Sunday, May 9

HOTEL MIRA

Pretty Bitter

Lisa Heller

7 pm doors

$20 advance / $25 doors

all ages

Since Perfectionism's release in early 2020, Hotel Mira have climbed the Canadian alt rock radio charts, toured Canada, the US, Australia, and the UK, and garnered over 20M+ streams on Spotify. LA-based frontman and songwriter Charlie Kerr performs in a way that feels part Iggy Pop, part go-go dancer, and part fourth wall breaking experimental theatre. He tells a story to the crowd through his masterful lyrics and hip-swaying melodies. Bassist Mike Noble, drummer Cole George, and guitarist Clark Grieve provide a soundscape that sweeps their audience away in the melodrama and passion of each song. The music from Hotel Mira is partly informed by Kerr’s experience as an actor and playwright. He believes that acting, music, and writing are all the same thing: story-telling.

Mainstays of the D.C. DIY scene, Pretty Bitter live up to their name. Masters of all kinds of dissonance, they juxtapose stories of haunting and heartbreak with dazzling pop-rock arrangements. Pretty Bitter make music that gets the emo kids dancing. They’re unafraid to infuse their blistering breakdowns with hits of disco and synthpop—and that’s exactly what they’ve done on Pleaser, their sophomore album, co-produced by Evan Weiss (Into It. Over It., Pet Symmetry) and Simon Small (Strawberry Boy) and out July 25th, 2025 via cult favorite indie label Tiny Engines. Fearlessly led by Mel Bleker and sharing members with D.C. punk all-stars Ekko Astral, Pretty Bitter has been embraced by DIY fans far and wide. On Pleaser, Pretty Bitter have amped up the drama of their lush arrangements—a match made in heaven for the emotional ferocity of Bleker’s lyricism. “If everything is out there, nothing’s embarrassing,” they sigh on “I Hope You Do,” expertly toeing the line between the personal and the universal over bright, bubbling synths. Their observational, heart-on-sleeve songwriting is as effortless as their flittering between the jangly, dreamy inclinations of rock, pop, and folk. Pleaser is a triumph, and instantly loveable record that reveals just how bright Pretty Bitter’s future is.

— Grace Robins-Somerville

Lisa Heller is an independent alt-pop and rock artist whose music blends honesty, grit, and emotional depth. She’s toured nationally, opening for Zara Larsson, djo, the driver era, and more, and has built a loyal fanbase through her “is anyone listening (unfiltered)” initiative, a growing movement that merges music, mental health, and community. With millions of streams and standout performances across the U.S., Lisa creates songs that turn vulnerability into strength and remind listeners they’re never alone.