Fans braved the cold and flurries on Friday, February 6 and got out to see DC locals Marilyn Hucek and MADDIE during the last show of Hucek’s first-ever headline tour. The show was originally scheduled for January 24, but was cancelled due to the snowstorm.

Opening up the show was MADDIE, power pop singer-songwriter with Barbie energy in the best way possible. Joined by Trey Sorrells on the keys, MADDIE performed originals "Horoscope", "Tell Me What To Do", "Breakfast in Bed", and "Flirty Little Fling", as well as a cover of Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter. Flirty Little Fling got the crowd jumping, and MADDIE’s music is definitely best enjoyed while wearing big hoop earrings.

Hucek opened the last performance of her debut headline tour with "Rebound" and "I Tried", both songs about trials in love set to catchy melodies. She was joined by Daniel Geiss on the bass, Hays Dowdy on the electric guitar, and Izik Raphael on the drums. Hucek’s music takes on an acoustic pop sound, reminiscent of Taylor Swift’s early-2010s sound with storytelling at the core of her writing. Her debut album, MARILYN, is about celebrating “girlhood, womanhood, and everything in between,” Hucek said during the show.

Two songs in particular stood out to me: "Man of the House" and "Neil Young". Man of the House is just one song in Hucek’s catalog that showcases the intersection of her musical and personal influences. She dedicated the song to “anybody who’s ever had to grow up fast, who’s ever had to take on a lot more responsibility than they’re ready for.”

Neil Young is an homage to Hucek’s father who struggled with early-onset Alzheimer’s before passing away three years ago. Hucek shared with the audience that one significant way she stayed connected with him was through music, even after he couldn’t recall her name. Hucek performed the song and left several in the audience misty-eyed. After leading the audience in the bridge, she announced 5% of all proceeds from her streams and $3 of every vinyl purchase goes to the Alzheimer’s Association.

This show in particular was special for several reasons, Hucek revealed halfway through the show: not only would Hucek celebrate her birthday at midnight, but it also marked the celebration of life for her father. The night itself was marked by bittersweet moments, and yet they only added to the power of Hucek’s performance.

The whole night felt vulnerable yet passionate, especially since it included covers of Pink Pony Club by Chappel Roan and Vivir Mi Vida by Marc Anthony. Hucek is American-Chilean, and she introduced Vivir Mi Vida by promising the crowd that they were going to have some fun with it. Both songs had the crowd singing along and dancing, and it was a fun and heartwarming display of how music can bring people together in both joy and vulnerability.

Hucek also performed her song "Me Salvaste El Alma", a song with lyrics in Spanish that translates to “You Saved My Soul.” She said the song is about someone who comes into your life and saves you in ways you never expected, following the theme of vulnerability and joy in that vulnerability.

The core of each song was rooted in a story or directly related to something bigger than Hucek herself, which is a part of the reason why I feel her music feels so authentic and powerful. Hucek joked during her performance that “we’re gonna get vulnerable, it’s all about healing,” but that’s just what makes her storytelling so raw. Whether you typically enjoy pop or not, you can’t deny that there is true artistry in Hucek’s music and even more so in her performance.

The first track from MARILYN is called "I Made It", and Hucek wrote it on a road trip to Nashville. Hucek told the crowd that she doesn’t listen to music or podcasts when she drives and she quite enjoys silence, but it was getting to her on this trip—she ended up writing I Made It during that roadtrip as she was thinking about how to define success. Hucek’s mother was present in the crowd, and Hucek sang the last chorus directly to her mother at the front of the crowd, which was a powerful triumph, especially on the last night of her debut tour.

Hucek capped off the night with several unreleased songs: "Polar Plunge", "Animal House", and "Self-Destruct". Before performing “Self-Destruct,” Hucek commented that she was convinced she was “sitting on gold” and couldn’t wait to release it. Given the reception by the audience, Hucek is right, and these songs are going to be the next hits from Hucek.

The crowd sang Happy Birthday to Hucek at the end of the show and begged for an encore, but the band swore they didn’t have one prepared. We’ll just have to look out for Hucek’s next live show.  

It was a big night for local music last Friday, January 9th, with Stephen Sol & the 7’s headline show at Union Stage. With support from DMV-based artists Frewt and Hathway, the eight-piece psychedelic folk-rock band brought a fun show with great music to the stage.

One of my favorite parts about going to local DMV bands’ shows is the energy the crowd brings. Friends and family packed in early to greet each act. This truly was a community show; the faces in the crowd weren’t random, but true supporters.

Frewt took to the stage first, performing groovy rock originals "French Café", "Change My Mind", and "Crazy How I Feel About You". The band noted that though they write their music collaboratively, everyone has their own style on their instruments, which makes writing together exciting.

To round out their set, the band gave a shout out “to all the mothers,” and by the opening guitar riff, the crowd knew it was time to sing along to the ever-powerful "Stacy’s Mom" by Fountains of Wayne. 

