DC’s top blog for live concert reviews
Jimbo Mathus and The Dial Back Sound perform at The Hamilton Live on July 22, 2021. (Photo by Rashad Polk)
Jimbo Mathus is best known as the guitarist, singer, and bandleader for the swing revival group Squirrel Nut Zippers. But Jimbo’s career is much broader than that, and when he performed with his band, The Dial Back Sound, at The Hamilton on Thursday, he promised to get to “all types of music,” starting with “a little bit of honky tonk, and bringing up some deep soul from the deep South.”
Amy Helm performs at The Hamilton on June 11, 2021. (Photo by Casey Vock)
On Friday, pandemic capacity restrictions were lifted in the District of Columbia. When Amy Helm performed at The Hamilton Live, it was the first time in 16 months that venue had been fully open to present live music to eager audiences. It was a special night; the enthusiasm and love from the crowd was palpable, as most of the attendees were at their first show since early March 2020.
For Helm and her band, it was their first time back on the road and being outside of her native New York state. She acknowledged the significance of live music reopening, saying it was an honor to be playing. She joked, “Just to full capacity?” to which her bandmate Connor Kennedy quipped, “You can’t really go further than that.
Sol Roots performs at The 9 Songwriter Series on April 5, 2018. (Photo by Ari Strauss)
Late Night in the Loft continues with not-so-late live happy hour streams from the DMV’s best local artists from The Hamilton!
This week, catch DC funky bluesman Sol Roots on Friday, May 22, in a livestream at The Hamilton’s Facebook page.
Songbyrd Music House (Photo by Ben Eisendrath)
While DC’s music venues have been shuttered during the current emergency lockdown, several prominent concert halls have moved to hosting performances online.
So, here’s a round-up of DC venues hosting concerts on Facebook or Instagram along with when you can watch!
Town Mountain performs at The Hamilton Live on Feb. 1, 2020. (Photo by Ari Strauss)
Town Mountain brought its A-game to DC recently with a solid performance at The Hamilton Live. The evolutionary bluegrass band that plays with a rock ‘n’ roll feel performed songs from its vast catalog along with a few covers, including a bluegrass version of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire.”
G. Love and Special Sauce perform at The Hamilton Live, Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Ari Strauss)
Eclectic blues/hip-hop artist G. Love was in DC recently with his band, Special Sauce, to play two shows at The Hamilton Live. The performances were part of a winter tour in support of his new album The Juice, which was released Jan. 17 via Philadelphonic/ Thirty Tigers.
G. Love (Photo by Sarah Ewalt)
G. Love released The Juice, his latest studio album, on Jan. 17 via Philadelphonic/Thirty Tigers. G. Love & Special Sauce performs at The Hamilton Live on Thursday, Jan. 30.
A photo from Beck’s summer concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion ranked among Rashad Polk’s Top 10 Photos of 2019 (but not this photo). (Photo by Rashad Polk)
Editor’s Note: This year, we asked our bloggers to name their Top 10 shows of 2019 or choose their Top 10 photos of the year. We will run them over the course of mid-December as our Best of the Year posts.
Editor (again): The very skillful Rashad Polk picked 10 of his photos as the best of 2019 — take it away, Rashad!
Rising Appalachia performs in front of a sold-out audience at DC’s The Hamilton, Nov. 20, 2019. (Photo by Ari Strauss)
When sisters Leah and Chloe Smith formed Rising Appalachia over a decade ago, they created a unique folk sound that is equally influenced by their Southern upbringing in Atlanta and their vast experience traveling the world and experiencing diverse cultures. The band brought that unique sound to The Hamilton Live recently where they played to a sold-out crowd and promoted their newest album, Leylines, which released independently earlier this year.
Leah and Chloe Smith of Rising Appalachia (Photo courtesy of Rising Appalachia)
Rising Appalachia is a self-made success story. Sisters Leah and Chloe Smith — each world travelers for nearly two decades — merge multiple global music influences with their own Southern roots to create a unique world folk sound. The band has built a legion of listeners through relentless touring, tireless activism, and no small degree of stubborn independence.
After self-producing their first six albums, Leah and Chloe opted for the first time to team up with someone outside the band, legendary singer-songwriter/producer Joe Henry, to produce their seventh album, Leylines.
Parklife DC’s Ari Strauss emailed Chloe to ask about the new album and what is in store for the band’s upcoming show at The Hamilton Live on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
