Greetings fellow residents of the D.C. metro area!
In honor of Wolf Trap's throwback to popular music hits from the 1980s with tonight's Regeneration Tour 2008 featuring The Human League, Belinda Carlisle, ABC, A Flock of Seagulls and Naked Eyes, I wanted to draw your attention to this August 15 post by Robin Hilton on NPR's All Songs Considered blog. Despite Robin's proclamation that the 80s was the worst decade with regards to the output of popular music (which I think is erroneous...how can he dismiss that the 80s exploded with new genre bending sounds and styles, taking us in a radically new musical direction from classic rock and folk that so profoundly defined the 70s?) he has offered up a subjective top 10 list of songs that he secretly loved in the 1980s, so secretly in fact that "When they came on the car radio, I'd roll up the windows so no one would hear and then crank the volume."
A few of these I flat out don't recognize, because I'm only 27, so from 1980 -1989, instead of delving into the new Tears for Fears LP, I was more consumed with kicking the diaper dependence, climbing trees and riding bikes. However, I definitely give my support to "Head Over Heels" by Tears for Fears, "She Blinded me with Science" by Thomas Dolby, and "99 Luftballoons" by Nena. I've included a few of my own personal 80s faves below which run the gamut of synth-pop to prog-rock. Feel free to take our cue and chime in with your picks!
And If you're feeling particularly inspired by Robin's or my post, come out to Wolf Trap tonight for other 80s favorites....a couple of which narrowly missed my list, including "Don't You Want me Baby", "Heaven is a Place on Earth" and "I Ran."
"Send Me an Angel" by Real Life. Remember this song from the films The Wizard w/Fred Savage, and Teen Wolf w/Michael J. Fox?
"Land of Confusion" by Genesis. A lot of people don't know this about me, but I really love Genesis. I might regret admitting this one.
"Take on Me" by Aha. Had many a great night singing along to this song in college. Also features a relatively ground-breaking video with a combination of rotoscope-style animation and live action.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Another Review from Blogger-at-Large Carter Rawson!
8.21.08 James Hunter at the Filene Center - Carter Rawson
Every so often, one is reminded that a really tight band can breathe fresh life into old sounds without having to a) completely deconstruct the song, b) add a drum machine or c) exorcise the music into an overweening display of virtuosity. Subtract these devices and what you have is soul. And soul is what James Hunter and his band have by the bucket load.
Smitten by the acquisition of Hunter’s 2006 release “People Gonna Talk”, your humble reviewer-at-large unabashedly trekked out to catch a half-hour set from the British blue-eyed soul boy who nabbed an opening slot for Chris Isaak. True to form, the set had all the ebullience of those storied R&B traveling roadshows of the 50s & 60’s where each act was given 15 minutes to win over the crowd. Hunter only needed about five to establish that his impressive mix of originals and covers reflects the sort of imagination that transcends the tag as a revival act.
On the surface the group dynamic recalls the charm and chumminess of the popular Brit-Soul tribute film “The Commitments” but there’s no mistaking the talent that has resulted in guest work with Van Morrison and a Grammy nomination. Personal faves included the catchy “No Smoke Without Fire” and a 5 Royales cover before James and the band were whisked off to sign copies of their new CD “The Hard Way” to a throng of autograph seekers. It was a welcome invasion indeed and clear sign that this is a group to watch for.
Every so often, one is reminded that a really tight band can breathe fresh life into old sounds without having to a) completely deconstruct the song, b) add a drum machine or c) exorcise the music into an overweening display of virtuosity. Subtract these devices and what you have is soul. And soul is what James Hunter and his band have by the bucket load.
Smitten by the acquisition of Hunter’s 2006 release “People Gonna Talk”, your humble reviewer-at-large unabashedly trekked out to catch a half-hour set from the British blue-eyed soul boy who nabbed an opening slot for Chris Isaak. True to form, the set had all the ebullience of those storied R&B traveling roadshows of the 50s & 60’s where each act was given 15 minutes to win over the crowd. Hunter only needed about five to establish that his impressive mix of originals and covers reflects the sort of imagination that transcends the tag as a revival act.
