Welcome Home Mr Keene

Know this guy? DC native Tommy Keene once upon a time was in a kick ass band called The Razz before he went on to projects far away. Fortunately for us now and again, we get him back.  This time he will be playing at our old stomping grounds- the 9:30 Club. It'll be a home boys' show, Saturday, September 13 with Tommy Keene, The Deadman ( featuring Justin Jones) and Hero Jr.

From Mark Noone: (former Slickee Boy)  "I've seen Tommy in bands like The Rage since the late seventies; I've seen him doing his own thing, and last year he was at his best. Great show with a killer band."

A chance for two tickets courtesy of 9:30 Club and DC ROCKS are yours if you write me at dcrocksblog.com with MR KEENE in the subject box. Send a Tommy Keene story or just beg...winner picked at random on September 7.

Godspeed

The 9:30 Club lost a remarkable member of its family this week- Josh Burdette. Condolences to all who knew this unforgettable fellow; he will be greatly missed.

All Ages Show Sunday Night

It Makes Me Wonder

Who was Jack the Ripper? What makes Taos hum? Amelia, why did your plane go down? Jimmy Hoffa, where the heck are you? 

Led Zeppelin, did you play the Wheaton Youth Center in 1969? 

Only intrepid film maker Jeff Krulik would dare to try and solve this outstanding mystery of  local rock n roll.  See for yourselves this Friday night at the AFI theater in Silver Spring at the screening of "Led Zeppelin Played Here." 

Curious?

 U Street Music Hall is a rock club that you might walk right by if you didn't know it was there. (I'm not even sure it has a sign.) The club itself is in the basement and has the feel of the dark old 9:30, but it's bigger with a better space and sound.  Here's another twist: The U Street folks and the 9:30 crew partnered up a while back to swap spaces now and then. Bands that are bigger than Black Cat, but aren't quite big enough for the 9:30 Club are a better fit here where the capacity is 500.

Local rockers US Royalty are in that category- touring nationally and maybe on the brink of something bigger; they'll be at U Street on September 7. This is a rare all ages/ early rock show so if you have a musically driven kid around the house or just plain don't get out much anymore- this might be a good thing to check out.  For a chance to grab two tickets, just write me at dcrocksblog@gmail.com. Please put US in the subject box. Contest endsAugust 30.

Fort Reno Fans Unite

What's the first Fort Reno Concert you remember? A lot of people might say Fugazi, but long before that Fort Reno was happening. For Mark Noone, it was seeing Grin:

"I remember seeing Grin at Ft Reno, it might have been 1969 or 1970. I loved Grin. It was late and dark, with possibly 1,000 people there; what a scene. The stage was at the opposite end of the park close to the foot of the hill by the tower. Hippies everywhere. That night I wondered if I would ever play there...."

He did play there- about ten years later in the early eighties with The Slickee Boys. Whether you played there or just made the scene, head down to the Shaw Library this Wednesday to dredge up old memories and possibly meet old friends at DC Music Salon's "Fort Reno- A History." The event includes concert footage of Fugazi, still photography and first hand accounts. 7 - 9 p.m.

Tiki Is A State of Mind in Maryland

August has got to be the quietest month in Washington. Everyone, but everyone is either clogging up downtown Bethany or scattered all over Maine, leaving behind only those of us that couldn't or didn't get it together enough to book a trip. Luckily there are plenty of close by tiki bars to make you feel like you've travelled afar yet most of them are an hour or less by car. A week or two ago my partner in crime and I managed to hit three in one week.  We started just across the Bay Bridge with Kentmorr. Here bands play to a beach full of happy island hoppers, and the bar is lodged right on the shore. Don't miss the freshly squeezed fruit drinks - impressive for this little out post.

Just across from Kent Island on the Narrows, you'll find my favorite marine dive: The Big Owl Tiki which is neither big nor owl like, but does provide just enough square footage to squeeze in a bar and a small band under roof while maintaining the giddy atmosphere of a floating party barge. It's as close as you can come to drinking on a boat without actually being on one.

