This is my list of upcoming shows that interest me, with the caveat that my taste in music is, well, eclectic. In addition, while some of this music interests me because I have seen it before and know that I want to see it again, other things may have been recommended by friends or simply caught my fancy given my mood at the time. I try to update this frequently enough that it is actually useful and I try to include whatever info I have. I also try to get it from reliable sources, but no source is perfect. And, I myself am capable of mistakes. Therefore, it may be worth a check with the venue before planning your life around what you see here. Also check back here closer to the show, as I do go back and correct entries if I learn that they are wrong. Got comments or reactions? Shows I should add? Write to karokaro AT verizon DOT net.
Want to know what I really see?
March 22 Wednesday: Ayreheart plays New Deal Cafe. Ayreheart is a progressive folk trio featuring the lute. Show is 7 to 9.
March 23 Thursday: Consider the Source plays the Pearl Street Warehouse with Desmond Jones. Consider the Source is an instrumental trio with Middle Eastern and space influences. Desmond Jones is a five piece rock band. Show is at 8. Tickets are $15.
March 23 Thursday: Vasen plays Jammin' Java. Väsen is a Swedish folk music duo consisting of Olov Johansson on nyckelharpa and Mikael Marin on viola. Doors open at 6, show is at 7:30. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $30 for premier seating.
March 24 Friday: Tower Green plays New Deal Cafe with Brinjal. Tower Green plays renaissance rock. Brinjal plays world music. Show is 7 to 11.
March 24 Friday: Black Masala plays Pearl Street Warehouse with Bongo District. Black Masala combines Romany, second-line, bhangra, and funk. Bongo District plays a mix of reggae, ska, Latin, and funk music. Show is at 8. Admission is $15.
March 24 Friday: This show is sold out BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet plays AMP by Strathmore. Beausoleil avec Michael Doucet plays cajun music. Tickets are $25 to $45
March 24 Friday: Pas Musique plays Rhizome with Infrasubcontra and nil. Pas Musique plays electronic, electroacoustic frequencies for your inner mind. Infrasubcontra is a tuba-doom duo. nil. is a new project by former member of Chester Hawkins and Blue Sausage Infant. Show is at 7.
March 24 Friday: A Shrewdness of Apes plays The Pocket with Jackie and the Treehorns and 51 Peg. A Shrewdness of Apes play prog. Jackie and the Treehorns play alt rock. 51 Peg is a dark synth rock band. Doors open at 7. Show is 8 to 10:30. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 day of show.
March 24-25 Friday and Saturday: These shows are sold out The High Kings play the Birchmere. The High Kings play Irish folk. Show is at 7:30. Tickets are $55.
March 25 Saturday: Magical Mystery Girls play Washington/Rockville Elks. Magical Mystery Girls are a Beatles tribute band. I believe admission is $10. Washington/Rockville Elks are located at 5 Taft Court in Rockville, Maryland.
March 25 Saturday: ilyAIMY plays 7 Locks. ilyAimy plays acoustic folk rock. Show is 6 to 9.
March 25-26 Saturday and Sunday: Tickets for Saturday are running low. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy plays the Barns at Wolf Trap. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is a swing revival band. Dance lessons start at 8, show is at 9. Tickets start are $47 to $69.
March 26 Sunday: Ammonite plays Slash Run with Jaguardini and Tristan Welch. Ammonite creates sumptuous electronic music which blends genres such as dub, trip hop, drum and bass, electro and pop. Jaguardini treats music like a science project, combining the sounds of old video games and synthesizers to create a live blend of lofi synthpop and energetic dark wave. Tristan Welch focuses on creating soundscapes via electric guitar, treated with electronics. Show is at 9. Admission is $10.
March 26 Sunday: Rock-A-Sonics play Hank Dietle's. The Rock-A-Sonics play rockabilly, vintage country, and atomic age rock 'n' Roll in authentic style. Show is at 6.
March 28 Tuesday: Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet plays Metro Baltimore with Microkingdom Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet is guitarists Orcutt, Wendy Eisenberg, Ava Mendoza, and Shane Parish, who will combine intricate composition with no holds barred improvisation. Microkingdom is an American experimental/electroacoustic/abstract/freeform psychedelia jazz band. Doors open at 8, show is at 9. Tickets are $20.
March 28 Tuesday: Daikaiju plays Slash Run with Soroche and Surprise Guest. Daikaiju is loud, instrumental, and "the band to see if you want to experience surf rock at its most offensive." Soroche fuses influences ranging from jazz, grunge, and psychedelia to desert rock, stoner rock, and indie math rock. Show is 9 to 11:30.
March 29 Wednesday: Bass Drum of Death plays Union Stage. Bass Drum of Death plays garage punk. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $35 for "premier." This is an all ages show.
March 30 Thursday: Bella's Bartok plays Pearl Street Warehouse with Dr. Bacon. Bela's Bartok plays circus punk. Dr. Bacon is an Appalachian funk, grass and rock & roll band. Show is at 8. Admission is $12.
March 30 Thursday: Etran de L'Air plays Songbyrd. Etran de L'Air plays desert blues. Show is at 7. Tickets are $17 in advance, $20 day of show. This is an all ages show.
March 31 Friday: The High and Wides play Creative Alliance with Hannah Lee Thompson. The High and Wides play bluegrass. Hannah Lee Thompson sings and plays banjo and other things. Show is 8 to 11. Tickets are $23.
March 31 Friday: Fast Eddie and the Slowpokes play New Deal Cafe. Fast Eddie and the Slowpokes play blues rock. Show is 8 to 11.
April 1 Saturday: The Residents bring their 50th Anniversary tour to the Ottobar. The Residents are an art collective and art rock band. Also this is their 50 year anniversary tour so they are the approximate age of dirt. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $35 in advance, $38 day of show.
April 1 Saturday: Spiral Grave plays The Depot with Ike's Wasted World, Merciful Zero, Bound by Darkness and Doom vvitch. Spiral Grave plays doom metal. Ike's Wasted World is a power. Merciful Zero is an alternative rock band. Bound by Darkness may or may not be a melodic black/viking metal band. Show starts at 7. The Depot is located at 1728 North Charles Street in Baltimore.
April 2 Sunday: There is a low ticket warning on this show. An evening with Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers at Pearl Street Warehouse. Victor Wooten is an amazing bass player. Brothers include Roy "Futureman" Wooten on percussion, Joseph Wooten on keys, and Regi Wooten on guitar. Show is at 8. Tickets are $45 to $55 and $75 for VIP. This show is 21+.
April 4 and 6 Tuesday and Thursday: Bikini Kill plays the Fillmore. Bikini Kill plays punk rock. Tickets are $39.50 for general admission. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. To be blunt, shows that have been rescheduled this many times usually do not happen, but who knows?
April 4 Tuesday: Algiers plays DC 9. Algiers is a defiant, genre-eclipsing, technicolor Atlanta front porch party. Doors open at 7:30, show is at 8. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 in advance.
April 4 Tuesday: Solar Fake plays The Runaway with Amulet and The Neuro Farm. Solar Fake is the electro act of multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Sven Friedrich. Amulet is a DC-based dark alternative rock band. The Neuro Farm is a darkwave gothic rock band. Show is at 8:30. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 day of show. The Runaway is located at 3523 12th Street in Northeast DC.
Aptil 6 Thursday: Goddamn Gallows plays Metro Gallery with IV and the Strange Band. Goddamn Gallows play everything from "rockabilly, psychobilly and gutter punk rock to bluegrass and metal." IV is Hank IV, son of Hank III, and has inherited the punk and country roots that would suggest. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 day of show. This is an all ages show.
April 6 Thursday: Big Something plays Union Stage with Doom Flamingo. Big Something is an alt-rock band. Doom Flamingo is a six piece synth-wave band. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $35 for "premier." This is an all ages show.
April 7 Friday: Reverend Peyton and His Big Damn Band play Metro Baltimore. Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band is a three-piece American country blues band. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 day of show. Thtis is an all ages show.
April 7 Friday: Twiddle plays Baltimore Soundstage with One Time Weekend. Twiddle is a jam band that incorporates elements of rock, jazz, bluegrass, reggae and funk. One Time Weekend is a shred-funk quartet. Doors open at 6, show is at 8. General Admission is $28.50. VIP is $138.50.
April 7 Friday: Igor and the Red Elvises play Pearl Street Warehouse. The Red Elvises are a Russian-American band that performs funk rock, surf, rockabilly, reggae, folk rock, disco and traditional Russian styles of music. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Admission is $18.