Hathway’s dreamy indie rock sound changed up the energy for their set. They began by playing two unreleased songs, "Joyburn" and "Start Again", before going into originals "While I Wait" and "Keeper of Time". The band includes siblings Joe, Jude, James, Timmy, and Mary Grace Hathway. Hathway’s music would resonate with fans of Colony House and Blue Rain Boots.

The crowd particularly enjoyed "Keeper of Time," which took on a more edgy sound than the rest of their set and featured Mary Grace as a special guest. Mary Grace has a unique voice that works together with the supporting vocals to maintain their signature dreamy sound. To round out their set, the brothers performed "Money in Her Pocket" and "Altercation," which were quick to win over the crowd and provided an energy spike right before Stephen Sol & the 7 came onstage.

With the energy high from two awesome opening sets, Stephen Sol & the 7 capitalized on it and brought it to an entirely new level with a cover of "Bohemian Like You" by The Dandy Warhols. With Stephen Sol on lead vocals and guitar, Bema Tadey and Yasmin Wamala on backing vocals, Arquel Rivera on drums, Tyler Goldstein on guitar, Leif Christian L. Jomuad on bass, John Rey Tangaran on the keys, Randie Goode on the trumpet, and Jairo Chavez on the saxophone, the band certainly has a robust capacity to bring plenty of variety in their performance and pull off the inter-genre space they live in.  Stephen Sol & the 7 took up the entirety of Union Stage's stage and created a creative wall of song.

The first few minutes of the set was pure chaos in the best way possible. The chaos continued through "Compasión" and "Sacred Energy", especially with the entrance of backup dancers dressed in hot pink and beach balls tossed into the crowd.  

I find the eight pieces’ certainly lean on the rock genre to describe themselves, but their music feels like an indie rock band with a folk problem in the best way possible; balancing high-energy, earworm melodies with the storytelling ability and themes of folk music. The band self describes their music in their Instagram bio as “Bob Dylan backed by Pink Floyd and a gospel choir.” Just behind the energy created in the venue space, the musicians, and the crowd before them is a tendency to package inherent opposites together and explore the unity of these opposites through music, and this begins with their instrumentation.

It was clear throughout the first half of the show just how much fun the band has together, especially when on stage. The band played as Stephen Sol introduced "Fifth Best Singer in the Band", a song which showcases not only their musical but interpersonal chemistry. This song calls out band members by name including their instruments. Sol notes in the introduction that they have added two more members since he wrote the song, and though he currently ranks at number seven, he hopes to make it back to the fifth spot sometime. “I’ve been taking vocal lessons though, we’re getting there,” he assured the crowd.

After an energetic performance of "Short Skirt / Long Jacket" by CAKE, Sol announced a $700 raffle for ticketholders. The raffle was marketed online by Sol’s ‘financial advisor’ Vinny Sorrentino, a man who is said to dabble in the pizza and cannoli industry in New York City and who bears a striking resemblance to guitarist Tyler Goldstein. 

The second half of the set kept up the energy while leaning on the storytelling characteristic of folk tunes. Sol described Toxic as a song about how “life’s not always through rosy glasses,” and Spring as about surviving winter. They brought the warmth back quickly with Sunshine Wine, a bright song that exudes summer. As the band played, Goode and Chavez ran backstage to retrieve hot dogs just in time for Sol to sing the lyric ‘hot dog in the sun.’ Waving them around and dancing a bit, Goode eventually ran to the front of the stage and gave the hot dogs away to two audience members in the front row.

“I wouldn’t eat those,” Goldstein advised the two women. They opted to store them for later in their purses.

At the end of the show, just before the raffle, Sol announced a headline show at the iconic DC venue Black Cat on July 10 (keep an eye on the venue's show page for tickets). Then, Vinny Sorrentino came onto the stage to pull the winning raffle ticket. With much ado, the lucky winner received their prize and concluded a great night.

If you’re wishing you could’ve caught the show, you’re in luck: Stephen Sol & the 7’s latest release is a live album, Live at Manor Time, that includes some selections featured in their set. Check it out on all streaming platforms.

The DC music scene is alive and flourishing, and so are its local homegrown bands.  Don't sleep on Stephen Sol & the 7 and be sure to catch them where they shine brightly - live!  Be sure to keep Hathway on your radar - they continue to release stunning songs, and don't sleep on Frewt, who continue evolve and grow.

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Couch sure made the District feel at home on Saturday, November 15th, 2025. Their sold-out show at the 9:30 Club had lines wrapped around the building and fans eagerly awaiting the hype, jazz sound that they know and love of the band’s repertoire.

Creating this comfy, welcoming atmosphere was largely in part due to Stephen Day’s opening act. Day performed true to his signature southern-inspired pop-folk sound that was as smooth as honey and set just the right tone for the evening. With selections from his latest single release “Moonshine” and his 2024 album “Gold Mine,” the crowd easily leaned into the chord Day struck as he leaned into his ‘modern crooner’ sound.

