Ticket Giveaway: The Chills @ Black Cat, 2/24/19

Posted on 02/04/2019 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged Black Cat, free tickets, jangle pop, New Zealand, The Chills, ticket giveaway.

The Chills (Photo courtesy Ticketfly)

Hailing from New Zealand, The Chills will bring their melodic global rock to Black Cat on Sunday, Feb. 14. You can win tickets to go with Parklife DC!

Snapshots: Alien Weaponry @ The Fillmore Silver Spring — 12/5/18

Posted on 12/11/2018 by paivi in Live Review and tagged Alien Weaponry, metal, Ministry, New Zealand, The Fillmore Silver Spring, thrash metal.

Alien Weaponry performs at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Dec. 5, 2018. (Photo by Paivi)

New Zealand trio Alien Weaponry opened for industrial legends Ministry on the younger band’s first North American tour ever at The Fillmore Silver Spring recently. Paivi was there to shoot the show.

Snapshots: Unknown Mortal Orchestra @ 9:30 Club — 4/27/18

Posted on 05/01/2018 by Brenda Reyes in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, garage, New Zealand, Oregon, Portland, psychedelic, R&B, Unknown Mortal Orchestra.

Ruban Nielson performs in Unknown Mortal Orchestra at 9:30 Club on April 27, 2018. (Photo by Brenda Reyes)

Unknown Mortal Orchestra played at the 9:30 Club on Friday in support of their new album, Sex + Food, their fourth record released in April via Jagjaguwar. The crowd was super pumped to see UMO, and that’s always a good indicator that the show will be a good one.
Continue Reading

Music Park: Marlon Williams @ Rock and Roll Hotel — 3/23/18

Posted on 03/26/2018 by David LaMason in Live Review and tagged alt-country, Americana, blue grass, Dead Oceans Records, folk, Marlon Williams, New Zealand, Rock and Roll Hotel.

Marlon Williams pours his heart out at the Rock and Roll Hotel on March 23, 2018. (Photo by David LaMason)

There are certain records or certain artists that I frequently come back to again and again — my “go to” records, so to speak — that are so good from start to finish that when the needle swings back after the last note fades it feels only natural to turn the vinyl back over and play it again. Marlon Williams, who hails from New Zealand, makes records likes that. And Marlon’s unmatched songwriting was in full evidence at the Rock and Roll Hotel on Friday.

Don’t Miss: Marlon Williams @ Rock and Roll Hotel, 3/23/18

Posted on 02/26/2018 by Mickey McCarter in Live Review and tagged alt-country, bluegrass, folk, Marlon Williams, New Zealand, Rock and Roll Hotel.

Marlon Williams (Photo courtesy Ticketfly)

New Zealand’s Marlon Williams released Make Way for Love, his second studio album, via Dead Oceans on Feb. 16. He’s embarked on the accompanying Make Way for Love Tour, which visits DC’s Rock and Roll Hotel on Friday, March 23.

Interview: Kimbra (@ 9:30 Club, 1/30/18)

Posted on 01/17/2018 by Mickey McCarter in Interview, Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, art pop, Interview, jazz, Kimbra, New Zealand, R&B.

Kimbra (Photo by Micaiah Carter)

Art pop chanteuse Kimbra, born Kimbra Lee Johnson, will perform at 9:30 Club on Tuesday, Jan. 30. Thrilled about the New Zealand native’s return to DC, Parklife DC caught her for a telephone interview recently, and we chatted about the importance of albums, artistic inspirations, and her future ambitions!

Ticket Giveaway: Kimbra @ 9:30 Club, 1/30/18

Posted on 01/03/2018 by Mickey McCarter in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, art pop, free tickets, jazz, Kimbra, New Zealand, R&B, ticket giveaway.

Kimbra (Photo by Nick Spanos Photography)

New Zealand musician Kimbra, born Kimbra Lee Johnson, will release Primal Heart, her third studio album, via Warner Bros. Records on Jan. 19! Then Kimbra will sweep across the stage at 9:30 Club in a show on Tuesday, Jan. 30. You can win tickets to go with Parklife DC!

