Troubadours Reunion Rock Alert

The Rhodes Tavern Troubadours will be at IOTA DECEMBER 29 with all four original members including local guitar guru, Dave Chappell. You could think of it as DC's version of the Beatles getting back together. One show only. Don't miss it!

The Scene From The Surf

There was no end to the talent on stage and off at the Surf Club last night which produced extraordinary combinations like the one pictured here: Bill Kirchen and Dave Chappell ...together! For more pictures of the night check out Chip Py the photo guy.

Rock The Chappell

When Dave Chappell was in the Rhodes Tavern Troubadours, my daughter used to call him "the angry man", but I think it was because he was and is one serious guitar player. I've seen Dave in a lot of bands over the years, and I don't think I've ever been at a show that someone doesn't turn to me and say: (somewhat like Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy)

"Who IS that guy?

He is one talented man still waiting (like too many of us) for a decent national health care plan. Dave's back in the saddle music wise, but please come out and help him pay down his recent medical bills. Twenty bucks for a whole lot of "who's who" in local music. (Click on the poster if you can't read the line up. It's impressive.)

This THURSDAY evening 8 p.m. at SURF CLUB LIVE.

And please note that the Surf Club will be changing formats so this may be one of the last rock shows for the foreseeable future. DC ROCKS sends a big thank you out to JB for giving this place and local music a second chance.

Thursday

This morning I got up and went over to the computer to see if DC schools were open, but the movie Casablanca was already on the screen, and I couldn't get it off no matter what key I punched. I kept trying, but nothing worked. Then I woke up for real. It was 7:45- sun out, snow everywhere- and we were already an hour behind schedule. Back to the computer as the local news media rarely mentions the non-state of Washington, DC. (West Virginia, yes. Loudon County, sure, but DC?)
Finally I got the word- schools open on time. I roused my inmates. Everybody was morose, and skeptical. My son rechecked. "We 're the ONLY ones," he moaned.
Walking my smallest up to school, we saw one car spin out, and later a three car pile up. When we got to school I found out two neighbors had literally run into each other on a patch of black ice near Wilson High School. On the way back I saw another neighbor hit the deck, and a poor woman tottering down hill clinging to a fence to prevent involuntary slalom.
I don't know who's down there making the Big Decision, but I'm glad it's not me.
I've heard rumors that DC rarely closes because of the breakfast program- that kids won't be able to eat if schools don't open -which is a sad state of affairs. I have to wonder, though, if there shouldn't be some sort of separation of Breakfast and State.

In the meantime for all those with cabin fever after the BIG Storm, there's a dance at Chick Hall's tonight with Hillbilly Jazz featuring Chick Hall Jr. Yes, Chick's is still open, still sold, but under original management through the end of January. (And don't miss the big show-The Slickee Boys, The Beatnik Flies and Prabir and the Substitutes there later this month.)

Or a quieter night can be had with Patty Reese and guitar wizard, Dave Chappell down at 100 King.

100 King-or Another Small Town Story from the Naked City

(Dave Chappell, Patty Reese And John Meadows @ 100 King)

John Meadows is trying to get music going at 100 King in old town Alexandria. It's a nice big space with huge windows on King street-just a couple of blocks from the River and excellent food to boot. I met John when he worked at the much missed Starland Cafe in my hood, but he also worked at the Birchmere for many moons. I went down there to see Patty Reese and Dave Chappell a few weeks ago. I was curious about Patty- from more than one party I knew her as one of those close degrees of separation from me. When she was a wee lass, she used to come to parties at my group house in College Park where I lived with her best friend's older brother, Rick. Since then Patty grew up to be a well established musician in these parts, but though we have mutual friends, I never saw her again until 100 King. She didn't remember me, of course, but she did recall the Great Dane that gave our hellatious home its Dog House moniker. I emailed my old house mate the story, and he promptly emailed this back:


(Shea-courtesy of Alan Kresse)

She was playing with Dave Chappell. I met Dave, consummate guitarist, when I went to see The Troubadours because my friend Mark from the old 9:30 Club days was in that band along with Jake Flack. Jake had bought a house from another college house mate, Pete. (Yes, I moved a lot back then.)
But I digress. Patty will be playing tomorrow night around 8 with Paul Bell of the Nighthawks and back again December 6 with Dave Chappell. Keep an eye on 100 King-it's another great place to see music around here...for free. And say hey to John. Tell him I sent you. (Isn't that what small towns are for?)

Monster Rally Tonight

I'm always a sucker for free music, and in the summer there's a lot to choose from around here. Tonight you can get a free solid hour of The Hula Monsters. If you've been napping, the Monsters have been together for almost twenty years and many stellar players have rotated in and out- including Jack O' Dell, Dan Hovey, Dave Chappell- and Mark Noone (Mark is STILL in )
And you can believe that everybody in this band really knows what they are doing.
The show starts at 7:30 in Mason District Park, 6621 Columbia Pike in Annandale.
All you have to do is show up.