DC Music Review

02/10/2026

❄️🎶 Fans braved the cold and flurries on Feb. 6 to pack DC9 Nightclub for the final night of Marilyn Hucek's debut headline tour—with special guest Maddie 💖

Power-pop opener MADDIE set the tone with high-energy originals and a crowd-hyping “Espresso” cover, while Hucek followed with heartfelt storytelling, catchy melodies, and standout tracks like Man of the House and Neil Young—a moving tribute to her late father, with proceeds supporting the Alzheimer’s Association.

From emotional moments to dance-along covers (Pink Pony Club, Vivir Mi Vida), plus unreleased gems like Self-Destruct, the night was equal parts vulnerable and electric. Add in a midnight birthday, a tribute to family, and a crowd-sung encore request, and you had a truly special finale.
Raw, real, and full of heart—Marilyn Hucek is just getting started. ✨

📝 Reagan O’Brien
📷 Jason Herman

Read our full review

Fans braved the cold and flurries on Friday, February 6 and got out to see DC locals Marilyn Hucek and MADDIE during the last show of Hucek’s first-ever

01/13/2026

Local music won last Friday when Stephen Sol & the 7 performed at Union Stage on January 9th, turning the room into a full-on community celebration — friends, family, and real supporters packed in early for every set.

DMV favorites Frewt kicked things off with groove-heavy originals (plus a crowd-pleasing “Stacy’s Mom” sing-along 🎤), followed by Hathways’s dreamy indie rock — unreleased tracks, sibling harmonies, and a standout “Keeper of Time” moment that pulled everyone in.

Then Stephen Sol & the7 took the energy somewhere else entirely: genre-bending chaos (in the best way), beach balls in the air, backup dancers in hot pink, Spanish-language grooves, hot dogs tossed into the crowd 🌭, and a band chemistry that made the night feel joyful, unfiltered, and alive.

From Dylan-meets-Pink-Floyd vibes to pure communal fun, this was local music at its best. And if you missed it, Stephen Sol & the 7’s new live album “Live at Manor Time” is out now and they just announced their headlining show at Black Cat on July 10. 👀🔥

Article By: Reagan O’Brian
Photos By: Jason Herman

Read our full review below.

It was a big night for local music last Friday, January 9th, with Stephen Sol & the 7’s headline show at Union Stage. With support from DMV-based artists Frewt and Hathway, the eight-piece psychedelic folk-rock band brought a fun show with great music to the stage.

11/21/2025

🎉 COUCH SELLS OUT 9:30 CLUB 🎉

A Feel-Good Frenzy on the “Big Talk” Tour 🤍🎷✨
Couch turned the 9:30 Club into a full-on homecoming on November 15th, packing the venue wall-to-wall and wrapping fans in their signature jazz-pop warmth 💛🛋️.

Stephen Day set the vibe with a honey-smooth opening set 🍯🎸 that had the crowd swaying before Couch even hit the stage.

From the explosive kickoff of “What Were You Thinking” 🔥 to spotlight moments for every member 🎺🥁🎹🎸, the seven-piece brought the kind of infectious energy that makes a room feel electric. They shared GW memories 🎓, tossed disposable cameras into the crowd 📸🤳 for their “Couch family photos” tradition, and raised money for Rosie’s Place ❤️‍🩹—a beautiful blend of music, meaning, and community.

With new favorites from "Big Talk", emotional moments (including a balcony shoutout to Tema’s dad 🥹💕), and a confetti-covered encore of “Easy to Love” and “Middle Man” 🎊—this show proved what fans already know: Couch is a band you cannot sleep on. 🌙🚫

Please read our full concert review here.

📝: Reagan O'Brien
📷: Jason Herman

Couch sure made the District feel at home on Saturday, November 15th, 2025. Their sold-out show at the 9:30 Club had lines wrapped around the building and

11/20/2025

We had the opportunity to sit down with Greg Ormont - the one and only Scrambled Greg, and frontman of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong at The Ramble Festival last month.