On the Western side of the Bay, down Route 4 is Vera's White Sands. Sadly Vera herself has left only her ghost behind; the once notoriously kitschy atmosphere has turned all but sports bar. The saving grace here is a magnificent piece of property on a point on St Leonard Creek. Plus a beach side tiki bar with tables scattered right down to the water's edge. I can't recommend the Mai Tais here so stick with straight up cocktail or a beer, and enjoy the spectacular view.

A little further down the road, The Tiki Bar dominates the south end of Solomon's. This place also specializes in plenty of fresh air and is located just across from the water, but (unlike the Big Owl) it will close up in a down pour. All these places can be zooey on the weekend, but Sundays can be a little calmer for those of you looking to escape the throngs.

Saturday's Not for Sissies

Thievery Rocks

Where did they come from ?
D.C.
And where are they playing?
The new 9:30.
And where have you been?
(Perhaps reminiscing about shows at the old 9:30?)

Want to check out this (relatively) new guard that sells out the club on a regular basis?
DC ROCKS has a pair of tickets up for grabs for Thievery Corporation at 9:30 Club on August 17.
Just write dcrocksblog@gmail.com and put "Thievery" in the subject box for your chance to win.
Contest ends August 10.

Like a Rolling Stone

Loads of local musicians are getting together this Saturday at the Fillmore in Silver Spring to pay homage to one of the longest running bands in rock: The Rolling Stones. Should be quite a party- a kind of busman's holiday for musicians- and the $25 ticket, though high for DC Rocks, is lot lower than what the real Stones charged when they rolled through here last June. The Bandhouse Tribute show is well worth the ticket price; take a look at the line up which includes Tommy Keene, Jon Carroll and loads more. 

And if you missed the Stones' show, or just want to get psyched for this weekend, here's the Holbert Report, a local fan's take on the Verizon Center concert  June 24th, 2013: 

Saw the Stones last week for maybe the 20th time and probably the last time. They ended the North American leg of their tour here in DC, maybe the last show they'll ever do on our side of the pond?  Who knows, figure they grossed 8 - 9 million on this DC show alone.  They might come back to grab some more of this crazy money. 

I had some reservations about going to the show, not wanting to pay the crazy money for a ticket being number one, but broke down and grabbed one at $250.  Close to the stage, but way high up.

Had read that they had been coming on promptly at 9.  My crew prepped appropriately, jumped into a cab and arrived around 8:30, got in, got our beers, and looked at the incredibly expensive Stones swag for sale. Only had to wait a bit before they came on.

The lights go down, the sold out crowd on their feet screaming. First a ten minute or so retrospective of their 50 year career on the video screens.  Very entertaining.  They appear.  First song, a real oldie, "Get Off My Cloud. " Don't think I have ever heard them play it before.  This version was real muddy, as most first songs are at concerts. Mick, Keith and Ronnie gather together on stage, kinda pushing each other, and they kick into "Its only Rock and Roll".  Sound still sloppy, but then, the clarity appeared.  You could hear the fantastic guitar interplay, bass and drums distinct, and man, they rocked that song.  Mick in good voice here and throughout the night. 

Next, "Paint it Black".  Amazing.  Keith playing this fill, mimicking Brian's sitar from the original, but also stamping his own style onto it.  They end the song and a second later kicked into "Gimme Shelter".  Always a highlight live.  Background singer Lisa gets a solo part singing the female lead from the original.  She still has an amazing voice.  Great job- even those of us in the cheap seats were still on their feet.

A real surprise, a song I have always admired and never heard them play live, "Worried about You" from the Tattoo You LP.  First non-famous song of the night, and many used it as "a good time to get  beer." And maybe it was. As much as I like the song, I didn't think they did a good job with it, but I appreciated them digging deep into their catalogue.  It also gave Mick a reprieve from his continual running and strutting. They parked him in front of a keyboard. (At 69 he probably can use the break.) 

When Mick did the band intros, Charlie was pulled from behind the drums to acknowledge his standing ovation. He looked bewildered about his reception.  Mick left the stage, and it's now time for that other guy to sing. Keith singing without a guitar accompanied by Ronnie on steel; they did an amazing performance of "You Got the Silver".  

Mick comes back, starts on harmonica.  Then Mick Taylor appears, the only guitarist to ever leave the Stones and live. "Midnight Rambler." And it was glorious with Mick T on scorching slide guitar.  I will always think the Stones were at their best when he was in the band.  To me, this was the highlight of the show.  Mick J asks the crowd to give Mick T some appreciation, but I kinda sensed that Mick J still resents Mick T for leaving. 

