At the age of 89, bluegrass and old-time music pioneer Alice Gerrard is still going strong, and her vitality recently was on display at AMP, where she and her band played two-hour long sets consisting of instrumentals, classic tunes, and original songs.
Kevin Gates recently brought his highly anticipated tour following his new album The Ceremony to The Fillmore Silver Spring. And fans were treated to an unforgettable evening of music and emotion. With opening acts by Jay Ortiz and DJ Chose warming up the crowd, anticipation mounted as attendees eagerly awaited Gates’ arrival.
Legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy is 85 years old and his current, and he says last, tour is called the Damn Right Farewell Tour. He recently stopped by The Lyric Baltimore for a date on the tour.
Buddy Guy is one of the most influential blues guitarists of all time with a career that spans over 50 years. He has released over 20 solo albums and many more collaborations throughout that time.
“We’ve been a band for 10 years now,” Michelle Joy, singer for the LA-based band Cannons, recently told the packed crowd at Rams Head Live! “It’s the most fun I’ve ever had.” And that fun really showed not only on the stage but in the crowd.
With the release of their most recent album, Heartbeat Highway, in November of last year Cannons have created a body of work that showcases the brilliant pop song craft of the trio of Joy, Ryan Clapham on guitar, and Paul Davis on bass. Buoyed initially by the hit, “Fire for You,” after being featured in the Netflix series Never Have I Ever, Cannons continued pumping out those dance-heavy hits with 2022’s Fever Dream.
Erick The Architect aka Erick Arc Elliot aka Skinny Light, the man behind the sounds of the Flatbush Zombies, stepped out on his own for the first time since the trio burst on to the hip-hop scene with his first full-length solo album, I’ve Never Been Here Before, and the Mandevillain Tour in support of it.
He made his DC stop recently at Union Stage for all the DMV members of the Zombie gang to come out.
Dreamville’s own Bas stopped by The Fillmore Silver Spring on Easter Sunday for the DMV stop on his We Only Talk About Real Sh*t When We’re F*cked Up (WOTARSWWFU) Tour in support of his most recent album of the same name. The Paris born, Sudanese New Yorker pulls from his diverse upbringing using numerous influences for the album from afrobeats, RnB, and grime to electronic and lo-fi but all stacked on top of a hip-hop foundation.
That diverse sound created the soundtrack for the tour and was also reflected in the opening acts; as rappers Hoosh, Blxckie and Ruben Vincent are all also of African descent. Their similar vibes received a warm welcome from the crowd as they waited to see Bassy.
World-renowned Atlanta-based guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Tinsley Ellis recently celebrated the release of his first-ever solo acoustic album, Naked Truth, with a live solo acoustic performance at Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis.
Steve Satzberg was there to photograph the show!
Gratitude is one of the great gifts an audience can receive from an artist living their dream up on stage.
Josiah Leming had just celebrated his 35th birthday a few days recently before playing to a sold-out 9:30 Club, and his outpouring of thanks to the enthusiastic crowd demonstrated his larger appreciation for music and all that it’s done for him so far in his lifetime.
Performing as Josiah and the Bonnevilles, Leming filled the hearts of everyone in the packed venue the night of March 30 as he shared his songs and the emotional experiences that have gone into making them so popular so fast.
Over the weekend, I was fortunate enough to attend a very intimate show in Vienna, Virginia. Andy Shauf is currently on a solo acoustic tour which took him to The Barns at Wolf Trap.
I had never been to The Barns, so I was anxious to find out what it is like. I got there pretty early to scope the place out and get familiar with the venue and I’m glad I did.
Raul Malo could sing the phonebook and it would be worth hearing. That’s how good his voice is — he’s one of the best singers in popular music. The comparison has been made to the late Roy Orbison, and it’s not wrong — Raul is that good, and he recently showed off his incredible pipes in a solo set at The Birchmere.