With a hum in the air, Couch launched into their set with a warm welcome: their first track release of three ahead of the Big Talk album’s release, “What Were You Thinking.” The audience immediately matched the energy the seven-piece band brought to the stage. Just like Couch’s sound, there was always something new to focus on, whether it was an element of the music or an element of their stage presence.

Couch had an explosive energy that is true to their sound in the studio. To see it translated onto the stage was truly an amazing experience. Not only did they put on a good show, but they allowed every member of the band to have their moment. Whether it was a moment for the horn section, Eric Tarlin on the saxophone and Jeffrey Pinsker-Smith on the trumpet, Jared Gozinsky on the drums, Will Griffin on the bass, Zach Blankstein on guitar, or Danny Silverston on the keys, each member of the band had a moment to shine in between shining as a stunning group on stage.

Blankstein and Gozinsky have a special connection to Washington DC, and highlighted it during their set. “This is really special for all of us, but especially Jared and me,” Blankstein told the crowd during their set. “We met at GW [Editor: George Washington University], we went to college here. We would come to concerts like, every weekend here. We saw a bunch of our favorite bands, and we always talked about how fun it would be to get to do it ourselves. And here we are tonight, so thank you.”

The hour and a half long set mainly featured selections from their newest album Big Talk. They opened their set with “What Were You Thinking,” threw it back to their early days with “Saturday,” and jumped between some of their newer numbers while maintaining that connection to their roots.

One unique aspect of the show was a tradition the band calls “Couch family photos.” Tossing disposable cameras into the audience, the band explained that they have done this for every show they’ve played since they first started touring. They expressed how it is a way to feel connected to each and every member of the audience and to encourage that connection between audience members. Fans took photos with the cameras, and the photos were then uploaded onto Setlist.fm, where fans could view and even purchase physical copies of their photos and have them signed. Lead singer Tema Siegel explained that the proceeds from the photos would go to an organization called Rosie’s Place, a women’s shelter in the band’s hometown Boston that is the first women-only shelter in the United States providing wide-ranging support services to more than 13,000 women a year.

Before a rendition of “Window” off of the Big Talk album, Siegel talked about what the song meant to her as she wrote it. Siegel described a habit of being jealous of the lives that her neighbors might be leading and how it was really detrimental to her own wellbeing. “This song is about interrogating that habit and looking at all the wonderful things I have, if I could just reframe it for myself and romanticize my own life,” she said.

The performance also featured an extended version of “Static and Noise” with a major bass feature that led to an intense drum feature, bathing Gozinsky and the stage in white light as the other band members exited and reemerged to perform “Still Feeling You” from their self-titled EP released in 2021.

Siegel slowed the room down a bit to speak to the audience about “Lucky To Be Stuck With You.” She gave a shout out to her father on the balcony, describing how the song was inspired by a conversation she had with her family during a road trip to New Hampshire this summer. Her father blew kisses down to her on stage and beamed, clearly proud of his daughter. The song expresses the feeling of content and nostalgia that come with being surrounded by the same people from childhood to adulthood, and Siegel’s shout out to her father was a touching way to introduce the song’s meaning.

Not only was the song emotionally touching, but musically touching. Silverston led the audience in a three-part harmony for the song’s vocal ending, dividing the room and balconies into sections and teaching each a different harmony. It left a resonance in the room that was immaterial.

As the band rounded out their show, they invited opener Stephen Day to return to the stage to sing Couch’s “Autumn.” Siegel and Day’s voices were strikingly complementary, especially since the studio version of the song features R&B jazz singer-songwriter Jackson Lundy. Nevertheless, it was a refreshing feature on the song and was no less Couch.

The band wrapped up their set with a two-song encore of “Easy to Love” and “Middle Man.” With confetti in the air, it was clear how far the band has come since they last performed in DC as an opener for American funk band Ripe in 2023. Now that we have seen them headline an iconic venue such as the 9:30 Club, and based on the reception they’ve received online and in person, they seem destined for even more. Couch is truly a band no one should sleep on, as they have consistently made a name for themselves in city after city.

It’s hard to believe that there were only three Wombats band members on The Anthem’s stage Tuesday, November 11th, when their sound was so full and alive. Hailing from Liverpool, England, The Wombats are currently touring the world for their newest album Oh! The Ocean (link to full album below).

It’s also hard to believe that The Wombats sound exactly the same live as they do on record, but it’s absolutely true. Known for their alternative pop and techno-inspired jams, the British band played a collection of their classics from previous albums as well as new hits from their sixth album that came out in February of this year. Even when they sang their songs from their early 2010s albums, they still sound exactly the same.

Lead singer Matthew Murphy, drummer Dan Haggis, and bassist Tord Øverland Knudsen feel like your cool uncles. Armed with jokes and deadpan British humor, they made the crowd laugh in between songs. Even things that weren’t meant to be funny were amusing, like when they said, “This next song is our new song, ‘Kate Moss.’ Wait, is it? Yeah…”

Two bands opened for The Wombats: Red Rum Club and Only The Poets. Red Rum Club, from Bootle, England, did a great job of warming up the crowd, playing some of their own original songs and some crowd-pleasers.  Only The Poets, from Reading, England,  incorporated fun grooves and keyboards that sounded like something straight out of the ‘80s.

