Nada Surf's fifth album is the aptly titled Lucky. After their label refused to release their sophomore record because it "didn't hear a single" -- thereby refusing the band an opportunity to follow up on their mega-hit "Popular" -- many bands would have just walked away. Nada Surf, however, refused to cave and turned their focus to Europe, where The Proximity Effect became a small hit -- eventually allowing the band the buy back the album's Stateside rights and release the record themselves. A recording contract with Barsuk Records arrived shortly thereafter, and the group's been able to release three more records. more ›

Those who showed up at the 9:30 Club on Saturday night with any doubts about The Kooks' talent were certainly persuaded, and maybe even wooed into super-fan territory. The four lads from Brighton played a pitch-perfect set that had all the classic elements of an epic rock show, including crowdsurfing and a young woman who threw her underwear up on stage. The Kooks have been on the fast track to superstardom since forming in 2004, with several hit singles and a debut album that went quadruple platinum in the U.K. Judging from Saturday's sold-out show, it won't be long before the band is a household name on this side of the pond too. more ›

Last night's Nada Surf show at the Black Cat served to kick off a tour in support of their new album The Weight Is A Gift. The sizable crowd was treated to a mix of songs from the new album and its predecessor Let Go during the course of a show that didn't disappoint — but didn't thrill, either.

The evening began with an acoustic set from D.C.'s own Army of Me — or half of them, anyway. Vocalist Vince Scheuerman and guitarist Brad Tursi took the stage around 8:45. DCist had seen a fully assembled AoM perform once before in a good but unremarkable appearance on the same stage. Their performance last night was solid. The dual guitar approach suited the band well by highlighting pleasant guitar arrangements and the band's strong vocal talents.

As good as the performance was, AoM's songs were occasionally wanting. It's not that the band can't pen a hook — it's that they write Coldplay songs with less cathartic bridges. Yeah, yeah, we know that it's been cool to hate on Coldplay ever since they started showing up on stations with "MIX" in their names. But we honestly don't mean this observation as an insult (it's just a backhanded compliment). The band nearly accomplishes the grand rock gestures it strives for, but occasionally cringeworthy lyrics ("Watch For Snakes") and simplistic choral melodies ("Going Through Changes") frequently keep the material from completely succeeding.

Nevertheless, some of the Army Of Me's songs are legitimately great — last night's rendition of "How Long" seemed particularly strong. And with as much live talent as they have, AoM is quickly securing a place for themselves as one of the city's most promising rock acts. We'll be keeping an eye on them.

The summer duldroms are definitely over and fall's concert season is in full swing. It's a busy week in D.C. music, so get yourself to a venue and enjoy yourself. MONDAY >> The first of two sold out shows from the legendary Black Crowes at the 9:30 Club is tonight. Getting in may be hard to handle, but our good buddy Craig could lend a hand. 7:30. >> Speaking of legends, there are some other... more ›