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 17 Sunday: Dave Chappell plays Hank Dietle'stogether with Anthony Pirog, John Previti and Mike Kuhl. This is an afternoon show and is from 2 to 4:30. Tickets are $15 and are available on Eventbrite.

March 17 Sunday: Jazz at Rhizome with Tim Berne on alto sax, Gregg Belisle-Chi on guitar and Tom Rainey on drums. Show is at 7. Admission is $25.

March 17 Sunday: The Hooligans play Wreckless Shepherd with Duncan Moore. The Hooligans play humorous folk and Irish music. Duncan Moore plays bagpipes from 2 to 3, Hooligans play 5 to 9. Wreckless Shepherd is located at 8895 Mcgaw Road in Columbia, Maryland.

March 18 Monday: Rhiannon Giddens plays The Music Center at Strathmore Rhiannon Giddens is an American musician known for her eclectic folk music. Show is at 8. Tickets are $29 to $89.

March 19 Tuesday: Sleepytime Gorilla Museum play the Ottobar with Titan to Tachyons and TBA. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum is an American experimental rock band. Titan to Tachyons is an instrumental experimental jazz-metal group. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door.

March 20 Wednesday: A Shrewdness of Apes plays Jammin' Java with Careless Flight and Panda God. A Shrewdness of Apes plays progressive rock. Careless Flight is an alternative rock band. As is Panda God. Doors open at 6:30, show is at 7:30. Tickets are $15 for general admission, and $25 for seats that may or may not be better. This is an all ages.

March 20 Wednesday: Dani Dobkin and Matt Sargent play The Redroom. Dani Dobkin is a New York City based artist, composer and educator currently working with sound, ceramics and modular synthesis. Matt Sargent is a composer, guitarist, recording engineer, and music technologist based in upstate New York, where he is an assistant professor of music at Bard College. His music grows from interests in resonance, the making/breaking of patterns, and computer models of musical thought. Recently their work has engaged with ideas of grief, decay and ephemerality. Show is at 8. Admission is on a sliding scale from $5 to $20. The Red Room is located at 425 East 31st Street in Baltimore.

March 21 Thursday: Horse Lords play the Ottobar with Ka Baird. Horse Lords is an avant garde rock band. Ka Baird is a musician, performer, composer and sound designer. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $18 in advance, $22 day of show. This is an all ages.

March 21 Thursday: Joe Russo Selcouth Quartet plays Hamilton Live. Selcouth Quartet is a dynamic new ensemble featuring Joe Russo (drums, keys) Stuart Bogie (saxophone, flute, clarinet, keys) Jon Shaw (upright & electric basses) and Jonathan Goldberger (acoustic & electric guitars). Opening act is a solo appearance by Billy Martin of Medeski Martin and Wood. He will will perform a set utilizing percussion instruments, found objects, voice, flutes, bird calls, and more Doors open at 6:30, show is at 8. Tickets are $20 for general admission standing, $30 for general admission seating, and $40 for better general admission seating.

March 21 Thursday: Scott Bradley's Postmodern Jukebox plays Lyric Baltimore. Post Modern Juke Box plays old time music versions of modern music: ragtime, swing, big band, country & western, doo-wop and soul. Lyric Baltimore is located at 140 Mount Royal Avenue in Baltimore. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $45 to $120

March 22 Friday: Tower Green plays Maryland Meadworks. Tower Green plays Renaissance.

March 22 Friday: Wayne "The Train" Hancock plays Wreckless Shepherd. Wayne "The Train" Hancock combines jazz, blues, western swing, country and rockabilly. Show is 8 to 11 and is free. This is a 21+ show. Wreckless Shepherd is located at 8895 Mcgaw Road in Columbia, Maryland.

March 23 Saturday: David Wax Museum plays the Millennium Stage in the Kennedy Center. David Wax Museum is a duo that combines Americana with regional music of Mexico. Show starts at 6. The show is free, but requires tickets, which will become available on March 6.

March 23 Saturday: Rock-A-Sonics play Old Bowie Town Grill. The Rock-A-Sonics play Rockabilly, vintage Country, and atomic age Rock 'n' Roll in authentic style. Show is 7 to 10.

March 23 Saturday: Unwoundplays the 9:30 Club with Cherubs. Unwound plays post hardcore. Cherub is a funk-soul, electro-pop duo. Doors open at 10. Tickets are $38.

March 23 Saturday: Hour plays Rhizome with Susan Alcorn and Heather Stebbins. Hour is an instrumental ensemble demonstrating a compositional ethos grounded in rote arrangement and group improvisation while aiming for breathy timbral intricacy and carefully balanced melodicism. Susan Alcorn has taken the pedal steel guitar far beyond its traditional role in country music. Heather Stebbins works with sounds created by instruments, found objects, nature, and voltage to generate musical experiences ranging from notated works for chamber ensembles to improvised performances on modular synthesizers. Doors open at 6, show is 7.

March 23 Saturday: Crack the Sky plays Hamilton Live. Crack the Sky plays prog. Tickets are $25 for advance general admission standing, $35 for advance general admission seating and $45 for advance better general admission seating. Doors open at 6:30 show is at 8.

