Rocktober 28th - Choral Arts Society of Washington@The Kennedy Center

Geez. Will Rocktober end already? I'm so sick of these horrible music reviews I keep writing. Can I get an Amen on that one? I believe this is the last one, unless you count the High Heel Drag race I went to last night wherein a concert was playing in my head of Whitney Houston's "I'm Every Woman (its all in meeee)". But we won't count that.

So, yeah Teen Heartthrob knows what I like apparently. He surprised me and bought tickets to see the Choral Arts Society of Washington on Sunday night and that was even BEFORE I watched Dr. Zhivago, so he totally knew what was on my mind. Russia. Dismal, harrowing despair. Minor keys. English horns. Resonating baritone voices. HUGE opera lady in pink flowing gown past the floor, I don't even know how she walked around without tripping. Composers names whom I cannot spell.

Anyway, TH played this game with me and made me guess where we going, and it took me three hints. First he gave me a picture of this:

I thought the game was to figure out what it was. So me and my untold skills of search engines found the name of the place within an hour. The Novodevichy Convent in Moscow. I'm awesome. No, seriously. Give me a picture of anything and I will FIND IT ON THE INTERNETS(sic).
Then he gave me a few other pictures that led me to a Russian cultural events of DC website, which is where I discovered that he was treating me to a night of culture and hobknobbing with DC's finest Soviets. I'm so lucky. What more could a girl ask for, besides a nice bowl of borscht?

Russian music has always been one of my favorite genres. Most of my favorite composers are Russian, including Rachmoninoff, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, and Bach(haha just kidding Johann!). The music is so powerful and chill-inducing. The concert was amazing and guest conductor was a great flamboyant spectacle. They first performed The Bells from Rachmoninoff. That was amazing. Apparently it wasn't performed for a long time because it wasn't initially well received when it was introduced in Russia in the early 20th century. The choir then followed the intermission with different popular pieces from Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky, and others. It was great. I loved them all.

I think my favorite part of the concert was at the end, after a standing ovation, the conductor asked everyone to stick around for a Hymn to be sung in dedication of very religious Rostropovich, who recently passed (the entire concert was actually dedicated to his name). The choir sang an acapella version of Ave Maria. It was overwhelming, I honestly felt like his spirit was in the room with us and a voice in my head kept repeating "I believe in God". It was very strange. I felt very loved. Tears were flowing. TH and I left the concert, barely able to speak because of the overwhelming feeling. It seriously blew me away. I love that music can do that to you. I am so affected by music, so perhaps I should listen to more uplifting music that does testify these amazing truths.

So - Choral Arts Society of Washington, way to drive the point home that we are all loved and you can, in fact, leave a very lasting impression on this earth.

Rocktober gives The CAS 10 out of 10 stars, because I can't feel the way I did and not give out a perfect. Job well done.

Rocktober 26th - Bearfoot@The Kennedy Center

The Millennium Stage is a small stage that offers free concerts at 6PM every night, 365 days a year. Did you hear that? FREE concerts ev-e-ry night! Even on Holidays! And even on rainy rainy Friday nights.
I think I may have been to a concert or two at the Millennium Stage, and it was some world music that I came into the city to see. Now that I literally work a mile from the Kennedy Center, it seems ridiculous that I wouldn't take complete advantage of this event every night at 6! Or at least once a month, my goodness.

The concert that brought me to The Millennium Stage again, after a 5 year hiatus, was Bearfoot Bluegrass. They are an Alaskan band, which is actually how I've heard of them. I saw them play at a concert on the lawn of University of Alaska - Fairbanks. They were good then, and they were great on Friday.

Every concert is archived on the Kennedy Center's website, so you can check them out. They put on a very lively and entertaining show for all us water-logged Washingtonians. Chill-inducing harmonies and intricate fingering on the guitar and mandolin were the highlights of this show.

Bearfoot is a bluegrass band, sure, but its more of the Newgrass school. The average age of the band has to be about 22. They are young, and they all met at Bluegrass camp in Cordova, Alaska. They've all been playing their instruments since elementary school, some even before that. The thing I find really interesting about this group is that they all learned bluegrass at the same camp, but their sounds are all so different. It makes for a varied show, because as they all take turns singing their songs that showcase their style and talent, the songs change pretty dramatically. So what can I say about this band, then? They were all great and I enjoyed most of the songs, some of them even gave me the goosepimples. But, I felt conflicted because I think I'd rather have one show staying within the boundaries of bluegrass, rather than branching out to soul and pop music.

