Music & Concerts

Not just a Phase

Indie queer music festival back for fourth installment next weekend

Published

15 years ago

September 16, 2010

Phasefest’s internal manifesto could be “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The queer indie music festival, the only one of its kind in Washington, is back next weekend for its fourth installment at Phase 1, the S.E. D.C. bar that started it.

Angela Lombardi, Phasefest founder and manager of Phase 1, says it can be a bit tricky balancing the lineup each year between bands that went over well in previous years versus wanting to provide a space for new bands.

“We never want it to feel like the same old festival,” Lombardi, a lesbian, says during a phone call from the airport where she just flew back from Greece this week. “I think we have about eight acts that have played here before. Some, of course, we bring back every year.”

This year’s lineup sounds appropriately eclectic. On Sept. 25, the band Men will headline. JD from Le Tigre, Tayisha Busay, Shondes, Rad Pony, Clinical Trials, Mitten, Renny Sanz, Tiik w/ Guts, Erin Brown and Candi Hearts will also perform sets. On Sept. 24, Hunter Valentine, Jen Urban and the Box, the Pushovers, Mzery Loves Company, the Athen’s Boys Choir, Lost Boi’s and Terrance Williams will play. And on Sept. 23, Wicked Jezebel will headline with Melissa Li, Kit Yan, Jenny Grind, Nikki Smith and Alex Voegele also performing sets.

Sexual orientations and genders are ambiguous with some of the bands. Most are lesbian or have lesbian members but male and trans musicians have played Phasefest before. Phase 1 is a lesbian bar but Lombardi prefers the more-inclusive word “queer” for the fest.

And it’s obvious talking to Lombardi she’s as excited about hearing the bands as anyone.

“This year we’re focusing more on indie queer music,” she says. “There are a bunch of new and exciting acts as well as people who’ve played before. Men are just amazing. And JD from Le Tigre is an alt radical queer band from the past. There’ll be lots of awesome stuff.”

She’s especially excited about Hunter Valentine, a Phase veteran who played at last year’s fest for the first time and also at Phase’s (the bar) 40th anniversary party in February.

“They’re our headliner for Friday and it’s been so exciting to watch them,” Lombardi says. “They’ve really grown by leaps and bounds and they’re just gathering more steam by the minute.”

Hunter Valentine’s lead singer, Kiyomi McCloskey, who doesn’t want to get into specifics but says her band is “definitely queer,” says Phase offers a unique experience on the touring circuit.

“We’ve played a lot of different Prides and OutFest, but Phase has its own vibe,” she says during a phone chat from Brooklyn where the Canadian-based band splits its time. “The staff is just great there and it’s like this little family. It’s very inviting and you can tell they really put their heart and soul into the festival.”

Lombardi says she was ill-equipped to handle Phase’s wildly successful first year but now has the event mastered. It typically attracts about 800 attendees over its three days, a figure she hopes to see bump up to about 1,000 this year.

All the events happen at Phase 1. The bar’s back patio area is converted into an are for queer artists and crafters to set up their wares. Lombardi says all the proceeds go to pay the bands and to run the festival.

“They’re the only ones making money,” she says. “We’re just putting the money back into queer music.”

So in this day and age when it seems almost chic for artists and singers to be vague about their sexual orientation, why have a queer-specific musical festival?

“It’s 100 percent important,” she says. “If you love the arts and music, why not support queer music? We’re trying to offer a totally safe space for these performers.”

Phasefest 2010

Sept. 23-25

Tickets — weekend pass available for $40; Tickets for Thursday (starts at 7 p.m.) are $10 and will be sold at the door; tickets for Sept. 24 (7 p.m.) are $15 and available online; Tickets for Saturday (6 p.m.) are $20 and available here.

Music & Concerts

Kylie brings ‘Tension’ tour to D.C.

Performance on Tuesday at Capital One Arena

Published

2 weeks ago

April 5, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

Kylie Minogue visits D.C. on Tuesday.

Aussie pop icon Kylie Minogue brings her acclaimed “Tension” world tour to D.C. next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Capital One Arena. Tickets are still available at Ticketmaster.

The show features songs spanning her long career, from 1987 debut single, “The Loco-Motion,” to “Padam, Padam” from her album, “Tension.”

Music & Concerts

Busy season for live music in D.C.

Erivo, Kylie, Sivan, and more headed our way this spring

Published

1 month ago

March 14, 2025

Joe Reberkenny

Cynthia Erivo plays WorldPride in D.C. on June 7. (Photo courtesy of World Pride)

One sure sign of spring’s arrival is the fresh wave of live music coming to Washington. With more than 10 venues and a diverse lineup of artists, the city offers no shortage of live performances for the new season.

In addition to this impressive list, don’t forget the many artists coming to town for WorldPride, May 17-June 8. In addition to headliner Cynthia Erivo performing on Saturday, June 7 at the two-day street festival and concert, many other performers will be in town. Jennifer Lopez, Troye Sivan, and RuPaul are among the featured performers at the WorldPride Music Festival at the RFK Festival Grounds, June 6-7. Visit WorldPrideDC.org for a list of other performers.

