Click Track: In today's Post


Posted at 04:13 PM ET, 02/21/2012

In today’s Post: Sleigh Bells, the Chieftans, Grimes
By Click Track
Notable new albums this week.

By Click Track  |  04:13 PM ET, 02/21/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Sleigh Bells, The Chieftans, Grimes

Posted at 11:00 AM ET, 02/07/2012

Dierks Bentley, on a role with “Home”
By Chris Richards

By Chris Richards  |  11:00 AM ET, 02/07/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Dierks Bentley

Posted at 03:10 PM ET, 02/03/2012

Sharon Van Etten, simply moving on
By Click Track
Singer-songwriter has her most varied album yet with “Tramp”

By Click Track  |  03:10 PM ET, 02/03/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Sharon Van Etten

Posted at 10:46 AM ET, 01/20/2012

In today’s Post: Real Estate’s Garden State of mind
By David Malitz
Home is where the heart (and inspiration) is for these New Jersey rockers.

By David Malitz  |  10:46 AM ET, 01/20/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Real Estate

Posted at 11:20 AM ET, 01/06/2012

Beauty Pill gives studio art new meaning
By David Malitz
The local band’s Immersive Ideal project continues this weekend at Artisphere.

By David Malitz  |  11:20 AM ET, 01/06/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post, Local news | Tags:  Beauty Pill

Posted at 01:57 PM ET, 12/28/2011

He’s jazzed — Jason Moran’s mission is to promote the “arts as part of the American diet”
By Matt Schudel
In the latest confirmation of Moran’s rising cultural stature, the Kennedy Center last month named him its new artistic adviser for jazz.

By Matt Schudel  |  01:57 PM ET, 12/28/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Jason Moran

Posted at 11:59 AM ET, 12/15/2011

Gary Clark Jr. — The blues in the bright lights
By Chris Richards
Blues guitarist Gary Clark Jr. is poised to be one of the breakout stars of 2012.

By Chris Richards  |  11:59 AM ET, 12/15/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post

Posted at 09:57 AM ET, 12/12/2011

Justin Bieber sings for Obama; Rodney Atkins headlines WMZQ Winter Fest; “Jazz Piano Christmas” returns to Kennedy Center
By Click Track
There was a whole lotta fa-la-la-la-la-ing in Washington this weekend.

By Click Track  |  09:57 AM ET, 12/12/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post

Posted at 04:43 PM ET, 12/02/2011

Kennedy Center Honors 2012: Sonny Rollins — A saxman, seeking heaven
By Chris Richards
The iconic tenor saxophonist and pioneering improviser’s search for greatness continues at the age of 81.

By Chris Richards  |  04:43 PM ET, 12/02/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Sonny Rollins

Posted at 02:33 PM ET, 11/30/2011

Clear your schedule, you’ve got 800 Fugazi concerts to listen to
By Click Track
New Fugazi Live Series offers 800 downloadable concerts by the iconic D.C. punk band.

By Click Track  |  02:33 PM ET, 11/30/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Fugazi

Posted at 02:52 PM ET, 11/18/2011

Kate Bush, a musical lioness in winter
By Click Track

By Click Track  |  02:52 PM ET, 11/18/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Kate Bush

Posted at 12:23 PM ET, 11/18/2011

In today’s Post: Holy Ghost!’s lifelong musical collaboration
By David Malitz
Reviews of band’s playing in D.C. this week.

By David Malitz  |  12:23 PM ET, 11/18/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Holy Ghost!

Posted at 03:12 PM ET, 11/11/2011

LMFAO keeps the party going
By Click Track

By Click Track  |  03:12 PM ET, 11/11/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  LMFAO

Posted at 12:04 PM ET, 11/11/2011

In today’s Post: Dean and Britta provide a soundtrack to Warhol
By Click Track
The rock group will provide live accompaniment to Andy Warhol’s screen tests at the National Gallery of Art on Saturday.

By Click Track  |  12:04 PM ET, 11/11/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Dean and Britta

Posted at 11:54 AM ET, 11/04/2011

In today’s Post: Julieta Venegas, More Humans, Wu Lyf
By Click Track
Reviews of artists playing in the D.C. area this week.

