Just a heads up, Live Nation let us know that they've released some extra tickets to the nearly sold out Kings of Leon/Walkmen show tonight at the Patriot Center. These are two of our very favorite live bands (we've reviewed KoL twice). They offer variations on rough, well-rehearsed, full and satisfying rock 'n' roll. So if you've been wishing and doing the Craigslist shuffle, try for a legit ticket here while there are still some left. more ›

Monday night's triple bill at DAR Constitution Hall had something for everyone, assuming they liked their guitars loud and their venues cavernous. Headliners Kings of Leon, touring behind their latest release, the stadium-rock ready Only by the Night, whipped fans into a prolonged frenzy by playing it cool, while openers We Are Scientists and The Whigs had to put in some extra work to win over the late-arriving crowd. more ›

To cut through all the verbal foreplay and just get right to it, last night, Kings of Leon put on the best concert I've seen all year. Maybe even longer. Not since The Strokes at DAR have I seen a band so well-rehearsed and completely together. And the boys from Tennessee blew Mr. Casablancas and company out of the water. The set heavily favored older material, mainly bringing in songs from their most recent,... more ›

MONDAY >> This ain’t not J-Pop, we swear. If you want good old-fashioned Japanese rock ‘n’ roll (OK, it’s true, we don’t really know what that’s supposed to sound like either), The Captains from some place in Japan (the city name on their MySpace page uses Japanese characters) will drop by The Red & The Black tonight. They will be supported by Sugarcane Crawl, formerly known as Blues Hammer, and D.C.'s The Bourbon Dynasty. 9... more ›

FRIDAY: If loving Busta Rhymes' new album, The Big Bang, is wrong — well we sure as hell don't want to be right. Yes, Busta has always been one of those charismatic rap superstars without much substance to back him up, and yes, there was a time when his shortcomings had become awfully grating. But now that he's hooked up with Dr. Dre's Aftermath label, that time appears to have ended. This is what summertime... more ›

MONDAY >> You scream, I scream, we all scream for British and 70s-inspired rock. Double your pleasure tonight at the Black Cat, as The Points (Fredericksburg's answer to Kings of Leon) and The Cuts (think The Cure meets The Thrills) work the back stage. $7, 9 p.m. >> We caught The Parachute Musical a while ago, opening for Deleted Scenes (who you may have seen at last week's Unbuckled). They turn out impressive piano pop,... more ›

MONDAY: >>Lucinda Williams brings her raspy voice to the D.C. tonight. Her Tom Petty-inspired brand of roots rock can be heard on her latest album, Live At The Fillmore. Or you can catch the real thing tonight at the 9:30 Club. $35, 7:30. >>Grab your Coke, gel your hair, and spend the evening with the man who made teenagers and soccer moms wear out their voting fingers in 2003. Clay Aiken at Wolf Trap, $25... more ›

When U2 originally announced dates for their "Vertigo" tour, in support of their new album "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb", local fans must have been upset. The closest the Irish rockers were coming to D.C. was Philadelphia's Wachovia Center -- a road trip that wouldn't dissuade the most hardcore fans, but would leave more casual fans without the chance to see the band's live show. But local fans have reason to celebrate: U2 is coming to the MCI center for two nights, Oct. 19 and 20. Priority sales for U2.com subscribers began this morning at 10 a.m., hopefully without the problems of previous pre-sales. Sales to the general public begin at 10 a.m. this Saturday, with a lottery for priority at 8 a.m. Tickets are priced at $52.50, $98.00, and $163.00 and are available through Ticketmaster or the MCI center box office. more ›