Category Archives: TVD Washington, DC

It was a nostalgic night of punk, reggae, and silliness as The Aquabats stopped at the Fillmore Silver Spring Monday night on their latest tour, Finally! The Album Tour.

Left Alone got the Monday night festivities started with an enjoyable 30-minute set. A California-based punk rock band, it formed back in 1996 by lead vocalist and guitarist Elvis Cortez. In 2024, the rest of the lineup includes Pablo Fiasco, Jimmy Jam, and Ben Shaw. The ska-influenced punk went over well with the Silver Spring crowd; it was a cool set that even included some Spanish-language songs. Left Alone’s latest release was 2021’s Checkers & Plaid, released on the label Cortez formed, Smelvis Records.

Also from California, The Aggrolites took the baton from Left Alone to get the Monday night crowd hyped and they were successful. The Aggrolites (Roger Rivas, Alex McKenzie, Jesse Wagner, Jeff Roffredo, and Ricky Chacon), formed in 2002 and are purveyors of what they call “Dirty Reggae”—a fusion of soul, ska, reggae, and punk.

The crowd was filled with fans who sang along and danced. Instead of a mosh pit, the show had a dance pit. Late in the set, frontman Wagner picked out some kids from the audience to join the band on stage for a fun rendition of “Banana Song,” a song from the children’s show Yo Gabba Gabba! The kids danced and sang on stage while inflatable bananas got tossed around the crowd.

While ska/reggae/punk is generally not my “thing,” both Left Alone and The Aggrolites were great. The sets were enjoyable, and both bands got the crowd engaged and dancing. There were quite a few kids present; the resulting vibe was that of a light, fun, family-friendly party.

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Pride month went out with a “Stampede” in Washington, DC Sunday as country singer Orville Peck made a stop at The Anthem on his current tour. Goldie Boutilier and The War and Treaty round out the bill on the Stampede tour.

Goldie Boutilier kicked off the night, taking the Anthem stage before a still-gathering crowd on a very hot DC night. Boutilier hails from Nova Scotia and began singing as a child. Her first performance was at age five in her hometown of Reserve Mines; she sang with The Men of the Deeps Choir—North America’s only coal miners’ choir. Her family’s junkyard business was used as rehearsal space.

Boutilier’s music is notable for her themes of romance and glamour and she’s also a successful model, having appeared in campaigns for the likes of John Galliano and H&M. Sunday night, her 30-minute set included songs pulled from across her collection of EPs and LPs. While she may be labeled as “alt-country,” the sound generated by Boutilier and her all-female backing band has a distinctly rock edge. Boutilier’s latest EP is “Emerald Year,” released in 2023.

The night swung from alt-country to soul with The War and Treaty. The War and Treaty are a husband-and-wife duo—singer-songwriters Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter. Their first album was 2018’s Healing Tide—the lead single from that album was acclaimed by Rolling Stone as a “joyfully relentless title track, reminiscent of classic Ike and Tina Turner rock-infused soul.”

The pair hit some significant milestones in 2023, as The War and Treaty became the first black duo nominated for Duo of the Year by the Country Music Association. If that weren’t enough, they were the first black duo nominated for Duo of the Year by the Academy of Country Music. They have received two Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist.

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The intimate, subterranean confines of Washington, DC’s Union Stage played host to night of heavy music Sunday, as Baroness made a stop on the band’s current tour. Ruby the Hatchet and Filth is Eternal played supporting roles for a handful of dates and rounded out the night of heavy music in DC.

Filth is Eternal kicked off the night, treating the still-assembling crowd to a quick, 30-minute set jammed with hardcore punk sounds. The Seattle-based band, led by dynamic vocalist Lis D’Angelo, hosted, as the band puts it, “their own brand of communal” exorcism at Union Stage. Unlike many hardcore bands who kick their way angrily through sets, Filth is Eternal brought a sense of joy and community to the stage. The band’s latest album is Find Out, released in 2023.

