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Steve Lacy performs at the 9:30 Club on Oct. 6, 2019. (Photo by Brenda Reyes)
As soon as I walked into the 9:30 Club, I knew that it was going to be a good night. The crowd was living for Kari Faux (opening DJ) and it was a sold-out show. She warmed up the crowd to an incredible night for Steve Lacy and his fans.
Luna brings Penthouse to the 9:30 Club on Oct. 5, 2019. (Photo by David LaMason)
Luna have been making great music for nearly 30 years, but for some reason even after being on major labels, having had songs featured on major movie soundtracks, and the critical praise of not only their peers but of big name music publications (Rolling Stone famously named them “the best band you’ve never heard”), Luna isn’t a household name, though it should be!
In fact, one of their best albums, Penthouse, which celebrates its 25th anniversary next year, was named one of the best 100 albums of the 1990s by Rolling Stone recently. And it’s that same album that was performed in full (plus some, but I’ll get into that in a moment) at the 9:30 Club recently.
Doug Martsch of Built to Spill performs at the 9:30 Club on Oct. 4. 2019. (Photo by Matt Ruppert)
Fresh off a four-night run in New York, Built to Spill carried their trademark sound to a sold-out crowd at the 9:30 Club recently. With the band fast-approaching its 30th anniversary and celebrating the 20th anniversary of their seminal record, Keep It Like a Secret, Doug Martsch and friends offered a riveting a freewheeling reinterpretation of that record mixed with a few choice cuts around it.
Kero Kero Bonito (Photo courtesy Ticketfly)
Kero Kero Bonito, the London-based bilingual art-pop band, recently dropped a surprise EP, titled Civilisation I. The songs are the band’s most ambitious work to date and were written, produced and recorded in the bedroom of KKB’s Gus Lobban. Kero Kero Bonito play 9:30 Club on Tuesday, Oct. 8, and you can win tickets to go with Parklife DC!
Luna (Photo courtesy Ticketfly)
In 1995, indie rockers Luna released Penthouse, the band’s third studio album, and immediately upended the soundtrack to the ’90s. To celebrate the seminal album, Luna is playing it in its entirety on tour, including a show at 9:30 Club on Saturday, Oct. 5.
Ride performs at 9:30 Club on Sept. 22, 2019. (All photos by Nalinee Darmrong, courtesy of RIDE and the 9:30 Club; Words by Mickey McCarter)
Like a reassuring embrace, guitarslingers Ride strode onto stage at 9:30 Club recently, largely to play songs from a thoughtful new album but also to remind us that smart psychedelic vibes are here to stay.
Jade Bird (Photo courtesy Ticketfly)
English singer-songwriter Jade Bird released her self-titled debut album in April via Glassnote Records. The musician, although English, has quite an affinity for Americana, and she will sing her songs for us in an early show at 9:30 Club on Saturday, Sept. 28.
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