Pilot Waves

https://apollo66.bandcamp.com/ Born of the local garage rock scene, they have released a number of bootleg style recordings of their live shows on Bandcamp and released their first self-titled 5-song EP in early 2021. While at their core, they remain a garage rock band, their song writing has evolved with influences ranging from the Beatles to the Cramps. Apollo 66 hosts a monthly garage punk rock night with other local and touring bands in Silver Spring, MD. Their music has been featured on college, internet, and community radio stations in the Washington, DC area, New York, California, Massachusetts, and Florida, among other places. In April 2021 they performed and recorded a live 4-song set for The Rodent Hour sessions with Matt Attack on Radio Free Brooklyn (New York). https://apollo66rock.com/home

Emily Henry is a DC-based singer-songwriter who performs her own personal brand of elegant electro-infused indie pop. Known for her powerful yet sweet vocals and an authentic musical instinct, she has been compared to artists such as Joni Mitchell and Sylvan Esso. As a child, she began writing songs as soon as she was old enough to communicate. Enthralled with reading, storytelling, and fantasy, young Emily Henry would write melodies to the poems and lyrics recited by her favorite characters. She performed heavily throughout high school and college, releasing her first body of work shortly thereafter. https://www.emilyhenrymusic.com/ watch emily on twitch FREE shows 3 times a week: mon @ 2 pm ET wed @ 12 pm ET fri @ 12 pm ET

Philip Basnight (pronounced Bas-night) shares inspirations, titillations and contemplations on the last ten years in a band, in his head and in his heart. We share the evidence of these conversations because it is important, this we do believe. Thank you to Jason Hamacher and the Lost Origins Gallery for hosting us, we hope this is the first of many showcases to come in Mount Pleasant.

Mary-Victoria Voutsas is a "powerful" and "enthralling pianist" (Washington City Paper). She has toured extensively as a pianist and classical musician; she has performed solo at many notable venues, including the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage & Terrace Theatre, the Lisner Auditorium, and many embassies. Ms. Voutsas is also one of the visiting Artists in Residency for Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts and has done accompaniment/ensemble work for the National Symphony Orchestra and artists such as Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alison Krauss, and collaboratively performed on NPR’s Tiny Desk series. She earned her degrees with concentrations in Piano Performance (M.M.) under Dr. Nikita Fitenko from Catholic University and under Yuliya Gorenman at American University (B.A.). She is completing her D.M.A. at Catholic University, her dissertation is focused in the piano works of Manos Hadjidakis (Hatzidakis) and the history and influence of rebetika music in Hellenic song.

We talk about getting noticed, why not being an a**hole is important and if you are an a**hole, be consistent so we know who you are. This episode made possible by our beloved partners over at Settle For It Records. https://settleforitrecords.com/    Their new album Living Life Fast is avilable on all the streaming platforms with Bandcamp and vinyl coming soon. https://open.spotify.com/artist/1vrRKUwAeVLpENrBgwuJaO?si=5UPiWTnrQDeOoj3j8NSxUA 