I was excited to see Ruby The Hatchet on the bill—I hadn’t seen them since they supported German doom metal band Kadavar at Baltimore’s Metro Gallery right before the COVID pandemic started in 2019. I enjoyed them then and was sure they’d be great at Union Stage. I was right.

The psych rock quintet, led by siren Jillian Taylor, has been around for over a dozen years. Emerging from New Jersey basements, Ruby the Hatchet (Taylor, Johnny Scarps, Lake Muir, Owen Stewart, and Sean Hur), relocated to Philadelphia and released their first EP in 2011. The band’s latest album is Fear is a Cruel Master, released in 2022. At Union Stage, the crowd got hit with RtH’s guitar- and organ-driven, 1970s influenced sounds. Coupled with Taylor’s charisma and smooth vocals, the result is sweet rock and roll honey. The entire set was fabulous, but I loved the cover of Quarterflash’s 1981 classic, “Harden My Heart.”

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It’s a satisfying, full circle moment when Robert Plant and Allison Krauss close their summer set with “When the Levee Breaks.” Not just because of the continuing truth of the 80-year-old meteorological prognostication in an era when flooding is on the rise.

As in the first of two shows at Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA, the two are bringing a palpable yet atmospheric feel of the 1929 blues song that Plant and his band had rocked up so much to end their bestselling Led Zeppelin IV that they freely added their own names to the songwriting credit of originator Memphis Minnie.

Like much of the rest of the set on a sizzling summer night, the two were bringing their thoughtful, expansive interpretations closer to the original nuggets of American music that so inspired them both. Still, the sold out crowd would give standing ovations only when they covered Zep songs, however differently arranged, which happened a couple of other times too.

Plant, at 75, with signature curls now a wild silvery mane, was steady on vocals, returning at times to the mercurial oscillations of his past band and his unexpected ad libs and yelps. No longer stalking the stage bare-chested like a rock god, he more often gestured like a courtly gentleman, particularly in deference to his collaborator Krauss, 52, who in her high necked blouse and jeans appeared like a Wild West schoolmarm.

Raised in bluegrass but with an affection for rock ’n’ roll, she harmonizes surprisingly well with Plant. And like that other seemingly odd recording duo, Norah Jones and Billy Joe Armstrong, they have found their North Star in the Everly Brothers—whose songs, it turns out, were heard as often as anything from Led Zep, with “The Price of Love” early in the set and two tuneful ditties, “Stick with Me Baby” and “Gone Gone Gone” to cap the encore.

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This was fabulous. It was a night of firsts at Baltimore Soundstage, as Battle Beast made a stop in Charm City Saturday night, the penultimate date on their first North American headlining tour. Supporting Battle Beast was newcomers Blackbriar, touring North America for the first time ever.

I should have known this was going to be a special night when I queued up with everyone else right after doors opened at 7PM; the line to get into Baltimore Soundstage still snaked around the block. It was so long that I was a little nervous about making it inside in time to photograph Blackbriar. My fears were assuaged as security moved us through swiftly. Once inside at 7:58PM, I was told by security that Blackbriar would not be taking the stage until 8:15pm, as the meet and greet ran late. Relief!

Blackbriar took the stage and hit the crowd with gorgeous symphonic metal. The Netherlands-based band is promoting their latest album, 2023’s A Dark Euphony. This is an album that one reviewer praised as being “generation and genre-defining,” which is massive considering it is only the band’s second full length album (the first being 2021’s The Cause of Shipwreck). The songs explore gothic themes; sung by mesmerizing lead singer Zora Cock, they took on a magical quality.

The darkness of the songs was in direct contrast to the big smiles onstage, as the rest of the band (René Boxem, Bart Winters, Robin Koezen, Ruben Wijga, and Siebe Sol Sijpkens) all appeared to be absolutely stoked to be playing for the Baltimore crowd, which returned the love. Unusual for an opener, Blackbriar played for nearly an hour, even returning to the stage for an encore!