By Click Track  |  11:54 AM ET, 11/04/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Julieta Venegas, More Humans, Wu Lyf, The Drums, Miguel Zenon, Kindred the Family Soul

Posted at 10:28 AM ET, 11/03/2011

In today’s Post: Jay-Z 101 at Georgetown University
By Chris Richards
Professor Michael Eric Dyson brings the work of rap’s biggest star to the world of academia.

By Chris Richards  |  10:28 AM ET, 11/03/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Jay-Z

Posted at 10:22 AM ET, 10/28/2011

In today’s Post: Rachael Yamagata, Jeffery Broussard, Crooked Fingers
By Click Track
Also reviewed: Tone and Glenn Jones.

By Click Track  |  10:22 AM ET, 10/28/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post

Posted at 10:38 AM ET, 10/27/2011

In today’s Post: Glenn Jones, picking up the John Fahey legacy
By Click Track
Guitarist Glenn Jones is co-producer of a new box set featuring early recordings by legendary acoustic guitarist John Fahey.

By Click Track  |  10:38 AM ET, 10/27/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Glenn Jones, John Fahey

Posted at 11:27 AM ET, 10/21/2011

In today’s Post: With Zola Jesus, staring down fears
By David Malitz
Latest album strips away layers to focus on Nika Roza Danilova’s voice.

By David Malitz  |  11:27 AM ET, 10/21/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Zola Jesus

Posted at 12:02 PM ET, 10/14/2011

In today’s Post: Ollabelle, Pilc Moutin Hoenig, An Horse
By Click Track

By Click Track  |  12:02 PM ET, 10/14/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post

Posted at 12:07 PM ET, 10/07/2011

In today’s Post: Get to know D.C.’s Deleted Scenes
By David Malitz

By David Malitz  |  12:07 PM ET, 10/07/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Deleted Scenes

Posted at 10:26 AM ET, 10/06/2011

Raving in the heartland — Electronic dance music, and Skrillex, are taking over
By Chris Richards
Sonny Moore, the 23-year-old better known as Skrillex, has cast a spell on the hyper-stimulated children of the Internet.

By Chris Richards  |  10:26 AM ET, 10/06/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Skrillex

Posted at 01:34 PM ET, 09/23/2011

Nirvana’s “Nevermind” at 20: Change kept coming after the album that changed everything
By Chris Richards
10 albums that changed pop music after “Nevermind” supposedly changed it for good.

By Chris Richards  |  01:34 PM ET, 09/23/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Nirvana

Posted at 12:11 PM ET, 09/16/2011

In today’s Post: D.C. rock club inventory, Neon Indian, Blondie and more
By Click Track

By Click Track  |  12:11 PM ET, 09/16/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post

Posted at 09:55 AM ET, 09/16/2011

Katy B on U.S. ‘Mission’
By Chris Richards
British singer hopes her London success travels well.

By Chris Richards  |  09:55 AM ET, 09/16/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Katy B

Posted at 03:25 PM ET, 09/09/2011

The buddy system: This season finds pop stars joining forces
By Chris Richards
Big-name pop stars are linking arms this season, both in the studio and on the road.

By Chris Richards  |  03:25 PM ET, 09/09/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Kanye West, Jay-Z, Miranda Lambert, Pistol Annies, Bon Iver, James Blake, Wild Flag, SuperHeavy, Lou Reed, Metallica

Posted at 02:08 PM ET, 09/09/2011

The Fillmore arrives in Silver Spring
By Chris Richards

By Chris Richards  |  02:08 PM ET, 09/09/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post

Posted at 01:24 PM ET, 09/09/2011

In today’s Post: Dee Dee Bridgewater, Sloan, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and more
By Click Track

By Click Track  |  01:24 PM ET, 09/09/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post

Posted at 12:05 PM ET, 09/02/2011

In today’s paper: Tom Morello, Go-go photos and more
By David Malitz

By David Malitz  |  12:05 PM ET, 09/02/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post

Posted at 08:53 PM ET, 08/26/2011

For protest songs, times are a-changin’
By Chris Richards
Mainstream protest songs don’t seem to have survived into the 21st century. But those who say protest music itself is dead may not be paying very close attention.

By Chris Richards  |  08:53 PM ET, 08/26/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Tom Morello, The Nightwatchman, Billy Bragg, Public Enemy, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Lady Gaga

Posted at 12:42 PM ET, 08/26/2011

Tri Angle Records: The sound of a dreamy, hazy summer
By Chris Richards
The transatlantic indie label is behind oOoOO, Clams Casino, Balam Acab and other young artists grinding hip-hop, R&B and various strands of electronic music into an ambient pop puree.