April 7 Friday: ilyAIMY plays New Deal Cafe. ilyAIMY play acoustic folk rock. Show is at 8 to 11.
April 7 Friday: Aqueous play the 8X10 with Mungion. Aqueous plays groove rock. Mungeon is a jam band. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $21.33. This is an 18+ show.
April 8 Saturday: Sun Ra Arkestra plays Birchmere. Sun Ra Arkestra plays jazz. Show is at 7:30.Tickets are at $35.
April 8 Saturday: Reverend Peyton and His Big Damn Band play Jammin' Java with special guests. Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band is a three-piece American country blues band. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $30 for "premier" seating. This is an all ages show.
April 8 Saturday: Consumer Culture plays the Ottobar with Mast Year (album release), Knub and PsyOp. Consumer Culture plays experimental punk. Mast Year plays noise rock. Knub plays noise rock. PsyOp plays punk. Doors open at 7:30, show is at 8. Tickets are $15.
April 10 Monday: Frenchy and the Punk play New Deal Cafe. Frenchy and the Punk is a musical carnival of 2 where B52’s-esque upbeat songs meet French cabaret and post punk. Show 7 to 9.
April 12 Wednesday: Little Feat play Maryland Hall with Miko Marks. Little Feat combines rock, funk, folk, jazz, country, rockabilly and New Orleans swamp boogie into a rich gumbo. Miko Marks is a country and Americana singer. Show is at 7:30. Tickets are $85 to $130.
April 14 Friday: Dead Ringers play The Crown with Fen Fen and Krime Slugs. Dead Ringers is a 2 piece garage punk band. Fen Fen is what happens when pent-up musicians form a band in a dystopian, pandemic-riddled world and ask an ICU nurse to "scream into this microphone". If I read it right Krime Slugs is a garage band that lets an algorhithm write their lyrics. Show is at 7.
April 14 Friday: Ami Dang plays Ottobar with G.O.L.D. and DJ Pangelica. Amrita “Ami” Kaur Dang is a South Asian-American vocalist, sitarist, composer and producer from Baltimore. I would like to tell you about those other people, but they don't Google well. Doors open at 6, show is at 6:30. Admission is $12.
April 15 Saturday: Oh He Dead play Birchmere. Oh He Dead plays rock and soul. Show is at 7:30. Tickets are $29.50.
April 16 Sunday: Joel Harrison and Anthony Pirog Quartet play Rhizome. The Quartet also includes drummer Mike Kuhl and bassist Matt Pavolka. Just trust me on this one. Show is at 7.
April 16 Sunday: Timmy's Organism play The Runaway with Sex Faces and DJ Snot Funny. Timmy's Organism is a acid punk space glam power trio. Show is 7:30 to 11:55. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 day of show. The Runaway is located at 3523 H Street in Northeast DC.
April 18 Tuesday: Xiu Xiu plays the Black Cat with Light Beams and Hand Apple. Xiu Xiu plays experimental noise pop. Light Beams is a D.C. trio that uses samples and a live rhythm section to write songs about staying positive. Hand Apple plays synth rock. Doors open at 7:30. Tickets are $20.
April 19 Wednesday: The Sadies play The Runaway with The Highballers. The Sadies skip from astral psychedelia to shuffling bucolics and leap from puckish pop to righteous garage-rock. The Highballers play honkytonk, country & Western. Show is 8:30 to 11:55. The Runaway is located at 3523 H Street in Northeast DC.
April 19 Wednesday: Snarky Puppy plays the Warner Theatre. Snarky Puppy combines a variety of jazz idioms, rock, world music, and funk. Show is at 8. Tickets are $45 to $75.
April 20 Thursday: Professor Goldstein plays New Deal Cafe. Professor Goldstein aims for "Weezer core" but with their own music. Show 7 to 9.
April 20 Thursday: Aynur plays AMP by Strathmore. Aynur is a renowned folk artist and a cultural icon of the Kurdish people. Shows are at 4 and 8. Tickets range from $45 to $65.
April 21 Friday: Xiu Xiu plays Metro Baltimore with Moth Broth. Xiu Xiu plays experimental noise pop. Moth Broth plays what they call “psychedelic witchpop” or “devotional psychpop witchpop.” Doors open at 8, show is at 9. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 day of show.
April 21 Friday: Fishbone plays Baltimore Soundstage with The Slackers and Faintest Idea. Fishbone plays a fusion of ska, punk, funk, metal, reggae, and soul. The Slackers play ska. Faintest Idea plays punk ska. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are not on sale yet.
April 21 Friday: This show has been cancelled again. Dead Can Dance plays Anthem. Dead Can Dance play dark art rock. Doors open at 6:30. Tickets are $55 to $125.
April 22 Saturday: Cabinet plays Recher Theatre with FERD. Cabinet plays psychedelic roots rock. FERD plays Mississippi Delta roots with a spirited blend of folk, bluegrass, and blues tradition. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $27.50. Recher Theatre is located at 512 York Road in Towson, Maryland.
April 22 Saturday: Steve Morse Band plays Rams Head On Stage. Steve Morse is a guitar player who has played with Deep Purple and Dixie Dregs. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $65.
April 23 Sunday: Bela Fleck on banjo, Zakir Hussain on tabla and Edgar Meyer on bass with Rakesh Charasia on bansuri (bamboo flute) play the Music Center at Strathmore. Show is at 7. Tickets are $30 to $80.
April 23 Sunday: Honest Lee Soul plays Old Bowie Town Grill. Honest Lee Soul has roots in soul, blues, funk, hip-hop, gospel, and rock. This show will be with the "big band." Mike McHenry Tribe plays funk rock. This show will be with the full band."
April 24 Monday: Steve Morse Band plays the Birchmere. Steve Morse is a guitar player who has played with Deep Purple and Dixie Dregs. Show is at 7:30. Tickets are $65.
April 26 Wednesday: Robert Lighthouse plays Hank Dietle's. Robert Lighthouse plays Mississippi Delta Blues. Show is at 8. Admission is $10.
April 27 Thursday: HayFever plays Rhizome. HayFever will play improvisations with flute, bass, keys and drums. Show is at 7.
April 27 Thursday: Eggy plays Pearl Street Warehouse. Eggy is a four-piece jam band. Show is at 8. Admission is $19 for general admission standing, $29 for general admission seated.
April 29 Saturday: Kitchen Dwellers play Hamilton Live with Sicard Hollow. Kitchen Dwellers combine bluegrass, folk and rock. Sicard Hollow plays bluegrass. Doors open at 6:30, show is at 8. Tickets are $20 for standing, $25 for seated.
April 29 Saturday: Thumbscrew plays New Spire Arts. Thumbscrew is guitarist Mary Halvorson, bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Tomas Fujiwara playing jazz. Show is 8 to 10. Tickets are $26.75 unless you fit into a discount category, in which case they are $21.75. New Spire Arts is located at 15 West Patrick Street in Frederick.
April 29 Saturday: Grim Reefer Fest at the Ottobar with Bongzilla, Ilsa, Borracho, Haze Mage and more. Bongzilla plays stoner metal. Ilsa plays crusty death/doom. Borracho plays stoner rock and metal. Haze Mage plays fantasy metal. Admission is $35 in advance, $50 day of show.
April 29-30 Saturday and Sunday: Saturday is sold out. Drive-By Truckers play the 9:30 Club with Lydia Loveless. Drive-By Truckers play alt-country and Southern rock. Lydia Loveless is a singer songwriter whose music combines pop music, classic country, honky tonk and punk rock. Doors open at 8. Tickets are $35.
April 30 Sunday: Enslaved plays Baltimore Soundstage with Insomnium and Black Anvil. Enslaved is an extreme heavy metal band. Insomnium is a melodic death metal band. Black Anvil is a black metal band. Doors open at 6, show is at 7. Tickets are $26.50.
May 3 Wednesday: Ministry plays Fillmore with Gary Numan and special guest Front Line Assembly. Ministry plays industrial metal. Gary Numan plays rock. Front Line Assembly is an electro industrial band. Either the doors or the show are at 7, Tickets are $42 to get in, $59 for god knows what, and $138.50 to $178.50 To do your part to make shows too expensive for anyone.
May 5 Friday: David Wax Museum plays Hamilton Live. David Wax Museum plays indie folk with some Mexican influences. Doors open at 6:30, show is at 8. Tickets are $15 for standing, $25 for seated and $35 for better seats.
May 5 and 6 Friday and Saturday: Charm City Bluegrass plays Union Craft Brewing. Details in the works.