The Baltimore date of Battle Beast’s Circus of Doom Over North America tour was the first time I had ever covered or seen the Finnish power metal band (Juuso Soinio, Pyry Vikki, Eero Sipilä, Janne Björkroth, Noora Louhimo, Joona Björkroth). I will tell you right now, it will not be my last.

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Two years after Judas Priest last played the Washington, DC area, the OG metal giants returned to the MGM National Harbor Sunday night, one of the last stops on the current leg of the Invincible Shield tour. Like on the 50 Metal Years tour in 2021, Judas Priest brings Swedish power metal band Sabaton along for the ride.

The theater at the MGM National Harbor is part of the larger hotel/casino complex. As Sunday afternoon progressed, the place filled with fans—the line to get through security snaked through the atrium. Priest sold the joint out, so it took forever to get everyone through.

At 8PM, Sabaton (Joakim Brodén, Par Sunström, Chris Rorland, Hannes Van Dahl, and Thobbe Englund) took the stage to serve up their brand of historic power metal. For the unfamiliar, Sabaton is a Swedish band known for their war history-themed music. This started way back in 2005, with the release of Primo Victoria, the album to first take on historic themes. In the nearly twenty years since, the band has taken on broad topics like World War 1, World War II, and even Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. Sabaton manages to pack a twelve song setlist into their opening slot, which is made up of crowd pleasers from across their discography

Despite the warmongering imagery, including gas masks, lots of camo, and a drum riser disguised as a tank, Sabaton comes across as just a happy, jovial bunch interested in cool stories about history. Brodén peppers his performance with lighthearted jokes while the rest of the guys engage with the audience, smiling broadly all the way. It’s very entertaining and the music is creative.

I’ve seen Sabaton perform many times with Judas Priest over the last few years; the National Harbor show was my fourth time on this tour alone. Something that stands out to me is just how strong a fanbase Sabaton has. It’s not unusual to show up at a Judas Priest gig and see many Sabaton t-shirts and even people dressed up in costume. Priest has done a great job here finding a band with crossover appeal for tours and is sticking with what works for them.

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Amon Amarth made a stop at the Fillmore Silver Spring Tuesday, a date on their Metal Crushes All tour, the band’s biggest ever North American tour. The venue sold out and it was an absolutely bonkers night of metal.

The insanity got started early, at 6:30PM, when Frozen Soul took the stage. The Dallas, Texas band (Samantha Mobley, Michael Munday, Chad Green, Matt Denard, and Chris Bonner) already had a mostly full house to play to when they laid down their 30-minute set of icy death metal. A still-young band, Frozen Soul’s latest album is Glacial Domination, released in 2023, and praised for its old school death metal sound. Vocalist Green wore a Bolt Thrower shirt, illustrating that the band does wear its death metal influences on its figurative sleeve.

The turnover took mere minutes before Obituary took the baton from Frozen Soul to continue the crowd’s annihilation. Formed in Florida back in 1984, Obituary is one of death metal’s pioneering bands, as well as one of the genre’s most successful. Forty years on, Obituary has eleven studio albums under its belt, the latest being 2023’s Dying of Everything.

Their seven-song set was heavy on new material, but the crowd didn’t seem to mourn the relative lack of older material. It was still fairly early in the night, but the roof was already starting to get ripped off the Fillmore—the venue was almost full by that point. Chanting and crowd surfing got started and never stopped. Not bad for a Tuesday night in the suburbs!

By the time Cannibal Corpse took the stage, the Fillmore was completely full, bursting at the seams with explosive energy from death metal fans ready to lose their minds. Cannibal Corpse (George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, Alex Webster, Paul Mazurkiewicz, Rob Barrett, and Erik Rutab), also from Florida, is another OG death metal band, forming with its original lineup in 1988. Despite having little to no radio or TV exposure, the band developed a cult following starting in the early ’90s of fans drawn to the technical death metal and horror-based lyrics.

