The 2013 summer concert guide

The Postal Service

Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard and electronic artist Jimmy Tamborello (Dntel) continue to spin gold with the Postal Service, their collaboration a decade ago that yielded just one album, "Give Up." The band name refers to the duo's preferred method for songwriting: Each would record his part onto Memorex CDs and pop them in the mail. The result was nothing short of alchemy. With Gibbard's affected lyricism and Tamborello's soaring electronic score, "Give Up" emerged as one of the most memorable albums of the 2000s, with catchy ear candy from beginning to end (much of it serving as the score for all variety of TV commercials and movie soundtracks). For the album’s 10th anniversary, the duo has returned to the road. Expect a familiar face at their Merriweather show: The Postal service’s touring musicians include a former D.C. chanteuse, Laura Burhenn of the Mynabirds.
See them: June 18 at Merriweather Post Pavilion. $35-$45.
Listen: “A Tattered Line of String”

John Shearer / Invision/Associated Press

Bruno Mars

A soulful hybrid of R&B, reggae and funk has propelled Bruno Mars to the top of the charts. His ability to shuffle gracefully between reggae, Studio 54-style disco and piano ballads is impressive. The pop singer takes clear hints from the Police, Michael Jackson and Prince, and judging by his performance with Sting at the Grammys, he knows how to win over a crowd.
See him: June 22 at Verizon Center. Sold out.
Listen: “When I Was Your Man”

Joe Scarnici / Getty Images for EIF

 The Roots

It doesn't matter how many albums they've made (10 studio recordings so far), how long they've backed "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" (four years and counting) or how many festivals they've played (too many to recall), the Roots know how to get people moving. With the iconic Questlove (who's DJing at the Howard Theatre after this show) on drums and Black Thought at the mike, when the Roots take the stage it's as good as live hip-hop gets. The Philadelphia-born legends have performed in just about every scenario, and their appearance as part of D.C. Jazz Festival will no doubt get everyone's hands in the air.
See them: June 15 at Kastles Stadium at the Wharf, as part of the D.C. Jazz Festival. $30-$75.
Listen: “Stomp”

John Sciulli / Getty Images for Samsung

The Rolling Stones

It has been more than 50 years since the Rolling Stones first blazed across the stage at London's Marquee Jazz Club, but Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ron Wood and Charlie Watts are on a mission to prove that time is still on their side. Ticket prices for this nostalgia-fueled "50 and Counting" show at Verizon Center, however, might leave you wondering whether the Stones are simply padding their retirement accounts: Some seats run as high as $600.
See them: June 24 at Verizon Center. $150-$600.

Lucas Jackson / Reuters

Guards

Pay close attention to the opener for Best Coast at the 9:30 Club next week: New York band Guards, led by Richie Follin (brother of Cults singer Madeline Follin), is poised to take over the gauzy indie-rock scene.
See them: June 4 (opening for Best Coast) at the 9:30 Club. $20.
Listen: “Ready to Go”

Olivia Malone

Blake Shelton 

For years, while Blake Shelton has mostly held a reputation as a country lightweight, it has been his spitfire of a wife, Miranda Lambert, who has commanded the attention of critics. But there's something to be said for Shelton's crossover appeal. When he landed a role as a coach on "The Voice," America was introduced to a relatable country crooner who is charming and easy on the eyes. The Oklahoma native's recent gesture to organize a fundraiser for tornado victims in his home state only further raises his stock. His concert at Jiffy Lube Live, just a week before Lambert's, may not make for the most moving night of music, but this performer can make up for it with aw-shucks charm.
See him: July 20 at Jiffy Lube Live. $29.25-$59.
Listen: “Boys ‘Round Here”

Kyle Gustafson for the Washington Post

Mike Stern and Eric Johnson

It seems that Mike Stern (pictured) is always bumping Eric Johnson off guitar magazine covers, or is it the other way around? Clearly, the two are guitarists' guitarists, and though they haven't shared the stage as often as they would like, their recent collaborations have revealed an intuitive kinship that bodes well for this special performance. For fans of progressive jazz and blues, Stern and Johnson’s bill is a sure bet.
See them: Aug. 7 at the Howard Theatre. $35.

Sandrine Lee

Capital Jazz Fest

This annual all-star bash offers one-stop shopping for fans of smooth jazz, but the talent at the Capital Jazz Fest this year also has a high R&B and soul quotient, with performances by Chaka Khan (pictured), Bilal, Eric Benet and others on tap. A festival highlight finds saxophonist David Sanborn and pianist Bob James performing tunes from their new Dave Brubeck-inspired release, "Quartette Humaine," their first recording together in 25 years.
See it: June 7-9 at Merriweather Post Pavillion. Prices vary.