This unedited and unfiltered episode drops exclusive and breaking news...from August? Yes, we have been sitting on this for far too long, and we present Rebecca and Philip in all their un-edited glory. This was recorded a bit ago, so please be mindful of any references to dates or times accordingly. The Broke Royals are a delightfully charming and talented musical group. Would Southwest Airlines get this one wrong? Take that off the bio, y'all? We kid because we love you!  As a bonus, if we can get this episode up to 75 listens by next week, we will release the hilarious outtakes from the promo recording sessions afterward. Yes, think Cannonball Run meets Judd Apatow with a dash of Chuck Lorre.  Broke Royals is a rock & roll band hailing from Washington, DC, known for their sing-along, arena-ready sound. Comprised of Philip Basnight (vocals, guitar), Colin Cross (drums), Taimir Gore (bass), Rebecca Basnight (keys), and Ben Wilson (guitar), the group has released three full-length albums to date, each showcasing their penchant for crafting emotionally resonant, hook-laden songs. In July 2022, Broke Royals released their third album, "Local Support", via Byrdland Records. The record was met with critical acclaim, earning a spot on Apple Music’s ALT CTRL as well as coverage from outlets like Under the Radar magazine and Washington City Paper. DCist even named Broke Royals one of the local bands to watch in 2023, citing their ability to meld the sounds of today with those of their heroes. "Local Support" is a departure from the band's previous work, as they discarded their old process and stepped out of their comfort zone to create something new and exciting. Working with producer Bartees Strange, the group wrote and rewrote slowly throughout the pandemic, sometimes all together and sometimes individually. The result is their most exciting collection of songs to date, with influences ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Tom Petty. In addition to critical acclaim, Broke Royals has shared stages with the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd, AWOLNATION, Dashboard Confessional, Car Seat Headrest, Michigander, and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. They've been named an Artist on the Rise by Southwest Airlines and one of the best live bands in DC by CBS. With "Local Support", Broke Royals prove that they're just getting started and are a force to be reckoned with in the world of rock & roll.

This unedited and unfiltered episode answers some important questions about what venues could be doing to be more inclusive. Recorded on Big Donnie Z's porch, which is upstairs above his basement that apparently he records bands in? Who knew? https://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/inner-ear/      https://massiemusic.bandcamp.com/        As a reminder, StageCraft is a show about art, presentation, and the presentation of art; we talk to mostly D.C. people, but not exclusively; our schedule is based chiefly on serendipity. This episode is sponsored by Thanks for the Bumps. https://thanksforthebumps.com/ Thanks for the Bumps promotes wrestlers, fans, and the wrestling community. Their mission is to achieve high standards in all that celebrates wrestling as an art form.     Massie is a power-pop trio (comprised of Emily Yaremchuk, Samantha Collings, and William Salzmann) from the vibrant punk scene of Washington, D.C. With their roots firmly planted in the city's iconic punk heritage, Massie brings a girlish twist to the genre, infusing intricate three-part harmonies and melodies with a pop sensibility over their bubble-punk infused instrumentals reminiscent of late 90's and early 2000's alternative rock.         

CUTE BAND ALERT!  This episode is unedited, unfiltered and absolutely delightful. Recorded in Big Donnie Z's basement. You might have heard of it. https://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/inner-ear/  https://velocitygirl.bandcamp.com/  As a reminder, StageCraft is a show about art, presentation, and the presentation of art; we talk to mostly DC people, but not exclusively; our schedule is based chiefly on serendipity. This episode is sponsored by Settle for it Records. SFIR is an independent media company based in Washington DC, that fights the Disimagination Machine by documenting the punk and metal music scenes in the DMV and elsewhere. https://sfirecords.bandcamp.com/   Velocity Girl Biography by Jason Ankeny via All Music.  Marrying the feedback-drenched sonic assault of the British shoegazer scene with the melodic immediacy of classic pop -- an approach critics dubbed "bubblegrunge" -- Velocity Girl emerged as one of the most successful and acclaimed indie rock bands of the early '90s. Their roots lay in the short-lived Gotterdammacrats, which formed in Silver Spring, MD in September 1988 around the nucleus of singer/guitarist Archie Moore, bassist Kelly Riles, guitarist John Barnett, and drummer Berny Grindel. Barnett exited following the first performance, and after playing a series of gigs as a three-piece, the group welcomed vocalist Bridget Cross in the summer of 1989 and adopted the name Velocity Girl, borrowing the moniker from an early B-side by the then-obscure British band Primal Scream. As the year drew to a close, the band made its recorded debut with "Clock," a contribution to the compilation What Kind of Heaven Do You Want?, the first release on the fledgling local label Slumberland. Drummer Jim Spellman replaced Grindel in the fall of 1990, and after completing the single "I Don't Care if You Go," Cross left the lineup early the following year; she soon resurfaced in another seminal D.C. indie band, Unrest.  Singer Sarah Shannon was tapped as Cross' replacement, and a week after adding second guitarist Brian Nelson -- Moore's bandmate in the pioneering Black Tambourine -- Velocity Girl entered the studio to record its breakthrough single, 1991's "My Forgotten Favorite." The record was a major college radio favorite, and brought the group to the attention of the Sub Pop label, which released a split single featuring Velocity Girl and fellow D.C.-area band Tsunami in early 1992. Velocity Girl remained with Sub Pop to issue its 1993 full-length debut Copacetic -- a much-acclaimed set featuring the singles "Crazy Town" and "Audrey's Eyes," its ingratiating noise-pop approach proved pivotal in expanding Sub Pop's image beyond that of merely a Seattle grunge label, and at the time Copacetic was the second biggest seller in the company's history, behind only Nirvana's Bleach. The follow-up, Simpatico, was even more successful, generating the minor hit "Sorry Again." 1996's Gilded Stars and Zealous Hearts was far less fulfilling creatively and commercially, however, and after completing the album Shannon relocated to Seattle. The group's days were clearly numbered, and a U.S. tour culminated in a farewell show at Baltimore's 8x10 Club that September. After Velocity Girl dissolved, Shannon, Riles, and Spellman reunited in the short-lived Starry Eyes, while Moore -- who also helmed a side project, the Heartworms -- later resurfaced as a member of the acclaimed the Saturday People.

