Overwhelmed by the daily barrage of dystopian headlines? Need a respite from the chaos—or simply a way to spend your Tuesday night? Look no further than The Anthem, where Belarusian post-punk trio Molchat Doma returns to D.C., on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Formed in Minsk, Belarus, in 2017, Molchat Doma—Egor Shkutko, Roman Komogortsev and Pavel Kozlov—crafts a brooding blend of post-punk, new wave and synth-pop. Their name, translating to “the houses are silent,” nods to their atmospheric soundscapes, which draw inspiration from 1980s Russian rock group Kino. Like their predecessors, Molchat Doma channels influences from The Cure, Depeche Mode and Joy Division, acts that shaped Kino’s legacy and now echo through the Belarusian band’s discography.
Molchat Doma rose to global fame in 2020 when their 2018 track “Судно (Борис Рыжий)”—from the album “Этажи” (“Floors”)—became a viral TikTok sensation. Its “doomer” aesthetic resonated during the pandemic, soundtracking a moment of isolation and longing for connection.
While early albums “С Крыш Наших Домов” (“From the Roofs of Our Houses”) and “Этажи” established the band as modern post-punk icons, their later work explores new terrain. The 2020 album “Монумент” (“Monument”) and their latest release, “Белая Полоса” (“White Stripe”), embrace a faster-paced, electronic-disco edge. As Komogortsev noted in an interview, this evolution mirrors life’s unpredictability. Though some fans cling to the melancholy of “Судно,” Molchat Doma continues to evolve—and sell out global stages in the process.
Despite performing exclusively in Russian, the band has captivated audiences worldwide, from Riga to Los Angeles. Don’t miss their return to D.C. with Los Angeles post-punk opener Sextile. The show kicks off at 8 p.m. on Feb. 11, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Expect a mix of haunting classics and vibrant new material from one of post-punk’s most compelling acts.