Allthebestkids (Photo by Maryjo Mattea)

A hip-hop/disco group with a horn section and an enthusiasm for confetti. A hard-rock drummer who used to have a band crush on Avril Lavigne. A pop-rock quintet that may be on the verge of stardom. And wait—there’s more.

This Saturday, the 9:30 Club—which has nationally recognized artists such as Toro y Moi, Cam and Liz Phair currently on its roster—lends its weight to a handful of local bands and two singer-songwriters in a nod to local musicians. At the second annual DC Music Rocks Festival, hosted by the DC Music Rocks radio show and podcast, ticketholders can discover fresh, local talent as well as support Girls Rock! DC, a decade-old music-enrichment nonprofit geared toward girls as well as trans and nonbinary youth.

So are any of these bands your speed? We reached out to them via email to learn a bit about their sound and their backstory. Here’s your cheat sheet:

Allthebestkids
Take the Black Eyed Peas and add some disco and a horn section, and you’ve got D.C.-based Allthebestkids. Their highly danceable “Redlights” is one of the best tracks off debut album Go Out with a Bang, which also dabbles in hard rock. But disco is where 9-piece Allthebestkids excels. Led by rapper Cody Valentine—who has an affinity for custom-made metallic outfits—the 6-year-old band includes musicians from all over, including Georgia, Texas, and Colombia. The band’s full name is Allthebestkids Have Mental Breakdowns, says Valentine, who dreamed up the name after watching artists such as Britney Spears and the late Michael Jackson get publicly excoriated for struggling with personal issues.
Random Trivia: The band was part of a tribute concert to The Notorious B.I.G. at the Howard Theatre in 2014.
About To Be Released: the EP Have Mental Breakdowns on Sept. 1
See Them Next At: Sept. 8, Culturefest (W. Va.); Sept. 14, Dupont Underground; Sept 23, D.C. State Fair

Black Dog Prowl (Photo by Julian Bregnard)

Black Dog Prowl
Think metal is passe? Think again. Silver Spring-based band Black Dog Prowl has been churning out pure metal bangers since 2009. The band claims Soundgarden, Nirvana, and Fu Manchu among its influences, and has released five albums and EPs since its inception.
Random Trivia: Guitarist Pablo Anton makes “the meanest Mexican breakfast,” says drummer Enzo Ferroggiaro, who claims to have once had a crush on Avril Lavigne—or rather, on her music.
About To Be Released: EP in the fall whose working name is Fine Lousy State
See Them Next At: Oct. 6-7, ForceFest in Mexico, performing by the pyramids of Teotihuacan with a lineup that includes Alice in Chains, System of a Down, Stone Temple Pilots, and Rob Zombie

Fellowcraft (Photo by Alec Berry, Roxplosion)

Fellowcraft
The electrified blues-country fusion of Fellowcraft’s “The West Texas Blues” feels both exhilarating and a bit dangerous, like throwing back that first shot of tequila (that’s perhaps lit on fire). Formed in 2014, the threesome rehearses under the stairs of a D.C. condo “like Harry Potter would have if he had a band,” says (angry) Rob Thomas-sounding guitarist and vocalist JR MacDonald. The group borrows its name from a Freemason term for a “craftsman longing to perfect their trade,” MacDonald says. They seem like they’re on their way.
Random Trivia: MacDonald Served in the Air Force for 10 years, Brandon Williams (bassist) performs musical theater, and Brian Nelson (drums) spends many weekends on a boat.
About To Be Released: an LP Three in September
See Them Next At: Aug. 31, Roofers Union; Sept. 20, Hill Country; Sept. 22, Clarendon Day

Kid Brother
Kid Brother is one of those bands that might just blow up, and soon. The Leesburg, Va. pop-rock quintet that’s barely 2 years old has absolutely produced a hit-worthy single in “Good News,” off their debut album, Baltimore Street Rat. Key line? “Hallelujah, gotta tell it to ya—all my friends are cool and I’m such a fucking loser.” Keep these guys on your playlists and your radar.
Random Trivia: “Good News” brought them victory in an international songwriting competition last year.
See Them Next At: Sept. 21, JamBrew

(Photo by Chip Py)

Pebble to Pearl
It’s totally cliche to refer to a singer’s “powerhouse vocals,” but it’s warranted here. Pebble to Pearl’slead singer, Dari J (who, like the rest of the band, performs under a stage name to maintain privacy) sings with a range, volume, and tenacity on level 10 in “Come and Get It,” a funky dance song that starts out with a Doobie Brothers-style intro. The six-member group, which rehearses in Dulles, Va., also demonstrates some instrumental virtuosity (notably Araya on keys) and released its self-titled debut EP earlier this year.
Random Trivia: Genny Jam (guitarist) has toured with Salt-N-Pepa, Araya is a direct descendant of Ethiopian royalty, and Dari J is a dog trainer and behaviorist.
See Them Next At: Sept. 1, Harrington Casino

Adding a new flavor to the festival this year are two local singer-songwriters, the winners of a festival-organized Facebook contest that asked community members to nominate and vote on their favorites. Below, the victors:

Maryjo Mattea

On “We Were Here,” a very Jill Sobule-sounding Maryjo Mattea sings “The laughter and the cheer, the omnipresent tears—we all get knocked down but we keep on dancing.” The D.C.-based vocalist and guitarist cites Alanis Morissette and the Beatles as musical influences and performs both solo and in several bands, including rock duo Two Dragons and a Cheetah and dreampop outfit Color Palette.
Random Trivia: Mattea has a Ph.D. and is a social scientist, as well as a licensed Zumba instructor.
About To Be Released: an EP The Other Side in fall or winter
See Her Next At: Sept. 29, The Ugly Mug; Oct. 25, Pie Shop (with Color Palette)

Justin Shapiro (Photo by Jonny Grave)

Justin Shapiro
D.C. resident Justin Shapiro says he has seen the Dave Matthews Band 35 times, an influence you can detect in the laid-back, feel-good vibe of his debut album, Campfire Party. Performing at the 9:30 Club, Shapiro says, is “a dream come true.”
Random Trivia: Shapiro says he used to sit in with local bands when he was in high school, and has one song, “Inspiration Nation,” on the Digital Radio Tracker charts.
See Him Next At: Aug. 25, Crooked Crab Brewing Co.; Sept. 1, Dogwood Tavern; Sept. 7, Jackpot

Doors open for the DC Music Rocks Festival on Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15.