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Preview: The Pietasters Annual Holiday Show (w/ The Loving Paupers, The Players Band, The Upstarters, and DJ Selah) @ 9:30 Club — 12/27/25

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Parklifer
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The Pietasters
The Pietasters (Photo courtesy the band)

There are holiday traditions in DC, and then there’s The Pietasters’ Annual Holiday Show — a long-running homecoming that turns 9:30 Club into a joyous, horn-blasting dance floor. This year’s edition lands Saturday, Dec. 27, with doors at 7pm and a stacked local lineup: The Loving Paupers, The Players Band, The Upstarters, plus DJ Selah keeping the vibes moving between sets.

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Live Review: Béla Fleck and the Flecktones @ Strathmore Music Center — 12/14/25

By
Luke Waldner
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Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
Béla Fleck and the Flecktones perform live at Strathmore Music Center on Dec. 14, 2025. (Photo by Luke Waldner)

Even the biggest Grinch would have been swept into the holiday spirit Sunday night at the Music Center at Strathmore. With the band reissuing a remastered version of their 2008 Christmas Album Jingle All the Way this holiday season, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones have been on the road since late November when they started their Jingle All the Way Tour in Nashville at the Ryman Auditorium.

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Live Review: Steve Poltz and Bob Schneider @ The Birchmere — 12/12/25

By
Mark Engleson
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Steve Poltz
Steve Poltz performs live at The Birchmere on Dec. 12, 2025. (Photo by Steve Satzberg)

Friends since the ’90s, Steve Poltz and Bob Schneider are kindred spirits who mix touching, heartfelt songs with a strong dose of humor and storytelling. In their recent appearance together at The Birchmere, they delighted the audience with a show that was unlike anything else I’ve seen this year.

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Live Review: Avery Anna w/ Dylan Davidson and Jenna Raine @ 9:30 Club — 12/11/25

By
James Miller
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Avery Anna
Avery Anna performs live at 9:30 Club on Dec. 11, 2025. (Photo by James Todd Miller)

Avery Anna has all the qualities to be the next superstar out of Nashville, as she in her recent stellar show at the world-famous 9:30 Club. Anna arrived in Washington, DC in support of her latest album, Let Go Letters, and put on a superb show for the very supportive audience.

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Live Review: Rhett Miller w/ Alice Carolyn @ Union Stage — 12/11/25

By
Mark Engleson
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Rhett Miller
Rhett Miller at Old Boy Vintage in Bend, Oregon, April 2025 (Photo by Jason Quigley)

When Rhett Miller, the frontman for the beloved alt-country band the Old 97s, appeared in his recent solo set at the Union Stage, he sang with renewed vigor. For years, he explained, he had to limit his repertoire to a fraction of the songs he’s written over more than 35 years. He was limited by a cyst in his vocal cords, which he’s described as feeling enormous, though it was no larger than a grain of rice.

Surgery on a vocal cord cyst isn’t without risk. After having such an operation, Judy Garland famously never sang again. When Rhett consulted with a surgeon, he said, he was told that he could go through the rest of his life without having the operation. But he opted to have the procedure, which has successful, restoring his vocal range, especially the high and low ends. Rhett’s been able to add songs back into his shows, like “Come Around,” which allowed him to show off his falsetto and sustain.

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Snapshots: Monaleo @ Union Stage — 12/5 + 12/6/25

By
chriscastilloweb
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Monaleo
Monaleo performs at Union Stage on Dec. 6, 2025. (Photo by Chris Castillo)

Monaleo’s DMV Takeover
Photos by Chris Castillo
Intro by Mickey McCarter

Houston rapper Monaleo recently staged a three-night DMV domination with back-to-back shows at Union Stage and a chaser at The Fillmore Silver Spring.

Monaleo, who broke out several years ago with her song “Beating Down Yo Block” from her debut album, Where the Flowers Don’t Die, returned with a new album, Who Did the Body. She shined through her catalog in her turns at Union Stage on Dec. 5 and Dec. 6. Chris Castillo was there to photograph those shows.

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Poll: 2025 Thrushie Awards — Results!

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Parklifer
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Wood Thrush

Parklife DC today announces the best in DC concerts with our annual awards program, named for our mascot, DC’s own state bird — the Wood Thrush. Our Thrushie Awards salute bands, venues, and music festivals in line with our mission to review live music concerts.

