Rick Ross the Bawse performs at DAR tonight. Photograph by Flickr user thecomeupshow.
Thursday, February 23
Rick Ross, the Bawse himself, brings his larger-than-life persona to DAR Constitution Hall tonight. The former corrections officer has somehow rebranded himself as one of the hardest rappers in the game, and is head of the Maybach Music Group, which has taken Wale under its wing. I’d bet my oversize chain Wale shows up to perform “That Way” with Ross.
Doors at 7 PM at DAR Constitution Hall, $50 to $120.
Speaking of guys with big egos, Guns N’ Roses have decided to do a small club tour in advance of their April induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Don’t expect the lineup that brought you Appetite for Destruction at the Fillmore tonight, but you might get a little November Rain if you sit through some cuts from the finally released Chinese Democracy. Tickets are sold out but are selling for face value on StubHub.
Doors at 10 PM at the Fillmore, sold out.
Friday, February 24
We’re still a few weeks from St. Patty’s Day, but you can celebrate a little early with Flogging Molly—a Celtic punk band who’ve always been more authentic than the Dropkick Murphys but less appreciated, maybe because they’re from Los Angeles and not Boston. They’ll bring their tin whistles, accordions, and fiddles to the Fillmore.
Doors at 8 PM at the Fillmore, $30.
It’s not surprising that Ra Ra Rasputin have gotten pretty big in the Washington scene—they play infectious dance numbers and show up on the bills at some of the best local shows around town. If you don’t know what the fuss is about, catch them at Red Palace for eight bucks.
Doors at 8 PM at Red Palace, $8.
Saturday, February 25
Another local band generating a bit of buzz on the underground national scene, Lionize offer a keyboard-driven brand of funk and reggae that’s great for anyone looking for a laid-back show. The Silver Spring group will play at U Street Music Hall Saturday.
Doors at 6 PM at U Street Music Hall, $13.
It’s shaping up to be a good week to check out Red Palace. Saturday, electronic duo Javelin grace their intimate stage. They burst onto the scene in 2009 with a nice writeup by Pitchfork, and since then, they’ve kept making dancey tunes for you to shake to.
Doors at 8 PM at Red Palace, $12.
Sunday, February 26
Somehow, it’s even harder to find a show on Oscar Sunday than it was on Super Bowl Sunday. If you like rap focused on Star Wars, Gremlins, and other nerdy things, hiphopmcdougal are playing at DC9—they’ll take the stage sometime between a Billy Crystal wisecrack and a Meryl Streep closeup.
Doors at 8 PM at DC9, $8.
Monday, February 27
It’s tough to say what kind of music Spirit Animal play—they’ve got straightforward rockers, synthy toe-tappers, and some bass-driven funk cuts that’d sound all right on a Red Hot Chili Peppers album. If you like variety, check them out at Black Cat tonight.
Doors at 8 PM at Black Cat, $8.
Tuesday, February 28
Rockville’s Of a Revolution are arguably the most popular mainstream band Washington has had in a long time. They had some radio success in 2008 with “Shattered (Turn the Car Around),” but they’ve achieved most of their success with their popular live shows. They usually headline Merriweather, but are playing a run of shows at 9:30 Club Tuesday through Friday. All shows are sold out, but there are affordable tickets available on Craigslist.
Doors at 7 PM at 9:30 Club, sold out.
With their droning synth and drum loops, creepy music videos, and Lisa Reed’s haunting vocals, Lenorable are the kind of band that can keep you up at night. The music is dark, but still somehow danceable. They’ll release their newest EP, The Prince, at Black Cat.
Doors at 8 PM at Black Cat, $8.
Wednesday, February 29
After 1995’s “Killing Me Softly,” no one would ever doubt Lauryn Hill’s vocal chops or songwriting ability. As one of the driving forces behind the Fugees, she established herself as a star, and with The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, she cemented it. Then things got a little nuts—she said some controversial things and disappeared from the music world for a long time. In 2010, she played at Merriweather as part of the Rock the Bells Tour, and made concertgoers wait three hours. If you’re willing to take your chances to see a legend, Ms. Hill will give it another go at the Warner Theatre tonight.
Doors at 8 PM at the Warner Theatre, $69.50 to $170.50.
