When a band gains momentum at the rate Yeasayer has in the last year, it can become difficult for fans to reconcile why a body of music, once mesmerizing, is now diluted by ubiquity. Even in their new incarnation, the Brooklyn-based psych-pop juggernaut from Baltimore showed why they're still worth fans' time. more ›

Back in the winter of 2008, Yeasayer and MGMT packed the small backstage of the Black Cat. The show was noteworthy for a couple of reasons. First, there was the pre-sale ticket debacle that pissed everyone off, but ultimately taught us that tickets to backstage shows be purchased in advance (so, win?). And second, it was a rare chance to see two bands in a tiny venue who, at that time, were on the very cusp of blowing up. For me, this second point is one of the highlights of concert-going. At those small, early shows, the sound is often unbalanced, the venues are cramped and hot, the band may even be figuring their shit out on the fly, but the experience, the I-was-there-ness of thing, makes it special. In the end, attendance is worth a few peccadillos just to catch a glimpse of that talent which might eventually propel a band to true stardom. more ›

Words and photos by DCist contributor Francis Chung more ›

It's tough being a Yeasayer fan in the District. First, their January show sells out the Black Cat Backstage, prompting shocked fans to start an online movement to get them to play upstairs, prompting shocked DCist staffers into asking just when the Black Cat started selling tickets ahead of time for Backstage shows (answer: about a year ago) and prompting shocked DCist readers into asking...just who is this band, anyway? However, the Brooklyn quartet promised a quick return to a larger stage, offering first dibs to those disgruntled fans who gave their email addresses to the band's promoters, who found out about last night's show a week in advance of the general public. So, the band made its triumphant return to a very full Black Cat Mainstage on the first night of their new tour with Baltimore art-rockers Ponytail. more ›

This business with the Yeasayer concert tomorrow night at Black Cat has gotten a little ridiculous. For those of you who haven't been following it, Yeasayer, an up-and-coming band from New York, scheduled a concert with MGMT for the Black Cat's backstage on Wednesday night, and while you can usually only get tickets to shows in the small room at the door, the venue sold advance tickets to this one and it sold out quickly. more ›

>> Terrific local volunteer organizers Greater DC Cares are hosting a happy hour tonight at Mackey's with what looks to be free or deeply discounted beers provided by sponsor Samuel Adams. 6 to 8 p.m. Non-volunteers welcome to attend and learn more about the organization. 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 ›