May 6 Saturday: Wild Anacostias play Cheverly American Legion. Wild Anacostias are a Raucous Merry-Making Multi-Morphous Louisiana-style Party Band! Show is 8 to 11. The Cheverly American Legion is located at 3608 Legion Drive in Cheverly, Maryland.
May 8 Monday: The Secret Trio plays Jammin' Java. The Secret Trio is made up of three astounding musicians, Ara Dinkjian (oud, a fretless lute), Ismail Lumanovski (clarinet) and Tamer Pınarbaşı (kanun, a 76-string zither), who came together to create a new type of chamber music. Doors open at 6, show is at 7:30. Tickets are $40 for all ticket types.
May 9 Tuesday: GBH plays Ottobar with MDC, NIIS and Luxury Teeth. GBH plays punk. MDC (Millions of Dead Cops) plays punk. NIIS plays punk. Luxury Teeth play hardcore street punk. Doors open at 7, show is at 7:30. Tickets are $20.
May 9 Tuesday: Tempest plays Jammin Java. Tempest plays a hybrid of high-energy Folk Rock, fusing Irish reels, Scottish ballads, Norwegian influences and other world music elements. Doors open at 6:30, show is at 7:30. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $25 for premier seating.
May 10 Wednesday: The Sweet Lilies play Pearl Street Warehouse with The 19th Street Band. The Sweet Lilies play Americana and bluegrass. The 19th Street Band combines Americana, country and rock. Show is at 8. Tickets are $15.
May 10 Wednesday: Mastodon plays Pier 6 with Gojira and Lorna Shore. Mastodon plays heavy metal. Gojira is a French heavy metal band. Lorna Shore is a deathcore band. Tickets range from $34.50 to $80.
May 12 Friday: Joe Russos Almost Dead (JRAD) plays Pier 6. JRAD mostly covers music of the Grateful Dead. Either the doors or the show is at 7. Tickets are $30 to $54.
May 12 Friday: The Iguanas play Rams Head Live. The Iguanas is a roots rock band from New Orleans. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $30. This is a 21+ show.
May 13 Saturday: Chisel plays the Black Cat with SAVAK and Bed Maker. Chisel is a punk band started by Ted Leo. SAVAK plays indie rock. Bed Maker is Jeff Barsky, Amanda MacKaye, Arthur Noll and Vin Novara. Doors open at 8. Show is at $25.
May 13 Saturday: Jerry Douglas plays the Birchmere. Jerry Douglas plays dobro and lap steel guitar/ Show is 7:30. Tickets are $35.
May 13 Saturday: Honest Lee Soul plays Ramshead On Stage with Mike McHenry Tribe. Honest Lee Soul has roots in soul, blues, funk, hip-hop, gospel, and rock. This show will be with the "big band." Mike McHenry Tribe plays funk rock. This show will be with the "big band." Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $35.
May 20 Saturday: Wild Anacostias play Bladensburg Waterfront Park. Wild Anacostias are a Raucous Merry-Making Multi-Morphous Louisiana-style Party Band! Show is 3 to 5. Bladensburg Waterfront Park is located at 4601 Annapolis Road in Bladensburg, Maryland.
May 20 Saturday: Acid Mothers Temple plays Metro Baltimore with ST37. Acid Mothers Temple plays psych rock. ST 37 plays space and psychedelic rock. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $16 in advance, $18 day of show.
May 20 Saturday: Legendary Shack Shakers play Hill Country Barbecue with Dexter Romweber and Viva La Vox. Legendary Shack Shakers play rockabilly and punk. Dexter Romweber plays rockabilly and roots. Viva La Vox is an experimental rock and roots band. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $23 in advance, $30 day of show.
May 22 Monday: Big Joanie plays Songbyrd. Big Joanie is a Black feminist punk band. Show is 7 to 11. Tickets are $20.60 with all charges.
May 24 Wednesday: Neal Francis plays Rams Head On Stage. Neal Francis plays music "steeped in New Orleans rhythms and Chicago blues." Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $35. This is a 21+ show.
May 26 Friday: The Stents play Pie Shop with Babies with Rabies, Monsters from the Surf and A.D.D. Ramone. The Stents play garage rock. Babies with Rabies play punk. Monsters from the surf play garage surf. Shoe is at 7. Admission is $20. The Pie Shop is located at 1339 H Street in Northeast DC.
May 26 Friday: Roger Clark Miller plays Rhizome. Roger Clark Miller is a guitarist, pianist, bassist, composer, singer, percussionist and occasional cornet player who has played with both Birdsongs of the Mesozoic and Mission of Burma. Show is at 7.
May 28 Sunday: Lil Smokies play Union Stage. Lil Smokies are a grassicana band. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $35 for possibly not very good seats.
June 1 Thursday: Taj Mahal plays Wolf Trap with Los Lobos and North Mississippi Allstars. Taj Mahal is a blues musician who incorporates world music elements. Los Lobos plays rock influenced by influenced by Tex-Mex, country, zydeco, folk, R&B, blues, brown-eyed soul and traditional music such as cumbia, boleros and norteños. North Mississippi Allstars play hill country blues. Gates open at 6. Show is at 7:30. As usual, the only ticket price available before the tickets go on sale is for the lawn which are $30. Usually no other prices are available until they go on sale. This is anti-consumer behavior that should not be engaged in by anyone, much less by a federal agency. Moreover, every newly announced show will go on sale at 10 am on February 17. This creates a nerve-wracking scrum in which you are trying to balance getting decent seats with trying to find out which areas you can actually afford.
June 7 Wednesday: Tinariwen plays the Lincoln Theatre. Tinariwen is a collective of Tuareg musicians who play desert blues combining traditional Tuareg and African music with Western rock music. Doors open at 6:30. Tickets are $35 for general admission.
June 11 Sunday: Buddy Guy brings his "Damn Right Farewell" tour to Wolf Trap with Samantha Fish and Robert Randolph Band. Buddy Guy plays blues guitar. Samantha Fish plays blues guitar including cigar box guitar. Robert Randolph plays pedal steel and gospel-based rock. Gates open at 6, show is at 7:30. As usual, the only ticket price available in advance is for lawn seats, which are $33. This is anti-consumer behavior that should not be engaged in by anyone, much less by a federal agency. Moreover, every newly announced show will go on sale at 10 am on February 17. This creates a nerve-wracking scrum in which you are trying to balance getting decent seats with trying to find out which areas you can actually afford.
June 13 Tuesday: Black Midi plays The Howard. Black Midi plays experimental rock with math elements. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $25 to $45. This is an all ages show.
June 16 Friday: NRBQ plays the Birchmere. NRBQ is a rhythm and blues quartet. Show is at 7:30. Tickets are $45.
June 17 Saturday: An evening with NRBQ plays the Ottobar. NRBQ is a rhythm and blues quartet. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. This is an all ages show. It is also "limited capacity sitting and standing."
June 17 and 18 Friday and Saturday: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue play Wolf Trap with Ziggy Marley and Mavis Staples. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue crash through funk, soul and psychedelic rock. Ziggy Marley sings reggae. Mavis Staples sings R&B and gospel. Gates open at 5:30, show is at 7. As usual, the only ticket price available in advance is for lawn seats, which are $49. This is anti-consumer behavior that should not be engaged in by anyone, much less by a federal agency. Moreover, every newly announced show will go on sale at 10 am on February 17. This creates a nerve-wracking scrum in which you are trying to balance getting decent seats with trying to find out which areas you can actually afford.
June 22 Thursday: Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade plays The Lyric with Witch. Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade is Les Claypool's walk on the jam side. Witch plays stoner metal (or not, I can't find a web site for them). Tickets go on sale to the public February 3. And no, TicketMaster won't give out prices in advance either, but you knew that. Show is at 8.
June 27 Tuesday: Golden Seas Duo plays Rhizome. The Golden Seas Duo is Kahil El Zabar on percussion and vocals and David Murray on tenor sax.
June 27 and 28 Tuesday and Wednesday: Tedeschi Trucks Band plays Wolf Trap. Tedeschi Trucks Band plays blues and blues rock. Gates open at 6, show is at 7:30. As usual, the only ticket price available in advance is for lawn seats, which are $39. This is anti-consumer behavior that should not be engaged in by anyone, much less by a federal agency. Moreover, every newly announced show will go on sale at 10 am on February 17. This creates a nerve-wracking scrum in which you are trying to balance getting decent seats with trying to find out which areas you can actually afford.
