Bouncing around must be easier since dropping the “Dale Earnhardt” from their name this summer because JR JR‘s feet barely touched the ground and the audience kept pace. With vocals smooth as silk and matching checked jackets, these boys from Detroit put on a hell of a show. I caught the last few songs of the opener Brothertiger, which perfectly set up JR JR to capture the audience’s attention and never let it go. Playing their latest single, Gone (see below), engagement with the crowd reached a fever pitch as everybody sang along and jumped in time to the beat. Give the video a watch below and keep your eyes peeled for the next set of tour dates! -Jonathan Goodwin

They’re from Baltimore and they know how to rock. The Milestones just put out a new EP, Honey, and it rocks. Flat out, the music rocks and knows it. The band’s shows makes for great dance parties and they exude a solid confidence and love for the music. The EP has a deep spread, touching on different emotions and diverse rhythms, making it a great addition to a road trip playlist. Give it a listen or, better yet, step over to The Black Cat tomorrow, 11/10, and catch The Milestones open for Moving Units! -Jonathan Goodwin

Bouncing onto the Baltimore scene, Parks Landing has unveiled their very first music video exclusively with The Deli Magazine. "Voices in My Head" perfectly encapsulates the band’s sound and energy: feel-good, upbeat, and serene. Mixing in fine bits of rock, pop, and indie, the vid captures the fun aura surrounding the band and is MTV-ready, that is if MTV still played music videos. Don’t miss their record release party at Ottobar on 11/21! -Jonathan Goodwin

Bursting onto the DC punk scene earlier this year, The Split Seconds just put out an eponymous LP, their debut release, filled with sick riffs and raw, throaty vocals. Their influences range from The Buzzcocks to Screeching Weasel, distilling classic punk elements from decades of material and still making it sound like a modern album. If you’re in the mood for top-notch punk rock, check out their new album and keep an eye out for future show announcements. -Jonathan Goodwin

Hailing from Leesburg, VA, Car Seat Headrest is making a huge splash on both coasts and across the Atlantic. What began as Will Toledo producing ten albums since 2015 has erupted into a full band getting covered by Rolling Stone and going on an international tour. They put out an LP last week called Teens of Spirit and it’s killer. Toledo built his vocals in the vein of The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas and The Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff and the overall musicality inspires a wide range of feelings and energy. The new album would fit with any party, rife with roughly hewn instrumentals and angst-ridden lyrics. These guys are going to be huge, so catch them at DC9, 12/7, and Strange Matter in Richmond, 12/8. -Jonathan Goodwin

A Friday morning better than any other, Daybreaker did it again. This time, the show was hosted at the Rock & Roll Hotel and attendees grooved away the early hours in costume. DJ Alejandra SstudD and MC Haile Supreme brought together their talents and put on a kickass show, spinning out awesome mixes and pumping up the crowd. Haile danced onstage, in the crowd, in circles of other dancers, keeping the juice-swilling, costumed crowd energized and exuding positivity. With the talents of a trumpeter, a trombonist, and a drummer, the atmosphere was the perfect start to a Friday. If you like lots of audience engagement or diverse EDM, make sure you catch Haile Supreme or DJ SstudD live. Check out DJ SstudD’s sick new remix below and don’t miss the next edition of Daybreaker DC!

He’s brash and crass, laying down wisely juvenile verses in his oddly delightful Australian dialect. Rapper Allday is touring the US to support Startup Cult, his album released last year. He uses his music to share his uniquely down-under energy and inspired lyrics about life and relationships, and he’s coming to U Street Music Hall next week on 11/4. Sharing the stage that night with Mod Sun, New Beat Fund, and Benny Freestyles, you won’t want to miss Allday for his sincerity and pleasing voice. Doors at 6:30, $15. -Jonathan Goodwin

Remember the 90s? Drive-in movie theaters, cassette tapes, and Al Gore have faded, but the music has persisted most. Richmond’s own Sideways Orange has cultivated their sound from such influences, with a bedrock of punk, alternative, and garage rock, dressed sensibly in postmodern lo-fi and indie. It’s the kind of soundtrack kids would use for skateboarding videos, but is mature and high-energy enough for the underground venue of your choice. Get yourself a copy of their latest album, We Are The Moon Dogs, and check them out when they play a Halloween show at OUR House on 10/31.

At the intersection of blues-rock, Americana, and folk, you’ll find Baltimore’s Red Sammy rambling along, thumb out for a ride. These guys have concocted an effective and relatable sound from life’s tumbles, love, loss, and pain, reaching deep into their roots and pulling out blue-collar gold. If your heart has an ache or need to wave your lighter in the air, look no further than Red Sammy and their spare yet poetic new album Creeps and Cheaters. -Jonathan Goodwin

Reaching from Baltimore to your heart, Parks Landing has a great swirl of pop and rock topped with some indie, rife with sweet riffs and tireless drumming. Their new single, Little Plane, is radio-ready and has chart potential thanks to its upbeat, hopeful sound, perfect grasp of repetition, and energetic female vocals. Their melodies are reminiscent of Death Cab for Cutie and Best Coast, so keep a weather eye out for the full EP which is due soon!

They defy every expectation with their sound, to say the least. Positive No, an indie pop rock group out of Richmond, has crafted a standout musicality with punk, dream pop, and indie influences all over the place, matched with an unpredictable flair for shifting crescendos. The energy is infectious and vocalist Tracy Wilson will have your attention within seconds, wrapping you around her little finger until the show’s end. Check out their wild and surprising jams at The Southern in Charlottesville on 10/24 at 10pm.

Founded in 2008, Jumpcuts has seen several iterations of its lineup, but the quality remains. The Baltimore-based Andy Shankman founded the band and artfully constructed its standout rocktronic flavor, mixing catchy vocal bits with swirls of instrumentals and synthesizers. Due to release a new 7”, Fiber Optic Bondage, Jumpcuts has put out a new single and accompanying video, Headlights, which you can catch below. It’s hopeful and dancy and should find a new home on your playlist. -Jonathan Goodwin