David Surowiecki / Getty Images for Hugo Boss

Savages

Riotious all-female post-punk act Savages may be the first band since Fugazi to take itself this seriously. Although its debut album, "Silence Yourself," was just released, the buzz (like the guitars) is so deafening that the British band's July show already has sold out.
See them: July 13 at the Rock & Roll Hotel. Sold out.
Listen: “Shut Up”

Richard Dumas

Trillectro 

Washington isn't exactly known for its homegrown rap scene, so it was a definite milestone when Trillectro blew up the Fairgrounds last year. The grass-roots event featured a smart blend of hip-hop and dance artists, bringing out a young, enthusiastic cross section of fans. This year's lineup isn't quite finalized, but with confirmations from D.C. expat Nadastrom, rising Cleveland rapper King Chip and 21 year-old DJ Sliink from New Jersey, this year's Trillectro is clearly prepping for that same electric spark.
See it: Aug. 17 at Fairgrounds. $35-$100.

Kyle Gustafson for The Washington Post

Paul McCartney 

After 50 years of music-making, it's practically a contractual obligation that Paul McCartney will perform treasured Beatles songs for stadiums full of expectant fans. So you can be sure that Sir Paul, now a septuagenarian, will hew closely to tradition -- beloved songs, original arrangements -- when his "Out There" tour brings him to Nationals Park.
See him: July 12 at Nationals Park. $99.50-$255.

Tracy A Woodward / The Washington Post

Maggie Rose

Potomac isn't exactly teeming with inspiration for country music singers. It took a move from the nation's capital to Nashville, the country capital, for Potomac native Maggie Rose's career to ignite. With her debut album, "Cut to Impress," out now, the sassy singer's star is rising.
See her: June 21 at the Fillmore. $12.

RPM Entertainment

 D.C. Jazz Festival: Tribute to Dave Brubeck

An exotic thread of international influences will run through the D.C. Jazz Festival when it grooves into a half-dozen major venues for nearly two weeks in June. But festival organizers felt the event wouldn't be complete without a tribute to American jazz pianist Dave Brubeck. Brubeck, a Kennedy Center honoree, died in December at age 91. To honor his prolific career, the festival will feature a night of his music performed by the people who knew him best: his children. The Brubeck Brothers Quartet, featuring sons Chris and Dan Brubeck, headlines this tribute to the inventive composer.
See them: June 14 at the Hamilton. $22.50-$32.

Barry Schwartz

Carly Rae Jepsen 

This Canadian pop star achieved Internet ubiquity with her infectiously catchy single, "Call Me Maybe." Now we're wondering: Can Carly Rae Jepsen avoid the fate of so many other one-hit wonders?
See her: Aug. 28 at Wolf Trap. $30-$42.

Thos Robinson / Getty Images for Vevo

B.B. King

No blues musician is more worthy of the title "living legend" than B.B. King. The 87-year-old Mississippi native became a Kennedy Center honoree in 1995, but Wolf Trap has long served as his base of operations in the Washington region. King, who is touring as part of Peter Frampton's "Guitar Circus," has performed at the Filene Center 22 times since its 1971 inaugural season, always accompanied by Lucille, his signature, soulfully eloquent Gibson guitar. Small wonder crowds invariably greet the iconic pair with the first of several standing ovations.
See him: Aug. 11 at Wolf Trap. $30-45.
Listen: “The Thrill is Gone”

Josh Sisk for The Washington Post

 Juanes

Juanes is one of the best-known, and simply one of the best, rockers en Espanol. Juanes's latest album is an unplugged retrospective, but he began his career in a Colombian metal band. And although he's settled in Florida, Juanes has never made a bid for Anglophone fans. He's an articulate chronicler of romance and a spokesman for anti-war causes, and clearly sees no need to change the way he addresses his global audience.
See him: June 19 at Wolf Trap. $25-$48.

Jack Plunkett / Associated Press

New Order 

Given its minor-key melodies, this influential British post-punk band never seemed a natural for outdoor summer shows. But New Order has done it successfully for years, emphasizing the sunny Ibiza dance-music beats blended into its dark style. Reformulated as a quintet in 2011, the group features three of its original four members. Its latest album, "Lost Sirens," features unreleased songs from 2005's "Waiting for the Siren's Call." They don't sound like leftovers.
See them: July 28 at Merriweather Post Pavilion. $40-$75.

Danny Martindale / Getty Images

Phish

Trey Anastasio's recent noodling with Broadway musicals failed to generate quite the same excitement as his astonishingly successful jam band ("Hands on a Hardbody," for which he wrote the music, turned out to be a non-starter). But if Broadway audiences preferred structure, the tie-dyed clan of "phans" remains devoted to the musical meanderings of Anastasio and Co. There's no telling where a Phish show will take you, and that's part of the thrill.
See them: July 13-14 at Merriweather Post Pavilion. $45-$60.

