Though automotive companies haven’t been seen in the best light given our current economic state, Kia is trying to eliminate the bad associated with cars this weekend when their Soul Collective Tour hits D.C.
From Thursday, Sept. 17 until Sunday, Sept. 20, the Kia Soul Collective Warehouse will be staging free shows, as well as having DJs spin all weekend.
Though the Kia Soul, one of the company’s newest models, is at the center of this concert series (test drive one and you could possibly win a free pair of tickets to a private MGMT show on Sunday), music will be the star of the weekend.
Artists like Wale, Dan Deacon and The Creepers will be gracing the Soul stage.
Wale, most recently known as the in-house band for MTV’s Video Music Awards this Sunday, has been rapidly rising in popularity. A native of the District, Wale will be releasing his first full-length album this fall after a series of successful mixtapes. Wale has capitalized on the popularity of artists like Lady Gaga, with whom it performs a duet on the song, “Chillin’.” Wale’s devotion to the District is apparent in the “Chillin’” music video, where every scene is a shot of a popular D.C. spot, ranging from the Washington Monument and the Capitol to Ben’s Chili Bowl. He will hit his hometown stage Friday, Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Dan Deacon is also a native of the nearby area. Hailing from Baltimore, Deacon specializes in electronic music and should be a hit with any AU student who chooses to attend his show, as most of his shows are for college campuses. Popular music Web sites like Pitchfork heralded Deacon’s 2007 “Spiderman of the Rings” album. If you’re interested in hearing a sample of Deacon’s work before heading over to see his show, check out free downloads of all his old albums on his personal MySpace page. Deacon plays Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.
British band The Creepers will be playing the Soul stage Saturday, Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. This will be one of the few American gigs they have planned for the upcoming fall. On their MySpace page, they describe their sound as a mix of The Sonics, The Cramps and The Ramones.
MGMT’s popularity has grown exponentially over the last year as their hits “Electric Feel” and “Kids” have graced indie radio, as well as hit shows like “Gossip Girl.” One can only get tickets for the special MGMT show Sunday, Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. by test driving a Kia and becoming a potential winner.
The Soul Collective tour’s stop in the District this weekend is just one of several shows before the tour will continue across America. After kicking off in Seattle on Aug. 20, Kia has already made stops in Phoenix and Chicago, with future stops planned for Atlanta, Boston, Miami, New York City and Philadelphia. The tour will come to a close in Los Angeles November 8. Different stars are set for each stop, ranging from musicians like Janelle Monae and Santigold to designers like Jeff Staple.
The free art, music and Soul test drives will be available all weekend long.
The free concerts will be taking place at the Kia Soul Collective Warehouse at 3330 New York Ave., N.E., and is accessible from the New York Ave/Florida Ave/Galludet U. Metrorail stop on the red line.
You can reach this staff writer at cmoore@theeagleonline.com.