Only The Poets said they were so grateful to be playing on this stage, and they announced that they will be back in the U.S. next year for their own tour.   We, for one, really loved their music and stage presence and hope that they return to the DMV next year.

The crowd was pretty hefty for a cold Tuesday night – the worst night of the week, as The Wombats said. Haggis commented on the large carpet that was hanging behind them, joking that it can get “pretty chilly traveling around on tour on a flying carpet,” so he very much appreciated the fans who came out to see them.

Everyone in the crowd danced and swayed their arms in the air throughout the night. But if there was one person that seemed to be having more fun than anyone, it would probably be Knudsen. He was skipping and jumping all over the stage, energizing the audience right from the start. The band was so in sync, though – at the end of “Lemon to a Knife Fight,” Knudsen and Murphy ended in the same pose, facing each other, but it didn’t even seem to be on purpose. When a band is so in sync, the energy is palpable.

Speaking of lemons, Murphy explained to people who haven’t seen one of their shows that they sing about lemons "roughly 48 times” between their songs “Pink Lemonade” and “Lemon to a Knife Fight.”

There was one creature who may have been having as much fun as Knudsen, and that was the Wombat himself. For one song, the band brought out a person in a wombat costume to play trombone. It was a treat for the audience and for the band, too. 

Over the past two years, the band has released music videos to go along with some of the singles and other tracks from Oh! The Ocean. The music videos are eclectic and fun, but they also show the deeper meanings in their lyricism. As the years go by, The Wombats’ lyrics have become more direct and poignant.

However, they never forget their roots. They sang the first song off of their 2007 debut album A Guide to Love, Loss, & Separation, “Tales of Girls, Boys and Marsupials” and acknowledged its silliness. 

Since 2007, The Wombats have struck a balance between that silliness and the deeper, sometimes darker parts of life to create music that makes you feel great even when you’re not doing so great. That’s what I love most about this band. They’re not afraid to tackle tough topics in their lyrics, and they acknowledge that those issues are not the end of the world.

 There is still so much beauty and joy in the world. That’s what Oh! The Ocean is all about, and that’s what The Wombats were in D.C. to show. 

Concertgoers and 9:30 Club patrons queued around the block before the doors opened for English rock band Elbow’s sold-out performance on Friday, September 26th, 2025, the first night of the band’s US and Canada tour this fall.

The crowd slowly but surely crept in from the heat, phone flashlights cutting through the fog in the room as opener Josee Molavi greeted them to the venue. “Front of house always sounds better,” a man commented to his wife as they went up the stairs to 9:30’s upper balcony during Molavi’s performance. The excitement and anticipation was palpable in the air.

Equipped with just a microphone and an electric guitar, Josee Molavi and guitarist Jack Yearwood immediately took hold of the room’s energy and took control of the stage. It amazed me how well the two played off of each other’s energy, especially as only two people on stage. There was almost no need for any other instruments, since Molavi’s silky smooth voice does just the trick to convey the intricate rhythms and soul-inspired vibe of her music. The local artist not only knows how to capture the attention of the entire venue, but she also knows how to leverage it to amplify her performance even further.

“This is all we’ve dreamed of doing,” Molavi told the crowd after stunning performances of her songs Figure in Blue, Harmony, and Altar. Molavi rounded off her set with a Broadway-esque bow and left the crowd more than prepared to receive Elbow on stage.

In an interview after her set, Molavi told us that her song Altar always “feels wild” to play on stage. “It’s about how the world is burning and [how] it’s really hard to be a person. I always enjoy seeing the people in the audience kind of get what I mean,” she said.

Both Molavi and Yearwood urge fans to support local music, reminding us that the 9:30 Club is a great way to see bands at all stages of their careers– whether it’s debuting at the Club for the first time or returning for a sixth appearance like Elbow, the 9:30 Club is a really exciting way to experience live music the old-fashioned way.

The excitement reached a crescendo when Elbow took the stage once again at the 9:30 Club. Elbow has a powerful live sound and an effortless stage presence led by frontman Guy Garvey. Their tour-opening performance attracted people from everywhere and every stage of life– from day-one fans to  kids attending with their parents. From their more upbeat songs like Things I’ve Been Telling Myself For Years, Magnificent, and Grounds for Divorce to slower, more contemplative songs like Mirrorball, Kindling, and Lippy Kids, Elbow brought an emotional performance to the 9:30 Club stage, and the audience was having every bit of it.

The band featured core members, frontman and vocalist Guy Garvey; pianist Craig Potter, guitarist Mark Potter, Richard Jupp on the drums, and Pete Turner on the bass. Elbow was backed up by a powerful all-female quartet on backup vocals, horns, and strings, which Garvey introduced as Cat Parker, Fiona Brice, Sarah Field, and Carol Jarvis.

