Blogs
The Kids Yearn For Millennial Optimism
From the resurgence of indie-sleaze aesthetics to a renewed interest in early-2010s indie-pop and electronic music, the current cultural landscape seems to be more and more preoccupied with the late 2000s and 2010s. For Gen Z, an era they may only remember vaguely, or...
Concert Preview: Sadurn @ The Atlantis on 11/9
A surprise to no one, but Philly’s got another alt-country-folk-rock band that I can’t get enough of. Sadurn jumped off the page with their 2022 debut album Radiator, and call me a glutton for punishment because since then I’ve been impatiently awaiting more of their...
Fake Punks Take On Turnstile
You know the story. Turnstile is a hardcore punk group formed in Baltimore, Maryland, in 2010. Led by the energetic frontman Brendan Yates, they occupy a unique space in the history of American hardcore music. After years of gritty, orthodox hardcore, they pivoted...
Concert Preview: Hiss Golden Messenger @ 9:30 Club on 11/7
The folk and country rock beats of Hiss Golden Messenger are bound to have the 9:30 Club feeling reflective, hopeful, and ready to dance. The band has taken their gritty multi-genre sound around the country since August, arriving in DC in the last month of the I’m...
Oooo, Olivia Does Remixes Now: “Expectations” by Olivia Rodrigo, featuring Chappell Roan.
Pop music always has something to say about love. Sometimes it feels like the whole genre is less about the quality of music and more about the themes of dating, boyfriends, and, if the artist wants to be more sensational: sex. Olivia Rodrigo is no different. Whether...
Concert Preview: Cannelle @ The Atlantis on 11/8
For many artists, music precedes identity, which is to say that an artist’s character is slowly formulated through the continuous practice and experimentation of music until they have a cohesive style that distinguishes and defines themselves. However, for Cannelle it...
Happening in Hardcore: November 2026
Welcome back to Happening in Hardcore, your guide to the DIY hardcore scene here in the great DMV! Happy November, moshers! Thanksgiving break is just around the corner but if you’re not going home for the holidays, I got tons of shows to keep you busy. I know who I’m...
A Nu Generation: Volume 1
Contextualizing Nu Metal: August 31st of 2025 marked the first encounter I had with moshing. Suicidal Tendencies was opening for Cypress Hill at a venue once local to me; albeit a relatively small venue for the band’s popularity, it was impressively packed with...
In The World of Steve Lacy’s ‘Oh yeah?’
Over the summer, Steve Lacy released his third album “Oh yeah?” This comes after his previous album “Gemini Rights” which he released around the same time in 2022. Since then, he has been widely popularized, having several trending songs like “Bad Habit” and...
Make Music Weird Again: How TikTok Is Destroying Musical Risk-Taking
After a hard day, all I want is to watch some funny Reels and distract myself from the day’s stress. To my dismay, my nightly doomscroll is interrupted by whichever dreaded 10-second clip of robotic hit-maker production that happens to be trending that day. Different...
Music Culture Today: The Infantilization of Female K-pop Idols
According to the American Psychological Association, infantilization is described as the process of "the encouragement of infantile or childish behavior in a more mature individual." The practice of infantilizing someone involves disregarding a person’s character and...
Concert Preview: Pretty Sick @ The Atlantis on 11/1
Pretty Sick just released her newest album, “Anarchy” back in September and is bringing her new sound out on tour. Her music has been consistently evolving with the times and this time, this album, feels exactly right for the moment. This seamless blend of shoegaze...
You Might Not Know Them But You Should: Diana Silvers
Multi-talented actress and model, Diana Silvers, is breaking into a new form of artistry through music. Her debut album, “From Another Room,” came out last November, nearing the end of her very first tour, when she supported Jon Batiste on his Big Money Tour. Los...
Concert Preview: The Army, The Navy @ 9:30 Club on 10/31
American folk-pop duo The Army, The Navy will be gracing the stage of the 9:30 Club on Halloween. Maia Ciabriello and Sasha Goldberg are childhood best friends who went to the same singing coach, attended the same university, and moved to Los Angeles together to...
Opinion: Bring Back Ugly
In the days before social media, Ozempic, and Snapchat filters, the stars of the music industry possessed a quality that is missing from our current era: ugliness. Much to the detriment of popular music today, ugly has been almost completely wiped out from the...
