Wolf Trap: From the Inside Out

Crowd Surfing

2009-07-14T17:51:00.001-04:00

The crowds at last week’s show with Wilco and Conor Oberst were pretty intense. How intense, do you ask? Take a look for yourself, with this short video of the lawn rush and ensuing revelry on the plaza and in the grass. If you're curious what a sold-out show at Wolf Trap looks like, this is it.

Wilco at Wolf Trap - 7/8/2009

2009-07-09T19:03:00.020-04:00

Never before have I expended so much mental energy preparing for a concert. I of course take pride in each and every artist that performs at Wolf Trap, but from the moment I laid eyes on the booking sheet that read "Wilco," I became irreversibly consumed with an overwhelming sense of giddiness that will probably stick with me for the remainder of the summer. My favorite band, performing at my favorite venue...words borderline escape me, but not enough for me to write this post chronicling last night's experience. How could I live with myself if I didn't recount every surreal detail between 9 - 11 pm last night?

I suppose I should touch on Conor Oberst first. As I was still corralling my friends who arrived a bit late due to job constraints, I wasn't able to watch him from my pit seats, but what I heard from the lawn/plaza sounded great, and it was obvious from my intermittent watching that Conor was having a blast with his long time buddies who comprise the Mystic Valley Band. Songs I recognized were NYC-Gone Gone, Cape Canaveral, Spoiled, and I Don't Want To Die, but they played 4-5 in addition to those.

Wilco, came on promptly at 9pm as to not waste any stage time with the looming, mandatory 11pm curfew. I RAN from the plaza and made it into my FRONT ROW CENTER pit seat just as Jeff Tweedy was positioning himself in front of his mic stand. He's looking very healthy and happy these days, and is sporting a full mane of grayish/dark-brown hair. You could almost mistake him for Wayne Coyne if Tweedy didn't have a very distinctive face. I had talked to Tweedy earlier in the day on the loading dock after an interview he did with Baltimore's WRNR and he wasn't quite sure what to expect from the crowd considering they'd never headlined Wolf Trap, so I told him we'd take care of him, and from the opening note of "Wilco (the song)" the whole pit bounced, sang, danced, smiled, high-fived and swooned over our proximity to the band till the final note of encore closer "I'm a Wheel." Having seen them several times over the years, I must concede that this set list wasn't quite as interesting or diverse as I had initially hoped, but I honestly didn't care. They could have played 120 minutes of smooth jazz covers and I would have been through the roof. Not too many deep cuts, mostly straight-forward, concise rockers, with the exceptions of "How to Fight Loneliness," and "At Least That's What You Said." Set list is as follows:

Wilco (the song)
A Shot in the Arm
At Least That's What You Said
Bull Black Nova
You Are My Face
IATTBYH
One Wing
How to Fight Loneliness
Impossible Germany
Deeper Down
Jesus, etc.
Sonny Feeling
Handshake Drugs
Hate It Here
Walken
I'm The Man Who Loves You
Hummingbird-----------------

Encore:

You Never Know
Heavy Metal Drummer
Misunderstood>Spiders (Kidsmoke)
I'm A Wheel

I got a copy of the set list after the show, and they had initially planned to play "Kingpin," "Hoodoo Voodoo," and "Everlasting Everything," but had to scrap due to the curfew.

The absolute highlight of the night was when Tweedy strolled up to the front of the stage during "Spiders," handed my buddy Mike his pick, and let him strum/pick the guitar while Tweedy held down the notes/chords. Mike is actually a very talented guitar player, so instead of just mindlessly strumming away, he carefully watched Tweedy's hand and methodically plucked certain strings resulting in a collaborative solo in front of 7100 cheering fans. Pictures posted below!

To sum up, it was truly a special night. My friends and I were treated to what essentially felt like a private concert by Wilco. We got to hang out with arguably the hottest band in the U.S., and the frontman let us play his instrument. Not your average night out on the town. To briefly refer back to the mental energy expended in preparation for this show, it only makes sense that I am now suffering from a mild case of Wilco separation anxiety.

