🌊 Extended pool hours

What's CITY Talking About?

Cannabis Dispensaries Can’t Compete

D.C.’s medical marijuana dispensaries say they are getting put out of business by local “gray area” I-71 shops and Maryland's new legal weed market. Five medical dispensaries closed in the past two years, leaving only nine, compared to over a hundred unlicensed "gifting” I-71 shops. [Axios]

Vision Zero Gets Zero Results

Vision Zero proved to be an enormous failure in D.C. In fact, more people have already died in crashes this year than in all of 2014, which is when Bowser announced the city's goal of eliminating traffic deaths by 2024. But, D.C. has a new plan to get back on track. [City Cast DC 🎧]

Rock Creek Golf Course Concerns Rejected

The National Park Service is moving forward with renovations to the park's golf course, despite community outrage that it will remove over 1,000 trees. The superintendent of Rock Creek Park claims the renovations will actually increase the park’s tree acreage, despite a short-term loss, and that it will not undermine the well-being of residents. [Washington Business Journal 🔒]

What To Do

DC September Local Music Guide

Welcome to another edition of our monthly music newsletter feature, where we highlight a local artist and upcoming shows from DMV acts. As summer winds down, we caught up with a local band that spent their summer touring cross-country and are now back in the DMV just in time for their soon-to-be-released album.

🎙️ Spotlight: Prinze George

Self-Described Sound:

Nostalgic Synth Pop

Get To Know the Artists:

Prinze George’s roots are in their name. Childhood friends Naomi Alquist and Kenny Grimm would jam out together after school in Prince George’s County. Grimm eventually went to Berklee College of Music to study music business, while teaching himself production via YouTube. After graduating, he knew he wanted to start a band.

On a Christmas break home from college, Almquist began to write music with Grimm and they never looked back. Eleven years later, they are a successful indie-pop duo with chart hits in both the indie and EDM scenes. With Almquist’s old-school timeless timbre and Grimm’s use of synthesizers, the now-married couple is known for catchy dance tracks. Throughout their career, they’ve lived in New York and LA but have recently returned to their hometown for the foreseeable future to create music where it all started.

Their latest album, out this fall, leans into Almquist’s voice and vision. It is a more somber wandering tone compared to their normal upbeat tracks. During our interview, Almquist hinted they would return to more joyful, light-hearted music soon.

Read the full interview with Prinze George for more on their favorite local inspo and why they choose the DMV over NYC and LA

Follow:

@prinzegeorgeband

Song to Check Out:

“Better Girl”

🎟️ Other Upcoming Local Shows To See

1. The Mitras, Kinda Evil, Milo In The Doldrums (Indie rock) | Sept. 6 | 8 p.m. | $15 | Pie Shop
2. Swataa, Yellow Velvet, Mar Rose (Indie, Funk, Latin) | Sept. 19 | 8 p.m. | $14+ | The Pocket
3. Mary Allain, Kind of Christine, Cassidy Marie (Folk, Pop) | Sept. 22 | 8 p.m. | $15+ | The Pocket
4. Bad Moves, Ekko Astral (Power Pop) | Sept. 27 | 8 p.m. | $20 | Black Cat
5. Teen Mortgage (opening for Death from Above 1979) (Punk, Hardcore) | Sept. 28 | 8 p.m. | $32+ | Howard Theatre

BONUS: Brat Rave (Party Girl Anthems) | Sept. 20 | 10 p.m. | $20+ | Soundcheck

🎵 New Local Music Mentions

Flowerbomb: “I Always Knew”

As part of a split EP collab with fellow local band Pretty Bitter, “I Always Knew” highlights the best of Flowerbomb’s sound with a little synth sonic influence from Pretty Bitter. Think angsty ‘90s high school movie soundtrack.

🎧 Your September Local Playlist

Check out this Spotify playlist we made, featuring Prinze George’s songs and inspirations, plus music by the other local bands above.