Live Music
Archive

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

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.

Mauricio Castro 12/22/21 Mauricio Castro 12/22/21

Lawrence @ 9:30 Club [DC] - 12/16/21

We’ve been fortunate enough to see Lawrence a handful of times since 2016, but with a sold-out 9:30 Club show to cap off 2021, the eight-piece soul-pop band fronted by siblings Clyde and Gracie Lawrence have really hit their stride.

Avery Junius 12/21/21 Avery Junius 12/21/21

Dām-Funk @ The Roxy [LA] 12/14/21

Dām-Funk has been an unsung hero of keeping funk alive over the past decade. At the storied Roxy Theater on Tuesday night, Dām-Funk headlined a show to support the Union Rescue Mission, the largest homeless shelter in Los Angeles.

Hailey Collins 12/13/21 Hailey Collins 12/13/21

Caroline Polacheck @ Lincoln Theatre [DC] - 12/3/21

Ethereal icon, Caroline Polachek, brought the Heart is Unbreaking Tour to D.C’s Lincoln Theatre last Friday night. Previously the front woman of Chairlift, this was her first ever show in D.C. as a solo artist.

Caroline took the stage in front of a massive gate backdrop that was brought to life with lights and projections throughout the show. The gate, designed by Timothy Luke, has acted as the main visual theme of her debut solo album, Pang.

Hailey Collins 12/7/21 Hailey Collins 12/7/21

CHVRCHES @ Anthem [DC] - 11/31/21

CHVRCHES is back on tour for their 4th studio album, Screen Violence. Their new era puts an 80’s horror movie twist on their signature bright synth-pop style. Just after Thanksgiving, CHVRCHES brought the Screen Violence Tour to a packed crowd at The Anthem.

Mauricio Castro 12/2/21 Mauricio Castro 12/2/21

Caribou @ 9:30 Club [DC] - 11/30/2021

Another long-anticipated show is in the books for Dan Snaith. His 2020 album Suddenly was widely praised by music critics and included in tons of best-of lists last year, but his spring 2020 show in DC was (suddenly) put on hold for a year and a half due to the pandemic. But with his trusty four-piece live band in tow, he tore through many of Suddenly’s highlights, like “You & I,” “Home,” “Never Come Back,” and “Ravi.”

Avery Junius 12/1/21 Avery Junius 12/1/21

Freddie Gibbs/The Alchemist @ 5th Annual West Coast Feast 11/24/21 [LA]

‘Twas the night before Thanksgiving at the Vermont Hollywood, where Freddie Gibbs delivered a feast full of raps backed by his frequent collaborator and hip-hop legend, the Alchemist who served as Freddie Gibbs DJ for the night. The duo’s latest offering, Alfredo, earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Albumin 2020 and was the dish served as the majority of the playlist for the 5th Annual West Coast Feast.

Mauricio Castro 11/29/21 Mauricio Castro 11/29/21

Yasmin Williams @ Union Stage [DC] - 11/22/2021

Northern Virginia native Yasmin Williams has had a banner 2021. Starting in January with her album Urban Driftwood, she made waves this summer with both a Newport Folk Festival and Tiny Desk Concert slot and capped it off with a ‘hometown’ show at Union Stage. And to think that it all started, in her words, with beating Guitar Hero 2 on expert difficulty.

Erica Bruce 11/24/21 Erica Bruce 11/24/21

Deer Tick and Delta Spirit @ 9:30 Club [DC] - 11/19/21

Deer Tick and Delta Spirit played a nearly sold-out show at the 930 Club last Friday, and the overwhelming emotion seemed to be joy.

Joy from the audience seeing these two bands live again on this “Friend-Ship” tour, and joy from the stage for two bands who haven’t toured in a bit.

Hailey Collins 11/18/21 Hailey Collins 11/18/21

Finneas @ 9:30 Club [DC] - 11/14/21

This week the 9:30 Club hosted Finneas O’Connell for 2 back-to-back sold-out shows. Known well for writing and producing with huge artists including Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, and of course his sister, Billie Eilish, Finneas is now on tour for his debut solo album, Optimist.

Kevin Hill 11/17/21 Kevin Hill 11/17/21

Neal Francis @ Colectivo Back Room [Milwaukee] - 11/13/21

Chicago’s Neal Francis owes a lot to musicians that came before him, and honors that in every note or shimmy across the stage. On his new record, In Plain Sight, he shares a lot of DNA with artists like Benny Sings or Eric Johnson of Fruit Bats. But let loose upon a stage on a Saturday night in Milwaukee the deeper roots of Dr. John, Traffic, and an entire history of psychedelic soul come rushing to the surface.

Mauricio Castro 11/17/21 Mauricio Castro 11/17/21

Wolf Alice @ Union Stage [DC] - 11/15/2021

This is a band punching way above their weight right now, and getting to see them play their beautiful, massive songs at a venue like Union Stage is something that many will cherish years down the line.

Mauricio Castro 11/14/21 Mauricio Castro 11/14/21

Sylvan Esso @ The Anthem [DC] - 11/11/2021

As you may already know, we’re big fans of Sylvan Esso here. And their latest stop in DC doesn’t really change that. Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn continue to explore the space between the electronic and the organic, both in their latest album, 2020’s Free Love, and in their spartan but spectacular live performance.

Mauricio Castro 11/9/21 Mauricio Castro 11/9/21

Near Northeast @ Black Cat [DC] - 11/6/2021

The folk-meets-ambient-electronic outfit Near Northeast have been a DC staple for a few years now, from their 2015 debut Curios to their newly released fourth album Gatherings. With songs like “Shadow” and “Shelter,” they traverse the Venn diagram of two musical worlds, combining violins, cellos, theremins, drums, banjos, and synthesizers into a sound that stands out in the DC music community.