Everywhere you look, every area venue has someone of queer interest if not outright LGBTQ identity featured among the fall’s concerts. A quick survey of the area highlights on tap reveals Meshell Ndegeocello up in North Bethesda, Pink Martini over on the west end, Bright Light Bright Light due east, Sofi Tukker down at the Wharf, and Debbie Gibson across the river in Alexandria.
Cyndi Lauper, Magnetic Fields, and Allison Russell are three more acts popping into town this fall, with Ari Shapiro performing solo cabarets in both Maryland and Virginia.
For those seeking out the queer cutting edge, or the newest and hippest crop of queer pop artists, consider two destinations in particular: DC9, the barebones intimate venue in the U Street Corridor that has become something of a hotbed for budding queer talent, with something gay on tap practically any given night of the week, and Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, specifically the last weekend in September when it hosts All Things Go, the hip annual music festival that this year will offer its queerest lineup yet.
Magdalena Bay — “The Imaginal Mystery Tour” (9/21)
Shaboozey (9/21, 9/23)
Novo Amor (9/22)
JP Cooper (9/24)
Phosphorescent (9/25)
Basement (9/26)
Royal Otis (9/27)
Hayden James — U Street Music Hall Presents a stop on the “We Could Be Love Tour” with support from Lawrence Guy and Kormak (9/27)
Soul Coughing (9/28)
Álvaro Díaz (9/28)
Duster (9/29)
Valley (10/1)
Jess Glynne — British artist best known for her guest vocals on hits by Clean Bandit returns for a solo show with an opening set from Leah Kate (10/4)
Kishi Bashi — A former member of indie-rock act Of Montreal, this Virginia-raised, Athens, Ga.-based singer and multi-instrumentalist often draws from his Japanese heritage to accent or embellish his music, and his eclectic and diverse repertoire is, in essence, imaginatively quirky, emphatically poppy, and unfailingly melodic (10/4)
The California Honeydrops (10/5)
salute (10/5)
Jazmin Bean (10/6)
Slaughter Beach, Dog — An indie rock band from Philadelphia, lead by Jake Ewald, whose soft, serene vocals render their every song captivating (10/7)
The Moss (10/8)
Futurebirds (10/9)
Joywave — The indie alt rock/synth-pop group returns on the Permanent Pleasure North America 2024 Tour with opener Hunny (10/10)
A. G. Cook — “The BritpopMania Tour” (10/11)
John Vincent III (10/12)
TVBOO — Steez Promo Presents the “Daisy Dukes & Cowboy Boots Tour” featuring Shlump, smith, and Mport (10/12)
FIDLAR (10/14)
Palaye Royale (10/15)
Homeshake (10/17)
Myles Smith — A sold-out stop on “The Slightly Less Lonely North American Tour 20024” featuring Matt Schuster (10/18)
Fontaines D.C. (10/18-19)
Little Stranger (10/19)
Billy Bragg (10/20)
DISPATCH (10/21)
julie (10/24)
Mark Ambor (10/25)
Rise Against (10/27-28)
The Dip (10/29)
MJ Lenderman & The Wind (10/30)
Allison Russell — Powerful queer soul artist out on her “All Returners Tour” with support from Kara Jackson (10/31)
Zara Larsson — The Swedish pop starlet offers a rare U.S. gig, already sold out, though look for last-minute returned tickets via the 9:30 Club’s Official Lyte Exchange (11/1)
Jean Dawson (11/2)
Catfish and the Bottlemen (11/3, 11/8)
BigXthaPlug — “Take Care Tour” with support from Ro$ama and Yung Hood (11/4)
Allie X w/Violet Chachki (11/6)
Melt (11/7)
Orion Sun (11/9)
Amigo The Devil (11/10)
Houndmouth (11/11)
ALLEYCVT (11/15)
Haley Heynderickx (11/16)
Pond (11/16)
Destroy Boys (11/17)
Godspeed You! Black Emperor (11/19)
Real Friends — Opening sets by Can’t Swim, Carly Cosgrove, and Slow Joy (11/20)
Kill Lincoln — No Normal Record Release show also featuring Catbite, The Max Levine Ensemble, and Bad Operation (11/21)
Wolves of Glendale (11/22)
Ship Wrek (11/22)
Malinda (11/23)
Ocie Elliott (11/24)
Marc Rebillet (11/25-27)
Wyatt Flores (12/2)
Marc Roberge of O.A.R. (12/4)
Ride (12/5)
They Might Be Giants — A returning run of shows featuring this long-running mighty duo, giants of quirky educational pop (12/7-9)
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong (12/12-14)
Saint Levant (12/12)
Origami Angel (12/15)
THE ALDEN THEATRE
McLean Community Center
1234 Ingleside Ave.
McLean, Va.
