70’s and 80’s Music

Washington DC has a reputation for being a town about politics and only politics. But what a lot of people don’t know is that DC was ground zero of a major punk movement in the 70’s and 80’s. Some pretty big names came out of this city from that time that you will definitely recognize. The music that has come from this city has been groundbreaking and had popularity that extended far beyond the beltway.

Georgetown looks pretty different now than it did in the 1970’s and 80’s. M Street was lined with Mom and Pop stores that people lament the loss of to this day. While the Ramones were playing CBGB in New York City, a little Georgetown University radio station shuttled punk to the forefront of the DC music scene.

In 1976, a bar called Keg in Glover Park hosted a band – Overkill. The reception was not even lukewarm. People wanted the rock and metal bands popular at the time.  Between the radio station and a couple bands like Overkill, the next few years were peppered with people trying to bring punk to life. The radio station was shutdown by the President of Georgetown U.

In Sept 1977, a man named Skip Groff opened a record store in Rockville, MD, called Yesterday and Today. He intended for it to be a place for people to find 60’s music but when he realized that the punk records were flying off his shelves, he paid attention. His store becomes a place to get the records that they

In 1978, some of the early punk musicians were looking for places to practice and ultimately play. They found it in the Atlantic Building, which housed a venue called Atlantis. They played for free in exchange for rehearsal space. Atlantis was the main punk venue for a year. Until it closed. But it reopened in 1980 with a different name – one that everyone in DC knows. Hint – The address was 930 F Street.

The beginnings of punk in DC were typically in the “white” neighborhoods. As expected, these kids who brought the punk scene weren’t welcomed with open arms. People were coming off disco, listening to what we would now call classic rock – Boston, ELO Aerosmith. These guys were threatened by the punks.

Then a band, Bad Brains, formed by two black teenagers from SE DC, became the first breakout band, and the one to watch. When they play the Bayou, a club in Georgetown on June 24, 1979, a bunch of skater kids from Wilson H.S. used fake ID’s to get in. They are so enamored with this scene, they form their own band.

Ian Mackaye starts in a band called the Teen Idles. They lasted a year, made a record, formed a record label and then broke up by 1980. The record label was Dischord Records, which MacKaye started from his parent’s basement on Beecher Street in Glover Park.

They decided that all the people they knew in other bands – they would put out their records too. Their roadie from the Teen Idles, a guy named Henry Garfield – started S.O.A. – State of Alert. Their record was the second put out by Dischord.

These guys were high school kids. Henry Garfield worked at Haagen Dazs in Georgetown, which was at 1438 Wisconsin Ave. He went on to manage it. Ian MacKaye worked at Georgetown theatre across the street.

They move to a bungalow in Arlington so they can all live (and work) (and play) together. Ian goes on to front a band called Minor Threat.

They called the walk from Haagen Dazs to the Key Bridge a “terror walk” because the bars had patrons spilling into the street, ready to fight a punk for how they looked.

1981 – Henry Garfield who is singing for S.O.A. gets a chance to audition for a band Black Flag which was a pretty big deal. And, they hired him.  Henry moved to L.A., leaving behind both D.C. and the last name Garfield. He is now Henry Rollins.

Kids below drinking age wanted to see these bands, Ian worked out with the 9:30 club that these kids get a black x on their hand. Ends up being the subject of Minor Threat song, “Straight Edge.” That’s where the term was born to describe someone who doesn’t drink, do drugs.

Dischord Records was criticized for not working with every band sent their way. They really wanted to keep the focus on the DC scene. They have stayed true to that “business” model.

First few years of the scene were not violent. The city was boarded up in many areas, and these neighborhoods lent themselves well to hosting a punk show in an abandoned building. In the mid 80’s, as more people joined “the scene” things took a turn. A new group of punk kids came into the scene but for them it was about drinking, doing drugs and being vandals.

1983 – The punks were running out of places to play their music. A place in Dupont just north of the circle at 1738 Connecticut Avenue called “Food for Thought” became a new hangout place. It was owned by a man Bob Ferrando. Bob’s son Dante who was in a few local punk bands as well, went on to open a club in DC named after the club his great-grandfather opened in NYC many decades earlier – the Black Cat.

What happened to Food for Thought? It closed in 1999 and became Bistrot du Coin.

