Eric Brace (Mark Finkenstaedt for The Washington Post)

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Nightwatch -- Live
Hosted by Eric Brace
Washington Post Nightwatch columnist
Friday, Feb. 1, 2002; 1 p.m. EST

Where's the best karaoke joint? What's the best brewpub around? Who was that band that rocked at the Black Cat last week? For the answer to any going-out-in-Washington question, just ask Eric Brace -- our resident nightwatchman.

From backstage at the annual Wammies (Washington's own Grammy Awards) to karaoke at Galaxy Hut to swing dancing at the Glen Echo Spanish Ballroom, every week Post staff writer Eric Brace throws himself on the front lines of the bar-n'-music beat in the Washington area. A Washington resident for nearly 30 years, Brace started with the Style section in 1990, where he wrote live music reviews and filed longer feature stories on the likes of Fugazi, Jawbox, Pearl Jam, Stephane Grappelli and many others. Then he created the Nightwatch column, which appears every week in The Post's Weekend section and on washingtonpost.com's Bars and Clubs page. He also sings and plays guitar for the country-rock band Last Train Home.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Eric Brace: Dear folks...
thanks for checking in on this weird balmy day. I'm supposed to be in the middle of doing "research" for a story on nightlife at ski resorts, but there ain't gonna be no snow.. I'm still going to hit a couple of places in Pennsylvania this weekend, but I'd rather be in DC this weekend. What do you all have planned?

Frederick MD: Read your piece on Bangkok Blues.. good of that guy to put his money where his heart is!
What is UP with the lack of great blues clubs in town?? Why did City Blues and Smokeless go under?? why can't the city support a full time blues club? Is Summit Station in Gaithersburg really killing off its live music?? Does the new Lewie's book blues??
-- A blues fan (duh)

Eric Brace: Yeah, chai (the owner) is a real character. he'll talk your ear off about blues and about the food that comes out of his kitchen, but aside from that, he's a gem. It IS odd that there's not a bigger audience for the blues, considering how popular it seems to be on WPFW's blues shows and how generally high the quality of local blues players is. Maybe because the average blues fan is a lot older than most club goers (this gets back to the point I made a few chats ago saying most clubs gear toward younger audiences and some club owner jumped down my throat)...
Madams Organ has been supporting local (and national) blues for a long time, so they should get props, but it's not-strictly speaking-a blues club.
City blues was mismanaged badly. and Smokeless was in a weird location that got no foot traffic (and maybe DC wasn't ready for a smoke free club??)
I hear that Summit Station (which has booked a lot of blues bands) is stopping live music as of Feb. but I need to call them to confirm that. Lewie's has booked a mixed bag of bands, including some blues bands. Anyone been there lately? Got an opinion?
And definitely go to Bangkok Blues and try the food. It really is very very good.

McLean, VA: Hey Eric-

I was wondering where you got "Bates" as Bo Diddly's last name? I always thought his name was something like Elias McDaniel. (I seem to recall seeing this name on song credits.)

Eric Brace: (this is regarding the Circuit box pick of Bo Diddley in today's Weekend section).. Bo Diddley is playing at the 9:30 club tonight! If you can, GO! he was born in 1928, so he ain't gonna be around forever.
the joys of the internet (and google) led me to many Bo Diddley sites, and here's a paragraph explaining the Ellas Bates name, which is the one on his birth certificate. I did some checking around to confirm this, and ran with it:

ELLAS BATES was born on Sunday December 30th 1928 on a small farm near the town of McComb, Mississippi, USA, in rural Pike County, close to the Louisiana border, the only child of Ethel Wilson and Eugene Bates. He had 3 half-brothers and a half-sister. He was adopted by his mother's cousin, Mrs. Gussie McDaniel, along with his cousins Willis, Lucille and Freddie, and adopted the name ELLAS McDANIEL

Jim - Adams Morgan:
Not really a nightlife question but how come a city as big as DC doesn't have a decent guitar/music shop? You have to go out to Rockville or Falls Church which is a drag. Barbara's Guitars just closed but her guitar selections were questionable and the Guitar Shop feels like I'm interupting the staff whenever I need new strings. Am I missing something?

