David Byrne (Photo by Jody Rogac)
David Byrne, former frontman for the Talking Heads, remains one of the most remarkable and fascinating musicians making music today. David released American Utopia, his 11th studio album, in March via Todo Mundo and Nonesuch Records. It was his first solo album since 2004, and it hit a career-high #3 in the Billboard Top 200 upon its release.
The legendary performer holds court at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Saturday, July 28.
Modern English performs during the Retro Futura Tour on July 14, 2018. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)
The Retro Futura Tour regularly brings together popular artists from the ‘80s for a circuit through the United States, although it has skipped the DC area in recent years. Nevertheless, the tour got off to a great start last week and then visited Englewood, New Jersey, for a performance at the Bergen Performing Arts Center on Saturday with a terrific roster of talented folks — Limahl, Tony Lewis of The Outfield, Modern English, Belinda Carlisle, and ABC starring Martin Fry.
Parklife DC was there for the concert, and below we share our reflections on Limahl, Tony Lewis, and Modern English. Check back tomorrow for our review of Belinda Carlisle and ABC.
Echo & The Bunnymen (Photo courtesy the band)
Legendary neo-pscyh outfit Echo & The Bunnymen recently signed to BMG. The group will release The Stars, The Oceans & The Moon, an album featuring re-recordings of 13 Bunnymen classics as well as two new songs, on Oct. 5. Meanwhile, they currently have teamed with the Violent Femmes for a 11-date summer tour that concludes at The Anthem in DC on Wednesday, July 25.
Park Snakes perform at Rock and Roll Hotel on June 30, 2018.
Singing the title track of debut full-length album Silk, Nenet of Park Snakes strutted about the stage, declaring that she wants everything while seeming terribly indifferent to actually receiving it.
The song immediately cut to the quick of late ‘70s bands with similarly disaffected frontwomen like Debbie Harry, Debora Iyall, and Deborah Evans-Stickland. And so, Park Snakes appealed to an attentive crowd at Rock and Roll Hotel Saturday in a show opening Paperhaus.
Katie McD fronts Bacchae at Rock and Roll Hotel on June 30, 2018.
DC quartet Bacchae attack a song with conviction. Vocalist Katie McD doesn’t merely sing — she blares like a siren. And the band surely sounded the alarm opening Paperhaus at Rock and Roll Hotel on Saturday.
Belinda Carlisle (Photo courtesy Paradise Artists)
If like me, you miss the days of sitting in front of MTV and soaking up all of the good music that came your way, then Retro Futura has a deal for you.
Retro Futura, the long-running traveling ‘80s music festival, comes around for another summer with the beautiful Belinda Carlisle, ABC (featuring the ever-dashing Martin Fry), post-punk masters Modern English, Tony Lewis of The Outfield, Limahl (of chart-toppers Kajagoogoo), and Annabella Lwin of Bow Wow Wow. Check out tickets for their performance at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Bergen, New Jersey, on July 14!
Poptone performs at The Fillmore Silver Spring on July 1, 2018. (Photo by Jason Nicholson)
Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins — key members of Bauhaus, Tones on Tail, and Love in Rockets — played the songs of those bands along with Kevin’s daughter Diva Dompé as Poptone at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Sunday. Jason Nicholson captured the show!
