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SPRING ARTS 2017 — CONCERTS: Cher, Ricky and many more

New MGM National Harbor is magnet for top-level acts

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DC concerts 2017, gay news, Washington Blade

Cher brings her ‘Classic Cher’ show from Vegas to the MGM National Harbor March 17-26. (Photo by MCM, Machado Cicala Morassut)

Spring — as always — is a busy concert season in Washington.

March opens with alt-rockers Panic! At the Disco bringing their “Death of a Bachelor Tour” to MGM National Harbor (101 MGM National Ave., Oxon Hill, Md.) on Friday, March 3 at 7 p.m. Ticket info here.

The 9:30 Club (815 V St., N.W.) has its usual stacked lineup, with the Flaming Lips playing two nights March 5-6. Tickets at 930.com.

Local “queer pop” vocalist Be Steadwell will perform at the AMP by Strathmore (1810 Grand Park Ave., North Bethesda, Md.) on Thursday, March 9. Details at ampbystrathmore.com.

Echostage (2135 Queens Chapel Rd., N.E.) welcomes back DJ Tiesto for two nights of electrifying club sounds on March 10-11. Details at echostage.com.

R&B/pop veteran Vanessa Williams appears at the Howard Theatre (620 T St., N.W.) for two shows on Friday, March 10. Details at thehowardtheatre.com.

Monday, March 13 is a big night at the Verizon Center (601 F St., N.W.), with Green Day headlining and Against Me!, featuring transgender lead singer Laura Jane Grace, opening for what should be an amazing night of ferocious rock. Tickets here.

Quirky piano prodigy Regina Spektor is at DAR Constitution Hall (1776 D St., N.W.) on Tuesday, March 14. Tickets here.

Vanessa Carlton plays the Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Va.) on Thursday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m. Details at birchmere.org.

The openly gay indie-pop hero Stephin Merritt brings Magnetic Fields to the Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.) March 18-19. Details at thelincolndc.com.

Stevie Nicks, who put on an amazing show last fall at the Verizon Center, comes to Baltimore’s Royal Farms Arena (201 W Baltimore St., Baltimore) on Sunday, March 26. Tickets here.

Rock legends the Pretenders are sure to electrify fans at the Fillmore (8656 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring, Md.) on Monday, March 27. Details at fillmoresilverspring.com.

Powerhouse vocalist Ann Wilson of Heart will perform a solo show at the Birchmere on Wednesday, March 29. Details at birchmere.com.

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington performs at the Barns at Wolf Trap (1635 Trap Rd., Vienna, Va.) on Saturday, April 15 in “God Save the Queens,” a salute to pop royalty featuring new arrangements of classics by Elvis Presley, Queen, Prince, Adele and other superstars. Details at wolftrap.org.

Betty Who, a huge hit at Capital Pride in 2014, returns to D.C. on Sunday, April 16  at the 9:30 Club, followed by the ultra-hot British popsters Clean Bandit on Wednesday, April 19. Details at 930.com.

One of the great singer/songwriters of our time, Aimee Mann, will perform on Thursday, April 20 at the Lincoln Theatre in support of “Mental Illness,” her first new album in five years. Details at thelincolndc.com.

A rare opportunity to see some musical legends that are part of the fabric of ‘80s music happens on Thursday, April 27, as Prince’s former backup band the Revolution plays the Fillmore. Details at fillmoresilverspring.com.

Alan Cumming will be at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) as part of the Renee Fleming series on Saturday, April 29. Details at kennedy-center.org.

The NSO Pops continues its trend of performing with pop acts (Diana Ross and Ledisi have been recent guests). On May 5-6, the Pops, under the direction of conductor Steven Reineke, will be joined by lesbian icons the Indigo Girls in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Details at kennedy-center.org.

Openly gay Latino pop sensation Ricky Martin is sure to dazzle as he performs two nights at MGM National Harbor (101 MGM National Ave., Oxon Hill, Md.) May 5-6. Tickets here.

Ricky Martin plays the MGM National Harbor May 5-6. (Photo courtesy MGM)

Ricky Martin plays the MGM National Harbor May 5-6. (Photo courtesy MGM)

Slowdive, one of the great alt-rock bands of the ‘90s, have reunited and will bring their hypnotic shoegaze sound to the 9:30 club on Sunday, May 7. Details at 930.com.

Storm Large of Pink Martini fame, plays  AMP by Strathmore May 6-7. Details at ampbystrathmore.com.

The same night, one of the hottest names in electronic music, Tycho, will appear at EchoStage. Nancy and Beth, featuring Megan Mullally from “Will & Grace,” will perform at U Street Music Hall (115 U St., N.W.) on Monday, May 8. Details at ustreetmusichall.com.

