Live Music
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The definitive record of live music in Washington, D.C. and beyond for the 2010’s

Mauricio Castro 10/11/16 Mauricio Castro 10/11/16

Glass Animals @ Echostage - 9/25/16

The unique jungle-inspired sounds of UK band Glass Animals’s debut “Zaba” struck a chord with many people, so much so that they sold out 9:30 Club last year and played for an even larger crowd this year at Echostage. In support of their sophomore album, the well-received How to Be a Human Being, the band put on a high-energy performance deserving of Echostage’s 6,000-capacity crowd.

Mauricio Castro 10/10/16 Mauricio Castro 10/10/16

Bob Moses @ 9:30 Club - 9/29/16

EDM is a catch-all genre title that has caught a lot of grief over the years. Some of it well-deserved.

The genre has its share of lazy button-pressing DJs and unnecessarily over-the-top antics. But childhood friends Tom Howie and Jimmy Valance, collectively known as Bob Moses, combine the energy and structure of house music with live instrumentation and conventional songwriting, providing a solution for those longing for a mature take on house music. Performing on a spotlight-adorned stage with a full set of instruments, their performance filled the room with energy that can’t be replicated by a DJ just telling the crowd repeatedly to “put their hands in the airrrrrrrr!”

Mauricio Castro 10/9/16 Mauricio Castro 10/9/16

Young The Giant @ 9:30 Club - 9/13/16

One could say that demand was higher than expected - after all, not many bands can say they've been able to sell out 9:30 Club three nights in a row. However, when you have alt-rock mainstays Young the Giant and Ra Ra Riot on the billing, it becomes much easier to fathom.

Appearing on the flag-adorned stage, Young the Giant used night 2 of their three-night 9:30 Club stay to play their latest album, Home of the Strange, in its entirety, saving older songs for the encore. They had the crowd’s attention from the start thanks to singer Sameer Gadhia’s fervent moves on stage and guitarist Eric Cannata’s equally-energetic strumming.

Mauricio Castro 10/9/16 Mauricio Castro 10/9/16

Julien Baker @ U Street Music Hall - 9/12/16

“You guys are really attentive. Is everything okay?”

U Street Music Hall has seen its fair share of DJs and loud rock bands over the years, but it’s rare that it receives a quiet and powerful singer-songwriter, let alone a quiet crowd. Making waves at SXSW and a Tiny Desk Concert released earlier this year, Tennessee’s Julien Baker played songs from her debut album, “Sprained Ankle”, for the very attentive fans at U Hall.

Mauricio Castro 9/28/16 Mauricio Castro 9/28/16

Of Montreal @ 9:30 Club - 9/7/16

There are a few things in life that are certain: death, taxes, and the frenetic energy of an of Montreal live show. They have made a name for themselves in the indie rock world for their colorful album/song titles and equally colorful stage antics. Recently, frontman Kevin Barnes brought his crazy concoction of music and theatre to 9:30 Club in support of the band’s 14th album, Innocence Reaches.

In classic of Montreal fashion, things got weird as soon as the lights dimmed. The band took the stage in satanic robes, cutting their way across a smoke filled stage. On cue, the band disrobed to reveal their all-white outfits, but remained shrouded in silhouettes for the majority of the set. It was clear that all eyes were to be on Kevin Barnes and his costumed dancers. But the band kept the beat going throughout the show, bringing the disco vibes to 9:30 Club.

Mauricio Castro 9/28/16 Mauricio Castro 9/28/16

Marian Hill @ 9:30 Club - 9/10/16

If there’s something the music world always needs more of, it's the saxophone (“Careless Whisper” be damned), and Marian Hill is here to help.

The duo of Jeremy Lloyd and Samantha Gongol made a splash with their musical melding of pop, R&B and hip-hop beats with their debut EP, Sway, two years ago. Now, they have released their debut album, ACT ONE, through Republic Records, and recently brought the album and a whole lot of swagger to a packed 9:30 Club.

PJ Sykes 9/18/16 PJ Sykes 9/18/16

Souvenirs from Hopscotch

Hopscotch can be grueling. During the course of the three-day-long festival, some people will compete with their friends to see who among them can catch the most sets by the over 120 official bands (plus a couple hundred bands playing day parties), like it’s a music festival version of Pokemon-Go. Others will attempt to drink their weight in tasty local craft beers while stumbling between a dozen or so venues across downtown Raleigh.

After seven years of covering Hopscotch for various outlets, I’ve decided to slow it down just a little bit and allow myself to savor the best moments.

