Author Archives: Katie Willmott

fun. have started off 2013 with a bang, winning two Grammys last weekend for Best New Artist and Song of the Year for “We Are Young.” Originally released in September of last year, “We Are Young,” the first single from the trio’s sophomore album, Some Nights, quickly went on to become one of the most ubiquitous and commercially successful songs of 2012 after it was covered by the cast of Glee.

To date, “We Are Young” has been certified five-times platinum and is still on radio rotation, along with subsequent singles the title track “Some Nights” and “Carry On,” while Some Nights debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 and has sold over a million copies since its release a year ago.

fun. is joined by adorable indie pop twinsters Tegan & Sara this summer for a date at Merriweather Post Pavilion on July 20. The sisters are touring in support of their brand new album Hearththrob, just released at the end of January.

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…And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, or, as most people refer to them, Trail of Dead, released Lost Songs, their eighth full-length studio album, on October 22.

The band dedicated “Up to Infinity,” one of the album’s twelve tracks, to Russian trio Pussy Riot. Lead singer Conrad Keely says the song features lyrics themed around war, tyranny, and apathy.

“We believe that tyranny and despotism suffered by any people, anywhere, is intolerable and should not be treated as an internal matter, but completely justifies intervention by the international community,” he said.

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Explaining Danish pop group The Asteroids Galaxy Tour is an admittedly challenging task.

Their sound, which has been described as everything ranging from acid jazz to psychedelic pop to indie, is nearly impossible to pinpoint, and their name would lead many to think that they’re not a band, but rather, some sort of touring festival.

However, Asteroids Galaxy Tour is, in fact, a group—one that consists of vocalist Mette Lindberg and producer lLrs Ivarsen. During live performances, the duo expands into a six-piece band and is joined on stage by a horn section. The mystery and uncertainty surrounding Asteroids Galaxy Tour has proven to work in their favor. Since releasing their debut album Fruit in late 2009, the band has opened for the likes of Amy Winehouse and Katy Perry and has seen their music go on to be used in many television shows and commercials.

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2012 has been a huuuuuuuuge year for fun. (Yes, I needed all of those u’s.) While originally released in September of last year, “We Are Young,” the first single from the trio’s sophomore album, Some Nights, quickly went on to become one of the most ubiquitous and commercially successful songs of the year after it was covered by the cast of Glee.

To date, “We Are Young” has been certified five-times platinum and is still on heavy radio rotation, while “Some Nights” debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 and has sold nearly 700,000 copies since its February release.

It seems that fun. has no intentions of slowing down anytime soon. It was announced this weekend that the trio would be performing on Saturday Night Live on November 3rd, and, perhaps even more exciting for DMV peeps, it was announced today that the indie pop band will be stopping in the area next year when they take the stage at D.A.R. Constitution Hall on Thursday, January 31, 2013.

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Australian quintent The Temper Trap secured a spot in the indie rock scene with the release of their 2008 song “Sweet Disposition.” 

The lead single from their 2009 debut album, Conditions, not only landed on the charts in the UK, Ireland, and Japan, but it would also go on to be used in a variety of commercials, TVs, and movies, including the hit (500) Days of Summer and a commercial for Diet Coke.

Since then, the group has gone on to record and release their eponymous sophomore album on Liberation Records. Of the new album, lead singer Dougy Mandagi has said, “I want this album to be bigger, and I want the record to do well, I don’t want just one or two songs to do well, I want people to realize we’re capable of making records.”

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If you were lucky enough to snatch tickets before they “free’d” out within minutes of being released in late August, then you were among the 50,000 people in attendance at the fourth annual Virgin Mobile FreeFest at Merriweather Post Pavilion this past Saturday, October 6th.

Similar to previous FreeFests, the 2012 line-up boasted a diverse list of singers, bands, and DJs performing between two stages and a Dance Forest. This year’s FreeFest also featured a surprise appearance from Virgin owner Sir Richard Branson, who stood on the roof of the Pavilion and treated nearby fans to a champagne shower.

Speaking of showers, I was pleasantly surprised to find the weather, which never seemed to make up its mind between being bright and sunny or ominous and overcast, held out for the entirety of FreeFest and only got noticeably chilly in the latter hours.

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If you live in the DMV area, chances are you know that the Virgin Mobile FreeFest will be coming to town tomorrow, Saturday October 6th. 

For the fourth consecutive year, Merriweather Post Pavilion will play host to a variety of musicians and DJs performing throughout the course of the day on one of the festival’s two stages or in the Dance Forest.

This year’s line-up boasts a diverse list of artists that offers something for pretty much everyone. If you’re like me, you’re probably going to be spending a lot of quality time by the Pavilion Stage. Among the acts performing throughout the day are a recently-reunited Ben Folds Five, Americana indie rockers Alabama Shakes, veteran classic rockers ZZ Top, and last, but certainly not least, Mr. Jack White.

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The month of October is known for Halloween, and therefore, tricks and treats. We here at TVD support the latter, whether it comes in the form of candy, alcoholic beverages, or, in this case, free concert tickets.

As usual, we’re previewing some of the awesome shows our buddies at the 9:30 Club will be playing host to this month and giving you the chance to win tickets—no tricks about it. Don’t forget to submit your extra entry to one of these shows (details at the bottom).

The Walkmen, Fri 10/5

2012 has proven to be a productive year for The Walkmen. The quintet toured for the 10th anniversary of their debut album, Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone and recorded and released Heaven, their newest album, to positive critical reception, with Stereogum deeming it the second best album of the year.

