Why Gentrify?!

U Street’s Ben’s Chili Bowl will celebrate its 50th anniversary on August 22. It will also expand into the Shanghai building next door with a 2,700 square foot restaurant that will seat 70 patrons and serve beer and other newer fare, such as salads. A lot is planned for the big anniversary!

The grand opening will coincide with the 50th anniversary celebration of Ben’s this Aug. 22. Ben’s 50th anniversary gala will be held at the historic Lincoln Theatre Aug. 21. Comedian-activist Bill Cosby will serve as Master of Ceremony. “It will just be a celebratory night to celebrate mom and dad and the legacy of Ben’s Chili Bowl,” Nizam Ali said. On Aug. 22, U Street will be closed and there will be musical performances and dancing in the street. On Aug. 24, there also will be a concert at the 9:30 Club. More can be learned about the history and legacy of Ben’s from their book, “Ben’s Chili Bowl: 50 Years of a Washington, D.C. Landmark,” which will be on sale Aug. 18 at area bookstores. The book is on pre-sale now at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khA5zJYZrYw]

5/23

The Sketches, a local pop-rock band, will perform at the 9:30 Club with Honey Chuck and the Dreamscape Project. Cost is $12. Recognize our city in the above video?

5/24

The Urban Verbs, a new wave band from DC will perform at the 9:30 Club on Saturday with Martin Royle at 6 pm. Cost is $20.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tebluTKKTAQ]

KRS-One, the revered hip-hop legend, will perform at the Black Cat at 9 pm on Saturday with Kokayi.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWa4UpajKTc&feature=related]

5/25

Kuku, a Nigerian acoustic guitarist and singer with a U Street open-mic following, will perform at Bohemian Caverns on Sunday at 7 pm. Cost is $10.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow-Xz-fOhH4&feature=related]

This is the final installment of the Why Gentrify?! interview with musician David Ford, who will appear at the 9:30 Club tomorrow, 5/22, with Augustana and the Wild Sweet Orange.  This is the last opportunity to post a comment on David Ford to be entered to win his album, “Songs for the Road,” for free!

MM:  How many times have you been to DC and how did you enjoy playing at the 9:30 Club?

DF:  [April's show at the 9:30 Club] was only my second show in DC.  I played at the Rock and Roll Hotel. [In 2006], I did a brief tour of the Capitol area.  I have a keen interest in politics and would like to see more of DC.

[The 9:30 Club] is a very nice, very good sounding club.  When things sound good, you get more confidence.  I like it to be cranked and a bit loud.

 [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZjXu6uxjAM&feature=related]

MightyMe:  Tell me more about the single “Go to Hell.”  What’s behind that song? 

David Ford:  “Go to Hell” is an old song, actually.  I wanted to use it as a bridge between my first and second albums.  Thematically, it is more with the first album.  It’s a slip take on wanting a second chance, kind of a lack of forgiveness song.  I’m kind of a forgiveness guy, but I think some things can’t be forgiven. 

MM: Does this song come from experience?

DF:  No, I would never be unfair or impolite [to women].  This is my version of a girl power anthem.  You know, against some philandering bastard. 

MM: Do you ever draw from your personal life and experiences in your songs?

DF:  I don’t write songs about myself.  I like to write from experience but not necessarily my own experience or what I’m going through in the here and now.  My life outside of music doesn’t get mixed with my life inside of music.

MM:  Is there anything else you’d like to tell potential fans and existing fans about your music?

DF:  I just encourage them to listen to my music and decide for themselves.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-PcsfPPUsE]

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WhyGentrify?! would like to thank David Ford, Amy Funke, and Original Signal Recordings (Independiente) for facilitating the interview.

X, a punk band from Los Angeles that formed in 1977 and whose first LP was produced by Doors’ keyboard player Ray Manzarek, will perform at the 9:30 Club tonight at 7:30 pm with fellow rockers, the Detroit Cobras (see video below). Cost is $25.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8ZhLBO9NZY]

Why Gentrify?! continues with the David Ford interview. Remember, Ford will be appearing at the 9:30 Club on Thursday, May 22 with Augustana and Wild Sweet Orange. Remember to post a comment on any David Ford post to qualify to win his album “Songs for the Road.”

MightyMe: How have you grown since your band Easyworld broke up and what’s it like being a solo artist, compared to being a member of a band?

David Ford: I learned a lot about mistakes I’ve made. The [music business] can take the purity out of what you’re doing and bastardize it. I didn’t necessarily see eye to eye with the group at times. When you find yourself compromising, it’s detrimental to the creative process.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPuxFWMOw3Y]

MM: I’ve seen you playing a guitar, piano, drums, bass, accordion, and banjo…when did you learn to play all of these instruments? Are you more of a jack-of-all-trades?

DF: I dabble a lot. I’m more of an enthusiast than an expert. Playing instruments is a hobby.

MM: What is the idea behind these live one-take videos with you playing multiple instruments?

