The definitive record of live music in Washington, D.C. and beyond for the 2010’s
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Sampha @ 9:30 Club - 2/8/2017
Stop me if you’ve heard this one...Three sad boi’s and Olivia Pope walk into a bar…
THAT was the the scene last Wednesday night at the 9:30 Club when Sampha returned to play his second sold out show in the space of a few months in the nation’s capital. On his latest LP, Process, the British singer/producer deftly mixes old soul with a cold, machine elegance that demands a certain level of sophistication to go with your feels. On stage the multitudes of subtle urbanities served as both an asset and a hindrance to this rising star.
Great Good Fine OK @ DC9 - 1/30/2017
Some bands like to take time before releasing their music. Great Good Fine Ok is not one of those bands. As one of the more prolific synth-pop bands in recent years, they have been steadily chugging onwards, releasing six singles over the past year and culminating with a January EP release, III. If a sold-out DC9 is any indicator, the steady stream of singles has helped keep the duo in the forefront of people’s minds and playlists, but the live show itself is the real reason that fans should stick around.
Moon Hooch @ U Street Music Hall - 2/1/17
Forget what you know about the saxophone, because Moon Hooch breaks all expectations of what it can do. From their subway busking days in New York City to their breakout Tiny Desk Concert performance in 2014 to now, Moon Hooch has continued to wow larger and larger crowds with their mix of rock, jazz, and EDM - ‘cave music’, in their words. In support of their third album Red Sky and the surprise free EP release Joshua Tree, the trio of Mike Wilbur, Wenzl McGowen, and James Muschler brought their intense saxophone sounds to a sold-out U Street Music Hall. (And yes, they brought the giant traffic cone.)
Phox @ 9:30 Club - 1/27/17
It’s not often that a buzzed-about band will call it quits and embark on a farewell tour after only one album. But it seems that the small band from the 12,000-strong town of Baraboo, WI, have bigger things in mind than the music of their debut album that they've furiously toured on for the last two years. For their devoted fans and those just getting on board the PHOX train, this was the ideal send-off, complete with witty banter, impromptu covers, and a charming performance from singer Monica Martin that was a sign of things to come.
Run The Jewels @ Echostage - 1/19/17
On the night before the inauguration of Donald Trump, emotions in DC were running high. But Run the Jewels, the rap duo of Killer Mike and El-P who recently released the critically-acclaimed Run The Jewels 3, wanted to make a big political statement of their own. And not only did Run the Jewels beat expectations on such an important night, they absolutely destroyed them, giving the crowd a much-needed emotional release along with a special surprise guest at a sold-out Echostage.
Of course, this perfect timing would not have occurred if it weren’t for a water main break the previous Thursday, causing a last-minute cancellation. According to El-P, the two choices for rescheduling were either on El-P’s birthday, or the day before the inauguration. In his words, “History wants RTJ here right fucking now.” It was obvious that they had a lot on their minds.
Acid Dad @ DC9 - 1/9/17
It’s every band’s dream to go on tour from city to city, and NYC-based band Acid Dad is finally doing just that. While they have just one EP under their belt, 2016’s Let’s Plan a Robbery, they played an energetic hour-long set of self-described ‘psych-punk’ music that took some pages from the both genres to make some great rock music.
Given the differing paces of punk rock and psych rock, the idea of psych-punk music seems odd. Their set brought both worlds together in one strong set, but their execution in combining both genres isn’t quite there yet. Songs like “Digger (Gotta Get That Money)” could be the soundtrack to a skater montage that you dug up in a box of old VHS tapes. Its frenetic pace and crunchy power chords were relentless and singer/guitarist Vaughn Hunt did his best Ramones impression.
Best of 2016 LIVE - Mauricio's Take
The best kinds of shows are the ones that you can connect with on an emotional level. These are the ten that I connected with the most. Some were complete surprises, others were just as great as I envisioned it would be. Because it’s 2016 and we’re in the midst of the War on Attention Spans, I present to you my 10 favorite concerts...in haiku.
RÜFÜS DU SOL @ 9:30 Club - 11/3/16
With the genre-bending that dominates today’s musical landscape, nothing is firmly rock and roll, pop, hip-hop, or electronic anymore. Such is the case for Australian trio RÜFÜS DU SOL. Take a listen to a track from their ARIA chart-topping sophomore album, Bloom, and you’ll hear something that could be described as straightforward and fun electronic house music. Look at a picture of them, and you may assume that these are just some more EDM bros touring the DJ circuit in their all-black clothes and backwards baseball caps.
The Naked and Famous @ Lincoln Theatre - 11/16/2016
The Naked and Famous have been known for their fist-in-the-air, 80s new wave-tinged anthems since their 2011 hit single, “Young Blood”. Their latest album, Simple Forms, doubles down on that sound to impressive results. They last played in the DC area this past spring at the more intimate Rock & Roll Hotel to try out some new songs, but with a new album out, they sold out the Lincoln Theatre on their return trip for a night of loud and triumphant music.
Kero Kero Bonito @ U Street Music Hall - 11/5/16
There are bands whose appeal can span generations. Thankfully, Kero Kero Bonito is not one of those bands. It’s music crafted exclusively for millennials’ ears. You can conclude as much after listening to a song like “Graduation”, where singer Sarah Midori Perry sings “Today's my graduation, so long to education / Didn't learn a thing anyway.” But like other artists signed to unique pop label PC Music, Kero Kero Bonito has found a passionate audience for their quirky and very niche take on bubblegum pop, one that takes cues from J-pop, dancehall, and video games. And judging by their performance, they know exactly what they are doing and the audience they’re going for.
