BrightestYoungThings: Last Night @ Fort Reno: Batala, Small Doses & Cigarbox Planetarium

Remember when you were in high school and Ft. Reno was your life? Our new intern Andrew is still living that dream. He'll be giving us some coverage and taking shitty pics with his point and shoot throughout the summer, thanx Andrew!

Fort Reno--Monday June 29, 2009

Batala

I am definitely digging the trend this yr at Fort Reno to feature a few "big band" style acts. In my last post, we had Funk Ark, this week we have Batala. Batala is a 55 member all women drum troupe that started off the evening with some earth shaking poly rhythms. The music brought to mind some of those percussion protests that always seem to be going down on the mall that I never find out about until they're no more than photos in the paper/blog.

The group played on the grass in front of the stage which was pretty cool since it gave the audience an up-close-and-personal experiece. From the looks of the group's site, Batala plays out quite often, so look out for them in downtown Silver Spring or at a women's soccer match later this summer.

website: http://www.batalawashington.com/index.php

Small Doses

DC via Brisbane post punk group Small Doses got my vote for band of the night. I returned from grabbing some nosh at Whole Foods and was like "Damn, who is this?" This is not to say I don't like Fort Reno bands, but let's just say not every band grabs me the way Small Doses did.

The band played a refreshingly original blend of rock that drew as much from DC punk acts such as Rountineers and Jawbox as it did from Australian bands of the same style such as The Angels and The Go Betweens (the band threw in a cover from the latter-good move, one well picked and well performed cover is just right i.m.h.o.).

Singer/guitarist Ben Gilligan was equally comfortable laying down somber Nick Cave style vocal musings over bassist Tom Bunnell's Joy Division-esque bass lines as he was crooning in a falsetto to lyrics that had the word sexy in them so many times you thought it was an M.J. tribute. Highlights of Small Doses' set were "This is That" and "B-Train."

Charming Australian accents gave me a "Flight of The Conchords" moment (New Zealand, different country, I know). These guys played some seriously solid tunes, definitely check them out live a-sap.

website: http://www.myspace.com/smalldosesoz

Cigarbox Planetarium

If you went to a wacky ass doctor (Dr. Spaceman from 30 Rock anyone?), this band would be in heavy rotation in the waiting room. A two piece a la The Aquarium except instead of organ and drums C.P. consists of organ and guitar and programmed drums. One of this band's main selling points was a really well made hanging sign that had what I assume was the band's set list printed on it in all sorts of crazy fonts. The sign combined with tasteful orange lamps set a nice cozy living room feel. Except the music in the living room was really, really spacey. In a good way though. People were mellowing out and at the end, when the band went in to their heavier stuff (which wasn't too heavy at all), some of the more uninhibited teens started a dance pit at the front of the stage. Yay! Dancing in D.C. This is what everyone wanted right?

While C.P. didn't blow me away the way Small Doses did, the band put on a very interesting and remarkably unique show that rounded out another pleasant evening at our local fort.

Brightest Young Things

Live DC

Last Night @ Fort Reno: Batala, Small Doses & Cigarbox Planetarium

TUESDAY 3/20

Kasabian @ 9:30 Club

Previously in Live DC:

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Andrew Aylward!