Recommended DC: Concerts Archive
We recommend one concert for every day of the week. If you’re reading this, you probably would enjoy Recommended DC: Concerts. Here’s what we’ve recommended in the past.
May 7
Sunny Day Real Estate at Howard Theatre
Do you think they were pissed when Soul Coughing released “Circles?”
May 6
Silversun Pickups at 9:30 Club
If you still want to enjoy The Smashing Pumpkins without having to deal with Billy Corgan.
May 5
Kinda surprised this isn’t in a bigger venue.
May 4
Chastity Belt at Black Cat
May 3
Social Distortion and Bad Religion at MGM National Harbor
I want to see Bad Religion in a casino. I want to see Bad Religion in a church. One of these is possible.
May 2
Belle and Sebastian at The Anthem
May 1
Slothrust at The Atlantis
Grrrrrruuuuuunge. Pop grunge.
April 14
April 13
The Feelies at Black Cat
The Feelies walked to Weezer could run. Well, the first two Weezer records ran.
April 12
Earplugs.
March 23
Sprints at DC9
Fontaines DC meets Hole.
March 22
Kim Gordon at Black Cat
March 21
Psymon Spine at Pie Shop
The best version of an Apple commercial.
March 20
Max Raabe and Palast Orchestra at Lincoln Theatre
March 19
Loving at DC9
March 18
Angie McMahon at The Atlantis
March 17
Cobrah at 9:30 Club
If Lady Gaga stayed dirty. Dirty is good.
March 16
Time Phase Trio / sinonó at Rhizome
March 15
Smoking Popes at Songbyrd
March 14
Mary Timony at Black Cat
March 13
Cloudbelly at Quarry House Tavern
March 12
March 10
March 9
March 8
Labrys at Metro Gallery (Baltimore)
Labrys released one of the best rock records of the last 12 months and this is their closest DC date.
March 7
Video Age at Songbyrd
March 6
Michael Nau at The Atlantis
March 5
Alkaline Trio at Fillmore Silver Spring
Their newest, Blood, Hair, And Eyeballs, is their strongest album since 2003’s Good Mourning.
March 4
The Beaches at The Howard Theatre
March 3
Porno for Pyros at Fillmore Silver Spring
March 2
Hamaki at Fillmore Silver Spring
March 1
Qveen Herby at The Howard Theatre
February 29
Nnamdi at The Atlantis
February 28
Strong Tuesday Night Music Club era Sheryl Crow vibes.
February 26
BCMC (Bill MacKay & Cooper Crain) at Rhizome
February 25
Ekkstacy at Songbyrd
Modern songs about manic pixie dream girls.
February 24
J. Robbins at Comet Ping Pong
Gimme that power pop! It’ll scratch your Matthew Sweet itch. This is also a record release show and those tend to be quite fun.
February 23
Rhett Miller at Miracle Theatre
If you like The Old 97’s you’re going to like Miller’s solo stuff.
February 22
Come hang out with us and buy our golden shovel. Only $29.99!
February 21
Chino Moreno still sounds amazing. I just wish he didn’t name one of his side projects something that’s impossible to Google.
February 20
Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert at The Lincoln Theatre
I’m curious to see if the audience is more Cat Power or Dylan fans?
February 19
Apes of the State at Comet Ping Pong
Do you enjoy Ani DiFranco? Linda Perry?
February 18
Goetia at Pie Shop
The logo matches the sound. Great logo. Metal logo.
February 17
Sunny War at Songbyrd
If you want that summer festival vibe months early, here you go.
February 16
The Prize Fighter Inferno at The Atlantis
It sounds familiar because it’s the dude from Coheed.
February 15
February 14
Deap Vally at Black Cat
One of the best duos working today on a farewell tour.
February 13
Militarie Gun at The Atlantis
This should be at 9:30 Club and next year this should be at The Anthem.
February 12
Happy anniversary to DC9 and a tip of the cap to Loud Boyz before their final show.
February 11
DJ Shadow at 9:30 Club
February 10
Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy perform REM’s Murmur at Black Cat
February 9
Bailen at The Atlantis
February 8
Squid at 9:30 Club
February 7
Rosanne Cash at Birchmere
February 6
Tinashe at 9:30 Club
February 5
Who Can See Forever: A Portrait of Iron and Wine with a live performance and Q&A at AFI Silver
If you’re a fan of Sam Beam this is a can’t miss event. Iron & Wine shows cost a lot more than $25 and they don’t typically include a film about the artist. It’s one of the best shows of the month and it’s not technically even a show.
