Concert Reviews

The Queen of Hip Hop Soul, Ms. Mary J. Blige, received her flowers on Saturday, March 11th, when tribute band Just Fine made a stop at Bethesda Blues & Jazz Club. Now I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a massive fan of Mary’s live performance. However, I am always down to support a tribute band and anyone living their dreams.

Legendary group, The Roots, continued their residency at the world-renowned Kennedy Center on February 18 when Black Thought: Streams of Thought returned. This time the featured special guest was artist Titus Kaphar.

Iconic music group New Edition is preparing for their “Legacy” tour with opening acts Tank, Guy, and Keith Sweat. I heard about the tour this past fall when Keith accidentally spilled the beans during one of his shows.

One of Kevin Hart’s Plastic Cups Boyz, Spank Horton, stepped out on his own to headline a show at the DC Improv on Sunday, January 8th. Before breaking into comedy, Mr. Horton used to heckle comics he found unfunny. Unlike most, though, Horton put his money where his mouth was and is now an in-demand comic.

Donnie Wahlberg, Joey McIntyre, Danny Wood, and the Knight brothers (Jordan and Jon), better known as New Kids on the Block. Promoting the latest variation of their “Mixtape Tour,” the legendary boy band has been touring to sellout crowds since late spring.

The year was 1980, and Stevie Wonder was still enjoying the success of what many still consider his magnum opus Songs in the Key of Life. During my early days as a Podcaster, I interviewed many artists, including Eric Roberson, Stokely, and Madi Ridge.

Three vocalists solidified their reputations as modern R&B icons on Saturday, April 2nd, when Maxwell’s The Night Tour made a stop in Chocolate City. JOE, Anthony Hamilton, and headliner Maxwell joined forces to provide Capital One Arena with a night of autotune free singing and R&B classics.

New Edition made a stop in-group member Johnny Gill’s hometown of Washington D.C. on Thursday, March 31st, as The Culture Tour continues to entertain audiences across the U.S. I previously reviewed the show during the Baltimore show. As a die-hard fan of New Edition, I had plans to attend another show regardless, but I felt it was only suitable to review the differences between the two shows.

Washington D.C.-based singer Raheem DeVaughn was welcomed home with open arms at The Birchmere Music Hall in Alexandria, Virginia, on Friday, January 28.

The King of Pop receives his flowers in MJ Live, The Michael Jackson Tribute Concert.  Previously in Residency at the Stratosphere Theater in Las Vegas, the show moves to The Tropicana in February 2022. 

Musician and pop sensation Bruno Mars returned to the Theater at MGM in Oxon Hill, MD for the first of two sold out shows on Saturday December 4th. Mars, who recently released a joint project with fellow musician Anderson.Paak under the moniker Silk Sonic, was welcomed back to the DMV with open arms.

The Birchmere Music Hall in Alexandria, Virginia, was blessed with the talents of America’s Got Talent finalist Preacher Lawson on Friday, October 2nd.