On the surface the group dynamic recalls the charm and chumminess of the popular Brit-Soul tribute film “The Commitments” but there’s no mistaking the talent that has resulted in guest work with Van Morrison and a Grammy nomination. Personal faves included the catchy “No Smoke Without Fire” and a 5 Royales cover before James and the band were whisked off to sign copies of their new CD “The Hard Way” to a throng of autograph seekers. It was a welcome invasion indeed and clear sign that this is a group to watch for.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Guest Review of Kenny Rogers/Oak Ridge Boys by Carter Rawson
Hello all,
You might recall our friend Carter Rawson writing a wonderfully comprehensive January 10 review of Wolf Trap's Nick Lowe Tribute, which drew specific attention and positive comment from the show's promoter, Ronnie Newmeyer. Today, we're lucky to have him grace the blog once again with his rumination on last night's Kenny Rogers/Oak Ridge Boys co-bill. Check it out below, and keep this journalistic talent in mind for freelance writing gigs.
*************************************************************************
This summer's soaring gas prices and recent economic indicators succeeded in lulling (Wolf Trap Reviewer-at-Large Carter Rawson) into nostalgia for the summer of 1981. On Wednesday night he put down the Rubik's cube and took in the Kenny Rogers and the Oak Ridge Boys at the Filene Center.
Stagflation had entered America's lexicon, disco was dead, and though director Michael Cimino's western epic, Heaven's Gate had been pronounced DOA, a gray-bearded country singer stepped up to assuage the nation during our last experience with "pain at the pump". Kenny Rogers’ career defining hit "The Gambler" ruled the airwaves over 27 years ago and it resurfaced on this cool August night to provide the cornerstone to Rogers' performance at Wolf Trap.
Unlike 1981, the 2008 edition of Kenny's never-ending-tour was largely bereft of the cowboy outfits that defined "The Gambler" persona. But perhaps in tribute, a now largely self-deprecating Kenny successfully enticed a front row fan into a friendly wager, effectively testing the audience for knowledge of Rogers' hit song catalog. The fan made out pretty well. The rest of the crowd was rewarded with the likes of “Lucille”, “Coward of the County”, “Lady” and the syrupy “Through The Years” in addition his signature hit. An added attraction, especially for those who recall his group First Edition, was a groovy dose of “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” replete with video footage circa 1968.
And while the performance was occasionally over-salted with the sort of narrative perhaps tailored to throngs at Branson, MO, it was an earnest look at a long road to superstardom with a surprising amount of levity -- thanks to some rather amusing video highlights from Kenny's career chronicling everything from facial hair to a Gambler-inspired rap video featuring Coolio.
Rounding out this Solid Gold evening were the The Oak Ridge Boys who've easily been in the country biz as long as Kenny Rogers. With gospel roots still largely intact despite numerous personnel changes, the rafters shook to the resounding double-bass strains of "Elvira" and the still-peppy "Bobbie Sue" among other favorites. ~CR
This summer's soaring gas prices and recent economic indicators succeeded in lulling (Wolf Trap Reviewer-at-Large Carter Rawson) into nostalgia for the summer of 1981. On Wednesday night he put down the Rubik's cube and took in the Kenny Rogers and the Oak Ridge Boys at the Filene Center.
Stagflation had entered America's lexicon, disco was dead, and though director Michael Cimino's western epic, Heaven's Gate had been pronounced DOA, a gray-bearded country singer stepped up to assuage the nation during our last experience with "pain at the pump". Kenny Rogers’ career defining hit "The Gambler" ruled the airwaves over 27 years ago and it resurfaced on this cool August night to provide the cornerstone to Rogers' performance at Wolf Trap.
