The Purple Xperience is a tribute to Prince, hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The five-man band will visit Maryland Live! Center Stage to perform the songs of Prince on Thursday, Dec. 7.
Morrisey performs live. (Photo courtesy Shore Fire Media)
The audience swelled into a crowded concert hall at The Anthem to welcome their hero, Steven Patrick Morrissey, who greeted them with humble smiles and vigorous handshakes from the stage. In town to promote Low in High School, his 11th studio album released last month via BMG, Morrissey was in very good spirits, which made his 22-song set rather quite enjoyable.
Wesley Stace performs at 9:30 Club on Nov. 28, 2017.
The charming Wesley Stace filled 9:30 Club with catchy rhythms and witty asides on Tuesday as a sold-out crowd filtered in to catch him open for Squeeze.
Emily Haines (Photo by Justin Broadbent)
Emily Haines, the always melodic lead singer of Metric, released Choir of the Mind, a solo album with her project The Soft Skeleton, in September via Last Gang Records/eOne. Emily launched a solo tour that arrives at Sixth and I Historic Synagogue on Saturday, Dec. 2.
Beach Slang pour their hearts out at Black Cat on Nov. 28, 2017. (Photo by David LaMason)
It goes without saying that Beach Slang have been having a difficult year. There was the well-publicized changes in band members in 2016, immediately followed by the first of two thefts where all of their gear was stolen. The second coming this past month in Seattle where their tour van was stolen. But it’s a testament to the spirit of Beach Slang that they not merely continue on or go through the motions, but they consistently play some of the best heart-on-your-sleeve-seat-of-your-pants rock ‘n’ roll every night. And at Black Cat, James Alex and Company poured out those hearts on Tuesday.
Brian Setzer Orchestra performs on their Christmas Rocks! Tour at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Andrzej Liguz)
I vividly remember the friend who put me on to the music of the Stray Cats 30+ years ago, as he was living the zeitgeist of the ’80s rockabilly revival. I was in Rochester, New York, attending RIT, and he’d come up from Jersey to attend school there as well. He had the greaser haircut, the leather jacket, rolled up cuffs on his jeans, cigarettes under his T-shirt sleeve, and designs on marrying his still virginal high school sweetheart once he got his degree.
The Stray Cats were in constant rotation in his dorm room, and he said to me once, “Y’know, even if this whole rockabilly scene fades away tomorrow, this guy Setzer’s still got a job for life.” He was referring to Stray Cats frontman Brian Setzer’s formidable talent as a guitarist. It was clearly evident back then, even if Setzer’s stylistic trappings were a little different from rock hero contemporaries like Eddie Van Halen or Yngwie Malmsteen.
Maximo Park performs at U Street Music Hall on Nov. 28, 2017. (Photo bv Paivi)
Earlier this year, English indie rockers Maximo Park released Risk to Exist, their sixth studio album, via Daylighting/Cooking Vinyl. The gents then launched a US tour, and they visited U Street Music Hall on Tuesday, Nov. 28. Paivi was there to photograph the show!
Squeeze performs at 9:30 Club on Nov. 28, 2017. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)
“Pulling Mussels (from the Shell)” by Squeeze is a song of sweet nostalgia. It inspires memories of summer vacations and young romance, and it does so in such a brilliant and successful way that the song has become timeless since its debut in 1980.
Squeeze performed the song early in their set for a sold-out crowd at 9:30 Club on Tuesday, and while welcome hits were a key part of the show, Squeeze also made it clear early they are no nostalgia act. The same clever wordsmithing, strong pop moorings, and superb musicianship that generated songs like “Pulling Mussels,” “Black Coffee in Bed,” and “Tempted” was fully on display in songs from a brand new 16th studio album, The Knowledge, in addition to being on full display during the concert.
Ex Hex (Photo courtesy Merge Records)
Several years ago, Ex Hex, one of the best bands to come out of DC in quite some time, dropped Rips, their debut album, and then toured a lot. The all-female power pop trio have been relatively quiet in 2017, but they will end the year with a big show at Black Cat on Saturday, Dec. 30.