June 29 Thursday: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss play Wolf Trap with JD McPherson. Robert Plant and Alison Krause play (and sing) roots-music renditions of old songs. JD McPherson is known for a retro sound rooted in the rock and roll, rockabilly, and rhythm and blues music of the 1950s. Gates open at 6:30, show is at 8. As usual, the only ticket price available in advance is for lawn seats, which are $52. This is anti-consumer behavior that should not be engaged in by anyone, much less by a federal agency. Moreover, every newly announced show will go on sale at 10 am on February 17. This creates a nerve-wracking scrum in which you are trying to balance getting decent seats with trying to find out which areas you can actually afford.
July 7 Friday: Pilgrims of Deep Run play New Deal Cafe. Pilgrims of Deep Run play traditional Irish music, dance tunes and pub songs. Show is 8-11.
July 14 Friday: Steep Canyon Rangers play Rams Head On Stage. Steep Canyon Rangers are an acoustic sextet with roots in bluegrass, folk and string music. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $46.50. This is a 21+ show.
July 19-20 Wednesday and Thursday: The High Kings play Rams Head On Stage. The High Kings play Irish folk. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $45. This is a 21+ show.
July 22 Saturday: Reverend Horton Heat plays Hamilton Live with The Delta Bombers. Reverend Horton Heat play psychobilly. The Delta Bombers play Las Vegas rock and roll. Doors open at 6:30, show is at 8. Tickets are $30 for standing, $35 for seated.
July 28 Friday: Altin Gun plays The Howard. Altin Gun is a Turkish psychedelic rock band. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. This is an all ages show. Tickets are not yet on sale.
August 2 Wednesday: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit play Wolf Trap with S.G. Goodman. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit play Americana. S.G. Goodman is a singer songwriter. Gates open at 6:30, show is at 8. As usual, the only ticket price available in advance is for lawn seats, which are $48 This is anti-consumer behavior that should not be engaged in by anyone, much less by a federal agency. Moreover, every newly announced show will go on sale at 10 am on February 17. This creates a nerve-wracking scrum in which you are trying to balance getting decent seats with trying to find out which areas you can actually afford.
August 23 Wednesday: Shakti bring their 50th Anniversary tour to Wolf Trap. The show will feature John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain and "very special guest" Bela Fleck. Gates open at 6:30, show is at 8. As usual, the only ticket price available in advance is for lawn seats, which are $35. This is anti-consumer behavior that should not be engaged in by anyone, much less by a federal agency. Moreover, every newly announced show will go on sale at 10 am on February 17. This creates a nerve-wracking scrum in which you are trying to balance getting decent seats with trying to find out which areas you can actually afford.
August 24 Thursday: Jethro Tull "The Seven Decades" comes to Wolf Trap. Jethro Tull is a progressive rock band formed in 1967. Gates open at 6:30, show is at 8. As usual, the only ticket price available in advance is for lawn seats, which are $39. This is anti-consumer behavior that should not be engaged in by anyone, much less by a federal agency. Moreover, every newly announced show will go on sale at 10 am on February 17. This creates a nerve-wracking scrum in which you are trying to balance getting decent seats with trying to find out which areas you can actually afford.
September 13 Wednesday: Sonny Landreth plays Hamilton Live. Sonny Landreth plays blues with mostly slide guitar. Doors open at 6:30, show is at 7:30. Tickets are $25 for standing, $35 for seated, $45 for better seats.
Allyworld ; is located in Tonal Park. It is a small seated venue with a relatively low stage. Sound was good (as one would hope considering the location). When I was there the band had brought beer and wine. So you may be able to bring your own. Tonal Park is located at 7014C Westmoreland Avenue in Takoma Park, Maryland. It is not well signed.
AMP by Strathmore (pronounced "amp") is a venue in North Bethesda (pronounced "Rockville"). It has just started to schedule shows again. Seating depends on the show, and it can seat up to 240 guests seated at tables, or up to 350 standing. There is also an attached lounge area with bar. It has a fair sized stage. The ticket office opens 120 minutes before a concert for in person purchases, and remains open until 30 minutes after the start of the show. Food a bit on the fancy end and not cheap. Amp is located at 11810 Grand Park Avenue, Suite 400, North Bethesda, MD 20852. (On the 4th floor, above iPic). Parking is available, but the immediately available parking is tight. It is also close to Metro?s red line at the White Flint stop. And there is valet service at the Pike & Rose.
An Die Musik is a classical, jazz and world music venue. Located on the second floor of a classical music record store, it seats 100 or so in comfy chairs that would appear to have been obtained from the remodeling of a nice, but rather stodgy hotel. A small bar serves beer, wine, juice and water at reasonable prices. An Die Musikis located at 409 North Charles Street, Second Floor, in Baltimore, Maryland 410-385-2638.
The Anthem is a gigantic venue on the Wharf in Southwest DC. It is a short persons dream as there are tons of places where you can see everything on stage. Plenty of bars. And water is available at the bars or from water fountains/refill stations around the venue. They also have a Vigilante coffee stand on the second floor. Food, on the other hand, was more trouble than it was worth, at least when I tried it. The process of getting people into the venue also needs to be ironed out, but they are new. The Anthem is a cash free venue - you need some form of plastic for everything but merch. Finally, parking can be difficult depending on what is going on and much of it is rather expensive. Ticketing is now being handled by TicketMaster.
Atlas Brewing is a brewery. As such it is a big cavernous building with a bar some tables, some more tables outside, and a brewing area. The beer is great. As for food, sometimes there are tacos, and you can bring your own or order food delivered. Shows are in the brewing area, which means even less temperature control than in the rest of the building. Atlas Brewing is located at 2052 West Virginia Avenue in Northeast DC.
Atlas Performing Arts Center is an arts center located in the Atlas District in Northeast DC. It has multiple theaters - The Lang Theater, which holds 262 people, the Sprenger Theater, which holds between 100 and 280 people, depending on how it is set up, Lab Theater I which holds 40 to 80 people, and Lab Theater II, which holds 60 to 90 people. Atlas Performing Arts Center is located at 1333 H Street in Northeast DC.
The Baltimore Soundstage is a fair size venue near Power Plant Live. Actual amount of the space used varies per show, but it can apparently hold up to 1,000 for an all standing show. Seating also varies, with most shows having some seating available on a first come, first service basis. Other shows are seated only, limiting capacity to 500. Some are standing only. They have a decent beer selection, and food in baskets. The box office is open 1 hour before doors for any show and has normal box office hours. Sunday and Monday closed unless there is a show or event Wednesdays 9am to 5 pm Thursday-Saturday noon-5pm Phone Orders 410-244-0057 same as box office hours. Online tickets come from TicketMaster. Garage over top of the venue (get ticket validated for rebate). Can also use Pier V, which is usually cheaper. (Need validation for that one also). Baltimore Sound Stage is located at 124 Market Place in Baltimore.
Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club used to be Bethesda Cinema and Drafthouse. There is seating for 300 in the two level dining area and for 200 more in the theatre seats in back. There is a also a bar in lobby but it has no view of the stage. For dance shows they take out the lower half the dining space and make it a dance floor. Sometimes tickets are for reserved seats and sometimes not. Tickets are from Instant Seats. The theater seats are always preassigned. There is a $10 minimum in the dining area. They "suggest business casual." There is a 340-car public parking garage right around the corner on Cheltenham Drive. Parking is $0.80/hr. Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club is located at 7719 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda, Maryland. 240-330-4500.
The Birchmere is the latest and largest incarnation of the same club that has been with us for years. Most shows are in the concert hall, but some are in the bandstand, which has a dance floor, but less seating. Most recently, they have started using the "Flex Stage" in the bandstand. It is at the far end of the hall and there is no seating at all. Food is served in the Music Hall, or was the night I was there. The Club has strict rules about being seated and quiet during concert hall shows and enforces them. The rules are slacker in the bandstand, which is also available if you need to talk or smoke during a show in the concert hall. It is adviseable to get there before the concert hall doors open in order to get the best seats, especially if you have a group that wants to sit together. The Birchmere opens at 5, the doors to the concert hall open at 6 and most shows start at 7:30. Food is passable bar food, but steep, and the beer selection is good. Tickets are available through TicketMaster, or with a $3 service charge from the box office, which is open from 5 to 9 on show nights. The Birchmere is located at 3701 Mt. Vernon Avenue in Alexandria. 703-549-7500.