MARCH

Grammy and Emmy Award-winning Mary J. Blige will take the stage at Capital One Arena on March 26 for her For My Fans tour. Two days later, on March 28, J Balvin will also perform at Capital One Arena for his Back to the Rayo tour.

The Lincoln Theatre will host the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington for three performances—one on March 15 and two on March 16.

If dance parties are more your vibe, you’re in luck. DC9 is hosting a series of themed dance parties this month, starting with Poker Face: 2000s + Dance Party on March 14, the ever-popular Peach Pit ’90s dance party on March 15, H.O.T.S.: A Sapphic Dance Party on March 22, and RageRiot!—a burlesque and drag revue featuring a lineup of local drag kings, queens, and everything in between on March 29.

APRIL

Australian queen of pop Kylie Minogue will bring her Tension tour to Capital One Arena on April 8, with British dance artist Romy as her special guest.

Indie singer-songwriter mxmtoon will stop in D.C. for their Liminal Space tour on April 4 at the 9:30 club, followed by indie rock band Gossip on April 5. The 9:30 club will also host two dance parties in April: Gimme Gimme Disco – a dance party inspired by ABBA on April 11 and Broadway Rave on April 18.

The Atlantis will feature Brooklyn-based indie rock band Pom Pom Squad on April 2.

Comedy duo Two Dykes and a Mic will bring their Going Hog Wild tour to the Howard Theatre on April 19.

DC9 has two dance parties lined up this month: Bimbo Night on April 4, hosted by Baltimore’s “premier red-tattooed Filipina diva” Beth Amphetamine, and Aqua Girls: A QTBIPOC Dance Party on April 5, celebrating “queer transcendence through music, movement, and community.”

The Anthem will welcome a lineup of big names in April, starting with Alessia Cara on April 8. Lucy Dacus will take the stage on April 18 and 19 for her Forever Is a Feeling tour, while funky pop artist Remi Wolf will headline on April 27, joined by special guests Dana and Alden.

MAY

Indie-pop artist Miya Folick will bring her Erotica Veronica tour to The Atlantis on May 1, followed by multi-genre musician SASAMI on May 2. Pop artist Snow Wife will close out the month at The Atlantis on May 31 as part of an official WorldPride 2025 event.

Queer rock band Lambrini Girls will perform at the Howard Theatre on May 4, while rock trio L.A. Witch will take the stage at DC9 on May 12.

Union Stage will feature Rachel Platten on May 3 for her Set Me Free tour, followed by Femme Fatale: A Queer Dance Party later that night.

The popular DJ festival Project Glow will return to RFK Stadium grounds on May 31 and June 1.

JUNE

Pride month kicks off with “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Trixie Mattel, who will perform at Echostage on June 3 as part of a series of official WorldPride 2025 events.

Queer icons Grace Jones & Janelle Monáe will take over The Anthem on June 5 for a WorldPride 2025 event performance.

Perfume Genius will bring his signature sound to the 9:30 club on June 7 as part of WorldPride 2025 festivities. Later in the month, Blondshell will hit the 9:30 club for her If You Asked for a Tour on June 24.

Music & Concerts

Pride concert to take place at Strathmore after Kennedy Center rescinds invitation

International Pride Orchestra ‘heartbroken’ event ‘would no longer be welcome’ at DC venue

Published

2 months ago

February 27, 2025

Jaylon Curry-Hagler

The Kennedy Center (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The International Pride Orchestra has announced its Pride concert will take place at the Strathmore Music Center on June 5 after the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts disinvited the group.

Since President Donald Trump took over the Kennedy Center during his first month in office, LGBTQ events and performances have been banned with community allies withdrawing in solidarity.

The Kennedy Center has cancelled “A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride,” a May 21 concert that was to feature the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. The International Pride Orchestra on Monday said its concert will now take place at the Strathmore.

“We were heartbroken when we learned that our concert would no longer be welcome at the Kennedy Center,” said International Pride Orchestra Founding Artistic Director Michael Roest in a statement released by the orchestra’s media page. “The Kennedy Center has long been a symbol of artistic excellence, inclusivity, and freedom of expression. However, we are profoundly grateful to the Strathmore Music Center for opening their doors to us. Their willingness to host our Pride Celebration Concert ensures that our message of love, pride, and resilience will be heard on the doorstep of the nation’s capital.”

The Pride concert is among the events that have faced uncertainty since the Trump-Vance administration took office on Jan. 20. Many, however, are fighting back and looking for ways to push back against the bans and cancellations.

“We aim to create a powerful and positive representation of the queer community through music,” said Roest. “We want to show the world who we are, celebrate our queer identities, and amplify the work of organizations that support the LGBTQ+ community.”

WorldPride is scheduled to take place in D.C. from May 17-June 8.