When a band gains momentum at the rate Yeasayer has in the last year, it can become difficult for fans to reconcile why a body of music, once mesmerizing, is now diluted by ubiquity. Even in their new incarnation, the Brooklyn-based psych-pop juggernaut from Baltimore showed why they’re still worth fans’ time.

Back in the winter of 2008, Yeasayer and MGMT packed the small backstage of the Black Cat. The show was noteworthy for a couple of reasons. First, there was the pre-sale ticket debacle that pissed everyone off, but ultimately taught us that tickets to backstage shows can be purchased in advance (so, win?). And second, it was a rare chance to see two bands in a tiny venue who, at that time, were on the…

Words and photos by DCist contributor Francis Chung Brooklyn-based four-piece Yeasayer brought their self-described “Middle Eastern-Psych-Pop-Snap-Gospel” to D.C. on Wednesday night, and the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue proved to be an apt setting for their inspired performance. The historic building’s excellent acoustics and top-notch sound system conveyed the nuances of the band’s complex sonic palette. The religious setting also gave the spiritual connotations of the band’s psychedelic drones, tribal beats, incendiary chants, church-choir harmonies,…

It’s tough being a Yeasayer fan in the District. First, their January show sells out the Black Cat Backstage, prompting shocked fans to start an online movement to get them to play upstairs, prompting shocked DCist staffers into asking just when the Black Cat started selling tickets ahead of time for Backstage shows (answer: about a year ago) and prompting shocked DCist readers into asking…just who is this band, anyway? However, the Brooklyn quartet promised…

This business with the Yeasayer concert tomorrow night at Black Cat has gotten a little ridiculous. For those of you who haven’t been following it, Yeasayer, an up-and-coming band from New York, scheduled a concert with MGMT for the Black Cat’s backstage on Wednesday night, and while you can usually only get tickets to shows in the small room at the door, the venue sold advance tickets to this one and it sold out quickly….

>> Terrific local volunteer organizers Greater DC Cares are hosting a happy hour tonight at Mackey’s with what looks to be free or deeply discounted beers provided by sponsor Samuel Adams. 6 to 8 p.m. Non-volunteers welcome to attend and learn more about the organization. >> The Lost Bayou Ramblers bring their Cajun dance music up from Louisiana for a free concert at 6 p.m. at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. >> Black Cat,…

MONDAY >> This ain’t not J-Pop, we swear. If you want good old-fashioned Japanese rock ‘n’ roll (OK, it’s true, we don’t really know what that’s supposed to sound like either), The Captains from some place in Japan (the city name on their MySpace page uses Japanese characters) will drop by The Red & The Black tonight. They will be supported by Sugarcane Crawl, formerly known as Blues Hammer, and D.C.’s The Bourbon Dynasty. 9…