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If you’ve been keeping an eye on the blog in the past month, you’ve already heard a bit about rising sophomore Peter Fanone. He stopped by the WGTB studio in early May to talk a little bit about his newest single, “Friends For Now.” But he also took a break from studying on a sunny Saturday afternoon during finals to serenade us and the rest of the front lawn with two original songs. Take a listen after the jump, and keep an ear out for more from Peter in the fall.

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Last Friday night, Dahlgren Quad was full of couples in tuxes and gowns snapping photos on their way to Dip Ball. And they were lucky that we dragged DC’s own Lightfoot outside to set up shop on top of the fountain for some impromptu serenading. Led by the strong voice of singer-songwriter Jessica Louise Dye, Lightfoot pared down its numbers to a folky, earnest sound with just a couple of guitars and a trumpet–accompanied also at points by the bells from Healy’s clock tower and many, many planes en route to Reagan. Take a listen to four originals as well as a killer cover of Hall and Oates’ “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)” after the jump!

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Do you love music? Do you have Hoya pride? If you answered yes to both of those questions, Grasping At Straws needs your help! The student band, featuring Anatole Doak (COL ’12) and Matt Galizia (COL ’12) as well as Charlie Burgoyne and Chris Harold, is playing in a Battle of the Bands this Sunday 2/19. Depending on how many tickets they sell by Thursday, they’ll either get to play a smaller venue like DC9 or the Rock N Roll Hotel or the ultimate DC stage at the 9:30 Club. Additionally, the winner of each venue will get 15 hours of studio time and $500. Watch this acoustic session we did with Anatole and if you’re interested in helping these guys to the big stage at the 9:30 Club, make sure to check out the details after the jump! Read More »

If it rains one more day, I am seriously considering building a huge ark, loading up two members of every varsity sports team on campus (and perhaps a few Leo’s staff members), and setting sail for Bermuda until global warming decides to chill out. Unfortunately, I don’t have nearly enough lumber to make this a realizable dream (and I think cutting down all those trees would actually worsen the whole climate change thing), so instead I’ve had to resort to seeking out the highest ground on campus possible to escape from puddle season.

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Holy moly, the Danes are charming. Even more so when we put them in the beautiful setting of the National Cathedral, our neighbor up Wisconsin Ave., where the acoustics are splendid and the neogothic architecture is lovely. And even more so when they are all smiles and cooperative, pleasant energy, even in a torrential rainstorm. And even MORE so when they play such upbeat, shambling tunes, with just enough garage-rock and psychedelic influences to back Christian Hjelm’s raw, harping vocals. Read More »

More like exercist stairs, am I right?

We proposed another Music From Big Chair session to the Portland-based punky-folk rockers The Ascetic Junkies, but the band had another locale in mind: Georgetown’s famed exorcist stairs, so-called because of the scene in the 1973 horror flick The Exorcist. If you’re from the area, you’ve definitely seen it, 70′s film effects and all; Georgetown hosts a showing every Halloween in Gaston Hall. But in recent years the stairs have been better known for the quad-burning workout they offer (we caught some of these dedicated athletes in the video – thanks folks!) Read More »

I’ll be honest. We listen to a lot of music over here — a lot of great music, a lot of just plain okay music, and a lot of “hey I like this!” flash-in-the-pan music, and it’s not often that you come across a keeper, some music you can really sink your teeth into, listen to on repeat, and invest your interest in for an extended time. Well, the Wilderness of Manitoba is one of those bands. Not only are they friendly (and up for anything, from playing on a giant green chair to moving the whole show to my backyard after a memory card dilemma), but they make wonderful music, with both natural talent and ease with one another as well as what seemed to be a very well-rehearsed, on-point sound. Read More »

The giant green Adriondack chair on the lawn of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts has provided endless hours of amusement and climbing activity for Georgetown students late at night, but this is probably the first time a full-fledged band has graced its wooden slats. Jeremy Messersmith, a Minneapolis-based indie-folk singer with an enthusiastic and gregarious band, stopped by The Big Chair last Sunday before the group’s show at DC9 that night (playing with Keegan DeWitt.) Despite the rain and bugs, the band played a few songs on the chair, including a lovely Magnetic Fields cover that fits perfectly with Messersmith’s golden-warm yet slightly haunting aesthetic. Check them out after the jump. Read More »