March 24 Sunday: Dervish plays AMP by Strathmore. Dervish is an Irish traditional music group from County Sligo. There are 2 shows, one at 4 and one at 7:30. Tickets are $28 for row seating, $38 for the drink rail or table seating (i.e you have a place to put your drink down), and $48 for premium seating.

March 24 Sunday: Wheatie Mattiasich plays Fadensonnen. Wheatie Mattiasich plays dreamy, eerie experimental music. Show is 8 to 11. Fadensonnen is located at 3 West 23rd Street in Baltimore.

March 24 Sunday: B&O Railroad plays Milkhouse Brewery. B&O Railroad plays "sinister" folk music. Show is 3 to 6. Milkhouse Brewery is located at 8253 Dollyhyde Road in Mount Airy, Maryland.

March 25 Monday: Big Joe and the Dynaflows plays Blue Monday at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Big Joe Maher plays blues. He will be accompanied by Bill Heid on keyboards, Jerry Queene plays sax and Dave Sherman plays guitar. Show is 6 to 9. Admission is $10. Westminster Presbyterian is located at 400 I Street in Southwest DC.

March 26 Tuesday: Ronin plays Allyworld. Ronin is a "zen funk" band whose music is somewhere between jazz and modern composition, progressive pop, ritual music, groove music in general. Show is 6 to 8.

March 26-27 Tuesday and Wednesday: Dopapod plays the 8X10. Dopapod combines funk, rock, jazz, bluegrass, and electronica. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $24.72.

March 28 Thursday: Kitchen Dwellers play Lincoln Theatre with Cris Jacobs Kitchen Dwellers twist bluegrass, folk, and rock through a kaleidoscope of homegrown stories, rich mythology, American west wanderlust, and psychedelic hues. Cris Jacobs is an unexpectedly gritty soul-blues singer and guitarist with outlaw country ethos. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $26.

March 28 Thursday: Cor De Lux plays Rhizome with Bottled Up and Knifing Around. Cor de Lux plays post-punk dream pop. Bottled Up plays art pop. Knifing Around plays art rock. Show is at 7:30. Admission is $10 to $15.

March 28 Thursday: Tredici Bacci plays The Crown. Tredici Bacci is a chamber orchestra/funk prog band. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Price with fees is $15.71.

March 29 Friday: The Messthetics play the Black Cat accompanied by James Brandon Lewis. Bed Maker and Roger Clark Miller. The Messthetics are an instrumental trio featuring Brendan Canty on drums, Joe Lally on bass, and Anthony Pirog on guitar. James Brandon Lewis plays jazz saxophone. Bed Maker is Jeff Barsky, Amanda MacKaye, Arthur Noll and Vin Novara. Roger Clark Miller is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist best known for co-founding Mission of Burma Doors open at 8. Tickets are $20.

March 29 Friday: Black Masala plays Pearl Street Warehouse with Bongo District. Black Masala plays a unique mix of rock, Balkan brass, Indian bhangra and New Orleans funk. Bongo District combines cumbia and reggae. Show is at 9. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $30 for seats.

March 29 Friday: New Orleans Suspects play Hamilton Live. New Orleans Suspects play high-energy rock and roll ala Little Feat meets swamp rock. Doors open at 6:30, show is at 7. Tickets are $20 in advance, or $25 day of show for general admission standing, and $30 for general admission seating.

March 30 Saturday: Zocko plays Slash Run with 7 Door Sedan and Bali Lamas. Zocko plays garage surf. 7 Door Sedan play rock. Bali Lamas play Instrumental surf. Doors open at 9, show is at 9:30. Admission is $15 cash only.

March 30 Saturday: High Kings and Gaelic Storm play Warner Theatre. High Kings play Irish folk. Gaelic Storm plays traditional Irish music, Scottish music, and original tunes in both the Celtic and Celtic rock genres. Tickets are $90 to $101.

April 3 Wednesday: Pat Metheny plays the Music Center at Strathmore. Pat Metheny plays jazz guitar. Show is at 8. Tickets are $28 to $88.

April 4 Thursday: Sunken Cages and dragonchild play Millenium Stage with Faraway Ghost. Sunken Cages is drummer/electronic music producer Ravish Momin. dragonchild is saxophonist D.A. Mekonnen. Faraway Ghost is a singer/songwriter. The Show is free but you need a ticket that will become available March 20th at 10 am. I think Millennium Stage shows still start at 6.

April 4-5 Thursday and Friday: Stanley Jordan plays Dead at Blues Alley. Stanley Jordan is an amazing guitar player. Shows are at 7 and 9. Tickets are $35 and $7 in fees.

April 5 Friday: Right Chipper plays Orion with PloyMachine and Burger Monday. Right Chipper is a math rock duo. PloyMachine is a genre fluid noise duo. Burger Monday also plays noise. Show is at 7.

April 5 Friday: Continuals play Comet Ping Pong with Sensor Ghost and Latex Velma. Continuals is a trio. Sensor Ghost plays art punk. Doors open at 10, show is at 10. Admission is $18.58 with all charges. This is an all ages show.

April 6 Saturday: Marked for Death plays Rhizome with !FIASCO!. Marked For Death is a trio featuring members of Super Yamba Band that performs adventurous original compositions spanning everything from psychedelic jazz to African grooves. The group is led by saxophonist Walter Fancourt and supported by drummer Daniel Yount and bassist Seth Barden. FIASCO! uses experimental jazz with elements of acid rock and punk rock. Show is at 7. Admission is $25.

