Category Archives: Music

Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music
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The Winning Ticket: Sound Bites

As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader each week. Check back here every Wednesday morning at 9am to find out what tickets we’re giving away and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

Last week we gave you music and a horse race; this week we’re offering music and food from some of DC’s best eats. Enter to win two tickets to the Sound Bites event at the 9:30 Club on Sunday, May 22. Sound Bites combines free food samples from area restaurants with performances by area bands to benefit D.C. Central Kitchen, whose programs help the area’s homeless and underprivileged via meals, outreach, and counseling services. This edition of Sound Bites features music from go-go legends Trouble Funk and area ska godfathers The Pietasters to name a few of the acts that will help you dance off all those tapas, oysters, and empenadas.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am and 4pm today. One entry per email address, please. If today doesn’t turn out to be your lucky day, check back here each Wednesday for a chance to win tickets to other great concerts. Tickets for this event are available on Ticketfly.

For the rules of this giveaway…

Comments will be closed at 4pm and a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be notified by email. The winner must respond to our email within 24 hours or they will forfeit their tickets and we will pick another winner.

Tickets will be available to the winner at the 9:30 Club Guest List window one hour before doors open on the night of the concert. The tickets must be claimed with a valid ID. The winner must be old enough to attend the specific concert or must have a parent’s permission to enter if he/she is under 18 years old.

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, Special Events, The Features, We Love Arts
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Art Explodes at 14th & Florida

Photo courtesy of
‘BYT/Vitaminwater Uncapped 9’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’

I’m standing in front of a beat-up industrial building whose windows are papered with notices, its imposing iron gate clanged shut. It doesn’t look like much is happening on this corner of 14th and Florida Avenue NW. But above me is a new black sign with familiar logos signaling that three partners have come together to bring DC an exhilarating pop-up destination combining art, music and the unexpected for one month of mayhem.

Get ready for vitaminwater uncapped LIVE with entertainment programming from Brightest Young Things and Art Whino‘s G40 Art Summit: Friday May 20th through Friday June 17th at 2217 14th Street NW.

BYT’s own Svetlana Legetic took me on a walkthrough of the 20,000+ square foot space, while artists set up their installations and graffiti spray hung in the air. Opening weekend is in a few days, and everyone involved is incredibly excited. After what I saw, I’m excited too! I love the possibility of browsing room after room of crazy eclectic artwork, meeting interesting people, hanging out at a concert or dancing in a basement garage – all in the same place. The whole building has been taken over in an explosion of art – every available wall space is covered, including stairwells, hallways, bathrooms, ceilings – everywhere you look there’s something new to discover. Add people and music, and I’m looking forward to one hell of a fun time.

Let’s take a peak. Continue reading →

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: My Chemical Romance @ 9:30 Club, 5/10/11

All photos by Aminta S. Nieves-Candamo.

Guest reviewer Alexia Kauffman of The Torches was at the show for We Love DC:

My Chemical Romance brought their own special brand of supercharged power-punk-goth-pop to DC’s 9:30 Club on Tuesday night. In the middle of their World Contamination Tour, they were joined by fellow New Jersey rockers Thursday, and Kansas City, Missouri’s Architects.

When I arrived at the 9:30 club on Tuesday night, I could hardly believe my eyes. It was about fifteen minutes until the 7pm door time, and the line was outrageous! It looked to be at least four people wide or more, and stretched almost three full blocks! When I joined the end of the massive line I began to feel a little bit out of place. From a glance it seemed that, oh, maybe 90% of the people in line were teens or tweens. And most of the rest looked to be the parents of said teens. Maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised. The thing is I’d never been to a My Chemical Romance show before, though I’ve been listening to them (and ok I admit it loving them- does this count as a guilty pleasure?) since the release of their second album “Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge” in 2004. Anyway, once the massive line snaked its way inside the club the darkness helped equalize everyone, so it didn’t matter if I was one of the few adults without kids in tow. (More to come later about the pros & cons of a teen audience.*) Continue reading →

Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music
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The Winning Ticket: Infield Fest @ The Preakness

As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a concert to one lucky reader each week. Check back here every Wednesday morning at 9am to find out what tickets we’re giving away and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

Well it isn’t everyday that you get to attend a music festival and a horse race. Let alone, for FREE! This week we are giving away a pair of tickets to the Infield Festival featuring Bruno Mars, Train, Hotspur, Puddle of Mudd, and many more bands at the 2011 Preakness at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on Saturday, May 21st. This is the perfect chance for you to rock out in the sun all day and then watch horses run really fast until one wins!