Our videographer put together a small collection of crowd footage from last night, featuring some exceptional shots of the lawn rush. I'll have that posted soon!

Thanks to Wilco, and to Wolf Trap programming for such a memorable night under the stars.

Ever Get the Feeling That you Just Have to Dance?!

2009-07-07T10:31:00.007-04:00

Enjoy this masterfully produced collection of Wolf Trap 2009 dance footage, courtesy of our resident videographer Ted Hogeman, and our lovely new HD Sony minicam. Featured performers in this video are part of Riverdance, Rasta Thomas' Bad Boys of Dance, and Cirque Dreams - Jungle Fantasy, and we are grateful for their permission to use these clips. If you're hungry for more, Wolf Trap is hosting three additional dance companies this summer with:

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet - July 7 at 8:30 pm

Merce Cunningham Dance Company - July 14 at 8:30 pm

Face of America: Glacier National Park, featuring The Sun Road, a new work by the Trey McIntyre Project - August 19 at 8:00 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc-NTeRigYQ

Live Shots!

2009-06-26T12:19:00.008-04:00

View all

Get your own

For your viewing pleasure, I've embedded a slide show of several performances so far this season. We’ve had a wide range of performers and musicians this year, from the colorful, gravity-defying Cirque Dreams -Jungle Fantasy, to Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance, to the varied and worldly music of Pink Martini, and many more. Enjoy this sample of the first part of Wolf Trap’s 2009 summer season!

R.I.P. Michael Jackson

2009-06-25T18:48:00.003-04:00

How does one even begin to reflect on the life this man has led? Very sad day in the history of music. What a tragedy at the age of 50.

The L.A. Times has a timeline of events during his last minutes and some details on future plans for Jackson prior to his passing.

Wow. I'm pretty speechless.

Regeneration Tour Part 1 Contest Winner

2009-06-23T14:42:00.003-04:00

Jeffrey Anderson took down the pair of front row tickets to tomorrow's Regeneration Tour 2009 for posting this hilarious Devo reincarnate photo on the Official Wolf Trap Fan Page. Take note of the old school bottle of Popov Vodka and the wall of job rejection letters on the wall in the background.

The 2nd part of the contest begins tomorrow, out at Wolf Trap, on the lawn. Arrive in your best '80s outfit, I'll snap your photo, will post on Facebook, and will have our fans vote on the best costume. The chosen one will receive a V.I.P package to the B-52s concert on August 8, featuring front row seats, dinner for two at our on-site restaurant, limo transportation to and from the show, and a night's stay for two at the McLean/Tyson's Corner Hilton. Can't wait to see those outfits; it's supposed to be a beautiful night, so get in the '80s spirit and join the party!

Diana Krall Set to Take the Stage

2009-06-17T18:56:00.003-04:00

Out here for Diana Krall, but not before opener Frederico Aubele, an Argentine singer-songwriter with some pretty serious hair (Andy Samberg resemblance, no?) and skills as a fusion artist who blends pretty much every genre imaginable including hip-hop, reggae, bolero and tango. Diana Krall is armed with a new album titled Quiet Nights, which incidentally is the most commercially successful release of her career, debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album is inspired by her recent visit to Brazil and showcases an intimate, bossa nova-laced collective ode to her musically eclectic superstar husband, Elvis Costello, who was just here last week for a 2.5 hr set backed by his new bluegrass/Americana incarnation, The Sugarcanes, featuring Stuart Duncan, Jerry Douglas, and Jim Lauderdale. Some sounds problems plagued his set early, but that was quickly remedied as he had the crowd singing along from the lawn during the extended 60 minute encore that have become a defining characteristic of his live shows.

Geoffrey Himes with Washington Post Weekend has the review of Krall's Quiet Nights.

Friday at Bonnaroo from Stereogum. Ok we get it, Grizzly Bear and Dirty Projectors are the Latest Indie Flavor of the Month...

