The VI-Kings live today at Tommy Joe's in Bethesda

Local band The VI-Kings will perform live today, "May the Fourth," from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Tommy Joe's at 7940 Norfolk Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Playing "the 60s/70s soundtrack of your life," the group features at least two famous faces Bethesda residents may recognize: Matthew Maury, a Bethesda real estate expert and broker with Stuart & Maury, Inc., and Sean Chyun, a musician and vocalist of frequent appearances in Bethesda's gradually-dwindling venues for live music over the last decade-and-a-half.

Pop 2000 Tour landing at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda June 23, 2024

Bring me up, Carson! Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda is once again allowing you to relive your - or your parents' - MTV TRL afterschool Y2K memories with the Pop 2000 Tour event tomorrow, Sunday, June 23, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM on Level 1 of the mall in the Nordstrom wing. Hosted by Chris Kirkpatrick of NSYNC, the event will feature live performances by Kirkpatrick, O-Town, BBMAK, Ryan Cabrera, and LFO.

The standing-room-only concert will take place from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM near Nordstrom on Level 1. But the festivities will get underway at noon with spin-the-wheel prize giveaways, airbrush tattoos, rhinestone gem art, and a 2000 Photo Moments station. Create a 2024 photo moment by purchasing a selfie with your favorite boy band after the concert. Merchandise for the participating artists will also be on sale.

Look for Pop 2000 Tour activities on Level 1 near Kiehl's. HOT 99.5 will be broadcasting live from the event. The radio station will be hosting its own activities and giveaways. Pop 2000 is free to attend, but you need to RSVP online.

"The Pop 2000 Tour will bring the energy and excitement of 2000s pop music to Westfield Montgomery, giving our community the chance to relive that era in music," Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield SVP of Shopping Center Management Leah Heil said in a statement Friday. "We look forward to watching the audience transport back in time and sing along to hits they’ll never forget, while creating new memories with friends and family.”

Top two images courtesy Westfield
Bottom image: AI

Rooftop rock concert tonight in Bethesda

A rare rooftop live rock concert event will be held tonight at a somewhat unexpected venue. Song-oriented progressive rock band HüsBand will perform live on the rooftop at 7550 Wisconsin Avenue tonight, June 22, 2024 at 7:00 PM. Check in on the lobby level at 7:00; the concert and rooftop party will begin at 8:00 PM. Kitchen and bathroom showroom KONSTUnion is hosting the special KONST Summer Starter rooftop event. KONSTUnion and CARNEMARK design + build President Jonas Carnemark is a member of the band. Check out their music to see if tonight's concert is your cup of tea.

American Idols to reunite at Bethesda Theatre January 22, 2024

Two of the highest-profile contestants from the golden age of American Idol will reunite at the historic Bethesda Theatre at 7719 Wisconsin Avenue on January 22, 2024. Ruben Studdard was named the American Idol as the winner of the blockbuster TV show's second season in 2003. Clay Aiken was the runner-up that year, losing by only 134,000 votes out of 24,000,000 ballots cast by viewers, according to Broadcasting & Cable magazine. Both were fan favorites, and have remained friends ever since.

Now Studdard and Aiken will reunite for an evening at the famed art deco theater with entertainment as the goal, rather than competition. The booking is apparently so new, it isn't even listed on the official tour website as of this writing. When it does appear, VIP packages that include a special soundcheck performance with meet-and-greet should be available for the biggest Idol fans.

Live music at the Bethesda Streetery

A new feature was added to the Bethesda Streetery outdoor dining area in the Woodmont Triangle yesterday. Live music was provided at the intersection of Norfolk and Cordell Avenues. The Streetery is a series of temporary street closures to allow more room for outdoor dining.

Jesse Daumit to perform live at Villain & Saint in Bethesda Sunday, Feb. 26 (Photos)

The Jesse Daumit Trio will return to Villain & Saint in downtown Bethesda tomorrow night, Sunday, February 26, at 5:00 PM. Surface parking is available behind the building.

Villain & Saint

7141 Wisconsin Avenue

1-240-800-4700

Photos courtesy Michael Lebowitz

Summer concerts at Bethesda Gateway Building

Summer in downtown Bethesda means outdoor live music. One of several concert series around town is in the outdoor Willow Garden Theater at the Bethesda Gateway Building, located at 7201 Wisconsin Avenue. Every Wednesday from noon until 2 PM this summer, enjoy a free concert, sponsored by Guardian Realty. 

There are several great restaurants within walking distance from which you can carry out a lunch, including Panera Bread which is right at the concert location. The new Pi Pizzeria is on the next block, as well.

Click photo to enlarge
schedule

Bethesda Fine Arts Festival 2016 today and Sunday; Villain & Saint recreates Watkins Glen Summer Jam today in Bethesda

Art lovers and classic rock lovers can make a day - and night - of it in Bethesda today. Bethesda Urban Partnership is hosting the annual Bethesda Fine Arts Festival in the Woodmont Triangle today, May 14, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and tomorrow from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Admission is free, and so is parking in the Auburn-Del Ray Parking Garage 36 at 4910 Auburn Avenue.

