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SHOW PREVIEW: Joseph

Joseph may not be a name you’d expect for three sisters, but identical twins Natalie and Meegan Closner, along with older sister Allison Closner Schepman of Portland, Oregon, adopted the moniker. Named for the town Joseph, Oregon and their grandfather, the folk trio formed in 2014, self-releasing their debut album Native Dreamer Kin that same year. The project was partially crowdfunded through Kickstarter by friends and fans. Since then, they have released two albums and an EP, signed to ATO Records, and drifted into a bigger, more rock-pop centered sound, though they remain true to their folk roots. 

Joseph’s music is built around the kind of harmonies that can only be achieved through a lifetime of familiarity. In their 2016 NPR Tiny Desk Concert, the sisters’ voices mesh with such a quality and comfortability that it is hard to imagine they come from three different women. Their music oscillates from dreamy to danceable, somber to spirited, silky smooth to gravelly, yet always remains grounded in the personal. There is a charm and honesty to Joseph’s music that carries it, giving it the quality of something to sink into and wind the afternoon away.

Their latest record, Good Luck, Kid, released September 13, tackles the anxiety of relationships and growing older, leaving your twenties, and still not feeling like an adult yet. The opening cut of the record, “Fighter,” is a song borne out of a difficult moment for the three sisters in their relationship, as people, and as a band. The swelling track addresses the necessity of conflict in relationships, rather than leaving things unsaid to avoid conflict. It sets the tone for the record. On Good Luck, Kid they are addressing their conflicts and anxieties head-on, taking the space they need, and coming out the other side okay.

Joseph is on a two month, 26 night North American tour in support Good Luck, Kid. Catch them October 2, 2019, at 9:30 Club with Deep Sea Diver. Tickets are available now! 

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SHOW PREVIEW: Mac DeMarco at the Anthem

“I’m a human being, you know. But I think that goofy gets a lot more click-bait than earnest.”

After releasing his long-awaited fourth full-length album, Here Comes The Cowboy, in May 2019, Mac DeMarco decided it was time to pack it up and hit the road yet again—this time, making sure to stop by all the big-name festivals, including Coachella and Glastonbury Festival. DeMarco returns from Europe in August to tour throughout North America, making sure to stop at the acclaimed Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado with Grammy-winning hip-hop artist Thundercat and the Baltimore-based indie rockers of Snail Mail. Following his list of dates on the West Coast, he’ll be stopping by over at The Anthem in September.

For longtime fans, a new tour means getting to hear updated versions of “slacker rock” classics. DeMarco’s setlist at Coachella included his well-known indie rock hits “Ode To Viceroy,” “My Kind of Woman,” “Freaking Out the Neighborhood,” and “Chamber of Reflection,” and interspersed between them, the new tracks “Nobody,” “Choo Choo,” and “Finally Alone” from Here Comes The Cowboy. Even if listeners weren’t as big a fan of his latest release - which received some criticism for its similarity to Mitski’s most recent album - they can certainly prepare to hear some of their favorites at his upcoming shows.

For those less familiar with the self-proclaimed “Pepperoni Playboy,” Mac DeMarco is akin to the sound of “Peg” by Steely Dan played on a reel-to-reel tape machine at a frat party. DeMarco, alongside his closest friends (AKA his touring band), is all about stage banter; the band’s performance at 9:30 Club in 2014 included an ironic cover of “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. Alongside DeMarco on his tour are Tokyo-based DIY musicians Dustin Wong and Takako Minekawa, whose sound is described on their bandcamp as “a coalescence of the complexities of life, with the sheer joy of imaginative creation.” Their June 2019 release, Kannazuki, is an 18-minute ambient exploration of textures and landscapes, ranging from deep forests to raindrops in the breeze; for those who enjoy the psychedelic and the surreal, the show is sure to entertain.

For more information, or to check out the rest of Mac DeMarco's tour dates this year, visit his website here!

Tickets are available now for Mac DeMarco with Dustin Wong and Takako Minekawa at The Anthem on Friday, September 20, 2019. 