By Chris Richards  |  12:42 PM ET, 08/26/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Clams Casino, Balam Acab, oOoOO

Posted at 11:00 AM ET, 08/05/2011

Sibling chemistry propels Band Perry past generation, genre gaps
By Chris Richards

By Chris Richards  |  11:00 AM ET, 08/05/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Band Perry

Posted at 01:30 PM ET, 07/29/2011

O.A.R., Rockville’s secret rock stars, stay close to fans, not to mainstream
By Chris Richards
The Rockville-bred band sells millions of records and plays before thousands of fans while remaining relatively anonymous.

By Chris Richards  |  01:30 PM ET, 07/29/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  O.A.R.

Posted at 01:29 PM ET, 07/26/2011

Listen to five seconds of every Billboard Hot 100 single
By Maura Judkis
Some nostalgia to accompany today’s front page story about measuring pop music’s popularity in the digital era.

By Maura Judkis  |  01:29 PM ET, 07/26/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post

Posted at 09:26 AM ET, 07/25/2011

Essay: Amy Winehouse, the 27 club’s information age outsider
By Chris Richards
27 took Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and now a singer whose battles with drugs, drink and depression were publicized in a mediascape her forebears never could have imagined.

By Chris Richards  |  09:26 AM ET, 07/25/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Amy Winehouse

Posted at 12:01 AM ET, 07/22/2011

Fillmore Silver Spring set to open Sept. 15 with Mary J. Blige
By Chris Richards
The new 2,000-seat venue will welcome the queen of hip-hop soul for its inaugural concert.

By Chris Richards  |  12:01 AM ET, 07/22/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Local news, In today's Post | Tags:  Mary J. Blige

Posted at 02:29 PM ET, 06/30/2011

Your song suggestions for the 2012 presidential candidates
By Click Track
Click Track compiles five of your most interesting suggestions.

By Click Track  |  02:29 PM ET, 06/30/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Tom Petty, Meatloaf, Coil, Enya, Bruce Springsteen, Decemberists

Posted at 09:54 AM ET, 06/30/2011

Campaigns adopting songs is nothing new, but squabbles with musicians are
By Click Track

By Click Track  |  09:54 AM ET, 06/30/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post

Posted at 02:36 PM ET, 06/24/2011

‘Swamp Dogg’ happy with his music, obscurity
By Chris Richards
Overlooked R&B/funk artist performs at the upcoming Smithsonian Folk Festival.

By Chris Richards  |  02:36 PM ET, 06/24/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Swamp Dogg

Posted at 08:14 AM ET, 06/22/2011

Letting down her guard: Only Sade knows how long she’ll stand in the spotlight
By Chris Richards
After a nine-year silence, one of the most magnetic voices in popular music is on tour again.

By Chris Richards  |  08:14 AM ET, 06/22/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Sade

Posted at 09:37 AM ET, 06/15/2011

Bob Mould retraces raging youth to melodic middle age
By Chris Richards
The punk icon’s new autobiography recounts the traumatic childhood that haunted his fascinating musical career.

By Chris Richards  |  09:37 AM ET, 06/15/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Bob Mould, Sugar, Husker Du

Posted at 11:52 AM ET, 05/28/2011

Bluebrain make magic with the world’s first location aware album
By Chris Richards
The Washington duo have created an app for smartphones that uses GPS technology to trigger different swaths of electro-pop based on physical location. It’s geeky. And truly magical.

By Chris Richards  |  11:52 AM ET, 05/28/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Bluebrain

Posted at 02:28 PM ET, 05/27/2011

Why you should play “International Players Anthem” at your wedding
By Chris Richards
In defense of OutKast and UGK’s 2007 unheralded wedding anthem.

By Chris Richards  |  02:28 PM ET, 05/27/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post, In today's Post | Tags:  OutKast, UGK, Beyonce

Posted at 01:18 PM ET, 05/27/2011

Headliners play curator to their own communal festivals
By Chris Richards
The Roots, Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band and Wilco are among the bands curating their own summer music festival.