The crowd was one of the most participatory and engaged crowds I’ve seen in a long time. A sold-out show at the 9:30 Club is always an incredible experience, but whenever Garvey prompted the crowd to sing words back to him, the audience put their whole chests into it. There were some chill-inducing moments, especially as the audience sang the refrain of Lippy Kids, “build a rocket, boys!” 

During Mirrorball, the stage was bathed in blue light as white sparkles of light swirled around the room–a real mirrorball helping the ambience. An otherwise thunderous crowd took the chance to step back with Garvey leading, enjoying the energy of the room and the wonder prompted by the band’s mastery of sound.

Of course, being from Bury, Manchester in England, the band had to poke some fun at us Americans. Garvey remarked how nice it was to be able to come back and play the “half-past nine club” and gave the audience a few opportunities to practice their northern English accents throughout the show. Garvey praised the club, saying that he had drunkenly designed a perfect venue, and when he sobered up, it looked just like the 9:30 Club, prompting audience cheers as the band began to play The Bones of You. It was obvious throughout the show that the love and respect was mutual– Garvey spoke more seriously during the show about how much the 9:30 Club means to them, and how he feels it is one of the best venues in the world.

Elbow’s lyrics are well-written and full of emotion, and that emotion absolutely comes through in live performance. In particular, before the band performed Sober, Garvey talked about his experience being a new father and his relationship to sobriety, a very poignant moment during the show. During the show, not only did he toast Bryan Clancy– a fellow Manchester singer/songwriter to whom Garvey dedicated Elbow’s album The Seldom Seen Kid– but he also encouraged the audience to enjoy the moments they have with each other.

In the spirit of enjoying the moment, Garvey conducted the crowd in an outrageous sing-along during the closing number, One Day Like This. Each section of the crowd had a different note to sing, with the balconies responsible for a sliding note conducted by a member of the audience for the intro to the song. After a few practice rounds, Garvey asked the fan-conductor if they thought they were ready to begin, and upon a positive reaction, the last song of the evening kicked off in a spectacular moment of unity among strangers.

We wish the moments we had with Elbow could last forever– and we hope we don’t have to wait another five years for their next appearance in the District. We were also grateful for the chance to watch Molavi make her debut performance at the 9:30 Club, and we look forward to keeping up with her in future performances. Read below for a more in-depth interview with Molavi and Yearwood.

Bonus DCMR Exclusive

Right after Josee Molavi and Jack Yearwood's breakthrough debut performance at the 9:30 Club, we had the pleasure of sitting down with them and getting their thoughts about their performance.  

DCMR: What was the first thing that went through your head when you found out you’d be playing the 9:30 Club?

Josee: It’s actually a really funny story. I was in Albania, and Jack texted me at, like, 1:30 in the morning and was like, “Did you see the 9:30 Club email?” and I was like, “What?!” We just started texting like crazy, and I was trying to FaceTime them, but like, Albania? Wi-Fi? It was not working. So I went around my homestay area and was freaking out, and my homestay host, he didn’t speak much English. He was like, “What is happening?” and I was trying to explain, but he didn’t understand. It was just very, like, ‘oh my god.’

Jack: For me, it was a lot of disbelief. I was like, this has to be a scam or an accident. Or some like, glitch email or something.

Josee: Something that would put malware on your computer. (laughs)

Jack: I think even up until, like, last week, I didn’t really process that oh yeah, I will be playing the 9:30 Club soon. Yeah. So I do feel like it snuck up on me I guess in a good way, because I wasn’t too too nervous.

DCMR: What do you hope the audience took away from your performance tonight?

Josee: I hope that they continue to engage with us, because they seem like a really dedicated crowd for Elbow. And we’re right here in their backyard, we perform all the time! I hope that people remember [my performance] and be like, oh, those people opened for Elbow, they were really good, they’re local.

Jack: I hope they also take away: support live music. There are some really great artists in people’s backyards, regardless of where they are, but especially in DC. It’s fun to take a chance on a local artist, just being like “Oh, man, this person is from the area I live in, I wanna go see them.” It’s a really exciting way to experience music outside of the Spotify algorithm.

DCMR: What message would you give other DC musicians dreaming about hitting this stage?

Josee: I always say that I don’t think it’s the most compelling or the most talented people that move the farthest; I think it’s the most persistent. I think talented and compelling people can move forward if they’re persistent, but if they’re not, then it’s really tough. I think just being your own personal advocate and really putting your foot in whatever door you can get in is great. Having the Atlantis on our resume was definitely a selling point for this. Stay consistent and persistent, and just believe in yourself, and don’t be afraid to tell people what you think of yourself. Don’t be afraid to toot your own horn, because how would I be on the stage if I wasn’t?

Our hearts are certainly beaming with pride and joy for Josee Molavi, Jack Yearwood, and the entirety of their band as they shared the stage with such a legendary act.  We look forward to hearing more from Molavi in the months and years to come.

