Blogs

All I’ve ever heard related with that infamous acronym SxSW, better known as South by South West were mixed reviews that ranged from “marketing over-saturation” to “famous indie bands playing at garages.” This year the powers of the cosmos aligned my last spring break...

One of the most overlooked albums of 2012 was King Animal. Soundgarden has returned to show that it still has what it takes to be a forefront band in today‰'s highly competitive rock industry. The evolution and professionalism of the band is showcased in their solid...

Excitement and despair are familiar emotions in the heart of a music lover. Bands can often be unstable and difficult and sometimes they break up. But for every breakup, there is a light that shines from bands who are either new or still going strong and producing...

Need a soundtrack for a classy night in? Look no further than this selection of European jazz and soul, handpicked for your listening pleasure. Just slip on that little black dress or suit and tie, a good bottle of aged wine to go with that delectable homemade dinner,...

Contrary to some movies, spring break doesn’t last forever, but we can still pretend it does. If you’re not ready to let go of the too-short mid-semester break, we suggest that you keep the party going wherever you are with our Spring Break ’13 playlist. We would like...

When I heard Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver) and Colin Stetson, a multi instrumentalist who has worked with Bon Iver, Arcade Fire and many others in addition to his solo work, had collaborated on a cover of Fink‰'s “Warm Shadow,‰” I knew that a storm was brewing. Within...

Justin Timberlake should be annoying. He‰'s been everywhere lately, posting a portentous video announcing his return to music, charming audiences with his slick new single “Suit and Tie,‰” hosting and performing on Saturday Night Live, hamming it up for a week on Late...

  I have always considered YouTube one of the best search engines ever. It has allowed me to find hidden musical gems and beautiful videos. On one of my quests, I found one of the most stunning musical videos I‰'ve ever seen; It consisted of a stop-motion with...

Having Pile play in-studio at WVAU was incredible, but their level of skill and musical precision came as no surprise to any of us. The real treat came when Pile asked if they could split the set time with their tour mates, Fax Holiday. There was no problem with each...

When I was still living in Louisville, KY, there was a record store called “Ear-X-Tacy.‰” Ear-X-Tacy was a landmark not only of independent music, but also of Louisville culture, and it‰'s a shame that it no longer exists. This piece isn‰'t about that, though. About...

How do I introduce Pile? They‰'ve made their way into my heart quicker than any band in recent memory. They‰'re essentially the cult band of WVAU and it feels like their popularity is only growing. It only makes sense that Pile would be the first band to play in the...

In contrast with last week‰'s pick, Radiohead‰'s dark and abstract Amnesiac, Bright Eyes‰'åÊ2005 statement I‰'m Wide Awake, It‰'s Morning is strong in its emotional directness and lyrical brilliance. It embraces a warm folk rock sound with lush arrangements that...

  WVAU, in collaboration with American University’s Student Union Board, Sixth & I Historic Synagouge, WGRW and WMUC, is proud to announce the first-ever D.C. College Radio concert featuring Deerhunter. Opener(s) TBA. — April 22 at 8 p.m. —   100 FREE...

We‰'ve all been suffering from midterm madness, but finally everyone is starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel! What better way to celebrate the end of midterm and the approach of spring break than some super sweet concerts? It‰'s time to break out of the...

    WVAU presents Steve Lambert of Hood Booking for the second talk of the semester to discuss concert booking and the business of live music.   — Sunday March 3 at 7 p.m. in Ward 101 —   Steve Lambert is a promoter and venue owner — he’s...

It‰'s that time of year again. The approaching comfort of spring teases and hints at winter‰'s cold. Each night, the sun sets a bit later and each day, the world seems a bit brighter, greener and more welcoming. Hyperbolic fairy tale introduction? Yep. Fitting? Still...

A couple of years ago, during my high school days, I came across a random concert by accident. I was relatively new to my country‰'s music scene, and I had no idea of what to except every time I went to a show. My principal motive of going to this concert was because...

Big news has been developing over the course of the few months in the emo music community. It has been officially confirmed that in 2013, we will be hearing some tunes from Their/They‰'re/There, a collaborative group project among Matthew Frank of Loose Lips Sink...

For unsigned acts, it‰'s important to do whatever you can to stand out. Nowhere is this more important than on sites like Bandcamp, where unsigned acts compete for the attention of browsing listeners. Sometimes a great name is all that stands between a band and the...

Feeling that mid-semester slump? All you need is a good pump-up playlist so that you can tackle that midterm paper or get through those all-night study sessions. As the Queen of Procrastination, here are some tried-and-true tracks that‰'ll get you moving and excited...

“Track By Track‰” is a biweekly feature that picks a great album every two weeks and briefly gushes about each song on it in order. Dedicated to the experience of listening to and loving an entire album rather than a few standout tracks, because when a band has...

It‰'s not country. It‰'s not rock. It‰'s not punk. It‰'s POP. Pop. An entire musical genre built around three letters. Those three letters could not be less specific. Before we can understand what “pop‰” might mean in 2013, though, we have to understand that pop music...

It‰'s a great week to live in D.C. and have enough money (and time) to go to concerts. If that campus job cash is burning a hole if your pocket, then pick a concert off the list and trade your hard earned cash for sweet sweet tunes. Even if you‰'ve already spent all...

You can tell spring is ready to bloom: The traffic of joggers is beginning to increase on campus, around neighborhoods and along trails. You admire their efforts as they run in circles around you. You might even feel inclined to join in and run or go to the gym. While...

The Virginmarys‰'s new album King of Conflict is the unfiltered embodiment of grunge in a new age. The album, released in the United States Feb. 12, seemingly came out of nowhere, but no one is complaining. The Virginmarys are a relatively underground band from the...

Spanish electro-pop has never sounded so good. Alex Anwandter comes back all the way from Chile, three years later after the sudden break up of his first band, Teleradio Donoso. The emperor of Spanish electro-pop returned with his LP Rebeldes, full of youth, idealism...

After a five-year hiatus from the music world, I have missed JT. Besides hosting SNL, starring in Friends with Benefits, being featured on a few tracks and being present on many of my mix CDs, he has not been a large presence in my life. But, if you haven‰'t heard, JT...

Because I‰'ve been ill (not in the cool, street cred way) these past few days, I‰'ve been listening to Frank Ocean‰'s “Forrest Gump‰” on repeat and excessive amounts of emotional music in general. As a result, this playlist was made as an ode to miserable sick days...

Valentine’s Day has come and gone, leaving people talking a lot about love songs, romantic playlists and other wishy-washy goodness. Now is my turn to analyze one of my favorite love songs, its significance and its performers. “Fly By Night‰” by Loma Prieta is the...

The Coheed and Cambria concert started peacefully. A small mosh pit began to gather as their songs rose in intensity. Suddenly the mosh pit inflated with a mess of rolling and tumbling bodies. I watched as it subsumed each row standing before me. I could not tell if...