April 6 Saturday: Oh He Dead plays Prince George's County Publick Playhouse. Oh He Dead plays indie soul. Doors open at 7, show is 8 to 10. Tickets are $25. This is an all ages show. The Publick Playhouse is located at 5445 Landover Road in Hyattsville, Maryland.

April 7 Sunday: Sona Jobarteh plays the Music Center at Strathmore. Sona Jobarteh is the first professional female Kora virtuoso to come from any of the West African Griot dynasties. Show is at 7. Tickets are $28 to $58.

April 7 Sunday: Buffalo Rose plays Hill Center Buffalo Rose plays folk and Americana. Show is 4:30-6. Tickets are $20.

April 7 Sunday: The Sadies play Jammin' Java. The Sadies play rock with garage, country and other influences. Doors open at 6, show is at 7. General Admission tickets are $20.

April 8 Monday: Cheick Hamala Diabate plays Blues Alley. Cheick Hamala Diabate is a Malian Griot and is a masters of the n’goni. Shows are at 7 and 9. Tickets are $25 plus fees.

April 9 Tuesday: Shovels and Rope play Elkton Music Hall with Al Olender. Shovels and Rope is a folk duo. Al Olender is a singer/songwriter. Show is at 8. Tickets are $44.57. Elkton Music Hall is located at 107 North Street in Elkton.

April 10 Wednesday: Carolyn Davis and Wendy Eisenberg play Rhizome with Janel Leppin, Anthony Pirog and Mike Kuhl. Carolyn Davis plays alto sax and electronics and Wendy Eisenberg plays guitars. Janel plays cello, Anthony plays guitar and Mike Kuhl plays drums. Show is at 7. Admission is $25.

April 10 Wednesday: Orquesta Akokan plays Hamilton Live. Orquesta Akokan is a large Latin jazz ensemble. Doors open at 6:30, show is at 8. Tickets are $25 for general admission standing and $40 for general admission seated.

April 10 Wednesday: Shovels and Rope play Rams Head On Stage with Al Olender. Shovels and Rope is a folk duo. Al Olender is a singer/songwriter. Doors open at 6:30, show is at 7:30. Tickets are $46.

April 11 Thursday: Qwanqwa plays The Creative Alliance. Qwanqwa plays psychedelic roots from Addis Ababa. Show is at 7:30. Tickets are $25.

April 12 Friday: Zombi plays Metro Baltimore with Overcalc and Curse. Zombi is a rock duo with Steve Moore on bass and synthesizers and Anthony Paterra on drums. Overcalc is Nick Skrobisz on electronics and guitars. Curse is a synth-punk duo. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $16. This is an all ages show.

April 12 Friday: Marco Benevento plays the Black Cat with Ghost Funk Orchestra. Marco Benevento is an American pianist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer, who has been a fixture of the New York experimental music rock and jazz scene. He will apparently have a band with him. Ghost Funk Orchestra is a psychedelic soul band. Doors open at 8. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 day of show.

April 12 Friday: Ocean Quartet plays Carroll Cafe accompanied by fiddler Sean Heely. The Ocean Celtic Quartet puts a refreshing spin on traditional British and Irish songs as well as Cutting’s original compositions, from soaring ballads and stirring sea chanteys to blazing fiddle and accordion tunes. Doors open at 7, show is at 7:30. Tickets are $25.

April 12 Friday: Kelly Bell Band plays Wreckless Shepherd. Kelly Bell Band plays blues rock Doors open at 7, show is 9 to 12. Admission is $10. This is a 21+ show. Wreckless Shepherd is located at 8895 Mcgaw Road in Columbia, Maryland.

April 13 Saturday: The Motet play The Atlantis. The Motet plays funk and soul. Doors open at 6:30. Tickets are $29.

April 13 Saturday: JJ Grey & Mofro play the Fillmore. JJ Grey and Mofro play southern and rock. Tickets are $58.50. Something happens at 7:30 - whether it is the doors or the show is not clear because Live Nation does not believe in providing adequate information about anything ever. This is an all ages show.

April 13 Saturday: Lee Fields plays the 9:30 Club with Monophonics. Lee Fields is a soul singer. Monophonics play psychedelic soul. Doors open at 6. Tickets are $28.

April 14 Sunday: Zosha Warpeha plays Rhizome with Kimia Hesabi and Dura. Zosha Warpeha is a composer-performer working in a meditative space at the intersection of contemporary improvisation and folk traditions. Kemia Hesabi plays viola. Dura plays ambient primitive music. Show is at 7. Admission is $15 to $25.

April 14 Sunday: Leo Kottke plays the Birchmere. Leo Kottke is an acoustic guitarist known for a fingerpicking style that draws on blues, jazz, and folk music, and for syncopated, polyphonic melodies. Show is at 7:30. Tickets are $49.50.

April 14 Sunday: Crack the Sky plays a matinee at The Recher. Crack the Sky plays prog. Show is at 2 in the afternoon. Tickets are $40 to $55. This is a seated show.

