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Mauricio Castro 10/19/22 Mauricio Castro 10/19/22

Spellling @ Songbyrd Music House [DC] - 10/13/2022

It’s not often that an art-pop album like The Turning Wheel comes around and enraptures listeners with gorgeous production and captivating vocals/vibrato but take one listen to Chrystia Cabral’s sophomore album and you’ll likely be drawing comparisons too, to the likes of Lingua Ignota, Kate Bush, and even technicolor, epic-scale fantasy flicks and video games.

Mauricio Castro 9/2/22 Mauricio Castro 9/2/22

Odesza @ Merriweather Post Pavilion [DC/BAL] - 8/25/2022

Pyrotechnics. Fireworks. Confetti. Lasers. Drums. Drumlines. Horns. A knight avenging his fallen comrades? It’s a very narrow tightrope threading the needle between spectacle and camp, and Odesza are closer than ever to providing a show that would fit right at home on the Vegas strip.

Hinga Wuya 8/19/22 Hinga Wuya 8/19/22

Hiatus Kaiyote @ Fillmore Silver Spring [DC] - 8/12/2022

Haitus Kaiyote, the immensely popular band from down under performed in front of a sold out crowd at The Fillmore, Silver Spring recently. With influences ranging from jazz, R&B, soul, and hip hop their shows are known to thrill, and their set did not disappoint.

Mauricio Castro 8/18/22 Mauricio Castro 8/18/22

BLK ODYSSY @ Songbyrd Music House [DC] - 8/16/2022

The musical odyssey of BLK ODYSSY speaks to people in different ways, thanks in no small part to the many musical paths the duo of Juwan Elrock and guitarist Alejandro Rios take their listeners. There is soul, psych-rock, jazz, hip-hop, thrown in a blender and juxtaposed with the joys and hardships of being a Black man in America

Mauricio Castro 6/8/22 Mauricio Castro 6/8/22

Alisa Amador (NPR Music Tiny Desk Contest Tour) @ Songbyrd Music House [DC] - 5/24/2022

For the last few years, NPR has been putting out the call for unsigned bands in the USA to submit videos of their own original music, with the hopes of winning and getting to perform at the now-famous Tiny Desk. Fantastic Negrito and Tank and the Bangas were two standout recipients of the very competitive annual contest who have gone on to sell out large venues and even win Grammy Awards. In DC, home of NPR’s Tiny Desk, this year’s winner and last year’s winner got together at Songbyrd alongside two other groups from the DMV, hand-picked by member station WAMU/DCist.

Mauricio Castro 5/27/22 Mauricio Castro 5/27/22

Shad at Songbyrd Music House [DC] - 5/22/2022

Shad is both a student and a teacher of hip-hop, and on Sunday night, he gave a textbook performance on the mic. As the host of Netflix’s extensive docuseries Hip-Hop Evolution, the Canadian rapper interviewed key figures in the genre, like LL Cool J, Grandmaster Flash, and Three 6 Mafia, and his enthusiasm for the craft shows.

Mauricio Castro 5/19/22 Mauricio Castro 5/19/22

No-No Boy @ Songbyrd Music House [DC] - 5/15/2022

The musical definition of folk music is fluid based on what part of the world you’re asking the question in, but one thing that doesn’t change is that it is a storytelling vehicle, one that can be passed down from one generation to the next. And by that definition, No-No Boy is the folk artist that we need right now.

Joel Richard 10/16/19 Joel Richard 10/16/19

Kelsey Waldon @ Songbyrd Music House [DC] - 10/8/19

The fact that Kelsey Waldon was the first new artist in a decade signed to John Prine's record label tells you a lot about her, but most importantly, it says that when she sings, you ought to pay attention. And when the native Kentuckian sings, she tells stories of resilience through hard times in hard places delivered over a classic country sound that has all but vanished from Nashville.

Joel Richard 5/29/19 Joel Richard 5/29/19

Jim James @ 9:30 Club [DC] - 5/17/19

MMJ is known for prolific touring, and their fans are known for their dedicated attendance. As they waited for James to take the stage, several members of the crowd shared stories of the six, 12, or 20 times they had seen a solo performance or MMJ show before.

Joel Richard 5/29/19 Joel Richard 5/29/19

Mattiel @ Songbyrd Music House [DC] - 5/13/19

With a new record Satis Factory due out June 14 on ATO Records—just before she heads out for a European tour—it’s worth catching Mattiel on what is clearly an upward swing that she, and her audiences, will not regret.

