Music & Concerts

‘Wonderful’ return

‘Wonderful, Wonderful’ is tight and potent retro pop/rock brew

Published

8 years ago

October 5, 2017

Brandon Flowers, front, opens up on personal topics with his band the Killers’ eclectic new album. (Photo courtesy Island)

It’s hard to credit that 13 years have passed since the Killers emerged with their electrifying blend of new wave influences, a heavy dose of David Bowie and the arena-rock muscle of U2 on their smash debut “Hot Fuss.” They were hard to resist from the very beginning, blasting off with high-energy hits like “Somebody Told Me,” “Mr. Brightside,” “Smile Like You Mean It” and “All These Things That I’ve Done.” Despite the band’s decidedly retro tendencies, the Killers have always infused a slick modern sheen that has kept their music fresh and relevant.

While they’ve never quite been able to equal the commercial success of “Hot Fuss,”the Killers have managed to keep plugging away with one solid album after another. Despite being dismissed by some critics as too derivative of their influences and too eager to embrace the mainstream, the Killers still sell consistently well when many of their new wave-revivalist contemporaries of the early 2000s have fallen by the wayside. Their latest album, “Wonderful Wonderful,” is their first in five years, and their continued relevance is confirmed not only in the quality of the album but by the fact that it debuts at no. 1 on the Billboard album chart, their first ever to reach that mark. The album’s success is not surprising — “Wonderful Wonderful” is the tightest and most potent collection of the Killers’ exciting retro pop/rock brew since their debut.

Lead single “The Man” is a tight dance/funk jam that somehow manages to merge elements of ‘70s disco, ‘80s new wave and ‘90s electronica into a groove that’s immediate and engaging. Flowers’ taut falsetto lands somewhere between Barry Gibb and David Byrne, a wildly eccentric performance that’s a refreshing change from the overly perfect autotuned soullessness to which pop music fans are typically subjected these days. “The Man” sounds a bit like Maroon 5 but with an edgier kick and infinitely more personality. Also excellent is the second single “Run For Cover,” a jittery rocker with a rapid-fire vocal during the verse that gives way to the type of anthemic chorus that Brandon Flowers performs so well and with such obvious heart.

The title track opens the album with a stripped-down electronic rhythm, swoops of quavery keyboard and a slow-building intensity that eventually boils over as Flowers builds plenty of drama for the cinematic climax. In keeping with the more personal nature of this album, Flowers bares his heart in “Rut,” opening up about his wife’s experiences with PTSD. The Killers typically operate in a world of storytelling and character development, so the more intimate nature of “Wonderful Wonderful” translates to a piercing emotional immediacy that feels completely genuine.

“Some Kind of Love” is a gauzy ballad, with Flowers’ gentle multi-tracked vocals floating atop a lovely bed of swaying synths. “Out of My Mind” is reminiscent of the electronic-tinged pop that saturated Top 40 airwaves in the late ‘80s. It boasts one of the album’s simpler yet most irresistible melodic hooks and seems an obvious choice as a future single. “Life to Come” once again is built mostly on synths — the guitars take a back seat on “Wonderful Wonderful” as the band relies more heavily on electronic textures. The album’s closer is the contemplative “Have All The Songs Been Written?,” which starts as a slowly simmering ballad before rising to the point where you think it’s gonna really take off but then sorta sputters unexpectedly mid-ascent. It’s an odd ending that feels unfinished, but perhaps that’s the point. Maybe it’s meant to be a harbinger of things to come.

“Wonderful Wonderful” is the Killers at their most focused and engaging. While still unabashedly mining the past for inspiration, they also look unerringly forward with an album that is immaculately crafted, fiercely performed and brimming with solid hooks and fiery grooves. If you’re a fan, you’ll like it. If you tend to view the Killers as style over substance, as many critics do, “Wonderful Wonderful” is at least worth an open-minded listen. The Killers will probably never be critical darlings, but it hardly matters. They know their niche and they operate within its flashing neon glow with all the vitality and spirit of a band just getting started.

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Washington chorale kicks off Christmas with vibrant program

‘Thine Own Sweet Light’ concerts planned

Published

3 days ago

December 5, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

(Photo by orson/Bigstock)

The full Washington Master Chorale will return for its annual holiday concert tradition with “Thine Own Sweet Light” on Friday, Dec. 19 and Sunday, Dec. 21 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church (D.C.) and Church of the Epiphany (D.C.).

The concert will feature the rich sounds of the 50-voice, a cappella chorus performing lush, seasonal choral music inspired by the theme of light. Highlights include Edvard Grieg’s “Ave Maris Stella,” Eric Whitacre’s “Lux Aurumque,” and Christopher Hoh’s “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of Hosts.” The program will also present a new work by Barcelona composer Josep Ollé i Sabaté, along with charming holiday folk songs and seasonal favorites.

For more details, visit the Washington Master Chorale website.

Music & Concerts

Queer mega stars (and allies) ready to take D.C. stages this fall

Watch LGBTQ icons light up stages across the DMV as they sing, dance, and drag their way through spectacular shows.

Published

3 months ago

September 9, 2025

Joe Reberkenny

Doechii performing at WorldPride 2025's closing concert in June earlier this year. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

One of the best ways to welcome fall is by catching LGBTQ performers (and their allies) lighting up some of the D.C. area’s biggest stages. From country and pop to drag and rock, the season is packed with shows you won’t want to miss.

Maren Morris – The country, rock, and pop diva—known for hits like “The Bones” and for standing up against Nashville’s anti-LGBTQ voices—takes the stage at Wolf Trap (1551 Trap Rd, Vienna, Va.) on Friday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $64.

