The Scene

MusicDetour.com’s commentary on music, performances, and the DC metro area music scene

One of the great things about the internet is it’s ability to allow independent artists new ways to get their music out. Jah-I-Witness is one of those artists that is using the internet to get his music out there. Check-out this collection of videos that he put together on ReverbNation. (more…)

Don’t miss the Middle East MicFest Tour showcasing some of Virginia/Maryland/DC’s best Hip-Hop. The Tour is stopping at Jammin’ Java in Vienna, VA on February 20th, the third stop of the 9 show tour. Starting back in 2004, the first show was designed to give a stage to some of the area’s best indie Hip-Hop acts. Now in it’s 6th year, it is truly traveling the Mid-Atlantic region. Be sure to catch Jah-I-Witness, Poe Mack, Case Jones, Scottie Flippen, Kaze aka 4letters, K-Beta, F.A.T., Faraz and more when the tour hits the area. The show starts at 9:30pm, tickets are $10 in advance and $12 the day of the show. Full tour schedule after the jump.

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One great show to check-out this New Year’s Eve will be True Sound at Awful Arthur’s in Blacksburg, VA. This is the best way to celebrate the New Year for all the Hokie fans out there that could not make it to Atlanta for the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. What better place to watch the bowl? Watch them game then jam to some great music. The show will start with opening All Kinds of Gravity at 10pm. True Sound will hit at about 11pm. Tickets are $6 for 21+ and $10 for 18-21.

The VA Strong Tour is dropping at Jammin’ Java Friday, October 2nd. Stop in and catch some of DMV’s  (DC/Maryland/Virginia) hottest hip-hop acts. Don’t miss Jah-I-Witness, Kinetic, Poe Mack and everyone else in Vienna Virginia. If you can’t make it keep your eyes out for future dates. The show starts at 10pm and tickets are $12 at the door for 21+. More information about the tour after the jump. (more…)

True Sound returns to Blacksburg, Virginia during Virginia Tech’s homecoming weekend. The band will be playing at Awful Arthur’s in Blacksburg for the first time since their 2009 New Year’s Eve party. Band members are sure to bring their original blend of Hip-Hop, Soul, Rock, R&B and Reggae with extended jams to town that night. The show is Saturday, October 10th at 10pm with special guest DJ Sprigs spinning before the show and between sets. If you are in Blacksburg for Homecoming, be sure to catch this show. Tickets are $5 at the door, admission is 21+.

By now I’m sure that everyone is aware of GoRemy’s “Arlington: The Rap“. The Washington Post had an article on Remy and an interview with him to get into his brain. While I would never take him anywhere near half-seriously as an MC, he does have potential  as a satirist. We all know the pitfalls of living in one of the wealthiest places in the US and people can appreciate Remy both for his local roots (you recognize the landmarks) and the irony of living in that society. I’m not sure if he’s doing live shows, but if he is they would definitely be interesting to see. Please let us know in the comment section if he’s got some shows coming up, especially if they are in Arlington.

After first getting started with Folk music and Jazz music, Festivals have long been the domain of Jam Bands. However, over the past few years there’s been an increasing tendency towards hip-hop festivals. Rock the Bells started back in 2004 as a one time – one place festival, but has expanded over the past five years to a touring festival that will land in 10 cities across the US and Canada this summer. It’s coming to the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD on Sunday, July 12th. The shows kick-off at Noon. It’s the second consecutive year that the show will hit Merriweather. This year’s festival is going to have about 30 acts on 2 stages. Tickets go on sale May 2nd at 10am. Full list of artists after the jump. (more…)

Fairfax County puts on a huge festival every year at the Fairfax Government Center that it has called “Celebrate Fairfax“. Now, to me, that is an incredibly strange name, what are we celebrating about Fairfax? Anyway, it used to be called the Fairfax Fair before they tried to get all original with its name. Name aside, it is one of the best chances to catch local and national acts outside at one event in northern Virginia. This year it is Friday, June 5th – Sunday June, 7th and will be headlined by Blues Traveler (Friday, June 5th – 8pm), The Fixx (Saturday, June 6th – 3pm), The Sugarhill Gang, Tone Loc and Naughty by Nature (Saturday, June 6th – 7:30pm)and Phil Vassar (Sunday, June 7th – 3:30pm). Get your tickets now. Checkout after the jump for the complete line-up. (more…)

This post by guest blogger: Ron

Taking a cue from Linkin Park’s Projekt Revolution tour (Where LP teamed up with Jay-z in concert), Fall Out Boy and 50 Cent will be joining up at the Merriweather Post Pavilion on the 25th of April.

Now, I know everyone is thinking: ‘What???’, but surprisingly enough, it was 50’s idea: “He came up with the idea, and we were like, ‘Yeah. Totally. Yeah. Why not?,” according to FOB’s lead singer Patrick Stump via Billboard Magazine. (more…)

When it was announced that The Roots were going to be the house band for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, I figured that would be the end of The Roots as a band. I couldn’t have been more wrong. A couple of weeks ago I noticed that they are playing some shows across the country during the month of April, that was big news and it meant that we would not only be getting The Roots in 10second sound bites every night. It was also announced that they would be holding the 2nd Annual Roots Picnic on June 6th in Philly. But the biggest news was what I saw today, they are going to be releasing their 9th studio album this summer titled “How I got Over” (a shout out to Gospel legend Mahalia Jackson).