#francesca jimenez

[930club]

REASONS TO COME EARLY: Bob Moses Opening for Phantogram

Don’t let the fact that Bob Moses (Tom Howie and Jimmy Vallance) is an opener fool you. The Grammy-winning, Canadian duo is currently on a worldwide tour, building off of momentum and experiences like playing sunset sets at large festivals such as Coachella, Ultra, Bonnaroo, and Governor’s Ball as well as a list of European accolades such as features on BBC Radio 1 and being named as one of the Top 20 live acts by Resident Advisor for two consecutive years in 2014 and 2015. And of most importance, Bob Moses is no stranger to D.C., having headline appearances at 9:30 Club in 2016 and 2018.

“Elegant and edgy” was how Bob Moses’ sound was described in a 2019 KROQ Coachella House interview. In another Coachella interview, Howie stated that their sound is “bridging the gap between electronic music and more classic song writing and rock.” This eclectic melding of genres is no surprise when looking at the duo’s musical background similarities and differences. Both played in punk rock bands in high school (in different bands, but knew each other as friendly acquaintances). After high school and leaving Vancouver, Howie continued to pursue rock music and singing while Vallance began his career in trance and progressive house music. The two serendipitously crossed paths again in a Lowe’s parking lot in Brooklyn, realizing they had studio spaces a block away from each other. After this reconnection, Vallance and Howie began working on music together, and thus Bob Moses (the name being of reference to Depression-era, New York city planner Robert Moses) formed.

Bob Moses signed onto Domino Records in 2014, joining a diverse and impressive roster that includes Arctic Monkeys, Jon Hopkins, Animal Collective, Four Tet, and Dirty Projectors. Their most recent album, Battle Lines (2018), is an outward reflection of struggles around the world and how we can relate to what we see in other people.

- Francesca Jimenez

Bob Moses opens for Phantogram at the The Anthem on Friday, September 6 — tickets available here.

[930club]

SHOW PREVIEW: Tash Sultana

Tash Sultana’s live performances are an immersive experience. One does not simply listen to or watch her play. Her dynamic, virtuosic stage presence and live looping of her multi-instrumental mastery are enough to put you into a trance. Once you’ve seen her live, it’s no surprise to learn that this incredibly talented, 23-year old, solo powerhouse sells out concerts internationally and plays at big music festivals like Coachella, Outside Lands, and Lollapalooza. If you haven’t already seen her live or via video (which should just be a placeholder until you see her live), do yourself a solid and check these out: her NPR Tiny Desk set, a sold-out show at The Paradise in Boston with behind the scenes footage, and an original homemade recording.

Sultana is a self-taught musician and a one-woman band, playing more than fifteen different instruments including guitar, bass, mandolin, drums, trumpet, pan flute, and keyboard. Sultana also delivers soulful, killer vocals and beatboxing, looping herself live during sets with incredible, full-bodied energy. Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, Sultana comes from a musical household with records always playing. She first learned to play the guitar at 3 years old. Throughout school, she played countless gigs and busked in the streets, promoting herself and dedicating all of her energy to her craft. In her TEDx Talk at the University of Melbourne, Sultana shares the story of how she healed from drug usage and mental health issues through music therapy. While Sultana herself doesn’t subscribe to a specific genre, her sound combines alternative rock, psychedelic rock, reggae, folk, and lo-fi.

Sultana’s highly-anticipated debut album, Flow State, is set to release on August 31. Don’t miss your chance to experience this incredible performer live at The Anthem on November 21.

- Francesca Jimenez

Tash Sultana plays The Anthem on November 21 — tickets available here.

[930club]

VOTD: Mitski - “Geyser”

Opening with a bright red wash, organ synth chords, and the camera panning towards Mitski standing on a dreary, gloomy New York beach, “Geyser” is an honest, raw depiction of emotional desperation, dedication, and insatiability. In an interview with NPR, Mitski stated that “Geyser” is about being a musician and that unique relationship. “I wrote it about music or just maybe a music career or an ability to make music. I think as a musician you keep sacrificing other things in your life, sacrificing relationships, sacrificing other opportunities, maybe even your physical or mental health in order to do it because it’s not an easy thing to do, and it’s not a job that people need you to do,” she said. The video is shot in a single take, following Mitski in this monologue profession of sole dedication to her music (although the lyrics can definitely be interpreted to the love interest of your choice). She’s seen out in the open, vulnerable and honest about this relationship, literally sprinting on the beach, rolling in the mud-like sand, and digging in it with urgency. Be the Cowboy, Mitski’s newest album, is set to be released on August 17.

-Francesca Jimenez

[930club]

VOTD: Janelle Monáe - “PYNK”

If you have not watched the video for “PYNK” yet, you need to do so right now. It’s a fun, upbeat music video, but don’t let that stop you from recognizing its important social messages. “PYNK” is a celebratory anthem for female sexuality and empowerment, capturing complexities of intersectional feminism that are often left out or completely unacknowledged in mainstream media representation. The video is full of so much sexy, fun imagery such as hips wearing briefs with “Great Cosmic Mother” or “I grab back” adorned across the pelvic area, pubic hair peeking from the hems. One of the most iconic images of the video is flowery, wideset pants made to represent vaginas. In a line of dancers, Monáe and a few others wear the pants, while two others do not. In recent social media posts, Monáe and Tessa Thompson have specifically stated the celebration of vagina imagery while acknowledging that not all women have them. 

