Annie Nardolilli and Louisa Hall, the masterminds behind DMV-area duo Griefcat, are playing at the National Cherry Blossom Festival at the Tidal Basin Welcome Area & Ana Stage April 3 at 5:30pm – get more info HERE. The duo will be playing many area shows (see all dates below) in celebration of the release of their album Late Stage Capitalism out April 19 including their April 21 special album release party at Jammin Java in Vienna, VA. They will be playing tracks off the new album and fan favorites with a full band, special guest singers, and an audience wide Griefcat bingo game. Special prizes will be awarded to anyone who comes dressed in their most sparkly fabulous Griefcat-inspired fashions. Bonus points if you come as a matching duo! Tickets are on sale now HERE.
Griefcat are set to release “Love The Sinner” on Good Friday, March 29. The song was written about Annie’s time as a deputy sheriff and inspired by two coworkers she did not get along and who made her job even more stressful than it already was. Unfortunately, she witnessed many who are asked to “protect and serve” do quite the opposite, and when she spoke up about it she was reprimanded by her superiors and ostracized in her department. What better way to vent those feelings to your bandmate and organize them into a song?
Late Stage Capitalism explores how unbridled capitalism has invaded every facet of modern life, from workplace politics to interpersonal relationships, and even our most private moments. They came up with the title in early 2020 when they wrote arguably their most well-known song on the album to date, “Revolution (Poop At Work),” a song about how even the smallest acts of defiance can be revolutionary, catapulted the duo to viral infamy and a strong following with over 25 million organic views of their videos, more than 15 million of those views for that song alone. Even Questlove commented on the song, saying “LOL I feel seen, I see my version as a political act.” They’ve also received likes from SZA and actor Alan Tudyk for their posts, among others.
Other songs on the album include “I Just Want To Get Inside (Your Bank Account),” an unanticipated, ‘90s-style love song with a hilarious contradiction between two women looking for two different things when it comes to a new relationship. Are they looking for love or money? It also shines a light on dating culture and how much sensitive personal information we share online every day. “Cryptobro” is a traditional country tune with all the makings of a hit song. It’s a melodic, catchy, and current, and a breakup song about losing love, in this case to the cult of Cryptocurrency and the church of Elon Musk. The opening track, “Benevolent Billionaire,” featuring standout vocalist Jarreau Williams along with many of DC’s brightest musical talent, is loosely based on ‘80s supergroup charity singles like “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” and “We are the World.”
The duo were recently nominated for FIVE Wammie Music Awards including Best Country/Americana Song and Best Music Video for “Cryptobro”, Best Music Video for both “Revolution (Poop At Work)” and “Benevolent Billionaire”, and Best Pop Song for “I Just Want To Get Inside (Your Bank Account)”. They were ron WJLA-TV (ABC) Good Morning Washington talking about the album and the nominations – Watch HERE and were featured in DCist – Read HERE.
Griefcat have been compared to Flight of the Conchords, Tenacious D, and Garfunkel and Oates by fans, but Griefcat brings their own unique voice to the genre. The nine tracks on Late Stage Capitalism range from flat out hilarious to unexpectedly thought provoking, each with a unique sound, beautifully blended harmonies, and brilliant lyrics all with an unpredictable twist. The musicianship stands out on its own too; traditional instruments abound but you will also hear slide guitar, ukulele, trumpet, trombone, violin, and cello peppered throughout the album.
All these songs would never have existed if it weren’t for the mind melding of the opposites attract duo. Annie, from Arlington, VA is a Mormon and former sheriff’s deputy while Louisa, from Alexandria, VA (now lives in Reston VA), is a long-time lapsed Catholic and a career tech employee. That dichotomy in perspectives has been the key to the duo’s success both in songwriting and in their friendship. They met at a DC-based variety show and were the only musicians in a group of comedians performing that night. They scheduled their first rehearsal, wrote a song about vaccines and egg rolls, and the rest is (recent) history.
Now, with Late Stage Capitalism, Griefcat has all the potential to be more than just a musical act. With each live show, they invite their audience to step inside their world, creating a fun and exciting atmosphere that becomes a universally shared experience for all. Tour dates are listed below, more to be announced soon.