February 4
Gaadge at Comet Ping Pong
February 3
Katy Kirby at Songbyrd
February 2
Cumbia Heights at Comet Ping Pong
Is their name a pun or just a really good way to remind you they hail from Columbia Heights?
February 1
Work Wife at Pie Shop
Say goodbye to Dry January with a well poured drink and lots of emotion.
January 30
Band of Horses at Fillmore Silver Spring
Anyone else need to listen to “The Funeral” and have a good cry?
January 28
Mayer Hawthorne at The Atlantis
January 27
Rico Del Oro at Wolf Trap
For fans of Orville Peck.
January 26
Juliana Hatfield at Millennium Stage
January 25
Saintseca at Comet Ping Pong
January 24
Meet Me @ The Altar at 9:30 Club
Sometimes you just miss Warped Tour.
January 23
Wednesday at 9:30 Club
January 21
K-Hole at Pie Shop
January 20
January 19
Blunda at Songbyrd
January 18
January 14
January 13
I’ve played dozens of shows with over a hundred grindcore bands. Very few were noteworthy and it was instantly obvious which ones were. Escuela Grind is noteworthy.
January 12
The best band in the DMV celebrates the release of their first vinyl LP.
January 11
Zavier Croft on Funkadelic’s “Cosmic Slop” at Eaton
Looking to hang out with some folks that also enjoy Funkadelic?
January 6
Cryptid Summer at The Runaway
See one of DC’s best bands to start the year off right.
January 5
The Plate Scrapers at Union Stage
January 4
Shannon Leigh Reynolds at Quarry House Tavern
December 23
Sugar – The Nu Metal Party at Songbyrd
We did a nu-metal night this summer at DC9. It was stupid and fun. This should also be stupid and fun.
December 22
Most every 2-piece band is better than most every 3-piece band. I don’t know why, they just are.
December 21
RENAIDDANCE: Beyoncé Celebration at Union Stage
December 20
DuPont Brass at Millennium Stage
December 19
Taylor Swift is 34. Madonna released Erotica when she was 34. That’s 31 years ago. Damn.
December 18
Stradivari Anniversary Concert: Dalí Quartet with Ricardo Morales, Clarinet at Library of Congress
December 17
Philadelphia is making a strong case for best music scene on the East Coast. For fans of Jeff Rosenstock.
December 16
The first of three nights of their sold-out shows.
December 15
December 14
December 13
Ariana and the Rose at Pie Shop
Carly Rae Jepsen potential?
December 12
December 11
Merry TUBACHRISTMAS! at Millennium Stage
Truth in advertising.
December 10
Allison Russell at The Birchmere
December 9
Teenage Halloween at Quarry House Tavern
Two things. 1. How was this name not taken? 2. I’ll give anything released by Don Giovanni my time.
December 8
The Flying Faders at Slash Run
I love surf rock. I can not tell you why surf rock sounds nearly as good during the Christmas season as it does at the height of summer. Surf rock is X-Mas music?
December 7
Another reminder that Philadelphia produces quality rock and/or roll bands.
December 6
Body of Light at Quarry House Tavern
Fuck yeah, gimme that late 80s, New Order inspired minimalistic synth pop! Hits, baby!
December 5
Dead Gowns at Quarry House Tavern
December 4
Lydia Loveless at The Atlantis
A lifer in the best sense.
December 3
I get early St. Vincent vibes from her and that’s a really good trajectory.
December 2
Deafheaven at The Howard Theatre
It’s a Sunbather 10 year anniversary show.
December 1
I’m a big fan of their new record. It’s got a lot of showgaze-y stuff that makes it sound like 1993 not 2023. And Low. They sound like Low too.
November 30
Darlingside at The Howard Theatre
November 29
Sunny Jain’s Wild Wild East at Millennium Stage
November 28
For fans of Regina Spektor. In partnership with the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in the United States.
November 27
November 26
November 25
Benjamin Dakota Rogers at Millennium Stage
November 24
November 22
Bluey’s Big Play at The Kennedy Center
For the kids and for the parents.
November 21
November 20
The Bobby Lees at The Atlantis
November 19
New Orleans in Exile at AFI Silver
The documentary screens as part of Notes from the Road: The Films of Robert Mugge series.
November 18
The Menzingers at Fillmore Silver Spring
November 17
November 16
Mass Of The Fermenting Dregs at Atlas Brew Works
GIMME THAT MID-90s POWER POP!!!
November 15
Slaughter Beach, Dog at Fillmore Silver Spring
[311 voice] Chill!