Greg had some profoundly revealing insights into his life talking about music, mindset, and feeding the creative fire. This is an interview you are going to want to read.

Interview and Photos By: Liz Pappas

Greg Ormont, frontman of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, is widely recognized for his vibrant stage presence and magnetic connection with audiences. Known for

11/14/2025

🇬🇧 A Night of British Pop at The Anthem 🇬🇧

What a night in D.C.! The Wombats packed The Anthem on a chilly Tuesday and somehow made it feel like the warmest room in the city. Touring their newest album "Oh! The Ocean", the Liverpool trio proved once again that they sound just as good live as they do on record — maybe even better.

From the deadpan British humor to the unexpected “flying carpet” jokes, to a surprise wombat-on-trombone cameo (!!), the band kept the crowd laughing, dancing, and fully locked in. Matthew Murphy, Dan Haggis, and Tord Øverland Knudsen were completely in sync — the kind of effortless chemistry that makes a show feel electric from the first note.

Opening sets from Red Rum Club and Only The Poets rounded out a full British-pop takeover, with Only The Poets announcing they’ll be back in the U.S. next year for their own tour. 👀

What stood out most? The Wombats’ ability to balance silliness and sincerity. Whether they were revisiting early-2000s favorites or leaning into the deeper themes of Oh! The Ocean, the message was clear: even when life gets heavy, there’s still beauty, joy, and a reason to dance.

✨ Read the full review here
📝&📷: Jess Daninhirsch

It’s hard to believe that there were only three Wombats band members on The Anthem’s stage Tuesday, November 11th, when their sound was so full and alive.

10/20/2025

✨ The Great Ramble Rising ✨

Three days. One family. Endless music.

From the first spark of the PreAmble to the final notes echoing off the pond, Ramble Festival 2025 brought the Maryland hills to life with unforgettable performances from The California Honeydropsa, Pigeons Playing Ping Pongs, The Infamous Stringdusters and local favoites including The Dirty Grass Players, Uncle Kunkel's One Gram Band , Moran Tripp Band, Nester, Natalie Brooke, and Cris Jacobs.

There were countless late-night jams, secret sets, and moments of pure magic. Let us not forget about the power of The Ramble Family, Ramble Community and the everpeesent Vibe.

The Nor’easter never stood a chance.

Read the full story — The Great Ramble Rising — and relive the festival that reminded us why The Ramble is our favorite festival.

📝 & 📸: Jason Herman

Tucked away in the quiet rolling hills of Darlington, Maryland, between rows of soy and corn readying up for harvest, The Ramble Festival has become one

10/06/2025

🔥 Are you heading to The Ramble Festival this week? Are you ready to get your Vibe on? As the nights get crisper, that roaring Ramble fire is calling louder than ever! 🔥✨

If you’re still on the fence, let us tell you — The Ramble Festival is the NOT-TO-BE-MISSED fall festival of the season! 🍁🎶

Nestled in Darlington, Maryland, this independently run gem has become the crown jewel of the DC / Baltimore / Philly festival scene. 💫

We are going to highlight why this festival is the must-attend festival. We tried to limit it to just the top-10 reasons, but could go on and on. Time for us all to Ramble to Camp Ramblewood this weekend!

🎟️ Grab your tickets now: tinyurl.com/ppv5tnbn

📝📷: Photos by: Liz Pappas

For the FOURTH year in a row, in what is becoming an annual pilgrimage to Camp Ramblewood over the Indigenous Peoples Day / Columbus Day Holiday

10/04/2025

🚨🐦🔥 Look out Flock ✨ Look out Baltimore 🦀🎶 Look out DC - Most of All - Look out The Ramble Festival 🎪🌳

