Samira Nematollahi ‘23
Guest Writer
If you are a music fiend like me, then I know that the lack of concerts has severely impacted your mental health. But concerts are back, baby! Charlottesville and the surrounding areas have some amazing artists coming in the next few months, and I have compiled a list of my must-see shows for the semester so you don’t have to. Yes, I am partly using this as a way to reform some of the bad taste in music floating around the Law School and I am not afraid to admit that.
It’s important to mention that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over, and we still need to take precautions. That is why the venues for each of these concerts requires proof of vaccination or a negative test and encourages masking.
Big Thief – The National, Richmond
September 24
For those of you who are down for a last-minute show, check out Big Thief’s show at The National. First, The National is just an amazing venue and worth going to at least once. Second, Big Thief is a staple in indie folk music and a good starting place for people who are trying to expand their music taste. The band has not released an album since Two Hands and U.F.O.F. in 2019, but they have released a few singles off their upcoming album. You will no doubt fall in love with lead singer Adrianne Lenker’s enchanting voice, and you’re in luck because she will be in D.C. for her solo tour on November 13th.
All Things Go Festival – Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
October 16
For those of you who want to go to a music festival, All Things Go is one of the closer ones and features some of today’s best pop artists. Two of my favorites on the lineup are Charli XCX and Tkay Maidza, both of whom had incredible releases within the past two years and are certainly going to deliver amazing performances. Other notable artists include HAIM, St. Vincent, Soccer Mommy, and Gus Dapperton. For those of you who are wary of being in a crowded venue, this festival is outdoors so you can bring a blanket and distance as much as you want!
George Clanton – The Southern Café & Music Hall, Charlottesville
October 17
If you want to venture into niche genres but don’t know which, you should check out George Clanton. He is a pioneer of vaporwave, but his more recent releases also showcase shoegaze and bedroom pop influences. Clanton is an artist to check out in his own right, but I also want to highlight one of the openers, Magdalena Bay. I have only recently begun listening to them, and I am hooked. They are synth pop perfection and are set to release their new album Mercurial World just before the show. To get a taste of both of these artists, you can check out “Make it Forever” by George Clanton and “Secrets (Your Fire)” by Magdalena Bay.
Parquet Courts – The National, Richmond
October 29
Now for a rock concert. Parquet Courts are best known for their punk vocals and danceable driving bass lines. I was first introduced to Parquet Courts by their 2018 critically-acclaimed release Wide Awake. This album is centered on themes of oppression, violence, and white privilege, and lead singer Andrew Savage channels them into his aggressive vocal performance.[1] Parquet Courts is now set to release their next album Sympathy for Life on October 22. In the creation of this record, their goal was to incorporate dance music culture into their rock music, so I can only expect that the danceability of their songs will be even greater.[2]
This is obviously not an exhaustive list of concerts, and there are so many more great bands coming that I do not have room to dive into (e.g., Orville Peck, TV Girl, Crumb). Even if you don’t know any of the artists performing, grab a group of friends and go for the vibes – I would want to speed memorize all of their lyrics so I can sing along, but that’s just me.
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