youre from va too baldsteve? it seems theres a lot of cool orgers around these parts.

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Someone (January 8, 2008)

I actually live in Alexandria, but I'd rather drive to Richmond than Baltimore, regardless of how much I like the Ottobar. I'd rather see a show at Alley Katz than most anywhere in dc.

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branden (January 8, 2008)

ha, close enough.

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MattRamone (January 8, 2008)

I love it aesthetically, but I've heard some disturbing stories from local about the management, mostly involving them treating the bands like shit, up to and including not letting them leave until THEY had paid the CLUB.

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baldsteve (January 8, 2008)

That fucking sucks. I hate hearing that. I just love the layout/acoustics of the place. The last show I saw there (Action Patrol reunion) was one of the greatest shows I have ever seen.

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MattRamone (January 8, 2008)

Yeah, the layout is great, the sound is awesome, the bar has a great selection, it's well ventilated. fantastic venue. Now if only the management wasn't so skeevy...

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baldsteve (January 8, 2008)

I wish I had the funds to take over and run a place like that. I like it so much better than 930 and the black cat. The Black Cat is a mess, I never feel right about any shows there, especially the backstage part, it's like a party in a walk-in closet.

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baseball (January 8, 2008)

i don't like the raised area that runs along the side...any show with movement is sure to see someone trip into a pile on from that

if not for that it'd be pretty fun...seeing World/Inferno back there was a lot of fun though

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baldsteve (January 8, 2008)

I LOVE the raised area, I never spill a beer from up there. I can see the pylons causing problems but I like floating above the stage.

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MattRamone (January 8, 2008)

Agreed. If it's a "standing" show (like Chuck Ragan), it's the perfect place to stand if you're late or like me and too old, drunk, and tired to want to mix it up with the hyper kids more than you have to.

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kneel (January 8, 2008)
black cat is a really great place once you get to know the staff. bartenders there are really awesome.

although the damn rules there. i hate crowdsurfing, but is a rule against it really necessary? and beau-beau said something about how the black cat won't let them play there anymore. although after that gwomper said he thinks they'll let them in now. i just feel like the black cat would rather make money selling shots and vodka drinks to all those people going to the brit-pop dance parties than bring in an occasional punk act.

and i actually kind of like the backstage, reminds me of going to shows in winston-salem and charlotte. intimate and the small stage is great. i just wish they did more punk shows there and less dance crap.

all that having been said, i commend the black cat for doing a good job of keeping their liquor licen

show rest of commentblack cat is a really great place once you get to know the staff. bartenders there are really awesome.

although the damn rules there. i hate crowdsurfing, but is a rule against it really necessary? and beau-beau said something about how the black cat won't let them play there anymore. although after that gwomper said he thinks they'll let them in now. i just feel like the black cat would rather make money selling shots and vodka drinks to all those people going to the brit-pop dance parties than bring in an occasional punk act.

and i actually kind of like the backstage, reminds me of going to shows in winston-salem and charlotte. intimate and the small stage is great. i just wish they did more punk shows there and less dance crap.

all that having been said, i commend the black cat for doing a good job of keeping their liquor license while allowing all-ages shows. thats not an easy thing to do in dc.
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baldsteve (January 8, 2008)

I got to know the bartender at a place a rock-throw from my house. Makes it easier to work my way back with the breadcrumbs. I loathe the brit-pop dance shit.

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MattRamone (January 8, 2008)
I love the venue, I just wish drinks cost less and they would actually get a touring rock band in on the weekends instead of turning it into a disco every Friday and Saturday. Even that wouldn't be so bad if the DJs just played the damn records they said they would. I didn't pay five bucks for indie dance night or garage/soul dance night just to hear some lame Eurotrash DJ put a 300 bpm drum track over Chuck Berry and the Gossip, completely obliterating the original in the process.

Still, it sucks that basically every act I want to see that plays there plays in the middle of the week. I'm using up all my sick time coming in late the day after Strike Anywhere, Chuck Ragan, Sharon Jones...

Second on the bartenders.

Oh, and is it just me, or is the Rock N Roll Hotel so insanely inconvenient to get to as to make it not even worth the ef

show rest of commentI love the venue, I just wish drinks cost less and they would actually get a touring rock band in on the weekends instead of turning it into a disco every Friday and Saturday. Even that wouldn't be so bad if the DJs just played the damn records they said they would. I didn't pay five bucks for indie dance night or garage/soul dance night just to hear some lame Eurotrash DJ put a 300 bpm drum track over Chuck Berry and the Gossip, completely obliterating the original in the process.

Still, it sucks that basically every act I want to see that plays there plays in the middle of the week. I'm using up all my sick time coming in late the day after Strike Anywhere, Chuck Ragan, Sharon Jones...

Second on the bartenders.

Oh, and is it just me, or is the Rock N Roll Hotel so insanely inconvenient to get to as to make it not even worth the effort?
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baseball (January 8, 2008)

how so?

i'm going there for the first time to see Bedouin Soundclash on the 27th

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MattRamone (January 8, 2008)

I haven't been there in a while, so the parking situation might have improved, but doubtful.

The closest Metro stop is a dozen blocks away, so you either have to take a cab or wait for their unreliable shuttle service on weekends.