DC’s Local and Free Guide: Rue Café
Life as a music loving, broke college student isn’t easy. I’d know because I fit within that description. Many concerts and shows around Washington, DC are ticketed, and most of these tickets aren’t cheap, which makes it difficult for students to explore the local...
It’s All Over (If We Don’t Give Bands a Chance)
Would you be happy if hard work and talent didn't define someone's success? What if you had to play to an algorithm if you wanted to make it big? Introducing The Jins, a band that certainly knows this all too well, with their March album, “It’s All Over.” The Jins are...
WVAU Web Presents: An Interview with Petalbyte
Petalbyte’s <10>< (“fish") is the first installment in a three-part concept album following a fish lady trying to get her music heard by the humans above the surface. Glitchy, bright, and bursting with effects, it is a gem of electro- and hyperpop, with...
Album Review – Ride Lonesome by Beck
Beck has released unique projects that never fail to catch the eyes and ears of many kinds of music enjoyers. Ride Lonesome in particular, released on September 18, 2026, is a refreshing project that really showcases both the acoustic and deeper lyrics on love and...
Concert Review: One Enchanted Evening with Samara Joy & Her Septet, Accompanied by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Samara Joy's performance at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's opening Gala was nothing short of a divine musical experience. Joy is often cited as one of the most successful musicians of the century, being a 6-time Grammy winner at only 26-years-old. Her tone of...
Opinion: The Death of a Showgirl
On Sept. 22nd, Taylor Swift posted a single photo to Instagram announcing her upcoming single “Patient Zero.” In true Swiftie fashion, fans began tearing the post apart, searching for the hidden clues that Taylor is so renowned for. Could it be a new album? Her next...
Concert Preview: Jesse Welles @ The Anthem on 10/21
Folk singer and TikTok viral sensation Jesse Welles graces The Anthem stage Wednesday, October 21st at 8pm. Welles’ “sing the news” schtick gets a new coat of paint with his 2026 release Masks Off. Songs satirize and spear current events, cultural movements, and...
Happening in Hardcore: October 2026
Welcome to Happening In Hardcore, your guide to the DIY hardcore scene here in the great DMV. October is an absolutely stacked month, so I hope you’re ready to start budgeting! Starting us off strong is an offering from our own WVAU Events on October 2nd, hosting...
Concert Preview: Allison Russell @ The 9:30 Club on 10/16
Americana, folk, and roots star Allison Russell embarks on the second stop of her In the Hour of Chaos tour at The 9:30 Club on Friday, October 16. Russell’s third solo album by the same name is a genre-expansive love letter to collaboration. All but one of the...
WVAU Web Presents: An Interview with Asher White
I saw Asher White play the Black Cat stage in the cold, sharp winter air of Washington, D.C. nearly a year ago -- playing songs straight off of her new album, 8 Tips for Full Catastrophe Living. Song to song, it got better and better, so when she dropped her project,...
Representing Through Riffs: An Interview with Kiyoshi & Xander of balisong
Alright, what is your guy's name? K: My name’s Kiyoshi, I’m the singer. X: My name is Xander and I’m the guitarist- K: Lead Guitarist! And what is your guy’s band name ? K: balisong! Alright, can you guys tell me a little bit...
Concert Preview: LAUNDRY DAY @ The 9:30 Club on 10/16
The 9:30 Club has long been established as a launchpad for new and innovative musicians, kicking off careers for artists like Nirvana and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. So, it’s no surprise that LAUNDRY DAY, a band called “genre-defying” in an article by i-D Magazine, is...
Concert Preview: Knox @ 9:30 Club on 10/12
Knox grabbed social media attention in 2022 with the single “Sneakers,” which caught the ear of pop-rock fans across the world. Four years later, in the wake of his second album “My Midwest Best,” he sets off on a headlining global tour. The tour associated album...
Top 10 Songs to Run Away From Your Problems To
Have you ever been in urgent need to run away from reality? Considering a freeing jog to nowhere? Look no further, because today I’ll be giving you a comprehensive guide to overcoming the obstacles in your path, one step after another. On a serious note, it’s...
Concert Preview: Jessie Ware @ The Anthem on October 10
Few pop artists have been able to consistently merge the genre’s key sounds with a unique, critically-acclaimed sound like Jessie Ware has. The London-born pop artist is stopping at the D.C. wharf on Saturday, October 10 at fan-favorite venue, The Anthem, as...