By Chris Richards  |  01:18 PM ET, 05/27/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  The Roots, Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, Wilco, Dismemberment Plan

Posted at 03:10 PM ET, 04/22/2011

Musical memoirs: Which is worth a read?
By Allison Stewart
A look at memoirs from Sammy Hagar, Kara DioGuardi, Queen, Prodigy and more

By Allison Stewart  |  03:10 PM ET, 04/22/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Sammy Hagar, Kara DioGuardi, Daniel Lanois, Prodigy, Queen, Nikki Sixx, Scott Weiland

Posted at 03:06 PM ET, 04/08/2011

Dave Grohl, glancing back, blasting forward
By Chris Richards
The drummer-turned-Foo-Fighters-frontman has spent the past 17 years trying to outrun the noisy, generation-defining smog of Nirvana.

By Chris Richards  |  03:06 PM ET, 04/08/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Foo Fighters

Posted at 02:00 PM ET, 03/24/2011

Nobody can put a label on rapper Wiz Khalifa
By Chris Richards
Wiz Khalifa became a star on his own. Now, with some big backers, he’s ready to become a superstar.

By Chris Richards  |  02:00 PM ET, 03/24/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Wiz Khalifa

Posted at 11:45 AM ET, 03/21/2011

MP3s meet reality at South by Southwest
By Chris Richards
Washington Post pop music critic Chris Richards reviews SXSW 2011.

By Chris Richards  |  11:45 AM ET, 03/21/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  SXSW, Odd Future, James Blake, Toro y Moi, Nite Jewel, Dirty Beaches, Kanye West, The Strokes

Posted at 01:48 PM ET, 03/18/2011

Marc Barnes: D.C.’s king of clubs
By David Malitz
D.C. club entrepreneur Marc Barnes created the city’s hottest nightlife spot. After spiraling into bankruptcy, he’s now looking to make a comeback.

By David Malitz  |  01:48 PM ET, 03/18/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post

Posted at 01:42 PM ET, 03/11/2011

Is this the worst era ever for band names?
By Chris Richards
Maybe the music is OK, but the band names of acts playing SXSW sure leave a lot to be desired.

By Chris Richards  |  01:42 PM ET, 03/11/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post

Posted at 10:30 AM ET, 03/09/2011

Musical History Tour: Joe Boyd and Robyn Hitchcock revisit the '60s
By David Malitz
Producer Joe Boyd and songwriter Robyn Hitchcock pay tribute to some of the most legendary acts of the ‘60s

By David Malitz  |  10:30 AM ET, 03/09/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Robyn Hitchcock, Joe Boyd

Posted at 02:28 PM ET, 01/20/2011

Dismemberment Plan reunion hits many personal notes
By Chris Richards
Travis Morrison of Dismemberment Plan performs at Galaxy Hut last Saturday night. (Josh Sisk/FTWP) As if being invited to a super hush-hush reunion show isn't enough, Jason Caddell offers me his leftovers. "Cold Tater Tots?" he asks, weaving through the...

By Chris Richards  |  02:28 PM ET, 01/20/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post, In today's Post | Tags:  Dismemberment Plan

Posted at 01:43 PM ET, 01/14/2011

Musical stairs: Listening to the secret music of Metro's run-down escalators
By Chris Richards
Photo illustration by Christopher Meighan. Take the west side escalators down into the guts of the Columbia Heights Metro station and you'll be swallowed by the sound - an otherworldly mewl of screeching metal, an aviary of chrome-throated ravens taunting...

By Chris Richards  |  01:43 PM ET, 01/14/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post

Posted at 12:00 PM ET, 01/07/2011

Sean Lennon and girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl find harmony with new band
By David Malitz
Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl perform at Iota on Tuesday. (Press Here Publicity) This article appeared in today's Weekend section. The band plays at Iota on Tuesday night. It's hard not to feel a twinge of jealousy when Sean...

By David Malitz  |  12:00 PM ET, 01/07/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Charlotte Kemp Muhl, Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, Sean Lennon

Posted at 12:08 PM ET, 12/30/2010

Patti Smith and Keith Richards: a study in contrast
By Mark Jenkins
Keith Richards's autobiography, "Life,'' doesn't allot much space to payback. But it does fling a few daggers, mostly at people who have personally affronted the quick-tempered guitarist. Of the various people Richards derides in the book, there's only one...