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kneel (January 8, 2008)

where do you live matt? i'm in arlington, ballston neighborhood.

i wonder if we've run into each other at the black cat or whatever. if not, then we should make it happen.

god, i never meet any kids interested in decent punkrock in this town.



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baldsteve (January 8, 2008)

Matt: be very very cautious of any sort of meet up with kneel, you are guaranteed to be worn out and need a shower afterwards.

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MattRamone (January 8, 2008)

Hope it's a cold shower...

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baldsteve (January 8, 2008)

Are there any other kinds?

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kneel (January 8, 2008)

er, didnt finish that first sentence. yes, from where i live anyway, it is a huge pain in the neck to get out to h st. i havent even ever been to the rnr hotel. only show i've seen out there was planes mistaken for stars, although i've been to the red and the black a bunch of times to get my haircut.

i'll catch some shows at the red and the black and rock and roll hotel this summer when i can ride my bike out there.

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MattRamone (January 8, 2008)

I live up down in Springfield, so it only takes me about 20 minutes to get to DC for shows, maybe half hour by train. Not too bad, and I don't have to commute to my job from the city.

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TheRepoMan (January 8, 2008)

im in vb, but go to school at vcu... ill definitely be there... break out the org "hello my name is" stickers...

alley katz was awesome but richmond is too far. i'll head up to the baltimore show.

dammit why doesnt dc have a respectable punk scene anymore? sick of driving all over the place.

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baldsteve (January 8, 2008)

Too far? You're in Arlington ya Jackass, you will be sitting in a car for just at an hour, depending on traffic on a friday, you can double that time heading to baltimore. You never were good at math.

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kneel (January 8, 2008)

no way, i have never made it to richmond in less than 2.5 hours. and even in traffic, i've been able to manage to make it to baltimore in 1.5.

on the other hand, i'll have to wait and see next month... new girlfriend doesnt drink much so maybe she'll drive me and i can fill up on pabst and whiskey in richmond. hmm, i think i have a friend there i met at the fest i can stay with too.

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baseball (January 8, 2008)

i gotta agree with this dude

traffic is way worse going south than north in that area

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baldsteve (January 8, 2008)

Not on Saturdays!...come on, you can't agree with kneel, the universe will implode.

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baseball (January 8, 2008)

i wasn't paying attention to the day

you could very well be right...i just drove from Baltimore to Richmond this past Saturday in like 2.5 hours at most there and less on the way back (of course i left Richmond at 1am)

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baldsteve (January 8, 2008)

What are you riding in, a horse and buggy? I didn't know you went all Amish on me. 2.5 to get to Richmond? You sir must be driving through the trees.

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MattRamone (January 8, 2008)

Takes me at least 90 minutes from Springfield, and that's if there's no traffic.

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kneel (January 8, 2008)

10 years later youre still an asshole.

i love you steve.

i just saw another reason to go to baltimore - dead mechanical and tenwatch are playing. dead mechanical was really great when i saw them back in like october, and tenwatch was pretty damn good at the avail show.

although on the other hand landmines is playing at alley katz. saw them for a bit at the fest, great stuff.

speaking of richmond and black cat and whatnot, you going to that cloak/dagger show on sunday night? should be a bunch of fun.

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baldsteve (January 8, 2008)

I'm screwed for this weekend. work work work. I'm just mastering my asshole-skills. I know NOT of either tenwatch or dead mechanical...nor of landmines.

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TheRepoMan (January 8, 2008)

cue the "what what WHAT?!" from chris... its comin... any second now...

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baldsteve (January 9, 2008)

It didn't come.

There's only 8 dates but it goes from mid-Feb to March 1. I might go to this, Feb-19 is a ways off yet

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red_eye_inc (January 8, 2008)

shit, you're totally right and I'm kinda a moron. I didn't even look at the missing dates.

The last 3 times they've been to Chicago, there has been a pretty poor showing, I feel.

One of the best bands going right now.

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olmec (January 8, 2008)

And by "showing" I mean by the crowd......turnout, that is.

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MikeSam (January 9, 2008)

oh well, in any case they are playing at reggies on feb. 24.

I like that place too, Saturday is the only day that works for me, so I'm heading South for it.

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baseball (January 8, 2008)

man i love the Ottobar...i've been to so many unbelievable shows there

Against Me! right when Eternal Cowboy came out, the Gold Tour, and the Strike Anywhere Callum Robbins benefit come to mind

plus, i can walk there so that's like +100 points

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baldsteve (January 8, 2008)

I wish that I could walk there. It is a great place. Just a bit too far for me.

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skankbook (January 8, 2008)

I went to the Gold Tour at the Ottobar (as the Souls surprisingly didn't play Philly on that tour), and they charged my girlfriend and I and extra $5 at the door because we were under 21. I'm 21 now, and it's too far of a drive to go to another show there, but it always bothered me that we were charged extra. Was this a one time asshole move by the door guy or is this actually a policy there?

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baseball (January 8, 2008)

policy is usually $1 extra if you're under...there's tons of places that charge extra though

i'm really surprised to hear that though, they're staff is usually really cool

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nick_heitman (January 8, 2008)

yeah, it's a chill place. for some reason i don't really like it now. the singer from ruiner works there though

naaah, they're not.. but both bands are A+

yeah man. force it down your throat! listen to it when you wake up, listen to it when you go to sleep. you'll love it. you'll be thinking about it all the time. im an expert on fake problems.