Unlike 1981, the 2008 edition of Kenny's never-ending-tour was largely bereft of the cowboy outfits that defined "The Gambler" persona. But perhaps in tribute, a now largely self-deprecating Kenny successfully enticed a front row fan into a friendly wager, effectively testing the audience for knowledge of Rogers' hit song catalog. The fan made out pretty well. The rest of the crowd was rewarded with the likes of “Lucille”, “Coward of the County”, “Lady” and the syrupy “Through The Years” in addition his signature hit. An added attraction, especially for those who recall his group First Edition, was a groovy dose of “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” replete with video footage circa 1968.
And while the performance was occasionally over-salted with the sort of narrative perhaps tailored to throngs at Branson, MO, it was an earnest look at a long road to superstardom with a surprising amount of levity -- thanks to some rather amusing video highlights from Kenny's career chronicling everything from facial hair to a Gambler-inspired rap video featuring Coolio.
Rounding out this Solid Gold evening were the The Oak Ridge Boys who've easily been in the country biz as long as Kenny Rogers. With gospel roots still largely intact despite numerous personnel changes, the rafters shook to the resounding double-bass strains of "Elvira" and the still-peppy "Bobbie Sue" among other favorites. ~CR
Thursday, August 14, 2008
My Virgin Mobile Fest 2008 Experience
Given the nature of my job here at Wolf Trap, I am constantly immersed in a world that orbits the production of live music. On the short list, professional responsibilities include daily talks with artist's publicists, radio personalities, music journalists, the artist (rare occasion but it does happen), writing promotional materials, and facilitating media interviews on-site backstage at the Filene Center. You could make the argument for me, or several Wolf Trap employees for that matter, that since we're surrounded by live performance related tasks 365 days a year, the last thing on our social agenda is to proactively attend concerts. Not exactly true. In fact, it’s pretty far from the truth. Most of us are music nuts, and attending concerts either at Wolf Trap or a surrounding venue tends to occupy a decent percentage of our free time. This past weekend, I attended the 2nd annual Virgin Mobile Festival at Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore, MD., and if you'll indulge me, I'd love to share with you an abbreviated version of my 20 hr. experience.
Day 1
We arrived around 11:30, paid heed to KT Tunstall for about a song and a half, and moved along to catch Cat Power, fronted by Chan Marshall, who in my opinion, is currently vying for the title of queen of indie rock, maybe just a close second to Jenny Lewis and Neko Case. Marshall's enchanting voice wrapped into highly poetic ballads are clearly the driving force behind the success of this band, but it just didn't seem the ideal fit for a festival setting. But, I suppose that was Seth Hurwitz's thought process when programming the lineup...diversity, even if certain acts inspire a bit of depression.
Next up, The Swell Season, comprised of Glen Hansard of the Frames, and Marketa Irglova, a previously unknown pianist/singer until Hansard hand picked her for the co-starring role in the 2007 film Once. Solid set from the duo, highlighted by the Academy Award winning number "Falling Slowly" but similar to Cat Power, their tunes seemed underwhelming for a crowd of thousands. I caught them in Baltimore a few months back with a full backing band, which left me wondering why they didn't ADD musicians for a festival gig rather than subtracting.
Remained at the South Stage for Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings for a couple songs before stopping off for a beer and a location change to catch Bloc Party's set, and after re-hashing the decision in my mind for a few days, I think I made a poor choice. Jones' live show is a thing to behold...aside from the soul-funk persuasion inherent in her dynamic vocals and ultra-tight grooves laid down by the Dap Kings, the woman has got some serious dance moves. She seems absolutely consumed by the music, which was confirmed after she exclaimed, "When I get the mike in my hand, I lose my mind sometimes!" Bloc Party delivered their signature brand of emo brit rock, but the highlight for me was not a song, rather front man's Kere Okereke’s attire, consisting of a vintage Bowser t-shirt (super mario bros.) and cut off jean shorts.
