David Bowie (Photo by Jimmy King)
David Bowie would have celebrated his 70th birthday on Jan. 8, 2017.
While David is gone, his music remains. So join Careless Memories: A New Wave Party on Thursday, Jan. 12, for a night of music by Bowie in remembrance of the man.
Duran Duran perform at MGM National Harbor on Dec. 31, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)
“Did you get your smoked salmon and your caviar? Or is anybody hungry?” roared Simon LeBon, introducing “Hungry Like the Wolf” by Duran Duran on New Year’s Eve.
Booked for a special weekend of shows on New Year’s Eve and then New Year’s Day 2017, Duran Duran fed a ravenous sold-out crowd song after song at The Theater at MGM National Harbor Saturday, fielding one of the very first concerts in the brand new casino and entertainment complex on the cusp of DC city limits in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Andrew Savage of Parquet Courts sings at the 9:30 Club on May 12, 2016.
Parquet Courts released Human Performance, a tremendous fourth studio album, last year via Rough Trade. They then toured lots and lots.
Now they are touring some more! And they return with their outstanding new songs to play again at the 9:30 Club on Monday, Feb. 13. (Read our Parklife DC review of Parquet Courts’ last 9:30 Club show!)
Peaches O’Dell at the Black Cat on Dec. 31, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)
I arrived late to the show on Saturday (due to another commitment), but I still managed to catch some tunes in the last set by Peaches O’Dell and Her Orchestra at the Black Cat’s New Year’s Eve Ball on Saturday.
Steve Gunn (Photo by Constance Mensh)
The prolific Steve Gunn recently released a new album Eyes on the Lines, via Matador, and he has embarked on a solo acoustic tour that stops at the Rock and Roll Hotel on Friday, Jan. 20.
Bowie tribute band Life on Mars perform at Cary Street Cafe in Richmond, Va., on Feb. 18, 2016. (Photo courtesy Life on Mars)
A six-man band in Richmond, Virginia, aims to keep alive the spirit of David Bowie, and they are coming to DC to perform at Gypsy Sally’s on Friday, Jan. 6.
David Bowie would have turned 70 on Jan. 8, so this is a perfect opportunity to come out and salute the music icon. (Our own DJ dance party — Careless Memories: Happy Birthday, David Bowie — follows shortly after at Dodge City on Thursday, Jan. 12!)
Duran Duran (Photo courtesy MGM National Harbor)
As we fast approach 2017, we at Parklife DC resolve to see more shows. And we are starting our year off with a bang, as I’ll be catching Duran Duran at the new Theatre at MGM National Harbor on Sunday, Jan. 1.
Duran Duran actually will perform two shows at MGM National Harbor, marking the venue’s fourth- and fifth-ever performances on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. (Boys to Men, Lionel Richie, and Bruno Mars already have played there.) And tickets already are sold out for Duran Duran’s New Year’s Eve show, which takes you right up until midnight. I toured the Theatre recently, and I can assure you it is a delightfully designed space that feels very intimate on the ground floor.
Watch the official music video for “The Reflex” by Duran Duran (a song on their most recent setlist) on YouTube:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDnNF5cHCdo]
Duran Duran last performed in DC on April at the Verizon Center in an outstanding show that included their longtime friend and mentor Nile Rodgers. (Read our Parklife DC review of that show.) The band most recently performed only last night, Dec. 29, in Cancun, Mexico. That setlist included a massive amount of favorites, and largely mirrored the setlist from their Paper Gods Tour, undertaken in support of their most recent album.
In their encore last night, Duran Duran performed “Save a Prayer,” which they dedicated to their late friend George Michael. (Who else remembers that Simon LeBon joined Wham! onstage for “I’m Your Man” during their final shows at Wembley Stadium?)
For those who have been following such things, the amazing Nick Rhodes will participate in the MGM National Harbor shows, after taking some time off earlier this year due to a sickness in his family.
Duran Duran
MGM National Harbor
Sunday, Jan. 1
Doors @8pm
$114-$214
All ages
Savages at 9:30 Club on March 27, 2016 (See the full blog)
As we wrap up 2016 here at Parklife DC, we looked back on our best concert photos of the year, where reviewed our 10 (actually 11) favorite photos on our blog.
But while Paivi and Kristie considerably brightened up our blog with their pictures, Theresa C. Sanchez and myself also have been out there photographing some concerts. So now we are rounding up the best of the rest to present some cool photos that Theresa and I captured over the year as well.
Steve Jackson of The Pietasters keeps the party going at the 9:30 Club on Friday, Dec. 23.
Christmas came early for the rude boys and girls of DC as The Pietasters, our city’s terrific #1 ska band, took to the 9:30 Club for a holiday show that proved a jubilant celebration of the storied band’s catalog.
Chief Pietaster Steve Jackson and his motley crew were in fine shape indeed for a stomping singalong of their tunes, along with a few favorite cover songs. The Pietasters shared a full house that wasn’t afraid to mosh with a busy bill that included Loving Paupers, Hub City Stompers, and Mephiskapheles -– with the support bands occasionally leaping into The Pietasters’ set to lend their voices to the chorus.
London post-punks White Lies are returning to the 9:30 Club on Feb. 1 in support of a great new album — titled Friends.
After publishing the album in October via BMG, White Lies announced a brief US tour that begins here in DC. And on that tour they will play outstanding new songs like “Morning in LA” from the new album. These guys are really terrific standard-bearers for the classic post-punk sound, and their music is continually renewing. Make plans to check them out!
Watch the official music video for “Morning in LA” by White Lies on YouTube:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjoqmMWyko4]
Parklife DC is giving away a pair of tickets to see White Lies at the 9:30 Club. To win, simply leave a comment on this blog. You can leave any comment, but we would like to know your favorite song by White Lies.
For the rules of this giveaway–
Comments will be closed at 5pm on Friday and a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be notified by email. The winner must respond to our email within 24 hours, or they will forfeit their tickets and we will pick another winner. We will email you instructions on claiming your ticket. Good luck!
Tickets also are available online.
White Lies
w/ Vowws
9:30 Club
Wednesday, Feb. 1
Doors @7pm
$25
All ages