They Might Be Giants perform at 9:30 Club on April 14, 2018.
The delightfully unpredictable They Might Be Giants jammed the night away at 9:30 Club on Saturday, spotlighting a cool new record but also leaping fearlessly across time and space when moved to do so.
In short, John Flansburgh (“Flans”) and John Linnell (“John”) enjoyed themselves immensely, and they took a very packed, sold-out 9:30 Club along for the ride.
Ellie Rosswell fronts Wolf Alice at Rams Head Live on April 13, 2018. (Photo by Shantel Mitchell Breen)
Back in 2013, my very musically advanced 13-year-old daughter shared a song with me that she had heard on a Spotify-curated playlist. She instantly fell in love with this song, and she could not wait to share it with me. I heard the song and said, “This song is great. Who is this? I need to look them up!” The band was Wolf Alice, a new band out of London, and the song was “Bros.”
Mikky Ekko performs at Union Stage on April 13, 2018. (Photo by Will Colbert)
Mikky Ekko — widely known for “Stay,” his 2013 ballad duet with Rihanna — wasted no time Friday night letting the Union Stage crowd know that he was there to rock. Let’s mother f@#ing party!
The alternative music veteran began his set of Sirius XM Alt Nation’s Advanced Placement Tour with “Moment.” The up-tempo song of the Advance Copy EP will appear on Fame, his forthcoming sophomore album on Interscope Records. Continuing the energetic vibe, Mikky performed “What’s It Like Now” and “Not the One.”
David Byrne (Photo by Jody Rogac)
David Byrne, former frontman for the Talking Heads, remains one of the most remarkable and fascinating musicians making music today. David released American Utopia, his 11th studio album, in March via Todo Mundo and Nonesuch Records. It was his first solo album since 2004, and it hit a career-high #3 in the Billboard Top 200 upon its release.
The legendary performer holds court in a sold-out show at The Anthem on May 12, but tickets are still available for another performance at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Saturday, July 28.
Cypress Hill (Photo courtesy Primary Wave)
Groundbreaking hip hop group Cypress Hill, perhaps forever best remembered for 1994’s “Insane in the Brain,” will headline the National Cannabis Festival at RFK Stadium Festival Grounds on Saturday, April 21.
Hand Habits (Photo courtesy the artist)
Singer-songwriter Meg Duffy, guitarist for Kevin Morby, launched Hand Habits, a solo project, a few years back, and last year she debuted a full-length album, Wildly Idle (Humble Before the Void), via Woodsist. Hand Habits is on tour now, opening for Kevin, and the show arrives at Ottobar in Baltimore on Friday, April 20.
Jack Froggatt fronts Mansionair at Union Stage on April 13, 2018. (Photo by Will Colbert)
Australian indie-electronic trio Mansionair brought a heavy dose of atmospheric harmony to Union Stage Friday night. The third stop of the Alt Nation’s Advanced Placement Tour, featuring Mansionair (@Mansionair), Mikky Ekko (@mikkyekko) and NoMBe (@NoMBeMusic), was a showcase of what’s next for alternative music.
Franz Ferdinand perform at 9:30 Club on April 11, 2018. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)
A sold-out audience fell in love once again at 9:30 Club with a retooled Franz Ferdinand, who exhibited fine chemistry and charisma in their first official appearance in DC on Wednesday.
Moogfest headliner Kelela (Photo courtesy Paradigm Agency)
Moogfest 2018, scheduled for May 17-20 in Durham, North Carolina, is the premier urban music festival dedicated to the synthesizer. This year, a slew of electronic musicians joins headlining artists Kelela, Mouse on Mars, KRS-One, Chelsea Manning, Jon Hopkins. You can win tickets to attend with Parklife DC.
Lindi Ortega (Photo by Kate Nutt)
Lindi Ortega released Liberty, her fifth full-length album, in March via Shadowbox Music. The Canadian country singer is touring with a headline performance at Union Stage on Tuesday, April 24.