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From the Civilian Arts Project to the Warehouse Next Door, the Black Cat, Comet Ping Pong, Artisphere, the Howard Theatre, U Street Music Hall, Penn Social, and Eaton DC—the DC Record Fair has brought out vinyl fans across DC (and VA!) for 15 years now. And for the 15th anniversary of the DC Record Fair, we’re returning to the Eaton DC on Sunday, May 19th to celebrate.

For this special anniversary event, we’ll have 45+ record dealers from up and down the East Coast with thousands of records, a stellar DJ line up—and entry to the event is free of charge for the entire day.

Our thanks to YouTube user Abigail Bender for a recap of last October 2022’s DC Record Fair above!

THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY DJ LINE-UP:
11:00–12:00: DJ D-Mac
12:00–1:00: Neal Augenstein (WTOP)
1:00–2:00: DJ EM G (HR Records)
2:00–3:00: Stereofaith
3:00–4:00: Leon City Sounds
4:00–5:00: John Foster (Superior Viaduct)

Mark your calendars! 
THE DC RECORD FAIR
Sunday, May 19, 2024 at Eaton DC, 1201 K Street, NW DC
11:00AM–5:00PM—and free all day!
Follow via Facebook.
Poster courtesy Bad People Good Things.

Swedish metal gods Avatar returned to the US last week and I have lots to say about it, having had the pleasure and privilege of covering the Norfolk, VA date Saturday night. Avatar continues to hit home runs with their support acts—last year’s tour with Native Howl and Orbit Culture was incredible, and on this quick headlining tour they knock it out of the park with Conquer Divide and Oxymorrons.

The freak show was still assembling when Oxymorrons took the stage at 8PM. From New York, Oxymorrons (brothers Demi “Deee” and Kami “KI,” drummer Matty Mayz and vocalist/guitarist/bassist Jafe Paulino) produce a mashup of rap, rock, funk, and punk that they refer to as “melanin punk.” It makes for an explosive sound and frankly an awesome way to get the night rolling.

The dual vocalist brothers have bottomless energy, weaving around and playing off each other while performing and working the crowd. They excel at it and are very easy to like. Meanwhile, Mayz and Paulino pound out the punk rock sounds. It makes for delightful, barely contained chaos and is a ton of fun to watch.

Arguably the cherry on top of all this is the band’s message of justice and self-acceptance. So, roll up wearing your bunny ears and mismatched socks with loafers, come out in your spiked ski mask and Wampa-looking furry boots. Be your “weird-ass” self. Oxymorron’s latest album is Melanin Punk, which includes banger “Look Alive,” a track that made Billboard’s Maintream Rock chart.

Michigan based Conquer Divide then took the stage as the next act. Interestingly, this band also has two vocalists (Kia Castillo and Madison Spencer) along with guitarists Kristin Sturgis and Isabel Johnson, and drummer Samantha Landa. I was at the show in Indianapolis earlier that week, and these young women bore the brunt of what was a disastrous sound problem at the venue. They were only able to play three songs before it was determined that the issue was unfixable, and they had to leave the stage. The women were pros about the whole thing, engaging with the crowd and treating us all to some impressive a cappella work before taking their bows.

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Los Straitjackets have a whole subgenera of rock to themselves—guitar-led surf instrumentals, twanging away the way The Ventures once did—and with a second gimmick all their own, Lucha Libre wrestling masks.

Even when joining forces with Nick Lowe, as they have for an album and a couple of tours, they’ve maintained their distinct identity and cool swagger. To celebrate the band’s 30th anniversary, the band is on tour that included the Hamilton in DC. Led by Eddie Angel, a rockabilly stalwart who has played with a lot of bands, and flanked by lanky Greg Townson.

With steady backing by bassist Pete Curry and drummer Chris Sprague, the band could go in any direction, but were celebrating its anniversary by largely doing originals from their dozen or so albums, with titles that sounded like artifacts from the past—from the opening “Pacifica” to the signature “Kawanga!” to their version of horror novelty, “Rockula.”

