Rams Head On Stage

Live Review: Hawktail @ Rams Head on Stage — 7/26/21

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Hawktail performs at Rams Head on Stage on July 26, 2021. (Photo by Casey Vock)

While the pandemic might have been a blockade to the life and career of many musicians, it could very well have provided opportunity and inspiration for others to dig in with their colleagues to create special music that might provide an appropriate backdrop to these weirdest of times.

An instrumental outfit featuring Brittany Haas on violin, Paul Kowert on bass, Jordan Tice on guitar, and Dominick Leslie on mandolin, Hawktail visited Rams Head on Stage in Annapolis the evening of July 26 to deliver two captivating sets of powerful, intricately composed music that speaks to the group’s increasingly strong connection despite the challenges of the past year and half.

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Live Review: Todd Snider @ Rams Head on Stage — 3/1/20

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Todd Snider - Ram’s Head On Stage - 03.01.20 1Todd Snider performs at Rams Head On Stage on March 1, 2020. (Photos by Casey Vock)

Cautiously emerging from the dressing room, stepping wide-eyed onto the stage at the Rams Head on Stage recently, he seemed unsure if he was even supposed to be there. Or maybe he was given pause by the full venue, either way, the audience might have wondered for a second what was going on.

But as he settled into a couple notes on the guitar and began to blow the harmonica, if tears hadn’t already started to well in their eyes, attentive onlookers were already able to decipher the genius that is Todd Snider.

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Preview: Todd Snider @ Rams Head on Stage, 3/1/20

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Todd Snider (Photo courtesy Absolute Publicity)

Folk singer Todd Snider had a busy year in 2019! Early in the year, he released Cash Cabin Sessions, Vol. 3, a new album, and later in the year, he published East Nashville Skyline (the “wittiest and feistiest album of his career,” Pitchfork says) on vinyl.

What’s to do no except the touring? And tour Todd does with a show at Rams Head on Stage on Sunday, March 1.

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Live Review: Masters of the Telecaster @ Rams Head on Stage — 7/26/19

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L-R: G.E. Smith, Tom Principato, and Jim Weider; The Masters of the Telecaster perform at Rams Head on Stage, July 26, 2019. (Photos by Ari Strauss/ aristrauss.com)

Jim Weider and G.E. Smith, the Masters of the Telecaster, came to town recently to join with local guitar legend Tom Principato for a pair of back-to-back weekend gigs at Rams Head on Stage in Annapolis and City Winery in Ivy City DC. The performances were billed as a tribute to Roy Buchanan, another DC guitar legend and pioneer of the Telecaster sound.

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Preview: Masters of the Telecaster @ Rams Head on Stage, 7/26/19, @ City Winery, 7/27/19

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The Masters of the Telecaster perform at City Winery DC on June 30, 2018. (Photo by Ari Strauss)

Known collectively as the Masters of the Telecaster, Jim Weider, Tom Principato, and GE Smith celebrate the Fender Telecaster in two shows in the greater DC area this weekend — at Rams Head on Stage on Friday, July 26, and City Winery DC on Saturday, July 27. Each of the two shows will pay special tribute to a DC-area musician who owed their musical legacy to the Telecaster guitar.

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Live Review: The Dimmer Twins @ Rams Head on Stage — 4/15/19

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The The Dimmer Twins play at Rams Head on Stage. (Photo by Matt Ruppert)

A little more than two months after Drive-By Truckers blew down the walls of the Anthem with Lucinda Williams, Mike Cooley and Patterson Hood recently rolled into the Rams Head in Annapolis with nothing more than a few guitars, stories, songs, and their humorous nom de guerre as a duo. The Dimmer Twins, a play on The Glimmer Twins of Rolling Stones fame (Mick Jagger and Keith Richards), without an opener or a setlist.

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Interview: Martin Barre (@ The Birchmere, 4/22/19)

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Martin Barre performs at Jammin’ Java on Oct. 14, 2018. (Photo by Mark Caicedo)

“I just want to be a good musician, I want to be a good songwriter, I want to get better.”

Refreshing words coming from a musician who’s been at the top of his game for over 50 years. Martin Barre is well-known as the long-time lead guitarist (1969-2012) for Jethro Tull. I spoke with Martin in anticipation of his “Martin Barre Celebrates 50 Years of Jethro Tull Tour,” which will come to the DC Metro area for two shows on April 22 at The Birchmere and April 23 at Rams Head on Stage. (This interview has been edited for clarity and flow.)

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Music Park: Tom Bailey @ Rams Head on Stage — 7/24/18

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Tom Bailey performs at Rams Head on Stage in Annapolis, Maryland, on July 24, 2018. (Photo by Jason Nicholson)

Tom Bailey’s return to pop music has been nothing short of inspired.

As a vocalist and guitarist of the Thompson Twins, Tom has a wealth of well-regarded material that largely laid dormant until he picked up those songs and started performing them live again in 2014. Inspired by the experience, he’s released a new album while venturing out for some solo dates during a big tour with Culture Club and the B-52’s!

In the area for The Life Tour with those fellow new wavers, Tom played a solo show at Rams Head on Stage in Annapolis on Tuesday. (And he returns for a solo show in Rockville on Aug. 2!)

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Music Park: Cardiac @ Ram’s Head On Stage (Annapolis, Md.) — 8/23/16

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Cardiac 01 David Jonathan DiSarro sings at Ram’s Head on Stage in Annapolis, Md., on August 23, 2016.

Rock trio Cardiac recently were sitting around with the Bangles, discussing music they loved, and an idea took root.

“Susanna [Hoffs] suggested that we cover The Rolling Stones,” vocalist David Jonathon DiSarro told his audience at Ram’s Head On Stage in Annapolis Tuesday. “So here’s our cover of ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash.'”

Joined by the Bangles’ touring bassist, Cardiac ripped through a fun cover version of the famous blues number, delighting the sold-out room with the familiar tune while also giving some insight into the band’s own inner workings. Opening for the Bangles on the girl group’s tour, Cardiac continued to hold the attention of the room with classic rock and roll delivered by David’s heartfelt voice. He’s capably complemented by soaring guitar by Jarod Woznik and rolling drums from Don Bish.

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