Week Of: February 26-March 4, 2018
Intimate Settings/Big Personalities
Summary:
The theme I'm picking up on this week is that there are a lot of BIG stories, BIG personalities, BIG sounds to be experienced up-close and personal these next few days in the DMV.
DC Music Review Staff Picks:
DC Music Review staff are talking about these heavy hitters:
- Funk/soul goddess Kendra Foster is a vocal force to be reckoned with, having worked with P-Funk and provided essential backbone vocals on D'Angelo's album Black Messiah. Catch her up-close and person at the most perfect, intimate setting at Blues Alley on Feb 27. Her vocals will fill that room like a warmed heart.
- Cozy up with a Grammy award winning artist at An Intimate Evening of Songs and Stories with Graham Nash on Feb 27 and 28 at Ram's Head On Stage. Maybe he'll talk about why Crosby, Stills, & Nash names are listed in that order versus alphabetically. There's got to be a story there.
- DJ Williams' Shots Fired is an amazing funk rock powerhouse from Los Angeles that has been gaining a lot of attention in Southern California and are about to spread the sound to the masses with a new live record this fall. Catch them with opening band Balkun Brothers as they hit DC up with their sick get-down at Gypsy Sally's on March 1.
- Jazz a'phish'onados rejoice. Jazz is Phish a collective of Phish appreciators from the jazz scene that have come together to reimagine the music in an instrumental, jazz fusion fashion. See them at The Broadberry on March 1.
- You go to see your favorite singer perform but they never show up. What's the back-up band to do? Beloved NY guitarist Scott Metzger, bassist Jon Shaw, and drummer Taylor Floreth, decide to put on their own instrumental improv show, and thus spawned the innovative ensemble known as WOLF! featuring Scott Metzger. And they're coming to Gypsy Sally's on March 2 to give a "daring, evocative, and unpredictable" performance that their fans have grown to love. Serendipity has its benefits.
- You have two nights, March 2-3, to catch the seminal New Orleans funk band Galactic at the 9:30 Club with DC-native Rob Mercurio on bass. Go to the Friday night show to see Richmond's five-piece instrumental band Butcher Brown opening, and hit the Saturday night show to catch local "funk with soul" favorites AZTEC SUN open the show.
These are the kinds of shows/events that I love to get to. They are often intimate, friendly, neighborhood-feeling, and make me feel lucky to live in the DMV:
- Here are two great opportunities to jam with some of the most talented, warm, and welcoming musicians in DC: Gordon Sterling presents The Gypsy Sally's Jam on Feb 27 and Neel Singh's Open Jam and Workshop at Villain & Saint on Feb 28.
- Wake yourself up with post-pop duo Diet Cig with Great Grandpa and The Spook School at the Rock & Roll Hotel on Feb 28. Diet Cig's intimate connection between musicians Alex Luciano (guitar, vox) and Noah Bowman (drums) will pull you in, along with riffs and straight-up lyrics that make you feel at once young and old.
- If you're a DC musician or involved in scene or WANT to get involved, head to the DC Musicians Meet-Up on March 1 at Uptown Art House to connect with other music-loving people in our community. Who knows what magic can happen if you show up.
- At the aforementioned Gordon Sterling jam a few weeks ago, the crowd was wowed by the lyrical prowess of Dior Ashley Brown. Catch her one-woman show, Dior Ashley Brown presents My Vessel at Atlas Theatre on March 2 where a live band joins her as she dives into women's issues, her experiences with repression, and her successes in the hip hop community that has contributed to her evolution as a female emcee. This is one not to miss.
- Show your support at the 15th Annual Mammojam Music Festival at Baltimore's 8x10 on March 3, hosted by an all volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to supporting breast cancer awareness, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment programs for uninsured and low income women through live music and artistic performances. This year's line-up includes local bands Spirit Parade, Brooks Long and Mad Dog No Good, and Roses n Rust.
- In 2010, DC musician Ben Tufts decided he wanted to create an event which would honor his Dad and raise money for the educational fund established in his father's memory. Knowing what a lively and talented music scene there is right in here in the DMV, he looked to his friends for support and thought a concert would be a perfect fundraiser. On March 3 and 4 come see Ben Tufts and Friends pay tribute to The Police at Gypsy Sally's. Dozens of the area's top musicians will gather to pay homage to the music of The Police and all profits will go to The Craig Tufts Educational Scholarship Fund.
Here are our recommendations for shows throughout the DMV.
All Featured Events
District
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Maryland
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Virginia
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