The Black Cat gets rated the place in DC that the bands most like to play and the good vibes hang over for the audience. A very easy venue to get along with. Historically shows have started late, but they have recently announced that they will be scheduling shows earlier during the week, so people can make it to the subway before it closes. On Fridays and Saturdays, however, they do not close until 3. The new location has a concert hall upstairs, and a smaller performance space and a cafe with decent food downstairs. The smaller performance space, the Backstage, has woefully inadequate air conditioning. The Black Cat is located at 1811 14th Street NW. 202-667-7960. Tickets available from FreshTix through the Black Cat web site, or without service charge from the box office, which is open from 8 to midnight. The Black Cat says that it is an all ages venue, but it actually requires parental permission for anyone under 18.
Black Rock Center for the Arts is an arts center with a nice little theatre in which they have music and other performances. I would say it holds about 220 people. They sell beer and wine. Black Rock Arts Center is located at 12901 Town Commons Drive in Germantown, Maryland. 301-528-2260.
Blues Alley is doing live shows again, but it is not clear for how long. It is a small jazz club in Georgetown. Capacity is about 125. Georgetown rent is covered with two to three shows a night (8 and 10, or 8, 10 and 12), a random $2.50 per person surcharge, and a requirement that each person spend at least $10 on their overpriced food and drinks. On the other hand, the view of the stage is great. Hours are daily, 6 to 12:30. Full dinner menu available at the 8 pm show, light fare for the later shows. Buying a ticket for the early show sometimes gets you the late show as well. Food really has not impressed me. Blues Alley is located behind 1073 Wisconsin Avenue in Northwest DC. 202-337-4141.
Bossa Brazilian Bistro a small restaurant and bar in Adams Morgan that bills itself as a Caipirinha and mojito bar and art gallery. They have live music in the front window most days and salsa on Friday and Saturday. They open at 5:30 every day but Monday and are open to 2 during the week and to 3 on Fridays and Saturdays. They are located at 2463 18th Street in Northwest DC. 202-667-0088.
Capital Turnaournd is a new venue in Southeast DC. It is apparently a work in progress, but the music hall is rather large and is set up for seated shows, The seating is fairly comfortable, has plenty of leg room, and there is a fair slant to the floor so sight lines are fairly good. Seating on the sides, however faces the middle of the room and not forward to the stage, which is crick in the neck territory for sure. As far as other creature comforts there is lots of space to lounge, but no food and the selection at the bar is dismal. They literally had nothing I was willing to drink. Also, the one time I went there, their web site said doors were at 6:30 when they had moved them to 7:30. I showed up not long after the announced open because I like to have time to check out a new venue before the show. People who got tickets early apparently got notice of the changeby email, but I bought mine four days before the show and the email had only a start time. So I looked at the web site, went down to check the place out and got turned away by rather rude staff. That is incompetence of the worst kind and I will be avoiding them until I have some indication that they have learned to do better. Worst yet, at some point the people who run this have extended their influence over not only Jammin' Java, Miracle Theater and this venue, but also Songbyrd, Howard Theatre, and Union Stage, and now I want to avoid all of them. If you decide to go to them, all I can say is to do everything you can to wring correct information out of them. Myself, I think it is crappy and can't be bothered to have to interrogate people to see if the information on their web site is accurate before buying a ticket or going to the show. Rather than repeat experiences like that I will avoid them. Capital Turnaround is located at 770 M Street in Southeast DC.
Carroll Cafe is a venue in Seekers Church just into the District outside Takoma Park. It is not currently functioning. They have a beautiful room and the sound is incredible. Music is the second Friday of most months and tends to be folk or roots. Vegetarian food is available as are beverages (though probably not alcohol). Carroll Cafe is located at 276 Carroll Street Northwest. They can be reached at info@carrollcafe.org
Carter Barron Amphitheater is a U.S. Park Service facility in Rock Creek Park. It is an outdoor facility that has seating for about 4,200 and some picnic areas inside. They have been closed for years while decisions are made about how to address severe structural problems with the amphitheater. Despite the picnic areas they do not allow cans, bottles, hard coolers or picnic baskets. They also do not allow photography, recording devices or pets. The box office is open from noon to 9pm on event days only. The address is 4850 Colorado Avenue (near 16th). The concert line is 202-426-0486. For park information call 202-895-6000.
Chapala Blue Beetle Rock Bar is the bar portion of a Mexican restaurant in Burtonsville. It appears not to have music at this time. While you can get there through the restaurant, I recommend entering through the bar entrance, which is on the west side. Shows are in a fair-sized room off the bar that has some tables (with table service). The stage is pretty much the floor in the corner, though there is a low riser for drums. My experience is that they may start right on time or very late, and bands may not appear in the order you would expect. That said, set changes were accomplished quickly and I am told they treat the bands well. Chapala Blue Beetle Rock Bar is located at 15530 Old Columbia Pike in Burtonsville, Maryland.
City Winery is exactly what it sounds like. City Winery appears to be either closing altogether, moving, or stopping live music. Or all three. City Winery has returned to having live shows. There is a restaurant and tasting area on the first floor, a large venue on the second floor, and a less formal smaller venue. The Loft on the third floor. The Loft has an adjacent portion that is open to the outside, at least while the weather permits. The food and alcohol menu is the same on all three floors. Obviously they have a lot of wine, but they also have a few well-chosen beers. Neither food nor wine and beer are inexpensive. The second floor has a stage midway down the side, tables the length of the room and stools at the bar along the other side. All seats are reserved. The upstairs bar is very long and has a low stage at one end. There are high tables at the bar area on one side and long tables going the length of the room with a dance area between them and the stage. They handle their own ticketing. There is valet parking at the venue, $8 parking in a garage a block or so away and street parking. City Winery is located at 1350 Okie Street in Northeast DC. (202) 250-2531.
Club 603 is a private home that hosts house shows. It is very nice, holds up to about 50, and many shows sell out. Many people bring beer, wine and food to share. Information about the location will be provided to you if and when you buy a ticket.
Comet Ping Pong is a pizza and ping pong place run by the same folks who run Buck's Fishing and Camping two doors down. For shows they clear the ping pong tables out of the back room, which is about the right size for three ping pong tables (i.e., not very large) and rather spare. The stage, which otherwise holds the third ping pong table, is about 6 inches high. They have also been having outdoor shows. Tickets are handled by EventBrite. Kitchen is open until 9 Sunday through Wednesday, 9:30 on Thursday, and until 10:30 on Friday and Saturday. Shows start late, usually around 10. They have a great beer selection and pretty good pizza. Comet Ping Pong is located at 5037 Connecticut Avenue in Northwest DC. 202-364-0404.
The Crown is a bar at the upper end of Station North. Shows take place in two different rooms, sometimes simultaneously. The offerings range from experimental to karaoke. Bar is pretty basic, but they have some good beer. The Crown is located at 1910 North Charles Street in Baltimore.
DAR Constitution Hall is a concert hall owned by the Daughters of the American Revolution. It is a rather large hall and the sound quality at some of the seats up on the sides is really bad. There are usually bars in the lobby, but you cannot take a drink to your seat, with the result that the lobby is incredibly crowded before the show and during intermission. The web site claims that light fare is served at all events, but they must have hidden it well. Tickets are available only through Ticketmaster unless the promoter has made other arrangements. There is no box office. Constitution Hall is located at 1776 D Street in Northwest DC.
Dew Drop Inn is a classic dive, at least downstairs. I haven't been upstairs, but it apparently has food. Downstairs stage is on the floor opposite the bar. It doesn't have a wide beer selection, but there is good beer to be had. The building looks like a closed up warehouse and it is right next to a busy railroad track (which you cannot hear while the music is playing). There is tons of street parking. Dewdrop Inn is located at 2801 8th Street in Northeast DC. 202-791-0909
DC Nine is where Asylum used to be. Music is upstairs, which has been rearranged to fit it better than it used to although the stage is still tiny, and about six inches high. There is a bar, with a passable beer selection and a few places to sit. DC Nine opens at 7 Thursday though Saturday and at 8 the rest of the week. They post times for venue doors and shows. The doors simply do not open at that time. Show times are generally within 30 minutes of what is posted. Tickets are available through EventBrite. Some shows are 18+, the rest 21+. DC Nine is located at 1940 9th Street in Northwest DC. 202.483.5000.
Echostage; is enormous. (30,000 square feet). I have seen capacity numbers from 2000 to 6000). It is a huge room with a floor leading up to the stage and balconies across the back and partly up both sides. The back balcony is really too far from the stage to be useful, though I suppose it is better than being on the floor that far back. The crowd dynamics are about what you would expect for a space that large full of people who are all trying to see the same stage, and the fact that the stage is too low for a room that size does not help. At least parts of the balcony are blocked off for VIP. The beer selection is terrible (and apparently expensive). There is no food at least not down with the hoi polloi. Tickets are handled by TicketMaster. Located at 2135 Queens Chapel Road in Northeast DC. There is pay parking nearby of varying prices, but nonpay parking is sketchy.