Took a walk around the concourse checking out how the other fans were doing. Saw a woman my age take a serious header. Her friends pulled her up, and she seemed to be OK. Tired of beer, I looked for the cocktail concession.  

Get back to my seat for the start of "Brown Sugar," a song I never really liked live, but it sounded fantastic tonight. Mick disappeared from the stage, and they kicked into "Sympathy." Mick comes back in a long black cloak and starts a fantastic vocal.  What can I say?  Again a great rendition. 

Mick thanks the crowd.  They all leave the stage.  Everyone knowing they would re-appear.  After maybe 10 minutes, the Washington Chorus files onstage and begins to sing the opening choir part from "You Can't always Get...."  Shivers down my spine, it was so beautiful. They continue to accompany the Stones through the song. The best live version I have ever heard. 

Now the closers, "JJ Flash" and "Satisfaction," both done really well. I sat down during those and almost started crying thinking that this was most likely the last time I would ever see them, the last time I would ever experience the rush of being with 20,000 people singing dancing and smiling through a Stones show. Show ended with a final bow of the long timers together at center stage.  Mick J, Keith, Charlie, Ronnie and Mick T.  Nice moment. 

(The Holbert Report is a semi regular feature of DC Rocks. Check out the last story covering Neil Young and Patti Smith here.)

Catching Summer Before It Slips Away

Here I was feeling safely ensconced in the middle of summer, thinking July would never end, and what happens? Someone on the radio starts talking about back to school already,  and the malaise of incomplete reading assignments creeps in. O and it's almost August- as in tomorrow. That leaves just a little more than 3 weeks of vacation for DC kids and only three Fort Reno concerts left in the season including tomorrow night. The bands are: Stop Worrying and Learn to Love the Bomb, The Sniffs and Nervous Impulse.  Never heard of them? That might be because  Fort Reno is the only out door venue in DC I know of that showcases raw (sometimes never been near a frying pan) talent and attracts all ages from babies to seniors.  I was there last Monday with a gang of not so recent Wilson graduates whose rallying cry was "Why Not Fort Reno?" and I think they have a point.

DC Rocks' Garden Report and Dad's Summer Sandwich

I heard about this sandwich on the radio. It's a finalist in NPR's "Taste of Summer Contest," and the description sounded so good I had to give it a try.  Thanks to buckets of rain in July, my garden here in Washington is holding its own this year, so I had cucumbers and tomatoes ready to go on the counter, and an onion and cheese nearby. And peanut butter. Yes, crunchy peanut butter to be exact. That threw me I have to admit, but I followed the recipe exactly, having heard the stacking order makes all the difference, and yes, it's a dang good sandwich.

I still think it's a little weird, but since I have the luxury of lots of tomatoes and cukes,  I'm going to try it again today with almond butter. (although cucumber mint alcoholic concoctions are working for me, too.) Here's the recipe, but check the link above for the whole story.

4-6 thin slices white sharp cheddar cheese

Tomato, thinly sliced

Cucumber, thinly sliced

Vidalia or red onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter

2 slices whole grain bread

Layer the ingredients in the order given; eat with the cheese layer on top.

Saturday Night Barks

Look for a plethora of local music this Saturday with an unusual all local line up at 9:30 Club for just $15. Plus our perennial favorite 7 Door Sedan will be right down the street at the Tree house on Florida Avenue.

 Or catch the Cravin' Dogs at the tater-tot palace (aka the Quarry House) in Silver Spring.

The Cream Channel

Hey Gigahertz ! Where have you been? I hear through the grapevine (i.e. Dan Hovey) that you are making a new CD. Hope it's as good as the last one. I remember driving around Ward Circle, and Mark Noone thought I was playing a Clapton CD. (True story) Go see for yourself: Gigahertz will be alive and kicking at Rio Center this Friday 6-9 p.m. in Gaithersburg. (think 270 )

To WIn or Not to Win?

