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Kay Hanley fronts Letters to Cleo at Union Stage on Nov. 19, 2019. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)
At about one-third of their way through their recent return to DC, Letters to Cleo played “I Got Time” from Go!, the band’s third studio album, at Union Stage.
Go!, as it turned out, was released in 1997, which was also the year Letters to Cleo last played in DC for an appearance at 9:30 Club, leading guitarist Greg McKenna to observe, “This song was new the last time we played in Washington.”
Santan Dave performs at Union Stage on Nov. 17, 2019. (Photo by @Waufflez – wauffleznotwaffles.com)
A sold-out Union Stage crowd had nothing but love for Santan Dave’s first-ever performance in DC on his Psychodrama Tour recently. The multi-faceted rapper, producer, pianist, and actor first started making noise in the United States in 2016 when Drake jumped on his song “Wanna Know” after discovering his music on YouTube. Since receiving the Drake bump, Dave has remained a front runner in the UK rap scene with no plans of falling behind.
Larry June performs at Union Stage on Nov. 16, 2019. (Photo by Josh Williams)
Independent artist Larry June dropped by Union Stage for the third stop of his ongoing tour. Josh Williams dropped in to shoot the show!
Clan of Xymox (Photo by Edmund Messerschmidt)
Dutch dark wavers Clan of Xymox haven’t been to DC in a while, but that’s about to change as frontman Ronny Moorings and his crew hit Union Stage for an exciting show on Thursday, Nov. 21.
Letters to Cleo (Photo by Chris Sikich)
Power pop quintet Letters to Cleo came roaring back a few years ago with new music, and now Kay Hanley and company toast (or roast?) Christmas at Union Stage on Tuesday, Nov. 19!
Russian Circles performs at Union Stage on Oct. 29, 2019. (Photo by Mark Caicedo)
Russian Circles, the Chicago-based and internationally known post-metal power trio, brought its muscular brand of “multi-dimensional dramatic instrumental narratives” (as noted on the band’s website) to Union Stage recenlty. The band is now back on the road supporting its most recent release, Blood Year (Sargent House Records).
David Schelzel fronts The Ocean Blue at Union Stage on Oct. 4, 2019. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)
Here’s how I like to imagine it happened: Teenaged David Schelzel stood on an overlook above Hershey Park in Pennsylvania and pondered the decade that was coming to a close. “I’m going to take the very best of the ’80s and synthesize it into one band,” he said, reaching deep into England, where the very best new wave and psychedelia had emerged, and scooping all of those sounds into one impossibly sweet band.
And so was born The Ocean Blue, which published its first self-titled album in 1989, and captured the zeitgeist of cool alternative music in one quartet (or so we say!). Quite active in recent years, The Ocean Blue again reminded us just how cool they are in a sold-out show at Union Stage last week.
The Rocket Summer (Photo by Braverijah Gregg)
Bryce Avary, aka The Rocket Summer, released his first EP nearly two decades ago at the age of 17. Earlier this year, Bryce released his latest album Sweet Shivers, and he showed fans that he’s still going strong with no signs of stopping soon. The multi-instrumentalist Texas native stopped by DC’s waterfront at Union Stage recently in support of the latest album.
Orville Peck croons the night away at Union Stage on Sept. 21, 2019. (Photo by David LaMason)
Whether it’s the smooth baritone croon, the old west cowboy veneer, or perhaps the well talked about mystery behind the fringed black mask that draws you in: Once you witness Orville Peck, it’s hard not to be a fan.
Stabbing Westward (Photo courtesy Ticketfly)
Stabbing Westward celebrated the 20th anniversary of their third studio album, Darkest Days, with a tour last year. The industrial rockers remain on the road, and now the quartet hit Union Stage on Sunday, Sept. 8. You can win tickets to see Stabbing Westward with Parklife DC!
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