After applauding Bloc Party's final tune "Helicopter", we turned our attention to possibly the most important task of the weekend, which was getting as close as possible for my personal fave, and recent media darlings, Wilco. Just to be clear...I'm not jumping on the Wilco bandwagon, my love for this band stems from my college days when I became hopelessly addicted to the prog/gloom indie masterpiece Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, the band's fourth studio LP. With exceptional ease, we slithered our way up to about 10 feet from the stage, sipped our beers, and waited for Tweedy and co. to appear. As they strolled on stage grinning from ear to ear, I couldn't help be a little disappointed in the fact that they weren't sporting custom designed nudie suits, which helped define their presence at last week's Lollapalooza festival in Chicago. Ah well, no biggie. Their set was pretty standard for a festival setting...I think it was a bit unfortunate that they were slotted in between Citizen Cope and Jack Johnson, two acts that are almost polar opposites of Wilco. Highlights from the set included "War on War", "Impossible Germany" (I really cannot get enough of that three part guitar solo with Nels, Jeff and Pat), "Handshake Drugs", and "Monday". Generally, they just played their big rockers, but who am I to argue with what I think to be the best band in America...I had an absolute blast.
To beat the crowd, we headed out a bit early, opting to skip out on our choice of Jack Johnson or Foo Fighters.
Day 2
I just want to pause for a second and express my delight with the total ease we found in driving from downtown Baltimore to Pimlico. I mean we were headed to a music festival, with a projected attendance of 200,000 people, and at no point did we encounter a sliver of traffic congestion. Remarkable. I'm just not used to this living in the D.C. metro area, where it takes 45 to drive ANYWHERE.
We kicked off Day 2 with the tail end of The GO! Team's set on the South Stage, which allowed me to hear their hit "Ladyflash" off of 2004's Thunder, Lightning, Strike, and a new song off 2007's Proof of Youth. A lot of people I've encountered don't buy into The GO! Team's quasi gimmicky blend of hip-hop, '70s funk, action TV show theme song styled songs, complimented by a free-styling front woman named Ninja who wears cheerleader outfits, two drummers, and high energy backing music which I think relies predominantly on sampled beats...but I for one, am a total sucker. I first saw this sextet of Brits at The Black Cat in 2004, and I still view it as one of the most exhilarating concert experiences in recent memory.
Chicago native Andrew Bird and his three piece backing band from Minnesota occupied the South Stage next for a 45 minute set that was my highlight of the entire weekend. Best known for his prowess on the violin, I personally think he is one of the most talented all around musicians I have ever seen, and perhaps even the best whistler alive...but since I can't whistle, I'm impressed by anyone who excels in creating pitch through wind without the use of a physical instrument. Aside from a masterful display on the violin and lip pursing, Bird expertly played the guitar, the glockenspiel (!), and his voice soars brilliantly bringing remarkable clarity and structure to indie folk tunes that otherwise may have come off as a little scattered and indulgent. His set drew heavily from 2007's Armchair Apocrypha with "A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left", "Fiery Crash", "Plasticities", and "Imitosis".
I had no idea what to expect from the newly paired duo of M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel who make up the alt-folk/alt-country band She & Him, but after taking in Deschanel's lilting stage presence and beautifully arranged original songs, supported by her angelic voice and M. Ward's scorching guitar solos, I'm definitely on board. Plus, it definitely helped that Deschanel looked absolutely stunning in her full length blue dress, and blue rose in her right ear. You'll recognize Zooey Deschanel from the films Elf, Almost Famous, and The Happening, and M. Ward as a ridiculously in demand session musician, studio collaborator, and producer who has worked with Jenny Lewis, Cat Power, My Morning Jacket, and most notably, Bright Eyes.
Iggy and the Stooges - the man is crazy...but I give this 61 year old massive respect for banging through an hour and ten minutes of crazy intense punk rock/metal complete with stage diving, at least 50 curse words, 20 bottles of water dumped over his head, and security guard verbal bashing. Not really my thing, but man it was fun to watch.
