E12
KLMNO pop music} fall arts preview
For searchable listings, go to
washingtonpost.com/fallarts.
SEPTEMBER
12— Surfer Blood, the Drums, the Young Friends at 9:30 Club. Gaelic Storm at the Birchmere. Tortoise, Imperial China at Black Cat. Christmas, the Electricutions, DJ Names Namesat Comet Ping Pong. Jesse Malin and the St. Marks Social, Moneybrother at DC9. Toadies, Gringo Star, Eat Your Neighbors at Rams Head Live. Bear in Heaven, the Hundred in the Hands at Rock & Roll Hotel. Brian Culbertson at Rams Head Tavern. Roy Hargrove at Blues Alley. Sherele at Twins Jazz. Jackson Browne at Wolf Trap, Filene Center.
13 — Of Montreal, Janelle Monae at 9:30 Club. Brian Culbertson at the Birchmere. El Ten Eleven, Dosh, Baths at Black Cat. Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra at Bohemian Caverns. Nomoat DC9. Lauris Vidal, Andy Shauf at Iota Club &Cafe. Matt Hires, Wakey!Wakey! at Jammin’ Java. Seether, Pop Evil at Rams Head Live. Ozomatli at Rams Head Tavern. The Birthday Massacre, the Perfects, My Enemy Complete at Rock & Roll Hotel. Broken Social Scene, The Sea and Cake at Warner Theatre. Charnett Moffett at Blues Alley. Lights Resolve, Harvard at Velvet Lounge.
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Smaller sounds better, even for the superstars
Music industry turmoil creates an affordable opportunity for fans to be close to their idols
KYLE GUSTAFSON FOR THE WASHINGTON POST HE CAN SEE YOU: Playing a midsize venue such as Constitution Hall will offer a more intimate experience for fans of rapper Drake. by Chris Richards D
rake has made the most magnetic rap music of the year, but nearly three months after his debut al- bum, “Thank Me Later,” topped the charts, the breakout pop star
of 2010 is still getting sour glances from hip- hop’s old guard. It’s not because the 23-year-old actor- turned-rapper did time on the cheese-ball Canadian teen drama “Degrassi: The Next Generation.” It’s because Drake puts a pre- mium on something largely alien to the brash braggadocios of the greater rapscape: intimacy.
When it comes to sweet nothings, he gives his all. His rhymes come in a creamy bari- tone resonant enough to make club speakers hum yet sweet enough to make headphones purr. He didn’t come to rock the mike. He came to whisper in our collective ear. Fittingly, he’ll perform a two-night stand
at DAR Constitution Hall on Oct. 2 and 3 — a venue just shy of 4,000 seats. For a freshly minted superstar, this qualifies as very, very cozy. He’ll appear larger than a pixelated smudge in everyone’s iPhone snapshots, and no one has to worry about that sweet-talk evaporating before it reaches the nose- bleeds.
But shouldn’t a white-hot artist with a Billboard-topping debut — one that will have gone platinum by the time these key- strokes reach your retinas — be able to pack the bloodiest of nosebleeds? In a healthier
economy, one would expect Drake to fill Ve- rizon Center, a room five times the size of Constitution Hall, with relative ease. Not anymore. And that’s why these two nights in October may signal a greater shift: the death of the blockbuster and the birth of the middle-buster, a concert where a hyper- cautious music industry asks its larger-than- life pop stars to perform in modest, mid-size venues. And it’s yet another example of music-biz turmoil translating into a huge win for fans. For those who still buy albums, price points are dropping. Arcade Fire, the melo- dramatic Canadian rock troupe, hit No. 1 in August by shrewdly peddling the digital ver- sion of its new album, “The Suburbs,” for a mere $3.99 on
Amazon.com. Meanwhile, Live Nation and other promoters are trying to survive the economic downturn by experi- menting with lower ticket prices. Last month, fans could score seats for Rihanna at Jiffy Lube Live for 10 measly bucks. With the fall concert season taking shape, more bar- gains are expected to emerge. And that includes middle-busters. Drake
isn’t the first 2010 chart-topper to perform one in Washington. Vampire Weekend’s sophomore disc, “Contra,” debuted at No. 1 in January, and the indie-rock foursome played an understated, sold-out gig at Con- stitution Hall in April. Since then, Vampire Weekend’s star has continued to skyrocket. The band headlined Merriweather Post Pa- vilion on Saturday. In that sense, the middle-buster can be a steppingstone for artists making the patient
climb to rarefied heights. A promoter at CD Enterprises, the company bringing Drake to Constitution Hall, said artists on the up-and- up are the most vulnerable in a shaky econo- my and are opting to build their profile slow- ly in each market rather than risk “falling on their face” in a colossal room such as Verizon Center.
