Xeno Oaklander (Photo courtesy the artist)
Xeno and Oaklander, the minimal electronic duo from Brooklyn, are teaming up with DC’s own dark pop outfit Technophobia in a benefit for House of Ruth at Black Cat on Saturday, Aug. 19, to help survivors of domestic abuse and homelessness.
Nefra Faltas fronts Humble Fire at Rock and Roll Hotel on Friday, Aug. 11, 2017. (Photo by Mark Caicedo)
If variety is the spice of life, the Rock and Roll Hotel served up a flavorful mix of D.C. musical dishes this past Friday, Aug. 11.
As the appetizer, Near Northeast opened the evening’s fare with its eclectic mix of Americana-, jazz- and rock-inflected melodies. Frenemies’ complex power pop felt like we were having dessert first. Nuex (pronounced “new”) then took the stage and reset the table with its soulful electronic pop. The main course arrived on stage with Humble Fire, celebrating the release of its newest album, Builder.
Yukimi Nagano fronts Little Dragon at 9:30 Club on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. (Photo by Theresa C. Sanchez)
Good things come in small packages.
Standing just barely 5 feet tall, the Swedish singer-songwriter Yukimi Nagano is no exception. Last Tuesday and Wednesday night, Little Dragon fans in attendance at the 9:30 Club were transported to the future, and not just the weekend. Attendees accustomed to rock and roll gigs might also argue the neon kaleidoscope-colored lighting and the mobile-like twinkling backdrop also transformed the space into that of a rave. The soulful, electro pop quartet who formed in 1996 (while still in high school) played back-to-back shows promoting their much-anticipated fifth studio album, Season High. They added an additional performance following the quick sellout of their first night.
Nile Rodgers performs at Capital One Arena in DC on Aug. 9, 2017. (Photo by David LaMason)
With a smile on his face and a guitar in his hands, Nile Rodgers strode onto stage at the newly renamed Capital One Arena on a double bill with Earth, Wind & Fire on Wednesday to give us the gift of dance.
Ralph Johnson, Philip Bailey, and B. David Whitworth sing with Earth, Wind, & Fire at Capital One Arena on Aug. 9, 2017. (Photo by David LaMason)
Earth, Wind & Fire swept into the Verizon Center, newly renamed Capital One Arena that very same day, and dazzled a large crowd on their 2054 Tour on a double bill with Nile Rodgers and CHIC on last Wednesday.
Goo Goo Dolls rock out at Jones Beach Theater in Long Island, New York, on June 14, 2014. (Photo by Alexa Spieler)
Watching John Rzeznik and Robby Takac on stage at Wolf Trap on Tuesday, it dawned on me that the duo is rather like the Daryl Hall and John Oates of ’90s alternative music, aren’t they?
Wire (Photo by Mike Hipple)
Wire released Silver/Lead, the band’s 16th studio album via their own Pinkflag label in March, and they return for a North American tour in September. Colin Newman and company perform at Black Cat in DC on Monday, Sept. 25!
Izzy Bizu sings at FedEx Field on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017.
Soul singer Izzy Bizu charmed the early audience during Coldplay’s concert at FedEx Field on Sunday, treating the gathering crowd to upbeat R&B numbers with passion and grace.
Only You (Photo by Sydney Wired)
As every fan of Depeche Mode knows, the band will perform at Capital One Arena (formerly Verizon Center) next month. To celebrate, we are exploring the early days of Mute Records, Depeche Mode’s long-time UK label, with a listening party at Dodge City on Thursday, Aug. 10.
Waxahatchee (Photo courtesy Merge Records)
Kate Crutchfield aka Waxahatchee released Out in the Storm, her fourth studio album, via Merge Records on July 14. She’s performing at 9:30 Club on Monday, Aug. 21 in support of the record, and you can win tickets to see her with Parklife DC.