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Music & Concerts

FALL ARTS 2016: Strike up the band

Etheridge, Tegan and Sara, Stevie Nicks and more on fall concert slate

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concert, gay news, Washington Blade

Tegan and Sara play the 9:30 Club Nov. 6-7. (Photo by Derek Wood, courtesy NYLON)

After a summer of amazing live musical options in the D.C. area, this fall offers another great slate of live music options. Here are some of the notable artists who will be performing in the D.C. area in the coming months.

One of the biggest shows of the fall will undoubtedly be AC/DC featuring Axl Rose on vocals at the Verizon Center (601 F St., N.W.) on Saturday, Sept. 17. T

The revival of reunited ā€˜90s alternative bands continues when Lush hits the 9:30 Club on Wednesday, Sept. 21 (815 V St., N.W.). The mood shifts dramatically two nights later when funk pioneers George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic roll through the 9:30 Club on Sept. 23. The same night, superstar comedian and actress Amy Schumer will take the stage at the Verizon Center.

Openly gay band Pansy Division, founded by guitarist/singer Jon Ginoli and bassist/singer Chris Freeman in 1991, will be at Hill Country (410 7th St., N.W.) on Sept. 22.

concerts, gay news, Washington Blade

Pansy Division will be at Hill Country on Sept. 22. (Photo courtesy the band)

Latin/pop singer Marc AnthonyĀ will play EagleBank Arena (4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax, Va.) on Sept. 30.

The All Things Go Fall Classic is a festival to be held on Oct. 8 at the Yards Park (355 Water St., S.E.), with headliners Passion Pit (featuring openly gay lead singer Michael Angelakos) and Empire of the Sun, along with local bands like Buredo, Shake Shake, Takorean and others.

October leads off with some heavy hitters shaking the foundations of the 9:30 Club. Bastille plays Oct. 2 followed by a rare opportunity to see supergroup Green Day in an intimate setting on Oct. 3, indie favorites Warpaint on Oct. 4 and veteran rockers Taking Back Sunday on Oct. 5.

Against Me!, led by transgender vocalist Laura Jane Grace, will bring its hard-rocking vibe to the Fillmore (8656 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, Md.) on Oct. 6 along with alternative rock titans Bad Religion.

The Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) will host electronic duo Crystal Castles on Oct. 8.

Legendary stage diva Patti LuPone plays two night at the Barns at Wolf Trap (1635 Trap Rd., Vienna, Va.; wolftrap.org) Oct. 7-8 with her show ā€œDonā€™t Monkey With Broadway.ā€

British superstar Adele will electrify fans at the Verizon Center for two nights on Oct. 10-11.

Electronic music pioneer DJ Ā Shadow will be at 9:30 Club on Oct. 13, with ā€˜90s alternative rockers Teenage Fanclub playing the following night.

Popular indie-pop/electronic group Chvrches will play two nights at Echostage (2135 Queens Chapel Rd., N.E.), Oct. 17-18.

Queen of Bounce Big Freedia hits the Howard Theater (620 T St., N.W.). on Oct. 18.

Legendary LGBT icon Melissa Etheridge returns to D.C. for a show at Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.) on Oct. 19.

On the same night Sia will bring her current tour to the Verizon Center.

The edgy South African rap combo Die Antwoord play Echostage on Oct. 23.

Drag comedian Bianca Del Rio hits Lincoln Theatre three days later, on Oct. 22 and lesbian artist Tig Notaro plays the same venue on Oct. 27. Also on Oct. 27th, a must-see show by the celebrated lesbian duo Indigo Girls will take place at Rams Head Live (20 Market Pl., Baltimore).

November brings a remarkably diverse and impressive group of artists to the D.C. area. The month starts with the acclaimed alternative/folk singer/songwriter Suzanne Vega at Birchmere (3701 Mt Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Va.) on Nov. 1. The ultra hot British pop/rockers Foals will play Echostage on Nov. 3.

Two R&B heavyweights, Maxwell and Mary J. Blige, will grace the stage of the Verizon Center on Nov. 6.

Legendary gospel diva Sandi Patty has embarked on ā€œForever Grateful ā€” the Farewell Tour,ā€ and she will stop in D.C. on Nov. 6 at Sligo Seventh-Day Adventist Church (7700 Carroll Avenue, Takoma Park, Md.).

The ever-popular lesbian duo Tegan and Sara will hit the 9:30 Club for two nights on Nov. 6-7.

One of the hottest bands of recent years, Grouplove, will play Echostage on Nov. 9.

Lesbian country singer Brandy Clark plays Birchmere on Nov. 10.

Electro-pop superduo Pet Shop Boys return for one of the seasonā€™s most highly-anticipated shows Nov. 11 at the Warner Theater (513 13th St., N.W.).

An amazing double bill featuring the Pretenders and Stevie Nicks is at the Verizon Center on Nov. 14 will be one of the yearā€™s most exciting shows.

