Lizzo headlines U Street Music Hall on Saturday.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29
Roy Woods @ U Street Music Hall. 7 P.M. $20. All ages, accessible venue.
Hailing from Brampton, Ontario, Roy Woods is signed to Drake’s label, OVO Sound. Woods released his debut EP in 2015, which featured the singles “Jealousy” and “Get You Good”. This past July, Woods released his first full-length album, Waking at Dawn, whose first single is “Gwan Big Up Urself”. Woods is more of a singer then rapper, much like The Weeknd, the result being that Woods’ beats are downtempo and dark. He is not a household name like Drake, nor does he have the cult status of PARTYNEXTDOOR, but he is a talented artist at the start of his career.
9:30 Club: Niykee Heaton, DJ Cassanova. 7 P.M. $25. All ages, accessible venue.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30
STRFKR, Gigamesh, Psychic Twin @ 9:30 Club. 7 P.M. $25. All ages, accessible venue.
STRFKR is the project led by Josh Hodges. After a couple of smaller releases, the band signed to Polyvinyl and released their first album, Reptilians, in 2011 . The dance pop band just released its third and most accomplished record yet, Being No One, Going Nowhere. While STRFKR is the headliner and the bigger name, the draw of this show is the opener, Psychic Twin, the synth-pop project of Erin Fein. Fein has released singles in the past, but just released her debut record, Strange Diary, a breezy collection of 80’s-inspired dance tracks.
DC9: Xylouris White, Marisa Anderson. 8:30 P.M. $12. All ages, inaccessible venue.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1
Diana, Mozart’s Sister @ DC9. 8:30 P.M. $12. All ages, inaccessible venue.
Both Diana and Mozart’s Sister are synth-pop bands from Canada, and as far as perfect parings go, this works like no other. Diana released its first album, Perpetual Surrender, in 2013, and this year released the bright house album, Familiar Touch. The transformation of the band between the records is staggering, as Familiar Touch is a stunner. The harmonies are brighter, as evident on the single, “Confession”. Montreal’s Caila Thompson-Hannant is the head of Mozart’s Sister, a band that takes a more avant garde approach to pop music, garnering comparisons to Grimes. Her first album, Being , was released in 2014, and Thompson-Hannant is following it up with Field of Love next February. The lead single, “Angel”, is a vocal workout with Thompson-Hannant showcasing her chameleon-like voice.
Black Cat: Windhand, Ilsa. 7 P.M. $15. All ages, accessible venue.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2
Sløtface, Kid Brother @ DC9. 7 P.M. $12. All ages, inaccessible venue.
Norway’s Sløtface is a 90’s indie rock four-piece formed by vocalist Haley Shea and guitarist Tor-Arne Vikingstad. Originally, the band was named Slutface, but due to social media pressure the band thankfully tweaked changed their name. The group has released two EPs, including its newest, Empire Records, a couple of weeks ago. It is more pop then punk, especially the single, “Take Me Dancing”, but the band still has bite. The group’s music is firmly rooted in pop-punk with lyrics about teenage apathy, going out, and the pains of growing up. Sløtface will release its debut album next year, and if it’s anything like Empire Records, it is sure to be great.
Fillmore Silver Spring: Kip Moore, Jon Pardi. 8 P.M. $35. All ages, accessible venue.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3
Lizzo, DJ Sophia Eris, Dizzy Fae @ U Street Music Hall. 7 P.M. $15. All ages, accessible venue.
Lizzo is a Minneapolis rapper who has been getting traction from the indie rock scene. She has opened for acts like Har Mar Superstar and served as the opener on Sleater-Kinney’s reunion gigs in 2015. Her first album, 2013’s Lizzobangers, was critically acclaimed, as was her 2015 follow up, Big Girl Small World. Lizzo is not just a skilled rapper, but also a singer who can work an infectious pop hook. Her latest EP, Coconut Oil, is her biggest yet and her first on a major label. The single, “Good as Hell”, was also featured on the Barbershop: The Next Cut soundtrack. The EP also features “Phone”, which is Lizzo’s best song yet.
Fillmore Silver Spring: 2 Chainz. 8 P.M. $30. All ages, accessible venue.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4
The Hamilton: Emmylou Harris, Sam Bush, Jon Randall Stewart. 6:30 P.M. $90-$250. All ages, accessible venue.
Lincoln Theatre: Norah Jones. 6:30 P.M. Sold Out. All ages, accessible venue.
