There was only one point during Sondre Lerche’s set at the 9:30 Club last night that could be classified as flat. However, rather than demonstrate weakness, that single moment — “one of the first decent songs I ever wrote,” in the performer’s own words — highlighted how much Lerche has continued to grow and impress from Faces Down through his new self-titled effort.

Beach Fossils‘ show at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage Saturday evening was a short, low-key affair. Done in 45 minutes, lead singer Dustin Payseur skipped any banter with the crowd or jamming between songs, quietly saying a simple “thanks” to the crowd as the band headed offstage.

I think what I’ve always liked about Raphael Saadiq was clear as soon as I got to the 9:30 Club last night: each person in last night’s sold-out crowd had a different story, but each had a reason to buy a ticket. Around me I could hear talk of his history in the 90s with Tony! Toni! Tone! but up on the club’s video screen was the cover of Stone Rollin’ ,the solo album he released this month, and it was through Stone Rollin’ and other solo efforts like The Way I See It that I got to know him.

I think what I’ve always liked about Raphael Saadiq was clear as soon as I got to the 9:30 Club last night: each person in last night’s sold-out crowd had a different story, but each had a reason to buy a ticket. Around me I could hear talk of his history in the 90s with Tony! Toni! Tone! but up on the club’s video screen was the cover of Stone Rollin’ ,the solo album he released this month, and it was through Stone Rollin’ and other solo efforts like The Way I See It that I got to know him.

It is a rare crowd that will shush themselves when a performer takes the stage, but Sharon Van Etten’s faithful did at the Red Palace last night, supporting the singer-songwriter through the final night of an eight-week tour.

It is a rare crowd that will shush themselves when a performer takes the stage, but Sharon Van Etten’s faithful did at the Red Palace last night, supporting the singer-songwriter through the final night of an eight-week tour.

The week in music around the D.C. area, including the first anniversary of U Street Music Hall, the return of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, the legendary Loretta Lynn, and more.

White Rabbits lived together in a Brooklyn loft for a time (yeah, all six of them), writing and practicing their music whenever the mood struck. Perhaps the roommate bond is where their onstage chemistry springs from, enabling them to easily trade instruments onstage, even allowing them to cover for their bassist while he takes a bathroom break, then laugh at him while he admits to the audience that his break was rather poorly timed.

Or maybe this is just an exceptional band.

One spin of last August’s Catching A Tiger demonstrates that Lissie is a girl worth knowing. It would be easy to think, given the emotional rock-country roots of the album, that dragging Kid Cudi (and occasionally Lady Gaga) along for the ride would be a disastrous detour from success. On Sunday at the 9:30 Club, the Illinois native did just that, and proved her mystifying range to be one of her biggest assets.

One spin of last August’s Catching A Tiger demonstrates that Lissie is a girl worth knowing. It would be easy to think, given the emotional rock-country roots of the album, that dragging Kid Cudi (and occasionally Lady Gaga) along for the ride would be a disastrous detour from success. On Sunday at the 9:30 Club, the Illinois native did just that, and proved her mystifying range to be one of her biggest assets.