FRIDAY
After playing a major role as Biggie??s wife during the mid-90s rap wars, Faith Evans could have easily faded away. Faith ?? who comes to Dream to promote her first album in four years ?? has instead carved out a remarkably successful solo career with her trademark hip-hop-inflected R&B.
Down to the Bone just can??t be forced into a corner. At Birchmere, the UK group combines bits of contemporary jazz, chilled-out electronica, funk, soul, and R&B into an infectious and comfortable fusion sound.
At Velvet Lounge with Beretta 76 and Juke Box Zeroes, local veterans Adam West are staunch revivalists. 60s/70s hard rock and punk like The Stooges, MC5, The Misfits, and KISS get twisted into first-rate hard rock.
Indie rock venues are paying homage to their roots tonight. Slide guitar master Sonny Landreth takes the stage at 930 Club with trad-rock newcomers the Brindley Brothers, while 50s country/rockabilly legend Wanda Jackson graces Black Cat??s mainstage with alt-country singer/songwriter Rosie Flores.
SATURDAY
Citizen Cope has been long been saddled with the ??next big thing? label, but we??ll be happy if he just sticks to his off-kilter, urban troubadour image and relentless touring habit. His show at the usually all-ages 930 Club is 21+, due to a tour sponsorship by a tasty adult beverage.
Red-Staters will be heading out to Nissan Pavilion tonight for a huge mainstream country smorgasbord featuring Toby Keith, Shooter Jennings, and Lee Ann Womack. Bluestate, a local collective of bloggers-cum-DJs, offer a liberal alternative to the flag worship at Nissan with a free set of danceable indie tunes.
In Black Cat??s mainstage is the venerable Mousetrap. A perfect mix from the last thirty years or so of britpop has kept DJ Mark Zimin??s dance night at the top of a growing heap of rock DJ parties.
The Sugar Water Festival, at Merriweather Post Pavilion, has assembled the hottest names in female neo-soul. Erykah Badu, Floetry, Jill Scott, and Queen Latifah take their empowerment message seriously.
Local instrumental rockers Verbal (get it!?) know they have to lay down a serious groove to hold the attention of audiences used to vox with their rock. Get to their DC9 show early to catch the distinctive punk singer/songwriter Carol Bui.
SUNDAY
Blues-rocker Eric Johnson, at the Birchmere, is one of the most celebrated guitar virtuosos of the last twenty-five years. Like fellow 80s trailblazers Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and Stevie Ray Vaughn, Johnson has tremendous chops.
In a battle royale for the wallets of aging boomers, Fleetwood Mac legend Stevie Nicks goes toe to toe with ex-Doobie Brothers frontman Michael McDonald. Nicks plays the larger Nissan Pavilion with 00??s one-hit-wonder Vanessa Carlton, while McDonald is at the intimate Wolf Trap with 90??s one-hit-wonder Joan Osborne.
