Summer Concert Highlights

JUNE

Brandi Carlile (6/28, Wolf Trap)
Ledisi – Soul singer describes new fiery, expressive album Pieces of Me as ”my Shug Avery-like project” (6/29, Pier Six Pavilion; 7/25, DAR Constitution Hall)
The Fillmore Locals Rock Series – A night to ”get local,” this month featuring The Grey Area, Koshari, New Day Dawn and the Knolly Moles (6/29, Fillmore Silver Spring)

JULY

Scissor Sisters (7/2-3, 9:30 Club)
Chris Isaak (7/2-3, Birchmere)
Sarah McLachlan w/The National Philharmonic – (7/5, Merriweather Post Pavilion)
Howard Jones – The ’80s hitmaker plays his first two albums, Human’s Lib and Dream Into Action, in their entirety, including ”No One Is To Blame” (7/5, Howard Theatre)
Glitterlust – D.C.’s queer, quirky glam-rock band opens for Washerwoman (7/5, Black Cat)
Robyn, opening for Coldplay (7/8-9, Verizon Center)
Musiq – Philadelphia-based artist is one of today’s biggest soul men (7/9, Howard Theatre)
Seal w/Macy Gray (7/10, Wolf Trap)
Special Agent Galactica (7/13, 7/27, Black Fox Lounge)
Girl in a Coma (7/13, Red Palace)
Wynter Gordon (7/13, Rock and Roll Hotel)
Leela James – Sometimes called a contemporary Etta James, James supports her new album, a tribute to the late legend (7/14, Rams Head On Stage; 7/16, Birchmere)
DJ Dan (7/14, Rock and Roll Hotel)
The Music of ABBA – ”The official ABBA show,” approved by Benny and Bjorn, featuring ARRIVAL from Sweden and ABBA original musicians (7/15, Rams Head On Stage)
Neko Case (7/17, Rams Head Live)
Nona Hendryx (7/17, U Street Music Hall)
The Rebirth Brass Band – Reviving New Orleans’s brass tradition (7/18, The Hamilton)
The B-52s (7/19, Wolf Trap)
Mama’s Black Sheep – Local folk rockers performed at last year’s Capital Pride (7/19, Jammin Java)
Shawn Colvin (7/19-20, Birchmere)
Nicky Minaj (7/21, DAR Constitution Hall)
Jay Brannan – Touring to support his new album, Rob Me Blind (7/21, U Street Music Hall)
Hot Chip w/Sleigh Bells and DJ James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem (7/22, Merriweather Post Pavilion)
Sugarland (7/22, Jiffy Lube Live)
Rufus Wainwright (7/24, Wolf Trap)
Vans Warped Tour – A cornucopia of new, emerging or strictly alternative rock bands (7/24, Merriweather Post Pavilion)
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra presents the Music of Michael Jackson (7/26, Pier Six Pavilion)
Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart (7/27, Verizon Center)
IDentity Festival w/Eric Prydz, Paul Van Dyk, Eva Simons and more – Yes, raves have gone corporate, as this LiveNation-organized touring festival attests (7/27, Jiffy Lube Live)
Kishi Bashi – NPR’s favorite Japanese-American rock violinist who has worked with fellow avant-pop artists Regina Spektor, Sondre Lerche and Of Montreal (7/27, U Street Music Hall)
Empresarios – Arlington’s own ”Tropicaliente” band is gaining increasing international attention with its urban blend of Latin funk, cumbia, dub and reggaeton (7/27, Hamilton)
Justin Trawick Group – Cute, local ”urban folk” singer, one of the region’s best folk/pop acts, with a style similar to Jason Mraz (7/28, Iota Club)
Maze feat. Frankie Beverly w/Patti LaBelle, The O’Jays, Kenny ”Babyface” Edmonds, Tank (7/29, Verizon Center)
Amadou and Mariam – The Malian ”Afro-blues” couple has opened for Coldplay and U2, and now tour in support of a new album with guest turns from Santigold, Tunde and Kyp of TV On The Radio and Jake Shears (7/31, 9:30 Club)
Bombay Bicycle Club – Charming British quartet whose U.K. hit debut album was amusingly titled I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose (7/31, Rams Head Live; 8/1, 9:30 Club)