- Gabby Franks

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SHOW PREVIEW: Phantogram at The Anthem

The relationship between creative collaborators Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter extends back to their childhood in their hometown of Greenwich, New York, long before they joined forces musically under the moniker Phantogram in 2007. Since the beginning of their collaboration, their shared musical sensibility was apparent, together crafting their signature edgy, electro-pop earworms. Phantogram’s creative process remained insular until their 2015 collaboration, Big Grams, with Big Boi from Outkast. Creating and touring as Big Grams furthered their sense of adventure and inclination toward experimentation in the studio and on stage.

Continuing to work with outside collaborators, Phantogram joined forces with prominent pop producer Ricky Reed on their most recent album, Three. Midway through the recording of the album, Barthel’s sister died by suicide. When returning to the studio, Barthel and Carter felt a renewed sense of urgency to create, processing their grief together through music, making Three their most cathartic release to date. Following the release of Three in 2016, the group was relatively quiet aside from sharing a double single, “Someday,” a song honoring the memory of Barthel’s sister, and a cover of “Saturday” by Sparklehorse, with all proceeds going to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Phantogram recently resurfaced with their new single, “Into Happiness,” marking a transition for the duo into a new light. The pair announced their return on social media with the new track and a handwritten message explaining their time away, saying, ”it’s been a long path coming out of the darkness and into the light.” Though no official announcement has been made about a new album, Phantogram announced they will bring the single and some other new tracks on the road with them this summer. Returning to D.C. for the first time since their sold-out shows at 9:30 Club in 2016, Phantogram plays The Anthem on September 6, 2019 with support from Canadian electronic duo Bob Moses!

- Caroline Miller-Bruns

Tickets available here. 

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SHOW PREVIEW: Kali Uchis x Jorja Smith

Colombian-American singer-songwriter Kali Uchis has been taking the music world by storm since her debut mixtape, Drunken Babble, dropped in 2012. The mixtape caught the attention of Snoop Dogg, who went on to feature her on his track “On Edge,” bringing her name to further prominence. Since then, she’s also worked with such artists as Tyler, The Creator, Diplo, BadBadNotGood, Gorillaz, and Daniel Caesar. She put out her first full-fledged album, entitled Isolation, in 2018 to great critical acclaim. Her sound is a mesh of many of her own musical inspirations, ranging from R&B to reggaeton to funk, bringing a fresh flavor to the world of pop.

Her dream and vision have long been in progress. Uchis created a majority of her debut mixtape out of her car, where she was living while attending high school and figuring out how to survive on her own. A lot of pain and growth came out of that time period, and her experiences have influenced her lyrics and sound with a distinctive feeling of heart and soul. One such song, the first single off of her latest album, entitled “Tyrant,” came out  in 2017, and featured another rising name in pop: Jorja Smith.

Jorja Smith came out with her own first EP, Project 11, in November of 2016. Besides Uchis, she has already collaborated with Drake, Stormzy, and Kendrick Lamar. Hailing from UK’s West Midlands, Smith earned a a music scholarship at Aldridge School before being scouted by a manager at age 15 on recognition for her singing YouTube videos. After her first EP, she finished fourth on BBC’s Rising Sounds of 2017 longlist. After many collaborations on songs and tours with prominent artists, Smith released her own first studio album, entitled Lost & Found, in 2018. Like Uchis, she cites many influences including R&B, reggaeton, and hip-hop, as well as a deep obsession with Amy Winehouse, to whom her own singing and song-style is often compared.

Jorja Smith and Kali Uchis are now combining their sounds as they embark on a joint tour. This co-headlining tour is sure to be a night of smooth and sultry pop, as both artists lend their expert vocal chops to create a memorable night. Witness two of pop and R&B’s most prominent rising talents together on April 28 at The Anthem.    

- Alina Gaynutdinova

Kali Uchis and Jorja Smith play The Anthem on Sunday, April 28 — tickets available here. 

