Live Review: Yola @ 9:30 Club — 1/10/20

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Yola sings at Americanafest on Aug. 10, 2019. (Photo by Steven Pisano)

Several years ago, country-soul songwriter Yola was testing a Christmas gift that involved a live flame. Unbeknownst to her, the accelerant she used leaked onto her dress, and, when she went to light it, she caught fire.

To her surprise, Yola responded by breaking into laughter, as she realized she was bizarrely happy at this turn of events. That says a lot about where she was at the time, Yola told a sold-out 9:30 Club audience recently.

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Preview: Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven @ 9:30 Club, 1/18/20

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Cracker’s David Lowery and Johnny Hickman (Photo by Bradford Jones)

Why front one band when you can front two? That’s surely the philosophy of David Lowery — guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and mathematician — who heads both Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven. As is David’s habit in the past several years, he’s bringing both bands to 9:30 Club for a double bill on Saturday, Jan. 18.

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Live Review: Art Alexakis @ City Winery — 1/10/20

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Art Alexakis performs at City Winery in DC on Jan. 10, 2020. (Photo by Chris Smyth)

“Don’t you feel old being at a dinner theater and listening to ’90s rock?” the affable Art Alexakis quipped during his recent performance at City Winery DC. In the small, quiet venue, Art appeared comfortable on stage all by himself, regularly joking and telling stories to the fans in attendance.

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Live Review: Time Is Fire @ Pie Shop — 1/3/20

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TimeIsFire32 Time Is Fire performs at Pie Shop on Jan. 3, 2020. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

Have you ever seen a performance so unexpected that you were immediately inspired to share what you saw with anyone who will listen? I felt that way about DC psych rockers Time Is Fire when first I saw them at Black Cat several years ago. The arresting quintet was unlike any local band ever I imagined: Fronted by an Iranian singer, the gents burst with lively fire and joyful life.

Time Is Fire appeared at Pie Shop recently, and I had the opportunity to catch them again on an energetic bill, where three bands drew a big crowd to the buzzy upstairs music hall within Dangerously Delicious Pies.

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