Much "new" music is formed when hitherto unrelated styles are mashed together to form a hybrid that resonates with the public. A perfect example of this type of innovation comes in the form of Béla Fleck & the Flecktones, who will be performing at Wolf Trap on Sunday. more ›

Grabbing a microphone and cane while donning a black top hat, the evening's ringleader, Napoleon Dynamite, announces to the audience: "We'll perform songs about love! Songs about sex! Songs about death and songs about dancing! But not necessarily in that order." more ›

Fairfax County isn't kidding around when it comes to cracking down on drug use at its concert venues, which, more often than not, attract the kind of crowd who really like to do drugs before, while and after watching a concert. more ›

The latest spin-off from Peter Jackson's in 2009. Finally, the Filene Center hosted the U.S. premiere of this version of the final film last night; an evening of pleasantly cool air, no rain and plenty of amped-up Tolkien nuts. more ›

In the nearly three years since we last checked in with Rodrigo y Gabriela, the dynamic acoustic-guitar duo has been keeping quite busy. Their self-titled major label debut album brought their hybrid, metal-inspired sound to the masses, leading to sell-out crowds at clubs the world over, along with stops at many premier music festivals. more ›

While the concept of a band as a regularly working unit is central to rock music, that is not the case in jazz. Most groups operate under the name of the leader, and personnel are always shifting. It's no wonder then that many of the most celebrated jazz groups are those that spent a serious amount of time recording and touring together, whether it be Ellington's big band, either of Miles Davis's great quintets, or more recent ensembles like that of Branford Marsalis. more ›

Nick Lowe titled the career-spanning compilation he released earlier this year Quiet Please, and it ain't false advertising. The softer, sadder, more introspective country-soul phase Lowe commenced with 1994’s The Impossible Bird now comprises the entire second half of his recording career, one that’s been decelerating (though not eroding in quality) for some time. 2007’s At My Age was his first disc in six years, and he’s released no new music since. more ›

Bassist Stanley Clarke was not long out of high school in 1971, when he moved to New York from his native Philadelphia. In the Big Apple, his virtuosic talent made an immediate splash and landed him stints with jazz legends such as Horace Silver and Joe Henderson. But it wasn't until the following year that Clarke's career really took off. He joined Return to Forever, the supergroup that included famed keyboardist Chick Corea and Lenny White, the drummer who got Clarke the gig with Henderson. RTF helped pioneer the fusion movement of the '70s, one of the most adventurous periods in jazz history, in which Clarke also recorded his own fusion classic, the seminal School Days (1976). more ›

A few American orchestras have been experimenting with ways to engage the digital generation during their concerts, with interactive program notes that appear in real time through the hand-held or seat-back devices normally used for showing translations of foreign-language operas. As related by Baltimore Sun classical music critic Tim Smith over at his blog, the National Symphony Orchestra will be attempting something along those lines during its concert at Wolf Trap on July 30. more ›

Every long-lived pop musician who achieves success as a young artist eventually confronts the legacy problem: How much of your back catalogue do you take with you when you hit the road to promote your new music? more ›

Few jazz musicians have acquired the stature and respect of guitarist Bill Frisell, and even fewer have done so in such an unassuming manner. Though he performs regularly at world class venues, and has performed with well-known musicians such as Paul Simon, Jeff Buckley, and Norah Jones, Frisell does not have the name recognition that should accompany a groundbreaking career spanning over 30 years. more ›

Wooten, who made his name playing with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, had a simple answer to these questions when he spoke with DCist earlier this week, just as the group was beginning rehearsals for a tour in support of the album. The trio will be performing tomorrow night at Wolf Trap. more ›

Superlatives run free when describing Herbie Hancock's nearly 50 years on the music scene. A consummate artist, he has been a pioneer throughout his career, breaking ground in genres ranging from straight-ahead jazz to electronic music. Despite his status as a jazz legend, it was still somewhat of a shock to all when his latest album, River: The Joni Letters, won 2008's Grammy for Album of the Year, beating out the likes of Kanye West. The album, a warm tribute to another artistic treasure, Joni Mitchell, features a selection of her songs, some done as instrumentals, and others featuring the vocal talents of Tina Turner, Corinne Bailey Rae, Norah Jones, and Mitchell herself. This new material is what separated Monday night's performance at Wolf Trap from last year's stellar show at the Birchmere, as Hancock & Co. delivered a performance that proved a jazz musician need not sacrifice integrity or artistry by choosing to play commercial music. more ›

The afternoon got off to an ominous start with the skies opening and rain pouring down, eerily reminiscent of an earlier concert going debacle. Thankfully, the rain stopped, as if coaxed by the uplifting music of the Bob Marley Roots, Rock, Reggae Festival, held this past Sunday at Wolf Trap. But let's face it, even if the rain had continued, it would have had little effect on those at the show, because no one could feel down while listening to music that exudes such joy and sunshine. Unfortunately, the deluge did prevent us from seeing the festival's opening act, local reggae outfit Soldiers of Jah Army, but the remainder of the concert had everyone singing along to some of the most well-known songs ever written. more ›

If you haven’t made the trek out to Wolf Trap lately, consider heading down to Vienna tomorrow night to see the modern dance performed by Paul Taylor Dance Company. more ›

Remember yesterday, when we noted that the Federal Transit Administration's tool for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of transit projects was slightly out of whack? Well, it looks like it's got some company in the "crazy" department, with new FTA regulations that effectively end Metro's ability to operate shuttle buses from stations to highly-traveled destinations. more ›