703-790-0123 www.mcleancenter.org
The Judy Carmichael Trio — A celebration of “swing favorites of the American Songbook, from Gershwin and Cole Porter to Frank Loesser and Harold Arlen,” led by jazz stride pianist and host of public radio’s “Judy Carmichael’s Jazz Inspired” (11/3)
Adam Levin — Classical guitarist offers “a beautiful and thoughtful concert,” mixing Bach with contemporary Spanish music, as part of The Alden’s Chamber Music Series (11/17)
“L’Chaim II: A Tribute to the Jewish Legacy of Broadway (and Christmas)” — Four Broadway-caliber vocalists return for this holiday revue romping through another bevy of Christmas standards composed by musical theater legends, all of whom were Jewish (12/15)
It’s a Jazzy Christmas! — Saxophonist Lil’ Maceo and gospel violinist Eric Taylor lead a house jazz band for “an evening that will hit your holidays out of the park” (12/21)
INJI — U Street Music Hall presents the 22-year-old electronic/house artist from Turkey, with opener Planet Zuzy (9/23)
Zolita — A multi-hyphenate artist primarily working in music and visual mediums tours in support of new album Queen of Hearts, billed as offering “a bold celebration of queer love, joy, and acceptance.” The concert doubles as a fundraiser for HRC with a $1 donation per ticket sold (9/24)
Hippo Campus (9/25)
Liana Flores — British-Brazilian artist tours in support of Flower of the soul, described as “a meditation on impermanence” and with music blending British folk, classic jazz, and ’60s Brazilian pop in a style not so dissimilar from Laufey’s (9/26)
Julien Baker — The day before she appears at All Things Go, the lesbian singer-songwriter and boygenius member offers an intimate show (9/27)
Kashus Culpepper — An up-and-coming Black country crooner and “purveyor of Southern music,” from country to soul and blues to folk to rock (9/28)
bôa (9/29)
Sprints — A four-piece garage-punk from Dublin (9/30)
JD McPherson — Oklahoma native has a deep affinity for mid-century American-made sounds, from rockabilly to R&B, but his new album, Nite Owls, modernizes those sounds with elements of glam, new wave and post-punk (10/1)
Nada Surf — The band is touring in support of their freshly-released Moon Mirror, “a thrilling and moving” album featuring songs about love, grief, loneliness, doubt, and wonder imbued with hard-won wisdom (10/2)
Wasia Project (10/3)
Vincent Lima (10/4)
The Wldlfe — “A Place Where You Are: North American Tour” (10/5)
La Luz — The rare, pioneering all-women and all-women of color group in indie rock, this California rock band tours its new full-length set News of the Universe, with support from Mia Joy (10/6)
GRLwood — Originally formed as a solo project by Rej Forester and now a duo with a drummer, Louisville’s GRLwood works at “dismantling the patriarchy and other toxic heteronormative ideologies through their music” (10/7)
The Rare Occasions — Explosive garage rock anthems with catchy vocal harmonies from an L.A.-based, New England-bred indie rock who also deserve props for that subtly clever and playful name (10/8)
Aaron Frazer (10/9)
The Lemon Twigs (10/10)
Alfie Templeman — Budding young British dance artist, billed as “a bonafide polymath,” collaborated with legendary producers including Nile Rodgers and Dan Carey on his new album Radiosoul (10/11)
Karina Rykman — An All Good Presents show (10/12)
Tanukichan (10/14)
slenderbodies (10/15)
Porches (10/16)
Dogpark (10/18)
Billy Bragg (10/19)
Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets — An esteemed producer, Lowe is now working more as a singer-songwriter, one who’s teamed up with a group described as “leading practitioners of the lost art of the guitar instrumental” (10/20-21)
Rival Schools — Opening sets by Webbed Wing, Hollow Suns, and Glom (10/22)
PawPaw Rod (10/24)
Robyn Hitchcock (10/25)
Beach Weather — Also featuring Easy Honey plus Wilm Tapley & The Cannons (10/26)
Pokey LaFarge (10/27)
Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners (10/30)
TR/ST (10/31)
Zach Seabaugh (11/1)
Donovan Woods (11/4)
NewDad (11/6)
Sasha Alex Sloan (11/7)
King Buffalo (11/8)
Orla Gartland (11/9)
Ashley Kutcher (11/10)
Ratboys & Palehound (11/11-12)
Lady Lamb (11/13)
Jelani Aryeh (11/14)
The Hellp (11/15)
Michigander (11/16)
Odie Leigh (11/17)
Vundabar (11/18)
Forest Blakk (11/19)
Chris Jacobs — Veteran local indie-rocker returns for an All Good Presents intimate show (11/22)
Sing Out: GMCW Open Mic Night— Once a month, the Atlas becomes a piano bar and an open mic night presented by GMCW with a pianist on hand (9/25, 10/16, 11/20)
Akua Allrich — Local artist performs a signature toast to two of her greatest influences with “A Nina Simone, Miriam Makeba Tribute” (10/5)
Christopher Prince: Loud As The Rolling Sea — “Songs of Recognition and Resistance” (10/26)
Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra: A Bohemian Christmas 2024 — Still bearing the name of the former U Street jazz club where saxophonist and co-director Brad Linde helped found it, this 17-piece big band regroups from time to time for special events and performances, including the annual popular holiday show stuffed with festive tunes by Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn, Shorty Rogers, Thad Jones, and Stan Kenton, among others (12/9)
Reverb in Concert — A six-piece, all-male African-American a cappella group from D.C. that performs gospel, soul, and pop tunes, and at this December show, “songs that celebrate joy, love, peace, harmony, togetherness, hope, and community” (12/14)
Norm Lewis — The celebrated baritone, a veteran of Broadway stages, returns to the area to make his debut at Wolf Trap’s acoustically rich indoor and intimate Barns venue with a cabaret focused on career highlights, including leading turns in Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, and Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess (10/18-19)
Jim Messina — An evening of “mellow melodies and hit songs” from the pop veteran known for his solo work as well as stints in Buffalo Springfield and with Kenny Loggins (10/22)
Graham Nash — “More Evenings of Songs and Stories” from the folk legend and two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee (10/23-26)
T Bone Burnett — The Oscar- and Grammy-winning composer/producer, especially known for his work in movie soundtracks, including O Brother, Where Art Thou? and The Hunger Games, is out on his first concert tour in nearly 20 years to support his new solo set The Other Side (10/28-29)
Third Reprise — New York-based group has generated significant buzz and views on social media for unexpected twists on classic Broadway showtunes, ranging from a “funkified” version of Wicked‘s “Defying Gravity,” to a synthwave spin of Les Miserables‘ “I Dreamed a Dream,” to an R&B-flavored “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid (11/1)
Over the Rhine — Quintessential folk from longstanding married duo showcasing “their multi-instrumental talents and almost-confessional lyrics” (11/2)
Jess Williamson (11/6)
The Doo Wop Project (11/7)
Mariachi Herencia de México — “Our Latin Thing (Nuestra Cosa)” (11/8)
Abdullah Ibrahim Trio — A mix of spirituals, American jazz, traditional African,and classical music from South African master musician in performance with heralded jazz instrumentalists Cleave Guyton and Noah Jackson (11/13)
Eliane Elias (11/21)
Newmyer Flyer — A rotating roster of local musicians collaborate to recreate and play through classic albums, with this gathering focused on Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys and Revolver by The Beatles (11/22-23)
DC Anthem Singers Shine — Local legends Bob McDonald, Caleb Green, and D.C. Washington, familiar from singing the National Anthem for the Washington Nationals and Washington Capitals, drop by the Barns for “A Holiday Celebration” (11/24)
Ari Shapiro — “Thank You For Listening: An Evening of Songs & Stories” (2/7/25)
THE BIRCHMERE
3701 Mount Vernon Ave.
Alexandria, Va.
