Music & Concerts

Katy’s fumble

Popster’s first album in four years feels phoned in, uninspired

Published

8 years ago

June 16, 2017

Chris Gerard

Katy Perry’s new album ‘Witness’ lacks both catchy hooks and innovative production. (Photo courtesy Capitol Records)

In the eight years since her breakthrough smash “I Kissed a Girl,” powerhouse pop diva Katy Perry has scored a remarkable nine no. 1 singles and 14 Top 10 hits over the span of four albums.

Her latest, “Witness,” will be hard-pressed to add to her tally of chart-topping singles if the performance of its first three releases can be used as a gauge. Lead single “Chained to The Rhythm,” featuring a guest spot by Bob Marley’s grandson Skip, reached no. 4, but the two subsequent releases, “Bon Appetit” and “Swish Swish,” have failed each to make the Top 40, her first two major singles to miss that mark since “I Kissed a Girl” made Perry a star.

If it seems Top 40 radio has been slow to embrace Perry’s latest effort, it’s not hard to understand why: there are very few strong melodic hooks. Musically, with its sparse electronic beats and swirls of synth, “Witness” sounds like every other pop album that’s been released in the last five years with nothing fresh or exciting to be found. That wouldn’t matter so much if the album was jammed with earworms like prior Perry hits “Firework,” “Hot n Cold,” Teenage Dream,” “Roar” and “Dark Horse,” but unfortunately there is nothing here that holds a candle to any of those pop classics. There’s little to distinguish one track from another on “Witness,” and while there are certainly tracks with hit potential (“Roulette” and the title-song in particular), overall it’s hard to envision this album performing on the same level as her prior megahits.

“Witness” is not without its high points, but they are few and far between. It opens strong with a title song that probably should have been a single by now; it’s more substantial and melodic than most anything else on the album. “Bigger Than Me” is another winner, oddly tucked away near the end of the album despite being one of the more immediate and engaging tracks.

Unfortunately the proceedings quickly lapse into formula. “Hey Hey Hey,” with its heavily autotuned vocals and cloying chorus, is a simplistic throwaway that bafflingly required five writers to create. “Roulette,” with its jittery rhythm and a spidery keyboard riff, is one of the stronger moments, but even here it’s hard to shake the feeling that this is Katy Perry-by-numbers. We’ve heard it all before and better.

“Swish Swish,” with a guest slot by the ubiquitous Nicki Minaj, is a novelty “diss-track” that ends up more silly than badass. Presumably we’re not supposed to snort and giggle at the half-whispered faux-Britney catch-phrase, “Swish, swish, bish.” More successful is “Chained to the Rhythm,” the vaguely Latin-flavored lead single, although it also pales when compared to Perry’s key singles of the past. The spark just isn’t there, and like much of the album it ends up too repetitive. “Bon Appetit” is a curious choice as second single and does little to break up the soulless monotony.

Perry has a powerful voice but one would be hard-pressed to prove it with “Witness” because nearly everything she sings is slathered with autotune that, along with the rather stale synthetic beats, gives everything an artificial, detached vibe. Any genuine heart and feeling that may have otherwise helped salvage some of the tracks has been sapped away and wiped clean. Forgettable tracks like “Pendulum,” “Tsunami” and “Deja Vu” serve only to fill slots on an album that’s too long to begin with. Even the ballads are lackluster and meandering.

At 15 tracks and nearly an hour long, “Witness” is a slog to get through. The sameness in sound and vibe is numbing. Whatever Katy Perry was trying to accomplish with her first album in four years, she has unfortunately missed the mark. There aren’t enough big pop melodies to make it a great summertime album, and one of the key ingredients in her best work — sheer exuberance and fun — is largely missing here.

Katy Perry seems to be in that stage that many young artists go through, trying to transition from fun-loving bouncy teen-friendly pop star to edgier and more serious artistry, but she doesn’t go far enough or bold enough to make it work. “Witness” is a step back for Perry, but other singers have recovered from such missteps and thrived, and Perry certainly has the talent to do so. Time will tell if “Witness” is an aberration or the start of a long-term downward trend in both sales and entertainment value.

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Tom Goss returns with ‘Bear Friends Furever Tour’

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

Published

3 days ago

May 2, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

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.