November 2
Sidney Bird at Comet Ping Pong
November 1
The bendiest Drag Race winner.
October 31
Nothing is preventing you from starting a band with four of your friends and wearing matching suits for 25 years.
October 30
October 29
Royal & the Serpent at Union Stage
October 28
October 27
Rarely does an artist stumble onto a signature song on their third record. “Erotic Electronic” is that rare third album signature song.
October 26
The Successful Failures at Slash Run
The New Jersey version of the Old 97’s.
October 25
Do you like Death Grips? Do you like the first two TV on the Radio releases? Do you like IDLES?
October 24
Charlotte Cardin at Union Stage
Need some Everything But The Girl in your life?
October 23
Depeche Mode at Capital One Arena
See the pretty sad men in the spooky month.
October 22
Gone Gone Beyond at Pearl Street Warehouse
October 21
Whenever I think labels don’t really matter I find out an artist I really like is on a label I really like. Polyvinyl is why labels matter. Palehound rules.
October 20
It’s not technically spooky music but it definitely sounds better in October.
October 19
Sasami is opening. “Skin A Rat” was the best guitar based song of 2022.
October 18
October 17
October 16
October 15
October 14
Spooky Hey! Ho! Let’s Go! at DC9
It’s our all-ages dance party. We have to recommend our own party. Wear a costume. Bring a kid. Bring your kid. Don’t steal kids.
October 13
Sonder Bombs at Comet Ping Pong
October 12
Emo Orchestra featuring Hawthorne Heights at Warner Theatre
We were going to recommend Kim Petras at The Anthem but this is way more intriguing. Seriously. Hawthorne Heights is playing with a full orchestra and also covering a bunch of other Warped Tour vets (TBS, FOB, etc.). What?
This is all because of Metallica’s S&M.
October 11
This is going to sound great in the intimate Runaway. It’d sound even better in a cramped basement or massive arena.
October 10
St. Paul & The Broken Bones at Warner Theatre
The Hold Steady walked so St. Paul could run.
October 1
September 30
Opera in the Outfield at Nationals Park
September 29
Tangerine Dream at The Lincoln Theatre
September 28
Lee Fields at The Kennedy Center
September 27
Kid Congo Powers & The Pink Monkey Birds at Black Cat
Kid Congo is great but we’re recommending this because Teen Mortgage is the first band on the bill.
September 26
Woods, Anna St. Louis at Comet Ping Pong
September 25
September 24
September 23
September 22
Y La Bamba at The Kennedy Center
September 21
The Breeders at Fillmore Silver Spring
No band is as cool as The Breeders.
September 17
September 16
September 15
September 14
Sarah and the Safe Word at Quarry House Tavern
September 13
September 12
September 9
Being Dead at Quarry House Tavern
September 8
Happy birthday, Black Cat! Go for the headliners, get there early for Flasher.
September 7
Arctic Monkeys at Merriweather Post Pavilion
Arctic Monkeys are pretty good. It’s getting the pick for the Fontaines DC support.
September 6
This is how to age gracefully as a rock and roll musician. Just as important, just as relevant, just as good as he was in 2003. QOTSA may be the most important big rock band, but Rosenstock is the most important real dude trying to make this thing work musician. His stuff is so good he makes me want to play loud music again and that is just a dangerously bad idea.
September 5
The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie at The Anthem
Ben Gibbard normalized running to the original Pitchfork reader.
September 4
Hell yeah, CHVRCHES are great.
September 3
September 2
ZZ Top at Merriweather Post Pavilion
September 1
Rosie Cima and What She Dreamed at DC9
Say goodbye before Cima moves to the great beyond (she’s just leaving D.C., that’s all).
August 31
August 27
August 26
Distrito Music Fest at Union Stage
August 24
August 24
August 23
August 22
August 21
Toosii at Fillmore Silver Spring
August 20
Temple of Angels at Comet Ping Pong
August 19
Beau Young Prince presents Groovy Baby 3 at Union Stage
August 18
August 17
August 16
The Watson Twins at Millennium Stage
The Kennedy Center is programming some great, free shows.
August 15
If Warped Tour was still a thing they would kill it on Warped Tour.
August 14
Queens of the Stone Age at The Anthem
Once again, belief is QAnon is dumb
August 13
Parliament-Funkadelic at The Lincoln Theatre
They should have won our Best American Band Tournament.
August 12
If it’s on Merge, it’s worth your time.