703-549-7500 www.birchmere.com
Suzanne Vega — An Evening With focused on “Old Songs, New Songs and Other Songs” (9/25)
Phillip Phillips — Tour also featuring Drift Back (9/26)
Eric Roberson (9/26-28)
Jonathan Coulton and Paul & Storm (9/29)
Eric Hutchinson — The “Best of” Eric Hutchinson Tour with Dan Rodriguez (10/1)
Victor Wooten & The Wooten Brothers (10/2)
The Lone Bellow — By Request Only Tour with Taylor Ashton (10/3)
Phil Vassar — “Hits & Heroes Tour” with Melissa Quinn Fox (10/4)
Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra — An Evening With the two acts performing in pared down fashion (10/6)
The Mountain Goats — Rule of Three Tour with Tift Merritt (10/7-8)
Rickie Lee Jones (10/9)
Gerald Albright (10/10)
BILAL — With support from Halima (10/11)
TUSK — “The World’s #1 Tribute to Fleetwood Mac” (10/12)
Both Sides Now — A concert presentation of “the Music and Lives of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen” as performed and portrayed by Danielle Wertz and Robbie Schaefer (10/13)
Debbie Gibson — “Acoustic Youth: Songs and Stories from the Electric Youth Era,” her sophomore and highest-charting album, released at the top of 1989 (10/16)
Yächtley Crëw — “Playing all your favorite soft rock hits from the late ’70s and early ’90s” (10/17)
The Whispers (10/18-19)
Boney James (10/20)
AJ Ghent — “[j-ent] & His Singing Guitar” (10/24)
William Clark Green — “Whole Lotta Lubbock Tour” with Erin Kinsey (10/25)
Tom Paxton & The DonJuans — With Special Guest Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul & Mary (10/26)
Oleta Adams — “Farewell Tour!” (10/27)
The Robert Cray Band (10/29)
The Steeldrivers (11/1-2)
Sixpence None The Richer — “25th Anniversary Tour” with Dawn Landes (11/3)
Gaelic Storm (11/5)
Acoustic Alchemy (11/6)
The Hot Sardines (11/7)
Jeffrey Osborne (11/8-9)
Jonathan Butler (11/10)
Bruce Cockburn (11/12)
Mac McAnally (11/14)
After 7 (11/15-16)
Keiko Matsui (11/17)
John Splithoff (11/19)
Eric Benet (11/20)
Ohio Players (11/21)
Marshall Crenshaw (11/24)
Girl Named Tom — Young sibling trio known from America’s Got Talent offers Birchmere’s first holiday show of the season with “The Joy of Christmas Tour” (11/25)
The Seldom Scene & Dry Branch Fire Squad (11/29)
The Manhattans — Featuring Gerald Alston (11/30)
Hot Tuna — An acoustic performance (12/5)
Chris Botti (12/6-7)
The Musical Box — Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the album Selling England by the Pound, a 1973 release by the then-fledgling British rock band Genesis (12/8)
Musiq Soulchild (12/9-10)
Micky Dolenz — “The Monkees: Songs & Stories” 12/12)
Don McLean — A Starry Starry Christmas and a night of hits and holiday favorites (12/13)
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes (12/14)
Tab Benoit — “I Hear Thunder Tour’ (12/17)
Carbon Leaf — “Time Is The Playground” Tour (12/19-20)
Pieces of a Dream (12/21)
Luther Re-Lives — The “Holiday Show” starring William “Smooth” Wardlaw as the late, great Vadross (12/22)
Voices of Motown — Tarsha Fitzgerald Productions presents ensemble performing a Christmas Concert (12/26)
Charles Esten — So inspired by playing country hunk Deacon Claybourne on the ABC/CMT drama Nashville all six seasons, this versatile actor essentially decided to give it a go in real life. The Alexandria native returns for a hometown show for the second year in a row (12/27)
Maysa — “A Very Maysa Christmas with her Jazz Funk Soul Orchestra!” (12/28)
Bela Dona Band (12/29)
New Year’s Eve — The Seldom Scene headlines a show to ring in 2025 along with Tim & Savannah Finch with support by the Eastman String Band (12/31)
Chuck Redd — “Flavors of Brazil” featuring Duduka Da Fonseca (9/23)
Gerardo Contino — “Tribute to the Buena Vista Social Club” (9/25)
Pamela Williams — Dubbed “The Saxtress” (9/26)
Oscar Rossignoli Trio (9/27)
Matthew Whitaker Organ Trio (9/28-29)
RAYMI (9/30)
Chuck Owen & ReSurgence (10/1)
Fran Vielma & Venezuelan Jazz Collective (10/2)
Nicole Henry (10/3-5)
Raul Midón (10/6)
QuinTango — Led by Grammy-nominated composer and bandoneon player Emmanuel Trifilio, this D.C.-based tango outfit also includes bassist/vocalist Ali Cook, pianist/vocalist Julie Huang Tucker, and violinists Regino Madrid and Joan Singer, the latter of whom is also resident storyteller and emcee (10/9)
Brian Bromberg — “Scott LaFaro Tribute” (10/10)
Gustavo Casenave — “Hispanic Heritage Jazz Series” (10/11)
James Carter Organ Trio (10/13)
Dafnis Prieto Si o Si Quartet (10/19)
Capitol Lab Band — Featuring Lena Seikaly (10/21)
Capital City Voices and Friends (10/22)
Larry Carlton — “An intimate evening” (10/26-27)
Pat Bianchi — Recording Release (11/6)
Joshua Redman Group — Featuring Gabrielle Cavassa (11/9-10)
Todd Marcus Quintet — Featuring Don Byron (11/11)
Dave Kline Band w/Sen. Tim Kaine — The junior senator from Virginia can play a mean harmonica, not to mention sing, and he’ll prove his mettle in a performance with the veteran D.C.-based electric fiddle player (11/14)
Dave Kline Band feat. Steve Davis (11/15)
Bill Frisell Trio — Featuring Thomas Morgan and Rudy Royston (11/21-22)
Nasar Abadey feat. Sean Jones — Live Recording (11/25)
Blues Alley Youth Orchestra (12/2)
Eric Felten — A performance of Ellington’s Nutcracker (12/4)
Nicole Henry — “Gift of the Season” (12/5)
John Pizzarelli Trio — The world-renowned jazz guitarist and singer, and also a leading interpreter of the Great American Songbook, returns to perform his holiday-themed show “‘Tis the Season Again” (12/8-10)
(12/6-8)
Lena Seikaly — “Ode to Christmas” (12/10)
John Lamkin III — “A Motown Christmas” (12/11)
Allison Crockett — “Soul of the Season” with Chelsey Green and Orrin Evans (12/12-13)
Jelly Roll — The young country star in the making continues his ascent with his biggest headlining tour to date, with support from Warren Zeiders and Alexandra Kay (9/21)
NCT Dream — The mega-selling seven-piece K-pop boy band stops in D.C. on its latest world tour, “The Dream Show 3: Dream()Scape” (9/24)
Jeff Lynne’s ELO — The Electric Light Orchestra, at least as revived by this co-founder and now sole original member, returns to stadiums with “The Over and Out Tour” and a characteristically dazzling high-production stage show, built as ever on a foundation of influential and pioneering pop-rock hits with early synth-embellishments (9/25)