2009-06-13T19:35:00.007-04:00

Semi-solid wrap up of Friday's performances from Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, David Byrne (who killed it at Wolf Trap this past Saturday,) Animal Collective (saw them a few times recently and aloof in attitude is definitely an accurate description,) Santigold, Beastie Boys, TV on the Radio, and Phish. As is industry standard with most young rock journalists, heavy enthusiasm was conveyed for indie newbies Grizzly Bear and Dirty Projectors, while classic jam-rock warriors Phish and space-rock masterminds Animal Collective were either completely dismissed and/or glossed over. Really, can you maybe discuss Phish's new stuff a little more for those of us who couldn't make the trek to Tennessee?

"Outrageously 80s" Costume Contest! V.I.P. Package for B-52s up for Grabs...

2009-06-09T18:24:00.003-04:00

Hello fans of Wolf Trap!

In honor of our Regeneration Tour 2009 (featuring ABC, Terri Nunn and Berlin, Wang Chung, and more) at Wolf Trap on June 24, a trip back in time to the synth-pop and new wave era of the 1980s, us Wolf Trap staffers would like to give you an opportunity to show your devotion to this one-of-a-kind musical decade.

As I'm sure we can all agree, music production never was and never will again be the same! Aside from the unique music, fashion design surely stands out as a defining characteristic of the '80s, and provided you have the evidence, we'd like to launch an "Outrageously '80s" costume contest, giving you the chance to prove to us that you are indeed the king/queen of the 1980s.

Contest details are in two parts:

1) On the evening of Regeneration Tour 2009 (Wednesday, June 24), arrive at the show in your most over the top, strikingly obvious '80s wear. I'll be walking around with a camera and if I like what I see, I'll snap a photo and post it on The Official Wolf Trap Fan Page (Facebook.) At this point, I'll ask all of you to browse my selection of photos and vote on your favorite. The photo that garners the most votes will win 1 V.I.P. package for the B-52s show on August 8, consisting of dinner for two at our on-site restaurant, front row tickets, and limo transport to and from the show. Simple, fun and easy! Wear your best 80s gear and enjoy a night of pure luxury on Wolf Trap's dime.

2) For those of you who don't want to dress up day-of-show, find an old photo of yourself in your best '80s get-up, write an entertaining wall post on The Official Wolf Trap Fan Page, and attach the aforementioned photo through the "add" feature." I will review the photo and choose the best photo. The winner will receive a pair of front row tickets to the Regeneration Tour 2009. This portion starts now, so dig up those photos!

Have fun!

Graham

Saturday Night at Wolf Trap, and I'm Loving Devotchka

2009-06-06T20:09:00.003-04:00

Sitting in the press office listening to Devotchka tear through their set before new wave/punk icon David Byrne takes the stage around 9:15 pm, and I'm still in awe of how these four multi-instrumentalists are able to seamlessly blend what is seemingly the most random assortment of instruments into a very cohesive, rock sound. The song currently playing features trumpet, accordion, guitar and percussion, but they often bust out a sousaphone, Theremin to create their unique sonic edge, and I've heard they tour with a string quartet on select dates. The overall product is confident, accelerated, wonderfully accessible gypsy punk with forays into the world music sound with some very obvious eastern European influences. I've found myself getting very into these guys lately, as well as a similar group called Calexico, as I need some time away from murky indie-rock which has dominated my ipod over the past year or two.

Can David Byrne top them? Let's hope so...

Will likely have photos up of each on Monday afternoon courtesy of our house photographer.

The Decemberists Brilliant New Concept Album

2009-06-04T19:49:00.003-04:00

I must admit that prior to the band's release of their remarkable new concept album/rock opera The Hazards of Love, I had never been a big fan of The Decemberists. I moderately enjoyed a few of the tunes off of The Crane Wife, and was pretty turned off the first time I listened to Picaresque, so consequently, I just sort of wrote them off as another run-of-the-mill indie/folk group. I think I made a serious error in judgment. The Hazards of Love is a total gem, and borders on transcendental hearing it live.

