Big Show, Little Show: Your D.C. Concert Roundup // 2.24-3.9

If you want to sweat in an arena or pizza place, sway on U Street or in Silver Spring or hurt your neck thrashing to guitar gods, we’ve got 10 shows to get you in an arena and club. We lead with shows that are in rooms for 1,000 or more folks and give you a much more intimate option. 

If you’re going to MARINA at The Anthem on February 24, you might like Korine at Comet Ping Pong on March 3

You’re going to dance and sweat and spill your drink at MARINA‘s sold-out Anthem show. The very popular artist has released five pop albums with a slight rock edge, rarely straying away from the proven formula. Korine is a Philadelphia two-piece that sounds like a modern band interpreting the best of electroclash from 1987. Their stuff would fit nicely in shows like “Halt and Catch Fire” or “GLOW.” If you want the big, sure fire thing, get a secondary market ticket to MARINA. If you want to dance in a smaller room with way better food options, we’ll see you at Comet. 

MARINA. 8 p.m. All ages. Sold-out, secondary market tickets start at $44. The Anthem: 901 Wharf St. SW, DC; theanthemdc.com // @theanthemdc
Korine. 9 p.m. All ages. $15. Comet Ping Pong: 5037 Connecticut Ave. NW, DC; cometpingpong.com // @cometpingpong

If you’re going to Punch Brothers at Lincoln Theatre on February 26 and 27, you might like Only Lonesome at Quarry House Tavern on March 3

If you’re a fan of Chris Thile, you’re most likely a fan of most bluegrass. The lead singer of the Punch Brothers, member of Nickel Creek, host of “Live From Here” (RIP, stupid pandemic) and MacArthur Fellow is to the mandolin what Jimi Hendrix was to the electric guitar. Neither man created the instrument, but it’s difficult to imagine the instrument without them. That being said, you may not want to spend $40 for an evening with Thile and friends on U Street. A much more affordable bluegrass date is up the street on Georgia Ave. inside Quarry House, the best place to get a burger just over the D.C. border. Their music is a bit more rambunctious than the Punch Brothers but of all of the shows we’re recommending in this roundup, these are the two groups that sound the most alike. 

Punch Brothers. 8 p.m. All ages. $40. Lincoln Theatre: 1215 U St. NW, DC; thelincolndc.com // @thelincolndc
Only Lonesome. 7:30 p.m. All ages. Free. Quarry House Tavern: 8401 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD; quarryhousetavern.com // @quarryhousetavern

If you’re going to Dua Lipa at Capital One Arena on March 2, you might like Couch Prints at The Pocket on March 6 

International superstar Dua Lipa belongs in arenas. I want to see international pop stars on large stages, in large rooms, with massive production. I do not crave subtlety when songs like “Levitating,” “Don’t Start Now” and “One Kiss” are performed. But when it comes to seeing the next-big-thing, the artists that international superstars may be working with on their next record, intimacy is welcome. Couch Prints‘ dreampop should please any pop music fan that wants a comedown, maybe the person that would put on the new Kacey Musgraves on the ride home from the Dua Lipa show.

Dua Lipa. 7:30 p.m. All ages. Sold-out, secondary market tickets start at $129. Capital One Arena: 601 F St. NW, DC; capitalonearena.com // @capitalonearena
Couch Prints. 8 p.m. All ages. $15-18. The Pocket: 1508 N Capitol St. NW; thepocketdc.com // @thepocket_dc

If you’re going to Tyler the Creator at Capital One Arena on March 7, you might like Spell Jordan at DC9 on February 27

Tyler has made massive leaps in his career. He’s been on the music nerd radar for over a decade, first as a polarizing member of Odd Future and now, critically acclaimed across the board, he’s playing sold-out arena shows. He’s a great example of an artist growing artistically and commercially. It’s rare. Spell Jordan is at the beginning of his career, still more early 2010’s Odd Future than 2022 Tyler. If you miss when Tyler was more about fights and getting high, Spell Jordan may deliver what you need.

Tyler the Creator. 7 p.m. All ages. Sold-out, secondary market tickets start at $68. Capital One Arena: 601 F St. NW, DC; capitalonearena.com // @capitalonearena
Spell Jordan. 8 p.m. All ages. $12-14. DC9: 1940 9th St. NW; dc9.club // @dc9club

If you’re going to Slash featuring Myles Kennedy at Fillmore Silver Spring on March 9, you might like Deafheaven at Black Cat on March 5 

Slash is great. I want to be friends with Slash. Most everyone that’s ever picked up a guitar and/or black hat and/or Jack Daniel’s bottle want to be friends with Slash. Slash is a guitar god and his releases with Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators should satisfy whatever Slash licks you need in your life. But I’m really only writing about Slash to get to Deafheaven. Slash does one thing really, really well and Deafheaven are in the midst of transforming from one of the best hardcore/shoegaze bands of the 2010s (is there a better representation of the genre than 2013’s Sunbather?) to a post-rock unit with zero Cookie Monster-esque vocals. They used to sound like Converge, now they sound like a more approachable Sigur Rós. Who does this? No one does this? It’s incredibly risky and a huge gamble. I think it’s paying off. I think if they didn’t take the risk, they might be playing a venue larger than Black Cat. Regardless, both Slash and Deafheaven will make you want to pick up a six-string. 

Slash. 8 p.m. All ages. $59.50. Fillmore Silver Spring: 8656 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD; fillmoresilverspring.com // @fillmoresilverspring
Deafheaven. 8 p.m. All ages. $25-$28. Black Cat: 1811 14th St NW, DC; blackcatdc.com // @blackcatdc

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