CARÍN LEÓN — “En Concierto on the Boca Chucca Tour 2024” (9/26)
Kirk Franklin — “The Reunion Tour” (9/29)
Maxwell — “The Serenade Tour” (10/4)
Peso Pluma — “Exodo Tour” (10/9)
Capitals 50 Fest Celebration featuring Third Eye Blind –The San Francisco rock band headlines a special event kicking off the 50th anniversary season of the Washington Capitals and also featuring DJ TMMPO, plus all members on the hockey team’s current roster and over 60 alumni (10/10)
Justin Timberlake — “The Forget Tomorrow World Tour” (10/13)
Fuerza Regida — “Pero No Te Enamores Tour 2024” (10/19)
Cyndi Lauper — It’s been a decade since this LGBTQ ally last went out on the road for an extensive tour and it’s been several decades since she’s been the headliner on a tour of stadiums. Her ramped-up return is bittersweet, given that the trek officially marks her last. Lauper has teased that she’ll be joined by “special guests” on the “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour,” but has yet to reveal them (10/27)
Chayanne — “Bailemos Otra Vez Tour 2024” (11/3)
Rod Wave — This singing rap artist and pioneer of the sub-genre soul-trap has had a meteoric rise to success over the past five years, largely thanks to TikTok. On his latest arena tour, he’ll be supported by not one, not two but five acts opening, including Moneybagg Yo, Toosil, Lil Poppa, Dess Dior, and Eelmatic (11/24)
Shakira — “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour” (11/25)
Mariah Carey — The “queen of Christmas” is taking her annual holiday show “Mariah Carey’s Christmas Time” on the road this year (12/1)
Trans-Siberian Orchestra — “The Lost Christmas Eve Tour” (12/23)
Morgan Myles — A finalist from a previous season of NBC’s The Voice (10/24, The Vault)
Big Something — “Headspace Fall Tour” (10/25, The Vault)
Greeicy : Yeliana (10/25)
Fairfax Symphony: A Hard Day’s Night Celebration — Embark on a “Classical Mystery Tour” paying tribute to The Beatles and in particular, the movie starring the Fab Four that, sixty years after release, remains one of the most influential of all musical films (11/8)
Voices of Service (11/8, The Vault)
Capital Wind Symphony: Intergalactic Soundscapes — A cinematic sonic adventure including compositions by John Williams, Roshanne Etezady, Gustav Holt, Eric Whitacre, and Andrew Courage (11/10)
Michael W. Smith — “Every Christmas” with special guest Riley Clemmons (11/22)
Shahin Najafi (11/23)
Chapel Hart — “Hartfelt Christmas Tour” (11/29, The Vault)
Oh He Dead (12/5, The Vault)
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings — A “Woodland On Tour” stop presented by the Birchmere and Outback (12/8)
Allman Betts Family Revival (12/9)
Christmas with CeCe Winans — Live in Concert featuring special guest Roman Collins (12/19)
THE CLARICE
Kay Theatre
University of Maryland
College Park, Md.
301-405-2787 www.theclarice.umd.edu
Rude Ruth — Singer-songwriter Margaret Glaspy and guitarist Julian Lage, a husband-and-wife pair, lead this so-called “avant-garde supergroup” also including the other two members of Lage’s jazz trio, bassist Jorge Roeder and drummer Dave King, for an intriguing and quirky blend of jazz and folk (10/18)
Storm Large –Known for touring and performing with the cocktail lounge orchestra Pink Martini, the aptly named vocalist is a force to be reckoned with on account of her larger-than-life persona, big voice, and bombastic style. The dynamic diva comes to the Clarice with the seasonally minded show “Holiday Ordeal” (12/7)
Time for Three — This Grammy- and Emmy-winning ensemble is known for defying convention and boundaries, and for captivating audiences by mixing things up, performing Americana after a chamber trio, then switching to pop (12/12)
Adeem The Artist — Self-styled a “cast-iron pansexual,” also the title of their 2021 album, this Appalachian-reared nonbinary country/Americana artist offers what their official biography describes as “twang-studded gospel [that] represents a worldview too often excluded from modern country music, one that converts shame into celebration” (9/26)
Bodysync — This emerging indie-dance duo focuses on “uplifting, celebratory dance music influenced by French house, garage, and R&B,” as can be heard on the debut full-length Radio Active (9/28)
Gavin Turek w/Cor.ece— Described by Nylon magazine as an “avid supporter of the LGBTQ+ community,” the disco-steeped artist from L.A. is, as her latest EP puts it, a Diva of the People, who tours with a rising queer Black artist recently featured on a pair of club hits from Honey Dijon (9/29)
Why Don’t We Duet (to Feed Our Neighbors)? — A host of local singer/songwriters have paired up, two by two, to write and perform new duets as part of a novel fundraiser for Pay It Forward, the daily free meals program run by The Potter’s House, the nonprofit bookstore, café, and community space in Adams Morgan. Special concert will feature the new duets formed for the occasion, nine in total (10/8)
Genevieve Stokes — Intimate, lush alt-pop stylist championed by outlets including People and Alternative Press as an artist worth checking out (10/14)
Brooke Candy — The pansexual rapper and tattoo artist comes to town for a concert co-presented by DC9 and host venue Union Stage, and part of a tour in support of a pair of albums released this year, Candyland over the summer and the imminent Spiral (10/18, Union Stage)
Dog Park Dissidents w/Middle-Aged Queers — “[Blending] old-school anarchist punk energy with contemporary pop punk and flamboyant low camp” is the official m.o. of this furry-rooted queercore outfit also self-praised for “gaying up the punk rock scene with their high-energy, high-chaos live shows.” Supporting them in the high-energy, gaying-up punk cause at DC9 will be a Bay Area gay punk supergroup of a certain age (10/22)
Cumbia Heights — A hometown show from this alt-tropical formed in D.C. with “a dirty punk attitude” (10/31)
Brooke Alexx — One dynamic-voiced chanteuse and razor-sharp songwriter of clever and catchy pop tunes a la Dua Lipa supported by another, the queer-identified Rosemary Joaquin (11/5)
Essenger (11/21)
Zinadelphia (11/22)
GMU CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Concert Hall
4373 Mason Pond Dr.
Fairfax, Va.