RuPaul – The mother of modern drag and host of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” will spin a DJ set at Echostage (2135 Queens Chapel Rd NE) in Northeast D.C. on Sept. 20. Before RuPaul swaps wigs for headphones, Trade and Number 9 owner Ed Bailey will warm up the decks. For tickets and details visit echostage.com.

Conan Gray – The queer pop prince, celebrated for his Gen Z anthems like “Heather” and “Maniac,” brings his Wishbone Pajama Show to EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, VA, (4500 Patriot Cir) on Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $113. For more info visit shop.conangray.com/pages/tour.

All Things Go Music Festival – With a lineup that includes Noah Kahan, Lucy Dacus, Kesha, Clairo, Doechii, and more, the beloved LGBTQ-friendly festival takes over Merriweather Post Pavilion (10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia, Md.) Sept. 26–28. For tickets and details visit allthingsgofestival.com.

BERTHA: Grateful Drag – This unique tribute brings drag artistry and the sounds of the Grateful Dead to The Atlantis (2047 9th St NW) on Sept. 27. Tickets start at $47 at theatlantis.com.

Peach PRC – Rising Australian pop star and out lesbian, whose confessional tracks like “Perfect for You” and “Forever Drunk” have made her a queer TikTok darling, performs at The Atlantis on Sept. 29 at 6:30 p.m. The show is general admission only. Additional details are on theatlantis.com.

Addison Rae – The TikTok star-turned-pop princess, who’s crossed over into music with glossy hits like “Diet Pepsi” brings her sold out show to The Anthem (901 Wharf St., S.W.) on Sept. 30. Tickets are sold out, but resale options start around $80. For more info visit theanthemdc.com.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show 50th Anniversary – Celebrate the cult classic that’s been a queer midnight-movie staple for decades, with Barry Bostwick (a.k.a. Brad Majors) at the Warner Theatre (513 13th St., N.W.) on Oct. 2 at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $41 via Ticketmaster.

Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight & Stephanie Mills – Four legends, one stage. Between Khan’s funk, LaBelle’s soul, Knight’s R&B, and Mills’ powerhouse vocals, this concert at Capital One Arena (601 F St NW) on Oct. 3 at 8 p.m. promises pure diva magic. Tickets start at $103. For more details visit capitalonearena.com.

Lorde – Joined by The Japanese House and Chanel Beads, the Grammy-winning New Zealand singer-songwriter behind “Royals” and “Solar Power” returns to The Anthem on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. Lorde has long been embraced by queer fans for her dreamy pop and subversive lyrics. For more info visit theanthemdc.com.

Andy Bell (of Erasure) – The British queer rock icon, best known for synth-pop classics like “A Little Respect” and “Chains of Love,” brings his Ten Crowns Tour to the Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.) on Friday, Oct. 17 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $90.45.

Doechii – The self-described queer “Swamp Princess”—and WorldPride 2025 headliner—continues her breakout year with the Live from the Swamp Tour at The Anthem on Oct. 21 at 8 p.m. Known for blending rap, R&B, and avant-garde performance art, Doechii is one to watch. Tickets start at $153.

Neon Trees – The out-and-proud Utah rockers behind “Everybody Talks” and “Animal” perform at the Lincoln Theatre on Friday, Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. Lead singer Tyler Glenn, who came out publicly in 2014, has become a strong queer voice in alternative rock. For tickets and info visit impconcerts.com.

Sasha Colby – The “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 15 winner strips down on the Stripped II Tour at the Warner Theatre on Nov. 2 at 8 p.m. Tickets available now on Ticketmaster.

Lola Young – The bisexual indie-pop sensation, whose raw songwriting has earned her millions of TikTok fans and multiple chart soaring hits visits The Anthem on Nov. 9 at 8 p.m. Tickets are still available.

Opera Lafayette

Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas

Featuring Mary Elizabeth Williams as Dido

+ Elijah McCormack, Chelsea Helm

Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m.

Sixth & I

PostClassical Ensemble

The Pale Blue Do: A Musical Voyage Inspired By Nature

Featuring National Geographic’s Enric Sala, Guest Curator

Wednesday, November 19, 7:30 p.m.

Terrace Theater

Washington Concert Opera

Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride

Starring Kate Lindsey, Theo Hoffman, John Moore, and Fran Daniel Laucerica

Nov. 23, 6 p.m.

Lisner Auditorium

Washington Master Chorale

Sacred Jewel Box

An intimate a capella concert taking place in an architectural jewel, featuring cherished choral gems from Anglican and Catholic tradition and early American hymns. The concert will also present the world premiere of Christopher Hoh’s Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of Hosts, and hymn singing featuring Robert Church, organist and choirmaster at St David’s.

Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m.

October 19, 5 p.m.

St. David’s Episcopal Church

Music & Concerts

Cyndi Lauper ready to have fun in Virginia

Superstar to bring final leg of farewell tour to Jiffy Lube Live

Published

5 months ago

July 18, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

Pop icon Cyndi Lauper brings her farewell tour to Jiffy Lube Live on July 24. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Superstar Cyndi Lauper will bring the final leg of her farewell tour “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” to Bristow, Va., on Thursday, July 24 at Jiffy Lube Live.

Lauper’s international Farewell Tour – her first major headlining run in a decade – kicked off in North America last October, and included her first time ever headlining (and selling out) Madison Square Garden. Lauper’s performances have earned raves from the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Billboard, and many more, and surprise guests have included Chaka Khan, Sam Smith, and Hayley Williams. The tour just visited the U.K. and Europe, and will head to Australia and Japan in April.

Tickets are available on Live Nation’s website.