Featured above is Mourning [A] BLKstar, a "multi-generational, gender and genre non-conforming amalgam of Black Culture dedicated to servicing the stories and songs of the apocalyptic diaspora." They are performing Thurs and again on Fri at 6p and 8p). Photo by Laura Bidwell.
Week Of: January 21 — 27, 2019
Summary: After the Super Blood Wolf Moon
Do we listen more carefully? Do we dance more boldly?
Plenty of opportunity to do both of those this week in the DMV. There is a lot of powerful music happening including some tributes to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. listed below that are worth experiencing.
And once again this week, knowing that many people in the DMV are still affected by the furlough and may not have extra money to spend, here is a truncated (and not exhaustive) list of FREE shows for each day:
- Mon: Let Freedom Ring! A Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. FREE on The Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center
- Tues: Drew Kid at 6p FREE on the Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center AND/OR Gordon Sterling Presents: The Gypsy Sally's Jam at Gypsy Sally's
- Wed: AIR Workshop: The Journey from Spirituals to Soul at Strathmore Mansion or see Wed jams listed below!
- Thurs: The 19th Annual Flute Fête: A Celebration of the Flute at 12:30p and/or Cory Belcher FREE SHOW at Vinyl Lounge at Gypsy Sally's
- Fri: Mourning [A] BLKstar FREE at 6p on The Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center AND/OR Souled Out 5 Year Anniversary w/Jones Boys at Zeba Bar
- Sat: Creative in Residence Final Performances at National Building Museum at 3:30p and 6p (FREE) AND/OR Jonathan Acosta FREE at 6p on The Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center
- Sun: 7Drum City Pop-Up Music Festival FREE from 4p-9p at Union Stage
Plus, a LOT MORE exciting things to see and hear and feel in the links below, with personal choices in bold, along with a list of the DCMR staff top picks and cool "gems" that you don't want to miss.
And feel free to keep gazing at that moon lovingly.
Mon — January 21
DCMR Staff Recs
- Let Freedom Ring! A Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. FREE at 6p on The Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center
- Dave Kline Band (Violin) at Blues Alley
- Crash Test Dummies 25th Anniversary Tour at Rams Head On Stage (Annapolis)
Monday Jams
- JAMonday at Epicure Cafe
- JVs Open Blues Jam at JV's Restaurant
- Monday Night at the Mic at MilkBoy ArtHouse
- Jazz Jam Session at Golden Samovar Restaurant
- Monday Django Jazz Jam at Avenue Kitchen & Bar (Baltimore)
Hidden Gems
- Zack Dupont *Album Release Show* at Songbyrd Vinyl Lounge
- Experiments in Sound Meditation at Rhizome DC
Tue — January 22
DCMR Staff Recs
- Electro Magnifique "First Born CD Release" at Blues Alley
- Drew Kid at 6p FREE on the Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center
- Gordon Sterling Presents: The Gypsy Sally's Jam at Gypsy Sally's
- Mick Jenkins with Special Guest Kari Faux at Sixth & I
Hidden Gems
- Capitol Lab Bands FREE at Mr. Henry's
- Tyrone Cotton at Jammin Java
- Dark Thoughts, The Smarthearts, The Max Levine Ensemble at Comet Ping Pong
- Birthday at 219 with Sol Roots Band at 219 King Street
- Sauf Haus Open Mic feat. Sheila at Sauf Haus
- Elijah Easton | CapitalBop's Spotlight Residency at Local 16 DC
- Mdou Moctar (Tuareg) and GULL Live at The Golden Pony (Harrisonburg, VA)