You could get a couple of lawn tickets to the O.A.R. show at Merriweather Post for  about $70 plus all those annoying service charges, or you could show up at the box office, drop your name, and get in for free. How?  Send an email and to enter DC ROCKS' contest hat. Just write to:  dcrocksblog@gmail.com. Put "OAR tix" in the subject and say howdy in the message. Your chances to win are astronomically good. Contest ends July 26.

Yippee It's Free

My last posting lauded the smaller club as my favorite venue, but a close second is the great outdoors. Here in DC we have the eclectic little rock concerts at Fort Reno and the bigger shows at Carter Barron, but there are free concerts all over the place including this humdinger: Troublefunk at Strathmore coming up this Wednesday.

And speaking of things al fresco, I've got two lawn tickets to give away to the O.A.R. concert at Merriweather Post Pavillion on the first of August. I have no idea what this band is about, but they started off in Rockville and grew big enough to sell out Madison Square Garden while I wasn't looking so I might be alone on this one.  In any case whether you know the bands or not -you have nothing to lose by entering DC ROCKS' latest contest. Just write to dcrocksblog@gmail.com. and put OAR tix in the subject box. A winner will be picked at random on July 26.

Beer Me

I often tell people I write about small clubs and local bands because I don't like paying a forkload of money to watch a big act on an even bigger screen in a cavernous venue where I can barely see the musicians on stage. In smaller places you just might find yourself eye to eye with the performers, and most of the musicians I know would be thrilled if you went so far as to buy them a beer or say thank you for playing their asses off for an audience of three, which would be you and those two gear geeks in the corner. IOTA is the kind of bar where that can happen now and then, but this Saturday night will be more like old home week when long time local musician and song writer Karl Straub unveils his new album. (and I can literally say that, because the release will be on vinyl, though also downloadable!) 

Karl says: "It's not a re-release; rather we finished an album begun years ago, and it's sort of a reclamation project.  This album was begun in the waning days of the Graverobbers, though I didn't realize they were waning at the time. The show will be the widest cross section of Karl Straub material ever performed on a stage. There will be material from earlier Graverobbers era, a lot of music from the current album, plus a brand new song called Barbie Doll Apocalypse."

On deck for Saturday are: Karl Straub, Dave Van Allen, Kevin Cordt, Jeff Muller and Matt Tebo. Besides an intimate setting, IOTA has a great beer selection, and a lot of thirsty musicians hanging around the bar.

Apologies!

Sorry to say the last posting about the 9:30 Club/Loretta Lynn ticket contest had a typo in the gmail address: drocksblog should have been written dcrocksblog@gmail.com. (Some of you figured this out so I didn't catch it until now.)

But there's still time to win tickets to see Loretta Lynn. The contest will now end July 17 instead of July 16th. Enter today.

9:30 A Place in Time

One of the reasons I write DC ROCKS is because once upon a time I had a pal named Peter who was a regular at the old 9:30 Club. Maybe it's the company I keep, but a lot of people like to tell me how much time they spent at that grimy old rock hole, and I have to admit when I look back, I wonder, what was the attraction?

That part of town was scary. The only other night life down there besides peep shows was dc space, and you took your life in your hands running between the two clubs. The food was awful- beer nuts and pizza with sauce from a can. The music often times loud and obnoxious, (3 bands three bucks)  and the bathrooms usually lacked things like doors and toilet paper.

Yet week after week, Pete and I would have a short discussion of what we wanted to do, and week after week, like zombies on auto-pilot, we headed down to F Street.  More often than not Pete (and his little friend) got in with a nod from the door man, and a free drink or two from Fred at the back bar, but did that make up for the infamous bad smell which couldn't be ignored even under clouds of cigarette smoke?

fred and beer nuts

You bet it did.  We had the time of our lives hanging out there. We made friends for life, saw great bands and happily danced in a dark room with blackened windows and no air whatsoever- overheated by raucous music and raw energy.

The new 9:30 Club is enormous compared with the old with a very expensive sound system, a stage that rolls to fit the size of the crowd, and good views of the action. I do see one stand out similarity between the old place and the present club (besides the black decor and the back bar safely ensconced downstairs with Mark Holmes' art work.) This venue has always featured all kinds of music. From folk to go-go, hardcore to country, the variety is a huge strong point. Just this month there's a hip-hop dance party, air guitar finals (?) and Loretta Lynn. Yes, the Loretta Lynn.