The rain didn’t stop The Lumineers and their guests Vance Joy and Chance Peña from pouring their hearts and souls into their music at Nationals Park from about 7:00 PM until nearly midnight on Sept. 6, 2025.

The Denver-based Lumineers are on their Automatic World Tour, named after their album Automatic, which was released on Valentine’s Day earlier this year. The release date was fitting, as the album – and the concert itself – was like a love letter to life.

Every once in a while, in the nation's capital, a confluence of magical moments comes together to create a very special and magical moment. On March 28th, 2025, the confluence of spring, music, weather, and joy all met at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, when Guster performed with the National Symphony Orchestra.

With their delicate, pink-white explosions of color, the cherry blossoms magically reached their peak bloom over the Potomac, fluttering in the breeze; the Tidal Basin and DC were awash in pastel confetti. The grip of winter was finally releasing us from its frigid grasp as many descended to the Kennedy Center as a source of unwavering joy. Tonight, fans would walk towards the iconic white marble cultural epicenter of Washington, DC, just as they had to appreciate music and the arts of every form for over five decades. The Kennedy Center opened its doors in 1971, and its history cannot be defined by a single period or an administration. Tonight, The Kennedy Center proved just that - a sanctuary from the world outside its walls where the arts brought people together with a common cause. On this evening, there was no better way to enjoy The Kennedy Center than with the rainbow indie rock warriors - Guster.

As fans walked into The Kennedy Center, there was an additional confluence of fans - some were wearing bright ballgowns and suits, while others were adorned with rainbow accents. This night was a cultural mixing bowl of individuals taking in The New York Ballet and Guster. We admit, Guster fans had better merch waiting for them near the entrance of their theatre, albeit a line stretching nearly down the hall as fans queued up for some limited edition posters for the evening's performance.

It was a night for the senses, a night for grandeur, a night where indie rock met the highbrow sheen of classical prestige, and somehow, gloriously, it all made sense.

A Debut in Grand Style

Guster, this was a debut - their first-ever performance at The Kennedy Center was a milestone moment in a career defined by pushing boundaries and surprising even their most ardent fans. This was not their first dance with symphonic grandeur, having already graced the stage with the Boston Pops Orchestra, blending pop exuberance with classical finesse. They had also waltzed through Nashville with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, adding a layer of Southern charm to their repertoire. They had not only performed with the Omaha Symphony in 2019 but also released that performance as an album. In fact, this was not Guster's first time performing in the region with an orchestra as they shared the stage with the Howard County Youth Orchestra at Merriweather Post Pavilion in 2023, where the future of music—young, wide-eyed, and eager—joined hands with seasoned veterans to create something genuinely electric.

Let us not forget the world-class musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra. Not only have they studied and perfected classical music performances, but each season, they must learn new music. Each year, they learn the intricate orchestrations of movie scores and the music of Ben Folds, Indigo Girls, Dispatch, Trey Anastasio, Laufey, and others. Tonight, their mastery of Guster's orchestrations was on full display to the world, where Guster's synth met the symphony of the NSO.

Outside, the cherry blossoms still flutter in the night air, petals drifting, catching the glow of streetlights—a fleeting, perfect beauty. Inside, the audience spills into the lobby, eyes bright, buzzing with the rare kind of magic that happens when a band leaps beyond expectation and lands somewhere sublime.

Tonight, Guster stepped into a new realm where indie rock reverie met orchestral splendor, and the result was something celestial and brought the magic of music and song to their adoring fans..

Set 1: The Opening Movement

8:10 p.m. sharp—the orchestra hummed to life, a shimmering, trembling prelude. As Guster walked on stage, the audience gave them the first of many standing ovations. Then Brian Rosenworcel, the bongo wizard himself, launched into "Ramona," those distinctive Guster harmonies cascading through the hall like a chorus of golden-throated sparrows.

Adam Gardner was quick to talk to the audience, joking, "Well, we made it," much to the delight of their fervent fans.

The violins swirl behind them, lending an air of cinematic sweep. "Kid Dreams" follows, lush and dreamlike, with an undercurrent of ethereal strings giving it the feel of a long-lost and uplifting film score.

As an elegiac and weighty "Witness Tree" played, lights danced upon the organ pipes above the performers, and the song rang out like it was always meant to be - cradled in a bed of cellos.

Ever the raconteur, Ryan Miller lets out a delighted laugh after "Rocketship" soars through the rafters. Forty years on, Guster continues evolving, reaching for something grander and something bigger than themselves.

The first set unfolds in waves: the whimsical "All the Way Up to Heaven" as Ryan Miller jokes with the conductor, "Now do the weird thing," and upon his command, the symphony's songs swirl and echo through the performance hall. Then the space transformed into a baroque fantasia; "Mind Kontrol," somehow sharper, darker with the orchestral heft behind it; the fragile, shivering "Either Way," where the strings swell like a held breath, Miller's voice breaking in all the right places and as the hall erupts into a sound that only happens when a symphonies music is in complete and euphoric flight.