Mauricio Castro 9/14/16 Mauricio Castro 9/14/16

Gallant @ U Street Music Hall - 8/23/16

If you’re asked which artists are pushing R&B music forward, you might answer with names like Maxwell, Miguel, and Frank Ocean. But after a very impressive (and sold-out) U Hall debut, you’ll probably want to answer with this name: Gallant. Born in DC and growing up in Columbia, MD, Gallant is a DMV-er through and through. He briefly acknowledged the fact, though the night was more about his music and less about his roots. His debut album, “Ology”, was released in April to critical acclaim, and he kicked off the tour in his hometown of DC.

Mauricio Castro 9/8/16 Mauricio Castro 9/8/16

Savoir Adore @ DC9 - 8/11/16

When one half of a musical duo leaves the band, how much should a band change, if at all? Dream-pop duo Savoir Adore went through a bit of a change when singer/keyboardist Diedre Muro exited after releasing two albums alongside guitarist Paul Hammer. When faced with the choice of either starting a new musical project or keep the band going, he chose to continue Savoir Adore. Recruiting former Panama Wedding keyboardist Lauren Zettler, this latest version of the band came to DC9 to celebrate the release of their third album,The Love That Remains. And from what it seems, it's full synth-pop steam ahead for the group.

Mauricio Castro 8/31/16 Mauricio Castro 8/31/16

Dr. Dog @ 9:30 Club - 8/10/16

There’s something interesting about going to a Dr. Dog show. It’s not just the music that makes it worthwhile, it’s the fans as well. You can see it in the multitude of Dr. Dog beanies in the faithful crowd, with a local fanbase that supports annual shows and sold-out nights at the 9:30 Club. Their fans are some of the most dedicated around, and watching them perform on night one of two at 9:30 Club this go-around, you can see how they elevate a performance to an experience.

Mauricio Castro 8/23/16 Mauricio Castro 8/23/16

Good Old War @ POV - 8/6/16

It’s not often that a band comes along that can impress equally on technical skills and on how happy the music makes you feel. Good Old War is one of those bands, and they recently released their fourth album, “Broken Into Better Shape” on Nettwerk Records. They came to the W Hotel’s trendy rooftop bar, POV, to play a free acoustic set that also marked the conclusion of the day’s Record Store Crawl event.

Mauricio Castro 8/15/16 Mauricio Castro 8/15/16

BROODS @ 9:30 Club - 8/1/16

They say you have your whole life to make your first album, and once the cat’s out of the bag, you only get a few months to make a second album. (Unless you’re Frank Ocean, but that’s a whole other story.) Fortunately for us, New Zealand-based brother-and-sister duo BROODS far exceeded any expectations for their return to a sold-out 9:30 Club in support of their sophomore album, Conscious.

Georgia and Caleb Nott have built a strong following through their dark and industrial electronic pop, and it shines through in their live show. The energy was palpable from the get-go as the crowd erupted as Georgia made her way to the stage in a dark cloud of smoke. During title track “Conscious”, the black frills on her jacket flew in every direction as she danced all over the stage.

Mauricio Castro 8/11/16 Mauricio Castro 8/11/16

Young Summer @ U Street Music Hall - 7/22/16

Bobbie Allen has had quite the year. After releasing a few buzz-worthy singles in the past year and singing on tour with Odesza, the DC-based musician (who goes by the stage name Young Summer) recently brought her talents back to a packed U Street Music Hall. Though there’s a profusion of strong synth-pop talent coming out of the woodwork these days, Young Summer proved on Friday night that her smooth and subdued vocals combined with an expansive electronic sound are what has helped her gain recognition and continue to stand out from the pack.

Mauricio Castro 8/7/16 Mauricio Castro 8/7/16

Mail The Horse @ Songbyrd Music House - 6/17/16

Mail the Horse loves to jam. Mail the Horse loves to rock. Mail the Horse loves to have fun on stage and show off their musical chops. And to promote their latest EP, Magnolia, Mail the Horse has embarked on a tour that made its first stop at Songbyrd. The band isn’t one for spectacle – instead, they impress by showing their dedication to the ideals of 60s and 70s rock/Americana.

Part of the appeal of the band is the interplay between its members. Keyboardist Michael Hesslein breezed through songs, taking lead vocals and occasionally getting up to play some guitar with the rest of the band. Guitarist Donny Amidon shared in vocal duties, but mainly stood stage right deep concentration on his guitar. Bass player Brendan showed the most emotion of the band, laughing and beaming his way through the set.

Mauricio Castro 7/27/16 Mauricio Castro 7/27/16

Seth Bogart @ Comet Ping Pong - 6/16/16

Asses were slapped by leather jackets, strange advertisements for fake products were played, and inflatable objects were waved around on stage: Just another night in Seth Bogart’s world.

Seth Bogart doesn’t do concerts. He does performances. ‘The Seth Bogart Show’ was part-concert, part-kitschy public access show parody, part-funhouse, and a full-on art piece that concertgoers won’t normally get from anything other than a Katy Perry- or Lady Gaga-like arena show.