The last high pressure situation of the weekend was to get very VERY close for the recently reunited Stone Temple Pilots, featuring all four original members including Scott Weiland, their controversial front man. In true rock God form, they of course came on 25 minutes late, and ended 10 minutes early, but not before they plowed through an earth shattering, nostalgia-filled 10 song set of mega hits from the height of their popularity in the '90s. We wedged ourselves in between thousands of people about 20 feet from the stage, and did our best to keep our eyes on the wiry Weiland, who continuously slinked across the stage while belting out incendiary choruses from "Plush", "Wicked Garden", "Big Empty", "Interstate Love Song", and the opener "Vasoline", to name a few. It was an intense experience. I was actually a bit afraid for my life at times given the non stop moshing, crowd surfing, shoving, yelling, cursing, scuffling, etc., but after about 15 minutes I just stopped caring and lost myself in the infectious energy of the well-oiled Stone Temple Pilots machine. The entire 50 minute experience was flat out awesome, and I can't wait till the next time I can see this band perform live.Once again, the headliners for the evening did not overly excite us, so after catching Nine Inch Nails perform "Closer", we decided to beat the crowds and head home. Overall, the weekend was a top-notch experience. The variety inherent from one act to the next kept the festival fresh and exciting, even though we never shook things up too dramatically by heading to the dance tent to take in some trance, and shirtless dudes twirling sticks and hoola hoops around their bodies. Maybe next year :)
Photos below!
Talk soon,
Graham
Day 1
We arrived around 11:30, paid heed to KT Tunstall for about a song and a half, and moved along to catch Cat Power, fronted by Chan Marshall, who in my opinion, is currently vying for the title of queen of indie rock, maybe just a close second to Jenny Lewis and Neko Case. Marshall's enchanting voice wrapped into highly poetic ballads are clearly the driving force behind the success of this band, but it just didn't seem the ideal fit for a festival setting. But, I suppose that was Seth Hurwitz's thought process when programming the lineup...diversity, even if certain acts inspire a bit of depression.
Next up, The Swell Season, comprised of Glen Hansard of the Frames, and Marketa Irglova, a previously unknown pianist/singer until Hansard hand picked her for the co-starring role in the 2007 film Once. Solid set from the duo, highlighted by the Academy Award winning number "Falling Slowly" but similar to Cat Power, their tunes seemed underwhelming for a crowd of thousands. I caught them in Baltimore a few months back with a full backing band, which left me wondering why they didn't ADD musicians for a festival gig rather than subtracting.
Remained at the South Stage for Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings for a couple songs before stopping off for a beer and a location change to catch Bloc Party's set, and after re-hashing the decision in my mind for a few days, I think I made a poor choice. Jones' live show is a thing to behold...aside from the soul-funk persuasion inherent in her dynamic vocals and ultra-tight grooves laid down by the Dap Kings, the woman has got some serious dance moves. She seems absolutely consumed by the music, which was confirmed after she exclaimed, "When I get the mike in my hand, I lose my mind sometimes!" Bloc Party delivered their signature brand of emo brit rock, but the highlight for me was not a song, rather front man's Kere Okereke’s attire, consisting of a vintage Bowser t-shirt (super mario bros.) and cut off jean shorts.
After applauding Bloc Party's final tune "Helicopter", we turned our attention to possibly the most important task of the weekend, which was getting as close as possible for my personal fave, and recent media darlings, Wilco. Just to be clear...I'm not jumping on the Wilco bandwagon, my love for this band stems from my college days when I became hopelessly addicted to the prog/gloom indie masterpiece Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, the band's fourth studio LP. With exceptional ease, we slithered our way up to about 10 feet from the stage, sipped our beers, and waited for Tweedy and co. to appear. As they strolled on stage grinning from ear to ear, I couldn't help be a little disappointed in the fact that they weren't sporting custom designed nudie suits, which helped define their presence at last week's Lollapalooza festival in Chicago. Ah well, no biggie. Their set was pretty standard for a festival setting...I think it was a bit unfortunate that they were slotted in between Citizen Cope and Jack Johnson, two acts that are almost polar opposites of Wilco. Highlights from the set included "War on War", "Impossible Germany" (I really cannot get enough of that three part guitar solo with Nels, Jeff and Pat), "Handshake Drugs", and "Monday". Generally, they just played their big rockers, but who am I to argue with what I think to be the best band in America...I had an absolute blast.