Clearly fans are digging The Walkmen as well; the group added a second show at the 9:30 Club on Friday, October 5th after their October 4th show sold out. Keep an eye out—information about how to win tickets to this show should be coming your way at some point in the very near future…

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After spending time in the studio this spring, Ethan Kath and Alice Glass, better known by their moniker Crystal Castles, announced the tentative November release of their third album earlier this month. To help spread the word about their forthcoming release, Crystal Castles is kicking off a North American tour on the 27th, performing in Charlotte.

Following their Charlotte gig, Crystal Castles will be DC-bound to play two headlining shows at the 9:30 Club on Saturday, September 29th and Sunday, September 30th. While the first show has sold out and tickets to the second show are bound to be gone soon, we here have two tickets to Crystal Castles’ latter 9:30 Club show that are ready to be put in the hands of one TVD reader.

Touring with Crystal Castles will be Los Angeles-based noise rock group HEALTH, with whom Crystal Castles collaborated with on “Crimewave,” a song from their self-titled album that charted at #9 on the U.K. indie singles chart.

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On August 21st, psychedelic pop-freak folk darlings Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti released Mature Themes, the follow-up to their 2010 debut album, Before Today.

Unlike its predecessor, the songwriting process for the new album gave Pink and his band time to develop things without dealing with a time crunch. “We had time to develop things without the clock rolling,” Pink recently told Rolling Stone. “It’d been about five years since I had an opportunity to sit down and develop things, which is something that has been bothering me. That’s the opportunity I got with this record.”

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti will stop at the 9:30 Club this Thursday, September 13th. Also taking the stage that evening will be BODYGUARD and Moon Diagrams.

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With the arrival of September comes the end of the summer season, as well as the alleged end of one’s ability to wear white without scrutiny.

While the impending change of seasons is nearly upon us, we here at TVD are sticking to our routine and doing what we do at the beginning of every month: as usual, we’re previewing some of the artists coming to the 9:30 Club and giving you the chance to enter to win tickets to one of the concerts below. Don’t forget to submit your extra entry to one of these shows. Details at the bottom.

Ariel Pink, Thurs 9/13

Lo-fi-psychedelic-indie rockers Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti released Mature Themes, the follow-up to their breakthrough debut album, Before Today, last month. The group will tour the United States in support of the new record throughout September before heading overseas to Europe in November.

Catch Ariel Pink this Thursday when they stop at the 9:30 Club along with touring mates BODYGUARD and Moon Diagrams.

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The Dirty Projectors are in high-demand here in the nation’s capital. The group’s upcoming show at the 9:30 Club on Friday, August 17th, sold out so fast that another date was added for the following night, Saturday, August 18th.

However, history inevitably repeated itself, and the subsequent show sold out shortly thereafter. But weep not, loyal Dirty Projectors fans—we here at TVD have a pair of tickets to the latter show that are currently in need of a good home.

The group is currently touring in support of their sixth full-length album, Swing lo Magellan, released last month on Domino Records. Since their initial burst onto the music scene in 2002 , the Brooklyn indie-rock sextet has become well known for their danceable, catchy songs and avant-garde style.

With music that has been described as equal parts innovative and bewildering, The Dirty Projectors’ live performances are always something to be seen.

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It’s August, summer is entering its homestretch, and it’s only a matter of time until the fall season is upon us. However, the month isn’t full of all-things-awful (depending how you feel about fall). As usual, we’re previewing some of the artists coming to the 9:30 Club this month and giving you the chance to enter to win tickets to one of the concerts below:

Once again, we’re giving you a chance to get an extra entry into the giveaway of your choice. Scroll down to preview some of the artists coming to the area this month and stay tuned for information about how to win tickets!

Real Estate, Sun 8/12

Real Estate’s lo-fi, surf-tinged sound has garnered them gigs with the likes of Girls, Kurt Vile, and Deerhunter, and, most recently, a slot at this year’s Coachella Festival in Indio, California. Not only that, but their self-titled debut album, released in 2009, was a favorite with critics and helped the band get their name on the map.

Not falling victim to the sophomore slump that haunts many of their peers, Real Estate released Days, their second album, late last year on Domino Records to positive reception. The New Jersey quartet is currently playing an assortment of headlining shows across the East Coast and will be stopping at the 9:30 Club on Sunday, August 12th.

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’70s rockers Santana and The Allman Brothers Band are in the midst of a six-date co-headlining tour across the Northeast. The tour, which kicked off on Sunday in New York, will come to an end on Monday, July 30th at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

While both bands are no strangers to the world of touring, these concerts mark the first time Santana and The Allman Brothers are sharing the stage. Previously, the jam bands had only performed on the same stage during music festivals. The two groups will swap closing spots throughout the duration of the tour.

This tour outing can be added to the list of 2012 highlights for each band: The Allman Brothers Band received a Lifetime Achievement Award during the Grammys in February, while Santana’s new album Shape Shifter debuted at #16 on the Billboard Charts upon its release in May.

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Justin Jones originally moved to Washington, DC thinking that it would be an ideal stepping-stone to New York. It was in the Nation’s Capital that Jones wrote and recorded his debut album, Blue Dreams, in 2004. In the four years following the release of Blue Dreams, Jones found himself battling drug addiction.

Come 2007, Jones found himself clean and ready to play music again. It was then that he recorded …And I Am the Song of the Drunkards. Fast forward to 2010, when Jones became the first (and, as of now, is currently the only) artist signed to the 9:30 Club’s own 9:30 Records. The release of his first EP, The Little Fox, came shortly thereafter.

Since then, Jones has performed with the likes of Ray Montagne, K.D. Lang, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Drive-By Truckers, and Badly Drawn Boy.

The alt-country singer is now preparing for the forthcoming release of his fourth full-length album, Fading Light, set to hit shelves May 8th. To help promote the first full-length release on 9:30 Records, the Virginia native will be taking the 9:30 Club on Saturday, July 21st. Also performing that evening will be Raleigh-based Americana group American Aquarium.

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