The Evens

Infobox musical artist
Name = The Evens

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Origin = Washington, D.C., United States
Genre = Indie rock
Years_active = 2001–present
Label = Dischord
Associated_acts = Fugazi Minor Threat The Warmers
URL = [http://www.dischord.com/band/theevens The Evens]
Current_members = Ian MacKaye Amy Farina
Past_members =

The Evens are a Washington, D.C. punk duo, formed in the fall of 2001, comprising partners Ian MacKaye (of Fugazi, formerly of Minor Threat) and Amy Farina (formerly of The Warmers). After Ian MacKaye's band Fugazi entered a hiatus, the Evens began practicing extensively, and eventually played a few shows and recorded a self-titled album, released in March 2005 on MacKaye's label, Dischord Records. The Evens are known for their unusual choices in venues for performances and the stylistic change from what many have dubbed the "D.C." or "Dischord" sound. The Washington Post has described the sound as "what happens when post-hardcore becomes post-post-hardcore." [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18728-2005Mar8.html]

The Evens first gained notice in late 2003 when they created a video for their original children's song "Vowel Movement", which was made for Pancake Mountain, a Washington, D.C. internet-based children's program. The clip fueled furthered rumors of Fugazi's breakup amid their hiatus, while adding speculation as to MacKaye's new musical direction. The song featured sing-along lines and upbeat music in the vein of Sesame Street and other children's educational programs, while the video showed dancing children and colorful vowels. After the initial reaction to "Vowel Movement", most have taken the Evens' first "project" positively, and in fact the song has become something of a fan favorite. Some have even asked them to play "Vowel Movement" during shows, something the Evens have expressed no desire to do.

The Evens are significant for fans of MacKaye because it is his first project aside from Fugazi since Pailhead (1988), his first non-Fugazi related LP since "Embrace", released in 1987, and his first and probably only music video with "Vowel Movement".

In June and July 2006, MacKaye and Farina recorded new music that they wrote earlier in that year. On November 6, 2006, they released their second album entitled "Get Evens" [http://www.dischord.com/store?action=showRel&relNumber=160] , which featured this new music.

On Saturday, May 24, 2008, Amy Farina and Ian MacKaye welcomed their first child, a son named Carmine Francis Farina MacKaye. [http://dcist.com/2008/05/27/this_is_a_birth.php]

Discography

* The Evens LP (2005)
* Get Evens LP (2006)

External links

* [http://www.dischord.com/band/theevens Dischord Records Band Site]
* [http://radio.echoditto.com/node/49 Ian MacKaye Podcast Interview, 2005]
* [http://www.prefixmag.com/features/E/the-evens/132 Prefix Interview with Ian MacKaye, 2005]