703-993-2787 www.cfa.gmu.edu
An Evening with Lea Salonga — For this year’s ARTS by George! benefit concert, which raises funds for George Mason University student scholarships and artistic programming at the Center for the Arts, among other things, organizers tapped this Philippines-born Broadway veteran, the first Asian actor to win a Tony Award for her performance as Kim in Miss Saigon also crowned a Disney Legend by the Walt Disney Company for her work as the singing voice of two animated Disney princesses, Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and Fa Mulan in Mulan and Mulan II (9/28)
Laurie Berkner Band (10/20)
Mason Jazz Ensemble (10/24)
Arturo Sandoval — Great Performances at Mason presents (11/10)
BSO Pops: Blockbuster Broadway — A symphonic toast from Charm City to the best-selling shows in Great White Way history, Stuart Chafetz will lead the latest Pops program from his podium on the stage of a structure expressly built more than four decades ago to serve as the BSO’s home venue. The first weekend in October Symphony Hall will ring out with the songs and melodies from iconic musicals including Wicked, The Phantom of the Opera, Annie, Jersey Boys, The Sound of Music, The Lion King, A Chorus Line, and more. Featured vocalists for the evening are Jessica Handy, who was part of the cast in 1982’s original Broadway production of Cats and then returned decades later in the 2016 Broadway revival, and Kelli Rabke, a performer in the original Broadway cast of Les Miserables in 1987. Both vocalists will be joined by frequent cabaret accompanist John Boswell on vocals and piano (10/5-6)
Mariachi Vargas — Touted as “the best mariachi ensemble in the world,” iconic Mexican cultural institution, founded more than 125 years ago, has helped define and preserve the standards of mariachi music as well as expand its global popularity (10/18)
BSO Pops: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas — Fans of this 31-year-old animated classic can delight in two very different Halloween-related offerings next month, starting with special screenings at movie theaters nationwide the second weekend in October as a result of Disney’s re-release plans. That’ll be followed by a set of extra-special screenings exclusive to our area just days before the holiday, made extra-special with the addition of a live orchestra and a move to a grand concert hall setting. Specifically, musicians with the Baltimore Symphony will perform a live rendition of Danny Elfman’s Grammy-winning score as the film screens above them on the Meyerhoff stage (10/26-27)
BSO: Ellington and Strayhorn — Actor and conductor Damon Gupton leads a concert honoring Duke Ellington’s 125th birthday with a sampling of hits by the prolific composer, including the jazz and Great American Songbook standard “Take The A Train” and the acclaimed jazz adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite. The concert takes pains to highlight a key figure too often given short shrift if mentioned at all: Billy Strayhorn, an openly gay man way ahead of his era who was also a close friend of Ellington’s and one who played a significant role in helping develop the bulk of compositions in the legend’s extensive repertoire by virtue of being Ellington’s professed writing and arranging companion sometimes dubbed a “second Ellington” or “Duke’s doppelgänger” (11/23-24)
BSO Pops: Love Actually — Since its release in 2003, this sappy and contrived, hopelessly unrealistic rom-com has somehow snowballed into status as a cult-popular holiday favorite that an otherwise esteemed music organization has deemed worthy of getting the full orchestra treatment. The BSO will perform Craig Armstrong’s orchestral score live as the film plays on the big screen (12/6)
An Evening with Gregory Porter — A year after releasing his first-ever holiday album, Christmas Wish, the celebrated contemporary jazz and soul artist hits the road with his live band for a concert offering a similarly inspired mix of carols and classics along with a few originals perfectly seasoned for the occasion (12/13)
BSO Pops: Holiday Spectacular (12/20-21)
BSO Pops: The Princess Bride — “Experience one of the most beloved films of all time as never before,” that is, projected on the big screen as the orchestra performs the entire musical score life-to-picture (1/4/25-1/5/25)
BSO Pops: Music of Motown — There’ll be a lot of “Dancing in the Street,” at least in the imaginations of those patrons of a certain age who grew up with the stirring and soulful hits from a new generation of Black pop stars, from the titular street dancers of Martha and the Vandellas to The Four Tops, Diana Ross to Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye to Stevie Wonder. Byron Stripling conducts (1/25/25-1/26/25)
BSO Fusion: Brahms X Radiohead— Radiohead’s widely heralded album OK Computer is interwoven with Brahms’ lush Symphony No. 1 in this concert led by arranger and conductor Steve Hackman, performed by the full orchestra with three featured pop vocalists (2/8/25)
BSO Pops: Music of Tina Turner — All hail the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll in this special concert, aptly titled “Simply the Best,” one of the hits spawned by Turner’s comeback in the ’80s. Enrico Lopez-Yañez will conduct the orchestra musicians in this program charting the late, great diva’s decades-spanning career and legacy, not to mention the hits to be performed by guest vocalists Shaleah Adkisson, Tamika Lawrence, and Scott Coulter (2/22/25-2/23/25)
NSO Family Concert: Mo @ the NSO (9/21-22, Concert Hall)
Orkesta Mendoza — Led by Sergio Mendoza, this Arizona-rooted ensemble performs a blend of indie rock and Latin music, in a performance also featuring singer and percussionist Ozzy Acosta (9/21, REACH)
NSO Pops: Sara Bareilles (9/24-26, Concert Hall)
Balkan Paradise Orchestra (9/25, Millennium Stage)
Dario Acosta Teich — Tierra Infinita Album Release (10/11, Millennium)
Laura Cantrell (10/12, Millennium)
Freedom Now Suite — “Celebrating Max Roach’s Centennial” (10/12, Concert Hall)
Pink Martini — A concert featuring China Forbes and special guest Ari Shapiro in celebration of the ensemble’s 30th anniversary, presented by Washington Performing Arts (10/14, Concert Hall)
Ravyn Lenae — Young Chicago-bred singer-songwriter returns in support of her new sophomore album, Bird’s Eye, which finds her sharing memories of home and reflections on life and love over a musical bed of lush pop, indie, reggae, jazz, and rock (10/5)