By Mark Jenkins  |  12:08 PM ET, 12/30/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Keith Richards, Patti Smith

Posted at 10:00 AM ET, 12/27/2010

With Daft Punk soundtrack, 'Tron: Legacy' is a film to be heard
By Chris Richards
We are the robots: Daft Punk at the Los Angeles premiere of "Tron: Legacy." (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) (This article appeared in Saturday's Washington Post.) Just when the 3-D razzle-dazzle of "Tron: Legacy" really starts ramping up, Kevin Flynn - a...

By Chris Richards  |  10:00 AM ET, 12/27/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Daft Punk

Posted at 12:00 PM ET, 12/10/2010

Forget stockings. These boxes need a sleigh.
By Chris Richards
In the digital age, oversize music sets have become a big sell. (Courtesy of EMI) What’s that smell? Is that what chestnuts roasting on an open fire actually smell like? No, it’s something else. Something nuttier. Something we haven’t smelled...

By Chris Richards  |  12:00 PM ET, 12/10/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post

Posted at 11:02 AM ET, 12/07/2010

Where were you the day Lennon died?
By Click Track
From left: John Lennon, a crowd gathered at the Dakota the day he was killed, a memorial in Central Park, and assassin Mark David Chapman. (Apple, AP, Reuters, AFP) Matt Hurwitz writes in The Post today about the horror he...

By Click Track  |  11:02 AM ET, 12/07/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post

Posted at 02:30 PM ET, 12/03/2010

For Merle Haggard, music is a life sentence
By Chris Richards
Merle Haggard continues on the only way he knows how. (All photos by Dave Einsel/FTWP) IN LAKE CHARLES, LA. -- At 73, two years removed from lung surgery and two months from a related chest infection, Merle Haggard should be...

By Chris Richards  |  02:30 PM ET, 12/03/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Merle Haggard

Posted at 01:59 PM ET, 12/03/2010

More than 45 years later, screams still echo: Paul McCartney, Al Gore, Tommy Roe and more recall Beatles' first U.S. concert in D.C.
By J. Freedom du Lac
The Beatles perform at Washington Coliseum in February 1964. (Rowland Scherman) On Feb. 11, 1964, Beatlemania blasted Washington, all shrieks and Arthur haircuts and songs that nobody could quite make out. Two nights after a hysteria-inducing appearance on “The Ed...

By J. Freedom du Lac  |  01:59 PM ET, 12/03/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Paul McCartney

Posted at 10:30 AM ET, 11/19/2010

Liturgy's black metal not all dark
By David Malitz
Liturgy performs at Comet Ping Pong Friday night Black metal is not a genre for everyone. In fact, it's a genre for very, very few. It is music built on blistering tempos, storming guitars, shrieking vocals and lyrics that are...

By David Malitz  |  10:30 AM ET, 11/19/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Liturgy

Posted at 11:15 AM ET, 11/18/2010

U.S. Royalty, bridging indie rock and men's fashion
By Chris Richards
U.S. Royalty: Dressed for success (Katherine Frey/TWP) Draped from the ceiling of U.S. Royalty's spacious Chinatown practice space is a massive, moth-eaten American flag - the kind that probably spent better years flapping over some Oldsmobile dealership in the rural...

By Chris Richards  |  11:15 AM ET, 11/18/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post, In today's Post | Tags:  U.S. Royalty

Posted at 11:00 AM ET, 11/03/2010

The rap sheet's sad toll -- Today's hip-hop stars can no longer go to jail without missing a beat
By Chris Richards
Gucci Mane, T.I., Lil Boosie and Lil Wayne have all served time in correctional facilities in 2010. (Photo illustration by Victoria Adams Fogg) By Chris Richards It was approaching noon at Washington's Mandarin Oriental hotel, but T.I. was still...

By Chris Richards  |  11:00 AM ET, 11/03/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Bun B, Gucci Mane, John Forte, Lil Boosie, Lil Wayne, T.I.

Posted at 10:53 AM ET, 09/13/2010

The beat goes on: Go-go legends Rare Essence and fans reunite
By Chris Richards
Local go-go legends Rare Essence performed at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City on Saturday night. (Tracy Woodward/TWP) By Chris Richards Mere minutes into Rare Essence's reunion set and the dance floor is already at full churn -- not on...

