Live Review: Mac McAnally @ The Birchmere — 5/10/19

Mac McAnally (Photo courtesy the artist)
You may not have heard Mac McAnally’s name, but you’re likely familiar with his with work. If you’ve listened to Jimmy Buffett, you’ve probably heard Mac’s songs, and you’ve definitely heard Mac; he’s played for decades in Jimmy’s Coral Reefer Band. Mac played a great solo show at The Birchmere on Friday.
Live Review: Ex Hex @ 9:30 Club — 5/10/19
Mary Timony and Betsy Wright trade riffs at 9:30 Club on May 10, 2019. (Photos by Mickey McCarter; Words by Juliet Van Wagenen)
You know you’ve made it when you’ve got your own ice cream. But DC darling garage punk band Ex Hex’s signature ice cream “Another DiMINTsion” (of the mint-chocolate-chip variety, aptly named for their song “Another Dimension” and sampled for journalistic purposes, of course) wasn’t the only thing bringing chill, hometown flavor to the 9:30 Club this Friday.
Live Review: The Dream Syndicate @ U Street Music Hall — 5/10/19
Steve Wynn fronts The Dream Syndicate at U Street Music Hall on May 10, 2019. (Photos by Jason Nicholson; Words by Mickey McCarter)
The Dream Syndicate played often at the original 9:30 Club in the ‘80s, a memory that prompted frontman Steve Wynn to call the outfit “the house band” for a time. On Friday, Steve was pleased to find himself back in DC with a 9:30 Club Production with his finely tuned and reformed band.
Preview: Chromeo @ Lincoln Theatre, 5/19/19

Chromeo (Photo courtesy Sacks & Co.)
Funk duo Chromeo announced their fist ever live band shows earlier this year, presenting 90 minutes of expanded sound. The band said it will record the upcoming shows at First Avenue in Minneapolis for a live album, but first Chromeo brings the show to the Lincoln Theatre on Sunday, May 19.
Live Review: Lissie @ City Winery — 5/6/19

Lissie performs at City Winery. (Photo courtesy Reybee)
Lissie was born a rocker. Before she released her first album, To Catch a Tiger, she toured as the opening as the opening act for Lenny Kravitz. She caught fire early, landing songs on The O.C., Veronica Mars, and House, and that was before she’d even moved to Los Angeles. But as her career progressed, she’s moved toward increasingly bare, stripped-down arrangements. And that’s what she brought to City Winery DC recently.
Live Review: Sleepy Creek SpringDig @ Sleepy Creek on the Potomac (Berkeley Springs, WV) — 5/3-5/5/19

The Jeff Austin Band headlines SpringDig on May 4, 2019. (Photos by Chester Simpson; Words by Michael Tucker)
SpringDig is always a special event for me because it’s the first festival of the year that I attend; on top of that, my lovely partner Tara and I have the great honor of working hospitality for the bands and crew of the event which means we provide them with food, cold drinks, and a comfortable area to chill, recharge, or practice. And so, we were happy to be at Sleepy Creek SpringDig 2019 on May 3-5 in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.
Preview: DC101 Kerfuffle @ Merriweather Post Pavilion, 5/19/19

Greta Van Fleet (left to right: Danny Wagner, Jake Kiszka, Josh Kiszka, Sam Kiszka) (Photo by Travis Shinn)
A “kerfuffle” is a commotion or fuss. Surely, local DC101 was thinking of something similarly disorganized when it lifted the name for its annual concert jamboree. That said, the DC101 Kerfuffle at Merriweather Post Pavilion will likely run like a well-oiled machine on Sunday, May 19, considering the high caliber of the bands performing — Greta Van Fleet, Young the Giant, The Revivalists, Tom Morello, SHAED, and The Blue Stones!