One big difference? It's a rare thing to find local bands on stage, but Saturday July 27th is the exception: look for the Black Clouds and an all local line-up for just $15.  (A good night to check this local institution out if you've never been.)

And if you want to win a pair of tickets to see Loretta Lynn on July 26- write me at dcrocksblog@gmail.com and put LYNN TIX in the subject box. Send me a dc club story or just say you want to go. Either way you have a good chance to win, and if you like to write you might get published, too. Contest ends July 16.

Real Guitar Rocks

Lots of rhythm and blues on stage this Friday night at IOTA when home boy Dave Chappell joins forces with Johnny Neel. This is not a drill and not an X-box. With the Kevin Ball Band and a rousing reunion of the Outpatients on the bill, this makes three bands- only $15
Please support real live musicians.

Time to Take the Fort

Sorry for the late notice, but this year's Fort Reno concert series is starting late and snuck up on me at the same time. Tonight- the first show- will feature a rare chance to see The Evens- a band that won't play clubs if they can help it and whose roots run deep under that old wooden stage to Fugazi days.

Fort Reno- close to Tenleytown metro- is the highest point in the city and rarely without a breeze. Bring your blanket, a picnic, your kids, your iguana, (on leash) but bear in mind no glass bottles or alcohol. This event is totally volunteer driven, and we need to keep the peace or lose the venue. Shows run Mondays and Thursdays from  7:15 until 9:30.

Less is More

DC Rocks hits summer mode in which we will sometimes seem less rather than more. Having said that: I really like this band.

Go Forth DC

Not Constitution Ave

Fourth of July in Washington DC.  There's the parade on Constitution Avenue. Fireworks on the mall and a huge concert on the West Lawn of the Capitol featuring all kinds of big names I would never want to see,  but that's just me. You can watch it all on TV, but if you go in person, be ready for loads of security and creative fencing to keep the crowds corralled. (I know it was a pain in the neck for the Park Service, but I miss the days when people would drag couches down to the monument grounds.)

Much of the to-do here is officially National and not the hometown parade you might think of happening in Anytown America, but Washington does have its very own hometown parade which marches right down MacArthur Boulevard at 11 a.m. It's a truly democratic affair; anyone can be in it.

After the parade everyone ends up in Palisades Park for free hot dogs and watermelon courtesy of the Lion's Club. And this year- look for our own hometown kid Owen Danoff performing under the big tent. (Someone I would like to go see, but again, that's just me.)

Happy Fourth!

Local Hero and Official Parade Judge: Mat Thorp and grandson Richard. 

Summer Postcards

Did you miss me? I just got back from a week in Florida. For the plane and to set the mood, I took the only Hemingway novel available in my branch of the DC library: To Have and Have Not.  Not my favorite title, but it did turn out to be the theme of the week.  What we did have? A great place to stay- a condo in a high rise near the beach. What had we not ? Air conditioning which was not factored into a big building's bone structure.  The have-nots also get the ugly side of Fort Lauderdale which, except for the beach, is plastered with shopping centers as far as a car can drive. But the have-nots can catch a water taxi and go see what millions of dollars can buy if you want a house facing the water ways rather than the asphalt jungle.

I also learned that the great equalizer down yonder is the drawbridge.

Whether you are gliding along sipping a Mai Tai on your forty million dollar yacht or walking back from the corner liquor store, everyone has to stop now and then and wait for the bridges to go up...or down. Unlike Washington where we are snarled up in pointless traffic jams often due to "heavy volume,"the folks on the boulevards in Fort Lauderdale at least know why they are stopped, and an uneventful walk might land you into a conversation with someone fishing from the bridge. Not a bad way to slow down, and that's a good thing to do in the summer- wherever you are.

As They Used to Say on Hee- Haw: SAL- UTE!

Since we lost Chick Hall's Surf Club in Hyattsville, Max Blob's Bavarian Beer Hall (or Blob's Park) in Jessup may be the closest thing we have to a honky- tonk around here which makes it the perfect venue for the "Tribute to the Women of Country" music show this Saturday at 8 p.m. featuring Diana Quinn, Ruthie Logsdon, Karen Collins and much more. (Is that a run on sentence or just a stream of consciousness ?)