Eric Brace: It's weird that there's not one in DC..
The Guitar Shop is really it. I'm sorry Barbara's guitars didn't make it. Barbara had a cool idiosyncratic inventory and you never knew what you'd find there.
Her former partner still runs Southworth Guitars in Bethesda, but prices are so high. He does lots of international sales to collectors in japan and the like, so he doesn't really need walk-in casual guitar freak customers.
American Guitar Center in Wheaton split town about 10 years ago.
Part of the problem is that real guitar freaks go online to find the guitar of their dreams (ebay and such) while beginning guitarists go to big stores like Chuck Levin's, Mars and the Guitar Center, where prices on new guitars are really low. Square footage is too expensive in DC to support a vintage guitar shop where you might not make a sale 4 days out of the week....

Alan S., Beltsville:
So Eric,

I've got to go to Adams Morgan tonight to meet some people. I'll be driving a big 'ol pickup truck. In your experience, do I have -any hope- of finding a free parking space, or should I reconcile myself to paying a lot, or should I say "the" lot, since I only know of one lot in Adams Morgan.

Eric Brace: get there at 6 p.m. and drive around hoping for street parking. or park in THE lot. The situation sucks. I resign myself to getting a ticket whenever I go to Adams Morgan at night (and no, the Post doesn't pay for my traffic violations). I've just begun to factor and extra $20 into the equation.
The Adams Morgan parking thang has been on my wish list forever.. but the city can't afford to buy proprty there to build a municipal lot. they drop the ball 20 years ago.

Alexandria, VA: Saw Bo Diddley in a club in Nashville a long, long time ago, and he was awful. Hardly sang or played, let his band do the work, and made really lame drawn-out innuendo-laden "solos". We left after 20 minutes of him going "oh baby" and hip-thrusting behind that guitar. I hope he's gotten better.

Eric Brace: You know.. I'd heard this about his shows. And I've seen footage of him being less than amazing. But I still feel it's good for your soul to just see these truly important people with your own eyes, at least once. You can say you saw bo Diddley. (You can also say he sucked, but still).
I hope he's gotten better too. He'll be backed up by the rythm section of his opening act Bill Kirchen & Too Much Fun, so maybe they'll push him to a greater performance.

DC: Guitar shop - ok it's not DC, but it is cool and metro accessible. The House of Musical Traditions in Takoma Park, at least for good acoustic guitars. (And strings and such.)

Eric Brace: You're right.. the House of Musical Traditions in Takoma Park does have a nice selection of acoustics. Not cheap though. The Guitar Shop I'm thinking of is just south of Dupont at 18th and Conn. Ave. Isn't that the one you're thinking of?

princeton junction NJ: Hey Eric...
true dat Citizen Cope will be at iota??

Eric Brace: Yes yes yes.
The citizen is coming to town.
Clarence "Citizen Cope" Greenwood has just released his superfine self-titled debut on dreamworks and is going out with his labelmate Nelly Furtado.. he'll open for her at the 9:30 club on march 8 & 9 and then will do a night of his own at IOTA on March 10.. solo acoustic. I'm a huge fan of his solo stuff, but some people don't get it. I can't wait for him to come through town with a full on band, grooving like the badass he is. Did anyone catch him at Metro cAfe with Mshell N'Dego'Cello (hell I know that's spelled wrong) on bass? I had to miss it. it must have been stunning.

Scott McK, Alexandria, VA:
This is for the guy looking for guitar stores: They're not in DC but I highly recommend trips to Action in North Arlington and/or Atomic in College Park. Much cool stuff to drool over and, depending on where you live, it's sometimes easier to get from someplace in DC to the suburbs than it it to get from someplace in DC to another place in DC.

Eric Brace: thank you mister scottie, I was hoping you'd chime in.
Listen up folk, this man knows what he's talking about.

Washington, DC: Hello...I'm in a Brit-pop band, for lack of a better term, and I understand that Brit-pop is kinda popular in the area now for some reason...I was wondering if you could give me some advice on particular clubs that would be amenable to that type of style...we need to scare up some gigs...(we call ourselves Wedge, BTW)

washingtonpost.com: From the Weekend Section: "D.C.'s Britpop Invasion"

Eric Brace: Are you from around here? Do you sing with a british accent? The best advice it to be good. Are you good? if you're good you can play just about anywhere. Start off at the Metro Cafe.. the Black Cat sidestage.. the Velvet Lounge.. Galaxy Hut.
If you've got a Cd out or even a demo.. send it to me here at the Post-I'm curious.

