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FALL ARTS 2015: concerts

Kelly, Madonna and Diana kick off fall D.C. concert blitz

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Ricky Martin, concert, gay news, Washington Blade
concert, gay news, Washington Blade

EagleBank Arena (formerly the Patriot Center) will host out latin/pop superstar Ricky Martin on Oct. 9. (Photo courtesy of FlyLife Inc.)

The fall concert season gets rolling with a three big-time pop stars spanning three generations all performing within days of each other in September.

Vocal powerhouse Kelly Clarkson has back-to-back nights at Wolf Trap (1551 Trap Road, Vienna, Va.) on Sept. 12-13 at 7 p.m. (wolftrap.org) Pop icon Madonna returns to the Verizon Center (601 F St., N.W.) on Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. in support of her “Rebel Heart” album (livenation.com orticketmaster.com). Then if that isn’t enough diva power, the legendary Diana Ross will be at the Strathmore (10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, Md.) on Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. (strathmore.org) after a Sept. 13 show at Pier Six Pavilion (piersixpavilion.com) in Baltimore.

That’s just the start of what is shaping up to be an exciting concert season in D.C. this fall. Perhaps the biggest event is the Landmark Music Festival at West Potomac Park (West Basin Drive, S.W.), a a two-day event starting Saturday, Sept. 26 at noon and featuring an impressive lineup including Drake, alt-J, The Strokes, CHVRCHES, Chromeo, Ben Howard, Band of Horses, fun. frontman Nate Ruess and the War on Drugs. The full line-up and more information is at landmarkfestiva.org.

In addition to Madonna, the Verizon Center has some real heavy hitters. British pop sensation Ed Sheeran will play two nights, Sept. 22-23 at 7:30 p.m. R&B giant R. Kelly headlines on Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. Musical legend Stevie Wonder performs on Oct. 3 at 8 p.m., and will play his landmark album “Songs of the Key of Life” in its entirety. A fantastic rock double-bill goes down on Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m., as recent Hall of Fame inductees Joan Jett and the Blackhearts open for the Who. One of the hottest artists in the country, pop/R&B sensation the Weeknd, takes the stage on Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m.

The 9:30 Club (815 V St. N.W.) as usual has a host of top-notch talent slated for fall. The reunited ‘90s shoegaze band Ride will play on Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. Gay-fronted band Years & Years play there Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. Pop vocalist Tove Lo performs on Oct. 19 at 6 p.m., and the always-outrageous Peaches returns on Oct. 26 at 7 p.m.. The highlight of the season is the return of alternative-rock legends Garbage, who will perform on Oct. 28-29 at 7 p.m. to celebrate 20th anniversary of their debut album, which they will play in its entirety. Details at 930.com.

Summer may be winding down, but there are still some big shows upcoming at Merriweather Post Pavilion (10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Md.). Death Cab for Cutie will take the stage on Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m.. Fresh off a no. 1 album with “Sound & Color,” Alabama Shakes will perform onSept. 18 at 8 p.m., and Of Monsters and Men play Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. Details at merriweathermusic.com.

If country music under the stars is your idea of a perfect evening in September, there are a couple big opportunities you shouldn’t miss at Jiffy Lube Live (7800 Cellar Door Drive, Bristow, Va.). Jason Aldean will hit the stage on Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. while Brad Paisley will be there Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. Details at jiffylubelive.com.

If your thing is dancing, then Echostage (2135 Queens Chapel Rd, N.E.) is the place to be. Their fall line-up is highlighted by British electronic duo Disclosure supporting their new album “Caracal” with shows on Oct. 21 (doors at 8 p.m.) and Oct. 22 (opening at 9 p.m.) Dutch electro/hip-hop star Stromae will perform on Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. EDM hero Armin van Buuren will have the place jumping on Sept. 24, with doors opening at 9 p.m. World-renowned DJ Kaskade will do the same when he spins on Oct. 16. at 9 p.m. Details at echostage.com.

The Birchmere, (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Va.), has an impressive line-up of talent on its calendar, highlighted by Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell performing together on Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. and the talented singer-songwriter Patty Griffin on Sept. 29 at 7:30 p.m. The renowned lesbian folk/rock duo Indigo Girls perform on Nov. 2 at 7:30. Details at birchmere.com.

The Howard Theatre (620 T St., N.W.) hosts a CD party for the amazing Lizz Wright on Sept. 11 at 8 p.m. Electronic pioneers the Orb appear on Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. Lalah Hathaway will be there for two nights on Sept. 26 and 28 at 8 p.m. For more information and additional listings, go to thehowardtheatre.com.

