DC’s top blog for live concert reviews
William Elliott Whitemore (Photo courtesy Bloodshot Records)
William Elliott Whitmore is a singer-songwriter and banjoist/guitarist/drum-stompin’ solo act from Lee County, Iowa. He recently released Kilonova, an album of 10 cover songs from artists who have influenced his career, and he performs at Black Cat on Tuesday, Nov. 19.
Kishi Bashi captivates a sold out Lincoln Theatre on Nov. 8, 2019 (Photo by David LaMason)
There are performances that are good, some are great, and then there are the transcendent ones that leaves you a little different than when you came in. Kaoru Ishibashi (who performs under the name Kishi Bashi) created an experience that is both musically and visually compelling — moving the audience to feel like a part of what was going on there on the stage — as was the case of Friday night’s performance within the crowded walls of the Lincoln Theatre.
The Wailin’ Jennys (Photo by Morten Fog)
The Wailin’ Jennys opted to start Wednesday’s show — the second of three sold-out performances at The Birchmere — singing the traditional “Long Time Traveller” a capella. Over two sets, the trio, made up of Ruth Moody, Nicky Mehta, and Heather Masse, cycled through a number of instruments and styles: folk, gospel, a little country.
Chelsea Wolfe performs at 9:30 Club on Nov. 3, 2019. (Photo by Jason Nicholson)
Chelsea Wolfe appeared at 9:30 Club recently on her American Darkness Tour, and Jason Nicholson has the photos to prove it.
Angel Olsen (Photo by Cameron McCool)
Asked how she was doing Friday night, Angel Olsen replied that she was “a little tired, but trying to rock out now.” She and her band succeeded brilliantly at that with their rendition of her “Special.” Known for her terrific songwriting, Angel’s live show delivered on the jams at the sold-out Lincoln Theater.
In the vein of her new album, All Mirrors, Angel’s band included a string section (violin and cello), allowing them to play majestic orchestral arrangements that “sound epic,” as she told an interviewer.
Kishi Bashi (Photo by Max Ritter)
Kaoru Ishibashi, known better as Kishi Bashi, released Omoiyari, his fourth full-length studio album, via Joyful Noise Recordings earlier this year. The violinist is on tour with a visit to the Lincoln Theatre in DC on Friday, Nov. 8.
Bruce Cockburn performs at The Birchmere on Oct. 27, 2019. (Photo by Mark Caicedo)
“The thumb drone or an alternating bass. You sort of have one or the other and Mississippi John Hurt was a great source of direction, I guess would be the way to put it, because of the beautiful and simple way he used to put the melody over the alternating bass. I mean he just played the melody of the song, and that was like nobody else I had heard, it wasn’t just licks, it was the actual melody. That sort of opened up a whole new thing and because of my interest in Jazz and other types of music that all got added in so when you take that same sort of right hand technique and apply it to a more complex musical approach you end up with something like what I do.” — Bruce Cockburn
Angel K
AJ Waugh
ambienteye
Ari Strauss
Andy Jillson
Brenda Reyes
Chester Simpson
chriscastilloweb
Chris R. Smyth
Daniel Webb
David LaMason
EDMit it
Shantel M Breen
isaiahhattix
Jason Nicholson "Le Mouton Flâneur"
jesternate
julesontheroadphotos
kristiechua
Mark Caicedo
Mark Engleson
Mathew Harkins
Corey Paterson
mdxpc
Mickey McCarter
Miyun Park
Neal Keller
Parklifer
Kyle Gustafson
paivi
Rebecca
regardingtess
Robert Smith
shedrickpelt
theeternalname
Matt Ruppert
Will Colbert
Andrew Goodwin
wefoughtthebigone