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SISTERS: Debut Album “Leecheater” is “A Tour-De-Force”

Jason Blackmore and Mario Quintero of Sisters

Recent Articles “A Tour-De-Force of Heavy, Atmospheric Rock” Jason Blackmore (guitar, bass, vox) from Molly McGuire and Mario Quintero (drums, guitar, vox) from Spotlights have combined forces with their new band SISTERS, whose debut album Leecheater was released on Aug. 25. Jason Blackmore (left) and Mario Quintero (right) of Sisters, Photo by Chad Kelco SISTERS […]

NAYAS Headlining Distrito Music Fest on Aug. 26

NAYAS promotinal graphic with members of the band

The headliner of this year’s Distrito Music Fest at Union Stage on Aug. 26 is NAYAS (”Nayas”), the iconic DMV band from the early 2000’s that are reuniting for DMF with plans of picking up where they left off! Alchemical caught up with Joey Carrasquillo, vocalist and percussionist for the band. 
NAYAS consists of Carrasquillo (backup vocals/percussions), Luis Torrealva (lead vocals/bass guitar), Soy Lopez (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Carlos Romero (backup vocals/lead guitar), Scott Schoem (keyboards), and Joey Rossetti (drums). Carrasquillo particularly joined the band in 2004. “We were consistently playing gigs probably from 2004 all the way to 2013 on a regular basis,” he says. “Bossa in Adams Morgan … We played there every single weekend and with bigger gigs, we headlined on so many other occasions and things of that nature.” He continues, “Between 2013 and 2019 we did gigs here and there, but it wasn’t frequent at all. But in 2019 we decided to do an official reunion gig, and we did that with a couple other bands.” After the reunion, he says they tried to come back, but then COVID came.

Nora Kelly Band Advances Rodeo Clown LP with “Horse Girl”

Rodeo Clown album art

More to Watch Nora Kelly Band delivers an exciting signature alt-country sound, as heard in their new single “Horse Girl”. This song and its accompanying music video were released in anticipation of their new album Rodeo Clown, out Aug 25. “Rodeo Clown” album art This fun track places a spin on old-school country and is […]

Meet Three Artists Performing at Distrito Music Fest Aug. 26

[Distrito Music Festival 2023 promotional flyer

Distrito Music Fest (DMF) is an event in the DMV area that “is the premier annual Hispanic American music festival in the nation’s capital, showcasing the best regional, national, and international acts in celebration of Hispanic heritage and cultural Diversity.” This year, it will be held at Union Stage on Saturday, Aug. 26.

Alchemical Records caught with three members of the festival’s highly anticipated lineup in this previous article, and wanted to catch up with three more as DMF Week approaches.
“Bongo District is one of the hardest working bands in the DMV, showcasing a fusion of sounds as reflected in their multinational lineup,” says Distrito founder Daniel Gomez. Pedro Alfaro is the group’s bass player and one of its singers who is from El Salvador and moved here in 2015. He has been a musician since he was about 13 years old. “I started looking for people that would play the music that I was playing,” he explains.

New EP by JayWood with Single “Dirk Gently (Know Yourself)”

Still of JayWood in music video, laying on grass looking up at sky next to bike

More to Watch New EP ‘Grow On’ Released on August 11. JayWood (Jeremy Haywood-Smith) has released his EP Grow On, as well as the video for its summery lead single “Dirk Gently (Know Yourself).” JayWood – Photo by Min Soo Park Grow On, released Aug. 11 via Captured Tracks, showcases the Canadian songwriter and producer’s […]

Distrito Music Fest Kicking Off at Union Stage Aug. 26

a band onstage at Distrito Music Fest 2022

Distrito Music Fest (DMF) is a yearly event in the DMV area that “is the premier annual Hispanic American music festival in the nation’s capital, showcasing the best regional, national, and international acts in celebration of Hispanic heritage and cultural Diversity.” This year, it will be held at Union Stage on Saturday, Aug. 26.
“DMF has been around for three years and came out of necessity to offer a platform for Hispanic-American original music, which has slowly eroded over the last decade. DMF is also a philanthropic effort conceived by artists, for artists, and is all about providing exposure for this community in a dignified manner,” says founder/director Daniel Gomez.

Everyone from performers to attendees are excited to come together and celebrate the city’s musical diversity, as well as the multitude of cultures that make up Hispanic heritage and its music. “DMF has an open-application process, meaning anyone can apply so long as they meet our criteria which is; being Hispanic or of Hispanic heritage, and must have original material,” Gomez says.

