Thao Nguyen, a former area resident, performs with her band, The Get Down Stay Down, on Friday at 9:30 Club.
Tuesday
Napalm Death, Melvins, and Melt-Banana @ 9:30 Club 7 P.M. $30. All ages, accessible venue.
Both Napalm Death and Melvins have been releasing records since the 80’s and their paths have crossed on numerous occasions. Napalm Death is one of the strongest grindcore bands in the scene, while Melvins has been mixing styles throughout their career and have remained consistently strong. A full show of Naplam Death and Melvins will definitely not be a quiet one, as each band is sure to turn up the noise.
>>Rock and Roll Hotel: The Subways, Pins 7 P.M. $18. All ages, accessible venue.
>>Black Cat: Burn to Shine 6: Atlanta Screening, Algiers, Sunwolf 7:30 $12. All ages, accessible venue.
Wednesday
Bleached, No Parents @ DC9 8:30 P.M. $14. All ages, inaccessible venue.
Ex-Mika Miko members, sisters Jennifer and Jessica Clavin debuted their new project, Bleached, in 2013. Inspired by the Shangri-Las, Bleached makes surf rock songs with syrupy choruses. The band just released a sophomore record, Welcome the Worms, on April 1st. Instead of retreading the sound on its debut, the band adds louder guitars and louder drums to the mix. The girl-group vocals are still present, but the songs have an harder edge.
>>9:30 Club: The Joy Formidable, Everything Everything 7 P.M. $25. All ages, accessible venue.
Thursday
Eleanor Friedberger, Icewater, The Duskwhales @ U Street Music Hall 6:30 P.M. $15. All ages, accessible venue.
Now three records removed from her time in Fiery Furnaces, Eleanor Friedberger has proven herself as one of the finest lyricists working today. On Freidberger’s latest album, New View, the songs are less about the minute details and more personal, a seeming continuation from her previous album, Personal Record. Freidberger mines 60’s and 70’s AM pop radio styles for her tracks while staying influenced by modern sounds as well.
>>Songbyrd Music House & Record Café: Janel & Anthony, Kokayi, Louis Weeks, DJ Ayes Cold, Capitol Movement Dance Co 7 P.M. $10. ll ages, inaccessible venue.
Friday
Chairlift, Olga Bell @ Black Cat 9 P.M. $15.All ages, accessible venue.
Chairlift has come a long way from sound-tracking an iPod commercial with its minor hit, “Bruises”. The band lost a member and refocused to make its best record yet, 2012’s Something. Something doubled down on pop-hooks and dancefloor-ready songs. With this year’s Moth, Chairlift proves it is capable of writing some of the catchiest earworms you’ll hear. The ten-song set is stacked with them, for example, the pulsing “Romeo” and the horn-infused “Polymorphing”. Moth is one of the best records of the year, and though the band is big in indie circles, it is nice to see them playing Black Cat versus any of the bigger venues in the area.
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, Saintseneca, Little Scream @ 9:30 Club 8 P.M. $20 All ages, accessible venue.
For a time, Thao Nguyen was a highlight of the D.C. rock scene. The former Falls Church resident released one album while a local, but like many area musicians, she moved elsewhere only for her star to rise. While D.C. likes to keep its talent, Nguyen’s music only got better after her move. This year, Nguyen released her best record yet, A Man Alive, produced by Merril Garbus of tUnE-yArDs. While Nguyen has always had a folk bent, A Man Alive is her most rock record to date. Her tour mates, Columbus, OH folk band Saintseneca and now-electronic pop singer Little Scream are a perfect fit, making for one of the best three band bills currently on tour.
>>U Street Music Hall: L1ef, TT The Artist 7 P.M. $15. All ages, accessible venue.
>>Rock and Roll Hotel: Yuck, Big Thief, Bad Moves 8 P.M. $15. All ages, accessible venue.
Saturday
>>Comet Ping Pong: Tacocat, Boyfriends, Homosuperior 10 P.M. $12. All ages, accessible venue.
>>9:30 Club: The Feelies 8 P.M. $25. All ages, accessible venue.
>>Rock and Roll Hotel: Small Black, Bayonne 8 P.M. $14. All ages, accessible venue.
Sunday
>>Black Cat: Har Mar Superstar, High Waisted 7:30 P.M. $15. All ages, accessible venue.
