Joan Osborne at Wolf Trap
Words by Dan Rozman
Photos by Mark Raker
Veteran singer-songwriter Joan Osborne brought her genre-spanning catalog to the cozy Barns at Wolf Trap on Nov. 29, 2023, treating the Wednesday night crowd to a captivating 13-song set. A seven-time Grammy Award nominee known for emotive vocals and socially conscious lyrics, Osborne’s performance included both older classics and songs from her new 2023 album Nobody Owns You.
Doja Cat clicked off the internet and headed to the stage for the first time since 2019 for her Scarlet Tour, supporting her new album of the same name. The album is her first release with no features since her debut release in 2014.
While getting your big break via the internet, especially Tiktok, isn’t uncommon for artists in 2023, Doja Cat’s rise to mainstream is significant because she went viral in 2020, when people were more online than ever. Her transition from “Tiktok song” artist to a headlining tour was swift, now filling arenas such as DC’s Capital One, which she played on Nov. 27 with support from Ice Spice.
Brooklyn indie rockers Breach Fossils released Bunny, their fourth studio album, earlier this year via Bayonet. They wrapped a North American tour with a hometown show on Nov. 30, and along the way they performed at 9:30 Club on Nov. 25.
Micaela Cerball was there to photograph the DC show!
After Thanksgiving, Ottobar in Baltimore hosted Barrett Martin, one of the most accomplished percussionists today, and his one-man show.
I’m not calling it a concert on purpose. This was one of the most unique shows I have seen. It was less of a concert and more of a presentation; and once you take a look at Barrett’s discography, you’ll understand why this format makes a lot of sense.
Earlier this fall, Blues stalwart Joe Bonamassa released Blues Deluxe Vol. 2, his 16th solo studio album, through J&R Adventures. Joe is on tour, and he recently appeared at The Lyric Baltimore!
Steve Satzberg was on hand to photograph the man who holds the title of the world’s biggest living blues guitarist.
Lil Uzi Vert’s recent concert at The Anthem was an unforgettable experience. The venue was packed with enthusiastic fans, creating a lively atmosphere.
Beloved alt-country singer-songwriter (and one of my personal favorites) Lydia Loveless plays DC’s intimate The Atlantis on Monday, Dec. 4. A critical favorite since emerging roughly a decade ago, AllMusic describes them as a “perfect mix of country twang and rock & roll attitude, with great songs to match.”
Bluegrass music finds itself at a glorious time in its existence, when some of the most legendary players and pickers still regularly grace the stages while a new, hyper-talented group of stars emerges to energize and invigorate the sound and presentation of this music.
No one might be riding higher within that expanding sphere than Molly Tuttle, the heroic and award-winning guitarist who records her own material but has skyrocketed as of late in leading her rousing bluegrass gang, Golden Highway.
No man was left behind recently at The Fillmore Silver Spring when Earl Sweatshirt took charge. From the moment the concert started, everyone was on stage for everyone else’s set. At no point during the opening acts did Earl Sweatshirt leave the stage, and this just shows a whole other level of support that all of the artists share for one another.
Acclaimed Grateful Dead cover band Joe Russo’s Almost Dead played two funky sets of songs recently at The Anthem, and Mark Raker was there to photograph the show.