By the time “Fa Fa” rolled in, trumpets blasting, there was less song and more jubilation as the sold-out venue surged as nearly 2500 fans rose to their feet, clapped, and sang along to Guster's anathematic song.

Set 2: Crescendo & Catharsis

After intermission, the lights dim once more, and Guster emerges along with the conductor. With a grin, Miller says, "Hey, we get to do it all again," as they are immersed in a soundscape of delicate harps and rolling timpani. "Backyard" takes flight, an early-2000s nostalgia bomb detonating in slow motion. In a quick break between songs, an audience member shouts, "Luke!" cheering on Lucas Reynolds.  Miller quickly joked that some people might think they were being booed at their own concert if the audience mistook Luke for “Booo.” Miller continued that they were debuting a version of "This Heart Is Occupied" from their latest album, “Ooh La La”,  and that they might not play it ever again because it would never sound as good as it would with a symphony - time will tell, but we were lucky to witness this song debut with the NSO.

Next, the orchestra bends and shifts behind them, a living, breathing entity, swelling for dramatic effect on "Happier," and the audience once again joined in a theatre-filling sing-along. The band would lean into the catharsis of the evening by performing "Black Balloon" before taking a moment to read from a prepared statement, something that Miller admits he rarely does. A children's musical Miller helped compose, Finn, about a young shark who struggles to fit in, premiered at the Kennedy Center in December 2024, but a planned tour was canceled in February 2025. Miller would go on to talk about how the musical was no longer welcomed at The Kennedy Center, but he wanted to support the inclusiveness of the musical and what it represented, as well as how he and the band stood with the LBGTQ+ community. With that, the cast of Finn joined for "Hard Times," their voices mingling with his in a raw, aching harmony. A standing ovation, mid-set—an unspoken rule broken, but who could help it?

YouTube Video Courtesy of Chris Sprosty

The Postscript

What a night in a legendary structure set aside the Potomac.  The Kennedy Center itself—the silent guardian watching over it all. Opened in 1971, its grandeur has endured beyond a single moment in time, standing as a beacon of hope, joy, and the arts since its founding. Named for a president who dared to dream that the arts could inspire a nation.   The Kennedy Center has been home to countless moments of transcendence, where artists from all walks of life have merged their craft with the infinite possibilities of sound and sight.  Tonight was no exception—a night where music's past, present, and future collided in perfect, harmonious bloom.

 Tonight like so many nights before it, the artists on stage dreamed a little dream and welcomed everyone  to gather equally with and for one another.

Guster and the National Symphony Orchestra provided music lovers with just what they needed in every possible way.  After a long standing ovation, the musicians left the stage, and fans made their way out of the Kennedy Center.  

Outside, the cherry blossoms still flutter in the night air, petals drifting, catching the glow of streetlights, a fleeting, perfect beauty. Inside, the audience spills into the lobby, ballgowns, and rainbow sequined jackets intersecting. Eyes were bright, buzzing - it was the rare kind of magic that happens when a band leaps beyond expectation and lands somewhere sublime.

After a short pause, Guster embarks on a national tour entitled We Also Have Eras Tour in support of their latest album, Ooh La La. Of course, we hope this tour is just as successful as Taylor Swift's original Eras Tour.  

In the meantime, the National Symphony Orchestra will remain a mainstay in Washington, DC, and the region. Be sure to see them at The Kennedy Center, WolfTrap, and especially at Merriweather Post Pavillion on August 4th, when they perform alongside King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard. (Ticket Link)

We look forward to continuing to celebrate and taking refuge in DC's institutions, such as The Kennedy Center and the Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts. The winds of change are blowing throughout the country - but there will always be kindred spirits, love, and support inside the confines of our music venues.

Cover Photo Courtesy of Guster and Justin P. Goodhart

Aaron Graham and Tucker Elkins of the duo Ray Bull embarked on their first headlining tour, and – lucky us – stopped at D.C.’s The Atlantis for their very first stop on March 7.

Graham and Elkins met in art school as visual artists. Now they make music together, and they are bringing along Tyler Berrier to open their show that will stop in cities throughout the United States and the United Kingdom this spring.

At their show at The Atlantis, Berrier opened with nothing but himself, an electric guitar, and a few pieces of electronic equipment to play accompaniment tracks. Berrier, who was covered in silver face paint that reflected the colorful lights onstage, sang a lot of mellow, electro-folk music.

He seemed so grateful to be opening for Ray Bull. A few of his songs even included some prerecorded vocals or instruments played by one or both members of Ray Bull, which, when he mentioned that aloud, made the crowd cheer. After Berrier’s set, he talked to a few audience members from the stage as the crew transitioned behind him. 

Before Ray Bull took the stage, three LED banners scrolled messages across their screens in bright red. It was hard to read the messages, as they were moving quickly, but they kept scrolling throughout the entire show. It added a bit of mystery to the band’s already mysterious ambience. One line I did pick up on, though, said “The circle of life is clever and brutal.”

