New to the D.C. area

[falconetti]

I am also new to DC and have a few questions.  I just moved last week from KC, but have already been to a couple shows at the 9:30 (Teenage Fanclub/Rosebuds, Kaiser Chiefs/Cribs). I liked the venue and DJing, but wasn't really impressed with the live sound - especially during the Fannies, where it was far too bassy on the floor).  Is this a recurring problem or an isolated event? Is the sound generally better on the balcony?
 
 I am also trying to locate the best CD stores in town. My wife and I had a list of 25 things and we were only able to find 6 or 7 of them after hitting a few places on Saturday. (My tastes are aging hipster - Big Takeover magazine-ish).  So far, Melody seems to have the most comprehensive indie selection but the prices were just ok. Crooked Best was pretty small but I noticed they had some good imports and a liked the atmosphere and help. Nothing else I have visted was very good.  I still haven't been to Tower.
 
 So are there any other stores, especially good used discs stores in town, or should I stick with ordering from Parasol and Insound?
 
 
 Thanks for your help.

[you be betty]

try the cd/game exchange on wisconsin.  i'm not sure the exact address; but it's accross the street from best buy and blah blah blah...hopefully somebody else can hook you up with an address?
 i think they have another one elsewhere...
 pretty good prices.
 
 there's also CDepot in college park, which i have mixed reviews for.  sometimes you can find good stuff there, and sometimes it is steeply overpriced...it really depends.
 
 i usually don't really buy cds here, though.

[you be betty]

Originally posted by sonickteam4:
   

Originally posted by Rob_Gee:
   

Originally posted by you be betty:
 
 i personally have not had a problem with any of you on here; you are all wonderful.
 

Obviously you've never met Sonick in person. [/b]

come on, those charges were dropped! [/b]

oh, and.
  ha ha ha.

[ggw]

CD Cellar in Clarendon and Falls Church.
 
 Good selection of used CDs.  Prices aren't bargain basement, but they generally have a lot of fairly recent releases between $8 and $10.

[kosmo vinyl]

Originally posted by falconetti:
  I am also new to DC and have a few questions.  I just moved last week from KC, but have already been to a couple shows at the 9:30 (Teenage Fanclub/Rosebuds, Kaiser Chiefs/Cribs). I liked the venue and DJing, but wasn't really impressed with the live sound - especially during the Fannies, where it was far too bassy on the floor).  Is this a recurring problem or an isolated event? Is the sound generally better on the balcony?
 
 
 So are there any other stores, especially good used discs stores in town, or should I stick with ordering from Parasol and Insound?
 
 
 Thanks for your help.

Well the sound at the Fannies show was anomaly for the club and it only lasted for a short period of time.  Not quite sure what happened but it could have easily been a equipment glitch, like what happened at the Walkman show awhile back.
 
 For record stores checkout Joe's Record Paradise in Rockville, CDepot in College Park, or CD Cellar in Falls Church.  CDepot is ok with newer stuff, good back catalog choices, prices on some used stuff high compared to other stores.  Hadn't been to CD Cellar for awhile but will be checking it out more frequently now that my brother will be living near by.  Nice selection of used imports picked up Johnny Thunder, The Rich Kids, a Japanese version of Led Zep III with the rotating wheel.
 
 In general the CD stores in the DC area suck... The best local chain is Record & Tape Traders but it's in and around Baltimore.  Soundgarden in Baltimore has a great selection.

[eltee]

Oh, I high-tailed it upstairs at that show. The bass was way too loud from the get-go. (*edit: you are right Kosmo, the bass glitch was at the beginning and went away shortly)
 A week earlier, a show was way too loud in volume. However, there were not a lot of patrons. Hard to gauge [lately]. Generally the sound is fine...
 I do head upstairs if it's too loud on the floor.
 (Btw, sometimes the DJ sound is too loud. Thanks Kosmo for keeping it even.    )
   

Originally posted by falconetti:
  but wasn't really impressed with the live sound - especially during the Fannies, where it was far too bassy on the floor).  Is this a recurring problem or an isolated event? Is the sound generally better on the balcony?
 

[brennser]

DC doesn't have one "stand-out" CD store, Crooked Beat is decent, I find Melody a little overpriced
 
 I shop alot at Revolution.
 
 http://www.revolutionrecords.net/
 
 Why? Its near my house (and a metro stop), the prices are really good (new CDs generally $12/13 max and often cheaper) and Nayan the owner is a nice guy.
 
 Yes, its small, and yes, their selection could be better but they will order stuff for you.....
 