I luckily was able to reverse my misperception of them as a result of seeing them perform The Hazards of Love twice in one week, once at The McDonald's Theater in Eugene, Oregon, and the second at Sasquatch Festival at The Gorge. In my opinion, "The Wanting Comes in Waves," "The Rake Song," "Annan Water," and "The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned,)" are must listens, with the latter potentially being one of Colin Meloy's finest lyrical triumphs of his career. The Hazards of Love takes you on quite a journey from start to finish, and leaves you feeling as if you just watched a full length movie complete with one of the finest scores of our time. Check out these five performances of select tunes from The Hazards of Love at SXSW 2009, courtesy of NPR.

Big Facebook Contest Begins This Week

2009-06-01T18:04:00.004-04:00

I plan to announce details for a highly entertaining, highly inclusive Facebook contest this week surrounding our '80s themed Regeneration Tour 2009 coming to Wolf Trap on June 24, so if you're not already, become our fan by visiting "The Official Wolf Trap Fan Page."

Premium tickets up for grabs for the winner. So hit us with your best shot, and fire away! : ) Seemed like a good time to use that Pat Benatar line...

Kidney Now! Hilarious 30 Rock Season Finale Featuring Four Wolf Trap Summer Artists. Can You Name All Four?

2009-05-29T10:25:00.003-04:00

30 rock just keeps getting better and better. And when this past week's season finale prominently featured four of our summer artists singing about how there are six hundred million kidneys in the U.S., and that we should find just one to give to Milton Green, it's obvious that Tina Fey's main objective with this episode was to give Wolf Trap's schedule some serious National exposure.

Talk about a star studded episode in general with Alan Alda, Norah Jones, Wyclef, Cyndi Lauper, Moby, Mary J. Blige, The Beastie Boys, and then the Wolf Trap four. Can you identify them? Watch from 17:48 on to the end...

There may be some tickets in it for you....Comment on this post with your guesses.

Jay Bennett - You Will Be Missed

2009-05-27T19:38:00.002-04:00

I really can't say it much better than Bob Boilen's post on the All Songs Considered blog.

Despite my love for Nels Cline's smoldering guitar work on the last two Wilco albums, Jay Bennett's influence on and contributions toward prior Wilco recordings (particularly Yankee Hotel Foxtrot) should be massively credited for the band's propulsive success circa 2003-2004. His production skills and wide-ranging ability as a multi-instrumentalist are matched by very few musicians; a little known fact that is probably best recognized by his colleagues in the Chicago area, and also die-hard Wilco fans. R.I.P.

I'll be posting later this week on my Sasquatch experience at The Gorge in Washington State, so stay tuned for a festival round up. Should be a good one, as I've never come close to experiencing a sensory overload of this magnitude for such a lengthy period of time. The visually stunning backdrop to the main stage (A.K.A. the heart of The Gorge and the Columbia River) will be forever burned in my memory. The music wasn't too shabby either.

Wolf Trap 2009 Summer Season has Arrived

2009-05-20T12:48:00.013-04:00

I can't believe summer at Wolf Trap is here already...and before I know it, it will be over, but not before three months of amazing shows hit the Filene Center and Barns stages. Several shows are moving towards sell outs. At this point, we're at capacity for this Saturday's Prairie Home Companion, Jackson Browne, and Wilco.

As is tradition, we'll start the season with two performances of A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor, on Friday and Saturday, followed by our wildly popular 2009 Summer Blast Off! with "The President's Own" United States Marine Band on Sunday.

Wolf Trap prides itself on keeping ticket pricing affordable for its patrons, but you won't find a better deal in town as admission for the Blast-Off is completely free. Once you're through the gates, we invite you to break open your picnic, take in a 90-minute performance from the U.S. Marine Band, and then take a small jaunt over to the meadow area for a fireworks display to rival NYE in NYC or Boston. Here's a photo from a past show.