Don’t Miss: Ladyhawke @ Rock and Roll Hotel, 2/27/17

Posted on 12/05/2016 by Mickey McCarter in Live Review and tagged Ladyhawke, new wave, New Zealand, Rock and Roll Hotel, synthpop.

Ladyhawke (Photo courtesy Girlie Action Media, Marketing, and Management)

Feb. 15 Update: This show has been canceled:

Dear all US and Canadian ticket holders we regret to say due to unforeseen circumstances we are unfortunately unable to perform in the US and Canada this spring. So sorry to everybody who bought tickets, thank you for your understanding and all your continued support. Ticket refunds will be available from your point of purchase. Ladyhawke Team.

Pip Brown, aka Ladyhawke, released a third album, Wild Things, in June via Polyvinyl. The album was a reflection of her new lease on life, after conquering a few demons and becoming happily married to actress Madeleine Sami.

“Wild Things is a well-rounded, fully complete project that seeps into your bones and gets you reveling in life’s uninhibited moments,” said Nylon.

Now based in Los Angeles, Ladyhawke is taking the album on the road again with her “Let It Roll” Tour, which kicks off in Nashville on Feb. 24. She quickly finds herself in DC with a return to the Rock and Roll Hotel on Monday, Feb. 27!

The song “Wild Things” is an airy paean to cleaning up and settling down, “a dreamy nostalgic love song about reminiscing on your wayward youth,” and it makes fantastic use of Ladyhawke’s lovely contralto voice. Watch the official music video for the title track “Wild Things” by Ladyhawke on YouTube:

When I last saw Ladyhawke, at the Rock and Roll Hotel in 2012, I was struck by her growth as a performer even then. I wrote at the time, “Ladyhawke was much more confident in this appearance than when I saw her the first time, at the 9:30 Club in a showcase sponsored by blogger Perez Hilton. In that performance, Ladyhawke was content to play with her hair in her face, hunched over almost like a little old man. This time out, she stood comfortably, her fresh and attractive face uncovered and guitar in hand.”

Ladyhawke last visited DC at U Street Music Hall on June 25, so we’re lucky to receive her a second time in such short order. And I don’t think we’ll ever tire of seeing that fresh, fair face of hers!

Tickets are available online.

Ladyhawke
Rock and Roll Hotel
Monday, Feb. 27
Doors @7pm
$20
All ages

Snapshots: Broods @ Echostage — 11/17/16

Posted on 11/21/2016 by paivi in Live Review and tagged Broods, Caleb Nott, Echostage, Georgia Nott, New Zealand, trip hop, Two Door Cinema Club.

Broods perform at Echostage in DC on Nov. 17, 2016. (Photo by Paivi)

New Zealand’s Broods have been blazing a trail around the world in the past few years. The trip hop duo made their most recent stop in DC last Thursday to open for Two Door Cinema Club at Echostage.

Music Park: The Naked and Famous @ Lincoln Theatre — 11/15/16

Posted on 11/18/2016 by Jeremy Bailey in Live Review and tagged electronic, indie rock, Lincoln Theatre, New Zealand, Simple Forms, The Naked and Famous.

The Naked and Famous at the House of Blues in Cleveland, OH on 3/10/14 (Photo Credit: The Zender Agenda)

The Naked and Famous punched in to the Lincoln Theatre on November 15th for one thing. To entertain us with songs from their excellent new album, Simple Forms.

No commentary. Little talking, except briefly at the end. Their focus was music. Pure. Simple. Like the album title. And their energy was palpable.

They gave us a tight 1 hour 20 minutes and a lively 16 songs, amidst a spare stage that pulsated and lit up beautifully in the dim theater. The theater may have been dimly lit, but it sparked with a packed crowd that wouldn’t sit and merged up through the aisles, eagerly exerting themselves towards the stage where Alisa Xayalith (lead vocals and keyboard) and Thom Powers (guitar and vocals) danced and sang.