club D

I'm a 38-year-old gal, living in the Washington, DC area, who loves going to concerts of all kinds. My blog tracks most shows I attend. Hope you enjoy, and feel free to comment!

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Carmen in Concert: A Bit of a Wash

June 28, Wolf Trap's Filene Center, Vienna Virginia

I love a good opera so I showed up at Wolf Trap, with my $20 lawn ticket, excited to hear the beautiful Bizet opera, Carmen. This wouldn’t be a full-scale production, but an opera in concert, meaning the orchestra spanned the stage and the singers would come out to do their arias. No set, little acting required, just a lovely evening of music.

It began beautifully, as the National Symphony Orchestra played the familiar and lively overture. Tenor Simon O’Neill emerged and sang the role of Don Carlo powerfully as did the lovely soprano who played Micaela, Rebekah Camm. The sweet-sounding, adorable World Children’s Choir soon came out, dressed in white, for an aria. All was going well on stage, until Carmen emerged.

One of the highlights of this opera, normally, is the Habanera, sung by Carmen. But she walked on stage in a lovely red dress, with all the grace of an ailing swan, and then sang with a most irritating voice. The singer, Denyce Graves, is reportedly a “world-renowned mezzo-soprano,” but watching her felt like I was watching Carmen in drag. Listening to her drone, I simply did not appreciate her phrasing or interpretation, and found myself cringing.

A 2001 reviewer in the Los Angeles Magazine, who otherwise praised Graves, described her adeptly when he wrote, “Her voice, low and thick, painfully dragging out each word, filled the song with all the agony…” Amen.

I only stayed for the first half (something to do with a severe, relentless thunderstorm and a dysfunctional umbrella) so I cannot comment on what ensued after I left. But, from what I saw and heard, the best parts of Carmen in concert occurred when Carmen, herself, was not on stage.

Friday, June 22, 2007

Harry Connick, Jr. Pays Tribute to his Hometown

Harry Connick, Jr.
at Wolf Trap, Vienna Virginia
June 21
recommended beverage:
a bottle of white (my choice:
Seyval Blanc from the Virginia winery Old House)

I'd never seen Harry Connick, Jr. in concert before but clearly I picked the perfect tour to see him. Known for his jazz crooning, Connick focused the show on New Orleans jazz and blues standards, many of which he has covered on his most recent albums, Oh, My NOLA and Chanson du Vieux Carre.

Accompanied by an 11-piece band (9 horns, upright bass, and drums), Connick returned to his musical roots, covering such legendary artists as Allen Toussaint and Louis Armstrong. For the show's opening 10 minutes, the band played a jazzy instrumental medley, complete with fantastic drum and horn solos. Connick then emerged, alternating between baby grand and upright piano and Hammond organ, and sang with that velvety voice. Perhaps most moving was his original song, "All These People," which he wrote after witnessing the horrendous conditions at the Convention Center in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

Midway through, he interrupted the show to bring out a birthday cake for trumpeter Mark Braud and after the crowd joined in singing "happy birthday," Connick proceeded to hand out cake slices to kids in the front row. Throughout the show, he charmed the audience and more than once thanked the crowd for continuing to support his music all of these years.

Having originally gained fame for the When Harry Met Sally soundtrack, he did give us fans of that genre a treat by concluding the show with a sweet rendition of "It Had to Be You."

Thursday, June 21, 2007

New Orleans Jazz Comes to DC's Lincoln Theatre

Preservation Hall Jazz Band
at the Lincoln Theatre, June 20

photo: A New Orleans artist
melts old images on tiles, like this one of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band that hangs in my living room, out of roof slabs that fell off during Hurricane Katrina.


The Lincoln Theatre in DC’s U Street Corridor, which opened its doors in 1922, boasts a long legacy of black heritage. The 1,200-seat theatre welcomed a range of films and entertainment to its stage, including legendary jazz artists from Louis Armstrong to Ella Fitzgerald, having catered exclusively to an African-American audience. Closed in 1979, the theatre re-opened in 1994, fully restored to its original grandeur.

This theatre provided the perfect setting for a legendary jazz band visiting from the still-struggling city of New Orleans. Taking the stage for two long sets, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band played a mix of Dixieland and classic jazz, rag, and a touch of blues. The exceptional seven-piece band featured piano, upright bass, banjo, horns (trumpet, trombone, sax) and drums. The combination was soulful and joyful as the crowd toe-tapped, snapped, clapped, and occasionally sang along to the chorus.