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am and 4pm today. One entry per email address, please. If today doesn’t turn out to be your lucky day, check back here each Wednesday for a chance to win tickets to other great concerts. Tickets for this concert are available on Ticketmaster.

For the rules of this giveaway…
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Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
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We Love Music: James Blake @ Rock and Roll Hotel, 5/8/11

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Courtesy of James Blake

If you want some idea of what James Blake’s show sounded like on Sunday night at the Rock and Roll Hotel, do yourself a favor and listen to this broadcast of his SXSW set while you read.

I was beyond excited to get a chance to see Blake on his first US tour, at a venue as tiny as the Rock and Roll Hotel, at a show that sold out within minutes. He’s one of the rare artists who pushes the boundaries of popular music, creating something familiar but unclassifiable. (I’ll refrain from using the phrase “post-dubstep” in this review.) Blake is preceded by groups like How To Dress Well and The XX, who create dark, atmospheric, slow pop songs that use sparse instrumentation. This emptiness gives the songs enough breathing room that you can fill in the space yourself. After making a name for himself by producing dubstep, a dark, bass-heavy style of dance music from England, Blake mixed in his soul-singer-like vocals to craft his debut album last year.

As a singer/songwriter/producer, James Blake’s set could’ve gone in several different directions. I was wondering if he would stick to solo piano pieces. Or maybe he would eschew his voice in favor of playing straight, rhythm-focused dubstep tracks from his early days. We ended up getting a good mix of songs off his debut and electronic explorations old and new. Oh, and it was one of the best-sounding shows I’ve witnessed at the Rock and Roll Hotel.

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Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Sweetlife Festival 2011


all photos by author.

Sweetgreen is a locally established restaurant chain that was founded in 2007 by three former Georgetown students, Nicolas Jammet, Jonathan Neman, and Nathaniel Ru. In four short years, they have spread their environmentally conscious and healthy living message through the DMV area as well as into Pennsylvania. With a focus on sourcing locally grown and organic foods, Sweetgreen also provides a casual and relaxed dining experience. The three founders believe in leaving a the smallest carbon footprint possible and providing their customers with healthy food choices.

They also believe in throwing a kick ass music festival every year.

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Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music
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The Winning Ticket: The Twilight Singers

As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader each week. Check back here every Wednesday morning at 9am to find out what tickets we’re giving away and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

We are very pleased to be giving away two tickets to see The Twilight Singers perform at the 9:30 Club on Monday, May 9th. The Twilight Singers consistently deliver great live shows and their lead singer Greg Dulli is in a class all by himself. Dulli has been knock ’em dead since his days with the amazing Afghan Whigs and with The Twilight Singers has somehow managed to craft five incredible albums that started where the Whigs left off and evolved into an even more mature and emotional sound.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am and 4pm today. One entry per email address, please. If today doesn’t turn out to be your lucky day, check back here each Wednesday for a chance to win tickets to other great concerts. Tickets for this concert are available on Ticketfly.

For the rules of this giveaway…
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Entertainment, Interviews, Music, Night Life, People, The Features
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We Love Music: Getting to Know Flo Anito

Photo courtesy of Flo Anito

Flo Anito‘s got a step-up when compared to her fellow singer-songwriters in the District. She has an official music video for her song “Uh Oh,” which is already getting press in the LA Examiner and DC’s On Tap Magazine. The video, shot in-town at the Capital City Diner, is just one of many bragging rights this girl’s got on her musical resume.

After a live audition, Anito was selected for the 2010 Artist Roster at the world renowned Strathmore Music Hall. “Uh Oh” was also one of five finalists in Cosmo Radio’s Breaking the Band Contest, which won Anito an on-air interview and a song spin on Sirius Satellite Radio.