August 11
Meg McRee at Pearl Street Warehouse
She’ll be in a bigger room next time.
August 10
Drive-By Truckers at The Atlantis
You want to see the Truckers in a real neighborhood bar. Since they’re way too big for that, one of DC’s smallest rooms is pretty good.
August 9
Queens of the Stone Age at The Anthem
QAnon isn’t real. QOTSA is real.
August 8
Whoa, Death Grips evolved into a reliable touring act! WTF!
August 7
Who doesn’t like trapeze?
August 6
August 5
“BREAK MY SOUL” is my 4-year-old’s favorite song. They’re right.
August 4
Reyna Tropical at Comet Ping Pong
Attend shows that make you want to dance even if you don’t like dancing.
August 3
I remember when she was the next-big-thing opening for The Strokes when they were the next-big-thing. She’s 20+ years into a very solid, fan satisfying career.
August 2
Pretty Bitter at Quarry House Tavern
Be careful, what you wish for.
August 1
Some of their intros have more notes played in the first 20 seconds than entire Ramones records.
July 31
July 30
Late Night Drive Home at Songbyrd
July 29
Polyvinyl only releases good stuff.
July 28
Outlaw Music Festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion
It’s Willie Nelson. Go see Willie Nelson.
July 27
Thelma and the Sleaze at The Runaway
July 26
July 25
Some of the best indie rock today. Glad this is at DC9 and not a larger club. They’ll be in a bigger room next tour.
July 24
If you don’t go to Fort Reno for a summer concert were you ever really in DC in the summer?
July 23
An afternoon ska show for the entire family.
July 22
Reverend Horton Heat at The Hamilton
July 21
July 20
July 19
July 18
July 17
July 16
July 15
July 14
July 13
Pardoner at Quarry House Tavern
July 12
Counting Crows at Merriweather Post Pavilion
I hate this month. I crave a long December.
July 11
Nosferatu at Quarry House Tavern
July 10
July 9
Bettye LaVette at The Hamilton
July 8
Skating Polly at Comet Ping Pong
July 7
Cranium Drain at Atlas Brew Works
July 6
Jinx Monsoon at Capital One Hall
Jinx deserved to win the most crowns. Jinx is the best.
July 5
Another free ‘punk’ show at the library.
July 4
Boyz II Men at West Lawn of the Capital
I’ll make love to you, America.
July 3
Have a hardcore holiday?
July 2
A trip to the Ozarks on the Mall.
July 1
June 30
Brazilian pop sounds better in the summer, outdoors. Fingers crossed for clean air.
June 29
Sky Ferreira at Fillmore Silver Spring
The best working pop star from season 3 of Twin Peaks.
June 28
Eels at Fillmore Silver Spring
Souljacker is one of the best records of the 2000s. Most eels fans wouldn’t even put it in their top 5 eels records.
June 27
Chicago’s version of QOTSA’s Josh Homme. More on that later.
June 26
X at 9:30 Club – POSTPONED
Long live LA punk.
June 25
The Cure at Merriweather Post Pavilion
Get fucking sad. Get really fucking sad. It’s so good to be this sad. See The Cure at least once in your life. I saw them in 1997 and still remember their set. It was really fucking sad.
June 24
Home Rule Music Festival Closing Night at Black Cat
What a wonderful festival! After a night at Songbyrd and weekend at Walter Reed, it’s wrapping up at the best venue on 14th Street.
June 23
I tend to like most everything Don Giovanni releases.
June 22
Cathedral Bells at Quarry House Tavern
God damn I love their guitar sound, it’s the best parts of The Cure and the poppiest parts of MBV.
June 21
Want to enjoy the music of the daughter of M. Night Shyamalan?
June 20
Now this is how to be in a rock and roll band at a certain age.
June 19
Juneteenth Freedom Celebration: Unity. Freedom. Acknowledgment. at Anacostia Community Museum
Check out The Experience Band, Dev Duff, BeMo Brown and Farrah Flosscett and more, for free, at this holiday event.
June 18
“Quarry” is one of the best songs of the year. Wednesday’s record will be on lots of best-of year end lists. See them before they’re in larger rooms like 9:30, Anthem, etc.
June 17
Enjoy Boygenius but don’t enjoy commuting to the far suburbs?
June 16
Re:SET at Merriweather Post Pavilion
Go Friday for Boygenius. Go back Sunday for IDLES.
June 15
Davis is now on Anti-. There are few labels that I’ll listen to everything they release. Anti- is one. Unrelated, Davis’ new stuff sounds like it might work well on the next season of Yellowjackets.
