DC's biggest blog for concert reviews
Colin Meloy fronts The Decemberists at The Anthem on April 21, 2018. (Photo by Ari Strauss)
Fun was the word of the day as The Decemberists delivered it to a packed house at The Anthem with a Saturday stop on their Your Girl/Your Ghost World Tour. Playing songs old and new, the indie rock mainstays treated the crowd to an evening of their quirky charms, complete with obscure historical references, audience participation, and a giant floating whale.
Anna & Elizabeth (Photo by Lisa Elmaleh)
Living in Washington, we can become numb to the myriad of entertainment and cultural opportunities available to us. It is easy to forget that we live in a word-class city with possibilities unmatched for its size. Without the institutions in our amazing city, without the Library of Congress’s musical archives, without Smithsonian Folkways, it wouldn’t be possible for Anna & Elizabeth to enthrall a hushed, rapt crowd with their music.
Steve Earle performs live at The Speigeltent, Wexford, Ireland, on Oct. 24, 2015. (Photo by Sean Rowe)
Bandanas were back in style as Steve Earle and his backing band, The Dukes, made their way to The Birchmere Tuesday on the 30th Anniversary of Copperhead Road Tour.
Bottle Rockets perform at Euclid Records in their hometown of Saint Louis, Missouri, on April 16, 2011. (Photo by Phil Roussin)
The Bottle Rockets, one of the bands, along with Wilco and Son Volt, that formed out of the wake of legendary alt-country group Uncle Tupelo, performed at The Birchmere on Friday. They played a set of their own songs, then, after an intermission, returned to the stage as the backing band for singer-songwriter Marshall Crenshaw.
James McMurtry performs at The Garage in London on Feb. 8, 2017. (Photo by Goggins World)
When you go to a lot of concerts, you pick up on details. At James McMurtry’s recent concert, one detail I picked up on was the quality of the sound mixing. James’s sound was pristine. I’ve never heard clearer vocals at The Birchmere as I did on Monday. At times, James himself adjusted his amp to get it just right.
Lee Ann Womack (Photo by Ebru Yildiz)
Lee Ann Womack has two identities as an artist. To casual listeners, Lee Ann is the pop country singer who had a smash mainstream hit with “I Hope You Dance.” More serious fans know Lee Ann for her more traditional country and roots music work — as the face of Spotify’s Americana Icons playlist. Playing to a packed crowd at the Birchmere on Friday, Lee Ann displayed both sides of her identity.
I’m With Her perform at 9:30 Club on March 13, 2018. (Photo by Parklife DC)
An Americana supergroup? Surely, the term “supergroup” is reserved for the likes of classic jam bands and motley metalheads? But yes, Americana trio I’m With Her certainly took its place among the pantheon of supergroups in a sold-out show at 9:30 Club recently.