Jonas Bjerre fronts Mew at 9:30 Club on Aug. 5, 2017. (Photo by Paivi)
Danish dreampoppers Mew received a warm welcome upon their return to 9:30 Club Saturday, when a crowded room lapped up tunes familiar and new from the touring trio.
Goo Goo Dolls (Photo by Bob Mussel)
Vocalist/guitarist John Rzeznik and bassist Robby Takac are best known as the Goo Goo Dolls. As a follow-up to 2016’s Boxes, their 11th studio album, the duo released You Should Be Happy, a five-song EP, physically on June 9 (after a May 12 digital release) via Warner Bros. Records.
John and Robby have hit the road for their Long Way Home headlining tour, accompanied by touring bandmates Brad Fernquist (guitar), Korel Tunador (keyboards), and Craig Macintyre (drums). The tour stops at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia, on Tuesday, Aug. 8.
JR Russell fronts The Reflex in a show at Cathdral Commons on Friday, Aug. 4, 2017.
“In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn’t commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum-security stockade to the Los Angeles underground.
Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire…” “THE REFLEX!”
So goes the audio track introducing the DC area’s tuffest ’80s cover band — The Reflex. In all seriousness, The Reflex, who usually perform as a quintet, deliver terrific carefree fun, mixing every single one of your favorite songs from the ’80s into a kitsch-laden show sure to please — as they proved in a Friday evening performance at Cathedral Commons in DC.
Joey Bada$$ performs at MGM National Harbor on Aug. 2, 2017. (Photo by Chris Castillo)
Rapper Joey Bada$$ dropped his latest album ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$, the follow up to 2015’s B4.Da.$$, on April 7 via Pro Era Records/Cinematic Music Group. He also dropped by MGM National Harbor on Wednesday, Aug. 2, to open for Logic on the Everybody Tour.
Logic performs at MGM National Harbor on Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017. (Photo by Chris Castillo)
Sir Robert Bryson Hall II aka Logic made a victory lap in a very crowded homecoming show at MGM National Harbor on Wednesday, Aug. 2, as he delivered beats alongside his thought-provoking rap.
Snallygaster returns to Yards Park in DC on Saturday, Sept. 23.
Snallygaster is the most robust, diverse, and carefully curated beer festival in DC (and I daresay likely the entire eastern seaboard), and it is returning for its sixth edition at Yards Park (1300 First St. SE, DC) on Saturday, Sept. 23.
William Control performs at Vans Warped Tour in Columbia, Maryland on July 16, 2017. (Photo by Paivi)
William Control, also known as William Francis of Aiden, is an electronic music project from Seattle. The dark wave rocker has been releasing a series of EPs, most recently Revelations: The Red EP in July via his own Control Records, and he has been on tour with VANS Warped Tour this summer. Paivi caught William Control for some pictures of his performance at Merriweather Post Pavilion on July 16.
The Rocket Summer performs at Kingdom in Richmond, Virginia, on June 15, 2012. (Photo by Alexandra Bellink)
Bryce Avary aka The Rocket Summer made a stop at Rock and Roll Hotel on his Do You Feel 10-year anniversary tour on Tuesday. In doing so, he imparted the rarest of gifts in an attentive audience, stirring the desire to create.
Barb Wire Dolls perform during VANS Warped Tour at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland on July 16, 2017. (Photo by Paivi)
Greek quintet Barb Wire Dolls from their native Greece to Los Angeles several years ago. There, Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead caught the band at Whisky A Go-Go in 2015 and offered them a record deal with Motörhead Music, where they have released their last two album.
Barb Wire Dolls published their latest Rub My Mind this year via Motörhead Music and hit the road with VANS Warped Tour, where Paivi caught them at Merriweather Post Pavilion on July 17.
The Alarm perform at VANS Warped Tour at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland on July, 16, 2017. (Photo by Paivi.)
Perhaps the most unusual booking on this year’s VANS Warped Tour was the legendary British rock band The Alarm, led by the affable Mike Peters. The traveling music festival hit Merriweather Post Pavilion last month on July 16, and Paivi made it a point to catch the new wave turned folk rock outfit.
