitely. Being sober left me shocked as I observed foursomes in the making and, more innocently, people engaged in private moments of hypnotism. Visibly enthralled by the ambient yet danceable melodies on stage, hundreds of shoulders wove through space to the LD staples: “Constant Surprises,” “Runabout,” “Wink” and, of course, “Blinking Pigs” were among my favorites.

Though the concert started past 11 p.m., once the musicians hit their first notes, we were all captivated by the magical qualities the band possess. Of Little Dragon’s second album, Machine Dreams, Liv’s owner, Omrao Brown, commented on his blog, “It’s kept me happy and held me over.” I saw just how happy Little Dragon made the crowd on Saturday. When technical difficulties held up the bass player, the audience launched into an encouraging soul clap as Yukimi apologized for being bad at telling jokes. The band quickly recovered and shared “Little Man” and “Summer Tears,” two new tracks from their forthcoming third album.

With several DC appearances in the last year thanks to folks like MN8 and Shine On Me Productions, it’s okay to admit a few of y’all–not naming names–were a bit tardy to the party. But, I think we’ll all be glad if Little Dragon keeps making DC a preferred destination. On the Little Dragon Web site, the biography writer explains, “Basically they are like family because they see a lot of each other. [They] will continue to make music hopefully until grey and senile.” Yes, please! It might have taken the city a few go-rounds to finally sell out a Little Dragon show, but judging from Saturday’s turnout, I doubt DC will sleep on any future tours.

Little known fact? Cover art for their first album, Peace Frog Recordings, was done by Yusuke Nagano, Yukimi’s father, whose artist statement confirms:

I was a champion of rascals.

Shout-out to Asian dads who raise brave, singing daughters unafraid to throw a sheet over their heads to find a moment of solitude (see image by Jati Lindsay) and drink in their own beautiful music. In a room full of people chanting your name, many of whom opt to “experience” the moment via their “Smart”/camera phones, that’s certainly no small victory.

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Janelle Monae’s mothership landed last week in DC, bringing space-age soul to a sold-out crowd at the Black Cat. The Grammy-nominated singer, on tour now through April, didn’t just put on a show. She gave us an experience. Sort of like a Warhol Factory happening – meets – Alice in Wonderland, set in a strange distant future in a galaxy far, far away.

Fans were drawn into the futuristic fantasy world the second they walked in. Perched at the door of the Black Cat’s Mainstage were members of Monae’s crew handing out flyers outlining her Ten Droid Commandments. They included such directives as:

If you see your neighbor jamming harder than you, covet his or her jam.

Be aware that jamming means: no tweeting without clapping, no sex without screaming and no freedom without dancing.

Abandon your expectations about art, race, gender, culture and gravity.

Early on, another one of her acolytes, mysteriously dressed in an all-black robe, came out to instruct us all to prepare “to find new emotion this evening.” This ratcheted up the anticipation of the super-hyped audience even more, leading to claps, boos, and chants of “Start the show!” (For the record: according to Black Cat staff everything was right on time. Plus, you never rush a diva.)

Just when the crowd couldn’t take it any longer, Janelle Monae finally arrived, making a dramatic entrance to a Star Wars-esque overture. Flanked by a keyboardist, drummer, and guitarist, she bounded onstage and quickly launched into rapping about decoys and bboys while electronic squiggles, bleeps, and loops played behind.

She was decked out of course in her signature Cindi Mayweather pompadour, white schoolgirl blouse, black tuxedo pants, and saddle shoes. The whole band rocked her famous monochromatic look, including a cast of masked cybergirls and cyberboys who cavorted onstage behind her, occasionally throwing balloons and streamers into the audience.

From the party atmosphere onstage to her otherworldly image, every single part of Monae’s act was carefully constructed and brilliantly imagined. To say she kept things conceptual would be an understatement. We weren’t just listening to songs on a setlist. We were watching a narrative unfold. Any weirder and it would have become performance art. Any more theatrical, it would have been an opera.

Monae left the crowd spellbound as she conjured up a world of daydreamers, cold wars, and cyborgs in love. Blazing through new material from her upcoming album The ArchAndroid, she strutted, swayed, moonwalked, and spazzed her way through the night, serving up a whirlwind of hip-hop, new wave, and technicolor pop.

While most of the songs were unrecognizable (sorry, no “Many Moons,” “Violet Stars” or Purple Ribbon joints), she did treat longtime fans to “Sincerely, Jane” from 2007’s Metropolis. She also broke out a reworked version of her latest single “Tightrope,” turning it into a slow-burning groove and ending the song with an extended James Brown-inspired funk freakout (cape and all).

