Vanessa Collier (Photo by Bob Liddycoat)
Acclaimed soulful blues singer/saxophonist Vanessa Collier makes her triumphant return to The Hamilton Live in DC on Saturday, Jan. 22.
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Preview: Curtis Harding @ Black Cat, 1/19/22
Curtis Harding (Photo courtesy ANTI- Records)
(Editor’s Note: This show is being postponed due to concerns related to COVID-19. Stay tuned for a new date!)
Atlanta psychedelic soul artist Curtis Harding recently released his new album If Words Were Flowers via ANTI- Records. On the heels of that release, Curtis performs at Black Cat on Wednesday, Jan. 19.
Live Review: Puma Blue @ The Miracle Theater — 11/20/21
Jacob Allen leads Puma Blue in a performance at the Miracle Theater in DC on Nov. 20, 2021. (Photo by Casey Vock)
Musicians have such an arsenal of effective ways to reach potential supporters these days that genres and categorization become afterthoughts. And today’s resources are empowering a tremendous wave of artists who set out with no intention of adhering to any sort of conventions in the pursuit of their own organic sound.
London-bred singer songwriter Jacob Allen found his through making recordings in his bedroom, and he didn’t even need to leave the comfortable space to create a following. Since cutting and sharing a track called “Only Trying 2 Tell U” on SoundCloud back in 2014, he’s been able to steadily build that fanbase via his musical vehicle known as Puma Blue.
Live Review: Oh He Dead @ 9:30 Club — 9/25/21
Oh He Dead perform at 9:30 Club on Sept. 25, 2021. (Photos by Mark Caicedo)
“Poppy enough for ya…bitch?”
Those words, spoken in jest years ago between Oh He Dead’s CJ Johnson and Andy Valenti, actually signaled a dogged determination to never compromise on their dream. Saturday night, during their headlining 9:30 Club debut, the two Oh He Dead (OHD) founders related the story of demoing one of their new songs, only to be told that it wasn’t “pop” enough. That long ago, unnamed producer might be a little humbled to find that OHD has amassed an exhaustive repertoire of original and cover songs, has legions of fans around the world, and this past Saturday played to a packed 9:30 Club (only the first, no doubt, of many such appearances to come).
And judging by the crowd of swaying, dancing, and singing fans, not a single one would accuse OHD of not being “poppy” enough.
Preview: Oh He Dead @ 9:30 Club, 9/25/21
Oh He Dead (Photo courtesy 9:30 Club)
DC indie band Oh He Dead “recalls the danceability of Earth Wind and Fire, the pop genius of Prince, and the seductive, soulful groove of Sade,” said Parklife blogger Mark Caicedo in his last review of this funky quintet.
Experience that sound for yourself and catch Oh He Dead live at 9:30 Club on Saturday, Sept. 25.
Preview: The Nth Power @ The Hamilton Live, 9/18/21
The Nth Power (Photo courtesy Margaret Willard)
Formed during an impromptu late-night jam during the 2012 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, The Nth Power believes in music as a higher power. The trio performs at The Hamilton Live on Saturday, Sept. 18!
Live Review: Durand Jones and the Indications @ 9:30 Club — 9/11/21
Durand Jones and the Indications play to a sold-out crowd at 9:30 Club on Sept. 11, 2021. (Photo by Casey Vock.)
The line stretched around the corner and down the block from 9:30 Club the night of Sept. 11, and for good reason, as Durand Jones and the Indications came to town for one of the first major shows at the nationally recognized club since it recently began hosting shows in earnest and with safety protocols in place.
Live Review: Lake Street Dive w/ Valerie June @ Wolf Trap — 9/9/21
Lake Street Dive perform at Wolf Trap on Sept. 9, 2021. (Photos by Ari Strauss)
There was a lot of soul in the air when Lake Street Dive and Valerie June took the stage at Wolf Trap last week.
Live Review: The War and Treaty @ Wolf Trap — 7/29/21
For the War and Treaty — the duo of Michael Trotter and Tanya Blount-Trotter — last week’s appearance at Wolf Trap was a homecoming. Tanya is a DC native, and friends and family of both Michael and Tanya appeared throughout the show. Tanya’s eighth grade band teacher played the trombone in their horn section, Michael’s mother came on stage for a song, and Tanya’s brother sang, too.
The War and Treaty has a Motown spirit, a country soul, and a classic rock ‘n’ roll heart. On July 29, their performance was full of high energy and infectious joy, and it got loud. There was plenty of crowd engagement, with Michael getting the crowd to sing and clap along. He formally greeted the audience by saying, “Welcome to the Church of the War and Treaty, formerly known as Wolf Trap.”
Preview: The War and Treaty @ Wolf Trap, 7/29/21
The War and Treaty (Photo courtesy Red Light Management)
Since forming in 2014, The War and Treaty have amassed a following as eclectic as their sound itself, a bluesy but joyful fusion of Southern soul, gospel, country, and rock-and-roll.
Known for a live show nearly revival-like in intensity, the husband-and-wife team of Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Blount-Trotter bring that exhilarating energy to Wolf Trap on Thursday, July 29!
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