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Live Review: Alex G @ Ottobar — 10/29/21

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Alex G performs on the second of two sold out nights at Ottobar in Baltimore on Oct. 29, 2021. (Photo by Casey Vock)

Do-it-yourself artists obviously have resources at their disposal that simply weren’t there for musicians of the past. But that doesn’t necessarily put success any closer within reach, nor does it grant an artist any listeners.

The fact that Alex Giannascoli recorded his first album as a senior at Haverford High School, even in today’s day and age, is an impressive achievement, and by attracting his initial fan base in organic fashion, he set the course for what would be a remarkable rise to prominence over the course of a decade while staying true to his lo-fi sound and his hands-on approach to creating unreserved songs.

Recently selling out two back-to-back shows at Ottobar in Baltimore as his musical vehicle known as Alex G, previously known as (Sandy) Alex G, showed his momentum hasn’t been slowed by the pandemic.

Live Review: Frazey Ford w/ Phil Cook @ Pearl Street Warehouse — 10/31/21

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Frazey Ford (Photo courtesy the artist)

Frazey Ford is one of the most unconventional, eclectic singer-songwriters on the current music scene. When she appeared at the Pearl Street Warehouse on Halloween, she demonstrated her wide-ranging sound, unique vocals, and off-the-wall personality and wacky sense of humor.

Live Review: The Halluci Nation @ Union Stage — 10/28/21

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The Halluci Nation performs at Union Stage in Washington DC on Oct. 28, 2021. (Photo by Casey Vock)

Like too much of the life, culture, traditions, and beliefs of those who lived on this continent long before European settlers began arriving by boat, the music of indigenous people has probably been lost on many Americans or Canadians.

But the efforts of an electronic music outfit from way up north have helped change that over the last decade.

The Halluci Nation, formerly known as A Tribe Called Red, creates mind-blowing dance music by blending what has been described as First Nations powwow-step with electronica and a variety of styles from different parts of the world.

Live Review: Nation of Language w/ The Wants @ Songbyrd Music House — 10/31/21

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Nation of Language perform at Songbyrd Music House on Oct. 31, 2021. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

Perhaps Halloween shows should be spooky but the audience at a sold-out show at Songbyrd Music House was nothing but smiles for synthpoppers Nation of Language and their openers The Wants Sunday. While the performance may have dealt in its share of angst as musical inspiration, the 200+ folks gathered could only dance in delight as the young New York City bands also took a page from classic new wave and post-punk acts that would have made MTV’s 120 Minutes proud.

Live Review: Alkaline Trio and Bad Religion @ The Fillmore Silver Spring — 10/30/21

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Alkaline Trio performs at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Oct. 30, 2021. (Photos by Shedrick Pelt)

On Saturday, a weekend of ghoulish guests and things that go bump in the night, rock music took center stage at The Fillmore in Silver Spring during a jointly-headlined tour stop with Bad Religion and Alkaline Trio, two forefathers of the punk rock revival of the early-to-mid 90s. 

Live Review: Hayes Carll @ The Birchmere — 10/30/21

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Hayes Carll (Photo by David McClister)

Over the course of more than 20 years, singer-songwriter Hayes Carll has gradually built his career to the point that he has become of the central figures in the Americana genre. After releasing his first album, Flowers & Liquor, in 2002, he was voted “Best New Act” by the Houston Press. His second album, 2004’s Little Rock, became the first self-released album to reach number 1 on the Americana chart. In 2010, he won the Americana Music Association’s Emerging Artist of the Year. The next two years, he was nominated for Artist of the Year. He’s currently touring behind his eighth album, You Get It All, and he headlined at The Birchmere on Saturday evening.

Live Review: Arlo Parks @ Union Stage — 10/26/21

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Arlo Parks sings at Union Stage in DC on Oct. 26, 2021. (Photo by Kyle Gustafson)

A good, general rule to live by is when a recent winner of the Mercury Music Prize comes to your town, go see them. This certainly held up well for Arlo Parks’ sold-out appearance at Union Stage recenlty.  Fresh off of an appearance at the Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta over the previous weekend, Parks displayed talent and charisma well beyond what I expected from this 20 year-old.

Her debut album, Collapsed in Sunbeams, is a fun, airy vibe of trip-hop beats (supplied by producer Gianluca Buccellati) and Parks cooler-than-ice-cold vocals. She has an ear for a hook as well, I’m still trying to get the chorus of “Caroline” out of my head days after the show. I swear to God I tried.

Live Review: Orville Peck @ Baltimore Soundstage — 10/29/21

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Orville Peck stampedes through the Baltimore Soundstage on Oct. 29, 2021. (Photo by David LaMason)

What a night! What started out as a cold, windy, rainy evening ended Friday night in a sweaty, sold-out Baltimore Soundstage filled with cowboy hats and masks (both the Covid-19 kind and the Orville Peck kind). But I’m getting ahead of myself now, so I’ll back up a bit.

Orville Peck, the enigmatically masked cowboy originally from Canada whose music is steeped in that old Country of Tanya Tucker, George Jones, and Loretta Lynn. The last time I saw Orville Peck was a couple of years ago at the Union Stage (see a review of that show here) and his stature has grown exponentially since then.

Preview: The Quebe Sisters @ The Hamilton Live — 11/21/21

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The Quebe Sisters (Photo courtesy Michael J. Media)

Trailblazing Trio The Quebe Sisters Serve as Modern-Day Beacons for Country and Western Swing
By Mario Tarradell

Three women – modern, creative, and talented – are stretching the boundaries of old-time country and western swing music. The best part? They are doing it steadfastly, free of frivolous fanfare. We’re talking about neo-traditionalist western swing trio the Quebe Sisters – siblings Grace, Sophia, and Hulda.

The Quebe Sisters are hardly newcomers, though. Their modern musical sensibilities coalesced as seasoned performers. Dallas-based Grace, Sophia, and Hulda Quebe spent the last 15 years merging three-part harmony and triple fiddles to put a youthful, jubilant spin on Bob Wills’ classic genre. They have recorded four studio albums and toured North America, Europe, and Russia.

The Quebe Sisters are ready to perform western swing classics as well as inspired originals in concert Nov. 21 at 8 pm at The Hamilton Live, 600 14th St. NW,  DC. Tickets are $25-$50 per person; all ages are welcome. To purchase tickets, click here.

Snapshots: Ashnikko @ The Fillmore Silver Spring — 10/26/21

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Ashnikko performs at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Oct. 26, 2021. (Photo by Katherine Gaines/ ambienteye.com)

Ashnikko may look like a blue-haired wood nymph but the singer-songwriter is a viral sensation in full embrace of the horrors of life — both literally and metaphorically — with their unique sense of humor.

The London-dwelling American kicked off their fall Demidevil Tour at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Tuesday, and Katherine Gaines caught the action on camera.