BJ Barham writes and acts from a place of honesty, sincerity. Every little thing he does suffused by the principles he’s nurtured, developed throughout his adulthood. Hard-earned, celebrating five years of sobriety, two years of parenthood, and approaching fifteen years in the music industry. A cliche of sorts, sure, but […]
Ryan Bingham rolled into the 9:30 Club on Sunday night, on a bus carrying songs of life, love, blues, and political point. He came along with a tight band and backup singers so good that will make you want to “slap your mamma”! Ryan strolled onstage with the confidence of […]
Mitski performed at the 930 Club a few months ago; however, I missed this show. A friend of mine photographed the show, and I was intrigued by the photos. So, when I learned that Mitski was returning to Baltimore, I arranged to cover this artist because I genuinely wanted to […]
Tuesday night’s show in DC sold out, so Foals added a second show on Thursday night. Foals performed to a full house at the 930 Club Thursday evening along with two openers. I arrived early to enjoy a night of music! Omni kicked off the night with a short but […]
I was only just introduced to the LA-based band, The Wild Reeds, in January 2019, and I instantly swooned over their smooth, synchronistic voices. Their songwriting skills are brilliant, and the music accompanying them is gorgeous. Their songs have the ability to simultaneously fill you with both heartache and love. […]
Natalie Prass, a Virginia native now living in Nashville, opened her set with “Oh My”, a bass-heavy, 80’s-influenced number that also opens her new album, The Future and the Past. What follows in her live set and on her album is an examination of genre. Prass is able to seamlessly […]
We walked into Union Collective, its wide open spaces, expansive rafters, and industrial chic style inviting in the way few other places cannot hope to match. Charming, still, but not so dingy as the clubs we music fans so often inhabit; it does not hide in the darkness or paint […]
On Monday night the fans eagerly waited for the doors to open to the 9:30 Club for this sold out show. Typically, the crowds don’t rush in for the opener. However, tonight was very different! The crowd was in and ready 20 minutes before Carlie Hanson even took the stage. […]
Eraserland is already a totemic record to me, the kind I carry in the chambers of my heart so it can flow through me again and again. Released on March 29th – my mother’s birthday – my most recent Spotify count is 49 for the album (minimum play), with the singles near […]
I first remember seeing Mark Eitzel way back in 1994 at the Black Cat headlining a solo tour with Mac MacCaughan from Superchunk. We had arrived late, missing nearly all of Mac’s set, but we caught the then front man of American Music Club himself, Mark Eitzel. I remember that […]
The thing about generations, is that you can’t compare them. They do their own thing, they shape the world the way they see fit. They appreciate the past but they move for the future. Even though their fathers made up the beloved Allman Brothers Band, Devon Allman and Duane Betts […]
Who doesn’t love Billy Idol? It is clear that he is well-loved in D.C. because the Lincoln Theatre was packed on a Tuesday night, full of eager fans waiting to see this iconic rock and roll musician! The audience was up on their feet for the entire show! The evening […]
I was at The Anthem last Thursday night to see Jawbreaker. At the time, I hadn’t really given too much thought about who was opening. I always get to venues early for shows but I had no idea what to expect with this opening performance. From the minute War on […]
8,387 days. That’s how much time had passed since the last Jawbreaker show I saw in DC. It was April 10, 1996, when Jawbreaker shared a stage with Fluf and Garden Variety at the Black Cat. To say I was psyched for this show would be a total understatement. When […]
Gary Clark Jr. strolled onto the stage of The Anthem in Washington, D.C. wearing his fedora like a cape of a super hero guitar player. When he hit the first chords of “Bright Lights”, you realize he was sent here from another galaxy. As Gary sang out the lyrics from […]
After 20 years, Gogol Bordello surely knows how to have fun. The band delivered a performance that was on fire this past Friday night at Rams Head in Baltimore. Opening for Gogol Bordello Friday night was the band, Nu Folk Rebel Alliance. This band is a duo comprised of Pedro […]
There is no doubt in my mind that Weezer could ever deliver a subpar performance. Weezer played last summer at Jiffy Lube Pavilion and just over 6 months later, they returned to area to perform a St. Patrick’s Day show at Royal Farm Arena in Baltimore. Just like this past […]
On Saturday night at the 9:30 Club, beloved 90’s power popsters Teenage Fanclub wowed fans with a career spanning set which included a few unexpected surprises. LA’s The Love Language, fronted by North Carolina native Stuart McLamb, opened the show with an 11-song set drawing from their three Merge Records […]