Joined by their drummer Fletcher Pontus Aleckson, at last, Ray Bull came onstage and performed a somewhat short but highly impactful set. The band’s music isn’t the kind you really dance and jump around to; it’s the kind you listen to intently, and hearing it live allowed me to hear their lyrics and music in a new way. It felt ethereal.

Something about Ray Bull just gives me such an intriguing feeling, so much to the point where I thought I was experiencing déjà vu. Their show felt so familiar, yet still so fresh and unique (and also a tad strange) – unlike any show I’d ever seen before. It just goes to show how unique Ray Bull is and how often live music can create experiences that affect your whole body.

The band played songs from their new EP, Little Acts of Violence, which came out on Feb. 21, as well as songs from other EPs and singles. While Graham stuck with his electric guitar the whole show, Elkins switched between a guitar and a keyboard, even adding in a harmonica around his neck for a song.

The house was nearly packed to the brim with fans of various ages. A few die-hard fans in the front of the cornered stage sang along with nearly every song, even some of the brand new ones. Some fans even sported their quirky merchandise, including shirts that said “I got my lobotomy at the Ray Bull show” and “Paging Doctor Ray Bull.”

There were a few technical difficulties, but that wasn’t too surprising as it was their first stop on their first ever headlining tour. The crowd was supportive and patient when Graham had to change his monitor batteries, when Elkins couldn’t hear the keyboard monitor, and when the microphones and speakers produced some feedback.

The lighting design they used added an abundance of energy and thoughtfulness to the environment in which they were creating via their performance. After all, they are visual artists, too, so that must have been an important piece for them to consider when designing their show.

As a journalist, one small detail I really enjoyed was that their microphones had little boxes around them that said “Ray Bull 25,” which made them look like newscaster microphones. This show was certainly newsworthy!

It’s clear just from watching the duo onstage that Graham and Elkins work very well together. They can communicate with one another just with a single look. Their vocals blend perfectly together, and their songwriting abilities give you a glimpse of their artistic minds.

Bluegrass may be rooted in tradition, but Sierra Hull continues to prove the genre has no limits. Earlier this month, she took the stage at Charlottesville’s historic Jefferson Theater, captivating the crowd with her dazzling musicianship and heartfelt lyricism. The crowd—a blend of dedicated bluegrass fans and casual listeners—settled in as golden stage lights illuminated the instruments, and from the moment Hull plucked her first shimmering notes, it was clear the night would be something special. But beyond her virtuosic playing, it was her ability to connect—both through her music and her genuine stage presence—that made the performance feel intimate and unforgettable.

For those unfamiliar, Sierra Hull is a highly acclaimed bluegrass and progressive acoustic musician, best known for her virtuosic mandolin playing, heartfelt songwriting, and angelic vocals. A child prodigy from Tennessee, Hull began playing mandolin at a young age and quickly gained recognition in the bluegrass world. By age 11, she had already performed at the Grand Ole Opry, and by 13, she signed with Rounder Records. Known for blending bluegrass roots with modern sounds, Hull has earned a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album and has collaborated with icons like Béla Fleck, Alison Krauss, and Molly Tuttle, to name a few. Her technical precision, emotional depth, and boundary-pushing approach to the mandolin make her one of the most innovative artists in the genre today.

The evening began with an opening set by Nashville-based singer-songwriter Stephanie Lambring, whose soft vocals and candid songwriting set an intimate tone. Songs like "Joy of Jesus" and "Pretty" stood out for their raw honesty, and her gentle humor between tracks brought a lightness to heavier themes. By the time Lambring left the stage, the audience was primed for Hull's emotional and musical depth.

Taking the stage to warm applause, dressed beautifully, with her signature mandolin in hand, Hull greeted the audience with a quiet smile before launching into a flurry of picking that immediately reminded everyone why she’s regarded as one of the finest mandolin players of her generation. It seems that Hull had teased some of the singles from the new album ahead of its release, and judging by the crowd’s reaction, songs like "Spitfire" and "Come Out of My Blues"  had already become favorites 

Taking the stage to warm applause with her signature mandolin in hand, Hull greeted the audience before launching into a flurry of picking that immediately reminded everyone why she’s regarded as one of the finest mandolin players of her generation. It seems Hull had teased some of the singles from her new album ahead of its release, and judging by the crowd’s reaction, songs like "Spitfire" and "Come Out of My Blues"(featuring Tim O’Brien on the recording) had already become favorites.

As Hull journeyed through her discography, she began to pick a melody that sparked an immediate hush in the room—a hauntingly beautiful rendition of "Mad World," originally recorded by Tears for Fears. While the original version is drenched in '80s synth, Hull’s interpretation stripped the song to its raw essence, giving it an acoustic quality that felt deeply intimate and personal.

By the time Hull brought the night to a close—ending on a powerful yet tender note with an encore of "Haven Hill"—the audience was fully immersed, hanging on every last chord. As people trickled out of the Jefferson Theater and into the cool Charlottesville night, the energy of the performance lingered in the air—a reminder of an evening that felt both timeless and refreshingly new.