Country legend Loretta Lynn will be at Lincoln Theatre on Nov. 19.

Lesbian comedian Suzanne Westenhoefer will entertain fans at the Birchmere on the same night.

Acclaimed singer/songwriter Patty Griffin is also visiting Birchmere, on Nov. 21.

Two outstanding R&B artists take the Warner Theatre stage on Nov. 25 ā€” Lalah Hathaway and Musiq Soulchild.

Popular indie-rockers STRFKR stops by the 9:30 Club on Nov. 30.

After about seven years of touring with (pretty much) the same set list, Diana Ross is finally switching things up. Sheā€™ll perform three nights Dec. 1-3 at the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra Pops under the direction of Conductor Steven Reineke.

December begins with the sweet mellow vibe of Norah Jones for two nights (Dec. 2-3) at the Warner Theatre.

Folk/pop mainstay Dar Williams will be at Birchmore on Ā Dec. 2.

Local electronic music pioneers Thievery Corporation return to the 9:30 Club on Dec. 15.

John Waters, one of the great filmmakers of our generation and a gay icon, will appear at the Birchmere on Dec. 20.

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Music & Concerts

Musical icons and newer stars to rock D.C. this spring

Brandi Carlile, Bad Bunny, Nicki Minaj, and more headed our way

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Brandi Carlile plays the Anthem this month.

Bands and solo artists of all different genres are visiting D.C. this spring. Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight will team up to perform at the Wolf Trap in June, and girl in red will play at the Anthem in April. Some artists and bands arenā€™t paying a visit until the summer, like Janet Jackson and Usher, but there are still plenty of acts to see as the weather warms up. 

MARCH 

Brandi Carlile plays at the Anthem on March 21; Arlo Parks will perform at 9:30 Club on March 23; Girlschool will take the stage at Blackcat on March 28.

APRIL 

Nicki Minaj stops in D.C. at Capital One Arena as part of her North American tour on April 1; Bad Bunny plays at Capital One Arena on April 9 as part of his Most Wanted tour; girl in red performs at the Anthem on April 20 and 21; Brandy Clark plays at the Birchmere on April 25; Laufey comes to town to play at the Anthem on April 25 and 26. 

MAY 

Belle and Sebastian play at the Anthem on May 2; Chastity Belt performs at Blackcat on May 4; Madeleine Peyroux stops at the Birchmere on May 5; The Decemberists play at the Anthem on May 10; the rock band Mannequin Pussy performs at the Atlantis on May 17 and 18; Hozier plays at Merriweather Post Pavilion on May 17 as part of the Unreal Unearth tour. 

JUNE 

Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight will sing soulful melodies at Wolf Trap on June 8; Joe Jackson performs at the Lincoln Theatre on June 10; the Pixies and Modest Mouse are teaming up to play at Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 14; Maggie Rogers plays at Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 16 as part of The Donā€™t Forget Me tour; Brittany Howard headlines the Out & About Festival at Wolf Trap on June 22; Sarah McLachlan plays at Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 27; Alanis Morissette performs at Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 29 and 30

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Music & Concerts

Grammys: Queer women and their sisters took down the house

Taylor Swift won Album of the Year

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When the late, great Ruth Bader Ginsburg was asked when there will be enough women on the Supreme Court, her answer was simple: Nine. She stated: “I say when there are nine, people are shocked. But there’d been nine men, and nobody’s ever raised a question about that.” RBG did not attend the Grammyā€™s last night, but her spirit sure did. Women, at long last, dominated, ruled and killed the night.

Cher, in song a decade ago, declared that ā€œthis is a womanā€™s world,ā€ but there was little evidence that was true, Grammy, and entertainment awards, speaking. In 2018, the Grammys were heavily criticized for lack of female representation across all categories and organizersā€™ response was for women to ā€œstep up.ā€

Be careful what you wish for boys.

The biggest star of the 2024 Grammys was the collective power of women. They made history, they claimed legacy and they danced and lip sang to each otherā€™s work. Standing victorious was Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, SZA (the most nominated person of the year), Lainey Wilson, Karol G, boygenius, Kylie Minogue and Victoria MonĆ©t. Oh, yes, and powerhouse Taylor Swift, the superstar from whom Fox News cowers in fear, made history to become the first performer of any gender to win four Best Album of the Year trophies.

In the throng of these powerful women stand a number of both LGBTQ advocates and queer identifying artists. Cyrus has identified as pansexual, SZA has said lesbian rumors ā€œainā€™t wrong,ā€ Phoebe Bridgers (winner of four trophies during the night, most of any artist) is lesbian, MonĆ©t is bi and Eilish likes women but doesnā€™t want to talk about it. Plus, ask any queer person about Swift or Minogue and you are likely to get a love-gush.