One of the year’s most anticipated tours hits the Fillmore on Tuesday, May 9, as the venerable Australian rockers Midnight Oil will appear as part of their first extensive round of shows since the early ‘90s. Details at fillmoresilverspring.com.

Another Australian band, the electro-glam pop duo Empire of the Sun, performs at Echostage on Thursday, May 11 at 7 p.m. in support of their latest album, “Two Vines.” Details at echostage.com.

One of the most acclaimed openly gay artists to emerge in recent years, Perfume Genius, returns to Washington on Monday, May 15 at the 9:30 Club. Details at 930.com.

The same night, local electronic/hip-hop favorites Thievery Corporation will be at the Kennedy Center. Details at kennedy-center.com.

The venerable alternative rock powerhouse the Pixies will perform at Lincoln Theatre May 16-17. Details at thelincolndc.com.

Cher plays the MGM March 17-26 with her “Classic Cher” show. She’ll return later in the year for an Aug. 31-Sept. 10 engagement. Tickets here.

The Weeknd plays the Verizon Center on Thursday, May 18. Tickets here.

Influential Baltimore-based musical mad scientists Animal Collective play the 9:30 Club on Monday, May 22. Details at 930.com.

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Music & Concerts

Musical icons and newer stars to rock D.C. this spring

Brandi Carlile, Bad Bunny, Nicki Minaj, and more headed our way

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Brandi Carlile plays the Anthem this month.

Bands and solo artists of all different genres are visiting D.C. this spring. Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight will team up to perform at the Wolf Trap in June, and girl in red will play at the Anthem in April. Some artists and bands aren’t paying a visit until the summer, like Janet Jackson and Usher, but there are still plenty of acts to see as the weather warms up. 

MARCH 

Brandi Carlile plays at the Anthem on March 21; Arlo Parks will perform at 9:30 Club on March 23; Girlschool will take the stage at Blackcat on March 28.

APRIL 

Nicki Minaj stops in D.C. at Capital One Arena as part of her North American tour on April 1; Bad Bunny plays at Capital One Arena on April 9 as part of his Most Wanted tour; girl in red performs at the Anthem on April 20 and 21; Brandy Clark plays at the Birchmere on April 25; Laufey comes to town to play at the Anthem on April 25 and 26. 

MAY 

Belle and Sebastian play at the Anthem on May 2; Chastity Belt performs at Blackcat on May 4; Madeleine Peyroux stops at the Birchmere on May 5; The Decemberists play at the Anthem on May 10; the rock band Mannequin Pussy performs at the Atlantis on May 17 and 18; Hozier plays at Merriweather Post Pavilion on May 17 as part of the Unreal Unearth tour. 

JUNE 

Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight will sing soulful melodies at Wolf Trap on June 8; Joe Jackson performs at the Lincoln Theatre on June 10; the Pixies and Modest Mouse are teaming up to play at Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 14; Maggie Rogers plays at Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 16 as part of The Don’t Forget Me tour; Brittany Howard headlines the Out & About Festival at Wolf Trap on June 22; Sarah McLachlan plays at Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 27; Alanis Morissette performs at Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 29 and 30

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Music & Concerts

Grammys: Queer women and their sisters took down the house

Taylor Swift won Album of the Year

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When the late, great Ruth Bader Ginsburg was asked when there will be enough women on the Supreme Court, her answer was simple: Nine. She stated: “I say when there are nine, people are shocked. But there’d been nine men, and nobody’s ever raised a question about that.” RBG did not attend the Grammy’s last night, but her spirit sure did. Women, at long last, dominated, ruled and killed the night.

Cher, in song a decade ago, declared that “this is a woman’s world,” but there was little evidence that was true, Grammy, and entertainment awards, speaking. In 2018, the Grammys were heavily criticized for lack of female representation across all categories and organizers’ response was for women to “step up.”

Be careful what you wish for boys.

The biggest star of the 2024 Grammys was the collective power of women. They made history, they claimed legacy and they danced and lip sang to each other’s work. Standing victorious was Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, SZA (the most nominated person of the year), Lainey Wilson, Karol G, boygenius, Kylie Minogue and Victoria Monét. Oh, yes, and powerhouse Taylor Swift, the superstar from whom Fox News cowers in fear, made history to become the first performer of any gender to win four Best Album of the Year trophies.

In the throng of these powerful women stand a number of both LGBTQ advocates and queer identifying artists. Cyrus has identified as pansexual, SZA has said lesbian rumors “ain’t wrong,” Phoebe Bridgers (winner of four trophies during the night, most of any artist) is lesbian, Monét is bi and Eilish likes women but doesn’t want to talk about it. Plus, ask any queer person about Swift or Minogue and you are likely to get a love-gush.