DF: It’s something I do in my live shows. It kind of makes the show more interesting. It’s difficult to be more entertaining when your playing for an hour on your own. I like to put on a show. It keeps a level of excitement.

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We’ll wrap things up tomorrow. It will be the last day to qualify for the CD giveaway. The winner will be announced on Thursday.

I was able to do a brief telephone interview with British artist David Ford while he was traveling through Idaho on his way to Salt Lake City. Ford will be performing on Thursday, May 22, at the 9:30 Club with Augustana at 7:30 pm. Please post a comment on any David Ford post appearing on Why Gentrify?! by Wednesday so that you may be entered to win a free copy of Ford’s “Songs for the Road” album. The winner will be announced on Thursday.

Interview (Pt. 1: A Song Person, No Holds Barred)

MightyMe: Who is David Ford the artist, for those who aren’t familiar with you?

David Ford: Just some fellow who makes songs really. The song part is the most important. I resent the phrase “singer-songwriter” because it presents an image of someone sitting in a chair with a guitar moaning about life’s failures. I’m a “song person,” no hold barred.

MM: Many of your songs, such as “State of the Union” have really deep, powerful, perhaps political, lyrics…what’s behind these lyrics? Why not just write sugary sweet lyrics?

DF: What the hell is the point in that? I’d get so bored. I want to write songs that are important to me as a human being, a citizen of the world. I watch TV news channels and find myself tearing my hair out.

["State of the Union"] is a fairly non-specific song. The music business itself can be considered barren wasteland. The song is more about the desperate will of the powerful to maintain their power, a critique of the fundamentals.

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Please enjoy Ford’s live video for “State of the Union” below and come back tomorrow for another interview installment. Remember to enter for the free CD by posting a comment on anything about David Ford (opinions, critiques, praise, crush…whatever)!

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv4QBRS-U50]

Dear appreciated readers, Why Gentrify?! will give one lucky random reader David Ford’s “Songs for the Road” album.  Between now and next Wednesday (5/21), all readers who post a comment about David Ford on Why Gentrify?! will be entered into the pool; one person will be selected randomly and announced on 5/22.  I will be talking more about David Ford, as he is extremely talented and will be performing at the U Street Corridor’s very own 9:30 Club next Thursday, May 22 with Augustana.  Ford was recently at the 9:30 Club with Sara Bareilles in April.  This guy is deep and very gifted.  I had the opportunity to interview Ford, so look forward to what he had to say about his music next week.  Check out his video for “Go to Hell” which was filmed live and in which he plays all the instruments (no easy feat, and I hear he does it even better live):

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVky7hwuebU&feature=related]

There’re a whole lot of concerts going on!

5/16 (tonight)

DeVotchka, the four-piece multi-instrumental that blends Eastern European sounds with rock, will perform at the 9:30 Club with Basia Bulat at 9 pm. Cost is $15.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj6SO_yKMe8]

Los Campesinos!, the Welsh seven-piece indie pop-rock band, will perform at the Black Cat with the Aquarium and Pash at 9 pm. Cost is $12.

5/17 (Saturday)

Junior League, will bring its bluegrass, country, and folk music to the Black Cat at 9 pm. Cost is $10.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXB_vOB0emI&feature=related]

The Speaks, a local five-member rock band with fame in Asia, will be play at the 9:30 Club with Monako and Dreaming of Eden at 6 pm. Cost is $12.

5/18 (Sunday)

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQw4PevmCws]

Alice Smith, the R&B, soul, jazz, etc. chanteuse with a powerful voice and some DC roots, will perform at the 9:30 Club at 7:30 pm with Res. Cost is $18.

Bishop Allen, the indie rock band from Brooklyn will perform at 8 pm at the Black Cat with the War on Drugs and Deleted Scenes. Cost is $12.

Yo Majesty, a female hip-hop crew known for its electro-rap jams, will perform at DC9 at 9 pm with Innerpartysystem. Cost is $12.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZSKvSz1roQ]

Serj Tankian, the Armenian-American frontman from metal band System of a Down, will rock out and thrash at the 9:30 Club tonight at 7:30 pm. Cost is $25. He’s doing his solo album thing and definitely has a political-bent and seems a bit quirky.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCRuCAcAZK0]

Cut Copy, the Australian dance-pop group with the ’80s sound, performs at the Black Cat at 8 pm with Jacksonville, FL rock band Black Kids (huh?). Cost is $15.

I had to include a Black Kids video, it’s retro catchy!

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaa4eGOtrTg]

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKXlgISd3iA]

The Black Keys, the Ohio-based blues rock duo, will be performing at the 9:30 Club at 7:30 pm tonight and tomorrow, 5/13, with the Buffalo Killers. Cost is $25 (shows are sold out). The Black Keys have a newly released album called “Attack & Release.”

Local rock group the Wild Fictions will perform at the Black Cat at 9 pm tonight with Drew Danbury and Lode Runner. Cost is $8.