By Chris Richards  |  10:53 AM ET, 09/13/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post, In today's Post | Tags:  Rare Essence

Posted at 12:00 PM ET, 09/11/2010

Vampire Weekend's guitarist has his mind in Brooklyn, his roots in Georgetown
By Chris Richards
Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij spent his teenage years honing his music skills in his Georgetown home. (Helayne Seidman/TWP) By Chris Richards A gold record hangs in the Washington kitchen of Najmieh and Mohammad Batmanglij -- the sweet smell of success...

By Chris Richards  |  12:00 PM ET, 09/11/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Vampire Weekend

Posted at 03:45 PM ET, 09/03/2010

For indie rockers, 'jam band' increasingly no longer a shameful term
By Aaron Leitko
More and more indie rockers are saying it's OK to like Trey. (Kyle Gustafson/FTWP) By Aaron Leitko On Saturday, Vampire Weekend will headline at Merriweather Post Pavilion. It will be the New York-based indie-rock quartet's first gig at the Maryland...

By Aaron Leitko  |  03:45 PM ET, 09/03/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Grateful Dead, MGMT, Phish, Real Estate, Vampire Weekend

Posted at 03:08 PM ET, 09/03/2010

Mavis Staple teams with Wilco frontman for album 'You Are Not Alone'
By Chris Richards
Mavis Staples collaborates with Jeff Tweedy on her new album, "You Are Not Alone." (Marvin Joseph, TWP) By Chris Richards Mavis Staples is just a kid, plopped cross-legged on the living room floor. Her father, Roebuck "Pops" Staples, is strumming...

By Chris Richards  |  03:08 PM ET, 09/03/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Jeff Tweedy, Mavis Staples

Posted at 01:53 PM ET, 08/20/2010

Ian Nagoski's musical calling
By Click Track
Baltimore's Ian Nagoski has made a name for himself as an ethnomusicologist, rediscovering vanished music and long-forgotten artists. Jason Cherkis has a great article in this Sunday's Washington Post Magazine about Ian Nagoski, a Baltimore resident who has become one...

By Click Track  |  01:53 PM ET, 08/20/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Ian Nagoski

Posted at 12:00 PM ET, 08/16/2010

When Heartbreaker Mike Campbell met a young fan, he didn't just string him along
By Click Track
By Griffin Black It's not always easy being a classic rock fan while my friends are listening to rap and hip-hop, but I'll take bluesy guitar riffs and meaningful lyrics over synthesizers any day. I guess I should explain...

By Click Track  |  12:00 PM ET, 08/16/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Tom Petty

Posted at 11:50 AM ET, 08/13/2010

Music without Borders: Clyde's restaurant chain plans concert venue in former downtown bookstore
By Chris Richards
The closure of the Borders bookstore on 14th and F is music to Clyde's restaurateur Tom Meyer's ears.

By Chris Richards  |  11:50 AM ET, 08/13/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post

Posted at 11:15 AM ET, 07/30/2010

Music blogger: 'I rolled with Obama's crew'
By Chris Richards
David, the blogger behind Pitchfork Reviews Reviews, poses next to the president's ride on Wednesday. (Image courtesy of the blogger.) By Chris Richards On Saturday night, an indie music blogger found himself partying on a Chinatown rooftop in Manhattan, gushing...

By Chris Richards  |  11:15 AM ET, 07/30/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Big Boi, Pitchfork, Pitchfork Reviews Reviews, Young Jeezy

Posted at 05:00 PM ET, 07/09/2010

92Q boosts Baltimore's signature club sound
By Chris Richards
K.W. Griff in the 92Q studios in Baltimore. (Evy Mages/TWP) By Chris Richards All is calm in the studios of 92Q. Radio personalities Johnny "Porkchop" Doswell and Mike "Squirrel Wyde" Squirrel are click-clacking away at their computers. In the adjacent...

By Chris Richards  |  05:00 PM ET, 07/09/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  92Q, Blaqstarr, K.W. Griff, M.I.A., Porkchop, Rye Rye, Wye Oak

Posted at 03:00 PM ET, 06/11/2010

Good times with the blues: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers distill their essence in 'Mojo'
By David Malitz
Tom Petty returns with "Mojo," his first album in eight years. (Sam Jones) By Chris Richards On the phone from his Malibu home, Tom Petty has a way of deflecting questions that's half sphinx, half stoner. Maybe he doesn't want...

