They're a contemporary band whose name comes from a hundred years ago, but the 1900s are surely straight out of 1970 -- specifically from the party scene in Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, a forgotten band sandwiched between the Carrie Nations and the Strawberry Alarm Clock. Last night (Jan. 9), that party was pretty small, as the tiny Rock and Roll Hotel was made to feel expansive for lack of people. Nevermind that, though -- it just means there was more room to dance for the rest of us.

Forget for a moment that there seemed to be barely more people in the crowd than the band (it numbers seven -- the 1900s, that is), because everyone there swerved and swelled to songs like EP banger "Bring the Good Boys Home" and the recently released "Georgia," on which singer Edward Anderson went South from way of their native Chicago to find the aural equivalent of a lazy summer afternoon. It was when singers Jeanine O'Toole and Caroline Donovan got in on the act that things really came together, though, as the male-female harmony vocals added delirious joy. As voices melded together, going higher and higher, the room sure seemed full. PHOTOS BY NESTOR DIAZ

We asked: What song would you like to hear the 1900s cover, or alternately, what 1900s song would you like to hear someone else do, and why?

Name: Mike Pahn
Age: 35
Hometown: Washington, DC
Occupation: Archivist
"I think these guys sound like Fleetwood Mac, in a good way, not a bad way. I'd be cool with them doing 'Magic Man' by Heart.

Name: Adrian Carroll
Age: 30
Hometown: Allentown, PA
Occupation: Landscaper
""It's No Secret" by Jefferson Airplane. They remind me more of Jefferson Airplane."

Name: Lamar Abrams
Age: 28
Hometown: Washington, DC
Occupation: Comic book artist
"It reminds me of some of the stuff the Cardigans are doing now, or Rilo Kiley, but I like what they're doing and don't know if I would want them doing someone else's songs."

Name: Megan McArdle
Age: 35
Hometown: New York, NY
Occupation: Journalist
"'Cake Parade' by Georgie James. I would be very interested to hear what they would do with it."

Name: Tony Woodlief
Age: 40
Hometown: Wichita, KS
Occupation: Non-profit manager
"'Love Shack' by the B-52s. You've got two female front singers, and it's a fun song."

Name: Julia Novakowski
Age: 21
Hometown: Silver Spring, MD
Occupation: Student
"'Superstitious' because I feel like they really have the energy to play it up, to make it rocking."

The 1900s delivering their 'supernatural' harmonies / Photo by Nestor Diaz

Vocalist Jeanine O'Toole / Photo by Nestor Diaz

The Chicago pop collective 'Bring the Good Boys Home' / Photo by Nestor Diaz

O'Toole and Anderson bring their 'kind' ways to the District / Photo by Nestor Diaz

Guitarist Charlie Ransford / Photo by Nester Diaz