Wed — January 23
DCMR Staff Recs
- AIR Workshop: The Journey from Spirituals to Soul FREE with registration at Strathmore Mansion
- Concert: The Gamelan Experience at The National Cathedral
Wednesday Night Jams and Open Mics
- BLACK HERITAGE JAM at The Ugly Mug
- Neel Singh’s Open Jam/Workshop Villain & Saint at Villain & Saint
- Rhodeside Grill Open Mic Night hosted by Alex The Red Parez! at Rhodeside Grill
- Capitol Hill Jazz Jam at Mr. Henry's
- Open Mic & Jam at Fat Tuesday's
Hidden Gems
- Leo Suarez, Sarah Hughes/Luke Stewart, Nik Francis Trio at Rhizome DC
- Petal / Sir Babygirl / Cave People at Songbyrd
- Lem | Vireo and Victor Archie at Songbyrd Vinyl Lounge
- Peter and Jeremy: Peter Asher and Jeremy Clyde at City Winery DC
- GRAILS w/ Helen Money and Tone at Union Stage
- The Campfire Sessions (January) at New Deal Cafe
- Wednesday Night Jazz feat. Todd Simon at Nori (Baltimore)
- Django Reinhardt's B-Day w/ The Derailleurs at B Chord Brewing Company (Round Hill, VA)
Thu — January 24
DCMR Staff Recs
- Eli Cook Band at Villain & Saint
- Roy Ayers (Vibes/Soul Fusion) at Blues Alley
- Music in the Mansion: Yael Weiss, piano at Strathmore Mansion
- Nahi at Gypsy Sally's
- Rock n' Soul Night featuring Bryan Lee & Mitchell Ferguson at Pearl Street Warehouse
- Mourning [A] BLKstar w/ Konjur Collective, $100 Girlfriend at Metro Gallery (Baltimore)
Hidden Gems
- Con Davison (of Bad Bad Hats), Milo in the Doldrums, Queue at Dangerous Pies DC
- DOGO at Bossa Bistro + Lounge
- Trio Trela at Bossa Bistro + Lounge
- The 9 Songwriter Series at Hill Country DC
- Cory Belcher FREE SHOW at Vinyl Lounge at Gypsy Sally's
- Liz Longley (full band!) at Jammin Java
- The 19th Annual Flute Fête: A Celebration of the Flute at 12:30p at 2400 6th Street NW
- 9:30 Presents Windhand at U Street Music Hall
- Lala Lala / Sen Morimoto / Moonee at Comet Ping Pong
- Danube Sessions at Marx Cafe
- Gleb Kanasevich/Guillermo Pizarro/JASSIE/Victoria Cheah/BLK TAG at Rhizome DC
- Marbles on Tile at Normal's Books & Records (Baltimore)
Fri — January 25
DCMR Staff Recs
- Mourning [A] BLKstar FREE at 6p on The Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center
- Mourning [A] BLKstar & Black Folks Don't Swim? & Lightmare at Rhizome DC
- The Lil Smokies with Upstate at Union Stage
- Roy Ayers (Vibes/Soul Fusion) at Blues Alley
- Guster with Henry Gamison at 9:30 Club
- Steep Canyon Rangers at The Hamilton
- NSO Pops: An Evening with Brandy at The Kennedy Center
- The Walkaways and Roof Beams at Pearl Street Warehouse
- Respect the Queen at AMP Strathmore
- Cosmic Charlie at Gypsy Sally's
- The High and Wides at Hill Country DC
- Orchard Lounge with Crouse at U Street Music Hall
- Jimi Hendrix Tribute at Bright Box Theatre (Winchester, VA)
- An Evening With Better Off Dead at The Soundry (Columbia)
- Sun Ra Arkestra, The Mondawmen 1/25 at Ottobar (Baltimore)
- Jordan August Band - Cousin Earth at The 8x10 (Baltimore)
Hidden Gems
- Live Music w/ Mojo Bozos, Venray, and Tired All The Time at Atlas Brew Works
- Stump Devils with Casanovela LIVE at Colony Club
- Covered With Jam's Friday NIGHT FUNK at Villain & Saint
- Elijah Easton | CapitalBop's Spotlight Residency at Local 16 DC
- Edición Colombiana at Toro Toro DC
- Don't Forget Ya Girl: Live Music Showcase at Songbyrd
- Caz's Underground Party at Marx Cafe
- Freestyle Fridays at Listen Vision Recording Studios
- American Television, Pagan Reagan, Fix Your Hearts at VFW! at VFW 9274
