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Lzzy Hale fronts Halestorm at Jiffy Lube Live on Aug. 13, 2019. (Photo by Angel Kim)
There’s something special about watching Halestorm perform in the middle of an actual storm. Winds blew rain deep into the covered seating area while lightning lit up the skies surrounding the venue, seemingly in tandem with the show’s light sequence. Real thunder wasn’t audible over lead singer and rhythm guitarist Lzzy Hale’s belts and roaring instrumentals, which were thunderous on their own — in a good way.
Bryce Vine performs at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Aug. 1, 2019. (Photo by Angel Kim)
“How are you doing, general DC area?” Bryce Vine asked the crowd, a sea of positive shouts and cheers responding. Earlier that night, Bryce mentioned that a Silver Spring show being considered a DC tour stop was strange — and here he was performing at The Fillmore Silver Spring recently. The casual way that Bryce addressed the audience made the statement seem like a passing thought you would share with a friend. It was fitting for his laid back and easygoing persona characteristic of his Southern California origin.
Josh Groban sings at Wolf Trap on July 7, 2019. (Photo by Angel Kim)
For years, I knew of Josh Groban through his biggest hit, “You Raise Me Up,” but I learned more about him when he played Pierre on Broadway in “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.” My inner theatre fan was excited when I then discovered his 2015 album Stages, where he covered a variety of songs from musicals. His newest album is Bridges, which was released last fall. And recently, he played at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap. Backed by his band, an orchestra, and a choir, each song that Josh performed couldn’t help but be grand and theatrical.
Set It Off performs at The Fillmore Silver Spring on July 6, 2019. (Photo by Angel Kim)
“2:00,” “1:59,” “1:58” written in bright blue flash on two screens. When the timer reaches “0:00,” the screens read “Midnight”.
Hey Violet performs at Union Stage on June 6, 2019. (Photo by Angel Kim)
Closing out their brief first run of shows in almost two years, Hey Violet performed at Union Stage recently with support from Sage Charmaine.
Aly & AJ perform at The Fillmore Silver Spring on May 22, 2019. (Photo by Angel Kim)
Aly & AJ brought both nostalgia and future to The Fillmore Silver Spring recently with support from Armors. Anyone who came-of-age in the mid 2000s has probably heard of the duo, consisting of sisters Aly and AJ Michalka. They released their pop-rock debut album Into the Rush in 2005 and Insomniatic in 2007, including the single “Potential Breakup Song.” After a decade-long break, Aly & AJ returned in 2017 with the ’80s infused, indie-pop Ten Years, and released Sanctuary on May 10. Continue Reading