At the Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University, (730 21st St., N.W), Lucinda Williams will perform on Oct. 7 at 8 p.m., while Mavis Staples and Joan Osborne bring their “Solid Soul” tour on Oct. 31. at 8 p.m. (lisner.gwu.edu)

The Fillmore in Silver Spring (8656 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring, Md.) serves up pop heartthrob Nick Jonas on Sept. 29 at 7:30 p.m. Details at fillmoresilverspring.com.

Classical outfit Seraphic Fire perform Handel’s “Coronation Anthems” at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (2430 K St., N.W.) on Nov. 10. They’ll return in 2016 for two more concerts there. Details at seraphicfire.org.

Loretta Lynn plays Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.) on Sept. 27 at 6:30 p.m. Other notable shows at the Lincoln include FFS, an outstanding mashup of Sparks and Franz Ferdinand, on Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m., Kacey Musgraves for two nights on Oct. 16-17 at 6:30 p.m., and Marina and the Diamonds on Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. Details at thelincolndc.com.

In addition to Kelly Clarkson, Wolf Trap will host Broadway favorite Megan Hilty on Oct. 9 at 7 and 9:30 p.m., iconic lesbian vocalist Joan Armatrading for two nights on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m., Madeleine Peyroux on Nov. 17 at 8 p.m, Suzanne Vega with Duncan Sheik on Nov. 18-19 at 8 p.m., and Rickie Lee Jones on Nov. 20 at 8 p.m.. EagleBank Arena (formerly the Patriot Center) will host openly gay latin/pop superstar Ricky Martin on Oct. 9 at 8 p.m. and Marc Anthony on Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. Details at eaglebankarena.com.

And three gay Strathmore dates to put on your calendar for December — Dave Koz returns there on Dec. 4, the gay-helmed Philadelphia Orchestra will perform on Dec. 7 and Michael Feinstein is there Dec. 11. Details at strathmore.org.

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Music & Concerts

Underdog glorious: a personal remembrance of Jill Sobule

Talented singer, songwriter died in house fire on May 1

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Writer Gregg Shapiro with Jill Sobule in 2000. (Photo courtesy Shapiro)

I’ve always prided myself on being the kind of music consumer who purchased music on impulse. When I stumbled across “Things Here Are Different,” Jill Sobule’s 1990 MCA Records debut album on vinyl in a favorite Chicago record store, I bought it without knowing anything about her. This was at a time when we didn’t have our phones in our pockets to search for information about the artist on the internet. The LP stayed in my collection until, as vinyl was falling out of fashion, I replaced it with a CD a few years later.

Early in my career as an entertainment journalist, I received a promo copy of Jill’s eponymous 1995 Atlantic Records album. That year, Atlantic Records was one of the labels at the forefront of signing and heavily promoting queer artists, including Melissa Ferrick and Extra Fancy, and its roster included the self-titled album by Jill. It was a smart move, as the single “I Kissed A Girl” became a hit on radio and its accompanying video (featuring Fabio!) was in heavy rotation on MTV (when they still played videos).

Unfortunately for Jill, she was a victim of record label missteps. When 1997’s wonderful “Happy Town” failed to repeat the success, Atlantic dumped her. That was Atlantic’s loss, because her next album, the superb “Pink Pearl” contained “Heroes” and “Mexican Wrestler,” two of her most beloved songs. Sadly, Beyond Music, the label that released that album ceased to exist after just a few years. To her credit, the savvy Jill had also started independently releasing music (2004’s “The Folk Years”). That was a smart move because her next major-label release, the brilliant “Underdog Victorious” on Artemis Records, met a similar fate when that label folded.

With her 2009 album “California Years,” Jill launched her own indie label, Pinko Records, on which she would release two more outstanding full-length discs, 2014’s “Dottie’s Charms” (on which she collaborated with some of her favorite writers, including David Hadju, Rick Moody, Mary Jo Salter, and Jonathan Lethem), and 2018’s stunning “Nostalgia Kills.” Jill’s cover of the late Warren Zevon’s “Don’t Let Us Get Sick” on “Nostalgia Kills” was particularly poignant as she had toured with him as an opening act.

Jill was a road warrior, constantly on tour, and her live shows were something to behold. My first interview with Jill took place at the Double Door in Chicago in early August of 1995, when she was the opening act for legendary punk band X. She had thrown her back out the previous day and was diagnosed with a herniated disc. To be comfortable, she was lying down on a fabulous-‘50s sofa. “I feel like I’m at my shrink’s,” she said to me, “Do you want me to talk about my mother?”