Walk to the festival, which will be held along Auburn, Del Ray and Norfolk Avenues rain or shine. 130 artists from across the country will display their works. In addition to the many restaurant options in the Triangle, the following restaurants will be serving food on Del Ray Avenue near the entertainment stage: Yamas Grill, Bethesda Curry Kitchen, Haagen-Dazs, Mamma Lucia, and Smoke BBQ.

Enjoy live music, and check out the booths of local businesses - The Flats at Bethesda Avenue luxury apartments will have giveaways and a chance to win a hefty gift card from Paper Source at Bethesda Row, and Stonehall Bethesda's condo sales center will be open from noon until 4:00 PM at 7706 Woodmont Avenue (this could be a great option if thunderstorms hit in the afternoon - bring an umbrella).

A different type of festival will be held across town at Villain & Saint at 7141 Wisconsin Avenue (there's easy parking in the lot behind the building). The bar and live music venue is recreating the famous 1973 Watkins Glen Summer Jam starting at noon. While the main event starts at 6:00 PM and costs $30 online or $35 at the door, you can enjoy the pre-show party outside starting at noon for $5 at the Montgomery Womens Cooperative Farm Market next door.

Cover bands will recreate the legendary acts who appeared before a crowd of 600,000 in 1973: The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers and The Band. For more details and ticket links, visit their Facebook page.

Willow Garden summer concert series in Bethesda (Photos)

More and more public spaces, or quasi-public spaces, are hosting concert series this summer in downtown Bethesda. The latest I stumbled across is the Willow Garden summer concert series at lunchtime on Wednesdays, from noon-2:00 PM.

Presented by Guardian Realty in the Willow Garden Theater at the Bethesda Gateway Building at 7201 Wisconsin Avenue and Willow Lane, the series will run through Wednesday, September 16. Don't worry if you missed earlier acts The James Bazen Project and Chuggalug - they will have encore performances later in the series this September.

Full schedule
(click to enlarge)

Very nice venue for
an outdoor concert

VI-KINGS BRING THE 60s TO LIFE AT BETHESDA BLUES AND JAZZ JANUARY 10

Local band The VI-Kings will bring the sounds of 1960s rock and roll to the stage at Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club on Saturday, January 10, at 8:00 PM. This will be a dance night, taking full advantage of the historic building's custom-designed dance floor.

The band is coming off of successful recent gigs at Flanagan's Harp and Fiddle, and Clyde's of Chevy Chase. Among the VI-Kings is one of Bethesda's most prominent real estate agents, bassist Matthew Maury. Another member who might be a familiar face to Bethesda diners and bar patrons is guitarist/vocalist Sean Chyun.

Tickets will be $15, and are on sale now.

ST. PATRICK'S DAY BETHESDA SPECIALS 2014 - BETHESDA BARS/RESTAURANTS

If snow doesn't scare you, here are some of the St. Patrick's Day specials around Bethesda today:

MUSSEL BAR

$5 Guinness

$5 Jameson Irish Whiskey

BLACKFINN

AMERICAN TAP ROOM

CADDIES ON CORDELL

UNION JACK'S BETHESDA

Doors Open at 8am with a FREE Breakfast (8am-10am)

$1 Killians (8am-4pm)

$3 Killians (4pm-close)

$3 Lucky Charm Shooters (ALL DAY)

$4 Jameson (ALL DAY)

1/2 Price Car Bombs (ALL DAY)

Special Irish menu complete with Corned Beef & Cabbage, Guinness Stew, and more!!

HARP AND FIDDLE

As the only Irish pub left in downtown Bethesda, you'll have to stop in at Flanagan's Harp and Fiddle at some point today.

The 19th Street Band will perform live starting at 1:00 PM. Also playing at Harp and Fiddle today is Kevin James, who is scheduled to start at 11:00 AM.

TORI VAZQUEZ LIVE IN BETHESDA TONIGHT

Recording artist Tori Vazquez will perform live tonight at Panas Gourmet Empanadas at Bethesda Row.

She plays original songs, but you could always request a Taylor Swift song.

The concert will run from 6-9 PM tonight, June 21.

FLO ANITO LIVE SUMMER CONCERT AT VETERANS PARK, NOW UNTIL 8 PM (PHOTO)

Flo Anito is performing live in Veterans Park, at the corner of Norfolk and Woodmont Avenues in downtown Bethesda.

The concert will continue until 8 PM, and there are plenty of cold drinks and frozen desserts for sale nearby!

This summer concert series is sponsored by Bethesda Urban Partnership on Thursday evenings during the summer.

LIVE MUSIC AT AMERICAN TAP ROOM AT BETHESDA ROW

Bethesda Row's restaurant and bar best known for its live piano player is expanding its repertoire.

Starting tonight at 9:30, American Tap Room will feature live music from a variety of performers, every Thursday and Friday night at its Bethesda location.

Friday nights, live music will begin at 10:00.

Go for the beer list, and stay for the music.

MOJITO SUNDAY TODAY AT THE PARVA IN BETHESDA!

Like you needed an excuse to head to 7904 Woodmont Avenue for a real Colombian mojito!

Today, starting at 2 PM (and you can get in FREE before 4 PM), is an afternoon of mojitos and Caribbean music at The Parva.

Enjoy half-price appetizers and drink specials, as well as performances by Black Spider, Hazzard, Majestic and Nemesis.

It's a day of Caribbean sounds and libations at Bethesda's South Beach-inspired The Parva.