Book Lovers Day 2023: Musical Books as Impactful as Music

Children gathered in a circle reading, National Book Lovers Day graphic by National Day Calendar

On this day, people are encouraged to unplug from technology and pick up a book, honoring this beloved skill that is an outlet of creativity for so many – both authors and their readers. Bibliophiles everywhere may take the day to visit their local library or catch up on their TBR (To Be Read) list. Although this holiday is technically unofficial and its origin is unknown, it is widely recognized, celebrating the joy literature can bring.
As an avid bookworm myself, books and music often go hand in hand, whether I am listening to a playlist while reading that matches the vibe, diving into an autobiography by one of my favorite artists or a biography about them, or reading fiction that is centered around music of some sort – and it’s also always fun when a musical reference pops up in a book that seems completely random. I thought about how Alchemical could celebrate Book Lovers Day together and I decided to ask some of our writers about books involving music of any genre that have influenced them in some way, and how its musical aspect enhances the reading experience.

Vault Studio: Beyond the Artist

Vault Studio logo, green light and plants around caption: Photo by Lean’s Vision

Vault Studio is a music studio in Hyattsville, MD, founded three years ago by performing artist Fairin Moon (Hightower) and producer Jake Vicious (Grotticelli).
Vault provides many services to all types of artists and creatives – It contains three different parts for all the unique uses you can think of: Studio A, Studio B, and its “Cyclorama” Wall. Its website describes it as “a safe, secure, and full service studio with a 3000-square-foot imagination emporium, halfway between NYC and ATL, our space touts state of the art recording facilities, video production spaces, and a staff with a track record of commercial success that can help take your media projects to the next level. Welcome to your new creative home.” It is a dream space for any creative, and it was Moon and Vicious’s mission to provide a space for creatives, by creatives themselves.

Fairin Moon, from Philadelphia, holds a B.B.A. in marketing from Howard University, and a M.M. in Contemporary Performance from Berklee College of Music. She has immersed herself for years in the music industry, and “prides herself in having a balanced understanding of art and commerce. She enjoys helping others find and develop their own creative skills, and takes special interest in creative projects that cater to youth.” The Co-Owner of Vault Creative LLC manages day-to-day operations and partnerships, while also working on her own success as a musician.

Poppy Patica Releases D.C.-Inspired Album “Black Cat Back Stage”

A black and white photo of Poppy Patica's Peter Hartmann sitting in front of a car criss-cross on the road.

Poppy Patica is the passion project of Peter Hartmann, a D.C. native who is now based in Oakland, CA. Black Cat Back Stage is the band’s new album, released on May 5 and named after the iconic D.C. venue, that is made of the perfect indie rock sound for your summer.
Hartmann describes Poppy Patica’s music as “poppyseed-themed odd rock.” He strives to create something that sounds familiar, yet still surprising, following the footsteps of rock music he grew up with. For Poppy Patica, experimentality plays a role in creating, as heard in Black Cat Back Stage, which utilizes many unique sound and production techniques.

“I like to imply a certain experimental quality without it being too overt or obvious in the production and the arrangement, as well as in the songwriting,” Hartmann says. “If you’re just listening without paying too much attention, it could just sound like a normal rock song. But then if you’re really focusing in, there’s stuff happening that’s like treats for people who want something a little bit more unusual.”

Rachel Burns: Silly + Serious in New EP “What a Nasty Woman”

"What a Nasty Woman" cover art, Burns pushing a vacuum in a field of flowers

DMV-based vocalist Rachel Burns approaches her music by balancing the silly with the serious. Her new EP “What a Nasty Woman” was released on July 7, in which Burns’s vulnerability is met by her clever satirical songwriting as she yet again combines genres such as jazz, blues, pop, and country.
Burns is a mother of two daughters and a breast cancer survivor who has many stories to tell, which is evident in this EP. “What a Nasty Woman” comes after her 2022 debut EP release “Living My Breast Life”, a five-track project that tells her breast cancer story in a unique way that mixes hope with humor.

Regarding her new EP, “These songs I wrote during the Trump era and definitely during the Me Too Movement,” she says. “I was protesting a lot … And these little ditties would come into my head and would allow me to laugh out loud; I would spin them around until the lyrics really flowed the best and gave me the best laugh. There’s a lot of hidden messages in the music and there’s a lot of hidden messages in the lyrics.”