Arlington: Wow, not only do you write about clubs where your band plays, but your bandmates join you for your chats! Can you change the name to the Last Train Home column?

Eric Brace: Ha! I'm telling you, scott knows everything.

And for the record, I've never written a column on iota, where we play most frequently in town... nor have I ever mentioned the band in the column. The editors are very observant on these issues. If you think I've been unduly favorable one way or another, please call me on it. I try to bend over backwards to be fair.

DC: (I recommended HMT for guitars) Actually, Eric, I said Guitar shop, not as a recommendation, but as a subject. Sorry!

But, still on that topic, I note that there is a place called Guitar Gallery that has moved into Cleveland Park sometime in the last year or so. Are they any good?

Eric Brace: Ah! gotcha.
As for the guitar gallery, I think it's the return of the shop that used to be in that neighborhood. Spanish and classical guitars.

Poconos, PA: You heading to the Poconos this weekend? If so, I could give you some tips on places to check out.

Eric Brace: Hmm hadn't considered going that far, but if there'sa heart-shaped bathtub, then maybe ! Wachu got?

Washington, D.C.: I recently read that the guy who started the Shark Clubs is opening a new club on Connecticut Ave., called Acropolis. When is it going to finally open?

Eric Brace: Ah yes.. the Shark Club folks are coming into the city!
They've already got joints in Centreville, Bethesda, ummm somewhere else.. Sterling?? but they've decided that 18th and Conn. is the place to be, and they're right. i really worry about parking in this area. On weekends it's going to be absolutely impossible (add another municipal parking lot to my wish list).
As for Acropolis, it's been "soon to open" for months and months, but it looks like there's going to be a liquor licence hearing at the end of February. then it's a matter of the slow slow slow DC govt issuing all the permits. I'd say by April.

20009: Hey Eric - are there any folky palces in DC?

Yes, I know about the Irish bars, and those are fine. But I want to hear some other kinds of folk too?

So, is there any place in town that presents folk music, even occasionally?

Eric Brace: The best place for the folk circuit right now is Jammin' Java in Vienna. It opened about a year and a half ago a a Christian coffeehouse, and while it didn't book exclusively christian acts, that was its rep.
It was sold a few months back to some folks who are doing their dangdest to make it a national and local folk showcase club. The acts coming through are big on that circuit, like Pierce Pettis, and the stage/lights/sound in that place are all stellar. there'sa liquor licence there, so you can get that now (it used to be coffee/tea..)
It's really working hard to become a serious force on the local folk circuit and it's worth stopping in.
Other than that, drive to Sykesville to Baldwin's Station for dinner and folk acts on Wednesdays.. there's O'Brien's Pit BBQ in deep Silver Spring that hosts folk shows Wednesdays a couple of times a month. there's several folk series: Red Rover, Shenandoah Coffeehouse, oh man, I'm forgetting em. but the local folk scene is booming. Places like the House of Musical traditions have posters/flyers up for all those shows.. and mary Cliff's radio show on WETA SAturday nights always has a great local folk calendar.
Don't forget coffeehouses like St Elmo's, Misha's, places like that (even starbucks out in the burbs..)

Washington, DC: Hey Eric:

Do you know what kind of lineup Alejandro Escovedo will have with him at Iota next week? It's always different...

Eric Brace: It's apparently the same band he brought last time: drummer Hector Munoz (wow), keys/guitar Bruce Salmon, and cellist Brian Standifer (sp??). they're great.

Arlington, VA: Hi, Eric. I'll forewarn you -- I'm pretty clueless.

I think I read somewhere that there is a jazz group (trio?) that plays in the area on a weekly basis.

So my question is; who, where, and when?

Thanks!

Eric Brace: hmmm is this a plant for the following note?

Arlington VA: Do you know the nice jazz trio playing on Wednesday nights at Tutto Bene in Arlington.
They are Easy Street-John Croff on guitar, Mike Sescoe on bass and a percussionist called Applejack. They move the tables and make a small dance floor. Nice mid week break.