April 14 Sunday: Popa Chubby plays Collective Encore. Popa Chubby plays blues, rock and soul. Show is at 8. Tickets are $25. Collective Encore is located at 10221 Wincopin Circle in Columbia, Maryland.

April 15 Monday: Los Straitjackets plays Ramshead On Stage. Los Straitjackets play instrumental rock and surf. Doors open at 6:30, show is at 7:30. Tickets are $30. Rams Head on stage is a 21+ venue.

April 17 Wednesday: Rip Room plays Rhizome with Bed Maker and Quattracenta Rip Room plays wound up art punk. Bed Maker is Jeff Barsky, Amanda MacKaye, Arthur Noll and Vin Novara. Quattracenta is a three-piece art rock band. Show is at 7.

April 17 Wednesday: North Mississippi Allstars play Rams Head On Stage. North Mississippi Allstars play souped up hill country blues. Doors open at 6:30, show is at 7:30. Tickets are $36.50.

April 17 Wednesday: Snarky Puppy & Friends at Kennedy Center Concert Hall with Susana Baca, Silvana Estrada and Silvia Perez-Cruz. This one-night-only performance will feature music by all three women arranged by and performed with Snarky Puppy. Snarky Puppy is a collective of sorts with as many as 20 members in regular rotation that brings together both black and white American music culture with various accents from around the world. Show is at 8. Tickets range from $39 to $119. Watch out for resellers.

April 17 Wednesday: Los Straitjackets play Hamilton Live. Los Straitjackets play instrumental rock and surf. Doors open at 6:30, show is at 8. Tickets are $15 for general admission standing, $25 for general admission seated and $35 to make sure that those standing people have nowhere to dance.

April 18 Thursday: North Mississippi Allstars play The Barns at Wolf Trap. North Mississippi Allstars play souped up hill country blues. Doors open at 6:30. Show is at 8. General admission standing tickets are $47, everything else is some amount up to $57. They continue to act as if making ticket prices clear somehow damages them.

April 18 Thursday: Union of Musicians and Allied Workers presents Living Wage for Musicians featuring Yasmin Williams and Dior Ashley Brown at the Black Cat. Yasmin Williams plays solo acoustic guitar. Dior Ashley Brown is a musician, actor, poet, playwright, activist, Emcee, business owner, and more. Doors open at 7:30. Admission is $20.

April 19 Friday: Dirtwire plays Baltimore Soundstage with Will Evans. Dirtwire plays a blend of ethnomusicology and the psychedelic trance state, gut-bucket delta blues and what the band variously dubs "back-porch space cowboy blues, swamptronica, and electro-twang." Will Evans is a multi-instrumentalist. Doors open at 8, show is at 9. Admission is $18.

April 19 Friday: Infamous Stringdusters play Lincoln Theatre. Infamous Stringdusters are a progressive bluegrass band. Doors open at 6:30, show is at 8. Tickets are $35.

April 19 Friday: The Wilson Springs Hotel plays Pearl Street Warehouse with The Plate Scrapers. The Wilson Springs Hotel is rooted in country, folk, and bluegrass. The Plate Scrapers play progressive bluegrass. Doors open at 7 show is at 8. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $30 for seating in the mezzanine. This is a 21+ show.

April 19 Friday: Vulture Feather plays Metro Baltimore with Wheattie Mattiasich, Dave Heumann and Mike Kuhl and Herald. Vulture Feather is a post/pre/future punk band featuring members of the Baltimore band, Wilderness and others. Wheatie Mattiasich plays dreamy, eerie music on dulcimer, guitar, keyboard and harmonium. Dave Heumann Dave Heumann plays electric guitar and guitar loops, Mike Kuhl plays drums, percusssion band kaleidoloop manipulations. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $12, This is an all ages show.

April 19-20 Friday and Saturday: Baltimore Old Time Music Festival at the Baltimore Museum of Industry with Dom Flemons, Bruce Molsky, The Onlies, Becky Hill and Friends, Allison DeGroot and Tatiana Hargreaves, Ken and Brad Kolodner, from Africa to Appalachia (Cheick Hamala Diabate, Riley Baugus, Danny Nicely) and Beatbox Dads. Friday night pass (6 to 10:30) is $30 through January 31 and $35 after. Saturday day pass with workshops is $72 through January 31 and $85 after. Saturday day pass without workshop access is $50 through January 31 and $45 after. Saturday night pass is $20 through January 31 and $25 after. The Baltimore Museum of Industry is located at 1415 Key Highway in Baltimore.

April 20 Saturday: The Submensas play IRIS Garden Bar with Weird Babies and Skull Shakers. The Submensas play punk. Weird Babies play twitchy, paranoid punk. Show is at 7. IRIS Garden Bar is located at 15540 Old Columbia Pike , Burtonsville.

April 21 Sunday: Coreyah plays Joe's Movement Emporium Coreyah is a psychedelic Korean folk music group. Show is at 6. Tickets are $5. Joe's Movement Emporium is located at 3309 Bunker Hill Road in Mount Rainier, Maryland.

April 24 Wednesday: Scott Biram plays Jammin Java. Scott Biram is a dirty old one man band. Doors open at 6, show is at 7:30. Tickets are $18 for general admission, $20 for whatever else they have.