To beat the crowd, we headed out a bit early, opting to skip out on our choice of Jack Johnson or Foo Fighters.
Day 2
I just want to pause for a second and express my delight with the total ease we found in driving from downtown Baltimore to Pimlico. I mean we were headed to a music festival, with a projected attendance of 200,000 people, and at no point did we encounter a sliver of traffic congestion. Remarkable. I'm just not used to this living in the D.C. metro area, where it takes 45 to drive ANYWHERE.
We kicked off Day 2 with the tail end of The GO! Team's set on the South Stage, which allowed me to hear their hit "Ladyflash" off of 2004's Thunder, Lightning, Strike, and a new song off 2007's Proof of Youth. A lot of people I've encountered don't buy into The GO! Team's quasi gimmicky blend of hip-hop, '70s funk, action TV show theme song styled songs, complimented by a free-styling front woman named Ninja who wears cheerleader outfits, two drummers, and high energy backing music which I think relies predominantly on sampled beats...but I for one, am a total sucker. I first saw this sextet of Brits at The Black Cat in 2004, and I still view it as one of the most exhilarating concert experiences in recent memory.
Chicago native Andrew Bird and his three piece backing band from Minnesota occupied the South Stage next for a 45 minute set that was my highlight of the entire weekend. Best known for his prowess on the violin, I personally think he is one of the most talented all around musicians I have ever seen, and perhaps even the best whistler alive...but since I can't whistle, I'm impressed by anyone who excels in creating pitch through wind without the use of a physical instrument. Aside from a masterful display on the violin and lip pursing, Bird expertly played the guitar, the glockenspiel (!), and his voice soars brilliantly bringing remarkable clarity and structure to indie folk tunes that otherwise may have come off as a little scattered and indulgent. His set drew heavily from 2007's Armchair Apocrypha with "A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left", "Fiery Crash", "Plasticities", and "Imitosis".
I had no idea what to expect from the newly paired duo of M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel who make up the alt-folk/alt-country band She & Him, but after taking in Deschanel's lilting stage presence and beautifully arranged original songs, supported by her angelic voice and M. Ward's scorching guitar solos, I'm definitely on board. Plus, it definitely helped that Deschanel looked absolutely stunning in her full length blue dress, and blue rose in her right ear. You'll recognize Zooey Deschanel from the films Elf, Almost Famous, and The Happening, and M. Ward as a ridiculously in demand session musician, studio collaborator, and producer who has worked with Jenny Lewis, Cat Power, My Morning Jacket, and most notably, Bright Eyes.
Iggy and the Stooges - the man is crazy...but I give this 61 year old massive respect for banging through an hour and ten minutes of crazy intense punk rock/metal complete with stage diving, at least 50 curse words, 20 bottles of water dumped over his head, and security guard verbal bashing. Not really my thing, but man it was fun to watch.
