For those of you who plan on extending your stay in D.C. once finals are over, you’re lucky to be around for a slew of great upcoming concerts. And never fear, the Scene has you covered, compiling a list of some of the most exciting acts to hit the District this summer. For those of you that aren’t staying in D.C., check out these musicians’ tour schedules — chances are they might be coming to your hometown as well.
Tame Impala
Formed in 2007 in Perth, Australia, Tame Impala are a four-piece rock band with psychedelic tendencies. They released their first album, “Innerspeaker,” last May to great reviews with critics raving over their sun-drenched, happy-go-lucky retro guitar licks and spacey vocals. It’s quite fitting that they toured last year as the opening act for fellow psychedelia-tinged band, MGMT. If you enjoy rock music dipped in acid with deliriously echoey reverb, then catch Tame Impala when they come to the Black Cat on May 6.
Arctic Monkeys
Mostly everyone interested in alt-rock or Brit pop has heard of Arctic Monkeys. The British quartet gained mass appraise with the release of their debut album, “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not,” in 2006. Their combination of furiously fast, dance-worthy indie rock mixed with lead singer Alex Turner’s sometimes silly, often conversational lyrics made for one of the best albums of the year. Since then, the band has released two more albums, with their third, “Suck It and See,” slated for release on June 6. They’ve deviated from their original sound — their third album “Humbug” taking on a slightly darker tone, with infectiously haunting melodies and brooding lyrics. They’ve since released two new singles from their upcoming album. Though it’s not exactly a return to form, “Brick by Brick” is a pop-heavy melody with a simple, catchy chorus, while “Don’t Sit Down, Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair,” has a grungy feel coupled with silly lyrics. The band starts their North American tour at D.C.’s own 9:30 club on May 17.
Cults
This curiously named New York-based twosome consists of Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivion. The indie-pop duo have yet to release a debut album, but they’ve already racked up quite a bit of buzz. They signed with Lily Allen’s record label (In the Name Of Records, an offshoot of Columbia), performed at Coachella and ruled the Internet with their sugary sweet single, “Go Outside.” Since then, the rest of the songs they’ve released have had the same atmospheric, melody-driven pop, all featuring Follin’s youthful and spaced-out vocals. Their sound is almost reminiscent of ’60s pop girl groups like the Shangri-Las with less demanding or lighter vocals. Their album release will be perfect to start the summer off, making their June 10 show at the Rock and Roll Hotel all the more appropriate.
Wiz Khalifa
Chances are you’ve already heard Wiz Khalifa’s ubiquitous singles “Black and Yellow” and “No Sleep” from his recently released debut album from a major label, “Rolling Papers.” Khalifa released his first mixtape back in 2005 and has since released nine more, consistently churning out stoner anthems like “Still Blazin’” and “Waken Baken.” Everything came together on his incredibly popular 2010 mixtape, “Kush and Orange Juice,” with Wiz sharing his ingredients for the perfect breakfast to all his fans.
But, sincerely, there is more to the rapper than heavy marijuana references. His album is full of retrospective and thoughtful lyrics from a rapper who’s been in the game for quite awhile — after all, ‘khalifa’ means wisdom in Arabic. Singles like “When I’m Gone” and “Fly Solo” only prove Khalifa’s depth and writing talent. So if you’re a self-respecting member of Taylor Gang (Khalifa’s name for his friends and fans) or a neophyte to the rapper’s sound, be sure to go to his July 24 show at Merriweather Post Pavilion, where he’ll be headlining a show featuring up-and-coming openers like Mac Miller, Curren$y, Big K.R.I.T. and Big Sean.
ydesta@theeagleonline.com