AUGUST

Idina Menzel with the NSO Pops (8/3, Wolf Trap)
Summer Spirit Festival — Erykah Badu, Estelle, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Common and Eric Roberson. Plus a tribute to Chuck Brown with the late go-go godfather’s band (8/4, Merriweather Post Pavilion)
Run for Cover 2012 – One of Black Cat’s most popular events all year features local bands paying tribute to or parodying rock hits, all to benefit the nonprofit Girls Rock! DC (8/4, Black Cat)
Marti Brom – Rockabilly/roots rook singer offers a free summer concert (8/8, Strathmore)
Bad Domes – D.C.-based Rich Strayer’s one-man laptop band chops up pop hits into fragments and then reconstructs them bit by bit live onstage, creating unusual and unique collages each show (8/11, DC9)
Linkin Park (8/11, Jiffy Lube Live)
ABBA – The Concert – The Official ABBA Fan Club has named this outfit ”the best ABBA tribute band in the world” (8/12, Wolf Trap)
Candye Kane – Ballsy blues belter who has championed rights for gays and other ”outsiders” (8/14, Hamilton)
Jane’s Addiction (8/14, Lyric Opera House courtesy of 9:30 Club and IMP Productions)
Barry Manilow (8/16-17, Wolf Trap)
Goapele (8/17, Birchmere)
Loudon Wainwright III w/Mary Chapin Carpenter (8/18, Wolf Trap)
Fred Falke (8/18, U Street Music Hall)
My Morning Jacket (8/18, Merriweather Post Pavilion)
Dave Koz (8/22, Wolf Trap)
Kelly Clarkson w/The Fray (8/23, Jiffy Lube Live)
Jason Mraz w/Christini Perri (8/24, Merriweather Post Pavilion)
Brad Paisley (8/25, Jiffy Lube Live)
Hugh Laurie w/the Copper Bottom Band – TV’s Dr. House has a side career as a New Orleans-style blues singer, pianist and guitarist, backed by a stellar band (8/29, Birchmere; 9/4, Rams Head On Stage)
Sheila E. + fDeluxe – The former Revolution princess tours with the Prince-produced funk band formerly known as The Family (8/30, Howard Theatre)

SEPTEMBER

Ben Harper – A rare acoustic solo performance from the Grammy-winning soul stirrer (9/4, Wolf Trap)
Patrick Watson (9/5, 9:30)
Sondre Lerche – Brooklyn-based Norwegian pop-rocker whose melodic tunes pay homage to Tin Pan Alley (9/7, 9:30 Club)
Bob Mould – Before he releases a new solo set, the legendary gay punk rocker will perform his power-pop band Sugar’s Cooper Blue and Silver Age albums in their entirety (9/8, 9:30 Club)
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band (9/14, Nationals Park)
Dragonette – Remember last summer’s dance hit ”Hello”? There’s more gritty electro-pop goodness to come from this Canadian band and its forthcoming new album, including ”Let It Go” (9/15, Black Cat)
Melissa Ferrick (9/8, Birchmere)
Florence + The Machine (9/19, Merriweather Post Pavilion)
Metric – Hopefully this great Canadian electro/new wave band will gain more notice with release of new set Synthetica this fall (9/21, Strathmore)
Madonna (9/23-24, Verizon Center)
Gotye – Might the Aussie lesbian folk-rocker Missy Higgins, who is one opening act for the indie-rocker born in Belgium as Wally de Backer, sub for Kimbra to perform his massive hit ”Somebody That I Used to Know”? (9/30, Merriweather Post Pavilion)