The last high pressure situation of the weekend was to get very VERY close for the recently reunited Stone Temple Pilots, featuring all four original members including Scott Weiland, their controversial front man. In true rock God form, they of course came on 25 minutes late, and ended 10 minutes early, but not before they plowed through an earth shattering, nostalgia-filled 10 song set of mega hits from the height of their popularity in the '90s. We wedged ourselves in between thousands of people about 20 feet from the stage, and did our best to keep our eyes on the wiry Weiland, who continuously slinked across the stage while belting out incendiary choruses from "Plush", "Wicked Garden", "Big Empty", "Interstate Love Song", and the opener "Vasoline", to name a few. It was an intense experience. I was actually a bit afraid for my life at times given the non stop moshing, crowd surfing, shoving, yelling, cursing, scuffling, etc., but after about 15 minutes I just stopped caring and lost myself in the infectious energy of the well-oiled Stone Temple Pilots machine. The entire 50 minute experience was flat out awesome, and I can't wait till the next time I can see this band perform live.Once again, the headliners for the evening did not overly excite us, so after catching Nine Inch Nails perform "Closer", we decided to beat the crowds and head home. Overall, the weekend was a top-notch experience. The variety inherent from one act to the next kept the festival fresh and exciting, even though we never shook things up too dramatically by heading to the dance tent to take in some trance, and shirtless dudes twirling sticks and hoola hoops around their bodies. Maybe next year :)
Photos below!
Talk soon,
Graham
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Joni Would be Proud
Flanked by bassist Dave Holland, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, guitarist Lionel Loueke, saxophonist Chris Potter (taking Wayne Shorter’s place on the tour), and featured vocalists Amy Keys and Sonya Kitchell, Herbie Hancock put on a wonderful performance last night during his Wolf Trap debut.
I was particularly blown away by Keys and Kitchell who are charged with the difficult task of re-creating vocal contributions from Tina Turner, Joss Stone, and Christina Aguilera (to name a few) on Hancock's album of the year winning River: The Joni Letters, and his prior release titled Possibilities. On Possibilities, Joss Stone handles vocal duties for B.B. King's "When Love Came to Town," and while I'll absolutely admit that Stone's raw, soulful vocal prowess is a perfect commercially viable fit for this tune, Amy Keys absolutely CRUSHED it live. I was sitting in the press office during this song catching up on my email, and I almost fell out of my chair when she hit the first chorus. Roughly 24 hours after B.B. King left the Filene Center on Sunday, I wouldn't be surprised if he felt the reverberations of Key's vibrato from hundreds of miles away.
Keep an eye on Amy Keys, she has quite a career in front of her...not to say that it hasn't been impressive already, having been crowned Ms. Maryland, and touring the world with Phil Collins and Herbie Hancock.
The set was heavy with numbers from Possibilities and River, highlighted by the latter's title track, and "Edith and the Kingpin." I wasn't around for the very end, but I heard Herbie closed with one of his classics, the jazz-standard tune titled Chameleon, which probably resonated very well with his old-school fan base. In summation, the 90 minutes that I heard was exactly what you'd expect from one of history's great jazz pioneers - close to perfection.
I plan to post extensively tomorrow about my Virgin Mobile Festival experience this past weekend, complete with photos and brief (some more than others) reviews of acts I caught. So check back in with me tomorrow in the p.m.
Cheers,
Graham
I was particularly blown away by Keys and Kitchell who are charged with the difficult task of re-creating vocal contributions from Tina Turner, Joss Stone, and Christina Aguilera (to name a few) on Hancock's album of the year winning River: The Joni Letters, and his prior release titled Possibilities. On Possibilities, Joss Stone handles vocal duties for B.B. King's "When Love Came to Town," and while I'll absolutely admit that Stone's raw, soulful vocal prowess is a perfect commercially viable fit for this tune, Amy Keys absolutely CRUSHED it live. I was sitting in the press office during this song catching up on my email, and I almost fell out of my chair when she hit the first chorus. Roughly 24 hours after B.B. King left the Filene Center on Sunday, I wouldn't be surprised if he felt the reverberations of Key's vibrato from hundreds of miles away.
Keep an eye on Amy Keys, she has quite a career in front of her...not to say that it hasn't been impressive already, having been crowned Ms. Maryland, and touring the world with Phil Collins and Herbie Hancock.
The set was heavy with numbers from Possibilities and River, highlighted by the latter's title track, and "Edith and the Kingpin." I wasn't around for the very end, but I heard Herbie closed with one of his classics, the jazz-standard tune titled Chameleon, which probably resonated very well with his old-school fan base. In summation, the 90 minutes that I heard was exactly what you'd expect from one of history's great jazz pioneers - close to perfection.
