Don’t Miss: The Head and the Heart @ DAR Constitution Hall, 10/22/16

Posted on 09/27/2016 by Jeremy Bailey

The Head and the Heart (Photo Credit Gus Black)

The Head and the Heart return to the DAR Constitution Hall on Sunday, October 22nd, touting their just released third album, Signs of Light.

Get your tickets here. As a cool bonus, when you buy your ticket online, you get a free copy of Signs of Light, either a physical CD or a digital copy.

The well received first single, “All We Ever Knew”, currently sits at #6 on Billboard’s Alternative chart and reached #1 on the AAA chart. It’s an upbeat ode to realizing that sometimes ‘it’s time to wake up’ from a dream that isn’t working.

Entertainment Weekly says about Signs of Light, “The collection is their most electric and uplifting set yet.” After listening to it a couple of times myself, I tend to agree.

The Head and the Heart is an indie folk/rock band that formed in 2009 in Seattle. The band is Josiah Johnson (vocals, guitar), Jonathan Russell (vocals, guitar) – who is from Richmond, VA, Charity Rose Thielen (violin, banjo), Chris Zasche (bass), Kenny Hensley (piano) and Tyler Williams (drums).

I last caught The Head and the Heart perform live in DC in 2014 (at the Constitution Hall no less) and based on that experience, this is one show you don’t want to miss!

Declan McKenna, a British indie rocker, will open the show.

The Head and the Heart
w/ Declan McKenna
DAR Constitution Hall
Saturday, October 22, 2016
8:00pm
$42.50
All ages

Don’t Miss: Electric Six @ Black Cat — 10/2/16

Posted on 09/27/2016 by Mickey McCarter

Dick Valentine vamps it up. (Photo by Cortney Armitage)

Detroit dance funk band Electric Six are celebrating Halloween in October with the release of a new album — Fresh Blood for Tired Vampyres, out Oct. 7 via Metropolis Records!

Electric Six frontman Dick Valentine sure seems like he’s going to live forever given the way his band knocks out a new album every year. And with this new album, Dick and company have strived to group all of their past lives in one place by combining electropop, R&B, dance and more genres into one album.

And with the new album comes a tour! Electric Six return to the Black Cat this Sunday, Oct. 2!

Listen to “I’ll Be in Touch” from the new album by Electric Six via YouTube:

Fresh Blood for Tired Vampyres covers a lot of ground from the Grandmaster Flash-inspired “Number of the Beast” to the smooth tour of the NYC outer boroughs “Mood Is Improving” as well as radio-ready pop tracks “Dance with Dark Forces” and “I’ll Be in Touch.”

And never fear! The Electric Six have long memories, and after 12 albums they still remember how much everyone loves their 2003 debut, so we may well hear “Dance Commander” or “Danger! High Voltage” or “Gay Bar” also!

Tickets are available online.

Electric Six
w/ In the Whale
Black Cat
Sunday, Oct. 2
Doors @7:30pm
$15
All ages

Sports Park: D.C. United vs. Columbus Crew SC @ RFK Stadium, 9/28/16

Posted on 09/27/2016 by Jeremy Bailey

Season Record: 8-9-13 (37 points)

Your D.C. United put on a clinic last Saturday against Orlando City, scoring at will and winning 4-1.

Patrick Mullins netted two more goals, and has been a positive force in the 11 games he’s played in since coming from New York City FC in July.

The United jumped into the sixth and final playoff spot with the result, and as a bonus, are one point behind Montreal for fifth place.

With only four games remaining (including two home games), the United should keep the momentum alive against Columbus at home on Wednesday, September 28th.

It should be a fun ride closing out the regular season!

Buy your tickets here.

The final home game for the United is October 16.

Audacious Assertion: United 3, Crew 1
(My home picks so far: 5-4)

MLS: Columbus Crew SC at D.C. United
RFK Stadium
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
7:30pm
$20-55
All ages

Snapshots: Preservation Hall Jazz Band @ Lincoln Theatre — 9/23/16

Posted on 09/27/2016 by paivi

Preservation Hall Jazz Band performs at Lincoln Theatre on Friday, Sept. 23, 2016.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band was in town for National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) opening festivities. Following their Friday show at the National Mall, the audiences at Lincoln Theatre were treated to a second helping of New Orleans jazz.

As a special guest later in the show, none other than Dave Grohl walked onto the stage to play a second set of drums. When the encores were done, the music never ended: part of the band including Mr Grohl walked out of the theatre in a New Orleans style parade. The performance continued across U Street toward the Black Cat, followed by the enthusiastic crowds.

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Interview: Midge Ure (@Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, 10/4/16)

Posted on 09/26/2016 by Mickey McCarter

Midge Ure (Photo courtesy Erika Tooker)

Midge Ure may have famously sang, “This means nothing to me” in the Ultravox song “Vienna,” but don’t be fooled. The influential musician and humanitarian invests quite a lot of himself in his music and his causes, touring the world and arranging endeavors like Live Aid, Band Aid, and Live 8 concert festivals. After being away from the United States for a very long time, Midge has been returning regularly in recent years, performing material from his solo albums, from Ultravox, and from other projects.

Midge’s next US tour starts on Sept. 30 in Amityville, NY, and ends Oct. 15 in Atlanta. (Find tickets for Midge’s shows via Songkick.)

On this tour, Midge performs in the DC area on Oct. 4 at Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club — the same venue he visited when he was last here in early 2015. Joining Midge in a three-piece band are drummer BC Taylor and keyboard player Tony Solis, both of whom will also play other instruments for this “Live and Electric” tour.

Parklife DC was honored to catch up with Midge to ask him about the tour and his other current projects as well as the future of Ultravox and meaning in a world without David Bowie.

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Sports Park: The Nationals’ Last Homestand vs. the Diamondbacks & Marlins, 9/26-10/2/16

Posted on 09/26/2016 by Jeremy Bailey

Your Nationals (Photo Credit: Keith Allison)

11 things to look forward to during the last Nationals’ homestand of 2016.

Get your tickets here!

Diamondbacks – September 26-29
Marlins – September 30-October 2

1) NL East Division Champs! Your Nationals clinched the division crown last Saturday. Pop the champagne and jump around in joy!

2) Playoffs. After this homestand, the Nationals are headed to the 2016 MLB postseason. They will most likely play the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Division Series starting October 7th. Standing room only tickets are available here.

3) Garden Gnome. Get your stylish Ben Revere gnome on Tuesday, September 27th!

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Music Park: Lush @ 9:30 Club — 9/21/16

Posted on 09/26/2016 by Mickey McCarter

Miki Berenyi and Emma Anderson of Lush play guitars at the 9:30 Club on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016.

Lush returned to the stage at the 9:30 Club for a first encore Wednesday, and vocalist Miki Berenyi stepped up to the microphone.

“This song is for Chris,” she told the very full house. “We all miss Chris.”

With that brief intro, Lush launched into the dreamy, introspective “Lost Boy,” a lullaby to someone who has faded away, never to return. The Chris in question of course is former Lush drummer Chris Acland, who committed suicide in 1996. Chris’ death prompted the dissolution of the band after three full-length and one extend play albums, all issued during the height of UK shoegazing in the early to mid-’90s.

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