But the middle-buster can also be an op- tion for stars on the way down from uber- fame. In the past year, Constitution Hall has hosted both Mariah Carey and R. Kelly, two of the greatest R&B singers of our time. Both artists’ previous tours came through Verizon Center.
Can you guess which shows were better? At Kelly’s Constitution Hall gig inNovem-
ber, fans pushed toward the stage to paw at the singer’s denim-clad legs, some getting close enough to catch a whiff of his cologne. Carey’s January concert at Constitution Hall had an army of security at the front of the stage, but fans rushed the aisles anyway — because getting within 20 feet of the woman who sang your prom theme while she sings your prom theme surely trumps squinting at her from Section 418 of some cavernous hockey arena. For those lucky enough to see Drake at Constitution Hall in October, bragging rights may be worth the price of admission. This isn’t the chance to see a superstar be- fore he’s big. This is a chance to see a super- star while he’s big in a room he might have played before he was big. And that’s pretty big.
richardsc@washpost.com
14 — Of Montreal, Janelle Monae at 9:30 Club. Screaming Females, the Gift at Black Cat.
The Parlotones, Atomic Tomat DC9. Krista Detor, Kenny White at Jammin’ Java. Allan Holdsworth Band at Rams Head Tavern. Tony Martucci, Marc Copeland, John D’Earth and Tom Baldwin at Blues Alley. Ben Gilmer and the Sidearms, Forevsner at Velvet Lounge.
15— Ludo, the Graduate at 9:30 Club. Those Darlins, Strange Boys, Gentleman Jesse at Black Cat. Biffy Clyro, the Static Jacks at DC9. Peter Bradley Adams, Matthew Perryman Jones at Jammin’ Java. Bleeding Through, After the Burial, For Today, the Word Alive, Stray From the Path, And It Must Occur, Engulfed in Flames at Jaxx. Bob Schneider at Rams Head Tavern. Lonnie Liston Smith at Blues Alley. Black Dog Prowl, Irresponsible, Sol Bandits at Velvet Lounge.
16— Jeffrey Osborne at the Birchmere. Elf Power, Dot Dash at DC9. Dead Heart Bloom, Cobra Collective at Iota Club & Cafe. The Pimps of Joytime, Mojo, the Funk Ark at Jammin’ Java. Fireworks, the Swellers at Jaxx. The Fighting Jamesons at Rams Head Live. Solas at Rams Head Tavern. Street Dogs, Devil’s Brigade, Flatfoot 56, Continental at Rock & Roll Hotel. Signorello Sings Sinatra at State Theatre. Mose Allison Trio at Blues Alley. Amps For Christ, Kuschty Rye Ergot, Tiny Concept at Velvet Lounge.
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17 —No Age, Holy [Expletive], Trophy Wife at Black Cat. Superchunk, Tommy Keene,
Let’s Wrestle at 9:30 Club. Laura Veirs, the Watson Twins, Led to Sea at the Birchmere. Robbie Fulks Band, David Kitchen at Iota Club & Cafe. Luke Brindley, Chelsea Lee at Jammin’ Java. Dark Star Orchestra (Grateful Dead tribute), Mad-Sweet Pangs at Rams Head Live. The Caribbean at U Street Music Hall. The Gourds at State Theatre. Mose Allison Trio at Blues Alley. Abba — The Music (Abba tribute) at Wolf Trap, Filene Center. Paleo at the Red and the Black. Diehard, Shark at Velvet Lounge.
18— Dark Star Orchestra at 9:30 Club. Kim Waters at the Birchmere. The Postelles, Hurricane Bells, Blackbells at DC9. Scott Miller at Iota Club & Cafe. HFStival 2010 featuring Third Eye Blind, Billy Idol, Everclear, Ed Kowalczyk, Presidents of the United States of America, Fuel, Lit, Marcy Playground and more at Merriweather Post Pavilion. The Flying Eyes, Screen Vinyl Image, Thrushes, the Vandelles at Ottobar. Griffin House, Tyler James at Rams Head Tavern. Dead Prez, Von, Saleem & the Music Lovers at Sonar. Rush at Jiffy Lube Live. Mose Allison Trio at Blues Alley. Live Wire: The Ultimate Tribute to AC/DC at State Theatre. Rival Skies at the Red and the Black. Tittsworth at U Street Music Hall. Hello Babies, Lubec, Order at Velvet Lounge.
