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Hailey Collins 9/30/22 Hailey Collins 9/30/22

MUNA @ 9:30 Club [DC] - 9/20/2022

MUNA is the greatest band in the world…at least according to their merch. After being dropped from their label during the pandemic, Phoebe Bridgers signed them to Saddest Factory Records, and they have since established themselves as a queer electropop powerhouse.

Hailey Collins 9/23/22 Hailey Collins 9/23/22

Snail Mail @ Fillmore Silver Spring [DC] - 9/9/2022

Since launching into a successful music career at the age of 18, the now 23-year-old Lindsey Jordan has matured immensely in her sound and songwriting since her 2016 Habit EP. Her latest record, Valentine, takes the listener on a vulnerable journey through heartbreak. Snail Mail brought the last night of the Valentine Tour to the Fillmore Silver Spring, just a quick trip down the highway from her hometown of Ellicott City, Maryland.

Hailey Collins 8/5/22 Hailey Collins 8/5/22

Ethel Cain @ Union Stage [DC] - 7/24/2022

Ethel Cain is the character concept and alter-ego of Hayden Anhedönia. Anhedönia’s first full-length project, Preacher’s Daughter, draws on influences from her life growing up in a conservative southern Baptist community. The album tells the story of Ethel Cain and explores themes of love, generational trauma, abuse, religion, and ultimately ends with her getting murdered and cannibalized.

Hailey Collins 6/22/22 Hailey Collins 6/22/22

Phoebe Bridgers @ The Anthem [DC] - 6/12/2022

Bridgers brought 2 sold-out nights of her “Reunion Tour” to The Anthem. She was originally supposed to make her stop in D.C. in October of 2021, but rescheduled due to COVID safety protocols, and many of her fans had been eagerly awaiting this moment, some waiting in line for up to fifteen hours wearing Bridger’s iconic “skeleton” outfit.

Hailey Collins 6/8/22 Hailey Collins 6/8/22

Sofi Tukker @ 9:30 Club [DC] - 5/22/2022

Sofi Tukker kicked off the opening night of their Wet Tennis Tour with the first of 2 sold-out nights at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. The vibe in the room made it clear that the crowd had been eagerly awaiting the two-time Grammy-nominated dance pop duo’s sophomore album.

Mauricio Castro 4/20/22 Mauricio Castro 4/20/22

July Talk @ Union Stage [DC] - 4/12/2022

…Their Union Stage performance was one that gave co-leads Leah Fay and Peter Dreimanis much more space to do their thing - dance, jump, and show off some theatrical give and take between the two.

Mauricio Castro 4/15/22 Mauricio Castro 4/15/22

Genesis Owusu @ DC9 [DC] - 4/8/2022

Kofi Owusu-Ansah is in a league all his own. It didn't take his dominant DC9 show for me to make that call, but it helped. His 2021 album Smiling With No Teeth is a blender of musical genres that relentlessly whipsaws through funk, soul, rap, punk, and synth-pop, lyrically exploring racism, depression, and more.

Mauricio Castro 4/13/22 Mauricio Castro 4/13/22

L'Imperatrice @ 9:30 Club [DC] - 4/6/2022

Hearts of all kinds - broken ones, confused ones, and ones overflowing with joy - are the thematic centerpiece of Tako Tsubo. The band made an accompanying visual statement at 9:30 Club by dressing in all red and wearing light-up LED hearts that synced with their stage lights.

Hailey Collins 4/12/22 Hailey Collins 4/12/22

Glass Animals @ The Anthem [DC] - 3/29/2022

The Anthem in the nation’s capital was Glass Animals’ last stop on their U.S. tour behind their acclaimed 2020 album, Dreamland. The quartet from Oxford was nominated for a Grammy this year for “best new artist” which has many fans confused considering “Gooey” and “Black Mambo” have been staples in the indie pop scene since 2014.They treated the crowd at the Anthem to a night of neon 90’s nostalgia.

Mauricio Castro 4/8/22 Mauricio Castro 4/8/22

Lido Pimienta and Combo Chimbita @ Songbyrd Music House [DC] - 4/5/2022

The pairing of Lido Pimienta, and Combo Chimbita in one night is an exceptional poster child for the rich musical culture of Colombia. The two carry on the tradition of Afro-Indigenous storytelling themes - colonialism, inequality, unrest, resistance, and more come together in their own musically diverse ways.