Her new album, “No Dustbunnies,” features Chris Keup (O.A.R., Erin McKeown), Stewart Meyers (Lifehouse), and Brian Jones (Dave Matthews Band, Mandy Moore). It is also a best seller on both CD Baby and Digstation and is getting radio play in New York, Connecticut, and the DC metro area.

Anito is an established name in a vocal community of District performance artists. She encourages her musical counterparts and took the time to share her stories and experiences with the We Love DC audience.

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Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Atmosphere @ 9:30 Club, 4/28


all photos by author.

As I walked down the sidewalk in front of the 9:30 Club towards the box office on Thursday afternoon, I thought I spotted a familiar face lingering amongst the crowd of fans lined up outside.

S…Slug?

Yep, it was the Minnesota rapper and leader of Atmosphere decked out in a Ben’s Chili Bowl t-shirt casually talking to fans. I picked up my ticket and headed to the back of the line and patiently waited as Slug granted every autograph request and photo op with his fans.

As the line got shorter, one of the two guys standing in front of me fumbled for something for Slug to sign.

“Uhh…can you sign my pack of Kool’s?”

“Aw, come on…gross, Kool’s?,” Slug replied with a smile as he scribbled his name down on the carton.

I’ve occasionally listened to Atmosphere over the years and knew of the rabid fan base that Slug had gained since dropping their initial album “Overcast!” in 1997. I was also aware of the kind and humble nature of Slug and I was happy to see that all the good things that I’ve read about him appeared to be true. I’ve been to my fair share of concerts and I’ve never seen anyone stand outside and talk to fans the way he did. No VIP special meet and greets here, every fan got a little face time with Slug.

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Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: Balkan Beat Box

As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader each week. Check back here every Wednesday morning at 9am to find out what tickets we’re giving away and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

Today we’re giving away a pair of tickets to a late night party with Balkan Beat Box at 9:30 Club on Friday, April 29th (NOTE: Doors for this show are 11pm).

When some of your founding members served time with gypsy-rock phenoms Gogol Bordello and 90’s indie-rock princes Firewater, your band is guaranteed to combine global influences for an explosive good time. Balkan Beat Box specialize in an unclassifiable blend of classic Balkan and Mediterranean instrumentals, hip-hop, gypsy rock, and punk. Their live shows are pure insanity fueled by their volatile mix of diaspora sounds and high energy showmanship.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am and 4pm today. One entry per email address, please. If today doesn’t turn out to be your lucky day, check back here each Wednesday for a chance to win tickets to other great concerts. Tickets for this concert are available on Ticketfly.

For the rules of this giveaway…
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Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music
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The Winning Ticket: Scala & Kolancy Brothers

As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader each week. Check back here every Wednesday morning at 9am to find out what tickets we’re giving away and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

This week’s ticket giveaway is for a pair of tickets to see Scala & The Kolancy Brothers perform at the 9:30 Club on Monday, April 25th.

If you don’t know what the heck Scala & The Kolancy Brothers is yet, don’t feel bad, you are not alone. Odds are you might know their work without even knowing who they are. Their weird and heart-breaking cover of Radiohead’s “Creep” was used heavily in the ad campaign for the film “The Social Network” last year. That’s where I was first exposed to this massive all girl choir from Belgium and the pair of brothers who work with them. Digging into Scala a little deeper reveals a group that specializes in soul searching choral arrangements of famous pop tunes; a niche market that they have been dominating for years. Thanks in no small part to the exposure that “The Social Network” provided, Scala & The Kolancy Brothers are able to bring their live show to America. I have a feeling this is going to be an unusual and special night at the 9:30 Club.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am and 4pm today. One entry per email address, please. If today doesn’t turn out to be your lucky day, check back here each Wednesday for a chance to win tickets to other great concerts. Tickets for this concert are available on Ticketfly.

For the rules of this giveaway…
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Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Spectrum @ SONAR, 4/14/11

IMG_9761
all photos by author.