Ms. Erykah Badu arrived fashionably late to her Saturday night concert at the Anthem, and the wait was well worth it. The fog machines teased the giddy crowed as everyone watched the hazy stage in anticipation. Fans gripped their phones, ready to capture Erykah Badu’s first move. Puffs of smoke […]
It was another weekend of great Baltimore music at The Metro Gallery! I had the pleasure of catching Haint Blue’s record release party on Friday, March 15th. The night was an illustration of the great music that Baltimore has to offer! Haint Blue released their first EP as a band in […]
The Pretty in Kink tour swung into Baltimore Soundstage kicking off St.Patty’s Day weekend. Friday night was full of sights and sounds with a group of misfits we all want to see. The show delivered a carnival of music and burlesque that flowed together effortlessly. The tour included performances by Gabriel […]
I happened upon Raindeer last fall opening for The Swirlies at Ottobar. As with most opening bands, I knew very little about them going into the show; however, by the end of the night, I became a new fan. This was the case with my first experience with Raindeer. A […]
I went to the Metro Gallery in Baltimore this past Saturday night for Raindeer’s record release party. The band wasn’t scheduled to take the stage until 10:30pm. However, I always go to shows early because I have learned that opening performers can truly be amazing. Every band on the schedule […]
The Brooklyn based party band, Wheatus, best known for their 2000 hit “Teenage Dirtbag”, played a fun 9 song opening set in support of Mike Doughty’s 25th Anniversary tour of Soul Coughing’s debut record “Ruby Vroom” last Wednesday at the U Street Music Hall. The setlist was totally impromptu, and […]
Soul Coughing was one of my favorite bands in the 90’s. Their album Ruby Vroom has always been one of my top 10 favorite albums of all time. So, you can imagine my excitement when I heard that Mike Doughty was touring to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this album […]
Another opening band made quite an impression this past Sunday night when machineheart opened for Me You at Six at the 930 Club. Even though the band does not have an expansive catalogue, they delivered an engaging performance, clearly winning over the crowd. At one point, lead singer Stevie Scott […]
You may not have heard of DREAMERS. However, you will most likely recognize their songs. That is because they have been getting substantial airplay on local radio stations and that is not a surprise. I first became acquainted with DREAMERS when a friend sent me a link to one of […]
A sold out country crowd gathered on Saturday Night at The Anthem D.C. to witness Brothers Osborne play all their hits and more. However, the night became more about being home than anything else. With TJ and John Osborne growing up in Deale, Maryland, this was a show they were […]
I make it a point to never skip an opening band when I go to shows. “Oh they’re just the opener”. I hear this a lot from the casual music fan. However, I know from experience that the opener can be every bit as good, sometimes even better than the […]
Car Seat Headrest’s Will Toledo has certainly expanded his live show over the years from a three-piece playing smaller venues to selling out the 9:30 Club and now at Baltimore’s Rams Head Live. Toledo’s band now includes Ethan Ives on guitar (and lead vocals on a couple of songs), Andrew […]
In June of 2002, Interpol played their first show in D.C. at the 930 Club. They opened for Clinic, and they had not yet released their first album, Turn on the Bright Lights. I remember there being a buzz about this band that was being compared to Joy Division. However, I […]
To experience a John Maus performance is to witness a man fully engulfed in exercising some seriously persistent demons. On record, Maus is musically compared to bands like Joy Division and Ultravox, but live his performance transcends description. John Maus has in the past performed solo to previously recorded electronic […]
Pop Evil rolled into Baltimore last Sunday to a packed Baltimore Soundstage. They were joined by opening band, Savage After Midnight and comedian Don Jameison, from the VH-1’s That Metal Show. Therefore, this crowd was in for an all-around treat. When Pop Evil came to the stage the room shook […]
What better way to spend a Friday evening then seeing a band perform in a living room? Club 603 in Baltimore hosted an amazing performance by David Wax Museum, and the duo delivered an intimate showcase of mostly new material for a small gathering of fans. David Wax and Suz […]
From the moment the crowd starting filing into the Gordon Center, it was unclear to me if this was going to turn into the usual energetic Dustbowl Revival show. Chatting with the sound man before the show, he expressed that even he was unsure. However, the mellow mood was slowly […]