The 8X10; is a relatively small venue with a dance floor, back area with a bar down the side, and a balcony level with a bar in back. They have a good beer selection, but no food on site. The dance floor is spring-loaded: serious structral paranoids will stand directly in the center. Also, 8X10 is coming up on its 20 year anniversary with the current owners. They are talking about selling. So if you ever wanted to own an historic and famous venue, this is your chance. All shows are 18+. Those under 21 pay $3 extra at the door. Tickets available from the box office for very reasonable fees and from Neon Ox (which was MissionTix).. The address is 8 and 10 East Cross Street in Federal Hill across from the Cross Street Market. 410-625-2000.
Fillmore Silver Spring is one of a chain of Live Nation Fillmore's across the country. You would think a chain would have some institutional knowledge about how to run a venue, but I am afraid you would be wrong. It is generally an all standing venue and theoretically holds 2000 people on the floor and in a balcony with multiple risers. But while they claim standing only, they have installed two rows of seats in the side balcony, reducing their capacity and overcrowding the floor for sold out shows. I have seen them charge extra on the spot for those seats, but the other night any that they weren't using for promotions were available on a first come first serve basis. Risers above the first provide no view at all for many people. Also they tend to keep the lights low before the show and during breaks - so low that it is difficult to see to meet up with your friends. For reasons that aren't clear announced times are often wrong. In fact, they have to be wrong, as they often do not match between their web site, facebook, and their recorded phone message. Box office hours are Monday through Friday noon to 6, Saturday 11 to 4. Box office tickets carry a $1 service charge. Tickets also available through Live Nation. The Fillmore is located at 8656 Colesville Road in Silver Spring, Maryland. 301-960-9999.
Fort Reno Park is, for all intents and purposes, a big field on Chesapeake Street between Nebraska and Wisconsin Avenues near the Tenleytown Metro. Shows are from 7 to 9:30 and are free though donations are always welcome. No glass, alcohol, or drugs are allowed.
49 West Coffeehouse and Gallery is a restaurant located at 49 West Street in Annapolis. They have music in their back room and also serve food and beverages back there. The food is good, and not unreasonably priced for Annapolis. An extremely civilized place to see a show. They handle their own reservations. 410-626-9796.
Galaxy Hut is an incredibly tiny place (the capacity sign says 48) located at 2711 Wilson Blvd. in Arlington near the Clarendon Metro. They generally have shows only on Sunday and Monday but they are not currently having shows at all. They are open for food and beer. They have a good beer selection. Most shows are $5. They also serve food, mostly off the grill and all of it available in vegan form. 202-333-3114.
Golden West is a restaurant on The Avenue is Hampden. It used to have shows, but seems to have stopped even before COVID. Being a restaurant is an advantage in that one can show up early and get real food, and a disadvantage in that moving out the tables and setting up the bands after the kitchen closes means that they will not often make their announced starting time of 10 pm. The night I was there it was almost 11, and ended at 1:30 am, making a bit tough for those of us with day jobs. Stage is low and in front in the dining room, while there is a bar, from which one can hear, but probably not see, in back. Sound is not bad. Golden West Cafe is located at 1105 West 36th Street in Baltimore, Maryland.
The Bullpen at Half is a paved city block at 1299 Half Street in Southeast DC. The block is set off from the rest of the world by stacks of shipping containers, fences, and stalls for the sale of food and drink. It mostly serves as a bull pen for people on their way to Nationals' games to drink on the way to the game, but it is rented for other events. Sanitary facilities are mostly (if not totally) in the form of sani johns. In general, food, furniture and other amenities depend on the person putting on the event. If you are left to rely on the Bullpen for nourishment, you are pretty much left with tubular food. Drinks are always Bullpen and selection is broad, but not exciting. They do occasionally have shows.
Hamilton Live is a venue in the basement of the Hamilton located at 600 14th Street in Northwest DC. It has a seating capacity of 300 and room for another 150 to stand. Some shows are sold by the seat while others are open seating. The stage is roomy, and the sound is good. Food and alcohol are downtown prices, but not outrageously so. The menu is somewhat limited - with lots of pizza and appetizers, and some sliders and sushi. On the other hand, the restaurant upstairs has a full menu and is open late. Hamilton Live favors credit cards, and is frightened and confused by the use of cash. Shows during the week usually start at 7:30, on the weekend at 8:30. Tickets are available online, from the ticket counter, or from waitstaff in the venue. Parking is available for $10 at 1325 G Street if you get the ticket validated. 202-787-1000.
Hank Dietle's is a homey tavern that holds license number 001. It is a large room with a corner stage a dance floor, tables from the 60's and a bar in back. They do not serve hard alcohol. They have both local and occasional national acts. Hank Dietle's is located at 11010 Rockville Pike in Rockville, Maryland.
Hell's Bottom is a VFW Post, with a bar, cheap beer (with some for the beer snobs), and a stage area that is only slightly higher than the rest of the room. It is fairly laid back. Hell's Bottom is located at 6420 Orchard Avenue in Takoma Park, Maryland.
Hill Country Barbecue is a large barbecue place. Shows are either in the downstairs "Boot Bar," which has a long bar across the back, a roomful of long tables and a small low stage opposite the bar, or outside, which I have not yet seen. No dance floor downstairs but there is some space. Lots of the shows are free, including some you would not expect. They appear to have the full menu downstairs, Shiner on tap, and some decent beers in bottles. They are going cashless, if they are not already. Tickets are available through MissionTix. Parking not too bad when there is nothing at Verizon, but prepare to pay, or subway, when there is. When I was there the show started two minutes early and there were two long sets. Located at 410 7th Street in Northwest DC. 202-556-2050.
The Howard Theatre is a recently renovated historic theater. It holds 600 people for seated shows, 1,000 for standing shows. Whatever it says on the ticket, there is always some seating, and sometimes significantly more than "standing room only" would indicate. They have a full menu for some shows, snacks for others, and a full bar. Seats come with a $10 minimum. Balcony seating is now all tables. Tickets are available from the box office (noon to 5 or later Tuesday to Sunday) or the web site, which uses TicketWeb. The Howard Theatre is located at 620 T. Street in Northwest DC. Parking is available on the street, in a lot on the corner of 7th and T, and there is valet parking as well. Some or all of the parking can be purchased in advance. And parking on the street is possible. Box office is 202-803-2899.
Jammin'; Java is a coffeehouse and bar located in Vienna, Virginia. It seats maybe 100 for seated shows, and holds up to 200 for shows with less seating. You can now pick some seating in advance when purchasing tickets. But if you buy general admission for a show with less seating, you might want to arrive early. They appear to be handling their own ticketing. They have a fair and reasonably priced selection of beer, and serve food in baskets. They are all ages all the time. Jammin' Java closes at midnight during the week, and at 2 am on Friday and Saturday. The address is 227 Maple Ave East, in Vienna, Virginia. 703-255-1566.
The Lincoln Theatre is a remodeled old theater with seating left in place. Mostly floor, slanted as it should be, but also side boxes and a shallow balcony. The venue is generally all ages. Pretty Limited beer and wine selection in the lobby, don't know about the upstairs bar. Tickets are sold by TicketMaster. It is located at 1215 U Street in Northwest DC. 202-888-0500. Tickets available through TicketFly, the box office (open noon to start of headliner on show days), and the 9:30 and Merriweather Post box offices.
Lisner Auditorium is a concert hall on the campus of George Washington University. If they are currently having events they are hiding it really well. It is theater seating, and it is small enough that none of the seats are really bad. There is usually a small bar, and they sell very limited snacks, candy bars mostly. Tickets are available from the box office and from Ticketmaster. The box office is open Tuesday through Friday 11 through 5. It does not accept credit cards. It is also open starting approximately 60 to 90 minutes before each performance. There is a $1 per ticket service charge at the box office. Lisner Auditorium is located at 730 21st Street in Northwest DC. 202-994-6800.
Madam's Organ is a small venue located at 2461 18th Street NW, in Adam's Morgan. Had always thought of it as kind of cozy, but went recently and I had to stand in line for about 20 minutes to get in, and there was a DJ upstairs and the foot traffic for that made the experience like trying to dance in a crowded hall way. Go see the mural that has the neighborhood up in arms. She doesn't look topless to me, but what do I know? 202-667-5370.
