What concerts will you witness in June?
There are far too many options, so here are 30 or so of the most promising ones just for you! Also, no cover photo for now, I couldn’t decide.
And why is June 16th an absolute beast of a day for live music? I want to attend all the shows.
Find local bands in yellow. Go see local music at DC’s small venues. You’ll be helping those businesses and artists, and you can never have enough music in your life.
Top Concerts for June
Shannon & The Clams @ Black Cat (6/1/24)
Bones Owens @ Pearl Street Warehouse (6/2/24) (Bones, based in Nashville, has a new album coming in July titled Love Out of Lemons and a show at Pearl Street! Come for the rollicking blues rock and stay for more!)
Sophie Ellis-Bextor @ 9:30 Club (6/3/24) (Note: The link to the artist’s page says 8/23 but it’s listed on the website as 6/3.)
China Forbes @ The Birchmere (6/5/24) (China Forbes, of Pink Martini, is performing for her first solo album in 15 years, titled The Road (via Heinz Records). Her latest single, “Bring on the Rain”, is about defiance and longing. Go for the music, but stay for her voice!)
The Hails @ DC9 (6/6/24)
Bill MacKay @ Rhizome (6/6/24) (Haven’t made it up to Rhizome in awhile? Now’s the time, on June 6th check out Bill MacKay! From Chicago, his style ventures into experimental folk and the avant garde. He’ll play songs from his new album Locust Land (via Drag City Records. His last solo album was five years ago, but he’s been non-stop collaborating on other music projects, in the same vein that he’s performing with all these additional artists; Catherine Sikora, David Menestres, and Dave Heumann.)
Flowers for the Dead w/ Milliseconds + Hubble @ Songbyrd Music House (6/6/24)
Gary Clark Jr @ Wolf Trap (6/9/24)
English Teacher @ The Atlantis (6/9/24) (Rising indie rock band, English Teacher, takes the road by storm with their new album, This Could Be Texas (via Island Records). The brief tour kicks off in DC and you should be there!)
NoMa’s Sunset Sounds Concert Series @ Alethia Tanner Park (6/11, 6/18, 6/25) (Starting June 11th, every Tuesday from 6:30-8:30pm through July you can check out some free live music, starting with The Experience Band on the 11th!)
Sheppard @ DC9 (6/11/24)
Flowerbomb w/ Pinky Lemon + Ammonite @ Comet Ping Pong (6/14/24) (This is the EP release show for Flowerbomb’s Gloom Scroll Vol. 2. A concert not to be missed, obviously! Also, get there early and order pizza.)
Bleachers @ The Anthem (6/14/24) Sold Out
SHAED @ The Atlantis (6/15 & 6/22/24) (Local DC darlings that went big time return for two shows! The 6/15 date is sold out, but tickets remain for 6/22. I’ve seen them around six times so far, even before they changed their name (from The Walking Sticks to SHAED), and highly recommend.)
Nation of Language w/IAN SWEET @ 9:30 Club (6/16/24) (Check out a previous review of IAN SWEET.)
Morgan St. Jean @ Songbyrd Music House (6/16/24)
Maggie Rodgers w/ The Japanese House @ Merriweather Post Pavilion (6/16/24) (The Japanese House keeps eluding me, I’m always out of town when she performs in DC. Her 2019 Good at Falling album was a great listen in the long, tedious pandemic times, and her latest album, In the End It Always Does, is excellent as well.)
Bonny Light Horseman @ Howard Theatre (6/16/24) (Check out a previous review of this excellent folk powerhouse band when they also played at Howard Theatre. They are great.)
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss @ Wolf Trap (6/18 & 6/19/24)
Camera Obscura @ 9:30 Club (6/19/24) (This Scottish band just released Look to the East, Look to the West (via Merge Records), their first album in 10 years. And I say, just in time.)
The Hold Steady @ The Atlantis (6/20/24) (This one is sold out, but they are also playing at the 9:30 Club on 6/21 & 6/22 and tickets are still available!)
Xana @ DC9 (6/20/24) Sold Out
The Church and The Afghan Whigs @ Lincoln Theatre (6/22/24) (The Church bring their psych rock acumen to Lincoln Theatre in support of the new album, Eros Zeta and the Perfumed Guitars, that continues the storyline of their previous album, The Hypnogogue. The story is about a failed rockstar in a dystopian future. Plus The Afghan Whigs are joining, so win/win!)
Louisa Stancioff and Oshima Brothers @ Jammin Java (6/24/24) (An indie folk singer, Louisa is touring for her new record, when we were looking? (via Yep Roc), her first with them.)
Mikaela Davis w/ Rich Ruth @ Pearl Street Warehouse (6/25/24)
PVRIS w/Pale Waves + Bruses @ 9:30 Club (6/26/24) (I caught Pale Waves at the Howard Theatre in 2022, and highly recommend their off the charts pop rock energy. They are from Manchester, England and are still touring from 2022’s Unwanted album, and opening for PVRIS. I first caught PVRIS at Firefly Music Festival (2016), and their set was one of the highlights of that weekend! Must see.)
Sub*T w/Harsh Intention + Blunda @ Quarry House Tavern (6/27/24) (For your female-driven fuzz rock fix (think Garbage and Bully), band members Grace Bennett and Jade Alcantara said about their second EP, Spring Skin (via If This Than Records) out June 20th, “We are in bloom, and our EP is a testament to our growth. Our new collection of songs examines lust and desire, values the courage in moving on, wonders about loneliness, and celebrates evolving into different versions of yourself for the better. Just a little sentimental.”)
Ryan Wright w/ Massie + able machines @ Jammin Java (6/28/24)
Outerloop w/ XK Scenario + Spring Silver @ Comet Ping Pong (6/29/24) (Outerloop will release EP 02 at this show. Plus they just put out a brand new single, “Spectacle”. Put it on your playlist!)
Alanis Morissette w/ Joan Jett & the Blackhearts @ Merriweather Post Pavilion (6/29 & 6/30/24) 6/29 is Sold Out
Middle Kids @ The Atlantis (6/30 & 7/1/24) Both Sold Out
Bonus!
(For when you think you’ve seen enough concert options, but you were absolutely wrong! I had trouble pairing it down, so you get a lot more. Sue me.)
Snarls w/ Yasmin Nur + Cherub Tree @ DC9 (6/8/24) (Cherub Tree is local!)
Okkervil River & The Antlers @ Union Stage (6/8/24)
RDGLDGRN w/ Hanoi Ragmen + Indigo Thursday @ Howard Theatre (6/8/24)
From Indian Lakes @ Songbyrd Music House (6/11/24)
VIOLENT VIRA @ Union Stage (6/12/24)
Sheila The Band w/ Raspberry Pie + Lud Roes @ The Pocket (6/13/24)
Rosie Darling and Sydney Rose @ DC9 (6/21/24)
Out & About Festival @ Wolf Trap (6/22/24) (Including Brittany Howard, Jenny Lewis and many more.)
Future Islands @ The Anthem (6/23/24)
The Wallflowers w/ Justin Trawick @ The Birchmere (6/24 & 6/25/24) (Local legend Justin Trawick opens!)
Sincerely & Secret Gardens w/ Hungry Bug + Right Chipper + Hue @ Pie Shop (6/26/24)
How Long Gone Podcast @ The Atlantis (6/27/24) (Hosts Chris Black and Jason Stewart use humor and charm to talk all things culture, fashion and fitness!)
The Beanstalk Library w/ The Pinkerton Raid + Lena Traynham @ Pie Shop (6/29/24)
A DC Journey 