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Sure things. New things. All things. Our area\u2019s fall pop concert schedule offers a Neapolitan scenario for intrepid music seekers. The best bets include legends of different scales and stripes (Patti Smith, Stereolab, Paquito D\u2019Rivera, Autechre). The new faces include TikTokers and maniacs (Addison Rae and Geordie Greep, respectively \u2014 I think). And if you\u2019re the kind of concertgoer who insists on having it all, there\u2019s a festival for that.<\/p>\n
Two summers ago, when the world decided to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop music<\/a>, there was a lot of discoursing over whether rappers should continue to pursue their artistry after midlife or simply clear the lane. Amid all that blither, there was too little blather about the D.C.-born rapper Billy Woods \u2014 a shame, considering Woods is a rhymesmith in his mid-40s who continues pushing his craft forward and upward, the way Sisyphus rolls boulders. If anything, his knotted new album \u201cGolliwog\u201d is a reminder that patient, principled progress should be a standard in rap music rather than an anomaly. Sept. 19, Union Stage, 740 Water St. SW. unionstage.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n When was the last time you listened to a new album and thought, \u201cHuh, I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve heard anything like this before.\u201d In many ways, the music of Geordie Greep seems to have been tailored to elicit that sensation \u2014 which is to say that Greep\u2019s not-quite-rock-music feels freaky, and fidgety, and painfully self-aware, and joyfully free, and potentially irritating-slash-exhilarating in its desire to leave expectations defied, pulverized and unfulfilled. Before releasing his 2024 solo debut, \u201cThe New Sound,\u201d Greep played with the British rock explorers Black Midi, and the continuation of his strange trip feels like a modernization of Frank Zappa\u2019s infamous prog rock misadventures. It\u2019s also possible that Greep is onto something else entirely. Sept. 20, Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. blackcatdc.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n There are plenty of ways to feel cynical about the speedy rise of this 24-year-old influencer turned pop star. One is to dismiss her success as preordained \u2014 a cheap conversion of Rae\u2019s 88 million TikTok followers into a semi-captive listening audience. Or you can bristle at the songs themselves, refusing to believe that Rae\u2019s gifts as a digital content creator could possibly translate into any kind of musical talent. But if either of these prickly feelings feels familiar, be warned: If you give her outstandingly ebullient debut album, \u201cAddison<\/a>,\u201d an open and honest listen, you might find yourself dancing all those cares away. Sept. 30, the Anthem, 901 Wharf St. SW. theanthemdc.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Just a quick, broad note on a shift in the District\u2019s nightlife ecosystem: Has anyone else noticed that the Howard Theatre\u2019s programming has improved by leaps and bounds in recent months? If so, it\u2019s likely because Union Stage, a smaller nightclub at the Wharf, has extended its hand in booking this historic concert hall in Shaw. One of Union Stage\u2019s brightest offerings at the Howard this autumn is the resurgent Stereolab, the prismatic veteran pop group whose durable sense of playfulness is sure to make one of our city\u2019s most cherished listening rooms feel more like a romper room. Sept. 23, Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. unionstagepresents.com\/the-howard<\/a>.<\/p>\n