That sense of humor, which permeated and enriched her music, was one of many reasons to love Jill. I was privileged to interview her for seven of her albums. Everything you would want to know about her was right there in her honest lyrics, in which she balanced her distinctive brand of humor with serious subject matter. Drawing on her life experiences in songs such as “Bitter,” “Underachiever,” “One of These Days,” “Freshman,” “Jetpack,” “Nothing To Prove,” “Forbidden Thoughts of Youth,” “Island of Lost Things,” “Where Do I Begin,” “Almost Great,” and “Big Shoes,” made her songs as personal as they were universal, elicited genuine affection and concern from her devoted fans.

While she was a consummate songwriter, Jill also felt equally comfortable covering songs made famous by others, including “Just A Little Lovin’” (on the 2000 Dusty Springfield tribute album “Forever Dusty”) and “Stoned Soul Picnic” (from the 1997 Laura Nyro tribute album “Time and Love”). Jill also didn’t shy away from political subject matter in her music with “Resistance Song,” “Soldiers of Christ,” “Attic,” “Heroes,” “Under the Disco Ball,” and the incredible “America Back” as prime examples.

Here’s something else worth mentioning about Jill. She was known for collaboration skills. As a songwriter, she maintained a multi-year creative partnership with Robin Eaton (“I Kissed A Girl” and many others), as well as Richard Barone, the gay frontman of the renowned band The Bongos. Jill’s history with Barone includes performing together at a queer Octoberfest event in Chicago in 1996. Writer and comedian Julie Sweeney, of “SNL” and “Work in Progress” fame was another Chicago collaborator with Sobule (Sweeney lives in a Chicago suburb), where they frequently performed their delightful “The Jill and Julia Show.” John Doe, of the aforementioned band X, also collaborated with Jill in the studio (“Tomorrow Is Breaking” from “Nostalgia Kills”), as well as in live performances.

On a very personal note, in 2019, when I was in the process of arranging a reading at the fabulous NYC gay bookstore Bureau of General Services – Queer Division, I reached out to Jill and asked her if she would like to be on the bill with me. We alternated performing; I would read a couple of poems, and Jill would sing a couple of songs. She even set one of my poems to music, on the spot.

Jill had an abundance of talent, and when she turned her attention to musical theater, it paid off in a big way. Her stage musical “F*ck 7th Grade,” a theatrical piece that seemed like the next logical step in her career, had its premiere at Pittsburgh’s City Theatre in the fall of 2020, during the height of the pandemic. The unique staging (an outdoor drive-in stage at which audience members watched from their cars) was truly inspired. “F*ck 7th Grade” went on to become a New York Times Critic’s pick, as well as earning a Drama Desk nomination.

In honor of the 30th anniversary of Jill’s eponymous 1995 album, reissue label Rhino Records is re-releasing it on red vinyl. Jill and I had been emailing each other to arrange a time for an interview. We even had a date on the books for the third week of May.

When she died in a house fire in Minnesota on May 1 at age 66, Jill received mentions on network and cable news shows. She was showered with attention from major news outlets, including obits in the New York Times and Rolling Stone (but not Pitchfork, who couldn’t be bothered to review her music when she was alive). Is it wrong to think that if she’d gotten this much attention when she was alive she could have been as big as Taylor Swift? I don’t think so.

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Music & Concerts

Tom Goss returns with ‘Bear Friends Furever Tour’

Out singer/songwriter to perform at Red Bear Brewing Co.

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Singer Tom Goss is back. (Photo by Dusti Cunningham)

Singer Tom Goss will bring his “Bear Friends Furever Tour” to D.C. on Sunday, June 8 at 8 p.m. at Red Bear Brewing Co. 

Among the songs he will perform will be “Bear Soup,” the fourth installment in his beloved bear song anthology series. Following fan favorites like “Bears,” “Round in All the Right Places,” and “Nerdy Bear,” this high-energy, bass-thumping banger celebrates body positivity, joyful indulgence, and the vibrant spirit of the bear subculture.

For more details, visit Tom Goss’s website.

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Music & Concerts

Kylie brings ‘Tension’ tour to D.C.

Performance on Tuesday at Capital One Arena

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Kylie Minogue visits D.C. on Tuesday.

Aussie pop icon Kylie Minogue brings her acclaimed “Tension” world tour to D.C. next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Capital One Arena. Tickets are still available at Ticketmaster.

The show features songs spanning her long career, from 1987 debut single, “The Loco-Motion,” to “Padam, Padam” from her album, “Tension.”

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