Sturgill Simpson plays DAR Constitution Hall tonight.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11
Sturgill Simpson, Valerie June @ DAR Constitution Hall. 7 p.m. $40. All ages accessible venue.
Sturgill Simpson honors the tradition of Outlaw Country, but puts his own spin on things. Simpson’s first two records, High Top Mountain and Metamodern Sounds in Country Music, were produced with Dave Cobb, who went on to win a Grammy for his work with country superstar Chris Stapleton. On his third album, A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, Simpson self-produced the record. With help from the Daptones, he created a soulful country album unlike anything on mainstream country radio. Simpson has always included covers on his record and this one incudes one of the most inspired takes of Nirvana’s “In Bloom” you will ever hear.
Black Cat: Beach Slang, Bleached, Hunny. 7:30 p.m. $16. All ages, accessible venue.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12
Shura, Den Mate @ Black Cat. 7:30 p.m. $15. All ages, accessible venue.
Queer electronic producer/singer Shura released a few singles in 2014 but took her time to unleash her debut album. A full two years later, she dropped Nothing’s Real, a thirteen track collection of her previously released singles and new songs.Tracks lean towards ’80s influences, like the peppy single, “What’s It Going To Be”, while the title track brings in some ’90s dance influences. Mixed in with her bangers are more introspective songs, such as the first single, “Touch”, and “2Shy.” This is her first show in D.C.
Fillmore Silver Spring: YG. 8 p.m. $26. All ages, accessible venue.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13
Merchandise, Public Memory, Flasher @ DC9. 8 p.m. $15. All ages, inaccessible venue.
Merchandise started as a hardcore punk band from Florida but the sound never stuck. Over the course of five albums, Merchandise moved closer and closer to the sound of The Cure and The Smiths. With this year’s A Corpse Wired for Sound, Merchandise polished their sound even further, but it’s still within the 80’s gloom pop sound, echoing Modern English, Echo and The Bunnymen, and Cocteau Twins. The record is not their best, but it does include two exquisite singles, “Flower of Sex” and “Lonesome Sound.”
U Street Music Hall: Chrome Sparks, Roland Tings, Lance Neptune. 10 p.m. $18. 18+, accessible venue.
Howard Theatre: Blonde Redhead featuring American Contemporary Music Ensemble. 8 p.m. $25. All ages accessible venue.
Teenage Fanclub plays 9:30 Club on Friday.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14
Teenage Fanclub, Skylar Gudasz @ 9:30 Club. 8 p.m. $25. All ages, accessible venue.
Scottish rockers Teenage Fanclub spent the ’80s and early ’90s smoothing out their sound from noisy alternative rock to a more focused guitar pop sound. The band has maintained a democracy over the course of 10 albums, with each of the band’s three songwriters getting a spotlight on respective records. The band’s latest album, Here, doesn’t move the dial on its sound, but does add twelve more expertly crafted songs into a catalog full of gems. From the shimmering “I’m In Love” to “It’s A Sign” and fist-pumper, “The First Sight”, Here is a winner.
Black Cat: Crywolf, She Keeps Bees, Crushnpain. 8 p.m. $15. All ages accessible venue.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15
Comet Ping Pong: Wume, Richard Pinhas, Boat Burning 10 p.m. $12. All ages, accessible venue.
Sixth & I: Allen Stone, King Charles, Moorea Masa 8 p.m. Sold-Out. All ages, accessible venue.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16
Preoccupations, Methyl Ethel, Peeling @ Rock and Roll Hotel. 8 p.m. $18. All ages accessible venue.
Preoccupations had ups and downs in 2015. While it rose to critical acclaim with a debut album under the name, Viet Cong, it also got flack for the moniker. After taking some time to weigh its options, the band changed the name to Preoccupations and soldiered on. Preoccupations’ latest self-titled album is both a second record for the band and a fresh start. The sound has remained intact, nervy post-punk, but this time the vocals have an added dread to them, ramping up the anxiety in the music. Preoccupations is every bit as great as its predecessor, proving it doesn’t matter what a band is called, so long as it can still bring it.
Local Natives, Charlotte Day Wilson @ 9:30 Club. 7 p.m. Sold-Out. All ages, accessible venue.
When Local Natives first came to the scene, its sound took influences from two of the biggest bands in indie rock at the time: Animal Collective and Fleet Foxes. Seven years removed from its debut, Local Natives no longer clings to that formula, but has instead taken on a new skin by adding synthesizers. The result, 2016’s Sunlit Youth, is an apt experiment but doesn’t capture the intensity of earlier records. The songs are still catchy, but there is something missing. Opener Charlotte Day Wilson, on the other hand, is a breath of fresh air. The Toronto based singer/producer’s first release, CDW , has the backroom R&B qualities of Sade. At just six tracks, it is also eminently replay-able. Charlotte Day Wilson’s star is on the rise, and she is sure to wow over those who come early. Sunday’s show might be sold out, but Monday night’s show still has tickets available.
