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Stars in Washington DC

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Stars
The Anthem — Washington, DC
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About Stars

Stars are a Canadian indie rock band that emerged from Montreal in the early 2000s, built around the dual vocals of Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan. They made their name on introspective, narrative-driven songs that feel both carefully arranged and genuinely raw. Your Ex-Lover Is Dead became their calling card—a seven-minute meditation on memory and loss that proved they weren't interested in easy answers. Over albums like Set Yourself on Fire and The Five Ghosts, they've developed a signature sound: lush instrumentation, overlapping vocals, and lyrics that sound like someone thinking out loud at 3 a.m. They've never been arena rock, never needed to be. Their appeal is to people who actually listen to records, who notice the production choices, who feel things deeply and don't apologize for it.

Stars shows are quiet moments in loud rooms. The crowd goes still when Campbell and Millan's voices intertwine. People come for the arrangements they know from the records, but stay for the intimacy. Midsize venues suit them best. No theatrics, no trying too hard. Just precise, emotionally direct rock music.

Known for Your Ex-Lover Is Dead, Nightlife, Ageless Beauty, The Beginning, Take Me to the Riot

Stars + Washington DC

Stars rolled through Landmark on Main Street in November 2025, laying down a setlist that felt like a greatest-hits run through American roots music. They opened with 'Poor Boy' and kept the momentum steady through 23 songs, touching on the kind of deep cuts that separate casual listeners from the devoted. 'Psychedelic Sex Machine' sat right in the middle of the set, a title that shouldn't work but does in their hands. By the time they hit 'Ball at the Taj Mahal' as the closer, it was clear this wasn't a band phoning it in. They've been working Washington DC audiences for years, and this show had the feel of musicians who know exactly what they're doing.

Stars in Washington DC News

Live Music in Washington DC

Washington DC's music scene has always had room for artists who dig into American roots without needing to apologize for it. The city's venues have hosted everyone from traditional blues to psych-tinged interpretations of folk standards, and there's an audience here that appreciates the difference between nostalgia and genuine musicianship. Stars fit naturally into that landscape—they're the kind of band that makes sense in a room where people actually listen.

Washington DC road trip to see Stars?

Stay in Georgetown or Capitol Hill, both walkable neighborhoods with excellent restaurants and bars. Book a table at Kinfolk in Capitol Hill for refined New American cooking, or head to Pineapple and Pearls for something more elaborate if you want to splurge. During the day, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden offers world-class contemporary art without the crowds of the main Smithsonians. Walk the C&O Canal towpath if the weather cooperates. Hit up one of the city's serious record shops like Smash! Records before the show.

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