Category: Music

Lars Gotrich | July 2, 2025 Two guitars. Two voices. Fifteen years since the duo last stopped by the Tiny Desk, not much has changed in how they present themselves, right down to their preferred guitar tuner. This is how it’s been, with some variation, for over three decades, in the timeless music of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. And, yet, everything changes when you listen deeper and live longer. Behind the Desk, facing each other, the ballad “Empty Trainload of Sky” achieves an auditory illusion as their guitars chug and vocal harmonies swirl surrealistic imagery across a classic American [See More…]

This Black Music Month, Tiny Desk honors the anniversaries of landmark albums that have shaped the course of music and culture. Felix Contreras | June 25, 2025 Did we really squeeze the big sound of Living Colour behind the Tiny Desk? Yes, we did. And, yet, the band lost none of its intensity at a slightly lower volume. Living Colour starts with “Cult of Personality,” the shot heard around the world, but spends the rest of the set celebrating 35 years of Time’s Up. The album planted a flag for Black rock bands inspired by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, [See More…]

This Black Music Month, Tiny Desk honors the anniversaries of landmark albums that have shaped the course of music and culture. Bobby Carter | June 23, 2025 Five years ago, Alex Isley gave us a Tiny Desk (home) concert to remember … and ever since, I’ve wanted to bring her into the office for a proper shoot. To preserve everything in her vocal cords, the LA native remained silent until it was time to perform, even pensive as she approached the Desk. Still, her eyes gleamed with enthusiasm for the moment that she and her fans had anticipated for years. [See More…]

This Black Music Month, Tiny Desk honors the anniversaries of landmark albums that have shaped the course of music and culture. Bobby Carter | June 20, 2025 Before he stepped behind the Tiny Desk, Beenie Man contemplated our office space. The man born Moses Anthony Davis is accustomed to performing at maximum velocity, touching every part of a big stage … and here were but a few square feet for him to move. Nevertheless, the king of dancehall brings Kingston to Washington, D.C. As an exemplar of longevity, he pauses to remind us just how long he’s been at it: [See More…]