Vermillions photos: Katherine Sifers (from their GWU show earlier in the day)
Olivia Mancini photos: Chris Chen (from an old Black cat show)

DC9 welcomed the city locals for a three-band bill last Thursday, with openers The Extraordinaires and The Vermilions and headliners, Olivia Mancini & the Mates. Never having heard The Extraordinaires, I did not quite know what to expect. This Philly trio graced concert-goers with fun and fuzzy songs about cactuses and chickens while managing to successfully jam through a Man Man-esque sounding set. In addition to playing a guitar painted with a large sword fish graphic, these gents offered an over-the-top, hand-crafted CD package in book form for sale – wish I had bought one!

By this point, people started to pack in, the alcohol began to pour down into our stomachs and the second band took the stage. Fredericksburg-based Vermilions rocked out super hard with an impressive set-list which consisted of a healthy portion of garage rock. Notes were hit, riffs were properly executed in typical rock star fashion with awesome solos and the fans dug it! The four-piece ensemble played a near-flawless set and even whipped out an Undertones cover of “Teenage Kicks” – not bad for having played a show a few hours before, huh? Watch out for these guys, BYT readers – they’re one band to keep an eye on (also check out our listening party with them here-ed).

Having suffered from a great deal of hearing loss courtesy of the first two acts, my ears had officially been broken into for the evening and just in time too…Olivia and company were up next! These guys put on a great performance as well. Olivia manned the mic well with her great voice and excellent guitar playing. The Mates weren’t too shabby either; bassist, Kristin Forbes, was slapping the hell outta that bass and brought in some great memorable lines in between songs. Forbes pointed out the gentleman next to me and how he resembled a guy that she’d love to make out with (cannot vouch for the after show performance). They engaged the audience well and kept us entertained throughout the whole routine. I will definitely have to catch this rag-tag group again and maybe their gazillion individual side project bands that they also play with.