Lacking the restraints of city life, this place stretches out with a huge dance floor and an even bigger parking lot, and is conveniently located within tobacco spitting distance of I-95.

Frager's FundIng Fete

Frager's Hardware- a DC institution- sadly made the news recently when a fire devastated the building. This Friday night Little Red and the Renegades will be playing at Eastern Market to help the folks at Frager's get back on their feet. Come on out if you care about the small local stores that were here long before the big boxes and chains that bedevil our landscape now.
6- 8 p.m.

Home Again

Luke Brindley has been busy guy-so busy in fact that he's putting out two CDs. Yep, two at once. Check it out when Luke plays his own home base- Jammin' Java this Friday.

Wednesday- Get Over It

June in Bloom

This year a lot of people think that June 16th is Father's Day, and that may be true, but every year without exception this date means Bloomsday especially in Dublin. Last year I was lucky enough to be in Ireland, but I have to admit I slept late that day, (which adds up to about 700 pages in Ulysses) but I did wake up in time for a Gorgonzola sandwich and a glass of Burgundy at Davy Byrne's. (And I have to admit I enjoyed that more than I enjoyed reading Ulysses.)

Hey!

I can hear the screams of "sacrilege!" from a few devoted readers. And I hear the sigh of "what the hell is she blathering about now?" from others, so let me get to the point.

For all of you looking to celebrate Father's Day, the "Like Your Dad Did" event at the Hamilton is definitely the gig for you. Musical fathers and offspring will be banding together to perform paternally themed tunes including local luminaries like Bill and Owen Danoff, Mike and Georgia Cotter, Jon and Ben Carroll and more. Show starts at 7:30.

For those of you leaning toward things Joycean, join the fray at Politics and Prose for a reading at noon Then the shenanigans go on at James Hoban's Irish Pub on Dupont Circle which has a "Dublin Resurrection" from 2-6 pm featuring 20 (possibly inebriated) volunteer readers with a special lunch and, of course, libations on the menu.

BBQ Street Jazz Flower Children and More

Once upon a time when I was expecting my first child, it wasn't pickles and ice cream I craved so much as baby back ribs in a sweet and spicy sauce that was worth the drive to Richmond. The BBQ hunt is an ongoing adventure, and I haven't tried Acre 121, but they advertise low country BBQ and live music in Columbia Heights. This Saturday night the Bumper Jacksons are throwing a CD party complete with burlesque dancing. Not sure how many young bands are out there doing "traditional street jazz, ragtime and pre-war country," but this sounds like a real show. Cover $10 and a free CD at the door. 9 pm

Meanwhile up at Clyde's in Chevy Chase, the ever reliable Vi-Kings are inviting you out to their summer party to get everyone into that beach-ey frame of mind. Their musical energy is dedicated to bringing back things psychedelic and that flower power decade. No cover.

And look for Doug Stevenson and the Spades tuning up and honky-tonking in the beer box alcove which constitutes being on stage at the Quarry House. This signless joint is quite literally underneath it all on the corner of Bonifant and Georgia in downtown Silver Spring. Free.

Just Move It

Haydee's is a neighborhood restaurant with decent margaritas and a lot of heart.  This place valiantly features live music on a regular basis which is a rare thing in Mount Pleasant, and the staff is ready, willing and able to push back the tables when people get up to dance.  Little Red and the Renegades will be there this Friday, and furniture will be moving.

DC Bands Just Keep Cropping Up

The Mission South- a DC based band with and rock soul roots, but its own unique sound migrates to Northeast to play Rock n Roll Hotel this Thursday night. They'll be opening for the London Souls- a limey based rock band from New York.

Music Plus Art =

Attention Rained Upon Local Bands

Are you are in a local band out there scrounging for gigs from a bar manager who asked you to play but won't call you back? Are you searching craigslist for new monitors after that incident with the hose at your cousin's backyard barbecue?  Chances are you could use a leg up, and the folks at Jammin' Java can help. Try out for their Mid-Atlantic Battle of the Bands contest this year. The winner receives $2500 in cold cash, (think of all the beer and mike stands that could buy)  plus studio recording time and more. All genres are welcome, but you must throw your musical hat in the ring by June 8. Click here for details.