Big Mama Shakes at Gypsy Sally's in Washington, D.C. on 6/1/17

Richmond, VA has a lot impressive talent coming out right now and Big Mama Shakes is a large part of that group. Rated one of Richmond’s top bands by Style Weekly, Big Mama Shakes kicked off their summer tour in Washington, D.C., at Gypsy Sally’s on Thursday. They were opening for Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers whose tour was just wrapping up. Big Mama Shakes came together in 2013 in Williamsburg, VA and have since been creating some amazing original Americana music. This is a band to watch and if you haven’t heard their stuff yet I would highly recommend you check them out. They always deliver when it comes to live performances and that is why they have played alongside some of today’s big names like Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. You can find their music on Spotify, iTunes, Soundcloud, Youtube or on their site www.bigmamashakes.com

Upcoming Tour Dates:
Jun 04 Boston, MA
Jun 07 Warrendale, PA
Jun 08 Philadelphia, PA
Jun 09 Clifton Forge, VA
Jun 10 Richmond, VA
Jun 23 Avenue, MD
Jun 24 Richmond, VA
Jun 30 Nags Head, NC
Jul 01 Nags Head, NC
Jul 07 Toano, VA
Jul 15 Savannah, GA
Jul 22 Washington, DC
Jul 24 Knoxville, TN
Jul 28 Roanoke, VA
Jul 29 Abingdon, VA
Aug 10 Lancaster, PA
Aug 17 Virginia Beach, VA
Aug 18 Charlottesville, VA

Chance the Rapper at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, VA on 6/4/17

Chance the Rapper’s Be Encouraged Tour came to Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, VA on Sunday. The recent Grammy winner came speeding onto the stage via a mini bike and broke into his high energy performance while 16,000 plus fans cheered and huge pyrotechnics shot to the ceiling. The performance was something that you are not going to want to miss.

Chance kicked off the show with Blessings, and near the middle of his set performed a trio of Kanye West tracks. Kanye West’s “Waves,” “Father Stretch My Hands,” and “Ultralight Beam” were performed, and fireworks, confetti cannons, and LED visuals were all on display early and often. You can catch him on tour at the dates and cities below.

Setlist:
Mixtape
Blessings
Angels
Smoke Break
Waves (Kanye West cover)
Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1 (Kanye West cover)
Ultralight Beam (Kanye West cover)
Sunday Candy (Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment cover)
D.R.A.M. Sings Special
I’m the One (DJ Khaled cover)
Favorite Song
Cocoa Butter Kisses
All We Got
Summer Friends
All Night
Juke Jam
Same Drugs
Blessings (Reprise)

Upcoming Tour Dates:
Jun 6, 2017 Baltimore, Maryland
Jun 7, 2017 Greensboro, North Carolina
Jun 8, 2017 Manchester, Tennessee
Jun 8, 2017 Charlotte, North Carolina
Jun 11, 2017 Atlanta, Georgia
Jun 13, 2017 Miami, Florida
Jun 14, 2017 Tampa, Florida
Jun 15, 2017 Dover, Delaware
Jul 2, 2017 New Orleans, Louisiana
Jul 21, 2017 Hartford, Connecticut
Aug 3, 2017 Chicago, Illinois
Aug 5, 2017 Chicago, Illinois
Oct 3, 2017 Los Angeles, California
Oct 4, 2017 Los Angeles, California
Oct 6, 2017 Austin, Texas

Aaron Lewis at Hollywood Casino in Charles Town, WV on 5/20/17

Lewis played for the sold-out crowd at the casino’s Events Center. The show started on a patriotic note with Lewis leading the audience in the pledge of allegiance. Lewis steers away from the modern trend of mainstream country music and pays homage to country music’s greats with his song “That Ain’t Country” played on his Fender Telecaster sporting signatures from the genre’s biggest names like the late George Jones.

Lewis and his band also played some of Staind’s hits such as “It’s Been Awhile” with the steel guitar added for a country rendition of the popular song. The intimate venue, which holds approximately 1,200 people, offered top quality sound which added another quality layer to Lewis’ excellent performance. Overall, if you are looking for something different than what most of mainstream country music has been offering, check out Aaron Lewis. He is creating great music that captures the true essence of what country music used to be.

DC101 Kerfuffle at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD on 5/14/17

The Washington D.C. area alternative radio station DC101 had its annual summer festival Kerfuffle in Columbia, MD and hosted some of today’s popular acts. The lucky break in weather made for a perfect day of great music on Mother’s Day. The lineup for the day consisted of Kings of Leon, Weezer, Jimmy Eat World, Fitz and the Tantrums, Catfish and The Bottlemen, Highly Suspect, MISSIO, and The Unlikely Candidates. After several years of Kerfuffle, 2017 definitely reflected one of the strongest lineups they’ve had for the festival.  In a statement DC101’s program director, James Howard acknowledged, “We are truly proud of the artists we have assembled for this year’s DC101 Kerfuffle.  These artists are defining the sound of our generation and they are together for us on one exciting day.”

Matisyahu at The National in Richmond, VA on 3/28/17

Matisyahu’s tour made it’s stop in Richmond, VA this week at the National, and while his look may have change since he broke onto the music scene in 2004, he sure can still deliver a powerful performance.

Matisyahu’s conscious and insightful lyrics provide a narrative that makes the audience feel alive and ready to move. This mixed with the vibrant light show and interactions with the crowd to pick the set list makes for a show you don’t want to miss. His new full-length album is due to be released this coming spring and is said to be announcing some big news on Friday, March 31st”.

On this tour Matisyahu plays a wonderful mix of old and new tracks, as well as a few covers sprinkled in. From “King Without A Crown” and “Aish Tamid” to “No Woman, No Cry,” the show if full of wonderful, powerful joy. Few artists manage to remain as positive in their political dialogue as Matisyahu, which makes seeing him live an engaging, enlightening experience.

Matisyahu has a number of upcoming shows all across the U.S. Find dates and tickets here.