Washington Social Club - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Washington Post 12/17/07Washington Social Club"Washington Social Christmas" was promoted as an evening of yuletide-themed musical mix-and-match among several of Washington's best bands. But mostly it was a typically frenetic Washington Social Club gig, its generous bill offering lagging hipsters the chance to sample some of the savoriest homegrown white pop of the last couple of years for the low, low price of $15.Heavy metal three-piece Caverns served as house band during the three-hour-plus show, mixing thunderous arrangements of holiday standards with originals from a tiny corner of the holly-decked stage. Early on, they offered a plaintive emo version of "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer." It was exactly as funny as it sounds, and given the absence of laughter during the first verse, the fact that Caverns played the song in its entirety almost qualifies as punk rock.The other seasonal selections were better: Jukebox the Ghost absolutely nailed Danny Elfman's "What's This?!" from "The Nightmare Before Christmas." Mick Coogan of the Dance Party sang a few uncertain lines of "The Christmas Song" at the top of an otherwise secular, and superior, set. Laura Burhenn ( of Georgie James) covered the Zombies' "This Will Be Our Year" accompanied by the violin-playing Hsu sisters of Exit Clov. Later, Burhenn's golden pipes blended beautifully with those of WSC frontman Martin Royle on the Pogues' "Fairytale of New York," not merely the greatest Christmas song of the last 20 years, but the one with the most sing-along-ready chorus. But -- humbug! -- nobody joined in.WSC's climactic 70-minute headlining performance opened with the Ramones' "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)" and only gathered steam. By the time the Club got to its encore of "Modern Trance," the invited stage-invasion had turned the band into a sweaty, jolly millipede. Christmas in Federal City has seldom looked -- or sounded -- better.-- Chris Klimek

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 21/03/2005
Band Website: www.washingtonsocialclub.com
Band Members: Martin Royle. Evan Featherstone. Olivia Mancini. Randy Scope, Jared Featherstone
Influences: Camper Van Beethoven, XTC, The Connelles, Guided by Voices, Pulp, Yazoo, Ignatius Reilly (dunce), Finneus Gage (mineworker), Ford Prefect (drunk), Ender Wiggin (hero), people at shows.
Sounds Like: que sera sera, whatever will be will be. our influences are not ours to see. que sera sera
Record Label: Washington Social Records
Type of Label: Major

My Blog

WSC VAN FOR SALE!!!!

It's the great WSC closeout sale and EVERYTHING MUST GO!!!! For sale; The Great White Hope, a 2002 Ford 15 passenger Econoline V8.113,500 miles. Mostly highway. It bears the marks of the road but it'...
Posted by on Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:19:00 GMT

TOUR! TOUR! TOUR!

Martin Royle, former lead singer of Washington Social Club, is now on tour with Montreal super-band, STARS. Add Martin to your friends and get more information here: http://www. myspace. com/martinroy...
Posted by on Sun, 16 Mar 2008 05:52:00 GMT

Randy Has Left The Building

I'm turning in my sticks. A big thanks to everyone who ever danced along with me as I played. I had fun. We played a show in Blacksburg awhile back. We were still a 3 piece. It's my favorite WSC show....
Posted by on Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:01:00 GMT

New BTYB Review

18. "Bigger Than Your Boyfriend" (Self-released/Dischord Direct)Washington Social ClubReleased: June 26This sophomore album from these D.C.-natives is the opposite to many of the band's left-leaning p...
Posted by on Wed, 13 Feb 2008 11:29:00 GMT

BTYB Review

The Washington Social Club Story

Washington Social Club was formed in the fall of 2001. At a time when DC music was in a noticeable lull, after most of the Dischord bands had stopped playing and before the Pop scene came to the foref...
Posted by on Wed, 30 Jan 2008 07:47:00 GMT

WASHINGTON SOCIAL CHRISTMAS!!!

Hi, All: We have a BIG holiday party coming up and everyone is invited! WASHINGTON SOCIAL CHRISTMAS!withWashington Social ClubLaura Burhenn of Georgie JamesThe Dance PartyJukebox the GhostSusan and Em...
Posted by on Fri, 07 Dec 2007 08:37:00 GMT

Gossip Girl!!!

The debut episode of the new CW show "Gossip Girl" will feature "Diamond HIpster BOy" from WSC's "Bigger than your BOyfriend". It airs this wednesday, 9/19 at 9pm/8central check it out below: ...
Posted by on Sun, 16 Sep 2007 21:10:00 GMT

New Years Eve with DC 101 and WSC

Hey friends, two things to check out! FIRST, we're playing New Years Eve at the Convention Center with Pat McGee band, Naughty By Nature and Arrested Developement. http://www.dc101...
Posted by on Mon, 10 Sep 2007 08:40:00 GMT

For Stores - Distro Info for BTYB

Dischord Direct in DC/Virginia/Maryland - http://www.dischord.com/release/wsc01 Carrot Top Distribution for East Coast/MidWest - http://sakistore.net/product_info.php?products_id=62454 ; W...
Posted by on Mon, 30 Jul 2007 10:26:00 GMT