Congratulations to the 2025 Thrushie Awards winners!

Here are the winners of the 2025 Thrushie Awards, along with the percentage of the vote they took and a bit of analysis pertaining to the win:

Who is the best local band in DC?

1. American Television, 42%
2. Ekko Astral, 21.33%
3. Color Palette, 10.7%
3. Oh He Dead, 10.7%

DC punk rockers American Television ran away with the lead! Several months ago, American Television dropped a new EP, You Are Not Alone. The band said, “This feels like the album we need in this exact moment. Community, Angst, Anthems, and Allyship. It’s all packed in there. We couldn’t be more proud.” American Television headline Pie Shop on Saturday, Jan. 24 — your next opportunity to catch them in DC! Ekko Astral are on fire after a recent opening stint for Pup and Jeff Rosenstock (which included The Anthem on Sept. 12). Although Ekko Astral have announced a spring tour, they don’t have any upcoming hometown dates on the calendar.

While we don’t usually see a tie in our polls, we are pleased that both Color Palette and Oh He Dead received some reader love! Neither band have a DC show on the calendar right now, but keep your eyes and ears open!

What is the best concert venue in DC metro?

1. DC9, 25.69%
2. Pie Shop, 23.61%
3. Songbyrd Music House, 20.83%

We’ve said it before, and we will say it again: Our blog readers are big champions for small music venues. Every year, Pie Shop, Songbyrd Music House, and DC9 usually do well in our polls. This year, DC9 has nabbed the top spot for Best Music Venue Around DC! It’s little wonder: In addition to scheduling compelling acts that often break through, DC9 also remains a damn good place to get a burger and a beer. Talk about checking all of the boxes!

What is the best music festival in the DC area?

1. Appaloosa Music Festival, 62.07%
2. VANS Warped Tour, 10.34%
3. National Cannabis Festival, 8.62%

Ever since it first entered the race as a write-in candidate, Appaloosa Music Festival, run by local Celtic heroes Scythian, has dominated the top spot in our best local music festival poll. In 2024, it was knocked from its perch by All Things Go Music Festival, which had a particularly good year at Merriweather Post Pavilion. Now, Appaloosa Fest reasserts itself, and two newcomers take poll positions with our readers! Look for Appaloosa Fest, VANS Warped Tour, and National Cannabis Festival all to return to the DC area in 2026.

Congrats again to our winners!

Live Review: Stella Cole @ The Birchmere — 12/10/25

By
James Miller
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Stella Cole
Stella Cole performs live at The Birchmere on Dec. 10, 2025. (Photo by James Todd Miller)

One of the best Christmas shows of the season occurred at The Birchmere recently when Stella Cole brought her Holiday show to Alexandria. Cole is currently conducting a tour throughout the holiday season and is playing some of the most known Christmas songs as well as some of the best songs known covering artists such as George Gershwin, Anthony Newley, Glenn Miller, Osvaldo Farres, Irving Berlin, Mel Torme, Perry Como, Hugh Martin, Herman Hupfeld, Cole Porter, Harold Arlen, and Henry Mancini.

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Live Review: Too Many Zooz @ The Atlantis — 12/10/25

By
Christine Anwara
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Too Many Zooz
Too Many Zooz perform live at The Atlantis on Dec. 10, 2025. (Photo by Christine Anwara)

I recently caught Too Many Zooz at The Atlantis in DC, and honestly, they had me hooked before they even played a note. I did a quick Google search about them beforehand and was immediately pulled in by their bright, eclectic aesthetic. Their bold colors and chaotic energy felt like foreshadowing for whatever wild sonic universe they were about to drop on us, so my curiosity was fully sparked from the jump.

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Preview: John Mulaney @ The Anthem — 12/20 + 12/21/15

By
Parklifer
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John Mulaney
John Mulaney (Photo courtesy the artist)

John Mulaney has strong ties to DC. He graduated from Georgetown University in 2004! There he also met his “work wife” Nick Kroll. And it’s no surprise that the two gents went on to funnyman stardom in their collaborations together and separately.

Now a standup juggernaut, John, who has a delightful knowledge of pop culture, brings his fast-on-his-feet wit to The Anthem for five shows in his new Mister Whatever Tour. Three of those five shows have sold out, but you can still grab tix for the last two on Saturday, Dec. 20, and Sunday, Dec. 21.

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