Music & Concerts

Kylie brings ‘Tension’ tour to D.C.

Performance on Tuesday at Capital One Arena

Published

4 weeks ago

April 5, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

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.”

Music & Concerts

Busy season for live music in D.C.

Erivo, Kylie, Sivan, and more headed our way this spring

Published

2 months ago

March 14, 2025

Joe Reberkenny

Cynthia Erivo plays WorldPride in D.C. on June 7. (Photo courtesy of World Pride)

One sure sign of spring’s arrival is the fresh wave of live music coming to Washington. With more than 10 venues and a diverse lineup of artists, the city offers no shortage of live performances for the new season.

In addition to this impressive list, don’t forget the many artists coming to town for WorldPride, May 17-June 8. In addition to headliner Cynthia Erivo performing on Saturday, June 7 at the two-day street festival and concert, many other performers will be in town. Jennifer Lopez, Troye Sivan, and RuPaul are among the featured performers at the WorldPride Music Festival at the RFK Festival Grounds, June 6-7. Visit WorldPrideDC.org for a list of other performers.

MARCH

Grammy and Emmy Award-winning Mary J. Blige will take the stage at Capital One Arena on March 26 for her For My Fans tour. Two days later, on March 28, J Balvin will also perform at Capital One Arena for his Back to the Rayo tour.

The Lincoln Theatre will host the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington for three performances—one on March 15 and two on March 16.

If dance parties are more your vibe, you’re in luck. DC9 is hosting a series of themed dance parties this month, starting with Poker Face: 2000s + Dance Party on March 14, the ever-popular Peach Pit ’90s dance party on March 15, H.O.T.S.: A Sapphic Dance Party on March 22, and RageRiot!—a burlesque and drag revue featuring a lineup of local drag kings, queens, and everything in between on March 29.

APRIL

Australian queen of pop Kylie Minogue will bring her Tension tour to Capital One Arena on April 8, with British dance artist Romy as her special guest.

Indie singer-songwriter mxmtoon will stop in D.C. for their Liminal Space tour on April 4 at the 9:30 club, followed by indie rock band Gossip on April 5. The 9:30 club will also host two dance parties in April: Gimme Gimme Disco – a dance party inspired by ABBA on April 11 and Broadway Rave on April 18.

The Atlantis will feature Brooklyn-based indie rock band Pom Pom Squad on April 2.

Comedy duo Two Dykes and a Mic will bring their Going Hog Wild tour to the Howard Theatre on April 19.

DC9 has two dance parties lined up this month: Bimbo Night on April 4, hosted by Baltimore’s “premier red-tattooed Filipina diva” Beth Amphetamine, and Aqua Girls: A QTBIPOC Dance Party on April 5, celebrating “queer transcendence through music, movement, and community.”

The Anthem will welcome a lineup of big names in April, starting with Alessia Cara on April 8. Lucy Dacus will take the stage on April 18 and 19 for her Forever Is a Feeling tour, while funky pop artist Remi Wolf will headline on April 27, joined by special guests Dana and Alden.

MAY

Indie-pop artist Miya Folick will bring her Erotica Veronica tour to The Atlantis on May 1, followed by multi-genre musician SASAMI on May 2. Pop artist Snow Wife will close out the month at The Atlantis on May 31 as part of an official WorldPride 2025 event.

Queer rock band Lambrini Girls will perform at the Howard Theatre on May 4, while rock trio L.A. Witch will take the stage at DC9 on May 12.

Union Stage will feature Rachel Platten on May 3 for her Set Me Free tour, followed by Femme Fatale: A Queer Dance Party later that night.

The popular DJ festival Project Glow will return to RFK Stadium grounds on May 31 and June 1.

JUNE

Pride month kicks off with “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Trixie Mattel, who will perform at Echostage on June 3 as part of a series of official WorldPride 2025 events.

Queer icons Grace Jones & Janelle Monáe will take over The Anthem on June 5 for a WorldPride 2025 event performance.

Perfume Genius will bring his signature sound to the 9:30 club on June 7 as part of WorldPride 2025 festivities. Later in the month, Blondshell will hit the 9:30 club for her If You Asked for a Tour on June 24.