The Wanted — Two years after they regrouped for a Greatest Hits Tour throughout the UK, this British-Irish boy band makes their return to North America for the first time in over a decade (10/7)
Kaizers Orchestra — This Norwegian alt-rock sextet creates music, paired with lyrics in their native Norwegian, that is notably quirky and high-concept and characterized as “a synthesis of Scandinavian and Eastern European folk influences turbo-charged by high-energy blues, indie, metal, and rock” (10/8)
Betty Who — An acoustic evening four days after Who’s 32nd birthday and focused on her debut album, Take Me When You Go, released 10 years ago. The set included “Somebody Loves You,” the song that was a breakthrough of sorts for Who after it served as the soundtrack and storytelling device for a video that went viral, capturing one gay man’s elaborate and touching marriage proposal, with the camera trailing him closely as he leads his unsuspecting partner around a large hardware warehouse, with his large family playing supporting roles for maximum tear-inducing effect (10/9)
Bacilos (10/13)
The Magnetic Fields — A 25th Anniversary Tour of the quirky gay act’s three-disc album 69 Love Songs, performed over a span of four nights (10/17-20)
Gogol Bordello — An evening centered around the screening of Scream of My Blood: A Gogol Bordello Story followed by a Q&A discussion with the band’s Eugene Hütz and Sergey Ryabtsev, who will end the evening with a “spirited live performance” (10/30)
Jordan Rakei — Artist from Down Under tours in support of his fifth album, The Loop, a typically bold production embellished by rich orchestral arrangements, haunting choirs, and hypnotic beats all as a soundtrack to a narrative charting a course through times of darkness and hope (11/1)
IDKHOW (11/11)
Lucinda Williams And Her Band — “Don’t Tell Anybody the Secrets” Show (11/19)
Vance Joy — A “Dream Your Life Away” anniversary show with support by Local Natives and Tiny Habits (9/21)
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats | My Morning Jacket (9/27)
All Things Go Music Festival — Every year, organizers curate a festival that intentionally looks and feels and sounds remarkably different, with more women, queers, and other minorities represented on stage as well as off, meaning those in the crowd, than the straight white male-dominated festival norm. This year’s All Things Go features another impressively diverse, queer- and female-heavy lineup of buzzworthy artists scheduled over the course of two full days at Merriweather. The first day will close with headliners Laufey, the young Icelandic jazz/pop singer and pianist who will perform accompanied by the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, and Bleachers, the indie-pop band led by longtime LGBTQ ally Jack Antonoff. Janelle Monae will lead Saturday’s sizable contingent of LGBTQ performers, also including Remi Wolf, Ethel Cain, Julien Baker, and Philadelphia’s LGBTQ punk band Mannequin Pussy. The complete Saturday lineup includes an additional nine performers scheduled in the first few hours of the afternoon. The festival’s second day will feature a total of 18 performances, two more than the day before. Hozier will close the festival as the Sunday headliner shortly after performances by that day’s leading queer acts, Reneé Rapp, the Mean Girls musical star, and Chappell Roan, the moody chanteuse who became a pop star earlier this year practically overnight. Meanwhile, Rapp’s girlfriend, Towa Bird, will perform in the early afternoon. Another queer artist performing Sunday is Amber Bain, the indie-pop English artist better known as The Japanese House, who, it turns out, is just one of a handful of artists performing Sunday who’ve adopted a mysterious moniker to go by rather than a mere name, including Blondshell, the alias of queer-identified artist Sabrina Teitelbaum, Medium Build aka artist Nicholas Carpenter, Soccer Mommy, born Sophia Allison, and Samuel Jaffe, or Del Water Gap. Conan Gray, Maren Morris, and seven others will hit the stage on Sunday (9/28-29)
Kaytranada — This queer Canadian performs on his Timeless Tour with one opening set by Channel Tres (10/6)
Brad Paisley — Son of the Mountains World Tour (10/11)
Sting 3.0 (10/15)
Bryson Tiller (10/17)
Diana Ross — “Beautiful Love Performances Legacy Tour” (10/24)
Danny Ocean — Reflexa Tour 2024 (10/26)
Erykah Badu — This boundary-pushing R&B icon leans heavily on hip-hop rhythms to develop her groove-centered music that weaves in unexpected ways and for unclear stretches of time through improvisionatal riffs and flourishes from jazz, all for maximum mesmerizing effect (11/1)
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy — “Kal Ho Na Ho” (11/10)
Anthony Hamilton (11/16)
Air Supply — Lost in Love [Again and Again, Ad Nauseam] (11/29)
Straight No Chaser — The all-male a cappella group returns for another celebration of the holidays (12/5)
Mannheim Steamroller — Christmas (12/7) The Temptations & The Four Tops (12/8)
Bright Light Bright Light — The buoyant queer musician in support of his newest album, Enjoy Youth, a celebratory callback to the origins of dance music (10/20)
Expiration Date — With We’re The Currency, Flora in Silence, Ythgrp, Samskara (10/22)
Kal Marks — With Sensor Ghost, Cryptid Summer (10/23)
AMFM Presents: In The Vane Of: Pink Floyd — A multi-artist showcase of musicians based in the Annapolis area perform covers of, as well as original tunes inspired by, the particular concert’s namesake, and all raising critical funds for local musicians in need through the Annapolis Musicians Fund for Musicians, Inc. (9/23)
Suzanne Vega (9/24)
Girl Named Tom — Young sibling trio as seen on America’s Got Talent (9/25)
The Pockets Reunion Tour feat. Grainger (9/26)
The Return of Emerson, Lake & Palmer — “Welcome Back My Friends” (9/26)
Brian Simpson & Jackiem Joyner (9/27)
Tom Sandova & The Most Extras (9/28, 10/1)
Howie Day — 20th Anniversary of Stop All The World Now (9/29)
Jonathan Coulton and Paul & Storm (9/30)
The Lone Bellow (10/2)
Gregg Karukas (10/3)
Ari Shapiro — “Thank You For Listening: An Evening of Stories & Songs” (10/4)
Live Dead & Brothers — “An All-Star Celebration of the Grateful Dead & the Allman Brothers (10/5)
Noah Gundersen — Abby Gundersen joins for the 10-year anniversary of Ledges (10/6)
Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra — “An Evening With” (10/8)