1984 – There’s another wave of punk coming as more high school bands form and start playing. There’s a high school freshman named Dave who was a guitarist for a band and who was teaching himself to play drums.

Summer of 85 was “Revolution Summer” – the original punk scene was disenchanted with the new wave of violence.

Some new music and bands hitting the scene were singing about different topics – suicide of a friend, having a heart broken. This ends up being another wedge in the punk community of those who were “emo” for “emo-core” and those who weren’t.

Social activism of 1985, punk scene joins the apartheid protests in front of the South African Embassy, in the footsteps of a group called Positive Force, flex their muscles in the political activism arena. Concerts to benefit the homeless, spreading awareness of AIDS. Not all bands on board with this – just b/c they were in DC didn’t mean they wanted to be associated with politics. (totally get it.)

1986 – That high school freshman, Dave, was now 17 left his original band and dropped out of high school to join a band called Scream.

1987 – In come the women. The first chapter of female bands were very much about the music. The scene wasn’t exactly hospitable to them as audience members.

Ian MacKaye started another band – Fugazi. Some may say the music had a bit more mass appeal. They end up being popular tour internationally. These bands were never into political issues, but as their following grew and they got older, they started taking stances against the skinhead racist punk that had emerged, against the attacks of women, gay men, people of color.

Major record labels were paying attention. It was hard for some of these bands to look away – they were touring relentlessly and playing in towns where their records weren’t available. Signing with a label meant an end to that. This scene though was very anti-establishment, so getting signed was truly selling out. Fugazi is approached by the same man who signed Mick and the Stones. They said no.

DC Space and 9:30 club – both downtown continued to be the main venues where the bands play

Nirvana saw that high school kid Dave play and wanted a drummer like him. You probably know how this one ends…When Dave Grohl auditioned for Nirvana, he can’t believe they have 1000 people at their shows because the only local band he had seen with those numbers in attendance was Fugazi.

1991 – All girl punk band Bikini Kill – members start a fanzine, Riot Grrrl  movement to represent the women in punk.

Nirvana’s Nevermind is out. Smells Like Teen Spirit video captures the crowd stage diving. Then this starts happening at the shows.

Crime is up in DC and nationwide. DC space closes, real estate crash hits the city. And this is where punk changes. Parts of the movement came into mainstream – and that is what we coin “grunge” music. Other parts remained what they would say “true to themselves” and didn’t do the media interview requests from Spin, Rolling Stone and MTV. It was definitely NOT in their plans to sign to a label.

]]> https://dcrealestatemama.com/70s-and-80s-music/feed/ 2 DC's Punk Scene | The History of DC Punk Movement nonadult https://dcrealestatemama.com/homeschooling-with-dcps-style/ https://dcrealestatemama.com/homeschooling-with-dcps-style/#respond Mon, 31 Aug 2020 00:56:04 +0000 http://www.dc.cirqua.co/2020/08/31/2020-8-30-homeschooling-dcps-style/ Homeschooling with DCPS

At some point during the summer, DCPS sent out a survey asking for our opinions on how homeschooling with DCPS went. Really? It was necessary to ask us how it went? That’s like asking how 9/11 was. It wasn’t good, dude. It wasn’t good.

You want to know how it went? It was like nailing jello to the wall. We got emails from teachers, directing us to a ton of platforms, we were told to zoom, then we were told to not zoom because it wasn’t secure. Then we were given no less than 743 apps our kids had to log in to. And we were told to pick up packets from the school. Packets which were colossal wastes of paper and had nothing to do with anything being taught by the teachers.

It felt like there was less than zero of an attempt for DCPS to offer any directives on how to salvage the school year. I didn’t expect magic, but it was astonishing how poorly it was executed. It felt like they turned up the heat on a boiling pot, threw all the teachers in and said, “Figure it out.”

It’s no secret we have Super Nanny. Real Estate Dad and I just went on developing land and selling houses as usual while Super Nanny took care of the rest. In March, Princess Roundhead left a classroom behind with some kids with serious behavior issues and she could barely add. By May, Super Nanny had her doing multiplication. And the bonus was there was zero threat of her getting punched in the face at our kitchen table by some asshole kid who’s trashy mother encourages him to do so.

Homeschooling for the win.

So back to that survey. DCPS sent a follow up that the overwhelming majority of survey responses gave them this info.

