It's finally here! In It Together Fest starts tomorrow, Thursday 7/31. The first night features some of my favorite bands in the city, all on one mindblowing bill. Acme's indie-psyche funk, Wanted Man's blazing blues-rock, and Paperhaus' oh-so-tight indie-rock join together for a night no one who loves local music should miss at Fort Loko. The show will be opened with a comedy show (cause, in this festival, musicians are in it together with all sorts of other creative people, see?), and Vundabar (from MA) brings some of my hometown (Boston) sound to the District.

After that, it's like 3 more days of crazy. Look at that map! There's shows everywhere. Which ones do you choose? Which ones do I choose?? How many can we pack in to our memory-holes? I'm getting a bit stressed. I'll tell you one thing: I am going to know the bus routes in this city so well by the end of the weekend. At the very least, there'll be a good show near you at some point. Stop by, make a small donation and support local music! --Natan Press

Acme has released a follow up to June's fantastic "Girlfriend Tonight," this time a double-single video for "California Girls/Numbers Game." The singles are a culmination of everything Acme has done before. 2013's Synths, Beats & Psychedelia was filled with synth-noise heavy anthems (not to mention the marvelous heartbreak dirge Howl), and channeled indie groups like M83 and TV On The Radio. This year's "Girlfriend Tonight" was a relatively clean, old-school funk jam, where the synths provided a psychedelic flavor instead of being central to the song (those duties went to the rhythm section and guitars), which proved Acme has the chops to do funk the real way: live, without simply relying on loops to provide the groove.

"California Girls" is definitely a funk number for the dance floor, but with thick, juicy synthetic sounds that could give Prince a run for his money. "Numbers Game" is also based around a groove, but this one is less funk, and more atmospheric, the sounds swirling and growing around the rhythm tracks before the vocals drop delicately in the final minute with a simple request, extending the theme in "Girlfriend Tonight." 

Together these two tracks make for Acme's most powerful aesthetic statement yet. They are something else, combining the richest and craziest flavors of the old and the new, mixing sunshine happiness and moonlight hope. --Natan Press

Acme is a smorgasbord of psychedelic music. They taste of soul and funk and indie-pop. “Their entire sound is ancient and futuristic…they got that good energy, that raw talent, and that good music….Acme is the future.” I believe it. Acme’s new single, “Girlfriend Tonight” is tight 80’s-style funk played at slow-jam speed. It could have been reminiscent of heavier 90’s R&B, but the live rhythm section and guitars give the song a classic sound, dressed up in shiny modern synths and bling. It’s like a candy shop of psychedelia: slick and sticky molasses covered in sparkling rock-candy, and everywhere you turn there’s another sweet effect. I haven’t yet mentioned Che’s vocals, which are no less classic, and strong, making this song an instant earworm. Don’t miss Acme’s free, all-ages, single release show at new outdoor showspace The Lot @ Atlantic Plumbing on June 21st (presented by Union Kitchen, DCDIT, and DCist). --Natan Press