First semester can be stressful. If you’ll be counting down the days until Thanksgiving, try hitting a concert in the District for the occasional study break.
From international pop stars to underground rock bands on the rise, mark your calendars for these fall shows you won’t want to miss.
Ed Sheeran at the Verizon Center on Sept. 22 and 23
Ed Sheeran is more than just a member of Taylor Swift’s tight clique. He’ll be hitting the District to play songs from his 2014 album “X” — so don’t worry if you missed him at Merriweather Post Pavilion last fall.
To catch the pop-folk singer’s soft vocals and catchy melodies in hits like “Don’t,” “Thinking Out Loud” and “Photograph,” you can grab tickets for about $30 to $90. Maybe you’ll catch Swift at the show, too.
Wolf Alice at U St. Music Hall on October 1
If you prefer mellow, acoustic sounds to energetic EDM beats then you’ll want to check out the London-based indie band that reviewers have compared to The xx.
Fusing pop, folk, and rock sounds on tracks like “Bros,” “Giant Peach” and “You’re a Germ,” Wolf Alice released its first studio album, “My Love is Cool,” in 2015. You can see them at U St. Music Hall for $20.
Wavves and Twin Peaks at 9:30 Club on Oct. 7
After energizing the crowd at GW’s 2014 Spring Fling, Wavves is back in the District to perform tracks off of a fifth studio album, “V,” which is set to release Oct. 2. Upbeat guitar riffs in the surf-rock band’s new singles like “Way Too Much” and “Heavy Metal Detox” will make you feel like it’s still summer, even in October.
See them perform alongside Twin Peaks — a 1960s-inspired group that fuses punk rock with psychedelic sounds — for $20.
Mac DeMarco at The Howard Theatre on Oct. 14
There’s something relaxing about Mac DeMarco’s unique sound — which combines guitar twangs and synthesized keyboards — that makes it hard to resist bopping your head to songs like “Salad Days” and “Moving Like Mike.”
DeMarco released his fifth studio album “Another One” in August, and you can catch him at The Howard Theatre for $25 to $30.
The Chainsmokers at Echostage on Oct. 31
Looking for a concert where you can snap a good selfie? You’ll want to grab tickets — which are $25 each — to catch the disc jockey duo that skyrocketed to fame after releasing their 2014 hit “#Selfie.”
With their remixes of famous songs (like Tove Lo’s “Habits”) and catchy, techno tracks like “Kanye” and “Split (Only U),” which features DJ Tiesto, The Chainsmokers’ energetic sound will keep you dancing all night.
