Stardust and Reed

Monday holidays always leave me slightly disoriented, and the thunder of a limb falling in the alley woke me this morning. The concussion sounded like a distant bomb so I was happy to see that it was raining, and that we were not at war. Then I'm foggily thinking about trash day being Friday not Thursday when I suddenly remember that notable shows this week are happening well before the weekend!

I am not the biggest fan of cover bands, but tribute shows jammed with talent are another rock n roll animal. "Ziggy and Lou" happens tomorrow- Wednesday -at Gypsy Sally's, and  the list of players is impressive including Desson Thomson, Cal Everett, David Kitchen and the Duskwhales.

The next evening Jumpin' Jupiter opens for Southern Culture on the Skids at Hill Country BBQ. Front man and long time chef Jay Jenc will be smoking in the kitchen as well as on stage. 

Finally, it may not be a five o'clock world anymore what with telecommuting and flex time, but Billy Price will rock the Sculpture Garden on Friday. Say good-bye to the work week and the month of May from 5 p.m. until 8:30. Free.

Enjoy the Flight

Welcome to Washington, DC. The local time is relative, and the temperature is balmy. I got off an airplane this week just in time to see our local hero Nils Lofgren play the Birchmere last night. Nils, who has almost as many good stories as he does songs, played two of my most favorites "Like Rain" and "Goin Back." That was thrilling, but the way the audience is jammed in, I felt like I was back on the plane. Every time I go to the Birchmere, I think never again.  I don't like sitting still for music much less jammed cheek by jowl in a place that serves mediocre overpriced food to the captive masses who must arrive early to get the best seats. That being said is there a better venue to see the Seldom Scene this Friday? The answer is probably not.....and this is why I keep going back.

If you are still in a homey- country type mood on Saturday, Dee Dee and the Doo Rights will be over at Takoma VFW where the drinks are cheap, and you are free to move about the cabin. On the other hand,  if you are in a "Hell, no!" sort of mood, Kill Lincoln thrashes up things at the Black Cat on Friday.

 The veteran players of Lunch with Bob hit Villain and Saint on Saturday. And no need to put those tray tables up yet.... Sunday is the new Saturday this holiday weekend with the Chuck Brown Band at the Hamilton and Oh He Dead at the Pub and the People. 

Postcards from Roads Less Traveled

DC ROCKS is on a bison tracking, grave haunting, roots seeking, musical kind of ramble and will return next week if all goes according to plan. In the mean time here are a few postcards from.....
guess where......

green photo-bomber on inadvertent heart

I could stand in the middle of this town and....

DON'T MUTE DC

photo by Alan Kresse

Bit by bit the Washington we know slips away.  People's Drugs, Woodward and Lothrop, and Little Tavern are long gone.  We once shopped for groceries at a DGS, went for ice cream at Gifford's and bought shoes at Hahn's. The establishments we grew up with seemed like institutions, but turned out to be dinosaurs.

Last week the oldest Safeway on the East Coast abruptly closed down in my neighborhood. People shopped there all their lives.  As the stock wound down to nothing, you could see the empty shelves from the street. I was extremely proud when a local horn band formed a second line and snaked through the semi- deserted store at the good-bye party.

Last month an uproar ensued when the crew at a Metro PCS store in Shaw received a noise complaint about the go-go music spilling out of speakers on the street. The objection was a bit surprising considering the playlist has been part of the store's atmosphere for 24 years. Or perhaps not so surprising when we consider the upscale development just down the street. Here's the full story and links from the Washington City Paper.

Thanks in part to the powers of social media,  the music is back... for now... but the issue remains. DC's rapid gentrification is spawning a major identity crisis, and not unlike the saga of "Alice's Restaurant," this could become a movement, people. Consequently a "Don't Mute DC" conference is happening this Saturday as part of the  DC Funk Parade schedule.

On the brighter side, the U Street scene has seen a slow but steady revival since the Cardozo Metro Station opened in 1991, and the Funk Parade/ Music Festival, now in its 11th year,  has now become part of the effort to save DC's soul. Music happens all afternoon and and deep into the night.