By the second tune, “Outta Gear,” the front line was arranged to do cheesy choreographed moves, augmented by their matching black suits, wrestling mask,s and matching custom guitars. There were a few familiar instrumentals—back from the days when instrumental s were played enough on the radio to become familiar. One was “Out of Limits” from the Marketts, later remade by the Ventures; and the Revels’ “Church Key,” with the drummer adding other non sequitirs in the key breaks (“bird bath!” was one).

Making an instrumental out of a pop hit is a good move, and they did so with “Love Potion Number Nine” (as the Ventures did before them). They went further, though, putting their stamp on the theme from “Midnight Cowboy” such that it retained its haunting melody through reverb. The Benny Goodman staple “Sing, Sing, Sing” becomes a set-closing stinger (with plenty of room for a Gene Krupa-like drum attack). Best of all is their unexpected reworking of the theme from Titanic, “My Heart Will Go On” into a thrilling rocker.

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From the Civilian Arts Project to the Warehouse Next Door, the Black Cat, Comet Ping Pong, Artisphere, the Howard Theatre, U Street Music Hall, Penn Social, and Eaton DC—the DC Record Fair has brought out vinyl fans across DC (and VA!) for 15 years now. And for the 15th anniversary of the DC Record Fair, we’re returning to the Eaton DC on Sunday, May 19th to celebrate.

For this special anniversary event, we’ll have 45+ record dealers from up and down the East Coast with thousands of records, a stellar DJ line up—and entry to the event is free of charge for the entire day.

Our thanks to YouTube user Abigail Bender for a recap of last October 2022’s DC Record Fair above!

Mark your calendars! 
THE DC RECORD FAIR
Sunday, May 19, 2024 at Eaton DC, 1201 K Street, NW DC
11:00AM–5:00PM—and free all day!
Follow via Facebook.
Poster courtesy Bad People Good Things.

Perth, Australia’s Blake Rose made a stop on his Suddenly Okay tour at DC’s Songbyrd Music House. His first headlining tour showcases his fresh charisma and charm, along with catchy anthems with a rock edge. It was an impressive show from someone who is clearly an exciting rising star.

His latest release is “Suddenly Okay,” a four track EP of sing-alongs that adds to the singer-songwriter’s existing body of infectious but relatable guitar-lead anthems. At Songbyrd Saturday, the largely Gen Z crowd gathered tightly around the stage, singing along to the pre-show playlist that included the likes of The Killers and One Direction. A wholesome post-college party atmosphere continued through the night. Rose instructed the crowd to keep partying, with only two rules in effect: to dance with anyone they saw dancing and talk to people they thought were cute.

The set list included songs like “Dizzy,” “Casanova,” and “Heavy Shit”—songs that feature his signature adept lyricism, vulnerability, and explore relatable themes like heartbreak, growing up, and getting wise. It’ll be fun to see the career of this extremely talented multi-instrumentalist and producer progress and mature.

The night kicked off with a set by supporting act Max McNown. Currently Nashville-based, the country/Americana singer-songwriter’s songs also explore relatable themes from a young person’s perspective. McNown’s first album, Wandering, was released this month and is described as revealing “his extraordinary capacity to ease the mind and strengthen the soul.”

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The historic and stately DAR Constitution Hall in Washington DC, the city’s largest concert hall, played host to a “ritual” last Wednesday night—folk collective Heilung made a stop on its current, brief run of tour dates. The DC audience was treated to an incredible melding of heavy music and the group’s interpretation of millennia-old rituals.

This date of Heilung’s brief tour featured Faroese singer-songwriter Eivør as a special guest. For context, the Faroe Islands are a tiny archipelago located halfway between Norway and Iceland and is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Known for its isolation and subpolar climate, it’s from this environment that musician and vocalist Eivør Pálsdóttir, who performs professionally simply as Eivør, comes to us. Raised in the village of Syðrugøta (population <500), she performed on television for the first time at age 13 and has since dabbled in jazz, classical, folk, chamber pop, and electronic music, releasing her first album Eivør Pálsdóttir, in 2000.