Joel Richard 4/13/19 Joel Richard 4/13/19

Y La Bamba @ Songbyrd Music House [DC] - 4/10/19

Luz Mendoza dedicated Y La Bamba’s DC show at Songbyrd to her late abuelita in an Instagram post that read, “Your heart and love shines through our blood.” Known for an indie-folk sound heavily influenced by pride in her Mexican heritage, Y La Bamba’s performance highlighted the expanding diversity of Mendoza’s skills as a songwriter and performer; from a Latin dancehall groove on “Boca Llena” to shimmering dream pop on “Cuatro Crazy” to an emotional solo performance of “Ojos Del Sol” to a percussive, rousing vocal chant on “Mujeres.”

Michael Zwirn 4/8/19 Michael Zwirn 4/8/19

Robert Ellis @ Songbyrd - 4/4/2019

Robert Ellis, once regarded as a canny Texas troubadour in Country and winsome rock, has adopted a fully formed persona in his current record as the “Texas Piano Man,” resplendent in an all-white tuxedo tinkling the ivories. He and his four-piece band, dressed stoically in all black suits, took their Texas Piano Man tour to the packed basement of the Songbyrd Music House and Record Café.

Avery Junius 12/3/18 Avery Junius 12/3/18

Freddie Gibbs @ U Street Music Hall - 11/27/18

Freddie Gibbs aka the Baby Face Killa’s roots lie in Gary, Indiana, but the Midwest veteran sounds like he’s plucked from the tree of hip-hop’s most influential artists from various regions. The gangsta grit of Three Six Mafia sprinkled with the southern flair of Scarface, and lyrical prowess of Ice Cube are traits that make Freddie Gibbs extremely versatile in his craft.

Mauricio Castro 9/12/18 Mauricio Castro 9/12/18

Punch Brothers @ The Anthem - 9/6/2018

It’s hard to make a place as massive as The Anthem feel like a family gathering, but Punch Brothers did just that with some great banter and even greater musicianship.

Avery Junius 9/7/18 Avery Junius 9/7/18

Miguel @ The Anthem - 9/4/2018

Miguel lifted a packed crowd at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. to the stratosphere when his Ascension Tour stopped here earlier this week.

Mauricio Castro 8/28/18 Mauricio Castro 8/28/18

The Chamanas @ Songbyrd - 8/27/2018

Hailing from both sides of the Rio Grande, The Chamanas meld the musical traditions of multiple countries into something uniquely their own. They’ve played alongside the likes of Odesza, Beach House, and Portugal. the Man for good reason.

Mauricio Castro 8/4/17 Mauricio Castro 8/4/17

Jamila Woods @ Songbyrd - 7/29/2017

Jamila Woods has an impressive resume: Brown University graduate, associate artistic director of the non-profit organization Young Chicago Authors, and rising R&B star. After making a name for herself singing the chorus of Donnie Trumpet & the Social Experiment’s “Sunday Candy” and Chance the Rapper’s “Blessings,” she released her debut album HEAVN exclusively on SoundCloud through Chicago label Closed Sessions. The album was so well-received that she has since signed to record label Jagjaguwar, who will be jointly re-releasing HEAVN alongside her original label Closed Sessions. With the impending re-release, she embarked on a July tour that included stops at Pitchfork Music Festival, Panorama Festival, and a sold-out DC crowd at Songbyrd.

Mauricio Castro 7/23/17 Mauricio Castro 7/23/17

Tank & the Bangas @ Songbyrd - 7/21/2017

Tank & the Bangas have gone viral, and they have NPR to thank. Though the New Orleans band only has one album under their wings, the independently-released 2013 album Think Tank, a coveted spot in NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series catapulted them to Internet fame. As the winners of the 2017 Tiny Desk Contest, a nationwide talent search for the best band that hasn’t broken through yet, their Tiny Desk Concert has been viewed more than 1.5 million times and counting. DC was quick to snap up what precious few tickets were available once Songbyrd announced the band’s concert. And amongst all the hype surrounding the band, their stellar performance made them some new fans that have reason to be very excited about the band’s bright future.

Mauricio Castro 4/26/17 Mauricio Castro 4/26/17

Little Hurricane @ Songbyrd - 4/12/2017

After a fateful posting on Craigslist looking for a guitarist, drummer Celeste “C.C.” Spina met guitarist Anthony “Tone” Calatano. And thus, the blues-rock duo (and now husband-and-wife duo) Little Hurricane came to fruition. Two days before releasing their third and latest album Same Sun Same Moon, they performed at Songbyrd and proved that their band’s name is a perfectly apt description of their on-stage energy, and then some.