Really, you idiots? Really? You needed a survey to tell you that parents wanted the teachers to maintain some actual live teaching hours and not just send emails with 322 links every week of things the kids had to do on their own – while the parents scrambled to work from home while teaching multiple children whatever it is that day that needed to be taught? There are parents with full time jobs and 4 kids. How can they possibly manage this? And the 74 log-ins we had for all sorts of programs and apps, you really needed a survey to tell you that this was total bullshit?

I feel bad for the teachers. Chubs has the best best best teacher on earth this year for first grade. I’m super bummed that she will be missing this in-person time with her. But when she asked me to be Class Mom I was all fan-girl and what not, and then she was telling me she spent days creating her virtual classroom. I logged in and was blown away. We have nothing to worry about this year.

I assume all the powers that be at DCPS will pat themselves on the back as this year hopefully gets off to a better start, and they really deserve none of the credit. It’s all the teachers, DCPS.

Sullivan’s Toys: Best Selection of Toys in DC

Don’t you miss the good old days of toys? You know, the ones that didn’t break right out of the box or involve slimy gooey remnants all over your house? I do! I do! I’m one step away from shaking my fist in the yard and yelling for people to get off my lawn. That’s why this Real Estate Family loves Sullivan’s Toys and Art Supplies in Tenleytown at 4200 Wisconsin Avenue.

I think we’ve all woken up the morning of a birthday party which our child is attending realizing we need to grab a last minute gift. Sullivan’s opens an hour earlier than usual on Saturday now just to accommodate slackers like us! Wandering around this place you will be filled with nostalgia and fond memories of your childhood with hula hoops, Rubik’s cubes, jax, all the classics. You won’t find any electronics in here.

Sullivan’s Toys is Washington, DC’s oldest toy shop still in operation – family owned and operated since 1954. They pride themselves on their customer service and community based atmosphere. Just because some of the employees don’t share the last name Sullivan doesn’t mean they aren’t part of the family. Most are from the area and they are incredibly helpful with anything from directions and suggestions, to finding the perfect toy or supplies for a project.

Not only do they have a wide variety of toys and games for all ages, but they also have an art supply section that is filled with everything from professional grade materials to art supplies for children. There are walls filled with paint in every color you could possibly dream of! It’s the go-to art supply spot for AU (American University) students who need supplies for class or a parent who wants to get creative with their kids.

Sullivan’s Toys is a must-see spot that my kids and I love. Be sure to check it out and don’t forget that you can leave the wrapping paper at home. They do it all for you at no extra charge!

Living in Dupont Circle

Once upon a time, in my single girl days, I was living in Dupont Circle in a one bedroom condo. Along came Prince Charming, a.k.a. Real Estate Dad, and he moved in with me, Sammy and Thora (my original two corgi mix loves of my life.) Then we had Princess Roundhead and it was sort of crazy to continue living in such a small space, but we stayed. Then I got pregnant with Chubs, and we realized the absurdity of our 600 square foot living situation so we moved to a house in Glover Park.

My years living in Dupont Circle will always have a piece of my heart for the decade of time I spent there. The girls and I took a stroll through our old neighborhood and I’ll fill you in on why this place is so great for adults, kids, and even dogs!

This neighborhood really can lend itself well to families with little kids. We started by heading to our old favorite spot – Kramerbooks. This store is known for curating an interesting selection of books for both kids and adults. Their children’s section encourages kids to read and makes reading fun. While you browse for yourself, the kids can hang in their section nearby – it’s a place the family can easily be lost for an hour or two. They host book readings and many other events so be sure to check out their website for more info. They have a restaurant with a full menu and many delicious desserts too.

Our next stop was Ross Elementary School. This school is fantastic and there’s even a lottery of people waiting to get in…but that’s a topic for another day. What we utilized at the school today was the playground. On the weekends this park is open to the public and is a great spot for the kids to run around and get some energy out while Mama stands there trying to make her video.

There’s another park in the area is the Stead Recreation Center. If you’ve been in the area you’ve definitely heard of this spot. This playground has an area for the big kids and an area for wobbly toddlers so everyone has a safe space. Although this park is not dog friendly, there’s still plenty of places that are!