Out of the smoke and the dream, from the highwire chaos of nearly two decades of fearless touring, they have done it again—our psychedelic funk trailblazers, 🐦 Pigeons Playing Ping Pong 🐦, have lit the torch of a new creation. 🔥🔥🔥🔥

On October 3, they release their eighth studio album, 🍽️ “Feed The Fire” 🔥 — twelve tracks blazing with the sweat and pulse of a people who live for communion, who live for the music, who live for YOU 💃🕺. 🎼✨

And you—you can be the first ✨👀 to hear these songs live! Take wing, not just in the studio’s eternal groove, but in the living flesh of sound itself, at The Ramble Festival in Darlington, Maryland 🦀🌊, October 10–12 📅🍂.

The great gathering, the funk communion, the rolling river of joy —this is where Feed The Fire burns brightest 🔥🌀🎶🔥🌀🎶🌟.

I hope to see you at the greatest independent DMV fall festival - if not the greatest!

Tickets are still available to rejoice with Pigeons as we all Feed The Fire live in the flocks’ native nest! 🔗🎟️ tinyurl.com/ppv5tnbn 🎟️🔗

10/03/2025

A night of hushed beginnings and cathedral soundscapes at the sold-out 9:30 Club ✨

Josee Molavi opened with luminous intimacy — her voice threading through the room in quiet strength, leaving the crowd breathless. Josee Molavi, an emerging breakthrough DMV artist, came equipped with a stripped-down, intimate set - her soulful voice and her guitarist. We were beyond overjoyed to see her debut at our legendary 9:30 Club.

Then Elbow took over, with Guy Garvey leading like an architect of sound — songs swelling into anthems, tender moments giving way to thunderous release. We witnessed the greatness of their 35-year career and 6th 9:30 Club performance. The mirrorball swirled, and Garvey led us in a mind-blowing sing-along encore.

From Molavi’s fragile beauty to Elbow’s sweeping power, the night felt seamless, a single arc of vulnerability and triumph. One of those rare evenings where music doesn’t just live — it breathes.

Please read our full review by: Reagan O'Brien

Concertgoers and 9:30 Club patrons queued around the block before the doors opened for English rock band Elbow’s sold-out performance on Friday, September

10/01/2025

Once again, Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival did not disappoint music lovers in the DMV! We all rejoiced in music, our community, and our music - doing yoga, taking in workshops, and enjoying every inch of Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, Maryland.

We were able to sit down and talk with Maryland's own native son and performer, Kyle Hollingsworth, at this year's Baygrass. Not only did Kyle grow up in the region and attend Towson University, but he is also the keyboardist for a certain iconic band - The String Cheese Incident.

Read more about this unforgettable local fall festival - Do Good, Feel Good. Make it Fun with Baygrass and our time with Kyle.

📝: Karin McLaughlin

Do Good – Every Jam Saves The Bay A saying on a sticker someone gave me (at a music festival of course) that I try to actively incorporate into life as

09/27/2025

🌌✨ at – Sept 26, 2025 ✨🌌

For the sixth time, , Manchester’s legends returned to D.C. with the sold-out performance of their 2025 North American Tour, delivering a masterpiece of ferocious energy and magical mirrorball moments. Guy Garvey’s velvet voice, the Potter brothers’ soaring lines, Pete Turner’s grounding bass — every note a heartbeat, every song a revelation.

This wasn’t just a show; it was a pilgrimage for fans across the continent. One Day Like This shimmered into silence, new Audio Vertigo tracks brushed our spines, and the room pulsed with collective awe. A night of heartbreak, hope, and pure musical transcendence.

📸:

Full review coming soon.

09/27/2025

What a night at ✨🎶 — watching our very own make her debut on one of DC’s most iconic stages, opening for the legendary .

From the first note her alt-R&B/jazz-tinged sound poured over the room, equal parts vulnerability and power,.

We couldn’t be prouder to see a local artist rise and represent, turning a support slot into a moment the whole crowd felt. 🌟💛

Full review coming soon! 📝👀
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