By David Malitz  |  03:00 PM ET, 06/11/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Tom Petty

Posted at 06:30 AM ET, 06/03/2010

Long, winding road to the White House: Paul McCartney takes Gershwin Prize
By Chris Richards
McCartney accepts the Gershwin Prize. (Yuri Gripas/AFP/Getty Images) By Chris Richards Hope may have gotten him elected, but in President Obama's White House on Wednesday evening, it was all love. The reverent, paralyzing, smile-until-your-face-cramps kind of love -- all of...

By Chris Richards  |  06:30 AM ET, 06/03/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Corinne Bailey Rae, Dave Grohl, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Faith Hill, Foo Fighters, Herbie Hancock, Jack White, Jonas Brothers, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, White Stripes

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 06/02/2010

McCartney's stately performance
By David Malitz
\ By Chris Richards He helped forge the shape and trajectory of popular music and was greeted Tuesday night by a strange and sonorous thunder. Some of it was applause. Much of it was the drumpity-drumpity-drumpity of old seat-backs in...

By David Malitz  |  07:00 AM ET, 06/02/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Paul McCartney

Posted at 11:45 AM ET, 05/10/2010

Dan Snaith of Caribou brings energy to music and mathematics
By David Malitz
Dan Snaith of Caribou brings a full band with him to Rock and Roll Hotel for Monday's show. (Courtesy of Merge Records) Caribou brings its psychedelic/electronic concoctions to D.C. tonight for a sold-out show at Rock and Roll Hotel. Dan...

By David Malitz  |  11:45 AM ET, 05/10/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Caribou

Posted at 02:10 PM ET, 05/07/2010

Breaking down concert ticket service charges
By Chris Richards
Primo seats for Rihanna's Aug. 20 concert at Jiffy Lube Live cost $105.75. Add service charges and they jump up to $122.90. (Francois Durand/Getty Images) By Chris Richards For generations, pop fans have been confronted with vexing questions. Why do...

By Chris Richards  |  02:10 PM ET, 05/07/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post

Posted at 11:00 AM ET, 04/26/2010

Earth Day's moment in the sun
By David Malitz
Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter performs with The Roots at Sunday's Climate Rally. (All photos by Bill O'Leary/TWP) By Chris Richards (Full photo gallery; video recap.) Sting, Mavis Staples, the Roots -- some big stars came to Washington to perform at...

By David Malitz  |  11:00 AM ET, 04/26/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  John Legend, Joss Stone, Mavis Staples, Passion Pit, Patrick Stump, Sting, The Roots

Posted at 06:20 AM ET, 04/12/2010

George Clinton, Parliament-Funkadelic and a missing Mothership
By Chris Richards
The Mothership was an awe-inspiring stage piece, as seen in 1976 concert footage. (Shout! Factory Photo) By Chris Richards This is a story about a UFO. Not just any UFO. The Mothership. It might be the most awe-inspiring stage prop...

By Chris Richards  |  06:20 AM ET, 04/12/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  George Clinton, Parliament-Funkadelic

Posted at 12:05 PM ET, 03/29/2010

Photogs: Beat it - U Street Music Hall has the spinners and spectators, but no paparazzi
By Chris Richards
Photo by Kyle Gustafson FTWP/Photo illustration by Christopher Meighan/TWP) By Chris Richards It's Wednesday night in the green room of U Street Music Hall, and club owner Will Eastman is explaining his vision for a "no-frills dance club . ....

By Chris Richards  |  12:05 PM ET, 03/29/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Brightest Young Things, Jesse Tittsworth, U Street Music Hall, Will Eastman

Posted at 11:40 AM ET, 03/29/2010

On TV One's 'Unsung,' singer Stacy Lattisaw gets a second life
By Chris Richards
LONE GONE: Sylvester (in 1977) also gets the "Unsung" treatment. (Roos/Sunshine/Retna Ltd.) By Jesse Serwer Stacy Lattisaw guesses that more than a decade had elapsed between her last television interview and the ones she taped for an episode next...