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SHOW PREVIEW: Allen Stone

Washington state native Allen Stone is bringing his band back to 9:30 Club for the first time since their appearance on April 26, 2018, opening for Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. On November 21, he will be headlining what is sure to be a show filled with soul and honesty. Known within soul and R&B circles, Allen Stone channels the spirit of Curtis Mayfield, Bill Withers, and George Clinton of the ‘60s and ‘70s, infuses it with the uplifting life force of gospel, and delivers it to you in pure and idealistic song. And boy, can this guy sing.

His most recent album, Radius, was released May 2015, and the deluxe version includes 21 songs (plus bonus tracks). Since then, he has made appearances in the DC area at 9:30 Club, Sixth & I, and Wolf Trap, but has only released two singles since his last album, titled “Warriors” and “Brown Eyed Lover,” in April and June of 2018. However, word has it that he is working on a new album, due for release by the end of the year.

One would expect that the socially conscious Allen Stone will have much to say about the years of political upheaval that have transpired since his last major work. There is a good chance that those in attendance for his show at 9:30 Club this November will get a glimpse of these thoughts, and be hypnotized by the sheer uniqueness and profundity of his voice in the process. Allen Stone at 9:30 Club is a show for any who may be looking for spiritual revitalization, and to remember to “love where you're at.”

- Jonathan Chen

Allen Stone plays 9:30 Club on November 21 — tickets available here.

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SHOW PREVIEW: Tash Sultana

Tash Sultana’s live performances are an immersive experience. One does not simply listen to or watch her play. Her dynamic, virtuosic stage presence and live looping of her multi-instrumental mastery are enough to put you into a trance. Once you’ve seen her live, it’s no surprise to learn that this incredibly talented, 23-year old, solo powerhouse sells out concerts internationally and plays at big music festivals like Coachella, Outside Lands, and Lollapalooza. If you haven’t already seen her live or via video (which should just be a placeholder until you see her live), do yourself a solid and check these out: her NPR Tiny Desk set, a sold-out show at The Paradise in Boston with behind the scenes footage, and an original homemade recording.

Sultana is a self-taught musician and a one-woman band, playing more than fifteen different instruments including guitar, bass, mandolin, drums, trumpet, pan flute, and keyboard. Sultana also delivers soulful, killer vocals and beatboxing, looping herself live during sets with incredible, full-bodied energy. Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, Sultana comes from a musical household with records always playing. She first learned to play the guitar at 3 years old. Throughout school, she played countless gigs and busked in the streets, promoting herself and dedicating all of her energy to her craft. In her TEDx Talk at the University of Melbourne, Sultana shares the story of how she healed from drug usage and mental health issues through music therapy. While Sultana herself doesn’t subscribe to a specific genre, her sound combines alternative rock, psychedelic rock, reggae, folk, and lo-fi.

Sultana’s highly-anticipated debut album, Flow State, is set to release on August 31. Don’t miss your chance to experience this incredible performer live at The Anthem on November 21.

- Francesca Jimenez

Tash Sultana plays The Anthem on November 21 — tickets available here.

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SHOW PREVIEW: Trevor Powers

While U Street Music Hall regularly hosts talented up-and-coming acts, it isn’t every day that the venue gets to reintroduce an artist as brilliant as Trevor Powers. When Powers wraps up his US tour at U Street Music Hall on October 19, he will do so under his given name for the first time in his musical career.

Powers performed over the past decade under the moniker Youth Lagoon, releasing three psychedelic indie-pop albums, before abruptly ending the project in 2016. After a tense hiatus, Powers released a new track and a handwritten letter addressed to his fans earlier this summer. The statement detailed the internal juxtapositions that he, like everyone, struggles with: peace and chaos, joy and fear, love and hate. Soon after, his album Mulberry Violence was announced for release on August 17. He announced it in the form of a second letter, explaining the dichotomous album title and two new tracks, “Ache” and “Plaster Saint.”

Based on the morsels that Powers has shared so far, the album will follow a completely different musical route than Youth Lagoon. The new singles trade the hazy ambience of old for an amalgam of eclectic sounds and musical influences bundled up in pop sensibilities.

- Daniel Martchek

Trevor Powers plays U Street Music Hall on October 19 — tickets available here.