Music Park: Shelby Lynne @ The Birchmere — 7/25/18
Shelby Lynne performs at The Birchmere on July 25, 2018. (Photo by Ari Strauss)
Part way through her set Wednesday at The Birchmere in Alexandria, Shelby Lynne, brought up the topic of her hair.
Don’t Miss: Sons of Bill @ Union Stage, 8/3/18
Sons of Bill (Photo by Anna Webber)
Americana brothers Sons of Bill are literally sons of Bill — Bill Wilson, a professor at the University of Virginia. Sam, Abe, and James Wilson, who hail from nearby Charlottesville, Virginia, released their first album, A Far Cry from Freedom, in 2006 and their most recent, Oh God Ma’am, on June 29 via Loose Music.
The brothers, along with bandmates bassist Seth Green and drummer Todd Wellons, will perform at Union Stage on Friday, Aug. 3.
Music Park: Jason Isbell @ Wolf Trap — 7/24/18
Jason Isbell rocks Wolf Trap on July 24, 2018. (Photo by Jay Premack)
Amidst light rain, a dedicated crowd came to see four-time Grammy winner Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit perform at Wolf Trap on Tuesday. While the weather may have been a little wet, Jason and his band were on fire, going into their bag of tricks, bringing out the hits, and busting out some badass jamming. It was a rare mix of top-notch lyrics, singing, and instrumentals!
Music Park: Yes @ Warner Theatre — 7/23/18
Steve Howe performs with Yes at the Warner Theatre on July 23, 2018. (Photo by Mark Caicedo)
The 1970s are widely regarded as the golden age of prog rock. Many bands to emerge during that era had tremendous commercial and critical success. Emerson, Lake and Palmer! Genesis! King Crimson! These bands represented the most innovative edge of the genre, pushing musical and lyrical boundaries by combining standard blues-based song structures with sweeping compositions featuring musical arrangements most often found in classical pieces.
But no prog-rock band has had the longevity or breadth of experience as Yes, which celebrated its 50th anniversary at the Warner Theatre on Monday.
Snapshots: Blackberry Smoke @ The Fillmore Silver Spring — 7/22/18
Blackberry Smoke performs at The Fillmore Silver Spring on July 22, 2018. (Photo by Chris Smyth.)
Bringing a taste of Southern rock ‘n’ roll to The Fillmore Silver Spring recently, the guys of Blackberry Smoke performed a long set for their fans. Touring in promotion of their new album, Find a Light, released in April, Blackberry Smoke mixed numerous new songs into their set — “Medicate My Mind,” “Run Away from It All,” “Lord Strike Me Dead,” and “I’ll Keep Ramblin'” were all played as part of their 19-song performance.
Don’t Miss: The Alarm @ City Winery, 8/8/18
The Alarm (Photo courtesy Chart Room Media)
The Alarm released Equals, their most recent studio album, through The Twenty First Century Recording Company on June 29. Frontman Mike Peters and the band are on their most extensive North American Tour in some time, and they visit City Winery in DC on Wednesday, Aug. 8!
Music Park: Tom Bailey @ Rams Head on Stage — 7/24/18
Tom Bailey performs at Rams Head on Stage in Annapolis, Maryland, on July 24, 2018. (Photo by Jason Nicholson)
Tom Bailey’s return to pop music has been nothing short of inspired.
As a vocalist and guitarist of the Thompson Twins, Tom has a wealth of well-regarded material that largely laid dormant until he picked up those songs and started performing them live again in 2014. Inspired by the experience, he’s released a new album while venturing out for some solo dates during a big tour with Culture Club and the B-52’s!
In the area for The Life Tour with those fellow new wavers, Tom played a solo show at Rams Head on Stage in Annapolis on Tuesday. (And he returns for a solo show in Rockville on Aug. 2!)
Don’t Miss: Black Milk @ Rock and Roll Hotel, 8/2/18
Black Milk (Photo by Delaney Teichler)
Rapper Black Milk, born Curtis Eugene Cross, released Fever, his sixth studio album, via Mass Appeal Records and Computer Ugly on Feb. 23. Black Milk is now on tour, and he stops at Rock and Roll Hotel on Thursday, Aug. 2.
Music Park: Courtney Barnett @ The Anthem — 7/24/18
Courtney Barnett shreds at The Anthem on July 24, 2018. (Photo by David LaMason)
Courtney Barnett is no slouch. First there’s the fact that over the past couple of years she has toured constantly not only with her own band of Bones Sloane (bass), Dave Mudie (drums), and (more recently on this current tour) Katie Harkin (keyboards/guitar) but with Kurt Vile and most recently in Jen Cloher’s band.
Music Park: Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo @ MGM National Harbor — 7/24/18
Pat Benatar sings her heart out at MGM National Harbor on July 24, 2018. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)
With a sparkle in her eyes and brilliance in her voice, Pat Benatar was all fired up at MGM National Harbor on Tuesday, as she and husband Neil Giraldo rocked through a smashing catalog of thundering anthems and hushed serenades.