After talking with Teen Heartthrob about this debacle, we decided it might be wise for all the members to take their careers and RUN. Here is the advice I have to dole out:
Kate Hamre, acoustic bass: You are a darling girl. Obv very talented, but you were in the background too much. You seem a little more laid back and unsure or shy about performing. Your voice is so dainty and soft, but I bet you would really shine up front. I want to hear more.
Mike Mickelson, guitar: You've got that whole Big Man, Deep Voice thing going on. Go with it. You had an amaaazing old country vibe to all your songs and I would love to see you go somewhere with that. You were the result of many of my chills.
Jason Norris, mandolin: Wow. Seriously, wow. I've never seen anyone pick the mandolin with such gusto before. Granted, I could count the number of times I've seen a mandolin player on my 2 hands, but still you were great. And for how young you are, you need to be somewhere to really feature your style of Cajun music. I loved the Cajun portion of the program.
Angela Oudean, fiddle: You're great. You've got some side projects going on. I loved your Loretta Lynn piece. Such finesse with the fiddle. Keep on going.
Annalisa Tornfelt, fiddle: I liked your sound, really. But it doesn't belong in bluegrass. There, I said it. You are a soulful singer and I think you should pursue that, because its where you really shine. Bring the fiddle to vary it up in the soul/pop world. Good luck.

Check out their sound. I liked them in Alaska, and I still do. But apparently, moving back to DC has made me somewhat of a critic. Maybe if I were up dancing around and doing the Boot Dance, I wouldn't have noticed all the little intricacies I did. Note to self: more dancing, less critiquing.

Rocktober gives Bearfoot 8 out of 10 stars.

Today is a day of nothing in particular

Because I have lost my battery charger to the same place all the socks go, joining up with sticks up butter and being replaced with an overABUNDANCE of mugs (seriously! What is the deal with everyone always having too many mugs? I've never been to a house where this hasn't been a problem. I guess it's not a problem, as much as the fact that I don't have enough hot chocolate to constantly keep the mugs filled).
ANYWAY - I was planning to have my first installment of something which required my camera, but the battery is totally dead and I am left with questions and a furrowed brow, and I'll be honest, I'm a little scared.
So in no particular order, here are my most pressing thoughts for the day:

1. Because I am totally BROKE and can't afford any more extravagant Rocktober events, I am relegated to spending my time on the world wide web looking for freebies in the DC area. If you know of any, please pass them along. The Millenium Stage at the Kennedy Center has free performances every day at 6, but who wants to pay $15 for parking or take that stupid shuttle? Clearly not Gnomie. 12 days left in Rocktober and it will NOT beat me.

2. I realize I'm only 25 and it's not that old, but I'm sorry I cannot bring myself to dress up for any more halloween parties. It's too much for me. Maybe if I was going to some ball or a great gatsby type costume party, it would be fun. But
a) I've always sucked at coming up with costumes
b) I don't want to surround myself with this years "cats", "bunnies" and "mice" with the ears and make up and tiny-little I'm Cute costumes. No thank you.
c) I just want to spend the holiday with kids who have no idea what is going on other than the fact that if they dress up like something and do what their parents say, they will receive copious amounts of candy. Like not even funny.
So, suck it halloween. I won't be participating this year.

3. Why do I have 3 bottles of white out at my desk? I don't think I've even used white out twice since the start of my job.

4. Seriously, where is my camera battery?

5. Shopping this weekend!!!

Everyone have a fantastic weekend.

Rocktober 16th - High School Orchestra practice @ posh private school

Ok...maybe this one is kind of a stretch. But stay with me on this one.

Last night Teen Heartthrob and I went to visit our friend who works at a boarding school for the ultra rich. She invited us for dinner and a walk around the campus. Being a public school aficionado, I had never been exposed to the lives of the rich, famous and well-bred. This campus was amazing. Wouldn't even compare to my high school with it's florescent lighting, linoleum floors and stained glass windowless-library. Thinking back to my high school after last night, I can't help but think I must've grown up in a 3rd or at least 2nd world country. Poor unfortunate me.

After a lovely dinner of braised carrots with savory rice and some chocolate cake, we made our way over to the Field Looking Over the River. Do all private schools have these? It was dark, so we couldn't necessarily see anything, but we knew it was there. The three of us sat down in comfy chairs and proceeded to contemplate religion, human nature and relationships.


In the background, we listened to the sounds of the Boarding School Orchestra. The BSO played such hits as Rhapsody in Blue, a very hearty rendition of Stars and Stripes Forever, as well as other tunes I can't quite recall. But they were cranking them out. And they were good. And a perfect accompaniment to the evening sky and talks with great friends.