Women power was not just owned by the lady award winners. There were the ladies and then there were the Legends. The first Legend to appear was a surprise. Country singer Luke Combs has a cross-generational hit this year with a cover of Tracy Chapmanā€™s “Fast Car.” When originally released, the song was embraced as a lesbian anthem. When performing “Fast Car,” surprise, there was Chapman herself, singing the duet with Combs. The rendition was stunning, sentimental and historic.

Chapman, like many of the nightā€™s female dignitaries, has not been public with her sexuality. Author Alice Walker has spoken of the two of them being lovers, however.

The legend among legends of the night, however, was the one and only Joni Mitchell. Not gay herself, she embodies the concept of an LGBTQ icon, and was accompanied by the very out Brandi Carlile on stage. On her website, Mitchellā€™s statement to the LGBTQ community reads, “The trick is if you listen to that music and you see me, you’re not getting anything out of it. If you listen to that music and you see yourself, it will probably make you cry and you’ll learn something about yourself and now you’re getting something out of it.”

Mitchell performed her longtime classic “Both Sides Now.” The emotion, insight and delivery from the now 80-year old artist, survivor of an aneurism, was nothing short of profound. (To fully appreciate the nuance time can bring, check out the YouTube video of a Swift lookalike Mitchell singing the same song to Mama Cass and Mary Travers in 1969.) In this latest rendition, Mitchell clearly had an impact on Meryl Streep who was sitting in the audience. Talk about the arc of female talent and power.

That arc extended from a todayā€™s lady, Cyrus, to legend Celine Dion as well. Cyrus declared Dion as one of her icons and inspirations early in the evening. Dion appeared, graceful and looking healthy, to present the final, and historic, award of the night at the end of the show.

Legends did not even need to be living to have had an effect on the night. Tributes to Tina Turner and Sinead Oā€™Conner by Oprah, Fantasia Barrino-Taylor and Annie Lennox respectively, proved that not even death could stop these women. As Lennox has musically and famously put it, ā€œSisters are doing it for themselves.ā€

Even the content of performances by todayā€™s legends-in-the-making spoke to feminine power. Eilish was honored for, and performed “What Was I Made For?,” a haunting and searching song that speaks to the soul of womanhood and redefinition in todayā€™s fight for gender rights and expression, while Dua Lipa laid down the gauntlet for mind blowing performance with her rendition of “Houdini” at the top of the show, Cyrus asserted the power of her anthem “Flowers” and pretty much stole the show.

Cyrus had not performed the song on television before, and only three times publicly. She declared in her intro that she was thrilled over the business numbers the song garnered, but she refused to let them define her. As she sang the hit, she scolded the audience, ā€œyou guys act like you donā€™t know the words to this song.ā€ Soon the woman power of the room was singing along with her, from Swift to Oprah.

They can buy themselves flowers from now on. They donā€™t need anyone else. Cyrus made that point with the mic drop to cap all mic drops, ā€œAnd I just won my first Grammy!ā€ she declared as she danced off stage.

Even the squirmiest moment of the night still did not diminish the light of women power, and in fact, underscored it. During his acceptance of the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, Jay-Z had a bone to pick with the Grammy voters. He called out the irony that his wife BeyoncĆ© had won more Grammys than any other human, but had never won the Best Album of the Year. Yeah, whatā€™s with that?

But then, it brought additional context ultimately to the fact that the winner of the most Grammys individually ā€¦ is a woman. And to the fact that the winner of the most Best Album of the Year awards ā€¦ is a woman.

Hopefully this was the night that the Grammys ā€œgot it.ā€ Women are the epicenter of The Creative Force.

Will the other entertainment awards get it soon as well? We can hope.

Most importantly, in a political world where womenā€™s healthcare is under siege. Will the American voters get it?

A little known band named Little Mix put it this way in their 2019 song ā€œA Womanā€™s World.ā€

ā€œIf you can’t see that it’s gotta change
Only want the body but not the brains
If you really think that’s the way it works
You ain’t lived in a woman’s world

Just look at how far that we’ve got
And don’t think that we’ll ever stopā€¦ā€

From Grammyā€™s mouth to the worldā€™s ear.

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Music & Concerts

Janet Jackson returning to D.C, Baltimore

‘Together Again Tour’ comes to Capital One Arena, CFG Bank Arena

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Janet Jackson is coming back to D.C. this summer.

Pop icon Janet Jackson announced this week an extension of her 2023 ā€œTogether Again Tour.ā€ A new leg of the tour will bring Jackson back to the area for two shows, one at D.C.ā€™s Capital One Arena on Friday, July 12 and another at Baltimoreā€™s CFG Bank Arena on Saturday, July 13.  

Tickets are on sale now via TicketMaster. LiveNation announced the 2023 leg of the tour consisted of 36 shows, each of which was sold out. The 2024 leg has 35 stops planned so far; R&B star Nelly will open for Jackson on the new leg. 

Jackson made the tour announcement Tuesday on social media: ā€œHey u guys! By popular demand, weā€™re bringing the Together Again Tour back to North America this summer with special guest Nelly! Itā€™ll be so much fun!ā€

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