Jan. 25 and 26 – Ben Howard

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Ben Howard is a chill, soulful artist from the UK who will capture and hold your attention with his live show.  His performance will reach out and stir your emotions.  I saw him open for Mumford and Sons months ago and was beyond impressed by the power he held over the audience with his very inactive one man show. His songs are featured prominently on the “low key” playlist I carry around for everyday enjoyment.  While his songs generally err on the side of mournful, he has plenty of uplifting songs about love and truth to keep his performance positive.  There’s something for everyone here.  I would highly recommend checking out his live show at 9:30 Club this January.  The first night is sold out but the second night (Jan. 26) is not yet sold out, although it certainly will.  Note that the tickets are non-transferable, so you will not be able to sell them, although you can buy multiple (up to 4) and bring in the other guests with you.  Ben appears to be making an effort to compromise the efforts of the secondary market, and I congratulate him for that.

There is currently no opener listed for this concert. Doors at 7:00. Buy Tickets Here.

Insider’s Tip:  Ben’s new album, “I Forget Where We Were,” was released on October 20, 2014 and is likely to get a lot of airtime during his shows at 9:30 Club.  New fans should not overlook his older music, as he will surely play some fan favorites such as “Only Love,” “Old Pine,” and “Keep Your Head Up.”

Nov. 25 and 26 – St. Lucia with the Knocks and Haerts

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St. Lucia returns to DC for two sold out shows at 9:30 Club with the Knocks and Haerts.  This concert will combine two of my very favorite live music acts.  I can’t get enough of Haerts after seeing the band perform at both 9:30 Club and Firefly Music Festival over the past year.  St. Lucia has an upbeat indie-party vibe with great hooks, a fun band, and a female keyboard player.  Their music is light and accessible.  Prepare to dance.  Haerts is more haunting, with fabulous front-woman Nini Fabi, whose voice will captivate you. Looking forward to checking out the Knocks as well, as I have heard good things.  There are still tickets available on Craigslist at the time of this posting.

Insider’s tip: Haerts just released its debut full-length album in October.  “Call My Name” has a great build up and can be played on repeat for hours at a time.  Stream some of the songs for free on their website or check out the full album on Spotify.

Nov. 11 – Concert for Valor

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Join hundreds of thousands of DC, Maryland, and Virginia residents and visitors on the National Mall tonight for a star studded concert honoring our nation’s veterans.  The concert will feature the Black Keys, Rihanna, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl, Metallica, Carrie Underwood, Eminem, and many more familiar names. For those of us who attended the pre-Inauguration concert honoring President Obama six or so years ago, this event promises to be similarly crowded and hopefully just as fun.  Look out for some rarely seen duets between some of these diverse musicians.  Make sure to check out the event map to find out where you can enter and exit the concert grounds, and pay attention to the list of items you cannot bring on the metro today.

Insider’s tip:  Skip the long lines on the metro after the show and grab a drink at Hawk ‘n’ Dove on Capitol Hill after the concert.