Maryland Meadworkd is exactly what it sounds like. It is a bit small and pretty much serves mead and nothing else. But the mead is good and outside food is welcome. Stage is pretty much the back corner. It is open Thursday and Friday 4 to 10, Saturday noon to 10, Sunday noon to 7. Maryland Meadworks is located at 4700 Rhode Island Avenue in Hyattsville, Maryland. 301-955-9644.
Merriweather Post Pavilion is a classic pavilion-- 5,200 reserved seats in front, lawn for 10,000 in back. It has had significant upgrades in recent years. They finally have a craft beer stand with a great selection, but it is way in back. No outside food or drink other than sealed bottles of water is allowed. The Pavilion is now run by IMP. Tickets are sold by TicketMaster. Doors open 1 and 1/2 hours before show time. In Columbia, just drive up 95 or over on 175 and get in the traffic jam. The parking lots open at 5 for most shows. The price of parking is included in the ticket. However, it is now necessary to reserve your parking when you buy your ticket. (Not sure what you do if you don't buy a ticket in advance. Parking is by zones, and available parking varies by show. I predict a mess. Tickets are available through Ticket Master and from the box office on show days. 410-715-5550.
Metro Gallery has had a change of ownership (but to people who have worked there) and is apparently changing its name to Metro Baltimore. It is a classic Baltimore venue that used to be two places and has the support posts down the middle to prove it. Stage is in the front to the left, and bar is in the back on the left, with the right devoted to art and plumbing. The stage is about 2 and a half feet high, 15 feet long and about 12 feet deep. Bar has an excellent selection of beer and wine and is open from 6 pm to 2 am. Shows are 21+ unless they are not. Tickets available online from Etix or at the door.
Metro Gallery is located at 1700 North Charles Street in Baltimore.Metropolitan Kitchen and Lounge has a restaurant and bar on the ground floor, a venue with bar on the second floor, and a lounge and dining area on the roof. The venue itself is on the small side, and about a third of it is a slightly raised stage. Other than a bench or so there is no seating. I don't think they are currently having shows. The bar is outside the venue proper. Metropolitan is located at 169 West Street in Annapolis. 410-280-5160.
Theatre at MGM National Harbor seats 3,000 people and really is not a bad place to see a show once you manage to get into it --if you are under 21 you have to navigate around the casino to get there and no matter what your age is, when I was there the line to get in was really long. And it is expensive.
Millennium Stage is the venue for the daily free show at the Kennedy center. The shows are held at one of two stages at either end of the Grand Foyer every single day of the year at 6 pm and are free. They now require a reservation but that is free. There is a happy hour from 5 to 6 at the Grand Foyer bars near the performance, and, unlike anywhere else in the Kennedy Center, you can take your drink and food (such as it is) to your seat. It is worth showing up a bit early if you would like an actual seat. The Kennedy Center is located at 2700 F Street in Northwest DC.
Montpelier Arts Center has numerous music series each year, including jazz and classical. The shows are held in the main gallery, which holds a few hundred people. No alcohol is served, but they have punch and cookies at intermission. Tickets are sold by season or by ticket. Montpelier Arts Center is located at 9652 Muirkirk Road off Route 197 in Laurel, Maryland. Their phone number is 301-377-7800.
Mother's Federal Hill Grille is a restaurant and bar with a venue in back. There are tables on the sides of a wide hall that makes up the back part of the venue and continue down the side as it widens out with the bar along the other side. If you want to sit you need to show up when the doors open and get one of these tables, but none are close to the stage, and the back ones really aren't. They have pretty good food and a fair beer selection (as well as wine and mixed drinks). The bar part was really loud when we were there. Mother's Federal Hill Grille is located at 1113 South Charles Street in Baltimore. 410-244-8686.
New Deal Cafe is a cafe located in Old Greenbelt at 113 Centerway. It has a comfortable coffee room in front, and a larger, but still relatively small, concert space in back. Food is served by the Greenbelt Coop, the beer and wine selection is good. The Atmosphere is excellent. There is almost never a charge to get in, but bring some $$ for the band. 301-474-5642.
The 9:30 used to be a too cool for its own good club over on F Street with the singular claim to having a stage located in a place where almost no-one in the club could see it. The move to the old WUST hall at 815 V Street NW is an improvement both in livability and in attitude, but don't expect down home friendliness. All shows are all ages. An IMP venue. Doors open at 7:30 during the week, 9 on Fridays and 7 on Saturdays. Show times vary depending on the number of bands and can be found on their web site. The food is actually quite edible. Capacity is about 1,200. Tickets are available from TicketMaster, or from the box office, which is open from noon to 7 on week nights, but until 11 if there is a show, and 6-11 on saturday and sunday. The 9:30 number is 202-393-0930
Jiffy Lube Pavilion is a large outdoor pavilion out near Manassas run by Live Nation. Pavilion seating is plentiful and the lawn seating is pleasant and actually allows you to see and hear the show. They serve outrageously expensive beer and equally expensive food, and limit carry ins to one sealed water bottle. Remember to bring that bottle, because their water is literally not potable. They allow you to bring in a blanket, and will rent you an "appropriate" chair. Shows start at 8 unless otherwise specified. The box office is open from noon to intermission on show days. Tickets are also available from Live Nation. Parking is included in the price of the ticket, and there are not really any other options. Traffic and parking management are so bad that there have been shows where some people never made it in. They don't particularly seem to care, and they certainly don't refund your money if it happens to you. Be warned that it can also sometimes take hours to get out of the lot. Take I-66 to exit 43B or 44 and follow the signs from there. 703-754-6400.
Old Bowie Town Grille is a full service restaurant that has shows in its upstairs seating area. There is seating at tables and the bar, some dance room in front of the stage and some standing room in back. These days shows are outside when possible. Many shows are free (though you should tip the band) and none are expensive. Reservations are necessary for some shows. Parking is available in lots and on the street. Old Bowie Town Grille is located at 8604 Chestnut Avenue in Bowie, Maryland. 301-464-8800.
Orion Sound has a small studio where they host music occasionally. As you would imagine, the sound is excellent. Lately they have been supplying chairs, and sometimes people bring food. It is pretty much BYOB. All shows are all ages.
Ottobar; is now in the old Club Midnite at 2549 North Howard Street in Baltimore. It is much roomier than the old one, has a real stage, and it is easy to get to the bathrooms. Other than that, the same spirit is in effect, and there is still no food. Most shows are 18 and over. The doors open at 9 and the show starts at 10 unless other times apply. There are also shows upstairs on occasion, but it is a much smaller, much lower stage. Tickets are often available through Mission Tix and also from the upstairs bar. 410-662-0069. Tickets from Etix.
The Patterson is a venue operated by the Creative Alliance. It has all sorts of exhibits and activities in addition to shows. The performance space is set up according to the needs of each performance and may have more or less seating, standing or dancing space. Capacity for performances ranges from 210 to 250. Beverages are available. Tickets can be bought at the box office, which is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 to 7 or online from their website. The galleries are free so take a look while you are there. The Patterson is located at 3134 Eastern Avenue in Baltimore. Street parking is relatively easy to find.
Pearl Street Warehouse is located on the Wharf at 33 Pearl Street in Southwest DC. It has a capacity of between 150 and 300 people depending on whether it is seated, standing, or some combination of the two. They serve food and alcohol. Shows are 21+ unless otherwise specified. Tickets are available online through TicketMaster and at the box office. The box office has a flat $1 service charge. Unlike other Wharf venues, it accepts cash. Parking is generally available, but often expensive. It offers classic diner food, opening for breakfast at 8:30 am and staying open until close. It is closed on Monday.
Pherm; is a brewery with a fair-sized room, a bar, and spread out tables with a small stage up front. They are located at 1041 MD-3 in Gambrills, Maryland. Music is occasional rather than the point, which is beer.
Pier 6 is a small concert pavilion located on the Inner Harbor off of President Street, which is on the right after you pass Harborplace and the National Aquarium. While the pavilion is relatively small, the lawn is even smaller. (If you think of your own lawn you may not be far off). They do not allow you to bring in glass containers or alcohol and their own beer and food selection is pretty slim. Once when I was there they ran out of their only decent beer by the set break. It has just changed its name back to Pier 6 and its management back to Live Nation. It wasn't great under Live Nation before, but it was horrible under whoever had it in the interim. Venue maintenance was not their thing in the past, we'll see how it goes now. (July 3, 2022 and they still haven't fixed the stall doors in the bathroom. It has been years). Beer selection and prices have been terrible. Tickets are available from the box office, which is open from noon until 9 on concert nights and from Live Nation. Having gotten myself into their parking once, my advice is don't. It is outrageously expensive, and despite the fact that the lots are tiny, it takes forever to get out..