- Souled Out 5 Year Anniversary w/Jones Boys at Zeba Bar (FREE)
- The Vandelays at Kalypso's
- DC New Music Showcase at Smith Public Trust
- Iron Lion Reggae Party at Ivy City Smokehouse
- Natalie Claro w/ special guest at The Pinch
- Legwarmers at The State
- Prime Time: Funk Disco Boogie Soul w/ DJ Trev-ski & Nitekrawler at Songbyrd
- Run Come See at Haydee's DC
- Hip Hop Karaoke at The Kennedy Center
- Stars and The Sea / Talking to Shadows / Single Spies at Joe Squared (Baltimore)
Sat — January 26
DCMR Staff Recs
- The Disco Biscuits at The Anthem
- Neko Case with Margaret Glaspy (Second Night Added!) at The Lincoln Theatre
- Roy Ayers (Vibes/Soul Fusion) at 8p and 10p at Blues Alley
- Guster & Henry Jamison at 9:30 Club
- Jonathan Acosta FREE at 6p on The Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center
- Carl Thomas at The Howard Theatre
- Ella Nicole at City Winery DC
- Justin Trawick's Birthday Show featuring The Common Good, Kentucky Avenue at Pearl Street Warehouse
- Kokayi at The Kennedy Center
- Jimi Hendrix Tribute w/Bobby Thompson Trio at Colonial Tavern Home to the Irish Brigade
- David Sánchez: CARIB at The Kennedy Center
- Passafire w/s/g See Water, Threesound at Gypsy Sally's
- Super City, Chaunter, Soul Cannon at Ottobar (Baltimore)
Hidden Gems
- Ménage À Garage/Curse Words/Double Motorcycle at Dangerous Pies DC
- PEÑA : Mujeres al escenario / Womyn on stage! at Sankofa Music Cafe
- TK Echo / Spyne at Rhizome DC
- Nicole Saphos Trio at the Alex!
- Hayley Fahey, Jesse Denaro and Emily Henry at Velvet Lounge DC!
- Noches de Rumba y Blues at Bossa Bistro + Lounge
- Diary of an R&B Classic: New Edition "Heart Break" at Songbyrd
- Antonia/Coven Tree/Tristan Welch at Dwell DC
- Easy Sleeper ¬ Huttch ¬ Alan Brenner at Songbyrd
- DC New Music Showcase at Smith Public Trust
- Huttch / Easy Sleeper at Songbyrd Vinyl Lounge
- Ritmos Raros Del Mundo: El Poder Tropical de DC Vol.4 at Songbyrd
- Kompa, Zouk & Kizomba Night at Port-au-Prince Haitian Cuisine by Don Berto's Kitchen
- Reminiscences Piano at Providence Presbyterian Church
- Bela Dona Live at Bethesda Blues and Jazz Club
- Legwarmers at The State
- Break a Leg Benefit Show! at FinArt Gallery
- Forces Presents: Womyn Rise! ¡Las Mujeres Arriba! at The Fern
- Sweet Something at JoJo DC
- Creative in Residence Final Performances at National Building Museum at 3:30p and 6p (FREE)
- The Crooked Angels at Broadland (VA)
- Silent Score: Marc Ribot Plays Aelita Queen of Mars at Creative Alliance (Baltimore)
Sun — January 27
DCMR Staff Recs
- 7Drum City Pop-Up Music Festival FREE from 4p-9p at Union Stage
- GOT SOUL SUNDAYS DC at Bin 1301 Wine Bar
- King Princess at 9:30 Club
- Roy Ayers (Vibes/Soul Fusion) at 8p and 10p Blues Alley
- Richard Lloyd (of Television) Solo at City Winery DC
- Jason Kao Hwang's Human Rites Trio at Rhizome DC
- Great Northern (w/Amy Wilson) at Bossa Bistro + Lounge
- Mt. Joy & Illiterate Light at The Broadberry (Richmond)
Hidden Gems
- Sheila (Album Release Party) w/ Yanju and The New Vybe at The Dew Drop Inn DC
- Daddy Issues | Leggy at Songbyrd
- The Meer & Rex at Galaxy Hut
- The Perfectionists Rock Brunch at The Ugly Mug
- Listening Local Concert by the Parkway Brass Quintet at the Kensington Baptist Church
- The 10th Anniversary of the DC Record Fair at Penn Social
- Sunday Night Music: Clara Delfina at Petworth Citizen
- Jazz in the Basement with Erol Danon and Friends at Goethe-Institut
- DCDD Does Drag 9 at TRADE