Eric Brace: I've never heard this trio, no.
Would you happen to be one of them? if you are, that's cool, 'cause I need to hear about this kind of stuff. Haven't been to Tutto Bene yet, so this will be a good excuse to check it (and the trio) out. How's the band?
And do you know whether they've got recordings?? If they do, could you , um tell them to send em on??

Bethesda, MD: My brother plays in a B-more based band that does more metal type music. Are there any places in DC where that music would have an audience? I have yet to hear of one. DC metro would work too. Thanks!

Eric Brace: "metal type"... hmmm not really much of a market in DC for metal these days.
You could try some suburban joints like Jaxx in Springfield, they definitely book area metal bands. Also, Firehouse Grille in Fairfax, Fat Tuesdays in Fairfax, TTReynolds (are they still open??)in Fairfax (what is it about fairfax?? they all sometimes book metal.. or did.
Sometimes Velvet Lounge in DC does too.

guitar shopping:: though not techinically dc, catonsville has a couple of music shops. can't remember the name of the really famous one, right on frederick road. eric, do you know the name? apparently lots of musicians stop in there whilst in town.

Eric Brace: They put something int he water in Catonsville.. they've got the Appalachian Bluegrass Shoppe, the Guitar Exchange (high end stuff, new and used) and Bill's Music House.. new and used everything... But I think it's the Bluegrass shop you're perhaps thinking of. cool joint. ROAD TRIP!

For Snarky Arlington re: "LTH Column": Jeez, jealous much? Get over yourself.

As for Scott McK, have you heard the man play guitar? He deserves at -least- to be quoted giving advice on which guitar shops to check out.

Eric, FWIW, I think you do a great job toeing the line between writing your column and being in a promising local band.

Just had to say that... comments like that really tick me off!

Viva l'Arlington music!!

Eric Brace: I just HAVE to post this one.
thanks.
And I've only recently begun trying to play electric guitar, and what a feller like Scott does with his makes me crazy with envy.

re: acropolis: where on 18th and connecticut is this place? i didn't know there was any open space. is on the same block as 1223 or ESL?

Eric Brace: Yes, exactly.. it's between 1223 and Dragonfly, on the same side of the street.

college park, MD: re:parking in Adams Morgan
Have you seen the new parking garge in Adams Morgan?
Tiny damn spaces. Smaller than compact. I saw many cases of 2 SUVs sharing 3 spots.

Eric Brace: I know. they did that to accommodate DC requirements for X number of spaces for X number of square feet in the development. It's a friggin' scam and the city should call them on it.

wash, dc: Sorry about the lack of snow.

I enjoy spaces that spin house or downtempo and have a relaxed (read: jeans okay) atmosphere -- the Blue Room, Rendez Vous and the now-defunct Pearl, to name a few -- but am in want of something new. Could you recommend a few similar places for either weeknight or weekend visits?

Thanks a ton.

Eric Brace: Aroma on thursdays... sometimes Hump night at Galaxy Hut.. definitely Sundays at the Blue Room, but you know that already. So you surely know Red.. it differs from night to night, but great DJs every night. Black CAt's Sidestage has been booking good DJs to to spin on nights there's a band upstairs. Vicki's on weekends has hi-nrg and house..

Bethesda, MD: From metal sister: thanks, actually they do play a lot in VA at those places. Thanks for the Velvet Lounge suggestion!

Eric Brace: hope it works.. next time they come through, tell em to send me something.

Washington, DC (Wedge): Thanks for the advice, Eric...We're from the area and we do sing with traces of English accents on ocassion, but only as a remnant of our influences, not intentionally...we're a good band, too, if I do say so myself...we do have a CD demo, and I'd be glad to send it your way...what's the address? BTW, one of our tunes -- Nitrogen -- was an Editor's Pick on the washingtonpost.com/mp3 site a few weeks ago...that was a kick!

Eric Brace: very cool: send to
Weekend
Washington post
1150 15th st nw
wash dc
20071

and put me on your band's email gig list:
nightwatch@washpost.com

20009: Hey Eric, have you ever thought about doing a column on DIY Punk spaces in the area (eg Joe's Movement, Electric Maid, the various punk rock houses that come up and go) or does the ephermeral nature of such a scene (I mean, it looks like the Maid may be shut down for a while) make it too difficult to write about?

