October highlights at The Anthem and 9:30 Club
Everything from Yemi Alade to Tinashe to Katie Couric and the All Things Go Music Festival at Merriweather.
The month of October offers plenty of highlights to come to I.M.P.’s oldest and newest venues. At the 9:30 Club, the month gets off to a great diva-licious start with young Nigerian Afro-pop artist Yemi Alade as the early show on Oct. 2 followed by Korean-American electronica artist known by the moniker Tokimonsta as that night’s late show. The next day, Oct. 3, ushers in Tinashe, the Janet Jackson-styled, bisexual-identified R&B artist also known for portraying Mimi in Fox’s Rent: Live. Also performing not one, not two, but three shows in October is Lucy Dacus, although if you didn’t already nab tickets, you’ll have to catch her next time around, as all three shows sold out long ago.
A collaborator with Tinashe, the gay Haitian-Canadian DJ/producer Kaytranada is the chief LGBTQ draw to come to the Anthem in October. The young, two-time Grammy-winning downtempo-esque artist headlines on Oct. 13. Other October highlights down at the Wharf venue include Mexican acoustic guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela on Oct. 6, South Carolina-rooted, four-piece rock band NeedToBreathe headlining on Oct. 10, the ’80s-minted Australian/British “neoclassical dark wave” duo Dead Can Dance on Oct. 11, Baltimore’s finest pop-rock band Future Islands on Oct. 14, sharp young Grammy-winning R&B artist H.E.R. on Oct. 25, the best-named jam band in all the land, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong on Oct. 29 — and Katie Couric, appearing for a reading and discussion of her new memoir Going There on Oct. 30.
Back to the 9:30 Club, the lineup includes an Oct. 8 date with the D.C.-birthed pop-rock band Jukebox the Ghost, two years after they dressed up and performed as Queen for HalloQueen; an Oct. 9 concert by JMSN, the alt-R&B/blue-eyed soul Albanian-American artist; an Oct. 13 show with the buzzed-about bluesy rock act Low Cut Connie, two years after they opened for Big Freedia; an Oct. 15 show by D.C.’s All ’90s covers band White Ford Bronco; and an Oct. 28 jam featuring hot young bluegrass band Turkuaz.
Finally, mention should be made of this year’s All Things Go Music Festival, a revived and reimagined one-day affair presented by I.M.P. Productions as one of the last events of the season at Merriweather Post Pavilion. HAIM, St. Vincent, Charli XCX, and Lauv are headliners for the event, set for Oct. 16.
The 9:30 Club is at 815 V St. NW and The Anthem is at 901 Wharf St. SW. Ticket prices vary, and proof of vaccination or negative test within 72 hours, plus the wearing of masks except when actively eating or drinking, required for entry. Visit www.impconcerts.com.
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