Give your allergies a break and duck into your favorite local music venue this month. We’re not fooling you: April’s concert calendar includes a barrier-breaking kora player, your favorite former Disney Channel duo, and one of Mexico’s most legendary bands.  

BRAXTON COOK: Braxton Cook’s love of music started with his father, whose jazz and soul records profoundly shaped a young Cook as he grew up in D.C. He started playing the saxophone at age 5, and the instrument followed him through college — first at Georgetown University and then at Juilliard, where he transferred to study jazz. Cook’s sax playing and singing have brought him collaborations with Mac Miller and Rihanna, and even landed him a spot on Taylor Swift’s record-breaking album Midnights. See the hometown hero at Songbyrd in support of his ambitious nu jazz record, Who Are You When No One is Watching? (Songbyrd Music House; Wednesday, April 12; $15+)

ALY & AJ: If you didn’t get the message from “Potential Breakup Song (Explicit),” Aly & AJ have grown up. The sisters are former Disney Channel stars, where they wrote infectious pop songs for movie soundtracks (including Cow Belles, which they also starred in). After a decade-long hiatus, Aly & AJ returned to music with Ten Years, the 2018 album that kicked off a new phase of their career. Their latest work harkens back to sunny tunes from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, an affinity they hinted at in Disney-era covers of “Do You Believe in Magic?” and “Walking on Sunshine.” This month, dance along to Aly & AJ songs you already love — and the songs you might fall in love with. (Fillmore Silver Spring; Saturday, April 15; $35) 

U.S. GIRLS: Bless This Mess is a fitting name for the latest album from Meg Remy, who performs as U.S. Girls. The record explores all sorts of messes: online dating, real estate markets, the challenges of modern motherhood and existential dread, generally. If that sounds depressing, take a listen — the music sounds anything but. U.S. Girls has garnered a devoted following for critiques of capitalism and society wrapped in glossy, danceable production. Bless This Mess might be her danciest record yet. (Union Stage; Tuesday, April 18; $20) 

MANÁ: That’s right: The Maná show isn’t sold out yet. Mexico’s legendary rock band needs no introduction, but here’s one anyway. Formed in 1986, it was 1992 album ¿Dónde Jugarán Los Niños? that cemented Maná as an unstoppable force in Latin America and around the world. Featuring “Oye Mi Amor” and “Vivir Sin Aire,” the album became the best-selling Spanish-language rock album of all time. Their latest record, 2015’s Cama Incendida, continues their progressive rock tradition, upgrading it with fresh production and a Shakira collaboration. (Capital One Arena; Friday, April 21; $125+) 

SCARY POCKETS: What if “Clocks” by Coldplay was a funk song with a wicked bass line? That’s the sort of question Scary Pockets likes to ask, and answer, on their popular YouTube channel. The Los Angeles-based band features musicians Ryan Lerman and Jack Conte, along with a rotating cast of characters who temporarily join the band to transform everything from “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls to “Party in the U.S.A.” by Miley Cyrus into funky symphonies. The collective comes to the 9:30 Club this month — see what transformation they’ll take on next.  (9:30 Club; Friday, April 21; $25) 

SONA JOBARTEH: Sona Jobarteh has some stories to tell you. The English-Gambian multi-instrumentalist belongs to one of West Africa’s five principal kora-playing griot (storyteller) families, and is the first professional woman griot-player to come from one of them. Jobarteh first performed music publicly when she was just 4. In the three decades since, she has perfected her playing of the kora, a 21-stringed harp-like instrument. She’s released original albums, scored numerous movies, and has continued her family’s rich storytelling tradition. (Howard Theatre; Monday, April 24; $35+)

SOFIANE PAMART: Sofiane Pamart isn’t your grandmother’s classical pianist. Though the French composer is classically trained and well-versed in the Beethovens and Mozarts of the world, he’s made a name for himself as something of a classical rebel. In addition to his inventive solo work, Pamart has become a go-to pianist for French rappers, providing melodies for the country’s hip-hop scene. His dark, poetic repertoire has made him one of the most streamed classical artists in the world. This month, he brings his music stateside. (Miracle Theatre; Tuesday, April 25; $25)

SUZANNE VEGA: She may be a folk singer-songwriter, but Suzanne Vega is best known for a dance track. “Tom’s Diner,” a 1982 song by Vega, was the basis for a 1990 remix by DNA that became an international sensation. If you don’t know “Tom’s Diner,” you probably know “Luka,” Vega’s pop ballad about child abuse. But the Californian’s songwriting talents run much deeper than those two hits. Since the ‘80s, Vega has created a prolific collection of folk-pop songs that tell stories marked by wisdom. See the hits and the deep cuts at the Birchmere, where Vega promises to bring an “intimate evening of songs and stories.” (The Birchmere; Wednesday, April 26; $55) 

TOMBERLIN: I don’t know who needs to hear this … but Tomberlin is playing at DC9 this month. Born Sarah Beth Tomberlin, the 27-year-old songwriter turned heads with 2018’s At Weddings and 2020’s Projections. Her second album, i don’t know who needs to hear this… landed in 2022 into eager ears and garnered immense critical acclaim. The lowercase experimental folk project is a lush, vulnerable dive into Tomberlin’s inner world, including her complicated relationship to her devout Baptist upbringing. (DC9 Nightclub; Friday, April 28; $18) 

LOCALS ONLY: Oh He Dead (The Birchmere; Saturday, April 15; $29.50), Prakriti Deuja (Jammin Java; Saturday, April 22; $20), Dupont Brass (Songbyrd Music House; Sunday, April 23; $20+), rum.gold (Union Stage; Tuesday, April 25; $18+), Langston Hughes II (Kennedy Center; Saturday, April 29; FREE)

SOLD OUT, CHECK STUBHUB: Yaya Bey (Songbyrd Music House; Thursday, April 6), Ella Mai (Echostage; Saturday, April 8), Coco & Clair Clair (Union Stage; Wednesday, April 12), Shygirl (9:30 Club; Wednesday, April 12), Trevor Hall (The Birchmere; Thursday, April 13;), Lil Wayne (Fillmore Silver Spring; Tuesday, April 18), Saint Motel (9:30 Club; Wednesday, April 26), Lizzy McAlpine (9:30 Club; Thursday, April 27 and Friday, April 28), Peter Cat Recording Co. (Songbyrd Music House; Friday, April 28)