Sunny Sweeney (10/9)
Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers (10/10)
Doug Stone & Terry McBride (10/11)
Technicolor Motor Home — A tribute to Steely Dan with Shermanator (10/12)
The McCartney Experience (10/13)
Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters — The reclusive celebrity and accidental movie star, known from Sling Blade, Primary Colors, Monster’s Ball, and Bad Santa, to name but four, has just released Love & Hate in Desperate Places, his 14th album as lead singer of bluesy rock band The Boxmasters, and is now out on a short nationa tour to support the set, with Rams Head the only stop in the Mid-Atlantic (10/15)
Atomic Light Orchestra (10/16)
Acoustic Alchemy (10/17)
Shemekia Copeland (10/19)
Boney James — Slow Burn Tour (10/21)
Richie Kotzen (10/22)
Ten Years After (10/23)
Caligula Blushed — A tribute to the Smiths & Morrissey (10/23)
PRS Eightlock (10/25)
JD Simo & Luther Dickinson — Do The Romp Tour (10/26)
8 Ohms & Honey Sol (10/27)
The Artimus Pyle Band — Honoring Ronnie Van Zant’s Lynyrd Skynyrd (10/27)
The Robert Cray Band (10/30)
Darryl Worley Trio (10/31)
Crack The Sky — Nearly 50 years since their debut album, this band continues to be quirky and unpredictable with their live performances (11/1-3)
Gaelic Storm (11/3-4)
Tommy Castro & The Painkillers (11/6)
Blitzen Trapper (11/7)
The Clarks (11/8)
Nick Norman & Caffeine Carl (11/10)
Bruce Cockburn (11/11)
BBMAK — Support from Jessica Carter Altman (11/12)
Drivin N Cryin — Gloom Girl MFG opens (11/13)
John Ford Coley — An Evening With Coley sharing Songs & Stories, with support from Paul Davie (11/14)
Lez Zeppelin — “All Girls. All Zeppelin” (11/15)
The English Beat (11/16)
1964: The Tribute (11/16)
Herman’s Hermits — Starring Peter Noone (11/17)
Coco Montoya & Ronnie Baker Brooks (11/18)
Marshall Crenshaw — “40+ Years in Showbiz!” (11/19)
John Splithoff (11/20)
Christie Lenée (11/21)
The Blues Vultures (11/22)
Livingston Taylor — Featuring support by Alice Howe and Freebo (11/23)
One Particular Harbour — Jimmy Buffett Band Tribute (11/24)
Jesse Cook (11/24)
Aneesa Strings — A concert featuring this young jazz bassist, vocalist, and composer from Oakland, Calif. (12/1)
Shawn Colvin (12/3)
Los Lobos (12/5)
Laura Tsaggaris — Get In The Mood Tour (12/7)
Mindi Abair — I Can’t Wait for Christmas Tour feat. Lindsey Webster and Marcus Anderson (12/8)
Fantastic Cat (12/11)
Screaming Orphans (12/12)
Carbon Leaf — “Time Is The Playground” (12/13-15)
Alisa Amador — Multitudes Tour w/Eliza Edens (12/15)
Joan Osborne & Joshua Radin — Osborne, the eight-time Grammy nominee and multi-platinum recording artist, offers inspiration, optimism, and hope on her recent album, the rootsy and soulful Nobody Owns You, and she’ll be joined for “a unique double bill” by an empathetic and engaging troubadour who has tallied north of one billion streams of his music, touring in support of the two-part album though the world will tell me so (10/22)
Stephen Wilson Jr. — A rising country star from southern Indiana who once dubbed himself Death Cab for Country as a nod to his indie rock and pop influences tours in support of his debut full-length Son of Dad, a triumphant recording named by Rolling Stone as one of 2023’s best albums (12/14)
STRATHMORE
The Music Center
5301 Tuckerman Lane
North Bethesda, Md.
301-581-5100 www.strathmore.org
Rosanne Cash — “30 Years of Stories and Songs” (9/22)
Mariza — Portuguese fado icon (10/3)
Ana Crismán Trio — “One-of-a-kind flamenco group” (10/3, Mansion)
BSO: Blockbuster Broadway (10/4)
Meshell Ndegeocello — Iconoclastic D.C. native and lesbian artist leads a program paying centenary tribute to James Baldwin (10/5)
Neko Case — The hipster-favorite folk-rocker from Northern Virginia (10/9)
Snehesh Nag, Becky Hill & Nadia Pessoa — Culturally inspired trio (10/12, Bloom at Good Hope)
Afro-Cuban All Stars — Legendary collective returns for another tribute to Cuba’s musical heritage (10/18)
Richard Thompson — Early innovator of British folk-rock (10/20)
Christylez Bacon and Mike Block — A collabration between noted area beatboxer and cellist (10/24, Mansion)
BSO: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas In Concert (10/25, Music Center)
Malevo — Modern Argentine malambo (10/27)
Sarah Cahill — Music for classical piano composed by new and traditional women composers (10/31, Mansion)
Judy Collins & Madeleine Peyroux — A double-bill featuring the longstanding folk icon and contemporary jazz star (11/1)
Cristian Perez & the Guitar Renegades (11/9, Bloom at Good Hope)
Legend Dorado Schmitt and Sons — “Django’s Jazz Manouche” performs a tribute to Romani jazz guitar pioneer Django Reinhardt (11/10)
Strathmore’s 2025 Artists in Residence — The next cadre of up-and-coming musicians selected for the organization’s esteemed mentorship program will perform in a special showcase (11/13)
The Wood Brothers — American roots trio (11/16)
Habib Koité, Aly KeÏta, Lamine Cissokho — A celebration of West African musical traditions (11/24, Mansion)
A Swingin’ Little Christmas! Starring Jane Lynch — The lesbian comedic actor serves as host for this “hilarious holiday extravaganza” (12/4)
Dave Koz and Friends: Christmas Tour 2024 (12/5)
Ars Gratia Populi — A cappella chamber sextet (12/12, Mansion)
Elijah Jamal Balbed & The JoGo Project — “D.C. Go-Go Holiday Show” (12/14, Bloom at Good Hope)
BSO: The Princess Bride In Concert (1/3/25)
Yamato: The Drummers of Japan (1/23/25)
BSO: Dancing In The Street: Music of Motown (1/24/25, Music Center)
Andy Grammer — Greater Than: A One Man Show (9/24)
Lalah Hathaway — VANTABLACK Tour by this modern-day R&B sensation carrying on the family legacy as Donnie’s daughter (9/26)
Herbie Hancock — 2024 North American Fall Tour co-presented by The Birchmere and Live Nation (9/27)
Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers w/Heavy Makeup feat. Edie Brickell — “Spirit Trail: 25th Anniversary Tour” co-presented by The Birchmere and Live Nation with support from a group led by the former New Bohemian (9/28)
The Warren Haynes Band — “Million Voices Whisper Tour” (10/3)
BEAT — “Belew/Val/Levin/Carey play 80s King Crimson” (10/4)
Johnny Marr & James — A joint tour featuring the solo artist and legendary former guitarist of The Smiths with a fellow ’80s-minted act from Manchester who toured nearly 40 years ago support for The Smiths (10/6)
Anne Wilson — The Rebel Tour (10/12)
MRBALLEN — The Strange, Dark & Mysterious Live TOur (10/15)
