Chris Knight (Photo by Ray Kennedy)
Esteemed singer-songwriter Chris Knight performs at City Winery on Friday, Nov. 22, in support of his most recent record Almost Daylight, which was released in October via Thirty Tigers. His ninth album to date, and his first new music in seven years, Almost Daylight delivers some of the most powerful and unexpected songs of his career.
Kim Petras (Photo by Byron Spencer)
German power pop diva Kim Petras released Turn Off the Light, her second studio album, in October through her own label, BunHead. She now arrives at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Wednesday, Nov. 20, for a show on her Clarity Tour.
Mandolin Orange performs at the Lincoln Theatre on Nov. 14, 2019. (Photo by Mark Caicedo)
Heartbreak and joy. The words kept running through my mind. For to experience Mandolin Orange’s music is to feel those two emotions simultaneously. Their melodies and words conjure longing and loss yet, somehow, always feel hopeful and bold. Andrew Marlin writes songs that express the universality of emotion we all feel. Their delivery, though, is what makes Mandolin Orange so irresistible. The quality of their intertwining harmony vocals; pure, melancholy and perfectly attuned, creating a contrast of tension and synchronicity.
Lupe Fiasco performs at the Kennedy Center on Nov. 14, 2019. (Photo by Jati Lindsay)
To be resurrected is to be reborn, reinvented, reinvigorated — and not only in the physical form. Your soul too can reconnect with something you may or may not recognize you lost. As creatives, in an ever-changing DIY landscape, we are constantly tiptoeing the line between the life and death of our art. Luckily, our forefathers like Lupe Fiasco have made and taken the hits for us, making our paths a little less treacherous — as seen recently at the Kennedy Center.
Justin Furstenfeld of Blue October (Photo by Chris Barber)
I had the pleasure of seeing Blue October for the second time this year recently. Justin Furstenfeld and company made a stop in Baltimore at one of my personal favorite venues — Baltimore Soundstage — as they finished the last few dates of their current tour.
Joe Ely of The Flatlanders (Photo by Barbara FG)
I could start by talking about the importance and influence of The Flatlanders. But I’d rather begin on a personal note. In 2004, I attended the Austin City Limits Festival. The third day of the festival, I think it was late afternoon, I was walking between stages when a performer grabbed my attention. That was Joe Ely, who makes up The Flatlanders with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock.
Black Mountain performs at Black Cat on Nov. 13, 2019. (Photo by Ben Eisendrath/ Instagram+Twitter: Insomnigraphic/GrillworksBen)
Canadian psych-rockers Black Mountain performed at Black Cat recently during the band’s Horns Arising Tour to present new songs from Destroyer, the band’s fifth studio album. Ben Eisendrath went along to capture them in action.
Leah and Chloe Smith of Rising Appalachia (Photo courtesy of Rising Appalachia)
Rising Appalachia is a self-made success story. Sisters Leah and Chloe Smith — each world travelers for nearly two decades — merge multiple global music influences with their own Southern roots to create a unique world folk sound. The band has built a legion of listeners through relentless touring, tireless activism, and no small degree of stubborn independence.
After self-producing their first six albums, Leah and Chloe opted for the first time to team up with someone outside the band, legendary singer-songwriter/producer Joe Henry, to produce their seventh album, Leylines.
Parklife DC’s Ari Strauss emailed Chloe to ask about the new album and what is in store for the band’s upcoming show at The Hamilton Live on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
North Mississippi Allstars (Photo by Tom Bejgrowicz)
“World boogie” came to the District recently. That’s the term the North Mississippi Allstars use for their Hill Country blues-based, hard-rocking, seriously funky style. For some three hours, the NMA jammed out in front of a packed house at The Hamilton. Based in tradition but looking to the future, the NMA showed the audience just what is possible when creative, forward-looking artists put their spin on roots music.
Mikaela Davis performs at Songbyrd Music House on Nov. 11, 2019. (Photo by Mark Caicedo)
A true professional is one who approaches her or his craft with singleness of purpose, the ability to ignore the surrounding noise, and the will to power through when roadblocks and obstacles are blaring “stop, go back, give up!”
Life on the road for a working musician is tough enough without the unexpected breakdowns, illnesses, and logistical headaches. Thus when harpist/singer-songwriter extraordinaire Mikaela Davis and Southern Star stopped into the Songbyrd Music House and Record Café recently, they had already overcome several hurdles, including Mikaela losing her voice prior to the previous night’s gig that forced her first ever cancellation.
