Courtney Barnett played The Anthem on May 10 as a stop of her Creature of Habit Tour. The show balanced new material with many of the songs that established her reputation during the 2010s indie-rock boom. Micaela Cerball was there to photograph the show!
Before Sister Ray took the stage for their opening set at the Lincoln Theatre recently, Afie Jurvanen (the Juno Award-winning native of Barrie, Ontario, Canada, behind Bahamas), came out to introduce them, and he promised the audience “an evening of mid-tempo ballads.” It was a classy move — and it’s representative of the wry, good-natured humor in his work — and a solid opening to a night of great songs.
Cristina Vane has followed a unique musical and life path. Half Sicilian-American and half Guatemalan, she was raised in Paris, and her journey led her to Los Angeles and now Nashville — and to a passion for roots music, especially country blues, which she explored in “Little Girl From Nowhere.”
In her recent appearance at Jammin’ Java, her skill on guitar and banjo and her powerhouse vocals were on full display.
Ole 60, a six-piece band hailing from the town of Hawensville, Kentucky, recently graced Baltimore with their presence. Self-described with the tagline, “not your father’s country band,” Ole 60 has cultivated a loyal following by blending the traditional folk sound with a more angst-filled alternative rock sound. This blend gives the band an entirely unique folk/rock/country sound that is hard to find elsewhere.
A man of few words — he didn’t talk between songs, except for introducing his band — Cass McCombs lets his songs do the talking for him, and those songs have plenty to say. He’s much admired for his wry, incisive lyrics. In his recent appearance at The Atlantis, McCombs and his band played a sprawling, stylistically diverse set.
Belgian darkwave act Ultra Sunn transformed Black Cat into a sanctuary of synths, strobes, and sweat on May 7, delivering a performance that felt equally mechanical and emotional. Touring behind 2025’s The Beast in You and recent singles like “Flirt With Death,” the Brussels group arrived in DC with growing momentum — and the eager room responded immediately.
Twisted Teens is as unruly and rowdy as its name suggests. But it’s also one of the best-sounding bands to emerge as of late.
Led by a New Orleans-based duo, the project’s seen two full length albums and an EP released all within about the last year and a half. And it’s taken only that long for the group to catch on quickly with listeners across the country and beyond.
It’s the creation of two musicians: guitarist and vocalist Caspian Hollywell, who’s often referred to simply as Caspian, and steel guitarist Ramon Santos, who’s known as Razor.
Virgil and I trekked out to The Theater at MGM National Harbor, which is the kind of venue where the parking is free but the casino floor between you and the door is itself a slow processional (but excellent for people watching). The bill said “The Amonklok Conquest,” Amon Amarth and Dethklok co-headlining with Castle Rat opening, and I will tell you up front that Steve had it right.
Clara Christensen, who goes by the professional name of Cobrah, the electronic/dance musician from Gothenburg, Sweden, put on a great night of electronica music, song and dance at 9:30 Club on her 2026 Torn Tour of the USA. The tour is in support of her current album Torn, which is receiving great reviews.
Notorious for his extremely sad music, Alec Duckart (also known as Searows) put on a tear-jerker show at 9:30 Club recently, filled with vulnerable lyrics and an audience singing their hearts out. This tour was in support of Searows’ second studio album Death in The Business of Whaling which draws themes from Herman Melville’s Moby Dick served for a perfectly cohesive, put-together show with airy and sensible moments throughout.