S Street Park is a large fenced in dog park that is covered with astroturf. This used to be a triangular dirt pit but now attracts dog owners and lovers from all over the area in addition to those living in Dupont Circle, so that their furry friends can play. People actually line up outside the fence to watch the dogs inside. There’s a water fountain for the dogs and this place is always filled with people so there are lots of friends for you pooch to play with and stay entertained.

Now for the most important aspect… THE FOOD! Dupont has a variety of restaurants to choose from that are all equally delicious. These restaurants have been here a long time, so they know what they’re doing. There are places you can drop in and grab dinner or take a seat and enjoy a full on dining experience.

With all of these things, living in Dupont is a place any family should definitely consider. The houses don’t disappoint either. You can choose from condos or rowhomes. Prices will run well into the $1M’s for the large Victorian homes, but they usually come with rentable basement apartments to help offset the mortgage. This established neighborhood has a metro and is in walking distance to so many of the fun things we talked about earlier. If you’re interested in finding out more about properties in Dupont, feel free to reach out! I’d love to help.

]]> https://dcrealestatemama.com/find-out-dupont-dc-neighborhood-tour/feed/ 0 Dupont Circle Washington DC Neighborhood Tour | Living in DC nonadult https://dcrealestatemama.com/best-hairstylist-in-dc-m-studio-in-dc/ https://dcrealestatemama.com/best-hairstylist-in-dc-m-studio-in-dc/#respond Fri, 09 Aug 2019 17:20:08 +0000 http://www.dc.cirqua.co/2019/08/09/2019-8-1-how-to-survive-the-dc-summer-without-crazy-frizzy-hair/

Best Hairstylist in DC

Looking for the best hairstylist in DC? It’s summer here, and if you’re anything like me, you’re in a daily battle to tame the frizz monster that is your hair.  Today I’m going to share my secret weapon with you – and he goes by the name of Michael Nunez Mattovich.  On this episode, I’m visiting M Studio here in Bethesda for an amazing hair treatment that will get my mane under control.  Join me and learn about all of the amazing things that Michael is doing here to make the community feel polished and ready to face every day with confidence.

Originally from Peru, Michael has been honing his craft here in the U.S for the past 20 years.  Unlike other run-of-the-mill salons that churn clients in and out quickly, M Studio is a place where Michael and his team will take the time to assess your hair needs and goals and make magic happen.

Michael’s ongoing training always keeps him up to date on the latest techniques. He is dedicated to being the best hairstylist in DC. He recently had an opportunity to work with celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton (whose clients include Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez and Katy Perry among others).

One of Michael’s specialties that are offered at M Studio is the Keratin Treatment. It’s also my hair superpower for shiny, soft and frizz-free tresses.  In all the years that Michael has been styling hair, nothing else compares to the results of keratin treatments for natural smoothing.  The treatment repairs damage from the inside out, filling the hair cuticles with keratin and resulting in relaxed, smoothed strands that lasts for up to 4 months.  With years of success applying these keratin treatments to his clients, Michael now works as a trainer and travels to various cities to teach stylists the ins and outs of the process.

With nearly 60% of M Studio’s clients asking for keratin treatments, it’s clear to see that this quick and safe procedure produces such amazing results.  I’m all about anything that makes life easier, and not having to battle with styling products and techniques on a day to day basis is a huge bonus.  This type of transformation is great for your routine and also your ego: the end product looks beautifully effortless, reviving your hair back to a healthy shine.

These are the type of transformations that is Michael’s favorite part of the business.  Finishing a cut, color or blowout and watching his clients’ reaction to their transformation is something that always makes his day and is what keeps him in the styling business year after year.  If you want a personalized experience from stylists with training in the latest trends, M Studio is the place you’ve got to visit. Michael is definitely the best hairstylist in DC.

Michael’s other superpower is offering his clients the most value for their money. If you are on his mailing and text lists, you will often receive updates on specials or coupons being offered. These are a great way to stock up on services so that don’t forget to make sure to keep on top of your appointments at a substantial savings!

If you want to transform your hair this summer (or year round!) and get a style that’s easy, effortless and free from frizz, check out Michael’s website and book your appointment today.  I promise you won’t regret it! He truly is the best hairstylist in DC.  Michael’s salon is in Bethesda, a short walk from the redline metro station. Be sure to stay tuned for my next episode to see what awesome D.C location is featured next.