weekend review: when did mötley crüe become classic rock?

I'd told Tam all about the glory of the Legwarmers concerts. 80's music... live... people in costume... what more do you need? It seemed like an appropriate send-off to be a part of my last weekend-ing in DC. The Mack and the Fashionista had hit up Goodwill and the Salvation Army. I couldn't bring myself to buy more themed apparel though to add to my dwindling stash clutter, having donated so much to those very organizations. Instead, I pulled back out my short denim skirt and a pair of my trusty legwarmers and made do with what was left in my apartment (which isn't too much). To add a little umph, Tam and I put Buckeye's unused crimper set to use. Too fun. We gained a full appreciation for the time and dedication it takes to properly crimp.


We all convened at AR's place in Balllllllston beforehand. We parked at the mall and walked over and were clearly walking conversation pieces all along the way. We hadn't even left my apartment complex to go over to Ballston before we had our first comments, which continued throughout the course of the evening. Hey, it's nice when you're going over the top to at least be appreciated ;-) GH, who works for NBC, was on hand to also help to document the event. We ended up on the website, including a picture with one of the lead singers.


Unlike my prior outing, the plan was to make it until the last song on the setlist, with my hope being that they would not opt for an hour intermission during this show. However, shortly after intermission this girl in the crowd decided to up and punch one of the Mack's friends in the face - not once, not twice, but three times. In all of the times I've been to such events, crammed in the middle of tons and tons of dancing people, I'd never seen anything like this firsthand. So not even 15 minutes post-intermission, our group quickly was split in half. For the record, I just don't get people who expect to be in the midst of a crowd like that and have some sort of space bubble around them. If that's your deal, um stay further back? Or perhaps just don't leave home...


Anyhow, the rest of the show was a blast... Tam, KK, and SR danced it up with me in fine fashion. I was definitely glad I was able to see them one last time. Very fun.

Sunday my church did a nice farewell for me. It was the first time I almost cried, as Tx came up to give me a big hug, not letting go. Yes, it will be the people I'll truly miss... Tam and I then hit up Kramerbooks for brunch. It seemed appropriate the weekend included both Kramers and Lauriol, my true original DC staples.


And after today, it'll only be 2 days more...

when the black horse upgrades

I like those few CDs where you are content to click play on the CD player and let it run its course, start to finish. Put it on repeat? Sure, why not - 'cause it's that good. At last year's Austin City Limits, I was introduced to KT Tunstall. She was playing midday and my friend Tx was all about seeing her.

"KT Tunstall? Who?" I asked, a puzzled look on my face.

"Oh she sings that song 'Black Horse and the Cherry Tree'. I'm sure you've heard it," she replied. Hmmmm. I was sure I'd heard it at some point, but was drawing a blank. Since we had been switching off who chose the next stage to check out, I nodded in agreement and figured I'd give her setlist a try.

And boy I was not disappointed. Still a relative newcomer to the musical scene, KT had an instantaneous stage presence typically reserved for those who have long been on the concert circuit. Her brief exchanges with the audience were confident, serving to accentuate an absolutely fantastic setlist. Her stage set-up was simplistic - a few basic rugs and just her and her guitar, oh and her bare feet. I was hooked instantly. What was one of my first post-ACL purchases? That would be Eye to the Telescope, her first major release.

The bigger known cuts from her first album would definitely include "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" and "Suddenly I See", which has seemingly popped up all over from the recent movie The Devil Wears Prada to accompanying Meredith Gray's dancing in a poignant moment on Gray's Anatomy. The album has an interesting mix of pop/rock with bluesy overtones, and it works. My favorite from the album is "Through the Dark", the final haunting track focusing on the uncertainty of the future. The lyrics emphasize finding strength to make it through hard times where you just do not know if there's a reason to even expend energy hoping for what you feel you need.

When I saw on iTunes that KT had a new release slated for mid-September of this year, I did the pre-sale right away. And when iTunes wasn't showing it in my pending downloads the morning it was released, I was annoyed and found myself purchasing it - again. On the train ride up to NYC that evening, en route to my interview for the job I will be starting next Monday in Manhattan, I was again much impressed. Sophomore slump? Not here. Although I guess if you count in her live album, Accoustic Extravaganza, this release is technically number three.

I'd been addicted to Hold On since it was put up on MySpace. I remember listening to it one of the first days I was able to go without a cast after my broken foot and I quickly found myself dancing en route to the subway, just smiling back at those passing by gazing at my twitching feet. It's just one of those songs where you have to dance. It definitely serves as a strong and catchy first single track from the album, with energy comparable to KT's prior major singles, "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" and "Suddenly I See".