For you metro riders, the Wolf Trap Express Shuttle Operated by Fairfax Connector will be running to and from the West Falls Church station, so take a step towards a greener lifestyle by taking public transit to this and all events throughout the Summer. The Wolf Trap Express Bus travels from the West Falls Church metro stop every 20 minutes starting two hours prior to show time.

Plan ahead and arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the 8pm start time. The park closes once capacity is reached. Being turned away from our gates is not how we want you to spend your Memorial Day weekend :)

Radiohead Back in the Studio

2009-05-18T11:55:00.003-04:00

BBC reports that Radiohead is back in the studio working on a follow up to their groundbreaking 2007 release, In Rainbows. Radiohead became industry pioneers when they asked fans to name their own price for a digital download of In Rainbows, which they offered sans record label, through a website created specifically for this album. The website is no longer active, but we're hoping they employ a similar tactic for their forthcoming release. For a band of this caliber, I have no problem paying full market value. What are you willing to pay for the next Radiohead album?

I hope to later post a review of last week's Shins/Delta Spirit show at 9:30 club. One of the best shows I've attended in a few months.

-G

"Best Band on Wolf Trap's Summer Schedule" Results

2009-05-13T14:05:00.003-04:00

Thanks to everyone for their comments and participation in this contest, it was a pleasure for me to hear why certain bands on our schedule are near and dear to your heart. Your comments are a true testament to the undeniable power of live music and enduring spirit of excitement that the possibility of seeing your favorite band up close inspires.

Congratulations to Kes for his comment on why Great Big Sea is his favorite band on Wolf Trap's summer schedule! I've included his comment below, which is a convincing description on why GBS is one of the best live bands on the touring circuit.

"Great Big Sea is, hand's down, one of my all time favorite concert experiences. As they say, "it's not something you see, it's something you DO!" Their energy onstage is unparalleled and all they want is for the audience to join in the fun. It's like one big party with thousands of friends you haven't met yet. Being at a GBS show is just one of those things that makes me feel alive, and even more importantly, happy that I am. You just can't beat that!"

Kes, please comment with your contact info so we can discuss the details of your prize.

Thanks again, everyone.

-G

Is your Favorite Band on Our Summer Schedule?

2009-05-08T11:35:00.004-04:00

If you can convince me in a brief description that one of the bands on our schedule is indeed one of your FAVORITE BANDS of all time, then I will award you with a PAIR OF FRONT ORCHESTRA TICKETS to see your beloved group this summer.

Spill your guts in the comment section, but keep it short and sweet, I'm not looking for a novel, but a short, targeted pitch on why this band deserves the status of "Best Band on Wolf Trap's Summer Schedule."

Oh, and check out Wilco's new album cover on wilcoworld. It's just unbelievably hilarious.

Looking forward to some convincing comments...

-G

Summer Festivals

2009-05-04T17:26:00.002-04:00

I love summer. Pools are open, flowers are in bloom, and tons of bands are touring! If you have the disposable income, I would highly recommend attending one of the many upcoming summer musical festivals, each of which are overflowing with some of the best emerging bands and also throwback acts from the 90s. The closest option to D.C. (with the exception of DelFest and AllGood) is the All Points West Festival in Liberty State Park, New Jersey, but I'm going to risk some potential backlash here by saying I think this is the worst option for your money. Although it requires a bit more travel since many of the best festivals are spread far and wide across diverse regions of the U.S., I think the best bang for your buck in 2009 is Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Sasquatch!, and Pitchfork. Pitchfork is definitely 100% of the hipster, indie persuasion, but offers some great acts nonetheless with Grizzly Bear, The National, Built to Spill, The Flaming Lips, Yo La Tengo and other indie powerhouses as headliners. Bonnaroo is going to be pretty epic, if for nothing else than the two-night headlining performances from the recently reunited Phish.

