DC’s top blog for live concert reviews
Failure playing during their tour with Swervedriver in March of 2019. (Photo by Marc Shea)
Editor’s note: Parklife asked our contributors to revisit some of the best shows they’ve ever seen in a series titled My Favorite Concert.
One of the best concerts I ever saw took place almost a year ago. Failure was co-headlining a bill with Swervedriver at 9:30 Club. I’ve been a fan of both bands since the mid-90’s and this was a chance to see two bands that I had never been able to see.
Silversun Pickups perform at 9:30 Club on March 8, 2020. (Photo by Paivi Salonen)
Silversun Pickups are sweeping the country on a 30-date tour in support of their latest studio album, Widow’s Weeds. The band performed at 9:30 Club recently, and Paivi Salonen shot the show.
David Lowery fronts Camper Van Beethoven at 9:30 Club on Jan. 18, 2020 (Photo by David LaMason)
As I was listening to Camper Van Beethoven at the 9:30 Club recently, I was reminded of the title of a Spotify playlist of ’80s alternative rock: Left of the Dial. To the crowd’s delight, the band opened with their delightfully odd cult hit “Take the Skinheads Bowling,” from their 1985 debut LP, Telephone Free Landslide Victory.
Cracker’s David Lowery and Johnny Hickman (Photo by Bradford Jones)
Why front one band when you can front two? That’s surely the philosophy of David Lowery — guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and mathematician — who heads both Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven. As is David’s habit in the past several years, he’s bringing both bands to 9:30 Club for a double bill on Saturday, Jan. 18.
Art Alexakis performs at City Winery in DC on Jan. 10, 2020. (Photo by Chris Smyth)
“Don’t you feel old being at a dinner theater and listening to ’90s rock?” the affable Art Alexakis quipped during his recent performance at City Winery DC. In the small, quiet venue, Art appeared comfortable on stage all by himself, regularly joking and telling stories to the fans in attendance.
The Almost (Photo courtesy Fearless Records)
The Almost, the brainchild of Underoath drummer/vocalist Aaron Gillespie, released Fear Caller on Fearless Records in October after a six-year break. The band performs at Union Stage on Friday, Jan. 10.
Brian Aubert fronts Silversun Pickups at Rams Head Live on Dec. 6, 2019. (Photo by Katherine Gaines/ ambienteye.com)
Silversun Pickups released Widow’s Weeds, the band’s fifth studio album, over the summer via their own New Machine Recordings. In support of the record, the indie rockers toured through Rams Head Live recently, and Katherine Gaines shot the show!
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