Eric Brace: yes... It's a great scene. Lots of bands.. i wrote about the Kaffa House shows, and I'm going to write about the Royal Lee's punk nights. I'm hoping to check out the Hi-Fidelity Record show shows out in VA too.
The house concerts are harder to write about, because usually those folks don't have permits, and I could get them in trouble if I draw attention to it, but there are several band houses in p.g. county that put on shows regularly. It's great how alive the underground punk scene is around here.

Alexandria, VA: Errrrric...

Any word on when David Segal will put himself in a another band/story? Can't wait!

Eric Brace: I think David will be going on the road as Alicia Keys' backup singer and hairdresser soon. Look for the dispatches!

Tom, Arlington: Any news on any clubs closing down or opening in the next month?

Eric Brace: One thing i do know is that the Corner Kick out in Gaithersburg has been sold and is no longer hosting its cool ska and punk nights. That's a drag. I hope the ska scene gets a venue of its own soon.

Kensington: Hello Eric,

Could you please point me to a list of the local open mic nights?

Thanks!
doug

Eric Brace: Hi Doug..
I wish I could.
I did round-up of the open-mic scene several years back, and in looking at that piece recently I noted that many/most of the places mentioned are closed or have changed format. I'll be trying to revisit that scene sometime soon though.
Hey Fritz (he's my online producer): Do you have a list??

Bethesda: Eric, you jsut mentioned Red. I thought it was only open on Fridays and SAturdays for after parties? Am I wrong?

Eric Brace: You are wrong. It's open at least Tuesday-Sunday. It may be closed monday. it's a very very chill scene mid-week... though yeah, it doesn't open til late.

Owings MD: Help, I know I'm sending this late, but My boyfriend and I are in our late 20's and need something so fun to do tonight that we won't be able to stand it.

Eric Brace:
Something fun... hmmm
go to the Meditarra restaurant at Conn and Calvert, eat their swell tapas, and then stay for Sin Miedo, one of the best salsa bands on the east coast. Do you dance? Get up and try. There are dark corners in the restaurant.

sw, dc: eric, what do you think of an idea of running a bus, similiar to the one that goes from u street to woodley park, that goes from u street to dupont, say, via u st and florida? there is no metro nearby but a number of little places along the way. that u street/woodley thing was the smartest thing they've done yet, besides, of course, staying open until 2 am fri/sat.

if only it were 3 am...sigh...

Eric Brace: yep. you're right. There should be a U street to Dupont shuttle too. Maybe one of these new streetcar lines they're talking about?

Gaithersburg: Hey Eric,

Enjoyed your column on Bangkok Blues. Did you catch the harmonica jam there last night?

Eric Brace: Thanks much.
No I didn't but go.. had to miss it, but what a lineup of talent! DC has the most amazing harp players, and Wayne Kahn did an amazing thing bringing all that talent together on the same stage. Check his website www.rightonrhythm.com I think, for more info on that and on the local blues and roots scene.

Clueless in Arlington: not a plant! and I don't think that is the group I read about . . .

Eric Brace: Ahh... other jazz trios playing regularly... so many!!! at Columbia Station, at Utopia, at LaPortas, at Cafe Toulouse..various hotels.. check the listings at www.dcjazz.com

20009: Isn't Acropolis a lickle further up the street, like across from Proper Topper and closer to Big Hunt than Dragonfly?

Eric Brace: ahhh yes.. I think you're right. My brain's shot.

Frederick, MD: Is the 9:30 club an appropriate club to take a 12 year old girl? Michelle Branch is playing there late this month. She is pop star popular with a lot of young teenagers. Can't she find a venue more suitable for this age group?

Eric Brace: There's a secure parking lot around the corner from the 9:30 club and inside it's fine. Great place for a show. If you're going with her, there should be no problem. The staff there does a great job addressing the concerns of parents, since it's an all-ages club and they remember what it's like to be a kid wanting to check out their heroes live on stage. So call the office there: 202-265-0930 if you have more specific questions.

Eric Brace: Thanks folk.. my hour (plus) is done...
always a pleasure chatting with you.
I'll be back here in 2 weeks... 1 - 2 p.m. on Friday Feb 15.

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