On Thursday night I trekked up to Baltimore to see Spectrum perform on the side stage at SONAR. After witnessing their transcendent show at the Velvet Lounge last year, how could I resist this opportunity to see them again? Based on the strength of their previous show (and my soul-crushing fear of being alone), I talked a friend into coming along for the ride. To get him to tag along, I really talked this show up; an easy task considering how impressive Spectrum was last year. Unfortunately due to problems both technical and olfactory, this experience was very different than last year. Instead of seeing an easy contender for show of the year, we watched as the band plowed through a glitch-riddled set while pinching our noses and breathing through our shirt collars.

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Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Cake at 9:30 Club 4/14/11


all photos by Andrew Markowitz.

Who doesn’t love Cake?

No, not the dessert (although everyone loves it, too), I’m talking about the band who has spawned such hits as “The Distance”, “Never There”, and “Short Skirt/Long Jacket”. These are songs that I think most everyone knows and everyone can sing along to. And when Cake opened up a three night set at 9:30 Club on Thursday night, that’s exactly what the entire crowd did.

No one opened up for Cake that night; as lead singer John McCrea later explained “We’re opening up for ourselves.” Before the band came out a small tree was brought out to the front of the stage and I can’t say I’d ever seen anything like that before. Shortly after 8PM, the show started by a recorded speech that would be similar to what you’d hear from a stewardess before taking off for a flight. The recording instructed audience members to turn off all electronics including cell phones and cameras. I had a good laugh as I looked around the 9:30 Club and saw people actually pulling out their phones and cameras and shutting them down in all seriousness. C’mon, didn’t you realize what band you were coming to see?

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Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music
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The Winning Ticket: Mogwai

As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader each week. Check back here every Wednesday morning at 9am to find out what tickets we’re giving away and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

Now here is a ticket giveaway for a band that I personally endorse 100%. Mogwai are one of the very best live bands on the planet. They are elite. They are the special forces of the post-rock genre; of the many inspiring bands that post-rock has produced none are as consistently amazing live as them. Their concerts rattle souls. I once saw them play so furiously an amplifier burst into flames (seriously). Another time I saw them perform, they played so hard that their drummer had to be hospitalized immediately after the show. Enter to win two tickets to see Mogwai unleash their quiet beauty and thunderous power at the 9:30 Club on Tuesday, April 19th.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am and 4pm today. One entry per email address, please. If today doesn’t turn out to be your lucky day, check back here each Wednesday for a chance to win tickets to other great concerts. Tickets for this concert are available on Ticketfly.

For the rules of this giveaway…
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Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Wire @ Black Cat, 4/7/11

IMG_9707
all photos by author.

Wire played at the Black Cat on Thursday night for an adoring crowd of older fans and hardcore music geeks. They are touring on their excellent new album, “Red Barked Tree”. The new album was featured heavily on Thursday night, but Wire also offered up a sampler of the many phases they have gone through in their 30+ years career. The show was an interesting blend of energy levels and quality as the many sounds of Wire don’t always fit neatly next to one another. This was my first time seeing Wire in concert; while I walked away satisfied by the show, it was not the knock-out performance I was expecting.

If Wire will be remembered for one thing, it will be that they always did things on their own terms. One of the most important bands in the punk to post-punk transition, Wire harnessed the energy of ’77 UK punk to fuel their strange creations. Along with peer-bands like Magazine and Joy Division, they helped herald in a new era of unconventional sounds. Never satisfied being pigeonholed by the critics as “this type of band” or “that type of band”, Wire shifted gears many times over the years. From punk to post-punk to pop to industrial and so on, Wire were and still are always in a state of flux. While this is the thing that makes Wire such a satisfying and exciting band to listen to at home, I’m afraid it held their live show back a little bit on Thursday.

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Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
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We Love Music: The Black Angels @ 9:30 Club, 4/3/11

IMG_9577
all photos by author.

On Sunday night The Black Angels played at 9:30 Club for the second time in six months. Last time they were in town, they opened for Black Mountain. This time at bat The Black Angels headlined the show, which gave them more time to marinate the audience in their dark psych-rock sound. The club was about two-thirds full, which made for a decent-sized crowd while leaving plenty of empty space for their guitars and vocals to swirl around in. The name of the game was “atmosphere” as The Black Angels enhanced their bad acid trip soundtracks with minimal red and purple lighting casting long shadows, occasionally interrupted by seizure-inducing strobes. The stage back-drop looked simple enough with its a wavy black and white pattern, but eventually continued the theme of acid freak-out as it created a number of optical illusions as different lights and projections bounced off of it. The best way to enjoy the show was to immerse yourself in The Black Angels’ audio-visual soup. Which is exactly what I did.