19— Billy Bragg, Darren Hanlon at 9:30 Club. Bilal at the Birchmere. Garland of Hours, MG Lederman at Black Cat. +/- at Iota Club & Cafe. Preston Reed at Jammin’ Java. Joe Louis Walker at Rams Head Tavern. Garotas Suecas and Kid Congo, Pink Monkey Birds at U Street Music Hall. Mose Allison Trio at Blues Alley. Bob Schneider, Dean Fields at State Theatre. Vocalist Syssi Mahieu and Zeebop at Twins Jazz. Aaron Thompson, My Brother the Welder at Velvet Lounge. Vocalist Syssi Mahieu and Zeebop at Twins Jazz.
20— Jamie Lidell, Twin Shadowat 9:30 Club. Kevin Seconds at Black Cat. Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra at Bohemian Caverns. Candy Claws at DC9. Abigail Washburn at Rams Head Tavern. Fitz and the Tantrums, Spirit Animal at Rock & Roll Hotel. Charlie Musselwhite at Blues Alley. Trophies, Gestures, Lost Civilizations at the Mansion at Strathmore.
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21— Fennesz, Arturas Bumsteinas, Janel and Anthony, Low End String
Quartet at the Mansion at Strathmore. Klaxons, Baby Monster at 9:30 Club. Alejandro Escovedo and the Sensitive Boys at the Birchmere. Valient Thorr, Junius, Howl at Black Cat. Sharon Little, Cindy Lee Berryhill at Iota Club & Cafe. Abigail Washburn at Jammin’ Java. Murder by Death, Samantha Crain, Ninja Gun at Rock & Roll Hotel. Alex Martin at Blues Alley. RedAlertDC, Whoarfrost at Velvet Lounge.
22— Perpetual Groove, the Bridge at 9:30 Club. !!!, Fol Chen at Black Cat. Swingin’ Utters, the Copyrights, Have Nots at DC9. Brendan James at Jammin’ Java. Tim Kliphuis at Blues Alley. Lady Denine Wilson at Twins Jazz. Aubriot at Velvet Lounge.
23— Big Head Todd and the Monsters at 9:30 Club. Patty Loveless at the Birchmere. Caribou, Emeralds at Black Cat. Bobby Bare Jr., Blue Giant at Iota Club & Cafe. Mark Olson, Vandaveer at Jammin’ Java. Alejandro Escovedo and the Sensitive Boys at Rams Head Tavern. Tom Tom Club, Caravan of Thieves, Tony Castles at Rock & Roll Hotel. Joe Sample at Blues Alley. Alice Harris at Twins Jazz. Echo Wall, Jason Byrd and Honey Boat at the Red and the Black. Imperial China, Miracles, Tereu Tereu at Velvet Lounge.
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24— Titus Andronicus, Free Energy at Rock & Roll Hotel. Hiroshima at the Birchmere.
The Boxer Rebellion, Amusement Parks n Fire at Black Cat. The Walkaways, Brother Shamus, Memphis 59 at Iota Club & Cafe. Dia, Mista Forty, Socz at Jammin’ Java. Magos Herrera at Kennedy Center, KC Jazz Club. Accept, King’s Xat Rams Head Live. Patty Loveless at Rams Head Tavern. Atari Teenage Riot, Food for Animals, Talk to Animals at Sonar. Ben Sollee at the Mansion at Strathmore. Joe Sample at Blues Alley. NEA National Heritage Fellowships Concert at the Music Center at Strathmore. Curtis Fuller at Bohemian Caverns. 500 Miles to Memphis at the Red and the Black. The Flail at Twins Jazz. Loose Lips, Ravenous, Lenorable, Skelliton at Velvet Lounge. Basement Boys at U Street Music Hall.
Corporation, Jimmy Eat World, Yeasayer, Trombone Shorty, Neon Indian, Pavement, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Matt and Kim, the Temper Trap, Sleigh Bells, Modeselektor, Chromeo, Sharam, Wolfgang Gartner at Merriweather Post Pavilion. Bullet for My Valentine, Escape the Fate, Black Tide, Drive Aat 9:30 Club. Jackopierce at the Birchmere. David Bazan, Mynabirds at Black Cat. X-MC, the Yachtsmen, Sleeper Agent at Comet Ping Pong. Colourslide, My Radio, Jeff Himmelman at Iota Club & Cafe. Invader, Julie Hall, the 6th Degree, the Blackshire, the More You Know, Suffer No Guilt, Just My Luck, Cyberstrike, Evereaux, Provence at
» pop music continued on E13 The Kennedy Center welcomes patrons with disabilities.
ON SALE TODAY AT NOON!
December 7-12
Tickets at the Kennedy Center Box Office or charge by phone (202) 467.4600. Order online at
kennedy-center.org
Groups call (202) 416.8400
25— Virgin Mobile FreeFest, featuring M.I.A., LCD Soundsystem, T.I., Thievery
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2010
Critic’s recommendations are indicated by arrows
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