Parquet Courts (Photo courtesy Ticketfly)
Parquet Courts will release their new album, Wide Awake!, on Friday, May 18, via Rough Trade. The quartet are touring to promote the new album with a show at 9:30 Club on Thursday, June 7. And you can win tickets to go with Parklife DC!
Pussy Riot (Photo by Sacha Lecca)
Russian punk protest group Pussy Riot will stage a concert, or maybe a protest, at Black Cat on Wednesday, May 23. Whatever these women do, it will likely be well worth the price of admission!
Bettye LaVette (Photo by Marina Chavez)
Legendary soul singer Bettye LaVette released Things Have Changed, her 10th studio album, on March 30. On the new record, Bettye tackles the songs of Bob Dylan as only she can. And now, she will perform them live in a show at The Hamilton on Saturday, May 19.
Sloan plays a packed Rock & Roll Hotel on May 11, 2018. (Photo by David LaMason)
For nearly 30 years, the Toronto-based band Sloan has shown how a band can be consistently great while being completely democratic. Each member — Jay Ferguson (guitar/vocals/bass), Chris Murphy (bass/vocals/drums), Patrick Pentland (guitar/vocals/bass), and Andrew Scott (drums/vocals/guitar) — takes on songwriting duties and each song is perfectly crafted and laden with hooks that keep fans coming back from the band’s debut Smeared to the recently released 12th album (appropriately titled) 12. Fans came back again for their latest show at Rock and Roll Hotel on Friday.
Eli Reed performs with the High & Mighty Brass Band at Rock and Roll Hotel on May 12, 2018. (Photo by Ari Strauss)
Eli “Paperboy” Reed, joined forces with legendary High and Mighty Brass Band of Brooklyn to deliver a high-energy, soulful performance at Rock & Roll Hotel on Saturday.
Luke Winslow-King performs at Pearl Street Warehouse on May 10, 2018. (Photo by Ari Strauss)
Heading into Luke Winslow-King’s show Thursday at the Pearl Street Warehouse, I was interested to observe the crowd reaction. Earlier that day, I’d written a review of his new album, Blue Mesa, published on Friday by Bloodshot Records. On Luke’s previous previous five albums, he’d played entirely acoustic, a mix of traditional styles — blues, jazz, ragtime, pre-war folk. On Blue Mesa, Luke goes electric, moving in a more blues and roots rock direction. The photographer that accompanied me to the show noticed the difference, describing Luke’s style as more “rockabilly.”
This Will Destroy You performs at Black Cat on May 9, 2018. (Photo by Mark Caicedo)
Although I’m a late arrival to the post-rock party, I started following This Will Destroy You a couple years ago. With their sonic power, strong sense of melody and extreme technical abilities, this band’s music spoke to me in a way I’d never experienced before. So I jumped at the chance to see TWDY live at the Black Cat recently. As a bonus, to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the release of the eponymously named first full length album, the band would be performing it and the 2006 EP, Young Mountain, in their entireties.
Molly Rankin fronts Alvvays at 9:30 Club on May 8, 2018.
The alluring voice of Molly Rankin mesmerized the audience during a sold-out show at 9:30 Club last week.
Joachim Cooder (Photo by Amanda Charchian)
Legendary roots musician Ry Cooder has a son who also is a very talented musician. Joachim Cooder, who released his first proper EP, Fuchsia Machu Picchu, on March 30, will open for his legendary father, and then he play drums in his dad’s band, at The Birchmere on Monday, June 4, and Monday, June 11. The first date has sold out, but tix remain for June 11.
Post Animal (Photo courtesy Polyvinyl Records)
Post Animal, a psych-rock five-piece from Chicago, recently released When I Think of You in a Castle, their debut full-length record, via Polyvinyl Records. The guys perform at Union Stage in support of that album on Saturday, June 2.