After the Boarding School experience, we went to the grocery store. Since I don't get to make it to the store very often, I was pretty excited for this event. I went in for one thing and ended up buying over $30 worth of food. It's okay, considering I haven't been grocery shopping in over a month. I tend to get the same things. I always have nacho materials, pancake materials, and a little bit of fresh fruit and veggies. This trips pick was a golden delicious apple and some green beans, which I plan to eat tonight alongside some curried salmon. Yum!

Totally great night. I'm so excited it's getting colder and I can put my sweaters and jackets to work. They've been so bored all summer!!

Rocktober 15th - Cat Power/The Childballads@9:30 Club

I've been debating on how to spin this post. Should I write about the beautiful music, or should I write about how messed up everyone was? Should I write about Chan's adorable dancing shoes, or should I write about the fight beside me and the ice poured down my back?

Let me address both.

The music was good. Cat Power and the Dirty Delta Blues: Wow. Chan Marshall really has a deep folky-soulful voice.
She is just a little pixie girl, but you can see and hear the strength in her. Her voice was soft and whispery, but bold and commanding at the same time. She sang a bunch of short 2-3 minute songs, including old standard covers and some songs off her new album, The Greatest.
I got to the show halfway through The Childballads performance. They're music was kind of old to me. To me they seemed like another Brooklyn band, lower-east side mullet wearing, fashionista type. Which is fine...the music was okay. It was nothing I haven't heard before. You know, drum drum drum, a guitar riff, a drugged up completely-unaware singer, blah blah indie lyric. Sorry guys, but I couldn't even focus on the music what with all the drugged out bandmates/punching audience/Nag Champa fumes blowing in my face/random girls dancing the cha cha on stage...

I'm serious, the show was crazy. All the antics really detracted from the music and made it hard to appreciate. After seeing the show I came home and googled the Childballads.
Apparently the lead singer, Stewart Lupton, predated Julian Casablancas of The Strokes as the "guy who was always messed up but still managed to sing into the microphone and sound ok". But his previous band split due to his heroin addiction. Well, I can say with pride that I have now seen someone on the effects on heroin. I think. I mean, I don't normally hang out with hard drug users, so I've never seen it in person and movies about drugs make me nauseated, so I haven't really seen it in the movies. All I know was that Stewart was effed up.
See Stewart? He's the one with the haunting, lifeless look and sunken cheekbones. He was stumbling around the stage, incoherently muttering between songs, holding a burning ciggy in his hand that I SWORE was going to catch his crepe paper scarf on FIRE. He knocked over the mike stand and at one point, someone (I think his manager) came over to the stage and gave The Sign to his bandmates that I assume meant, For the Love of God himself, please end this show - before our boy passes out or hurts himself.

After their set ended, the girl behind me punched another girl in the Chevy Chase and threw her drink in her face. The drink splashed all over me. I stood there thinking "I should probably leave", notwithstanding the fact that I had come alone and was a little nervous to be in a bad neighborhood late at night. This was just increasing the paranoia. Anyway the guards all came over and people dispersed, but it was really weird.

Soon enough Chan and her buddies came on stage. She was sick, but was a doll and apologized throughout the show for sounding like crap. Which she didn't, she sounded amazing. She had on these cute white shoes and moonwalked across the stage the entire night. No wonder she is crowned as the Indie Darling. She was like a walking ad for Urban Outfitters. And she alternated sips from a coke can and tea. It was really endearing.Like these, but white.

I really don't know what to think about everything. I'm still a little tired from all the antics from The Childballads. I'm sad Cat Power didn't sing any of other old songs at ALL, because they are so deliciously good. He War? Nothing. Good Woman? Nothing. Still, she put on a good show and the Dirty Delta Blues were really great. I was entertained, even if I didn't get what I bargained for. Actually, I was bargaining for a little stage drama, because Chan is known for breaking down on stage (I think we were all kind of waiting for that to happen), but I had no idea the drama that Stewart would bring. He had enough drama to pass around for the whole of the DC metropolitan area.
But combined into the total package...

Rocktober gives Cat Power 6 out of 10 stars.

I'm tired. Who needs a drink?

Rocktober 11th - Matt Haimovitz@Iota Club and Cafe

Ok, we are halfway through Rocktober and my wallet is really feeling the effects.

Last Thursday's performance was perhaps the most affecting of all the shows I've been to in the past 2 weeks. Matt Haimovitz is a classically trained cellist. His schtick is playing not in the usual concert halls, but instead in the small dimly-lit rock/grunge halls of America.

The Iota is nothing more than a simple stage, 1 foot off the ground. 2 rows of chairs were set up, and every seat was filled, along with all the bar stools for this particular show. We were ready to believe him.