April 25 Thursday: Geraldine plays Wreckless Shepherd. Geraldine plays old time music and blue grass. This show is 8 to 10 and is free. This is a 21+ show. Wreckless Shepherd is located at 8895 Mcgaw Road in Columbia, Maryland.

April 26 Friday: Cris Jacobs has a record release show for the new One of These Days album release at The Recher. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $29.50. This is an all ages show.

April 27 Saturday: Oh He Dead plays Collective Encore. Oh He Dead plays indie soul. Show is at 8. Admission is $20. Collective Encore is located at 10221 Wincopin Circle in Columbia, Maryland.

April 27 Saturday: Ballroom Thieves play Jammin' Java. Ballroom Thieves play folk rock. Doors open at 6:30, show is at 8. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $22 for varying degrees of "premier." This is an all ages show.

April 27 Saturday: Grim Reaper Fest at The Ottobar with Weedeater, Black Lung, Foehammer, Yatra and more. Doors open at 1, show starts at 2. Tickets are $32 if you buy them before March 1, $40 if you buy them before the show and $50 day of show. This is an 18+ show.

May 2 Thursday: The Asteroid No.4 plays Metro Baltimore with Paint Fumes, Jupie and Anocean. The Asteroid No.4 is a psych/shoegaze band. Paint Fumes play garage and punk. Jupie is the indie rock project of Baltimore-based musician Julius Unger Bowditch. Doors open at 7, show is at 7:30. Admission is $15.

May 4 Saturday: Iluvatar plays Orion. Iluvatar plays progressive rock. Doors open at 7, show is at 8.

May 4 Saturday: Benjamin Tod & Lost Dog Street Band plays The Howard with The Resonant Rogues. Benjamin Tod & Lost Dog Street Band play dark country. Resonant Rogues play Appalachian old-time, classic country, and vintage soul. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $25 for general admission up to $125. This is an all ages show.

May 4 Saturday: Jah Works plays Collective Encore. Jah Works plays roots rock reggae. show is at 8. Admission is $25. Collective Encore is located at 10221 Wincopin Circle in Columbia, Maryland.

May 9 Thursday: Thy Art is Murder plays The Fillmore with Angelmaker, Signs of the Swarm and Snuffed on Sight. Thy Art Is Murder is an Australian deathcore band. Angelmaker also plays deathcore. So does Signs of the Swarm, and Snuffed on Sight. Tickets are $38.50 general admission on the floor, $76.70 for balcony (though you can pay more). Either the doors open or the show starts at 7.

May 9 Thursday: Magic Beans play the 8X10. Magic Beans play a danceable mix of funk, R&B, rock, soul and country. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $24.72 with all charges.

May 10 Friday: SE:UM plays Creative Alliance. SE:UM plays Korean Jazz-folk fusion. Show is at 7:30. Tickets are $30.

May 10 Friday: Anthony "Swamp Dog" Clark plays Old Bowie Town Grill. Anthony "Swamp Dog" Clark plays blues and funk.

May 11 Saturday: Big Something plays The Atlantis with The Ries Brothers. Big Something fuses improvisational alternative rock with funk, reggae, jazz, electronica, heavy metal and more. The Ries Brothers are a rock, blues, jam, funk, and reggae duo. Doors open at 6:30. Tickets are $25.

May 13 Monday: Hot Water Music 30 years anniversary tour comes to The Howard with Quicksand and Off With their Heads. Hot Water Music plays punk. Quicksand plays post hardcore. Off With Their Friends plays punk. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $35 for standing in front of the stage and $60 to sit down.

May 14 Tuesday: This show is sold out. Helmet plays The Atlantis with Cro-Mags Helmet is an Alternative Rock Band. CroMags are an iconic hardcore band with tremendous reach and influence beyond the genre. Doors open at 6:30. Tickets are $30.

May 14 Tuesday: Amon Amarth plays the Fillmore with Cannibal Corpse, Obituary and Frozen Soul. Amon Amarth is a Swedish melodic death metal band. Cannibal Corpse plays death metal. Obituary plays death metal. And what do you know, so does Frozen Soul. Doors open at 6:30. Basic standing ticket is $62.

May 14 Tuesday: Cypress Hill plays The Lincoln with Souls of Mischief. Cypress Hill plays hio hop. Souls of Mischief also plays hip hop. Doors open at 6. Tickets are $76.

May 15 and 16 Wednesday and Thursday: Keystone Korner. Stanley Clarke plays jazz bass. Shows are at 7 and 9:30. Tickets are $60 to $75. Keystone Corner is located at 1350 Lancaster Street in Baltimore.

May 16 Thursday: JRAD plays Pier 6. JRAD plays mostly music by the Grateful Dead, but they do it with imagination and their own style. Show is at 7. Tickets in the pavilion run $40 to $70. Tickets for the lawn are $35. It is well worth the extra $5 for even the worst pavilion seat. Trust me.

May 16 Thursday: Sonny Landreth & The Iguanas "Louisiana Calling" at Hamilton Live. "Cajun slide guitar phenom Sonny Landreth and legendary New Orleans Latin-Americana rockers the Iguanas presents a mind-blowing musical trip through the scenic soundscape of the bayou." Doors open at 6:30, show is at 8. Tickets are $25 for general admission standing, $35 for general admission seated, and $45 for the close seats.

