There are few families in live music that carry as much sheer power with combined improvisational instinct as The Wooten Brothers. On Sunday, Sept. 13, five-time Grammy winner Victor Wooten and his brothers bring their full setup to The Hamilton Live for an absolute clinic in funk, jazz, and soul presented by All Good Presents.
A line of severe weather pushed James Taylor’s Sunday night return to Wolf Trap back by roughly 20 minutes, a delay made largely out of consideration for the thousands of people sitting exposed on the lawn. By the time Taylor and his All-Star Band finally walked onstage, the rain had not entirely given up, but neither had the crowd of dedicated James Taylor fans. The pavilion was full, the lawn remained populated, and there was remarkably little sense that anyone’s enthusiasm had been washed away.
The legendary Texas singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt said there’s only two kinds of music: the blues and “Zippity Doo Dah.” My own spin on that is that it all breaks down to good music and bad music. Trying to categorize the Tedeschi Trucks Band or Lukas Nelson is a pointless exercise: They draw from all the rivers of American music, and even beyond. Moreover, they do it with the utmost skill. Friday night’s show at Wolf Trap was full of great songs, soaring vocals, and brilliant playing.
Social Distortion released its long-awaited eighth album, Born To Kill, May 8 via Epitaph Records. The new record wastes no time letting the listener know where its heart is: its hard-charging title track — named as one of ROLLING STONE’s Best Songs of 2026 So Far — paying respects to Lou Reed (“Rock ’n’ Roll Animal gonna come your way!”) and Iggy and the Stooges (“The agenda is yeah to Search and Destroy”) and lionizing David Bowie (“It’s a Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide”) on “Partners in Crime.” This is a man, a band, and a record that wear their influences proudly while creating timeless anthems and ballads that chart Social Distortion’s path forward while celebrating its storied past.
Now on tour, Social Distortion perform live at The Anthem in DC on Friday, Sept. 4.
Blacktop Mojo Turns Pearl Street Warehouse Into a Southern Rock Revival
There’s something about a packed club show that an amphitheater simply can’t duplicate. The room is smaller, the lights are lower and, when the guitars kick in, there’s nowhere for anybody to hide.
Pearl Street Warehouse was made for nights like that: dark, intimate and perfectly suited for loud guitars, pounding drums, and screaming vocals.
Even in their origins as a bluegrass-oriented band, North Carolina’s Chatham County Line always emphasized songcraft and lyrics. It comes naturally to their lead singer, guitarist, and principal lyricist, Dave Wilson, whose mother is the noted poet Dede Wilson.
That’s not to disparage their picking skills: They’re terrific players. But it makes sense, given these tendencies and their influences, that they’ve evolved toward Americana and even rock, incorporating electric guitar and drums, without abandoning John Teer’s graceful mandolin and fiddle. On Thursday evening at Jammin’ Java, CCL proved once again what a great band they truly are.
Swervedriver Celebrates 35 Years of Raise at The Atlantis
Oxford, UK, shoegaze pioneers Swervedriver headlined The Atlantis in Washington, DC, on August 26, celebrating the 35th anniversary of their 1991 debut album, Raise, a landmark record that remains one of the genre’s defining releases.
With red lighting, background singers, and an easy confidence, Jack Harlow brought his new era to DC without losing the charm that keeps audiences locked in.
Jack Harlow recently brought The Monica Tour to The Anthem in Washington, DC, and for a venue that can feel massive depending on the artist, the night felt surprisingly intimate. The Anthem is built for big, loud shows, but Harlow never seemed interested in overpowering the space. Instead, he pulled the crowd into the world of the album.
Plush came to Harrisburg ready to make some noise.
The rock trio took over Capital City Music Hall on August 23, bringing a hard-hitting set to the downtown venue on North 2nd Street. It’s the kind of close-up room where a band can’t hide behind a massive production. There are guitars, drums, vocals and a crowd packed close to the stage.
At The Anthem, Masego turned a recent Saturday night in DC into a smooth, interactive set built on live instrumentation, saxophone, humor, and effortless crowd control.