I plan to post extensively tomorrow about my Virgin Mobile Festival experience this past weekend, complete with photos and brief (some more than others) reviews of acts I caught. So check back in with me tomorrow in the p.m.
Cheers,
Graham
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Jethro Tull and Hippiefest Slideshows
Hello all,
As promised, I've posted two slideshows below, one of Ian Anderson's interview with Greta Van Susteren plus live performance shots, and backstage photos of Joey Molland, Godfrey Townsend, and Hilton Valentine who performed at last week's Hippiefest. Hippiefest photos can be credited to Wolf Trap's good friend Michael G. Stewart. And as always, our house photographer Eleena came through with wonderful candid photos of Ian Anderson, Greta Van Susteren, Jethro Tull, and the Young Dubliners.
As promised, I've posted two slideshows below, one of Ian Anderson's interview with Greta Van Susteren plus live performance shots, and backstage photos of Joey Molland, Godfrey Townsend, and Hilton Valentine who performed at last week's Hippiefest. Hippiefest photos can be credited to Wolf Trap's good friend Michael G. Stewart. And as always, our house photographer Eleena came through with wonderful candid photos of Ian Anderson, Greta Van Susteren, Jethro Tull, and the Young Dubliners.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Ian Anderson Interview with Greta Van Susteren
This afternoon, Greta Van Susteren, host of the primetime news and interview program, "On the Record" which broadcasts on Fox News 10-11 p.m. ET/PT Mondays through Fridays came out to Wolf Trap to film an interview with Ian Anderson, front man and flautist for the legendary Jethro Tull. I wasn't within earshot for the majority of the interview, but my understanding is that most of the conversation revolved around Anderson's friendship with Tony Snow, former White House press secretary and colleague of Greta's as a former Fox News anchor. Snow was a long time Jethro Tull fan who at one point shared the stage with the band as a fellow flautist! Snow was no amateur, the man had some serious skills. See for yourself by hopping onto youtube.
We hope to have Greta and her crew out here again a few more times this summer for interviews, as her show is wonderful national exposure for Wolf Trap and our schedule of perfomers. Our house photographer Eleena took some great shots of the interview, which I will post tomorrow, along with some backstage shots of Hippiefest touring members I acquired from professional photographer Michael Stewart.
Enjoy tonight's show!
Graham
We hope to have Greta and her crew out here again a few more times this summer for interviews, as her show is wonderful national exposure for Wolf Trap and our schedule of perfomers. Our house photographer Eleena took some great shots of the interview, which I will post tomorrow, along with some backstage shots of Hippiefest touring members I acquired from professional photographer Michael Stewart.
Enjoy tonight's show!
Graham
Friday, August 1, 2008
Peace, Love and Happiness
How many of you were able to attend Hippiefest on Wednesday? This is by far one of my favorite shows of the year, primarily because of the top notch people watching. You'll see a video below of my new friends, Diane, Alison, and Michael who I totally blindsided on the lawn for an off the cuff interview, but if there was a costume contest for best hippiewear, I would have to put these three in the running, so I couldn't help but approach them for an interview. Also, I don't think it's mentioned in the dialogue, but just to show the regional draw of this festival...Diane, Alison and Michael mentioned to me that they are from Philly, and chose to see the show at Wolf Trap, despite the fact that the tour stopped in Philly on Tuesday. Talk about patron loyalty!
I also recorded some footage of the stage set up for the evening, just minutes before Jonathan Edwards took the stage as the first of six acts.
Sorry for the brevity of this entry, but today's a busy one!
Talk next week,
Graham
I also recorded some footage of the stage set up for the evening, just minutes before Jonathan Edwards took the stage as the first of six acts.
Sorry for the brevity of this entry, but today's a busy one!
Talk next week,
Graham
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