Bandleader and trumpeter John Brunious did a stellar job leading the band. Tunes included Basin Street Blues; Louisian-I-A; Tiger Rag; and a jazz funeral. The upbeat finale was a medley that had everyone on their feet dancing, some joining a conga line that followed the horn section back onto the stage. The medley concluded with the natural choice: “When the Saints Go Marching In.” The band then came out for an encore, performing a somber ballad, titled, “What it Means to Miss New Orleans.”

The band derives its name from Preservation Hall, a tiny, renowned music room on Bourbon Street with no air conditioning that does not serve any food or drinks. It just serves up incredible music.

Long live New Orleans jazz!

Monday, June 18, 2007

True Colors Are Shining Through

Recommended beverage
to go with this show: red sangria
($9 for a big cup of yummy)


True Colors is a 15-city tour of music and comedy in support of Human Rights Campaign (HRC), which advocates fairness and opportunity for the gay and lesbian community. The concerts unite both the gay and the straight for a night of entertainment and an education in humanity. The tour, conceived of and headlined by Cyndi Lauper, brings together people from all backgrounds to oppose discrimination of any kind, promoting harmony, dignity, and equality for all.* A noble goal.

True Colors rolled through our area on June 17 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. A short video shown late in the evening about Matthew Shepard and the problem of hate crimes was especially significant in the DC area as the Senate considers passing federal hate crime legislation, namely, the Matthew Shepard Act.

Comedian Margaret Cho emceed the evening with her raunchy comedy between musical acts so there was never a lull in the five-hour show.

The evening’s music started out with two newer bands, The Gossip and Dresden Dolls. First up, the Arkansas-based garage/gospel punk trio The Gossip opened the show with power and gusto. Featuring danceable beats and experimental sounds, this eclectic band has quite a following in Europe and is headed out there on tour later this month. Singer Beth Ditto performs with a mix of rage and passion; they sounded altogether funky and fresh.

Dresden Dolls have been labeled “punk cabaret,” which is fairly accurate for a band that defies description. The Boston-based twosome, Amanda Palmer on keys/vocals and Brian Viglione on percussion and guitar, take the crowd on a unique, mad musical journey. In their short opening set, their song “Coin-Operated Boy” was particularly entertaining.

Next up was a treat as he’s only appearing on the DC and Boston dates of this tour: Rufus Wainwright. His soulful, melodic musings are a treat and so beautiful are his vocals that his sweet voice lulled me into narcolepsy for a couple of songs (I awoke refreshed!)

Then came the old-school artists, whom I remember all too well from back in my day, particularly Erasure who made me spastically dance around for an hour. First up, and somewhat of a disappointment, was “Deborah” Harry, as she’s now known. Like the two artists that would follow, Harry has new material that she wanted to unload on the crowd. Some of it was pretty decent and she did include two of her well-known solo tracks, “Rush Rush” and “French Kissin.’” But not one Blondie song? No “Rapture,” no “Tide is High,” no “Heart of Glass” no “Call Me.” Not a one. It’s time for another facelift, woman. **

Next up came the two wonderfully quirky blokes known as Erasure. Singer Andy Bell gleefully pranced and spun around the stage, and sang as flawlessly as he did two decades ago, and Vince Clarke backed him on synth/keyboard. One almost didn’t recognize Bell clothed! And he remained clothed throughout the show, only removing his ornate jacket, while keeping his t-shirt and pants on.

Erasure's set was smart. They too have a new album and played a couple songs from it, but they included a half dozen “oldie” crowd pleasers: “Blue Savannah” and “Drama!” from the Wild album; “Chains of Love” and “A Little Respect” from The Innocents; “Sometimes” from The Circus, (which tickled me pink); and “Oh L’Amour,” perhaps their most famous song, from their debut album, Wonderland. Brilliant.

Lastly, Cyndi Lauper emerged in a hat that was…large and vibrant. She succeeded if she was going after the rainbow effect. Lauper put on an fantastic show, bursting with energy, and with surprisingly strong and crisp vocals. Really, her singing doesn't at all resemble her Lawng-Island speaking voice.

Lauper's new material sounded fresh and she put a great modern spin on her arrangement of “She Bop.” She of course also included “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” in the encore, during which Rosie O’Donnell came out to play drums. (no, really. She came out earlier too to relieve Cho for one brief set of comedy. I'll leave it there).

