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James Blake Gives a Dynamic Performance at The Anthem

BY VISHAL NYAYAPATHI// On Thursday, February 21st, James Blake performed at The Anthem on the North American leg of his Assume Form tour. 

Following the dreamy, monotone opening set by Khushie, Blake arrived on stage just after 9 o’clock. Accompanied by two additional band members (one of whom operated a stunning modular synth rack) and the familiar fluttering piano riffs of the title track from his latest album Assume Form, Blake began what would be a mind-blowing, genre-defying performance. As a panel of white, orange and red lights danced behind him, Blake seamlessly flowed between sonic motifs of trap, soul, and bass music.

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Gabriel Garzón-Montano Captivates the 9:30 Club as He Opens for Kali Uchis

BY VISHAL NYAYAPATHI// On Wednesday, October 10th,  Gabriel Garzón-Montano opened for Kali Uchis’ second homecoming performance at the 9:30 club on her In Your Dreams Tour.

At around 8 o’clock, Gabriel entered the stage accompanied by an airy groove, wearing a dark brown patterned velveteen blazer with matching pants. Walking from stage right to stage left, Gabriel stopped to acknowledge each section of the audience. Then, he began his set by performing his latest single “Golden Wings”. Following a phenomenal musical performance, Gabriel greeted the audience in English, Spanish, and French, introducing his multicultural background and professing his love for the D.C. crowd.

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DIY Digest: Doe Deer at DC9

BY TORI SWIACKI// On Tuesday, August 28 Doe Deer accompanied Thin Lips and Slaughter Beach, Dog at DC9 Nightclub.

Guitarist Matt describing his fine selection of homemade sauces for sale as band merch.

Doe Deer, based out of Fredericksburg, VA has been no stranger to the DC music scene, having played Songbyrd one week prior. Frontman Nabeel attributes some of Doe Deer’s success in DC to his time spent in the DMV DIY scene, looking upon of it more as a community, noting its inclusive nature. Beginning with humble roots, Nabeel recorded the earliest tracks as a solo project using a built-in laptop microphone and a small amp. He describes this minimalist setup, saying, “I didn’t have much experience, so I was kind of just playing around with the recordings until I figured out how to make it sound somewhat tolerable.” The result, December 2016’s “Sports,” was more than bearable, delivering a soft, nostalgic sound sprinkled with ambient sounds as seen in the ninth track, “waves.” Think: Starry Cat, or, more specifically, Teen Suicide’s “no, the moon,” or “Letterman” by foozle.

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REVIEW: Stars at 930 Club

BY SARAH SOPHER// What a special band and concert! Stars brought me all the feels at their show tonight. Honestly, just hearing Torquil and Amy singing together gets me emotional. The concert began with tracks from their latest album, “No One Falls In Love In Fluorescent Light,” and then, the Canadian band continued their almost 2-hour set with tracks from so many of their different albums. My favorite part of the show was hearing both of the singers describe their experiences at the 930 Club and in Washington, DC.  Torquil gave the audience something to be proud of when he told us, “If society treated artists the way the 930 Club treats artists, we would have a better society in my opinion.” Amy continued, “I have a one-year-old son and he’s already been to the 930 Club twice! So.. We are lucky.” Stars noted that this tour is unique in that there have been multiple children in the audience at recent shows. It feels nice to know that artists are treated right at our local venue.

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