With endless virtual lines and exorbitant prices, buying concert tickets for the chart-topping artists who headline in the District is no easy feat for music aficionados.
If you are tired of navigating the ticket-buying hellscape but still itch to catch some live music, here’s a full-proof solution: Exit out of Ticketmaster, step outside into the fresh air and head to one of the local D.C. venues showcasing the dynamic — and budget-friendly — music scene flourishing across D.C.
From grungy pop-rock brimming with anthemic lyrics to traditional Latin music with a genre-bending flair, here’s a rundown of can’t-miss performances from D.C. bands this fall.
Bad Moves at The Black Cat
The power pop quartet Bad Moves first made waves in the District with their 2016 self-titled EP that demonstrated the controlled chaos of their energetic guitar riffs, passionate vocals and politically attuned lyrics. Now, Bad Moves is celebrating the Sept. 13 release of their third album, “Wearing Out the Refrain,” with a show Friday at The Black Cat — a go-to venue near U Street for independent artists since its opening in 1993.
Throughout “Wearing Out the Refrain,” the members of Bad Moves toss vocals back and forth to the rhythm of their sprightly pop-rock instrumentals. Their lyrics are simultaneously witty and astute, as they address general feelings of nihilism on the aptly titled track “Let the Rats Inherit the Earth” and challenge the recent slew of legislation targeting LGBTQ+ people across the country on the track “Hallelujah.”
The New England art punk band Perennials and the D.C. punk band Ekko Astral will open for Bad Moves before they hit the stage at The Black Cat. If the timbre of their album is any indication, Bad Moves are sure to channel their radical joy into their live performance Friday.
The Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW, Friday, Sept. 27. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.
Rare Essence at Ivy City Smokehouse
In the District’s historic go-go music scene, the ensemble Rare Essence reigns supreme. The group formed more than four decades ago following the birth of the percussion-forward, funk subgenre in the 1960s. Since then, Rare Essence has played countless shows across the D.C. area and collaborated with major artists, like Run-DMC and Erykah Badu.
On Oct. 13, Rare Essence, which currently boasts an official lineup of 10 members, will close out their 2024 run of shows on the seafood restaurant Ivy City Smokehouse’s rooftop. The night will also feature a set from DJ Reddz, who is a part of the DMV-area rap, hip-hop and R&B radio station WPGC-FM.
With go-go’s improvised instrumentals and signature call-and-response between the artists and the audience, there is no better way to experience Rare Essence than a live show. No matter where they play, Rare Essence always brings the energy to get a crowd up and moving, carrying on the legacy of a genre at the core of the District’s musical foundation.
Ivy City Smokehouse, 1356 Okie St. NE, Sunday, Oct. 13, from 8 to 11:55 p.m. Tickets are $35.
Cumbia Heights at DC9
Like their name’s homage to Columbia Heights suggests, the alternative tropical band Cumbia Heights is rooted in Northwest D.C., where many of the bandmates lived and first met. Composed of about 10 members, the dynamic group blends guitar, trumpet, accordion, saxophone and drums as they put their own spin on cumbia — a popular Latin American musical tradition originating from enslaved people in the Spanish colonies that carries African, Indigenous and European influences.
On the night of Halloween, Cumbia Heights will showcase their dreamy and rhythmic sound at the U Street neighborhood venue DC9 after an opening set from psychedelic folk group Ames Harding and The Mirage. The concert follows the March release of their first EP “Amaneciendo” since forming in 2021, which features their artful fusion of instruments with hints of psychedelia and funk that coaxes you to get up and sway.
To behold Cumbia Heights in all its glory, watch them play live in the midst of a sweaty crowd at a tight venue, like DC9, where you can’t help but groove along to their music. Cumbia Heights is also encouraging patrons to dress in their “weirdest costumes” for their Halloween gig, so make sure to respect their wishes when you pull up to DC9.
DC9, 1940 Ninth St. NW, Thursday, Oct. 31, from 8 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $20.
Flowers For The Dead at Songbyrd Music House
Alternative rock trio Flowers For The Dead is on a roll in the District. Over the past year, the group has been on a marathon-run of shows, opening for indie rock artist Snail Mail at DC9’s 20th anniversary show, headlining Songbyrd Music House and performing at the 10th anniversary concert for the D.C. Punk Archive, the D.C. Public Library’s collection on the city’s storied punk scene.
Now, Flowers For The Dead is gearing up to open for Virginia punk rock band Destructo Disk alongside Atlanta “grungegaze” group Tongues of Fire at Songbyrd on Nov. 11. The Songbyrd gig follows three new singles from Flowers For The Dead over the summer, including the track “Two of Me” that flirts with an ethereal sound reminiscent of shoegaze legends, like Slowdive, alongside wistful lyrics like “It’s been so long/I can hardly remember how it tasted.”
While the November concert is not a headline show, any opportunity to catch a set from Flowers For The Dead is worth it. Live, the band delivers a blend of spellbinding vocals and grunge-laden instrumentals that toe the line of nostalgia without sounding like a carbon copy of any group that has preceded Flowers For The Dead.
Songbyrd Music House, 540 Penn St. NE, Nov. 11, from 8 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $15 to $18.