This episode is unedited and totally off-the-cuff.  Shawn Westfall has forged a storied career as an improvisational comedian, having performed improv for over 25 years and having taught it for seventeen. He was the exclusive teacher of improvisational comedy at the DC Improv for 12 years, inaugurating the first improv comedy class there in 2003 and helping to grow the curriculum into what’s since become the DC Improv Comedy School, which now boasts a roster of teachers and thousands of students. In 2015, Shawn left the Improv to start his own brick-and-mortar improv theater in DC, The Unified Scene Theater. His classes (and the numerous performances they generated) have been featured in The Washington Post, The Washington Post Express, Washingtonian magazine, on NPR and Washington Post Radio, and his former students include a talented roster of performing and writing talent who have graced the main stages as performers at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, The Second City Comedy Theater, The iO Comedy Theater in Chicago, and as writers on shows such as “Broad City” and “Saturday Night Live.”  But it was with local DC improv legend Mikael Johnson that both found continued and lasting success as ShawnMikael[s], an improv duo that’s played to audiences all over the country, racking up accolades, awards, and recognition during its existence, to include a monthly performance that sold out a 70-seat venue in Washington, DC for 33 months straight. Since connecting in 2010, ShawnMikael[s] has won the Harrisburg Improv Comedy Throwdown (twice), been invited to participate in multiple Washington Improv Theater runs, headlined at the DC Improv Comedy Lounge and in improv shows, festivals, and theaters all over the DC-MD-VA area. In 2011 they performed as part of the 2011 Capital Fringe Festival, playing to sold-out audiences and garnering 5-star reviews; the two were named as a “Pick of the Fringe” that year from DC Theater Scene.  Shawn is an honorably discharged veteran of The United States Air Force and holds a BA in English literature from The University of Maryland at College Park and an MA in English literature from The University of Texas at San Antonio.

We threw a live music showcase back in November, and this is that showcase. Every performance was magnificent. We invite you to listen and tell us who you want to see at our next showcase. Reach out to us on IG: @StageCraftRadio   Thanks to the Filling Station in Arlington, Deb Edattel, Doug Kallmeyer, Zee, and all the artists who performed. A huge thanks to all in attendance, except for that corporate party trying to speak over the music and not shutting up long enough to know they were missing moments of love and joy being offered to them. Fuck 'em, we say, but in a loving way.