Women power was not just owned by the lady award winners. There were the ladies and then there were the Legends. The first Legend to appear was a surprise. Country singer Luke Combs has a cross-generational hit this year with a cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.” When originally released, the song was embraced as a lesbian anthem. When performing “Fast Car,” surprise, there was Chapman herself, singing the duet with Combs. The rendition was stunning, sentimental and historic.

Chapman, like many of the night’s female dignitaries, has not been public with her sexuality. Author Alice Walker has spoken of the two of them being lovers, however.

The legend among legends of the night, however, was the one and only Joni Mitchell. Not gay herself, she embodies the concept of an LGBTQ icon, and was accompanied by the very out Brandi Carlile on stage. On her website, Mitchell’s statement to the LGBTQ community reads, “The trick is if you listen to that music and you see me, you’re not getting anything out of it. If you listen to that music and you see yourself, it will probably make you cry and you’ll learn something about yourself and now you’re getting something out of it.”

Mitchell performed her longtime classic “Both Sides Now.” The emotion, insight and delivery from the now 80-year old artist, survivor of an aneurism, was nothing short of profound. (To fully appreciate the nuance time can bring, check out the YouTube video of a Swift lookalike Mitchell singing the same song to Mama Cass and Mary Travers in 1969.) In this latest rendition, Mitchell clearly had an impact on Meryl Streep who was sitting in the audience. Talk about the arc of female talent and power.

That arc extended from a today’s lady, Cyrus, to legend Celine Dion as well. Cyrus declared Dion as one of her icons and inspirations early in the evening. Dion appeared, graceful and looking healthy, to present the final, and historic, award of the night at the end of the show.

Legends did not even need to be living to have had an effect on the night. Tributes to Tina Turner and Sinead O’Conner by Oprah, Fantasia Barrino-Taylor and Annie Lennox respectively, proved that not even death could stop these women. As Lennox has musically and famously put it, “Sisters are doing it for themselves.”

Even the content of performances by today’s legends-in-the-making spoke to feminine power. Eilish was honored for, and performed “What Was I Made For?,” a haunting and searching song that speaks to the soul of womanhood and redefinition in today’s fight for gender rights and expression, while Dua Lipa laid down the gauntlet for mind blowing performance with her rendition of “Houdini” at the top of the show, Cyrus asserted the power of her anthem “Flowers” and pretty much stole the show.

Cyrus had not performed the song on television before, and only three times publicly. She declared in her intro that she was thrilled over the business numbers the song garnered, but she refused to let them define her. As she sang the hit, she scolded the audience, “you guys act like you don’t know the words to this song.” Soon the woman power of the room was singing along with her, from Swift to Oprah.

They can buy themselves flowers from now on. They don’t need anyone else. Cyrus made that point with the mic drop to cap all mic drops, “And I just won my first Grammy!” she declared as she danced off stage.

Even the squirmiest moment of the night still did not diminish the light of women power, and in fact, underscored it. During his acceptance of the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, Jay-Z had a bone to pick with the Grammy voters. He called out the irony that his wife Beyoncé had won more Grammys than any other human, but had never won the Best Album of the Year. Yeah, what’s with that?

But then, it brought additional context ultimately to the fact that the winner of the most Grammys individually … is a woman. And to the fact that the winner of the most Best Album of the Year awards … is a woman.

Hopefully this was the night that the Grammys “got it.” Women are the epicenter of The Creative Force.

Will the other entertainment awards get it soon as well? We can hope.

Most importantly, in a political world where women’s healthcare is under siege. Will the American voters get it?

A little known band named Little Mix put it this way in their 2019 song “A Woman’s World.”

“If you can’t see that it’s gotta change
Only want the body but not the brains
If you really think that’s the way it works
You ain’t lived in a woman’s world

Just look at how far that we’ve got
And don’t think that we’ll ever stop…”

From Grammy’s mouth to the world’s ear.

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Music & Concerts

Janet Jackson returning to D.C, Baltimore

‘Together Again Tour’ comes to Capital One Arena, CFG Bank Arena

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Janet Jackson is coming back to D.C. this summer.

Pop icon Janet Jackson announced this week an extension of her 2023 “Together Again Tour.” A new leg of the tour will bring Jackson back to the area for two shows, one at D.C.’s Capital One Arena on Friday, July 12 and another at Baltimore’s CFG Bank Arena on Saturday, July 13.  

Tickets are on sale now via TicketMaster. LiveNation announced the 2023 leg of the tour consisted of 36 shows, each of which was sold out. The 2024 leg has 35 stops planned so far; R&B star Nelly will open for Jackson on the new leg. 

Jackson made the tour announcement Tuesday on social media: “Hey u guys! By popular demand, we’re bringing the Together Again Tour back to North America this summer with special guest Nelly! It’ll be so much fun!”

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