Baltimore’s waterfront provided the backdrop for a night of smooth vocals and R&B as Soul on the Water closed out its inaugural season at Pier Six Pavilion.
The Oct. 1 finale featured Raheem DeVaughn with special guest Daley, bringing the series to a close with a show centered on musicianship, soul, and connection.
Both critics and fans alike revere Lucinda Williams for her songwriting; she regularly appears on lists of the best songwriters, be it currently living Americans or in the history of (recorded) popular music. The grit that characterizes her music, drawing widely from the Southern traditions of blues, country, folk, and rock & roll, is a reflection of the musician.
Now in her 70s, Williams released new music as frequently as she has in her long career, even after recovering from a series of strokes. In her recent performance at the 9:30 Club, Lucinda held the crowd in the palm of her hand with a raw, politically charged set that drew from across her catalog, accompanied by great stories and her eloquent, dry wit.
Songs don’t come quickly to Sera Cahoone, but, when they do, they’re polished, beautiful gems. Last month, she released I’ve Missed You All These Years, her first album in nine years. She drew heavily from the album in her recent solo acoustic performance at Jammin Java, her first time playing her own music in the DMV in quite some time.
Phoebe Bridgers brought The Lost Tour to Capital One Arena on Sept. 29, following the release of her well-received album Lost Weekend. The arena show was a stark contrast to her recent pop-up run, when fans often didn’t learn where she was playing until the day of the show. Still, the no-phones rule preserved a little of that mystery. Watching a fellow reviewer scribble notes on a tiny notepad throughout the night somehow made this enormous show feel strangely intimate.
Julia Wolf delivered a commanding performance at a sold-out 9:30 Club on Sept. 28, bringing her Deep End World Tour 2026 to an enthusiastic crowd.
Gorillaz may be populated by cartoon characters, but Damon Albarn spent much of the band’s Sept. 26 show at Capital One Arena demonstrating the humanity of the project.
Throughout the sprawling performance, Albarn displayed an infectious enthusiasm for the large ensemble band assembled around him. He frequently turned toward his fellow musicians with obvious affection and excitement, looking less like the mastermind commanding an elaborate production than a bandleader genuinely delighted by the people sharing the stage with him.
Clad in mock military gear (a la the Gorillaz sardonic political satire, “The Happy Dictator), Damon extended the same warmth to the audience.
The White Marsh Volunteer Fire Company recently hosted its eighth annual Fields of Fire Country Concert. What was initially booked as the organization’s largest fundraising event to date quickly became a showcase of emergency management by the volunteers and dedication from country music fans.
The Charlatans UK kept their loyal fans moving and grooving at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Sept. 25, the penultimate stop on their North American tour. Their set drew from seven of their 14 studio albums, pairing familiar favorites with songs from their latest release, We Are Love (2025).
Kamelot closed out their North American tour at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Sunday night, and I walked in a lapsed fan. I haven’t kept up with them, and only vaguely remember that Khan left the band well over a decade ago. I knew even less about the openers, Visions of Atlantis and Frozen Crown.
The Pretty Reckless rolled into Maryland with Paris Jackson and doug. along for the ride, packing The Fillmore Silver Spring for a sold-out show on Sept. 26.