May 17 Friday: Sonny Landreth & The Iguanas "Louisiana Calling" at Rams Head On Stage. "Cajun slide guitar phenom Sonny Landreth and legendary New Orleans Latin-Americana rockers the Iguanas presents a mind-blowing musical trip through the scenic soundscape of the bayou." Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $45.

May 18 Saturday: William Hooker Trio plays Rhizome. William Hooker is a jazz drummer.

May 19 Sunday: Sun Ra Arkestra has a 100th birthday celebration for Marshall Allen at The Birchmere. Sun Ra Arkestra plays jazz and is a pioneer of Afro Futurism. Show is at 7:30. Tickets are $39.50.

May 19 Sunday: Cory Henry plays Union Stage. "Cory Henry is a Grammy Award winning artist, composer, producer, Multi-instrumentalist, all around keyboard master, and is the future of music." Doors open at 7, show is at 8. General Admission is $30, "premier plus" is $50 (look where the seats are before choosing this option), and the VIP Master Class Package is $119. This is an all ages show.

May 19 Sunday: claire rousay plays Rhizome with Rachel Beetz. claire rousay is known for challenging conventions in experimental and ambient music forms. Rachel Beetz is a composer, flutist, and improviser. Tickets are on a sliding scale of $15 to $20.

May 19 Sunday: George Clinton Parliament Funkadelic plays the 9:30 Club. George Clinto and P Funk play funk. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $75.

May 22 Wednesday: Dixie Dregs play Warner Theatre with Steve Morse. Dixie Dregs play jazz rock. Steve Morse has played guitar with Dixie Dregs and Deep Purple. Show is at 8. Tickets start at $52 and go to at least $83.

May 22 Wednesday: Reggie Right Eye and the Missing Pieces play New Deal Cafe. Reggie Right Eye and the Missing Pieces play blues, roots rock, rockabilly, a little country, originals and unexpected covers. Show is 7 to 9.

May 24 Friday: Hard Swimmin' Fish plays New Deal Cafe. Hard Swimmin; Fish's "home roots sound pilfers from the best that early American music has to offer including blues, jazz, funk and swing, and churn it all up into a spicy brew that is familiar yet uniquely (their) own. Show is 7 to 10.

May 25 Saturday: Black Masala plays the New Deal Cafe. Black Masala plays a unique mix of rock, Balkan brass, Indian bhangra and New Orleans funk. Show is 7 to 10.

May 29 Wednesday: Reverend Horton Heat plays Baltimore Soundstage with Surfrajettes. Reverend Horton Heat plays psychobilly. Surfrajettes combine psychedelic rock and reverb-drenched surf music. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Admission is $29.50.

May 30 Thursday: Dave Chappell plays New Deal Cafe along with John Previti on bass and Mark Stutso. Show is 7 to 10.

June 1 Saturday: Shannon and the Clams play the Black Cat. Shannon and the Clams play feel good, vintage-infused, garage psych. I expect addition of an opening act. Doors open at 8. Tickets are $25.

June 2 Sunday: Jjuujjuu plays Comet Ping Pong with Requiem. Jjuujjuu plays psych rock. Requiem is the musical project Tristan Welch and Douglas Kallmeyer, both accomplished solo musicians known for their cerebral and exploratory sonic tendencies. Doors open at 9. Admission is $18 in advance, $20 day of show. This is an all ages show.

June 2 Sunday: Speakers of the House play Lurman Woodland Theatre. Speakers of the House play play old school funk, boogaloo and latin music. Show is 6 to 8. Lurman Woodland Theatre is located at 425 Bloomsbury Avenue, in Catonsville. Maryland.

June 3 Monday: Madaraka Festival at Fillmore featuring African musical artists. I did not find a web site for this years festival and the Live Nation site for Fillmore is pretty short on the details a person might want before they go to a festival. Artists include Nyaskinski, Naomi Achu, Savara, DynaMQ and Simon Jovan Okelo. General Admission standing tickets are $59. You can pay up to twice that if you might want to sit down in the course of that many individual sets.

June 6 Thursday: Killick Hinds plays the Red Room. Killick Hinds His music is Appalachian Trance Metal made on unusual stringed instruments with an emphasis on unquantifiable rhythms (shaping time), intuitive intonation (shaping pitch), and shamanistic ROYGBIV (shaping color). Show is at 8. Admission is on a sliding scale from $10 to $20. The Red Room is located in Normal's Books and Records at 425 E 31st Street in Baltimore.

June 7 Friday: Melt-Banana plays Metro Baltimore with The Flying Luttenbachers and BabyBaby_Explores the Reasons Why that Gum is Still on the Sidewalk. Melt Banana is a Japanese noise rock band. The Flying Luttenbachers have created a body of work focused on musical extremity and dissonance. BabyBaby is an art-rock project. Doors open at 6:30, show is at 7:30. Tickets are $25. This is an all ages show.

June 8 Saturday: Swing dance battle of the bands with Rock-A-Sonics versus Natty Beaux at the Spanish Ballroom. There is a beginner swing lesson from 8 to 9, band plays from 9 to 11:30. Tickets are $30 at the door, $20 if purchased in advance at Gotta Swing.