I myself will be jumping two planes on May 21st out to Portland to meet up with my friend Janelle for Sasquatch! I attended Bonnaroo in 2005, and am highly anticipating my 2nd multi-day camping-oriented music festival. Bonnaroo is a logistical and mental stability nightmare for several reasons, the foremost being the endless commotion and noise, making it near impossible to sleep at times, so we'll see if Sasquatch brings more of the same, or is a little more manageable. I am familiar with roughly 50% of the bands scheduled to perform, but I plan to really chart as much unfamiliar territory as time will allow before I make the cross country jaunt. So far, I'm really digging Death Vessel, which is pretty indefinable in terms of genre, but these hyper-melodic songs are definitely rooted in very early Americana, but also possess a very modern, breezy, psychedelic quality. It's oddly twisted music, but it's very very infectious. I'll post more on some of the Sasquatch bands as I continue to plow through the schedule in digital form.

Join the Conversation...

2009-04-30T09:56:00.003-04:00

If you're reading this entry, then you're part of the way there. Aside from the one-way information you can find on our website regarding Wolf Trap offerings/programs/shows/classes, I strongly encourage you to become part of a larger two-way conversation by way of Wolf Trap's several social media streets. Designed to give you greater and more exclusive access to photos, videos, industry info, ticket contests, and general musings from our PR staff, our social media tactics are becoming an integral part of Wolf Trap's communication efforts, because they allow us to facilitate a one-on- one or group conversation rather than limiting you to information available via our website and/or print marketing materials. How engaged are you in social media activity?

Do you subscribe to this blog's RSS feed? Do you regularly comment on the blog which will prompt a hurried reply from me, sparking discussion from other readers?

Do you follow our two Twitter accounts? Wolf_Trap and WolfTrapGraham. We post multiple times a day!

Are you a fan of Wolf Trap on Facebook? You can see live photos from upcoming shows, listen to the newest tracks from summer artists via the iLike application, get my attention with a question by writing on our wall, and even upload your own video or photos.

Are you our friend on MySpace?

Are you on our list for bi-weekly email updates?

Do you listen to Wolf Trap radio? The summer 2009 playlist will be ready any day!

Visit our newsroom for the "Join the Conversation" section. Take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the benefits of each social media tactic, and I promise, you'll be hooked for life.

Last Batch of Summer Shows on Sale Tomorrow...

2009-04-24T14:55:00.003-04:00

Hard to believe that we're rolling out our last batch of summer shows for general on-sale tomorrow, and that the season begins in about a month!

Tomorrow at noon marks the general on-sale for -

Creedence Clearwater Revisited, 6/22

Sheryl Crow, 7/3

Wilco with very special guest Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, 7/8

The Black Crowes, 8/25 @

Just a word of warning, Wilco's fan club pre-sale was a massive success, so we're working with a reduced number of tickets for tomorrow's general on-sale. The read between the lines here is that you should make sure you're hitting the phones (1 (877) Wolftrap, our website, or our on-site box office for Wilco tix RIGHT at noon for premium seats. We still have plenty of great orchestra seats available, you just have to be a bit quicker to the draw!

Sheryl Crow will sell like crazy too, so don't slack tomorrow in the AM!

Gonna be an amazing summer, we're excited to share it with you...

Your One Stop Shop for Wolf Trap Summer Artist Videos

2009-04-20T14:33:00.006-04:00

Before I explain how you can access this comprehensive video collection, did many of you stop by the National Mall yesterday for Los Lobos/moe./Flaming Lips? I got there right as moe.'s set was wrapping and eased into the surprisingly thin, and vapid crowd about 100 feet back from centerstage, eagerly awaiting a killer set from psych-rockers The Flaming Lips. What I experienced was fairly mediocre. I've seen this band twice before, albeit both in festival settings AT NIGHT, which made a world of difference. The vibe just seemed pretty lackluster yesterday, and I really am not a fan of the slowed down sing-a-long versions of "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" and "Fight Test." Regardless, I still love this band and will see them many more times, but yesterday's environment did not particularly suit them. David Malitz from PostRock has more on the show here.