The video takes place in the desert, Monáe and her gang arriving in an old-school convertible to a land of pink-hued canyons and prickly Joshua Trees, road trip pit stops, a diner, and an outdoor space lit up by the lights of a neon sign. With this imagery, the video seems to flip and take ownership of negative attitudes towards women. Instead of being “dry and barren like a desert,” this desert is a place to party, dance, have some sexy fun, and be yourself. These are just a few examples of what’s so wonderfully complex and fun about “PYNK.” “PYNK” is a celebration of intersectional feminism as it should be represented, carefree and safe to be oneself, creating and cultivating truly inclusive space and society, without glossing over the multitude of female representation and identity. Grimes’ bubblegum pop multi-textured synth lines and the chorus made for singing along to during a girl gang road trip make “PYNK” a catchy, memorable anthem. “PYNK” is from Monáe’s upcoming album, Dirty Computer, set to release on April 27. The future is definitely female.

-Francesca Jimenez   

[930club]

SHOW PREVIEW: Mitski

In support of her fifth studio album release, Be the Cowboy, on August 17, Mitski kicks off her North American and European tour in June with dates extending to December. The album is the follow up to Puberty 2, released in 2016. Mitski has said that Be the Cowboy is about reconnecting with her feelings. "I had been on the road for a long time, which is so isolating, and had to run my own business at the same time. A lot of this record was me not having any feelings, being completely spent but then trying to rally myself and wake up and get back to Mitski,” she said. She has also stated that she has been inspired by "the image of someone alone on a stage, singing solo with a single spotlight trained on them in an otherwise dark room." The lead single (and first of the Be the Cowboy tracklist), “Geyser,” embodies this intimate, raw imagery. With 14 new songs with titles such as “Lonesome Love,” “Nobody,” and “Washing Machine Hear,” Mitski gives us a lot to look forward to in the narrative and fiction experiment of Be the Cowboy.

This tour marks a second set of shows from Mitski this year after opening with Run the Jewels for Lorde in the spring. Mitski’s 2018 headlining tour includes opening acts like Katie von Schleicher, Caroline Rose, EERA, and Jessica Lea Mayfield. Mitski makes her way to DC with Jessica Lea Mayfield on November 16 at the Club.

-Francesca Jimenez

Tickets for Mitski at 9:30 Club on November 16 available here. 

[930club]

NEW TRACKS: Phantogram - “Someday”

Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter of Phantogram were honored with the Public Awareness Award at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s 2018 Lifesavers Gala. Two days later on May 18, the duo released “Someday.” In the mailing list email for the release, the group wrote that the song started during sessions for their 2016 album, Three, based on beats Josh made from samples of the Al Green songs "I'm Still in Love with You" and "Livin' for You.” During the recording process for Three, Barthel’s sister committed suicide. This loss derailed everything and “Someday” was too difficult for them to work on, but this spring, Barthel and Carter were able to return to it as part of their efforts in raising awareness about suicide prevention and destigmatizing mental illness. Ultimately, this track is a reminder that through very dark times and suffering, there is help and hope in the world.

-Francesca Jimenez

[930club]

VOTD: Hayley Kiyoko ft. Kehlani - “What I Need”

“What I Need” brings much-needed queer representation to the music industry, and even better, the production comes directly from the creative lens of two queer female artists, Hayley Kiyoko and Kehlani. The eighth video directed by Kiyoko, it features the two as friends clearly in love, navigating their own feelings and hesitations with each other during a spontaneous adventure. While the love story has a happy ending, the video begins with Kehlani’s character arguing with and being kicked out by her aunt. In an interview between the two artists for The Fader, Kehlani stated it was a personal scene for her because she was raised by her aunt. The two also discuss how their music has always been about female romantic interests, but the power in using “she” and gender specific pronouns brings another layer of representation and identity to their work.

-Francesca Jimenez

[930club]

VOTD: SZA - “Garden (Say It Like Dat)

Not just any music video, the visual for SZA’s “Garden (Say It Like Dat),” with kaleidoscope and prism effects, is a dreamy, soft focus lens film. It was directed by 22-year-old Karena Evans, who also directed Drake’s videos for “God’s Plan” and “Nice for What.” Evans was also the first woman to win Prism Prize’s Lipsett Award, one of Canada’s highest honors for music video direction. The film follows SZA through intimate and lush nature landscapes, solo and with Donald Glover as the love interest. In frames featuring the two of them, it’s like SZA and Glover are like Adam and Eve (without all the human mortal sin stuff). The end of the video features SZA’s mother, Audrey Rowe, beaming like a queen goddess, surrounded by blooming tropical flowers and heartfelt moments with her daughter.

-Francesca Jimenez