By Chris Richards  |  11:40 AM ET, 03/29/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  DeBarge, Donny Hathaway, Stacy Lattisaw, Sylvester, Zapp

Posted at 03:34 PM ET, 03/05/2010

Album review: Jimi Hendrix's "Valleys of Neptune"
By Chris Richards
Beyond purple haze: The Jimi Hendrix Experience. (The Washington Post archive) By Chris Richards There's a pesky ghost in a ruffled rainbow shirt and he just won't leave us alone. His name is Jimi Hendrix and since his death nearly...

By Chris Richards  |  03:34 PM ET, 03/05/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Jimi Hendrix

Posted at 06:00 PM ET, 02/26/2010

Shooter takes aim: Toting an exciting mix of metal and rock-and-roll, the son of two country icons has his own brand of rebellion
By Chris Richards
Shooter Jennings, son of Waylon Jennings, outside his home high up in the Hollywood hills. (Jonathan Alcorn/FTWP) By Chris Richards The smell of chlorine drifts in the breeze while Shooter Jennings talks about frustration and hope. The 30-year-old singer is...

By Chris Richards  |  06:00 PM ET, 02/26/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Jamey Johnson, Jessi Colter, Shooter Jennings, Waylon Jennings

Posted at 11:10 AM ET, 02/19/2010

This land is their land: Guthries take on D.C.
By Chris Richards
Sarah Lee Guthrie contemplates a bust of her grandfather at Smithsonian Folkways. (Michael S. Williamson/TWP) By Chris Richards After a slow whoosh comes a gasp. Jeff Place, an archivist at Smithsonian Folkways, slides a black platter out of its weathered...

By Chris Richards  |  11:10 AM ET, 02/19/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Arlo Guthrie, Johnny Irion, Sarah Lee Guthrie, Vetiver, Woody Guthrie

Posted at 04:00 PM ET, 01/29/2010

Raheem DeVaughn covers sensual love and political speech in 'Masterpeace'
By Chris Richards
Speaking out: Raheem DeVaughn has some protest songs on his latest album. Above, he's in front of a mural in Northeast Washington depicting black icons. (Dayna Smith For The Washington Post) By Chris Richards Sunday marks the 376th day of...

By Chris Richards  |  04:00 PM ET, 01/29/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Raheem DeVaughn

Posted at 05:28 PM ET, 01/22/2010

Baltimore's Beach House: Living the "Dream"
By Chris Richards
Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally of Baltimore indie band Beach House. (Benjamin C. Tankersley For The Washington Post) By Chris Richards This rehearsal space smells like a thrift store -- which is to say it smells like dust and history...

By Chris Richards  |  05:28 PM ET, 01/22/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Beach House

Posted at 11:21 AM ET, 01/19/2010

The Obamas attend Kennedy Center's annual King tribute featuring India.Arie
By Chris Richards
The Obamas enjoyed a performance from India.Arie at the Kennedy Center. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press). By Chris Richards A chatty India.Arie took the stage sporting a tangerine shawl and what seemed like a case of the butterflies. When she...

By Chris Richards  |  11:21 AM ET, 01/19/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  India.Arie

Posted at 04:55 PM ET, 01/15/2010

Will Wizards fans ever dance to DJ Class's 'Tear Da Club Up' again?
By Chris Richards
Baltimore club producer DJ Class. (Photo courtesy the artist) By Chris Richards Ask Washington Wizards faithful about their favorite Gilbert Arenas-era memory, and they might flash back to an ecstatic Friday night in May 2005. Arenas was basking in...

By Chris Richards  |  04:55 PM ET, 01/15/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Baltimore club, DJ Class, Kanye West

Posted at 11:13 AM ET, 01/14/2010

Ke$ha's 'Animal' moves to the top of Billboard album chart
By Chris Richards
Move over Susan Boyle. Pop's new party "Animal" is No. 1. (Courtesy of RCA) By Chris Richards When was the last time a pop star really repulsed you? Not puzzled you like Lady Gaga or exhausted you like the Black...

By Chris Richards  |  11:13 AM ET, 01/14/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Ke$ha

Posted at 04:23 PM ET, 12/18/2009

In Sunday's Post: Bieber-mania begins
By David Malitz
Is America about to come down with a case of Bieber fever? (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda) Last Sunday Chris Richards went to the "Christmas in Washington" taping and got to hang out with nascent pop star, 15-year-old Justin...

By David Malitz  |  04:23 PM ET, 12/18/2009 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  In today's Post | Tags:  Christmas in Washington, Justin Bieber