This aside, I would like all of you to be aware of Wolf Trap's VodPod collection, which is publicly accessible and allows anyone to view a comprehensive catalogue of videos from 2009 Filene Center artists. If you're considering multiple Wolf Trap ticket purchases, and aren't entirely sure what a few sound like, I've put everything for you in one place so you don't have to do individual Youtube searches. You'll notice a few artists missing from this collection, particularly those on the bill for DooWop, Hippiefest and Regeneration Tour, but that's simply because video for those musicians does not exist.

So start browsing, and get educated on what to expect underneath the stars this summer at Wolf Trap.

-G

Allow Me to Lay Out Your Sunday Schedule...

2009-04-15T13:00:00.005-04:00

10:00 - 10:30 AM - start your hike down to the National Mall for this:

12:00 PM - Attend the FREE Green Apple Festival on the National Mall with the recently m.i.a. Flaming Lips as headliners, preceded by moe., Los Lobos, DJ Spooky and others. Or as DCist put it, come out and witness "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Blossoms." :) Supposed to be 65 and mostly sunny so whatever you do, don't miss this.

5:00 - 6:00 PM - Make your way out of the city while thinking about where you're gonna eat dinner before you head to Wolf Trap for the Tim O'Brien show. Gotta keep the live music vibe rolling...

6:30 - 7:00 PM - Head to The Barns for a night of bluegrass from one of the genre's greats.

7:30 - 9:00 - Get lost in a blissful world of old time Appalachia tunes and contemporary newgrass.

Seems like the perfect Sunday to me...

-G

The Next Ten Days at The Barns...WOW

2009-04-09T12:02:00.006-04:00

Beginning with the Bill Frisell Trio tonight and Chuck Brown tomorrow, the next 10 days of performances at The Barns at Wolf Trap represent one of the best runs of live music offered anywhere in the D.C. metro area.

Frisell's show is 100% sold out, but if you're interested in learning more about this truly one-of-a-kind artist whose jazzy, jammy compositions stretch across the broadest reaches of folk, Americana, jazz, rock, and blues, check out Sriram Gopal's preview in the arts and event section of DCist. It contains some great excerpts from Frisell about how he achieved his level of musicianship and how he developed his inimitable sound.

Tomorrow night - the Godfather of Go-Go, Chuck Brown! Only 9 tickets left for public sale! If you need additional incentive to come see this massive talent who has spanned a 5 decade career as the sole pioneer of the Go-Go genre, check out my Q&A with Chuck contained within last Tuesday's post.

Upcoming:

4/11 - A Tribute to Allen Toussaint. If you've never been to one of our tribute shows, NOW is the time. Experience Toussaint covers from some of the best local bands on the scene.

4/17 & 4/18 - Barrage. I'll venture a guess that this is probably nothing like you're ever seen before. Picture a drummer, a bassist, and a guitarist, and then throw in a cast of six violinists/vocalists who incorporate extensive dance routines and movement providing a incomparable visual element to each song. Not exactly your typical stage show.

4/19 - Tim O'Brien. Many of you may know him as the founder of Hot Rize, one of the most innovative and recognizable bluegrass groups of the 80s and 90s. Since the band's dissipation, he's maintained a highly successful solo career with 14 releases to his name. His latest record, Chameleon, is comprised of 16 original songs that feature O'Brien wielding a different instrument on each track. On a personal level, he is one of my favorite musicians and I couldn't be more excited about his pending gig.

Some amazing options at your fingertips. Don't miss out!

-G

New Anti-Scalping Legislation Proposed by Senator Chuck Schumer

2009-04-06T18:14:00.005-04:00

Billboard has the story.

Great news for music lovers! Can't say the same for resellers. This new law has the potential to weed out hundreds, maybe thousands of people who are working together as part of a scalping endeavor, taking those precious premium seats off the market for the hardcore fans.

Don't worry, this won't affect season ticket holders or those who purchase packages as part of a specific entertainment series.

I'm excited. Go Chuck.