@JamnJavaDoorGal’s LOCAL SCENE: Sandbox Kings + Sonic Nights + Tommy Gann Band + The Understudies

Often known as the band behind the Washington Capitals' goal song "Rock The Red," The Sandbox Kings' career has been quite a journey. After years of dedicating themselves to finding the right lineup, the right sound and even the right time to release their music, they finally scored big after radio station DC101 selected their song as the Caps' goal song. "The reaction people have when they find out it was us who created the song is phenomenal," said frontman Branko Hodzic, who penned the song with drummer Brian Mulroney. "Everyone has been very supportive and they are very intrigued by the band. It's validation for us as musicians." This "validation" not only spurred the band to start writing and recording but actually resulted in a new record entitled "Secrets," which was recently released in the summer of 2012 on iTunes and select online retail sites. Referring to the album as "a tribute to those who serve our country, love, awakening, and just realizations that life is passing by" by Hodzic, the band's sophomore effort certainly delves deeper into more serious issues than the group's debut release "Wonderfall," which was critically-acclaimed by the press.  In fact, hailed by The Washington Post as "demonstrating "plenty of versatility -- on guitar, keyboards and other instruments," The Sandbox Kings' debut release essentially put them on the Washington DC music map. Now, several years since their first album, the band is ready to "rock" once again with a regional tour planned in support of "Secrets" and many special engagement performances planned to celebrate the release of their sophomore album. However to Hodzic, his focus is still on the fans, "we knew that we had to continue to keep our fans happy with more than just new materials but with new ideas and sounds that would take us and our listeners to a whole new level," he said. With an impressive new album, plans for upcoming shows and a sincere dedication to the people and places that brought them to where they are now, it seems that the "secret" to The Sandbox Kings' success won't be a mystery for long.

Official Site | Twitter | Facebook | iTunes |

Sonic Nights

Sonic Nights is the new project of brothers Tom and Arthur Lohrmann. The band is a continuation of their year and a half solo project which frequented the DC Metro Area. Sonic Nights connects the best elements of Pop, 70′s Rock, Dance, and Alternative music to create a new sound of their own. With a new EP on the way from Producer Sean Small (The Downtown Fiction, Friday Night Boys, Crash Boom Bang), Sonic Nights is ready to level the boom."

Official Site | Facebook |

TOMMY GANN BAND
TOMMY GANN is an up-and-coming singer/songwriter who has toured across venues in DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland over the last several years. Playing the guitar and keyboard he sings like a young John Mayer and brings an eclectic mix of rock and pop sounds to his new, self-titled EP available now on iTunes. Gaining recognition at an early age in the US and abroad, Tommy operates from the DC music scene. His extensive experience in rock bands and solo performances has led to his first EP which spans multi genres. It's available on iTunes and CDBaby or you can catch his live performances almost any night in DC, Virginia and Maryland.
Official Site | Twitter | Facebook | iTunes | YouTube

THE UNDERSTUDIES
While new to the DC music scene, the Understudies have garnered attention from venues and music lovers alike. What started as a mellow singer-songwriter duo took on a new, heavier drive when The Understudies became a four-piece, allowing them to pursue a more aggressive sound while maintaining their powerhouse vocals. In 2010, The Understudies recorded "Overnight Live," a live EP which is currently available on iTunes. They are currently recording a full-length album, from which the first single, "Remember The Night," is already available for download. The Understudies continue to play to larger audiences, and they'd like to thank their friends and fans who spread the word and support live music.
Official site | Twitter | Facebook | Itunes | Youtube

Buy Tickets
Tickets are also available via phone at 703.255.1566