Dave Martin / Associated Press

Turnpike Troubadours 

The most unjustly overlooked Americana album of 2012 was the Turnpike Troubadours' "Goodbye Normal Street." It wasn't just that singer-songwriter Evan Felker portrayed a young man's reckless gambles and painful consequences in smart, sly lyrics. The rest of Felker's Oklahoma quintet captured that combination of hope and hurt in edgy arrangements that integrated fiddle, banjo, mandolin and accordion into a hillbilly-rock band. Whether it originates from curving two-lane blacktops, a pretty rich girl or an army enlistment, the whiff of danger in these songs is thrilling.
See them: June 4 at Hill Country Barbecue. Sold out.
Listen: “Gin, Smoke, Lies”

Missy Whitfield

Muse

Arena rock is really an American genre, but there are a few exceptions to that rule. One is Muse, the huge-sounding trio from the tiny British town of Teignmouth. The band's grand ambitions and sci-fi themes embrace prog-rock â€" both recent (Radiohead) and classic (Hawkwind). Muse also is adept at fist-pumping anthems, but its funkier songs â€" and singer-guitarist Matthew Bellamy's falsetto â€" reveal a careful study of David Bowie's post-Ziggy career.
See them: Sept. 11 at Verizon Center. $39.50-$65.

Tamas Kovacs / EPA

Steve Martin, Edie Brickell and the Steep Canyon Rangers

In his unlikely second career as a Grammy award-winning bluegrass banjo player, Steve Martin has impressed not so much for his instrumental prowess, which is respectable but not exceptional, as for his catchy tunes. For his new album, "Love Has Come for You," he invited Edie Brickell (New Bohemians' lead singer and Paul Simon's wife) to sing and write lyrics for his new songs. Brickell captures the feel of old-time songs about grave-robbing, home cooking, abandoned babies and family picnics, but with modern details. In concert, they'll be backed by Martin's longtime band, the Steep Canyon Rangers.
See them: June 24 at Wolf Trap. Sold out.
Listen: “When You Get to Asheville”

John Dunham / Associated Press

The Lumineers

It was little more than a year ago that Denver roots revivalists the Lumineers chanted and stomped their way through a show at Jammin' Java. Fans paid $10. How quickly things change.
See them: July 26 at Merriweather Post Pavilion. $35-$45.
Listen: “Ho Hey”

Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images

Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley

When Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley brought their tour to Baltimore's 1st Mariner Arena in January, it was the most satisfying mainstream country concert in years. Bentley went on first, emphasizing hits from his fine 2012 album, "Home." Lambert followed, mixing her hits with such songs as John Prine's "That's the Way That the World Goes Round," the Beatles' "Get Back" and the Rolling Stones' "Dead Flowers." Since that show, Lambert's trio project, the Pistol Annies, has released its second album, "Annie Up," which is even better than the first â€" just as feisty but with more depth.
Where to see them: July 28 at Jiffy Lube Live. $29.25-$54.

Josh Sisk for The Washington Post

David Byrne and St. Vincent

The Talking Heads' David Byrne and St. Vincent's Annie Clark churn out some of the most cerebral rock in the business. So when the two met in New York and embarked on a year-long project to make an album of brass-band music, there was no doubt the result would be artful, if not challenging. But last fall's "Love This Giant" proved to be an unexpectedly crisp groover that channels the best of the Talking Heads and makes sharp use of Clark's haunting voice.
See them: June 13 at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, Baltimore. $35-$125.
Listen: “Who”

Andreas Laszlo Konrath

Joan Baez and the Indigo Girls

Both clarion-voiced firebrand Joan Baez and new-age folkies the Indigo Girls have built enduring musical careers nestling socially conscious lyricism in the cocoon of a lovely tune. Find yourself transported to the 1960s when Baez and the Indigo Girls, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, harmonize under the stars in this double-bill at Wolf Trap.
See them: June 12 at Wolf Trap. $28-$42.

Tracy A. Woodward / The Washington Post

Robert Plant Presents Sensational Space Shifters

Robert Plant, the glass-shattering voice of Led Zeppelin, is a man on a musical journey. After his stunning bluegrass-infused collaboration with Alison Krauss, Plant went global, amassing a backup band steeped in Mideast and African musical traditions, late '90s trip-hop and British dubstep. The effect on vintage Zep songs is practically hallucinogenic.
See them: July 22 at Wolf Trap. $35-$65.

Chris McGrath / Getty Images

New Kids on the Block 

Justin Bieber should hope that his career arc follows that of Joey, Jonathan, Jordan, Danny and Donnie. Twenty-five years after their sophomore album, "Hangin' Tough," turned five boys from Boston into crush-worthy international pop stars, the New Kids are still capitalizing on a strange mix of lust and acid-washed nostalgia (never mind that their fans are now old enough to worry about mortgages and crow's feet). Their voices no longer have a trace of arena-filling thrust, but, really, does it matter?
See them: June 14 at Verizon Center. $29.50-$92.50.
Listen: “Remix (I Like The)”

Kristina Bumphrey / Associated Press/Starpix

Big Boi

Fans of Outkast's more levelheaded (and more prolific) half will be happy to know that Big Boi is headed to Washington. The Southern rapper's party-starting sets often begin late, but don't let that keep you from showing up early -- the openers are worth it. In particular, fellow Atlanta resident Killer Mike put out a remarkable album last year, the aggressive, politically barbed "R.A.P. Music," and has earned a name for himself as a ferociously energetic performer. His music sounds like a more futuristic Public Enemy, and his focused, cutthroat delivery doesn't let up.
See him: UPDATE - The June 14 at the Howard Theatre was postponed to September. $29.50-$35.

Mike Coppola / Getty Images

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