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We’ve extolled the virtues of Vivian Girls here before.  In case you were hesitant to take advantage of their show at the Nerve Center, you are gonna get a boatload of new chances to experience them in the coming month, starting this Wednesday at the Ottobar with locals Baby Venom.

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MP3: Vivian Girls – Blind Spot (Daisy Chain cover) from the I Can’t Stay 7″

Tour dates & video for “Tell the World”:

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MP3: Lo Moda – Les Jardins (De L’bouli) from Gospel Store Front

Before even knowing Peter Quinn was affiliated with Lo Moda, I recognized him sitting next to me on the wooden benches that lined the Ottobar. He sat with a mysterious look in his eye, slowly sipping on a glass of red wine while Hex Message performed on stage.

I was only somewhat moved by the performances of either Hex or Ecstatic Sunshine — a local favorite that, I’m sad to say, barely excited the crowd. The sound never caught you off guard or surprised you…at least the way I ambient/ electronic music should, triggering the deepest of emotions and shaping the imagination. So, when Lo Moda stepped on stage, the previous bands had prepared me for something much different than what was coming ahead. Read the rest…

DC’s Caverns will play at the Ottobar this Thursday, the 29th, along with Lush Farm, Driving in Silence, and Person Parcel.

I’m not that familiar with the other bands playing, but from what I know my gut reaction is to bemoan the fact that shows aren’t prorated just for the bands you want to see. However, no amount of arguing with the doorman “I’m just here for one set” has ever yielded me the results I wanted.

But trust me this dramatic instrumental metal trio is worth price of admission. Man, they even have a tech on stage delivering a killer light show. Kevin goes apeshit on the guitar, a man wailing with daemonic fury. When Kevin throttles back, Pat fills in on the keyboard with melancholic arpeggios, and classical flourishes. And Caverns is fucking LOUD.

Seriously don’t let the fact that a Gary B side project is also on the bill scare you away. Well, actually…

Fresh off a deliciously vintage early generation Creative Nomad audio player (Creative bought Rio, one of the pioneers making the first generation of portable MP3 players back in the mid-90s), Jeff the Baltimore Taper serves up some sweet sweet audio from the openers of the Teenagers-headlined bill at the Ottobar this week.  All photos: Victor Will

For Team Robespierre, go here.

For Smart Growth, go here.

Some context/set-up from Jeff:

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Download the entire set as FLAC files here, stream the MP3s below and download by clicking the song name.

Smart Growth

The Ottobar

Baltimore, MD

May 6, 2008

Smart Growth is:
Dennis Bowen-drums, beats

Source: Peluso CEMC6/ck41(hypercard)>PS-2>AD-20>NJB3

Transfer: NJB3>PC>SF-7>Wav>FLAC

Taper: Jeff Mewbourn (jm292@yahoo.com)

http://baltimore-taper.blogspot.com

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Download the entire set as FLAC files here, stream the MP3s below and download by clicking the song name.

Team Robespierre
The Ottobar
Baltimore, MD
May 6, 2008

Source: Peluso CEMC6/ck41(hypercard)>PS-2>AD-20>NJB3

Transfer: NJB3>PC>SF-7>Wav>FLAC

Taper: Jeff Mewbourn (jm292@yahoo.com)

http://baltimore-taper.blogspot.com/

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I walked into a fairly impressively packed Sunday night at the Ottobar. The last time I saw it this packed was for cult-legend Daniel Johnston a few weeks back. But the crowd was an altogether different variety. The sea of X’s made me a little wary of the band taking forever to sound-check on stage. Spring break was over, and it looks like this was the show that you had to be at to be in the know for homeroom tomorrow.
Photo of HEALTH, right|Flickr user HateMyWay

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Crystal Castles are another electronified duo out to take over the world. Justice: you are officially on notice.

I kinda think of them as the Faint and Justice mixing an 8-bit video game soundtrack. Their show tonight at the Ottobar should be quite the sick affair. Openers HEALTH, Space Mountain, and Thrust Lab. $10, 8PM doors.

Whet your aural whistle with some tracks from their self-titled debut LP which dropped earlier this month.

Crystal Castles – “Crimewave (vs HEALTH)”

Crystal Castles – “1991″

Crystal Castles – “Black Panther”

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While Stars were busy delivering their highly dramatized indie pop in downtown to a packed house at Sonar, the Ottobar crowd was relatively light for DC-based Georgie James’ alternate approach to the genre.

But given the quality of Georgie James’ performance and music, there should have been a more equal split between the two.
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