Brightest Young Things

This week On The Couch

• DJ Booman is one of Baltimore's LEGENDARY artists, dropping tracks like "Watch Out For The Big Girl," and "Pick 'em Up." Booman has since parlayed his career into a DJ gig at the city’s legendary 92Q and a successful hip-hop beatmaker, helming the boards for B-more’s breakout star Mullyman. Our new writer Senari chats with Booman as he chronicles his long history in the Baltimore scene.

• This past Sunday, Palace Five hosted Go Skateboarding Day, topped off by the Palace to Pulaski run, which from my vantage point looked like a DC version of the Running of the Bulls, and quite possibly one of the coolest acts of civil disobedience in the super-uptight and pretentious city. Check out more coverage of Go Skate Day from Ready, Set, DC.

• Could The Kickdrums have the album of the year? For Free? The Ohio duo who made their mark by dropping remixes for the likes of Kid Cudi and Kanye released their album, Just a Game to the world this month. The album, which combines live instrumentation with samples, comes off as Ohio's version of Radiohead. Interested? I was, and it's the highest reviewed album of the year so far on the site.

• West Coast Y'all. DJ Jerome Baker gets sentimental for the West Coast and drops knowledge about The Do-Over, which he calls "the best party on Earth." Also on the Left Coast, Kurupt & DJ Quik dropped a project titled BlaQKout.

• Our newest writer Kaiser, headed down the U Street area last Saturday check out the openings for two art exhibits in DC,  Street/Studio at Irvine Contemporary featuring such artists as  Shepard Fairey (LA), Swoon (NY) and EVOL (Berlin) and Not from Concentrate: A Juicy Art Exhibit at the Hounshell. Kaiser's post is the beginning of a new arts section on the site.

And finally, let's face it, there was some overly disappointing coverage of not one, but two shows this week. Luckily, we were in the building at both venues to provide some counterpoint to the current discussion.

• First off, check out Lady Glock's review of the Major Lazer/Matt and Kim/Stereofaith show at the Rock and Roll Hotel. Not only does she not confuse Major hypeman 77 Klash with Bob Marley, but she took some damn good photos of the night too.

This Week

• TONIGHT - We chronicled Subwoofer Science in our In the Studio segment back in December, but now, the DC hip-hop crew is about to shine with their latest EP and a show at Artomatic tonight. The crew, consisting of Boom88, Ryan Lucas, and z1 tha Essential are ready to make their mark on the city. (1st Floor Electric Stage -- FREE)

• TONIGHT - New York artist Peter Hadar has been making the rounds through the R&B circuit for some time now, and his project, Well Dressed for the Art Show has been more than well received. He joins local cat W. Ellington Felton and R&B/Electro artist Black Spade. $15 at Bohemian Caverns (11th and U Streets, NW)

• FRIDAY - Another subject of our In The Studio series, Riots on U make their stage debut at Artomatic. The group combines the forces of local bands The Lucky Bastards and Indigo Son. Again, it's FREE. You have no excuse.

• FRIDAY: DJ Dredd returns to the Black Cat for his Close 2 The Edge party, celebrating the culture of hip-hop. Dredd's parties at the Black Cat are never a bad look, and the $7.00 cover is healthy on the wallet. RSVP here.

• SATURDAY: Dupont's Darlington House (1610 20th St NW), hosts the GetDubWizer Sessions, featuring a mix of dub, hip-hop, soulful house, dancehall grime, dub step, uk garage, downtempo, and two step. If you want to hear the styles that take you away to Brixton, this night is most surely the look.

• MONDAY: The forces of DC and Baltimore combine when Stereofaith teams up DJ Johnny Blaze to form The Heat! They take over The Metro Gallery in Baltimore for Scottie B and Cullen Stalin's weekly NO Rule party. (1700 N Charles St - Baltimore)