Bruce Springsteen, shown performing in January at the Verizon Center, returns to Nationals Park on September 1. (Photo by Erica Bruce)
TUESDAY, AUGUST 30
Velvet Lounge: Bells & Hunters, North by North, Hello Dharma, Uptown Boys Choir 7:30 P.M. $8. 18+, inaccessible venue.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31
Banks & Steelz (Paul Banks & RZA) @ 9:30 Club 7 P.M. $25. All ages accessible venue.
Paul Banks, the brooding front man of Interpol, has never shied away from his love of hip-hop. Three years ago, while Interpol was on a break, he released the beat mixtape Everybody On My Dick Like They Supposed To Be, which featured guest verses from Talib Kweli and El-P. Banks is back this time in full collaboration mode with Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA, forming the duo Banks & Steelz. The debut album, Anything But Words, was released this past Friday. While most of the songs are Banks and RZA, there are additional guests like Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine and Wu-Tang associate Ghostface Killa. While laughable on paper, the album actually has a couple of outright bangers. “Speedway Sonora” is the perfect blend of Interpol post-punk and RZA’s dexterous flow. It does veer close to early rap-rock like the pairings on the Judgement Night soundtrack, but Banks centers the track. Some songs fail, but the project is a curious experiment and worth a listen.
Wolf Trap: Boney James, Marsha Ambrosius 8 P.M. $25-$60. All ages accessible venue
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band @ Nationals Park 7:30 P.M. $70-$150. All ages, accessible venue.
The Boss doesn’t need any more words written about his greatness. Only seven months ago, Springsteen played the Verizon Center, and now the same tour returns to Nationals Park. While the first leg saw Springsteen playing his fifth album The River in full, a look at recent setlists sees him mixing things up and playing a more varied selection. While the Verizon show sold-out, there are still tickets left, so grab them quick.
St. Stephen & the Incarnation Episcopal Church: Ayes Cold, the Kominas, Saraswathi Jones, Evilartform, Laughing Man 7:30 P.M. $10. All ages, accessible venue.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
Flume, Basenji, Kenton Slash Demon @ 9:30 Club 7 P.M. Sold Out. All ages, accessible venue.
Australian producer Flume has been on a roll since the release of his self-titled album in 2013. Cresting at the end of the EDM boom, Flume rose to prominence with his hip-hop influenced beats and the sound is now more SBTRK than Skrillex. This year, Flume hit the U.S. hard with his sophomore album, Skin. The lead single, “Never Be Like You”, featuring singer Kai, reached number 20 on the Billboard charts and remains on top 40 playlists. He is soon to make an impact with another single, “Say It”, featuring “Cool Girl” singer Tove Lo. If he can keep it going, I’m sure he can spin another couple of songs off the record to radio. Skin is everything a sophomore album by a rising star needs to be, including more big name collaborators, like Beck, Little Dragon, and Vince Staples. It is no wonder Flume has sold-out two nights at 9:30 Club.
St. Stephen & the Incarnation Episcopal Church: Same, Hemlines, Scanners, Slip Disco 7:30 P.M. $5-$10. All ages, accessible venue.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
Kraftwerk @ Strathmore 6:30 P.M. $48 – $88. All ages, accessible venue.
For the past 47 years Kraftwerk have been innovating music, starting as humans, then becoming robots and finding humanity in machines. The four-piece has one of the most bullet proof run of albums from 1974’s groundbreaking Autobahn to 1981’s Computerworld, setting the template for modern electronic music, electro-pop and pop music. Over the past several years, the band has been playing special 3-D shows with the band performing with projections and the audience wearing the requisite glasses. This is the second time the legendary group is bringing its 3-D show to this area, and it isn’t something to take for granted.
Jiffy Lube Live: Rob Zombie, Korn, In This Moment 6:30 $25-$69.50. All ages, accessible venue.
Wolf Trap: I Love the 90s: Salt-n-Pepa with Spinderella, All-4-One, Color Me Badd, Coolio, Tone Loc, Rob Base, Young MC 7 P.M. $37-$80. All ages, accessible venue.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
Porches, Japanese Breakfast, Rivergazer @ Rock and Roll Hotel 7:30 P.M. $15. All ages, accessible venue.
Aaron Maine, like many artists before him, has taken the leap from bedroom recordings to a studio project. His band, Porches , made the leap with help from a bigger label, Domino, and grander ambitions. His latest album, Pool, is an icy collection of chill-waveish electro-pop songs with strong hooks and borrowed nostalgia. Like Porches, Japanese Breakfast is a one person project turned band led by Michelle Zauner (she also fronts Little Big League). Zauner released her Japanese Breakfast debut, Psychopomp, after moving to Oregon to take care of her ill mother. While Porches specializes in electro-pop, Japanese Breakfast draws from shoegaze and dream pop influences. Both Pool and Psychopomp are two of 2016’s strongest releases and together the two bands will make one hell of a show.
9:30 Club: Diggy Simmons 7 P.M. $25. All ages, accessible venue.