Drive By Truckers — Southern Rock Opera Revisited 2024 (10/16)
Little Feat — “Can’t Be Satisfied Tour” (10/18-19)
Opeth (10/20)
Billy Ocean — After all these years, is this ’80s hitmaker still pining for that Caribbean Queen? Still beseeching her or some other fling, to “get out of my car, get into my life?” Beep-beep, yeah. (10/29)
Dreamcatcher (11/4)
Average White Band (11/9)
The Brian McKnight 4 (11/14)
Ruf Records — 30th Anniversary Celebration (11/20)
Dawes — The extraordinary band brings its “Oh Brother Tour” to town, with special guest, the equally extraordinary Winnetka Bowling Leaque (11/21)
Gyasi — With inspiration from Lou Reed and David Bowie, this flamboyant guitarist aims to put on a show with theatrical flair, or as its officially described, “an all-encompassing art piece using fashion, storytelling, and his guitar to create a unique world” (10/3, New Spire Arts)
Wadada Leo Smith — This composer and trumpeter performs “A Tribute to Lester Bowie,” a concert of solo works showcasing pioineering trumpet music (10/4, New Spire Arts)
ABBA: The Concert — A chance to be a dancing, and singing, queen, at this show, promoted as the top ABBA tribute group (10/13)
The Todd Marcus Quartet — This ensemble’s namesake performs the bass clarinet and incorporates Middle Eastern sonic elements stemming from his Egyptian-American heritage, resulting in a rare fusion in modern jazz, described as “blending fiery intensity with delicate introspection” (10/17, New Spire Arts)
Svetlana’s New York Collective: Night at the Movies” — Jazz artist performs with a collective of emerging jazz stars what is billed as “an immersive musical odyssey” featuring jazz interpretations of a wide range of movie scores, from Oscar-winning American films, French New Wave cinema, and animated classics (10/19, New Spire Arts)
Broadway’s Rock of Ages Band — The title of this show is trademarked, by the way, and the concert promoter teases that original cast members are featured in the production along with rock musicians (10/20)
Classic Albums Live — A live recreation, “note for note and cut for cut,” of Pink Floyd’s ninth studio album, the poignantly titled Wish You Were Here, a distinctly different yet no less ambitious album as the set that came before, the masterpiece Dark Side of the Moon (11/1)
Chicago Rewired — “The Premiere Chicago Tribute Band” (11/8)
WISHBONE ASH — The band celebrates 50 years of music by letting fans decide on what songs they should perform, courtesy of Argus Live technology (11/9)
U.S. Air Force Concert Band — The official symphonic wind ensemble of the Air Force (11/10)
The Paul Carr Quartet w/special guest Sharon Clark — Acclaimed jazz saxophonist and also founder of the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival leads his ensemble for a performance as part of Weinberg’s DMV Jazz Series (11/14, New Spire Arts)
Lorrie Morgan — Known for lustrous vocal phrasing and down-to-earth believability, Morgan is heralded as “a country music song stylist in the grandest tradition” (11/16)
Allison Shapira & Kipyn Martin: Joan & Joni — A tribvute to the music of Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell performed by two acclaimed singer-songwriters (11/16, New Spire Arts)
A Motown Christmas — Celebrate the holidays with legendary vocalists (11/22)
Tuba Christmas (11/30)
Irish Christmas in America — A popular holiday show incorporating music, song, dance, and stories about seasonal Irish traditions (12/12, New Spire Arts)
Messiah Sing Along — Select choruses and arias from Handel’s Messiah are rendered with orchestra, soloists, chorus, and fellow music lovers at this annual gathering (12/17)
Eric Byrd Trio — Enjoy a screening of A Charlie Brown Christmas as Vince Guaraldi’s iconic score to the animated cartoon is performed live (12/21)
For more arts and entertainment highlights throughout the year, please sign up for our free digital magazine and newsletter at www.metroweekly.com/subscribe.
Edior's Note: Gavin Creel passed away at age 48 after a short battle with a rare and aggressive form of cancer. This lovely and insightful interview he gave to the magazine was published in Feb. 2023, when Creel was appearing at the Kennedy Center in Into the Woods. We are reviving it briefly on our homepage to pay tribute to his memory. He was beloved by the theater community and all those who crossed his path.
"I've been lucky enough to be in eight Broadway shows, all of which have been pretty varied. I've done four shows on London's West End. I've had a really amazing career that, if it stopped..."
Kevin McHale is regaling me with tales of being mistaken for Hall of Fame Boston Celtics baller Kevin McHale.
"During the Glee days especially, pre-Uber and all of that, you'd have drivers picking you up if you flew in from out of town," says the actor and singer. "And almost every single time, the look, how disappointed they were when they saw me coming down the escalator. You get in the car, and they had moved up the passenger seat so my 6'10" legs could fit. I'm 5'7", so it's not really the same thing."
Of course, to millions of Glee fans, McHale is eternally unmistakable as New Directions show choir member Artie Abrams. Sitting face-to-face with him, virtually, he is at ease, thoughtful, self-deprecating, and blessed with baby blues that genuinely sparkle.
This section is always a grabbag of events and activities, a multi-genre arts smorgasbord we lovingly compile every season to cover those performances that aren't quite one thing or another, and don't quite fit within the confines of our other sections. It's a mix of stand-up comedy, drag shows, dance parties, exhibits, readings, book and poetry readings, and a sampling of the many restaurants in Bethesda. And it adds up to a lot of additional offerings apart from our other categories of film, stage, dance, classical music and pop.
This fall, you could dust off your cowboy boots and dance with the DC Rawhides as they host their debut evening at Glen Echo Park. Or take in a reading of a queer author at D.C.'s newest bookstore, the LGBTQ-owned Little District Books. Or set your sights on a queer extravaganza put together to honor Hispanic Heritage Month at DC9. Or maybe you'd like to take in a rare in-person evening with Bob The Drag Queen at the Lincoln Theatre -- or opt for the Jinx and DeLa holiday brew at the Lincoln.
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