Thursday, March 22
With “Somebody I Used to Know,” Gotye took YouTube by storm–the song has showed up on popular radio, but most surprisingly, a remixed club-banger version is making the rounds of hot dance spots. It builds slow and then kicks into overdrive during a superb chorus. His other songs aren’t as catchy, but that didn’t stop him from easily selling out 9:30 Club tonight.
7 PM doors at 9:30 Club, sold out.
The sound of Phoenix’s Miniature Tigers actually has a little in common with the band Phoenix. They’ve got a bit of a retro feel, and some of their songs sound ripped from the soundtrack of a 16-bit video game. They play DC9 tonight.
Doors at 7 PM at DC9, $12.
Friday, March 23
The Postelles came through a couple months ago with the Kooks, and for good reason. They sound like they’re right out of a ’70s teen flick, playing good old-fashioned rock. This time, they get a headlining show of their own at U Street Music Hall.
7 PM at U Hall, $15.
Fatboy Slim made a name for himself in the late ’90s with “The Rockafeller Skank,” and followed it up with “Weapon of Choice.” He released a concept album with David Byrne in 2010 that garnered mixed reviews, but right about now, he should be ready to stick to the hits. Catch him at the 9:30 Club tonight.
9 PM doors at 9:30 Club, $45.
Saturday, March 24
Reptar‘s Oblangle Fizz, Y’all was easily my favorite EP of 2011, and their upcoming LP should be one of the year’s best. For a band with only a couple of (very danceable) songs, they sure play DC a lot–they opened for Foster the People late last year, headlined the Gibson Guitar Center early last month, and are coming back to the 9:30 Club in June. That doesn’t mean you should miss the impossibly catchy band Saturday at Sixth & I (check Craigslist for tickets).
8 PM at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, sold out.
Another band that just came through with the Kooks gets a headlining show–with an NME Award nomination for Best New Band, Tribes are working on hitting it big in Britain, and it’s easy to see why. They’re a rock band, but with songs comparing girls to ancient Greek poets, they’ve got a bit of substance, too.
9 PM doors at DC9, $8 in advance, $10 at the door.
Sunday, March 25
We live in a weird time–when boy bands can once again sell out huge venues, New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys team up for albums, and a 41-year-old from said boy band can hit the road on his own and do all right for himself. NKOTB’s Jordan Knight will play the Fillmore and presumably do some cool dance moves for you to enjoy.
8 PM at the Fillmore, $35.
With a huge, haunting voice made even more haunting by the fact that Heath Ledger discovered her shortly before his death, Grace Woodroofe is worth seeing live. She brings her bluesy songs to Black Cat’s backstage Sunday, and you should check her out in the tiny space before she blows up.
8 PM at Black Cat, $10.
Monday, March 26
A pair of punk frontmen go solo Monday at the Black Cat. Kevin Seconds–founder of early ’80s hardcore outfit 7 Seconds–tones it down a bit with his acoustic guitar. Vic Ruggiero, frontman of the laid-back ska band the Slackers, will open.
8 PM at Black Cat, $10 in advance, $12 at the door.
Managing to be dreamy without being boring, North Wales’s the Joy Formidable have garnered some buzz for their single “Whirring” and for their opening spot on a Passion Pit tour a couple years ago. They play the 9:30 Club tonight.
7 PM at 9:30 Club, $25.
Tuesday, March 27
Sleigh Bells’ highly anticipated February date at 9:30 Club was rescheduled for Tuesday, and it’s just as well. It gave fans a chance to get acclimated to their latest LP, Reign of Terror, which rocks as hard as the name would suggest, though it’s a bit less in-your-face than 2010’s Treats. Live, the duo brings even more energy, as Alexis Krauss bounces around the stage like a pinball.
7 PM at 9:30 Club, sold out.
Long before Girl Talk or Skrillex were things, DJ Shadow was making bangers out of samples. His beats have been used by anyone who’s anyone in the hip-hop scene, but he’s worth checking out solo as well–like at the Fillmore tonight.
8 PM at the Fillmore, $30.
Wednesday, March 28
As a solo artist, Royce da 5’9″ is barely known, but his project with Eminem, Bad Meets Evil, has spawned some megahits, including “Lighters.” Wednesday, he’ll bring his other crew, Slaughterhouse, featuring Joe Budden and a couple of other guys, to 9:30 Club.
7 PM at 9:30 Club, $25.
The family affair Noel Gallagher had going with Oasis hit a huge snag when he had a falling-out with his younger brother, Liam, causing the band to break up. Noel hopped right back on the musical horse with Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. The group’s sound is more trippy than Oasis–there’s no way their songs will become karaoke standbys–but for fans grieving Oasis’s departure from this earth, it’s about as close as you’ll get. Catch them at the Warner Theatre tonight.
8 PM at Warner Theatre, $39.50 to $79.50.