Once again, the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards nomination list shows that D.C.'s no small potatoes when it comes to touring music. Like last year, the 9:30 Club is nominated for Nightclub of the Year, Wolf Trap's Filene Center is nominated for the Red Rocks small outdoor venue award, and Birchmere's Michael Jawarek is nominated for Nightclub Talent Buyer of the Year. There are a few new additions to our area's nods too. more ›

FRIDAY: >>Great quadruple bill comes to the Rock and Roll Hotel: Three Stars alums Jukebox the Ghost (pictured right) and tour diarists These United States join DCist fave Ra Ra Riot and Sam Champion. All that for the low, low price of $10 before, $12 at the door. Show 9 p.m. >> The Black Cat once again hosts Cryfest, everyone's favorite dance party that pits The Smiths vs. The Cure, brought to you by DJs... more ›

Anyone at Steven Blier's latest Wolf Trap recital this past August likely wanted to hear more from mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke. Washingtonians had that wish fulfilled by Young Concert Artists, who sponsored her Sunday afternoon recital in the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater. Cooke and her excellent associate artist, pianist Pei-Yao Wang, presented an attractive program of relative rareties from the 19th- and 20th-century song repertory to a relatively full house. The concert opened memorably with a... more ›

Without a doubt, the most important event in classical music this week is the opening of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's season. It will be the occasion of the official installation of Marin Alsop as the group's music director, the first woman to hold that position with a major American symphony orchestra. A celebrated champion of contemporary music, particularly by American composers, Maestra Alsop has come into her new job with a full head of steam,... more ›

TUESDAY >>If you like your rock hard, Rock and Roll Hotel is the place to be tonight. Burning Brides, who've been building a fanbase for nearly a decade now on solid riffing and opening slots with big names like A Perfect Circle and Queens of the Stone Age. Locals Wooly Mammoth (pictured) open, along with The Exponentials 8 p.m., $10 advance, $12 door. >> Classic '80s college radio staples Hoodoo Gurus reunited back in 2004,... more ›

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>> The Jets are gonna have their day tonight at Wolf Trap with the first night of a one week stand of the Leonard Bernstein/Steven Sondheim classic West Side Story. The production celebrates the 50th anniversary of the musical. 8 p.m., $18-$55. >> It's a great evening for movies. If the Jim Jarmusch classic we recommended last week isn't quite what you're looking for, then there's also a FREE screening of Butch Cassidy and... more ›

MONDAY >> Three Stars alums The Chance and J. Forté + the Secret Pop Band, D.C.'s favorite lofi power-poppers, are playing a great double-bill (bothThree Stars veterans) at the Black Cat Backstage. 9 p.m. $6. TUESDAY >> Yet another revival of West Side Story comes to Wolf Trap and stays there until Sunday. Apparently it's the 50th anniversary. 8 p.m. with matinée shows at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. $18-68. WEDNESDAY >> The Rock... more ›

FRIDAY: >> In case you missed Chapel Hill's The Old Ceremony (pictured) last time they were in town, they'll be at the Rock and Roll Hotel tonight with Junior League, Unwed Sailor and John Pringle. We've raved in the past about lead singer Django Haskins' Nick Cave-meets-Ben Folds stage presence, and since then we've picked up their 2006 release Our One Mistake. If you can't make the show, we highly suggest giving them a listen... more ›

The doldrums of August are notorious in D.C. - the politicians leave, the lobbyists take vacation, and overtaken by humidity, the city doesn't pulse with as much life as it normally does. The theater world is often no exception, with many houses remaining dark during the month. Luckily, a couple companies are intrepid enough to mount productions regardless, and here are some of the highlights: more ›

>> Fort Reno has Antelope, Scanner Freaks, and OmegaBand tonight, at the usual 7:15 p.m. start time. Check out our Three Stars interview with Scanner Freaks and album review of Antelope for a preview of the show. >> The Bang -- featuring Three Stars veteran Anthony Pirog -- is playing at Wonderland Ballroom with Pilesar and the Quagmire, 10 p.m. >> Former Washington Post writer Jeffrey Frank, now a senior editor at The New... more ›

>> Tonight, jazz veteran and six-time Grammy nominee Mark Murphy pays a visit to Blues Alley for 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets are available online. $25 cover + $10 food/drink minimum. >> Keyboardist Marcus Johnson brings his smooth jazz stylings to Blues Alley for a four night stand beginning Thursday. Sets are at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. $25 cover + $10 food/drink minimum. >> Velvet Lounge will host some not-so-run-of-the-mill improvisation this... more ›

The last time DCist reviewed a Morrissey concert -- in September of 2004 -- the Mighty Mozzer had canceled two shows in California the week before taking the stage at D.A.R. that night. As you might know, Morrissey was forced to postpone four shows last week due to a chest cold, proving once again that the more things change, the more they stay the same. And for Morrissey, that's not a bad thing at all.... more ›

>> We're probably never gonna get a full-blown Fugazi reunion at Fort Reno, but tonight is the closest you could ask for. Tonight's show includes Ian MacKaye and Amy Farina's band The Evens along with Joe Lally. 7:15 p.m., always free. >> Bouncing Ball Theatrical Productions opens their second summer season with a benefit production of Titus, the musical, a punk rock musical adaptation of Shakespeare's play with a similar name, at the Black... more ›