Benjamin Francis Leftwich @ U Street Music Hall - 11/12/2016
The music of British singer-songwriter Benjamin Francis Leftwich is equal parts somber and uplifting, a combination that would easily find its way into the compilation albums of The OC or House. But although he impressed with the expansive soundscapes he created within his two albums (especially sophomore album After the Rain), Leftwich treated listeners at U Street Music Hall to a spartan setup that hearkens back to his beginnings - with just him and a guitar on stage.
Kingsley Flood @ Rock & Roll Hotel - 11/19/16
If there’s one thing the band Kingsley Flood knows about, it’s change.
In 2012, their album Battles took them back and forth across the country and all the way to the mainstage at the legendary Newport Folk Festival. It was an album that dealt with the everyday struggles of an “everyday guy”, and the songs reflected front-man Naseem Khuri’s struggle with issues of equality, a running theme in most of the band’s work.
Aurora @ 9:30 Club - 10/31/16
Halloween is always an interesting affair at 9:30 Club. Costume contests are held before the headliner and bands join in the fun and dress up in costume (like Capital Cities in pajamas or Magic Man in pumpkin outfits). Norwegian singer AURORA did no such thing, but instead, she offered something even more compelling: a hauntingly beautiful and powerful performance that had some in tears.
Phantogram @ 9:30 Club - 10/25/16
The duo of Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter have been recent mainstays in the electronica world thanks to their melding of lush vocals, hip-hop beats, samples, and guitars. This year, their profiles have expanded further in part due to their collaboration with Big Boi as the supergroup Big Grams and also thanks to the duo bringing a bigger sound with Three, their third album, which netted them a top 10 Billboard debut. But for the longtime fans that can remember their 2009 and 2010 DC9 shows, it was no surprise when Phantogram once again treated the sold-out 9:30 Club to a powerful performance that incorporated interesting projection tricks and hard-hitting sounds from the rock, hip-hop, and electronic worlds.
KING @ U Street Music Hall - 10/20/16
Nostalgia loves to rear its head in many ways. Scanning the current musical landscape, it becomes clear that the 80s and 90s have been in vogue. Although we are long removed from the years of TLC, Destiny’s Child, and Cameo, Los Angeles’s KING recalls such groups. The trio took the highly-receptive and nearly sold-out U Street Music Hall crowd on a nostalgia that perfectly emulated the sounds of bygone musical eras.
Aaron Abernathy w/Nat Turner @ Tropicalia - 10/20/16
On October 30, 1974, Muhammad Ali fought George Foreman in the famous “Rumble in the Jungle” boxing match in Kinshasa, Zaire. Regarding the fight, Ali’s loquacious corner-man Drew “Bundini” Brown noted about Ali fighting in Africa that the bout symbolized the icons going “f]rom the root to the fruit, that's where everything started at. This is God's act, and you are part of it. This is no Hollywood set, this is real.”
Washington, DC-based Aaron Abernathy and his backing band Nat Turner’s performance at quaint, underground Nation’s Capital venue Tropicalia was as rooted in music’s historical traditions and as long as four “Rumbles in the Jungle,” plus similarly as “real” in presentation. Just like Ali, at the end of his 90-minute set, the soulful singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/composer who has just released his first, critically-acclaimed album Monologue emerged exhausted, yet victorious in winning over a jam-packed room of R & B fanatics.
Neon Indian @ 9:30 Club - 10/7/16
Friday nights were meant for dancing. The work week was through, the weekend had just begun, and the 9:30 Club was open late so Classixx and Neon Indian could play great synth-pop/disco house tracks. Both bands have a bit of overlap with one another, so it made sense that both groups would embark on a tour and play a sold-out 9:30 Club.
The LA-based duo known as Classixx have made a name for themselves with their dancefloor-ready songs, recruiting singers like Passion Pit’s Michael Angelakos, LCD Soundsystem’s Nancy Whang, How To Dress Well’s Tom Krell, and even T-Pain on tracks that predate the tropical house music movement, but embody many of the genre’s ideals - laid-back, fun songs that anyone can groove to.
How To Dress Well @ U Street Music Hall - 10/6/16
Tom Krell is a very emotive man in every sense of the word. The How To Dress Well singer has been courting alt-R&B lovers for a few years now with his heartfelt lyrics, but with his latest album, Care, he honed in on the emotion of joy with this glossier collection of songs. And at U Street Music Hall, he made sure that everyone in the room was having just as much fun as he was.
2016 All Things Go Fall Classic @ Yards Park, Washington, DC
At a time when music festivals are appearing out of every corner, it’s nice when organizers know the demographic they’re aiming for. The DC-based music blog All Things Go put together an event that emphasized all things synth-pop: bands that love a bit of electronic music to go with their guitars, drums, and vocals. And with the move from Union Market to Yards Park, they ran into issues both predictable and unexpected, but things are looking up after the third iteration of the All Things Go Fall Classic.
James Blake @ Lincoln Theatre - 10/1/16
Leave it to an English singer how to show Americans how to do electro-soul the right way. With two critically-acclaimed albums and a highly-anticipated third album, The Colour in Anything, on the way, crooner James Blake had no problem selling out the Lincoln Theatre the same day tickets went on sale. And it’s easy to see why: His one-of-a-kind vocals combined with live instrumentation, an LED backdrop, and the occasional chest-rattling bass made the Lincoln Theatre show a multi-sensory experience.