Mauricio Castro 4/5/22 Mauricio Castro 4/5/22

Peach Pit @ 9:30 Club [DC] - 4/2/2022

The last time Vancouver-based Peach Pit came to town was in 2017, when they were opening for Diane Coffee at DC9. They had just released their debut album, Being So Normal, just a month and a half prior. Since then, they’ve gone on to release two more albums and gained a lot of popularity, so much so that five years later, they’ve upgraded venues to a sold-out, 1,200-person one. It’s not hard to see why.

Mauricio Castro 3/28/22 Mauricio Castro 3/28/22

Kishi Bashi @ 9:30 Club [DC] - 3/25/2022

No longer a touring one-man band with a looping machine, Kishi Bashi’s four-piece live band performed the entirety of 151a, and the rest of the set was dedicated to other fan favorites from his more recent output. Not leaving his loop pedal past behind, he provided multiple opportunities during the show for new fans to see just how inventive he can get with one.

Mauricio Castro 3/23/22 Mauricio Castro 3/23/22

SXSW and Luck Reunion 2022 Recap

This year’s return to downtown Austin has been highly-anticipated, even if the number of musical acts shrunk from 2,000 in 2019 to 1,500 this year. Because even so, that’s still a lot of music to take in within the span of a week.

Kevin Hill 3/21/22 Kevin Hill 3/21/22

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros @ The Riverside Theater [Milwaukee] - 3/17/22

Bob Weir has spent a lifetime exploring what a song can be, and at 74 years of age, those excursions are only getting more interesting. As a member of the Grateful Dead, Weir and his cohorts expanded the scope of what American folk music could be many times over.

Mauricio Castro 3/10/22 Mauricio Castro 3/10/22

Donny Benét @ Union Stage [DC] - 3/6/2022

With a wink, a smile, and a joke about a defense attorney billboard above a Brooklyn used car dealership, Donny Benét can win over a crowd pretty easily.

Hailey Collins 3/8/22 Hailey Collins 3/8/22

MARINA @ The Anthem [DC] - 2/24/2022

On a cold rainy night, MARINA (formerly known as Marina and The Diamonds) returned to Washington, D.C. for her Ancient Dreams In a Modern Land Tour.

Hailey Collins 3/3/22 Hailey Collins 3/3/22

Clairo @ Fillmore Silver Spring [DC] - 2/19/2022

In 2019, Clairo’s album Immunity made her a Gen Z face of DIY bedroom pop. She is currently touring for her sophomore album, Sling, which was heavily inspired by 70s-era singer-songwriters and feels much more mature and refined. Clairo’s show at the Fillmore Silver Spring sold out so quickly they had to add a second date.

Mauricio Castro 3/1/22 Mauricio Castro 3/1/22

Illuminati Hotties @ Black Cat [DC] - 2/22/2022

Illuminati Hotties is the ‘tender-punk’ project of LA-based musician, producer, music engineer, and mixer Sarah Tudzin. She’s left her mark on many notable musical projects over the years, like Weyes Blood’s Titanic Rising, Slowdive’s self-titled album, and even the original Broadway cast recording of Hamilton.

Mauricio Castro 2/22/22 Mauricio Castro 2/22/22

Magdalena Bay @ Black Cat [DC] - 2/19/2022

Magdalena Bay are a blender of influences outputting an otherworldly creative vision, one powered by early 2000s pop, 90s-era internet aesthetics, and a kaleidoscope of colors. Not to mention that they’ve got a strong TikTok game. The duo of singer Mica Tenenbaum and multi-instrumentalist Matthew Levin, both hailing from Miami, have captured the hearts and minds of many with their impeccable ear for pop melodies.

Hailey Collins 2/21/22 Hailey Collins 2/21/22

Remi Wolf @ 9:30 Club [DC] - 2/15/2022

The Nation’s Capital was Remi Wolf’s second to last stop on her sold-out North American Tour. She treated D.C.’s 9:30 Club to a marvelous night of highly danceable supersaturated psych-pop. Formerly an American Idol contestant, she has made her mark on the pop scene with her eccentric style that blends influences of funk, R&B, and DIY bedroom pop.