She closed out the night by leaping into the audience and crowdsurfing her way through the Black Cat, disappearing into a sea of outstretched hands and screaming fans. There was no encore, no goodbye or good night. Just like that Janelle Monae was gone. Beamed back to her home planet I suppose, set in a strange distant future in a galaxy far, far away.

Photos by Jati Lindsay

Photos from The Foreign Exchange’s NYC show at BB Kings
by Joann Gomez, Music Looks Like This. Follow her on Twitter @MLLT.

The Foreign Exchange, the North Carolina based duo of Little Brother’s Phonte and Dutch producer Nicolay is steeped in legend. Meeting online via the hip-hop site Okayplayer, they exchanged beats and rhymes over the Internet, creating a friendship and leading to the group we now know today. Over the years, The Foreign Exchange has grown and matured, flipping its sound from its roots of hip-hop to the laid back almost Radiohead-like soul of their latest project Leave It All Behind, which received Album of the Year Honors from The Couch Sessions in 2008.

Earlier this week, The Foreign Exchange graced DC for the second time this year, spreading their magic on yet another capacity crowd at Black Cat.

Rapper Big Pooh started off the night to a somewhat lukewarm reception, running through a 30 minute set, dropping selections from his extensive (and slept on) body of work, Pooh did his best to entertain the crowd until the headliner, but people didn’t seem to feel Pooh until he dropped the classic “Whatever You Say.” The lack of crowd response is sad, because he’s one of the more underrated MC’s of of the past 10 years.

After Pooh’s set it was time for the main event. The Foreign Exchange graced the stage looking as dapper as ever. Let’s face it The Foreign Exchange dresses better than you do, complete with matching suits and fedoras, with the woman of the moment, Yazarah fronting a shimmery dress and honestly, killing the game. The first thing you notice about Foreign Exchange is that the live band is stacked with talent. Singers Darren Brockington, Carlita Durand and DC Native Yazarah are so good that they make me want to slap the creator of AutoTune for even thinking of inventing pitch correction software. Another DC native Zo! mans the keys while Nicolay lays back in the cut, quietly  enjoying his producer status.

As The Foreign Exchange dressed in their Sunday best, the show ended up being a Sunday night revival. Phonte, who is one of the best frontmen of this decade, commanded the stage with a classic and commanding (and sometimes long-winded) swagger. With a set that blended the more upbeat songs from the first album, Connected, with the more downtempo tracks from their second, Phonte kept the crowd hype and entertained, dropping wisdom and relationship knowledge at times, and leading the band into jazz renditions of “Snap Yo Fingers,” and “Stanky Leg,” and their crowd pleasing cover of “My Prerogative.”

When it was time for the band to get down to business, they did. D Brock kills it on his track “Take Off The Blues,” while Yaz shines on her song “Sincere.” Even downtempo tracks like “House of Cards” had an extra dose of energy in the live set.

For those who dismiss The Foreign Exchange as just another “backpacker neo-soul group” be warned. They put on a show that will rival any touring act you will see this year. Hands down. The excitement of the show that went down on Sunday cannot be expressed in written words. You must experience them for yourself.

Matt and Kim, Brooklyn’s twin prime ministers of awesome, visited the Black Cat on Wednesday night with Secretary of Sensual Aural Panic Amanda Blank in tow for an evening that agreed with the musical sensibilities of everyone in attendance, and portended that both acts have the talent and confidence now to ascend further than their indie pop and dance status would allow. With Matt and Kim coming into this show having won the MTV Video Music Award for Breakthrough Artist for “Lessons Learned,” they made it readily apparent in their hour long set that they are a whole lot more than proof that the pop punk couple that runs together naked in Times Square stays together. They’re easily the brightest light for the mainstream infiltration of fidgety and quirky yet forward thinking indie pop.

This evening started with DJ’s Devlin and Darko playing Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Fugazi. That should’ve told us that our collective asses were going to be blown, gyrating wildly, clear off our bodies.

Opener Amanda Blank, much like Ronnie Ronette, Donna Summer or Aaliyah is a producer’s dream as a phenomenal canvas to paint a palette beats and rhythms upon. While not to say that she’s anywhere as talented yet, if the gay and hipster dance culture needed a diva that isn’t as weird yet as wearing facial bird nests, and appearing as though she’s your cool ass, ridiculous best friend, Amanda Blank is more than woman for the job. This is not to say that this is a job she quickly accepted in the best of manners. In the last year, I’ve witnessed Amanda Blank perform four times, with this Black Cat performance being her latest. And from a woman appearing small, yet entertaining in front of an enormous crowd of 1,500 at an outdoor bar in Austin, Texas at SXSW, the growth in performance maturity to the woman totally confident in amazing new material on Wednesday is a 180 degree improvement.