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Entertainment, Music, The Daily Feed
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Hot Ticket: Wire @ Black Cat, 4/7/11

Remember when there was that early to mid-00’s wave of pop bands masquerading as post-punk revivalists? Of course you do. Well, while most of those bands have already run out of steam, first wave post-punks like Wire have been going strong for over 30 years. Kind of puts the more recent generations to shame a bit, don’t it? I mean where is their commitment? Not to mention their innovation, experimentation, and/or stamina?!

Wire are one of the holy trinity of bands that mutated punk into post-punk in the UK back in the golden age and they have been mutating their own sound going on four decades now. Four! Their latest album, “Red Barked Tree” is phenomenal. During a conversation I had at the recent Gang of Four show, I said that Wire’s latest sort of had no right to be as ridiculously good as it is. I mean, c’mon guys, you’re making the kids these days look ridiculous. Where do you get off releasing an absolutely vital recording this late in your career? Put “Red Barked Tree” up against some of Wire’s earliest and best work and it doesn’t sound like they’ve aged a day. This concert is going to be fantastic!

Wire
w/ Weekend
@ Black Cat
4/7/11 – 8pm
$20

Adventures, Crime & Punishment, Eat Like Me, Food and Drink, History, Music, Petworth, The Daily Feed
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Bethesda Row Restaurant Week: 04/11 – 04/17

Photo courtesy of

‘Bethesda Lane’ courtesy of ‘Payton Chung’

Bethesda Row’s Spring Restaurant Week kicks off this Monday, April 11 and runs through Sunday, April 17. Participating restaurants include: American Tap Room, Café Deluxe, Jaleo, Lebanese Taverna, Mamma Lucia, Mon Ami Gabi, Parker’s American Bistro, Raku, and Redwood Restaurant and Bar, who will offer two course lunches for $15 and three course dinners for $30.

Standouts in these pre-fixes include American Tap Room’s Open Faced Meatloaf Sandwich, Raku’s Green Tea Crème Brulée, Redwood’s Crispy Salt Cod Croquette and Jaleo’s Ensalada Verde con Queso Idiazábal (mixed greens with Idiazábal cheese, spanish anchovies and garlic anchovy dressing). Diners can preview the restaurant week menus before making reservations at the Bethesda Row website.

In addition to these fabulous meals offered at low prices, Bethesda Row is hosting an online contest to win a $250 dinner certificate to Redwood restaurant.
Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: The Dirty Heads

As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader each week. Check back here every Wednesday morning at 9am to find out what tickets we’re giving away and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

Two tickets to see The Dirty Heads at 9:30 Club on Monday, April 11th. You know you want them…

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am and 4pm today. One entry per email address, please. If today doesn’t turn out to be your lucky day, check back here each Wednesday for a chance to win tickets to other great concerts. Tickets for this concert are available on Ticketfly.

For the rules of this giveaway…
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Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Sara Bareilles @ Rams Head Live!, 4/3/11

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all photos by Mike Kurman

After I heard that he was a big fan, I asked guest reviewer and concert photographer, Mike Kurman to cover the Sara Bareilles concert for We Love DC.

On a cold, rainy Sunday night in Baltimore, Sara Bareilles grabbed hold of the diverse, multi-aged crowd and didn’t let go for her hour and forty minute set. Rarely have I seen a performer with such confidence as Bareilles. Supporting the excellent ‘Kaleidoscope Heart’ LP, Bareilles came out with a backing four piece band that was equally energetic and extremely tight. There was no warming up or easing into the set. Barielles came out banging on the keys of a royal blue baby grand while swaying, swerving, and singing. Her voice didn’t crack once throughout the evening, not one note was sour or even close to off key, as it echoed off the industrial brick walls of Rams Head Live! as if it was a temple. The performance was downright flawless.

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