After four years as an outlet for Washington cubicle-jockeys to get their inner funk on, the 10-piece soul/rock outfit WMD are calling it quits. But not before releasing a full-length album and headlining a Friday night bill at the Rock n Roll Hotel.
The band, formed in 2007 by policy journalists Josh Wein, Ian Martinez and Michael Dolan (the band name is merely an initialism with an unintended but totally awesome war pun), is made up of bunch of DC types including Congressional aides, White House staff and election lawyers, and has performed at an inaugural ball, headlined Black Cat's main stage, and filled smaller venues on U St for years, but has booked the biggest draw on the block for their farewell show.
The show, largely in support of their debut album WMD and the Badass Brass Band (due out next week), is the band's last because founding members Josh Wein (the "W") and Ian Martinez (the "M") are headed off the greener pastures in San Francisco and Philadelphia, respectively. While some members of the band are serious musicians and will continue to play on, this will be the last show in the band's current incarnation, according to Martinez. The album, a months-long project featuring 11 original tunes mostly written by DC bartender and law student Jonathan Quigley, will be the band's legacy, Martinez said.
Opening act The Method, many of whom are old friends with WMD's members, are a local jam band who also lean heavily on the "day-job/night-job" shtick, and have filled RRH on their own in years past.
Tickets are available at Ticket Alternative ($10) or at the door.
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Awesome. saw them at Black cat. These guys rock.
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