Matt is a musician. I'm not talking about a person whose voice lilts and floats throughout a rock show, or whose guitar strums along to a drum-backed rhythm. I'm talking about a musician. Matt knows how to manipulate his instrument to make music like I've never heard before. The cello resonated so deeply and his bow grazed along the strings with such precision. His callused fingers danced up and down the fret board for 2 hours as he presented Bach Cello Suite No. 1, along with many avante garde pieces. I was near tears and was truly silenced and immovable listening to After Reading Shakespeare. He read poetry from Shakespeare in between the pieces styled after the sonnets. Or whatever.

Listen, the thing is - from the moment I walked into that room, I was totally under Matt's spell. Looking at him play, it is easy to look past the exterior. The exterior that screams "I play Dungeons and Dragons and will totally judo-kick you under the table", complete with black clothes, long hair and pale skin. When you see him playing the cello - the lines of anguish and musical passion that form on his brow...the veins the bulge out of his hands and forearms from playing so robustly...you can't help but fall under the spell.
He played The Star Spangled Banner - the Jimi Hendrix version -with 2 mikes on the cello, volume turned up to 11. So cool.
He plucked and bowed the cello simultaneously, while playing music so drearily sad, you'd think he'd been to Auschwitz, communist camps, and the site of 9/11. It was heartbreaking.
He recited Mark Twain and played several 3-4 minute pieces in between the Twain, with an amazing sense of humor and tenderness.
Check him out. Be amazed. Enjoy the classical music and if you get a chance, stop by to see him. He is touring worldwide. I love Matt for having the brevity to screw the classical music halls and bring classical music to the masses, for an affordable price and for bringing such an unforgettable experience to the Rocktober experience.

Rocktober gives Matt Haimovitz 10 out of 10 stars.

Rocktober 9th - Josh Ritter@9:30 Club

Thank you SO much for bein here with us taniiiight!! This is the biggest show we've ever had in the States. This is so excitin'.
--Josh Ritter


Was I prepared for the madness of a Josh Ritter show earlier this week? No. No, I was not. I knew he was from Idaho, but I had no idea he had retained his Idaho roots with such fortitude. In between his hootin and hollerin, Josh regaled his captivated audience with tales of potatoes, writing songs to potatoes, naming potatoes, and riding a lawn mower home with an older cheating lover.

Josh came on stage with a smile as wide as Nebraska and it rarely left his face throughout the 1 1/2 hour set. His energy was extremely contagious and he played with a seemingly drug-induced happiness the entire time. But, Josh was not on drugs, I'm 99% positive. After studying him for awhile, I realized he was just a geeky Idaho hick boy who was all riled up to be sharing his music with his newfound friends. Seriously never have I seen any musician so excited. They're usually so subdued and trying to play it cool. Josh, however, had no business in involving himself in this charade. Loved it.

The music was amazing. He really knows how to paint a picture with his words. He is an amazing lyricist and his band plays really well off one another. There were even some saxaphones and trumpets for a few songs, which made the entire experience that much more enjoyable, because I felt like I was watching Home Alone and Kevin McCallister was having his fake party in the house, moving all the Dancers like a well-trained puppet-master. Jingle Bell Rock, ya'll.

Anyway, if Josh ever blows through town, don't miss the opportunity to see him. Thoroughly entertaining, introspective, and slap-yer-knee rockin good time.

Rocktober gives Josh Ritter 9 out of 10 stars.

Rocktober 1st - Carol Bui@The Black Cat

Carol Bui is a beautiful and extremely talented lady. She had her CD release party last night of Everyone Wore White, and celebrated turning 26.
So we ate chocolate birthday cake as we nodded our heads to the lyrical stylings of Carol. Miss Bui if you're nasty.

Carol opened her show last night with a vocal solo of a traditional Vietnamese song. It was perfect to engage the listeners and familiarize them with the reachings of her voice. Carol is a mix between a more resonating Fiona Apple, a higher voltage Rachel Yamagata, and maybe a more post-punk version of Joni Mitchell. I only give the Joni reference because she does a great job crafting her songs and lyrics.

The show went on late for a school night. Library Chick, Iggy and I quickly went from looking like this:
To this:

Carol kept us awake and entertained by singing a few older songs from previous CD's but she mostly stuck to her new songs. Her sound is really haunting, dark at times, but the rich vocal tones and the cello keep her music from sounding like a neolithic skeleton parade. Any time there is a cello in the band, there is a strong to quite strong possibility that I will love your band. Her band was really powerful and they played really well together. Carol is another emerging artist on the DC scene with comparisons to Mary Timony and Jeff Buckley. Give her a listen. She'll rock your world.