Rising local rockers, Priests, releases its debut album on Saturday at Black Cat. (photo via Facebook)
TUESDAY, MARCH 7
Slothrust, And the Kids @ Black Cat. 7:30 P.M. $15. All ages, accessible venue.
Brooklyn three piece Slothrust has released three albums since 2012, and last year’s Everyone Else is by far their best. The band draws from 90’s indie rock with singer Leah Wellbaum serving as the gel that holds things together. Slothrust’s songs often build from quiet ruminations to all-out rockers. Slothrust is just as dynamic in person as it is coming out of the speakers.
U Street Music Hall: Mike Doughty, Wheatus. 7 P.M. $25. All ages, accessible venue.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8
Tim Darcy, Molly Burch @ Black Cat. 7:30 P.M. $12. All ages, accessible venue.
A frontman going solo is always a tricky proposition. Solo projects may result in essential material or toss-offs the band didn’t want to include in its discography. Tim Darcy, the singer of the Canadian band Ought, released his debut album, Saturday Night, just last month and is currently on a massive tour to support it. While Darcy’s solo material sounds sounds similar to Ought, the songs are shorter and less knotty. Darcy has a conversational singing voice, but is capable of changes in timbre. Saturday Night is full of experiments, ranging for pop songs to song collages. The experiments don’t always work, but overall the album is charming as hell.
Howard Theatre: Overkill, Nile, Amorphis, Swallow the Sun 7 P.M. $27.50 – $57.50. All ages, accessible venue.
THURSDAY, MARCH 9
Los Campesinos!, Crying, Infinity Crush @ 9:30 Club. 7 P.M. $25. All ages, accessible venue.
Los Campesinos! has been writing and recording songs about depression and despair for over ten years now. You can almost hear the exhaustion in singer Gareth Campesinos!’s voice on the band’s latest single, “5 Flucloxacillin”. Now six albums into its career, the band has released Sick Scenes after a four year break from its last recording. The seven-piece band from Cardiff, Wales has finally released an album that matches the highs of its early work. While the ruminations on depression and self-medication remain to some degree, the songs are generally peppy and aim at making people dance.
Black Cat: Mal Blum & The Blums, The Shondes, Hemlines. 7:30 P.M. $15. All ages, accessible venue.
FRIDAY, MARCH 10
Rock and Roll Hotel: Mae, Owel, The Constellation. 7 P.M. $15. All ages, accessible venue.
9:30 Club: Railroad Earth, Cris Jacobs. 7 P.M. $28. All ages, accessible venue.
SATURDAY, MARCH 11
Priests, Coup Sauvage & The Snips, Atta Girl @ Black Cat. 8 P.M. $16. All ages, accessible venue.
A strong argument could be made that Priests is currently both the best and most important band in D.C.’s rock scene. The band has gotten stronger and stronger since its debut in 2012, growing from local curiosities to a band that can sell out shows in New York and elsewhere in the country. The group has finally released its debut LP, Nothing Feels Natural, on its own Sister Polygon label. Nothing Feels Natural is by far the best thing Priests has done so far. This show serves as a de-facto record release, despite the fact that the album came out over a month ago. Also celebrating a record release is Coup Sauvage & The Snips, who also recently put out its debut, Heirs to Nothing.
Rock and Roll Hotel: Strand of Oaks, Twin Limb.7 P.M. $15. All ages, accessible venue.
SUNDAY, MARCH 12
Cameron Avery, Chase Cohl @ DC9. 8:30 P.M. $15. All ages, inaccessible venue.
When someone thinks of Tame Impala, mastermind Kevin Parker usually springs to mind. The other members not so much. Tame Impala might be Parker’s pet project, but he couldn’t do it without the help of friends, including POND drummer and current Tame Impala bassist Cameron Avery. Avery has been playing as a sideman in bands for a while, but is now stepping out on his own. Avery is set to release his debut album, Ripe Dreams, Pipe Dreams, on Friday. The ten track collection is vastly different from the bands in which he plays. Avery is a crooner in the classic sense. His songs have elements of 60’s soul and early rock & roll, with a dash of Nick Cave-esque swagger.
9:30 Club: Sunn O))), Big|Brave. 7 P.M. $35. All ages, accessible venue.