The show’s finale was spectacular. Large, colorful beach balls floated out from the stage as many of the musicians of the night came out, joined by some people from the movement, to sing Abba’s “Take a Chance on Me,” which Erasure had covered and released as a single about a decade ago. Lauper and Bell traded off on lead vocals and the crowd chimed in. The final song, of course, was “True Colors,” with Lauper on slide guitar and singing, and the whole crowd swayed and sang along to the chorus.

A really fun night. Peace!

*While ClubD is a girl who likes boys, she opposes discrimination of any kind (with the exception of the very rude and Red Sox fans, who sometimes are one and the same).

**In response to the comment posted, yes, she did look great (probably because she's all plastic by now). My facelift jab was just mere anger at 'Debbie' not playing a single Blondie song.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Surveying the Scene on a Friday Night

Friday, June 15
2 Virginia shows

Recommended beverage: tis the season
for the Hefe (sans fruit slice)

The night began at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia. The Ohio-based Beatles tribute band 1964 took the stage in black suits, mop-top wigs, and with vintage instruments. The sound that then emerged was genuine. This is by far the best Beatles cover band I've come across. They played a 90-minute set of well-loved songs, all taking turns singing lead vocals and harmonizing. They looked and sounded authentic right down to the Liverpool accents.

While the Fab Four charmingly tried to lure us back to the 1960s, they humorously drew us back to present with some newer technology such as their compact disc and asking the crowd to take out their cell phones and call someone special during "In My Life." 'Listen, do you want to know a secret?' These blokes are worth checking out!

Then, switching venue and genre, onto Iota in Arlington for the DC-based Last Train Home. This roots rock quartet added on a keyboard/accordionist, slide guitarist, and trumpet player for this show creating a rich, full sound (and quite a crowd on Iota's small stage). The place was packed and hopping, enjoying the band as it skillfully weaved in various musical influences from bluegrass to blues, all complemented by singer Eric Brace's smooth voice.

A wonderful night of music!

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

NOSC: In da Club


New Orleans Social Club, June 4
at the 8X10 Club, Baltimore, Maryland

Recommended beverage:
Resurrection (on tap), a Belgian style brown ale

When, from behind the Hammond organ, Ivan Neville said to the extraordinary pianist Henry Butler sitting across from him, "Alright, Henry, let's take it uptown," I knew what was coming. Butler erupted into a full-throttle cover of "Tipitina," as his fingers flew over the keys and the emotion poured out of him. They would end that set with an incredible, funk-infused cover of Fogerty's "Fortunte Son."
The New Orleans Social Club, having headlined Swamp Romp at Wolf Trap the night before, played two long sets of all-out funk, blues, and a touch of gospel at Baltimore's 8X10 Club on Monday night. This music just filled the soul to the deepest depths. One wouldn't expect any less from these legendary artists, members of the Meters and the Neville Brothers, who formed this group after Hurricane Katrina hit. Some lost everything in the storm and some were forced to relocate, such as Butler who now lives in Denver. But their hearts forever lie in the music of New Orleans and they shared that passion with the packed room that night.

Thanks to Kimball for setting me up with tix and passes to the VA and Baltimore shows!

Monday, June 04, 2007

Singin' in the Rain:
Swamp Romp at Wolf Trap

June 3
recommended beverage
to go with this show: a bottle of Virginia chardonnay
purchased the day before at Vintage Virginia

The annual Louisiana Swamp Romp at Wolf Trap is always a good time in any weather. While rain diminished the crowd, many did come out, sporting their beads, to dance (in the mud) and celebrate the soul-filled music of New Orleans.
This year, the stellar line-up featured Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie; Steve Riley & theMamou Playboys; (left); Sonny Landreth, and the New Orleans Social Club. It was a fine, rockin' mix of zydeco, cajun, and blues.
ClubD suffered a minor rain delay and sadly missed most of Delafose, who plays truly kickin' zydeco. Landreth skillfully wailed on the guitar, playing a good helping from his new album. Riley played rockin' cajun, complemented by his fiddler, Dave, who managed to keep the violin in tune despite the humidity.
Closing the show was New Orleans Social Club, a group of notable musicians who came together in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to perform, record, and help reconnect musicians to the city and remind the public of the city's incomparable music. The group features Henry Butler on piano; Ivan Neville on organ; Leo Nocentelli on guitar; George Porter, Jr. on bass, and Ray Weber on drums.
Individually, they are extraordinary musicians. Together, they are magic. They played a set drawing from their album Sing Me Back Home, a collection of covers they recorded. The album features numerous other notable New Orleans musicians including Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball, Dr. John, and Trombone Shorty.


Hangin' with the great Henry Butler after the show.