 

Originally posted by falconetti:
 
 Crooked Best was pretty small but I noticed they had some good imports and a liked the atmosphere and help. Nothing else I have visted was very good.  I still haven't been to Tower.
 
 So are there any other stores, especially good used discs stores in town, or should I stick with ordering from Parasol and Insound?
 
 
 Thanks for your help.

[Bags]

Ditto, and for all the same reasons.  
 
   

Originally posted by brennser:
 I shop alot at Revolution.
 
   http://www.revolutionrecords.net/  
 
 Why? Its near my house (and a metro stop), the prices are really good (new CDs generally $12/13 max and often cheaper) and Nayan the owner is a nice guy.
 
 Yes, its small, and yes, their selection could be better but they will order stuff for you.....

[wallawalla]

Originally posted by sonickteam4:
 and if you want crappy jam band music. check out
 
   the funk box in Baltimore [/QB]

that pretty much describes the feeling on this board for jam bands.  There's no love from the hipsters here - maybe their argyle got too tight or there was some bad ingredients in their black hair dye, who knows.  
 
 Jam bands definitely come to 9:30 regularly, but if your version of a jam band is State Radio or Dispatch, I guess you wouldn't care that real improvisational musicians like Keller Williams and Soulive are coming on the same weekend in November.  STS9 plays here all the time (including a show in october), so does ratdog, particle, yonder mountain stribg band, and the disco biscuits played here like 12 times or something when they actually toured.  
 
 But, again, don't come to this board trying to find out information on jam bands at 9:30.  All you'll find is people dismissing music that sells out the 9:30 club immediately because its "hippy" music, or because its genre isn't three or more words.  But hey, people are people.  And you can take comfort with the fact that a lot of the people fluffing these bands will not like them in a few years because a bunch of other people start liking the band after them and they can no longer name drop them in a conversation to try to out-obscure their other hipster friends.  
 
 Have fun, and don't make me kick you out for smokin' the heady nugz with your crew, brah...

[HoyaSaxa03]

Originally posted by wallawalla:
  All you'll find is people dismissing music that sells out the 9:30 club immediately because its "hippy" music, or because its genre isn't three or more words.  But hey, people are people.  And you can take comfort with the fact that a lot of the people fluffing these bands will not like them in a few years because a bunch of other people start liking the band after them and they can no longer name drop them in a conversation to try to out-obscure their other hipster friends.

wow.
 
 some pent-up frustration?  let it out!!!

[Bags]

Originally posted by wallawalla:
  if your version of a jam band is State Radio or Dispatch, I guess you wouldn't care that real improvisational musicians like Keller Williams and Soulive are coming on the same weekend in November.
 
 But, again, don't come to this board trying to find out information on jam bands at 9:30.  All you'll find is people dismissing music that sells out the 9:30 club immediately because its "hippy" music, or because its genre isn't three or more words.  But hey, people are people.  

Dude, you seem to be as, or more, judgemental than any of the rest of us, harshing on someone's version of jam bands.  Where's the hippy love, my friend???     :roll:

[nkotb]

Bags, is that your inner hippie coming out, or are you just trying to put this into terms he'll understand?    
 
 

Originally posted by Bags:
 harshing on someone's version of jam bands.

[HoyaSaxa03]

Originally posted by Bags:
 harshing on someone's version of jam bands.

well, i'm with the guy, dispatch and OAR and all that other fake jam band stuff just sucks ass, at least the real jam bands have some integrity ... either way, i can't really get into any of them
 
 and yeah, the guy's a total hypocrite, but i appreciate his hatred for lowest common denominator shit. keep it up!

[Bags]

Originally posted by HoyaParanoia:
   

Originally posted by Bags:
 harshing on someone's version of jam bands.

well, i'm with the guy, dispatch and OAR and all that other fake jam band stuff just sucks ass, at least the real jam bands have some integrity ... either way, i can't really get into any of them
 
 and yeah, the guy's a total hypocrite, but i appreciate his hatred for lowest common denominator shit. keep it up! [/b]

I don't give a shit about the "levels of jam bands" -- I'm calling wallawalla out on the hypocrisy of putting down the 'indie folks' here and then judging someone else's taste.  Actually, thank god I don't know the difference among jam bands -- that would mean I spent time listening.    

[ggw]

Haven't you ever seen Bags during a show?  When she gets that one-arm-in-the-air thing going?  It definitely hints at a background of twirly-dancing.
 
 

Originally posted by nkotBaba:
  Bags, is that your inner hippie coming out, or are you just trying to put this into terms he'll understand?    
 
   

Originally posted by Bags:
 harshing on someone's version of jam bands.

[/b]