In her 45 minute opening set, Blank, seconded as always more than capably by Philly by way of DMV DJ sensations Devlin and Darko, writhed, preened and vogued her way more than capably through tracks on her debut “I Love You.” Blank, easily the urban hipster queen, was dressed in a manner I can only call vampire red riding hood sexpot, with a cloak covering a tight, barely there lycra minidress. Diplo, Switch and XXXChange’s productions while expected, do well in the hands of Blank, who neither sings nor raps in a manner consistent with the tops of either game, but damn sure knows how to take phenomenal productions and create a ton of eye catching, body grinding entertainment. The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s leaning “Make It Take It,” the vamped up Romeo Void covering debut single “I Might Like You Better,” and the LL Cool J “I Need Love” covering set closer “I Love You” all went over well, and induced a party.

Headliners Matt and Kim, while missing a lot of things (guitars!) that would make it easier to do so, are well poised to be the top band of this generation. The legit Brooklynite couple fill a room with enough irrepressible glee to power all five boroughs of New York. Calling their music “punk” would be a misnomer, as the checks they’ve cashed from Bacardi and Converse definitely take the ephemeral definition out of the equation. But it leaves the literal sounds, as well as a lot of other concepts, as this is a band that, given the lack of instrumentation, has turned this into a positive, being able to literally cover anything between a keyboard and drums. In fact, the Matt and Kim live experience goes ballistic when the couple does covers of Sugar Hill Gang’s “Apache,” Ol Dirty Bastard’s “Shimmy Shimmy Ya,” Dead Prez’s “Hip Hop,” or Gary Glitter’s “Rock and Roll, Part 2.” Yes, it’s true if you look at the packaging with a jaded eye for the first time, you’re thinking, “why do people love these sweaty fucking hipsters?” It’s because there’s more than that. In watching them power through a set of underground hits from their indie debut to the more hook laden and pop friendly 2009 top album Grand, you get a sense that, as Matt says, “the stage is his home.” I’d argue that both members of the group view the music as catharsis, as these two play music that doesn’t make you dance because the melodies are fantastically catchy, it’s because they’re simple, fun, and they go hard. In the sparseness of their music, you find the ability to let yourself go, and get locked into the groove with the band. There’s not so much there that you have to be the best dancer, or the best singer, or the smartest music critic that ever lived. There’s a really melodic keyboard and a drummer who sounds like if you don’t dance, she’s gonna punch you in the face with snares and kicks and hi hats, all the while smiling massively. Their music is easy, and in a world where people fight to make the simple ridiculously hard, having Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino around is a breath of fresh air for sure.

The hits like “Lessons Learned” and the blend of street musician kick drum pickup and simplistic and maniacally catchy melody that is “Daylight” have been discussed ad nauseum, but its what fleshes out their set that makes them the mainstream accessible pop stars they’re becoming. Tracks like the delightful, baseball themed tale of the human condition “Lightspeed,” to the teenybopper leaning love tale “Yeah Yeah,” it’s clear that it was never a question of if, but an expectation of when they’d be ready for the brightest lights. Matt and Kim make great music. It’s not pop, it’s not punk, it’s certainly commercial, and definitely amazing.

Music, when in the hands of people like Matt and Kim and Amanda Blank, is certainly a much happier place, and that makes me terribly glad.

DC is getting some fly shows lately! They’re not free like our friends in New York , but I still can’t complain.

Gnarls Barkley at 9:30 Club – August 5th

Show just added today. Gnarls is rocking 9:30 with (er, transvestite fronted) Hercules Love Affair on August 5th. I saw Gnarls at the MCI Center when they opened for Red Hot Chili Peppers, but to see them at a club as small as 9:30 will be a treat. Tickets go on sale today at 10 AM.

Other shows to check out next month:

July 7th – Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, 9:30 Club
July 8th – Rza As Bobby Digital Feat. Stone Mecca, 9:30 Club
July 11th – Platinum Pied Pipers, Black Cat
July 16th – DJ Shadow, 9:30 Club
July 18th – Clipse, Club Five
July 19th – George Clinton And Parliament Funkadelic, 9:30 Club
July 25th – Anthony David, Black Cat
July 28th – MGMT, 9:30 Club

Also, in September:
Sept 21st – Mos Def Big Band, Kennedy Center