Thursday, September 27
Washington’s
Allen Stone makes soul music so riveting the
New York Times has compared him to Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. Not so bad for a dorky-looking
singer songwriter from Nowheresville, Washington.
6:30 PM at 9:30 Club, $15.50.
Friday, September 28
For five years,
Ra Ra Rasputin have been filling DC’s dance music void, writing catchy, Depeche Mode-y music. Celebrate
their fifth birthday with some new songs at the Black Cat.
9 PM at Black Cat, $10.
The
Afghan Whigs’ jangly brand of alt-rock was big during the grunge movement. They disappeared in
2001 but have recently come out of hibernation for a quick tour, which includes a
long-sold-out show at 9:30 Club. You younger whippersnappers should check out their
just-released cover of Frank Ocean’s “Lovecrimes.”
8 PM at Black Cat, sold out.
Saturday, September 29
Speaking of Depeche Mode-y dance bands,
Crystal Castles have supplanted them as kings of the sad-ish sounding electronic music you can’t
help but dance to genre. Which is definitely a genre. Their show at 9:30 Club is way
sold out.
8 PM at 9:30 Club, sold out.
Sunday, September 30
Fueled by a ridiculously artsy video and the catchiest chorus ever,
Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” became an unlikely crossover hit, blasting from
car stereos and even finding its way into clubs with a sped-up remix. Go scream your
lungs out and wear paint on your face at his Merriweather show.
5:30 PM at Merriweather, $35 to $45.
Talking Heads frontman
David Byrne and indie pop mainstay
St. Vincent seem like an unlikely duo—one’s 60 and is responsible for “Psycho Killer,” the other
hangs out with Sufjan Stevens. But here we are—they just released
Love This Giant, a collaborative album full of jazzy horns. Their show at Strathmore is like
Watch the Throne for hipsters.
8 PM at Strathmore, $55 to $125.
Monday, October 1
Blondie’s hits were among the most memorable of the ’80s new wave trend, holding on despite
high tides to sell more than 40 million records worldwide. Sounds like number one
to us. Last year’s
Panic of Girls proved they still know how to write a dance song.
6 PM at State Theatre, $57.
Tuesday, October 2
Animal Collective like Merriweather Post Pavilion so much, they named their iconic album after it.
They finally got the chance to play there last year, and used the chance to play essentially
nothing that anyone knew, trying out new songs and stuff that presumably ended up
on their latest album,
Centipede Hz. The experimental rockers will give it another go next week.
6:30 PM at Merriweather, $30 to $45.
Wednesday, October 3
Northern Ireland’s
Two Door Cinema Club just came out with
Beacon, their second studio album, which features lots more of the same dance punk fans
have gotten used to.
7 PM at 9:30 Club, sold out.
The Dig use two singers to sing their brand of pretty indie rock. They rarely dial up the
pace past toe-tap level, but when they do, they prove they can write catchy, poppy
melodies.
8 PM at Red Palace, $10.
Know of a great show going on in town? E-mail Jason Koebler at jasontpkoebler@gmail.com,
or find him on Twitter @jason_koebler.