June 9 Sunday: Gary Clark, Jr. plays Wolf Trap. Gary Clark, Jr. is a blues guitarist and singer. Show is at 7. Lawn tickets are $35.

June 14 Friday: Dresden Dolls play the 9:30 Club. Dresden dolls are a dark cabaret duo. Doors open at 8. Tickets are $50.

June 14 Friday: Pixies and Modest Mouse play Merriweather Post Pavilion with special guest Cat Power. Pixies are an alt rock band. Modest Mouse plays indie rock. Cat Power is a singer/songwriter. Gates open at 5:15, show is at 6:30. Tickets $35 on the lawn to as much as $130 for a seat.

June 14 Friday: Anthony "Swamp Dog" Clark plays the New Deal Cafe. Anthony "Swamp Dog" Clark plays blues and funk. Show is 7 to 10.

June 14 Friday: Asleep at the Wheel plays Birchmere. Asleep at the Wheel plays music inspired by Western swing and honky tonk country. Show is at 7:30. Tickets are $39.50.

June 15 Saturday: Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue plays Wolf Trap. Trombone Shorty is a trombone player whose music fuses rock, pop, jazz, funk, and hip hop. Gates open at 5:30, show is at 7. Lawn seats are $49, the rest are a surprise.

June 18-19 Tuesday and Wednesday: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss play Wolf Trap with JD McPherson. Alison Krauss and Robert Plant share a maverick spirit and willingness to extend the boundaries of their respective genres. JD McPherson is known for a retro sound rooted in the rock and roll, rockabilly, and rhythm and blues music of the 1950s. Show is at 7:30. Lawn seats are $52.

June 19 Wednesday: Spafford plays Baltimore Soundstage. Spafford is a jam band. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $23.

June 21 Friday: Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls play Rams Head Live with Amigo the Devil, Bridge City Sinners and Micah Schnabel and Vanessa Jean Speckman. Frank Turner is an English punk and folk singer-songwriter. Amigo the Devil plays music influenced by American folk, country, rock, and heavy metal, with themes of murder, death, and other dark subject matters which has led to his music being called "Dark Folk" or "Murderfolk." Bridge City Sinners play varied types of music including prohibition era jazz to Appalachian death folk. Micah Schnabel and Vanessa Jean Speckman play Americana. Doors open at 5:30, show is at 6:30. Tickets are $36.50. This is an all ages show.

June 21 Friday: Buffalo Nichols plays Jammin' Java blends blues soul and funk. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $25 for premium.This is an all ages show.

June 27 Thursday: Mdou Moctar plays the 9:30 Club. Mdou Moctar is a Tuareg songwriter and musician who performs modern rock music inspired by Tuareg guitar music. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $28.

June 29 Saturday: Grails plays The Ottobar. Grails is an American instrumental experimental rock band Doors open at 8, show is at 9. Tickets are $25. All ages.

July 6 Saturday: Railroad Earth plays Wolf Trap with Leftover Salmon and Yonder Mountain String Band. Railroad Earth is a bluegrass-influenced Americana band. Leftover Salmon combines bluegrass, rock, country, and Cajun/Zydeco. Yonder Mountain String Band is a progressive bluegrass band. Gates open at 6, show is at 7:30. Lawn seats are $45.

July 10 Wednesday: Los Lobos play the Birchmere. Los Lobos is an Mexican-American rock band. Show is at 7:30. Tickets are $69.50.

July 14 Friday: Deanna Bogart plays Lurman Woodland Theatre. Deanna Bogart is recognized for her dazzling keyboards, soulful saxophone, smoky vocals, and cut-above songwriting. Show is 6 to 8. Lurman Woodland Theatre is located at 425 Bloomsbury Avenue, in Catonsville. Maryland.

July 23 Tuesday: Tinariwen plays the Warner Theatre. Tinariwen is a collective of Tuareg musicians from the Sahara region of northern Mali. Considered pioneers of desert blues, the group's guitar-driven style combines traditional Tuareg and African music with Western rock. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets run $48 to $71 but you can probably pay more.

July 27 Saturday: Kelly Bell Band plays Quiet Waters Park. Kelly Bell Band plays blues rock. Show is 6 to 8 and is free.

July 27 Saturday: Arty Hill and the Long Gone Daddys play Lurman Woodland Theatre. Arty Hill plays honky tonk country. Show is 6 to 8. Lurman Woodland Theatre is located at 425 Bloomsbury Avenue, in Catonsville. Maryland.

July 28 Sunday: Black Pumas play Wolf Trap. Black Pumas play psychedelic soul. Gates open at 6:30, show is at 8. Lawn tickets are $45.

July 28 Sunday: Magical Mystery Girls play Lurman Woodland Theatre. Magical Mystery Girls are a Beatles tribute band. Show is 6 to 8. Lurman Woodland Theatre is located at 425 Bloomsbury Avenue, in Catonsville. Maryland.

July 31 Wednesday: Kamasi Washington plays the Birchmere. Kamasi Washington plays jazz saxophone. Show is at 7:30. Tickets are $69.50.

August 14 Wednesday: Primus plays Anthem with Coheed and Cambria and Fishbone. Primus plays alternative metal. Coheed and Cambria is described as progressive rock. Fishbone plays plays a fusion of ska, punk, funk, metal, reggae, and soul. Doors open at 6:30. Tickets are $75 to $125.