Eivør has also contributed to the soundtrack of BBC’s The Last Kingdom, her voice has made an appearance in a video game (God of War)—her set Wednesday night featured these songs—and she received the 2021 Nordic Council Music Prize. Eivør’s last album is the mostly English-language Segl, released in 2020. Eivor’s newest album, Enn, is slated for release June 14. The Constitution Hall crowd, relaxed but supportive, leapt to its feet to give Eivør a standing ovation as she ended her set, prompting her to tell the crowd she was “going to cry.”

As a Heilung newbie (“Heilung is a German word that means “healing”), I was eager to see what the collective had in store for us. Looking at the crowd, it was clear I was in the minority—everyone, from fans decked out in costumes, makeup, even antlers, to the more typical DC suits—seemed excited to be there, and happy to be with like-minded fans.

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When The Feelies started nearly half a century ago in New Jersey, nobody expected they’d be playing well into the second decade of the 21st century at full strength.

Looking like twitchy, shy, bespectacled kids on their influential 1980 debut—best described by the title of the frantic track that kicked it off, “The Boy with Perpetual Nervousness”—they nowadays more resemble professors emeriti. But at a big sold out show at the Black Cat in DC, they seem even more shy than ever—or at least start their shows that way.

Over the din of the crowd Saturday, they quietly took seats for an opening acoustic set some may not had realized had begun. The frantic strumming and entwining rhythms were there, if one listened, but the vocals were so low in the mix, one could stand right next to the club’s biggest PA and still strain to hear Glenn Mercer’s baritone.

By their second number, a cover of “Sunday Morning,” the crowed quieted enough to pay attention. After all, the track kicks off the band’s release last fall, Some Kinda Love: Performing the Music of the Velvet Underground, chronicling a 2018 show.

It was just one of three songs performed from that salute, however. It was as if a song that had so internalized that band’s tone, intensity and simple, poetic lyrics (not to mention Mercer’s Lou Reed-like deadpan) there was no need to further reference their biggest influence.

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This was a fun one. Washington, DC’s storied 9:30 Club hosted an evening of soul, playing to a packed house Saturday night. On the bill? The amazing Lee Fields with support from the funky Monophonics.

Hailing from the San Francisco Bay area and led by producer/multi-instrumentalist (and a solo artist under his own name) Kelly Finnigan, Monophonics’ latest album (the band’s fifth) is Sage Motel, released in 2022. Praised for capturing a difficult to nail ’60s soul vibe, Sage Motel tells the story of, as the band itself puts it, a “place where folks experience the highs and lows of human existence. A place where big dreams and broken hearts live, where people arrive without ever knowing how they got there. It’s where folks find themselves at a crossroads in life.”

Along with the usual guitar, drums, and bass, Monophonics features the glorious use of synths and horns to create a pure retro soul/psychedelic rock sound. Reviews compare Finnigan’s voice to Marvin Gaye, and I agree with that; however, as someone who was previously unfamiliar with Monophonics, I would also argue there are similarities in the band’s sound to contemporaries like St. Paul & The Broken Bones. But while Paul Janeway’s performances and songs reflect a grounding in the church, Monophonics feels like the darker flip side of that retro soul band coin with a more intimate feel to their performance. Indeed, late in the set, the band played their incredible “Warpaint,” a song about addiction.

In any event, the crowd ate it up, singing along and dancing and, by the time I left the photo pit three songs into the set, the venue was already full, surprising for an early show. Monophonics may be known as Bay Area band, but they have a following in the DC area, too, as demonstrated Saturday night. Some folks even left after their hour-long set, finishing up their Saturday night elsewhere. Those who left early missed out on something good, as Lee Fields took the stage with his band, The Expressions, at about 7:45pm and promptly tore the house down.

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