Check the DC ROCKS calendar for more musical suggestions which help keep our local music scene alive and kicking. Here's just a few of the things happening this weekend:

9

Rhodes Tavern Troubadours @ Takoma VFW

10

Ex Hex/ the Messthetics/ Clear Channel @ 9:30 Club

Spirit Plots/ The Effects/ Erotic Killers @ Slash Run

Rock-A-Sonics @ JV

11

DC Funk Parade

Seldom Scene @ Black Rock

"Blue" and "Blood on the Tracks" Newmyer Flyer Tribute @ The Hamilton

Takoma Porch Fest

12

Thrillbillys @Villain and Saint

May Day on the Roadway

DC rush hour 1964 /Library of Congress

According to the Inrix Global Traffic Scoreboard,  Washington has once again taken a non-coveted second place for the worst traffic in all of these somewhat United but generally fractious States of America.  (Perennial favorites New York and Los Angeles remain in the top ten, but Boston knocked off  L.A. for the number one spot, and Chicago claimed number three.) Our little town in second place to these giants?

I'm feeling it, people.

Who remembers when the Beltway emptied out by 7:30 and became our own personal Daytona Speedway? Anyone else remember dirt roads near Tyson's Corner or Gaithersburg?

Dulles Access road construction 1960 near Tyson's Corner

Ok. That's all ancient history, but it wasn't so long ago that I used to defend our fair city proper as somewhat traversable except for that lethargic part of K Street near the White House and Independence Ave during cherry blossom meltdown.  Now I have to remind myself to break out the GPS Lightsaber no matter what time of day. There's even a wiki-how page on how to avoid DC area traffic, but it doesn't mention the zen of happy hour. As a possible silver lining, commuters have plenty of time to hoist a beer, enjoy a hot wing and sober up again until the worst of the "rush" is over.  Better yet- stay out and watch a band who just got howling lost in Virginia or was recently in tears on 495, but still managed to show up on time for you.

Planning ahead for May distractions, don't forget that big Switchblade reunion this weekend!

Here's a few more:

2

Thrillbillys @ JV

3

Switchblade Reunion Weekend w/

Rhodes Tavern Troubadours

4

Switchblade w/ Rock-A-Sonics

Little Red @ JV

Sister Ex/ Fallout Shelter etc @ Pie Shop

Ubangis/ Apollo 66 @ American Legion Silver Spring

Vintage #18 @ Hamilton Loft

8

Strawberry Sleepover/ The Beginner's Mynd @ DC9

9

Rhodes Tavern Troubadours @ Takoma VFW

10

Ex Hex/ the Messthetics/ Clear Channel @ 9:30 Club

Spirit Plots/ The Effects/ Erotic Killers @ Slash Run

Rock-A-Sonics @ JV

11

DC Funk Parade

Seldom Scene @ Black Rock

"Blue" and "Blood on the Tracks"= Newmyer Flyer Tribute @ The Hamilton

Takoma Porch Fest

12

Thrillbillys @Villain and Saint

17

Desperados/ Wax Museum Reunion w/ NRBQ and Skip 

Castro Band@ Birchmere

Jelly Roll Mortals @ Takoma VFW

18

Ruthie and Wranglers/ Billy Coulter @ Villain and Saint

21 / 22

Nils Lofgren @ Birchmere

22

The Duskwhales @ Evening Star Cafe

23

The Duskwhales/ The Young Birds/ Maddi Mae @ Songbyrd

The Delarcos/Taciturn/ We Capillaries @ Pie Shop

24 

Kill Lincoln @ Black Cat

Seldom Scene @ Birchmere

Capitol Ska and Reggae Review @ Songbyrd

25

Dee Dee and the Doo Rights @ Takoma VFW

26

Chuck Brown Band @ The Hamilton

29

Ziggy and Lou Tribute @ Gypsy Sallys

31

Punk, Funk and Pies for the People @ The Pie Shop

Vintage #18 @ The Hamilton