Live Music | ALXnow

Macy Gray to perform ‘On How Life Is’ 25-year anniversary show at Birchmere

Published October 14, 2025 at 3:30PM

Macy Gray will perform at the Birchmere Music Hall on Nov. 4, 2025 (via Facebook)

Grammy winner Macy Gray is performing her greatest hits at The Birchmere Music Hall in Alexandria next month, and spoke with ALXnow for a few minutes.

Gray is performing across the country this and next month on the final leg of an international tour marking the 25-year anniversary of the release of her hit album “On How Life Is”. The Nov. 4 concert is her second appearance performing in Alexandria, after she sang at The Birchmere in 2023, and she says she’ll be performing the entire album, plus a few covers and new songs.

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Alexandria Choral Society singing with Alexandria Children’s Chorus on Oct. 26

By James Cullum

Published October 14, 2025 at 9:30AM

The Alexandria Choral Society is singing with the Alexandria Children's Chorus on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025 (via Facebook)

The Alexandria Choral Society is collaborating with the Alexandria Children’s Chorus later this month for a concert that invites audiences to listen “with your heart, mind, and spirit.”

The “Do You Hear What I Hear” concert will explore sound and silent spaces in musical pieces such as “The Sound of Silence” and “Ain’t No Grave” at Westminster Presbyterian Church (2701 Cameron Mills Road). The concert will be held on Sunday, Oct. 26, from 3 to 5 p.m.

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Two Alexandria choruses qualify to compete in international competition

By James Cullum

Published October 7, 2025 at 1:30PM

The Alexandria Harmonizers (via The Harmonizers)

Two Alexandria-based choruses have qualified to perform in the Barbershop Harmony Society’s international competition next year in St. Louis, Missouri.

The Alexandria A Cappella Collective’s choruses, the Harmonizers and Metro Voices, recently competed at the Barbershop Harmony Society’s Mid-Atlantic District Competition in Cape May, New Jersey, qualifying to compete at the event, which will take place from June 28 to July 6.

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PHOTOS: Thousands attend the 30th annual Art on the Avenue in Del Ray

By James Cullum

Published October 4, 2025 at 5:32PM

As seen at Art on the Avenue in Del Ray, Oct. 4, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood was packed with art lovers for the 30th annual Art on the Avenue festival in Del Ray on Saturday (Oct. 4).

Hundreds of juried artists sold their work, live music was performed on four stages and the event and its founder Pat Miller were recognized by Alexandria Congressman Don Beyer (D-8th), Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5th) and Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley.

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Popular Del Ray open mic marks third anniversary Wednesday

By James Cullum

Published September 12, 2025 at 11:45AM

The What-Have-You open mic night is held every first and third Wednesdays at Evening Star Lounge in Del Ray (courtesy photo)

A popular open mic night in Del Ray is celebrating its third anniversary next Wednesday (Sept. 17).

Greg Roth and Gabe Fry started the What-Have-You open mic at Evening Star Cafe (2000 Mount Vernon Avenue) in September 2022, and since then — with the exception of January — have hosted the event from 8:30 to 11 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. Next Wednesday’s event has a numbers, acronyms, and abbreviations theme, with musicians asked to perform hits from bands like R.E.M., AC/DC, INXS, and the B-52s, among others.

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Grammy-nominated New York Polyphony to perform at Virginia Theological Seminary

By James Cullum

Published September 4, 2025 at 2:45PM

Immanuel Chapel at the Virginia Theological Seminary (photo via American Guild of Organists/Facebook)

A Grammy-nominated quartet will perform this month at Virginia Theological Seminary.

The New York Polyphony will sing at a free concert at VTS’s Immanuel Chapel (3737 Seminary Road) at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 16.

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Alexandria Choral Society announces 2025-26 season

By James Cullum

Published August 16, 2025 at 9:00AM

The Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic and the Alexandria Choral Society perform their holiday concert at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, Dec. 8, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Get your tickets now, because the Alexandria Choral Society just announced its 2025-26 season.

It’s the 55th season for the ACS, and the five performances in this year’s program are being held at venues across the city. Season tickets cost $125, and individual event tickets are suggested $30 apiece.

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Southside Community Fest returning to Old Town with free food and entertainment

By James Cullum

Published July 16, 2025 at 3:30PM

The Southside Community Fest is returning for its third year at the Nannie J Lee Memorial Recreation Center, 1108 Jefferson Street, in Old Town (via Instagram)

Not long ago, Bruce Anderson and a handful of his boyhood friends from Alexandria decided to give back with a free community cookout.

The event was a bigger hit than the group anticipated, with hundreds of people showing up to the Nannie J Lee Memorial Recreation Center (1108 Jefferson Street). Now in its third year, the Southside Community Fest features free food, live musical performances, a DJ, special guest speakers, and more.

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Bands and Brews Bar Crawl returning to Del Ray in August

By James Cullum

Published July 14, 2025 at 4:30PM

Participants of the Bands & Brews Summer Bar Crawl on Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray on Saturday, August 22, 2021. (Via Elijah Walter Griffin, Sr.)

A great end-of-summer event is right around the corner in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood.

The 5th annual Bands & Brews: Del Ray’s Summer Bar Crawl returns on Saturday, Aug. 16. From 12 to 6:30 p.m., more than 20 venues will host live music throughout the neighborhood. The Del Ray Business Association is expecting up to 2,000 visitors at the event, according to a recent event listing.

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10 Questions: Alexandria alt-rockers The MAYSUNS on their musical journey

By James Cullum

Published July 11, 2025 at 1:30PM

The MAYSUNS (Left to right - Gabriel Harr, Max Powell, Beck Moniz and Nathan Argust) relaxing at a mural of musical legends outside St. Elmo's Coffee Pub in Del Ray, July 9, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Talking to the MAYSUNS outside at St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub in Del Ray feels like you’re sitting in their living room.

Sitting at a table in front of a mural of iconic musicians (Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison), just around the corner from the music school they attended for years, four out of the six bandmates sat with ALXnow to discuss the latest.

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Guest conductor announced for Alexandria’s birthday celebration

By James Cullum

Published June 30, 2025 at 2:15PM | Updated July 1, 2025 at 6:30AM

Guest conductor John Devlin will lead the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra at the city's annual birthday celebration on Saturday, July 12, 2025 (via ASO/Facebook)

The guest conductor of Alexandria’s upcoming birthday celebration on the waterfront has been announced.

John Devlin, music director of the Lancaster Festival Orchestra in Ohio, will take the baton and lead the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra through its program on Saturday night, July 12. The concert includes Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture during the dazzling fireworks, as well as live cannons from the U.S. Army Presidential Salute Battery.