June 14
Recommend If You Like 2 Year Anniversary Party at Looking Glass Lounge
That’s us! We’ll be playing music from 2002. Come hang out. It’s our birthday.
June 13
Bands like Sleaford Mods and Protomartyr and Black Midi make me think I could, I should still be in a band. I love it and it’s possibly a gateway drug.
June 12
I get Jamiroquai vibes. Those are fun vibes.
June 11
Are there any other bands that are better in their fourth decade?
June 10
Jump Up Records 30th Anniversary at Songbyrd
Hatred of ska is just jealousy of large friend groups with the ability to coordinate Google calendars.
June 9
That Fugees tour is definitely not happening.
June 8
Frontwoman Caroline Weinroth is a legit beauty queen, making Cinema Hearts the real life version of Hole’s “Miss World.”
June 7
Teen Mortgage at MLK Memorial Library
D.C.’s best band on the roof of D.C.’s biggest library. Cool.
June 6
Frances Grove at Quarry House Tavern
From a bedroom in Little Rock to a basement in Silver Spring.
June 5
Niall Connolly at Pie Shop – Cancelled
This is what indie folk actually sounds like.
June 4
Queering Sound: Ammonite, Ari Voxx, Blood Family Reunion, Eyerolls, Julie Outrage at Rhizome
Pride doesn’t just sound like pop music.
June 3
Bridge City Sinners at Songbyrd
I rarely put on banjo punk at home. I rarely don’t have a blast seeing banjo punk live.
June 2
Is there a chance Paramore has become Gen Z’s Fleetwood Mac?
June 1
Mason Jennings at Millennium Stage
Ya gotta appreciate the lifers.
May 31
If Beavis and Butt-Head knew about Daikaiju, Daikaiju would be their favorite band. And Beavis and Butt-Head have excellent taste in music. They like Nirvana and Wilco.
May 30
Josh Freese is an excellent drummer. So is Dave Grohl. We ranked every song Dave Grohl that plays drums on.
May 29
The story is a fairy tale. A band from Nottingham, England releases 30 copies of an album in 1998. It slowly gains a following when someone uploads it to 4chan in 2016. In 2023 they’re playing sold-out shows around the U.S.
May 28
Junkyard Band at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
Take in a screening of the short doc Barry Farm: Community, Land and Justice in Washington DC then enjoy a concert from one of D.C.’s most important go-go bands.
May 27
The sounds of summer from the great state of Vermont.
May 26
When I think of D.C. music, I think of acts like Nice Breeze.
May 25
The Flaming Lips at The Anthem
It’s a Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots show. I saw this tour on its first run in 2003. It was an instant classic. It’s still a classic. I wonder how many inflatables Wayne Coyne has destroyed?
May 24
Their later stuff is better than their early stuff. I know this is the minority opinion.
May 23
Blink-182 at Capital One Arena
I have two controversial opinions about Blink: the Matt Skiba era was not bad and “Man Overboard” is their best song, quite possibly the best pop punk song about ending a friendship. Also, get there early enough to see Turnstile.
May 22
Absolute Beginner Master Class with Scottish Ballet at The Kennedy Center
D.C. is weird. You can take an introductory ballet class with world-class dancers for free on a Monday night at The Kennedy Center.
May 21
Canada’s best working band.
May 20
The New Pornographers at 9:30 Club
See Neko Case whenever possible.
May 19
Caroline Polachek at The Anthem
When we initially launched we had a DJ night to celebrate. One of our writers, Afriti Bankwalla, played a bunch of Caroline Polachek. So I’ve been listening to a lot of Caroline Polachek for the last two years. Since she’s playing quite a large venue in D.C., I think a lot of others are too.
May 18
Family Valuez: A Nü-Metal DJ Night at DC9
Chris Kelly and I will be playing the best, dumbest nü-metal. Expect a lot of Deftones. I hate Linkin Park. Chris likes them so you’ll probably hear a bunch of Linkin Park. Oh, we’ll both do our best to include as much Attitude Era as possible. People better buy us two beers at a time so we can enjoy beer like Stone Cold enjoys beers.
May 17
They describe themselves as post-punk. I hear more late-90s alternative, think Harvey Danger and more jangly Whitechocolatespaceegg era Liz Phair.
May 16
I like songs that sound like they’re in the midst of falling apart, collapsing one might say.
May 15
Sepultura at Fillmore Silver Spring
100% of the time I’m gardening “Roots Bloody Roots” is playing in my head. The song is not about gardening.
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