The Dead South (Photo by Brandon White)
Canadian bluegrass quartet The Dead South stay true to their roots with their Served Cold Tour, which arrives at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Saturday, Jan. 11.
Wale performs at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Jan. 1, 2020. (Photo by AJ Waugh)
Hometown hero Wale was welcomed back by a sold-out crowd for his 10th and final Wale and Friends New Year’s Day show at The Fillmore Silver Spring. Beginning in 2010, Wale started throwing the yearly show as a New Year’s gift for the DMV area while also providing an opportunity to showcase local up and coming talent. This year was no different as the likes Big Flock, Beau Young Prince, and Flex Kartel were just a few of the local stars to grace the stage throughout the night.
David Wax Museum performs at Union Stage on Dec. 29, 2019. (Photo by Mark Caicedo)
I’ve yet to read a concert review that begins with the line: “It was a dark and stormy night…” but it would be apropos of this one. Despite the chilly rain falling on Sunday night, the hardy souls that made their way to Union Stage were rewarded with a light, lovely and warm performance by David Wax Museum.
Fellowcraft rehearses in The Pocket at 7DrumCity not too long ago. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)
Hard-rockin’ DC blues band Fellowcraft tells Parklife DC that they are transforming into a prog-rock outfit. Whatever the case, we like what we hear! Last year, the band made a transition in its sound with a new lineup, now consisting of Jon Ryan MacDonald (guitar, vocals), Brandon Williams (bass, vocals), Pablo Antón (guitar, vocals), and Zach Martin (drums). This year, the band plans a fourth full-length album, following Get Up Young Phoenix (2016), Fellowcraft (2016) and Three (2018).
The peculiar power of Fellowcraft lies in the camaraderie of the band’s four members. These guys love playing together and hanging out together. And they have the rare gift of making you feel like you’re part of the gang when you’re in the audience. That’s the special defining quality of Fellowcraft.
Parklife DC Editor Mickey McCarter met Fellowcraft at 7DrumCity recently to chat about the band’s future prior to a show at The Pocket at 7DrumCity on Friday, Jan. 10. Fellowcraft also perform at Pie Shop on Friday, Feb. 7.
Yola (Photo courtesy 9:30 Club)
Yola, the queen of country soul, has been blazing a path around the world, and she alights on 9:30 Club on Friday, Jan. 10, during her Walk Through Fire World Tour.
Hank Williams’ star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (Photo by allison_dc)
The end of the year brings the annual Hank Williams tribute show to The Birchmere. In the 23rd annual occurrence of the show recently, many performers returned from last year: Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, Pete and Maura Kennedy, bassist Mark Schatz, and fiddler Patrick McAvinue.
The Almost (Photo courtesy Fearless Records)
The Almost, the brainchild of Underoath drummer/vocalist Aaron Gillespie, released Fear Caller on Fearless Records in October after a six-year break. The band performs at Union Stage on Friday, Jan. 10.
Clutch frontman Neil Fallon engages fans at DC’s 9:30 Club, Dec. 29, 2019. (Photo by Ari Strauss)
Clutch kicked off ClutchMas, the band’s annual run of shows between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, with a blistering set at 9:30 Club. The show in DC on Sunday preceded shows at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey, on Dec. 30 and a New Year’s Eve show at Union Transfer in Philadelphia on Dec. 31.
The Fuss performs at 9:30 Club on Dec. 28, 2019. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)
The Fuss already had the party started by the time the reggae band hit “Red Hot Trainwreck” from their latest album at 9:30 Club recently. But the swinging call-and-response tune took their set to another level when the octet opened The Pietasters for the DC ska legend’s annual holiday season hometown show.
The Pietasters perform at 9:30 Club on Dec. 28, 2019. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)
Should ever you feel down during the holidays, get yourself to The Pietasters’ annual holiday show at 9:30 Club. Any Pietasters show is a boisterous, singalong good time, but the hometown holiday edition always seems to have a little bit more meaning.
2019 went skanking out the door as frontman Stephen Jackson, with the good looks of Jon Hamm and showmanship that recalled the halcyon days of the Rat Pack, led his merry ska collective through an hour of well-regarded favorites as the last band in a four-band bill at 9:30 Club recently.
