When Indiana’s Murder by Death kicked off its set Friday at D.C.’s 9:30 Club with a cello-enhanced cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” it brought out all of the feels. But Murder By Death always excels at emotional music, with songs that tell tales with a heavy goth-folk feel and the deep baritone of lead singer Adam Turla. This is a band that could nail the soundtrack to a remake of In Cold Blood.
Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band opened the show. Devine’s music falls closer to the post-punk end of the spectrum than Murder By Death, but the Brooklyn ensemble brought an energy just as intense.
Kevin Devine
Murder By Death
All photos by Erica Bruce