The Quarry House is a dive bar in Silver Spring with a surprisingly good beer menu for a dive. It is downstairs has one entrance (and thus one exit) and is shaped like a C with the band at one end of the C, so location is important. The Quarry House is located at 8401 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring, Maryland. Look for the stairs.
The Ramshead On Stage is a small concert hall. All seating is at tables, and there is no standing (or dancing) for most shows. Tickets are sold by seat, so have your group organized when you go to buy the tickets. Also, a lot of Ramshead shows sell out, so it is worth buying early. Food in the concert hall is bar food and the prices are not low but not outrageous. A more varied menu is available in the restaurant, but they do a heavy business, so there is no guarantee that you can get seated and eat before the show. Most shows are 21+, the exception being occasional weekend matinees. Tickets are available from the Ramshead, in person website which uses AXS. AXS says you have to download and use their app to use your tickets, but at Rams Head On Stage you can just show your ID to the nice people at the box office. The box office number is 410-268-5111. The Ramshead is located at 33 West Street in Annapolis. 301-261-1118/410-268-4545
The Ramshead Live was an offshoot of Rams Head Tavern but has changed ownership and management. It holds about 1500 people in three levels and has screens thoughout the venue for areas without a full view of the stage. There is some seating. Since the restaurant closed, food is of the stadium variety. Rams Head Live is the world of hidden costs - Tickets listed as $18 at the door cost me $21.40, the coat check was $3, and beer, while not outrageous, was a bit high for Baltimore. Also, the new management charges for water. FInally, they use AXS for tickets - a vendor established just to make TicketMaster look better. Rams Head Live is located at 20 Market Place in Baltimore. 410-244-1131.
Rhizome DC is a nonprofit community arts space located at 6950 Maple St NW, in the Takoma neighborhood of Washington DC. Among the arts, of course, is music. Shows are usually held on the main floor of the house, and there is usually seating. There is generally a $10 suggested donation. Parking is available on site and nearby.
Rituals; now says that a new venue is taking over the space. Not clear yet who that will be. The existing space is fair sized and has some tables and the stage in back on the left and a bar down the right with plenty of space left for standing. Apparently the band room is much improved. The space is located at 12 West North Avenue in Baltimore.
7 Locks Brewing is a brewery with a fairly large room, a lot of tables, and a space in the corner where they sometimes have music. They are located 12227 Wilkins Avenue in Rockville, Maryland. Music is occasional rather than the point, which is beer.
The Sidebar is a tiny little bar with a capacity of maybe 110 right near the old Ottobar at the corner of Lexington and Guilford. It almost reopened in August 2021, but I have not heard a peep since. The Sidebar is all ages all the time. If there are three or four bands, doors will generally open at 9, and the show will start at 9:30, except when they don't. Drink prices are extremely reasonable but the beer selection is not great. I wouldn't expect to find any food there. 410-659-4130.
6th & I is an historic synagogue at the intersection of 6th and I streets in Northwest. It is fairly large and has pew seating on the main floor and the balconies. There are concessions at some shows, but no food is allowed in the area where the shows are. Gallery Place Metro is nearby. Availability and cost of parking varies depending on what is happening at Verizon Center.
Slash Run is classic burger joint with vegan options and a good beer selection. It has booths in front and a raised area with a bar in back. Bands play on the floor in the front window. The only bathroom I found was a one - holer, but there may be more. Parking in the neighborhood is residential parking until 8:30 and is rather scarce. Slash Run is located at 201 Upshur Street in Northwest DC. (202) 838-9929.
Songbyrd Music House has apparently moved to 540 Penn Street in Northeast DC. The new venue has a 200 person capacity. Tickets are by EventBrite. That is all I know, because I have not yet been there.
The Spanish Ballroom is architecturally not unlike a high school cafeteria, but with more interesting trim and a much better floor. It is all about dance floor and music there is virtually always for a dance. It is alcohol and smoke free, and any food and drink that are available are not permitted on the dance floor - which is most of the venue (7,500 square feet). For information on what is happening at the ballroom, see Dancing in the Park. The Spanish Ballroom is located at 7300 MacArthur Blvd. in Glen Echo. 301-492-6282.
The State Theatre is a venue in an old movie theater in Falls Church. The downstairs goes up in four levels with seating on the back three (though that may vary) and the balcony retains the theater seating in back, and wings have been added on the side. Total capacity is 800 for shows with some seating, 900 when all standing, but that may not include the added balcony space. The stage is actually visible from almost anywhere, even if you are as short as I am. And the sound is excellent. They have a somewhat limited menu, but serve real food, not just snacks. Most, if not all shows are 18+ and there is a $3 tax if you are under 21. Tickets are available from the box office and online from FreshTix on the State Theatre's web site. Box office hours are 12 to 5 Monday through Friday and 6:30 to 11:30 on show nights. The State Theatre is located at 220 N. Washington Street in Falls Church. 703-237-0300.
Strathmore; is an historic mansion on an 11 acre lot belonging to Montgomery County. Music and arts presentations take place in the mansion, on the grounds, and in the 1976 seat Music Center at Strathmore, a state of the are concert hall. The Mansion is about you would expect a mansion to be, and has a bar across the hall from the the music area. They might sell some chips, but that is about it. It seats up to 110 people for concerts. The Music Center has actual food prior to the show, and beer and wine before the show and during intermission, but it is obscenely expensive. The Music Center at Strathmore is located at 5301 Tuckerman Lane in North Bethesda, Maryland. Parking is available in the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro garage off of Tuckerman Lane, and is free for ticketed events. The Mansion is located at 10701 Rockville Pike in Rockville, and has its own parking. Not sure how the lawn works. 301-581-5200.
Union Craft Brewing is a brewery that occasionally has music. The space is cavernous, the beer is good, the food is limited. It has parking and there is more on the street. Union Craft Brewing is located at 1700 West 41st Street, Suite 420, in Baltimore.
Union Stage is located on the Wharf at 740 Water Street in Southwest DC. There is a tap room on the ground level that opens at 5. The venue is downstairs and holds 450 standing or 225 for seated shows. There is an elevator as well as stairs to get to the venue. Beer and pizza are sold on both floors. Despite the fact that it is a pretty new building they seem to have HVAC issues with the downstairs. I have never been cold there, but way too hot is not uncommon. "Premium" seating is available at some shows, but in some cases it is further away than any of the standing. Union Stage is an all ages venue. Parking is available, but not inexpensive.
U Street Music Hall has not survived COVID, but there are rumors someone else has bought it with the intent of making it a venue again.
The Velvet Lounge is no more.
The Warner Theatre is a grand old theatre located at 513 13th Street in Northwest DC. It seats 1847, slightly over half on the floor, the rest in balconies and boxes. Lately they are apparently starting to look for renovation money, as they are having a lot of comedy and music. They serve alcohol, and let you bring it to your seat, but the prices are steep and the lines are long. Don't show up hungry. Tickets are available at the box office or through Live Nation. The phone number is 202-783-4000.
Weinberg Center for the Arts is a converted theater in downtown Frederick that has movies, speakers and live shows. It has a total capacity of 1,147 - 739 in the orchestra, 116 in the mezzanine, 292 in the balcony. They serve beer and probably wine in the lobby. Weinberg Center is located at 20 West Patrick Street in Frederick, Maryland. 301-600-2828.
Wolf Trap is the ultimate outdoor venue in this area, but don't expect to see anything rowdy there. Acoustics in the pavilion are great, sound and view from the lawn are good if you show up early to get a good spot. Wolf Trap allows food on the lawn in any kind of container, and beverages, alcoholic and non-alcoholic, in glass, aluminum, or plastic. They have recently become more restrictive about the size of the coollers you bring in. But you can still relax and drink champagne in glasses while you watch the show, it doesn't bother them. It is also now possible to buy an adult sippy cup in which to take beverages into the pavilion. There are rules though: this is a federal facility and they still follow the rule of zero tolerance for drugs. Oh yeah, and you can't get married on the grounds. There are no age limits, but you need a ticket for every human being, no matter how young. During colder parts of the year Wolf Trap shows are at the Barns, which are nearby. You can't bring your own there, but they do have a fair selection, and the surroundings are pleasant. Tickets are available from the box office which is open from 10 to 6 during the week, from noon to 5 on the weekend, and until 9 on show nights and also from their website, which is essentially torture.. Wolf trap is located in Virginia right off of the Dulles toll road.