August 15 Thursday: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard play Anthem with Geese. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard play psychedelic rock. Geese plays indie rock. Doors open at 6:30. Tickets are $55 to $95.

August 21 Wednesday: Andrew Bird plays Wolf Trap with Amadou and Mariam. Andrew Bird is an indie rock multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. Amadou & Mariam are a musical duo from Mali. Gates open at 6:30, show is at 8. Tickets are $35.

August 30 Friday: Old Crow Medicine Show plays Wolf Trap with Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway. Old Crow Medicine Show plays string music. Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway play bluegrass. Show is at 7:30. Tickets go on sale March 29th.

September 5 Thursday: Dweezil Zappa brings the Rox(Postroph) tour to the Birchmere. The tour features music from the Apostrophe and Roxy and Elsewhere albums. Show is at 7:30. Tickets are $79.50.

September 6 Friday: King Buzzo and Trevor Dunn play The Ottobar with JD Pinkus. King Buzzo and Trevor Dunn are putting out an album of dark folk. JD Pinkus is an American bassist best known for his work with American punk band Butthole Surfers Doors open at 9, show is at 9. Tickets are $29.50. This is an all ages show.

September 11 and 12 Wednesday and Thursday: Bikini Kill plays Baltimore Soundstage. Bikini Kill is a feminist punk band. The Wednesday show is sold out. Doors open at 7, show is at 8. Tickets are $43.

September 19-20 Thursday and Friday: Marcus King plays the Warner. Marcus King plays blues rock. Tickets are $53 to $64 for standard tickets platinum higher, scalpers much higher. Shows are at 8.

September 25 Wednesday: Sigur Ros plays Anthem with Wordless Music Orchestra. Sigur Rós is an Icelandic post-rock band. Wordless Music Orchestra is the house band of New York City’s Wordless Music series, which was founded by non-musician Ronen Givony in 2006 and has since presented concerts in museums, churches, nightclubs, and out of doors, pairing artists from the sound worlds of so-called classical, electronic, and rock music. Doors open at 7. Tickets are from $61 to $174. This appears to be an all-seated show or I certainly hope so.

Allyworld is located in Tonal Park, which is primarily a music production studio. It is a small seated venue with a relatively low stage. Sound was good (as one would hope considering the location). When I was first there the band had brought beer and wine, but I have not seen that since. Tonal Park is located at 7014C Westmoreland Avenue in Takoma Park, Maryland. It is not well signed.

AMP at Pike & Rose (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.

The CFG Bank Arena is a large venue (capacity 14,000) that was the Baltimore Civic Center and had a variety of other names. The seating is not made for tall people or wide ones. In addition, they don't seem to have much in the way of air conditioning. On the bright side, the rows are not as steep as in some large venues. Concessions are expensive, but not as bad as some and the lines are not bad. Some of it is self-check out and STILL offers you a selection of tip levels. Parts of it are bizarrely dark and the rest rooms are off in corners. Lots of parking nearby though, and the venue web site gives you a link to it.

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.

Cheverly American Legion is an American Legion Hall. It has a huge space, a good size stage, tons of table space, and reasonably priced beer. The time I was there, they also had food. The Cheverly American Legion Hall is located at 3608 Legion Drive in Cheverly, 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 was 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. The address is 4000 Chesapeake in Northwest DC.

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 Center is located in the Old Navy Hospital in Southeast. It is a small room on the second floor and nice sound. They sell beer, wine and snacks. Hill Center is located at 921 Pennsylvania Avenue in Southeast DC. Parking is tight, But there is a parking lot at Tyler Elementary School for events that start after four if all else fails.

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 Meadworks 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.

Oregon Ridge is a State Park located north of Baltimore off of I-83 at 13401 Beaver Dam Road. Is basically a stage at the bottom of a long hill with woods on each side of the slope. Food and beer depend on who is producing. The park does not allow you to bring in either bottles or cans, but does allow coolers. The box office is open only on the day of events. To get there take I-695 to I-83 North and take exit 20B to the Park, or take exit 20A to free parking and a shuttle at Hunt Valley Mall. Their web site says that you need to pay for parking in advance in order to park at the Park but this depends on the promoter, as does the availability of the shuttle. For information call 410-539-5474.

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.

The Recher is the old Recher Theater redone and spiffed up. Standing room only for most shows. Nice long bars and passable selection of drinks. The Recher is located at 512 York Avenue in Towson, Maryland. There is now a parking garage about a block away.

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.

The Atlantis is located at 2047 9th Street in Northwest DC 9:30 Club. It is named for and is a tribute to The Atlantic on F Street, which became the original 9:30 Club. It is rather more roomy though and has a balcony. Most shows are standing only and all ages. This venue is cashless.

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 coolers 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. I cannot exaggerate exactly how much torture. Wolf Trap not only keeps its ticket prices for shows a secret until they go on sale, they don't provide them then either. To get prices, one has to click on individual seats in the desired section. You can't even mouse over the section, you have to pick a seat, and then cancel it if it is out of range. The confusion this causes makes it extremely difficult to make informed choices, and I believe that is their aim. Nice behavior for a federal agency eh? Wolf trap is located in Virginia right off of the Dulles toll road.