Drastic Fantastic has a mixture of the honesty of Eye to the Telescope with I think an edgy quality more prevalent in Accoustic Extravaganza. The bluesy element fades here, but the combination between pop and rock still remains - without any of the cliche sound often times classified as rock. There are albums with strong lyrics and there are those with fantastic melodies and interesting combinations of musical elements. Drastic Fantastic is solid on both accounts. It starts off on a powerful note with "Little Favours" and from there continues through a series of peaks and valleys, with the ultimate crescendo at "Hold On". Like Eye to the Telescope, Drastic Fantastic rounds out with the overall calmer yet still intinsive lyrics of "Someday Soon" and "Paper Aeroplane".

Lyrics in songs such as "If Only" and "I Don't Want You Now" show a unique balance between the sentiments of a strong and independent woman along with the occasional realities of those moments of doubt, captured especially well in my opinion in songs such as "Saving My Face". With Drastic Fantastic, KT has solidified she's a consistent entertainer who we'll be seeing more of in the years to come, for sure. I love Eye to the Telescope but in my opinion, Drastic Fantastic takes it up - a notch.

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Check out KT's upcoming tour, including stops in the below cities:

• November 13 - Los Angeles, CA @ Avalon
• November 17 - Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
• November 21 - NYC, NY @ Roseland

bruised but not broken

I melt in the rain. No, I'm not the Wicked Witch of the West, but it's a fact. Chances I'll move to Seattle? Next to none.

Email to the girls: "Ok ladies... we're under a severe weather alert. It's been raining on and off all day... rest of night has scattered thunderstorms. Just wanted to see if we're still on, etc. I'm partly worried about getting stuck out in the middle of something..."

Response from DrP: "I'd stand in the rain for Joss."

Response from me: "I wish I could say the same... Love Joss, but I'm not doing rain." (Yeah, apparently this statement was as solid as my futile "I'm not staying out late tonight" comments...)


A bottle of red... A bottle of white...

At 4:40PM I decided I was in. Jeans, tennis shoes, snacks, screw-top wine... I was good to go. It all was peachy keen until some 15 minutes 'til the opening act came on, the rain came tumbling down. And oh it kept coming. Foolish me: "Oh, it's lighter behind... See?? It'll pass!". Sassy just smiled back at me. I think she knew I was foolishly being super optimistic. Smart one there.

It was only as DrP and myself, the remaining members of our posse, were running to catch the last bus to the metro (success!!) that we noticed that the rain had ended. Chances that I'll be getting a refund on an unused emergency poncho purchase at CVS? Um, yeah. Non-existent. However, I can personally vouch for their effectiveness. After three hours of concert, it was still helping to simlultaneously keep the rain off my shirt, my head, and functioning to keep my rump as dry as possible (as the rain had long since seeped up through the blanket - oh well - valiant effort Sassy!).

I'd never seen Joss Stone live and I have to say, she was quite engaging live in concert. I was very glad that Sassy'd decided to spearhead our Wolf Trap outting. Joss came out with a snappy fun retro short dress (much a la Edie). DrP said she'd much improved over her show last year at Wolf Trap. She told great stories of words of wisdom from her "mum" and of her experiences with troubles with the "blokes". I was loving the British slang and soul vibe wrapped all into one.

It was also funny to listen to her view on things as she introduced her songs alongside with the powerful lyrics, much a contrast to the world of "The Rules". Ah, the Rules. At the prompting of the DG, Sassy's been reading the lovely book entitled The Rules: Time-Tested Secrets for Capturing the Heart of Mr. Right. My take on the rules? It's a time-tested list of random things to have females obsess with like it's some sort of one-size fits all perfect prescription for dating bliss that's going to magically take you to some sort of state of romantic perfection. Um no.

I've harped on it before, but I definitely don't buy into this philosophy. What is the point in conforming oneself to something you aren't? I'm not in the business of false advertising. Granted, most people perhaps tone down aspects of their personalities - but pretending to be something altogether different from who you are still completely perplexes me.

So why you ask am I off on this random tangent in the midst of discussing the Joss Stone concert? While only 20, Joss is on board with this for sure. Her songs speak of the strength of women. It was energizing to hear her stories, her singing live, with us dancing and singing along under our cluster of umbrellas.

I've got a right to be wrong
I've been held down too long
I've got to break free
So I can finally breathe
I've got a right to be wrong
Got to sing my own song
I might be singing out of key
But it sure feels good to me
I've got a right to be wrong
So just leave me alone

Oh and side-note, the follow-up to "The Rules" was released around the same time as one of the author's marriages desolved. I stand firm I'm not any less Southern for saying that I feel "The Rules" are a load of rubbish.

As DrP and I cleaned up our scene, even in our soggy state it was recyclables in one bag, trash (including some previously fabulous but now creepily liquidized Girl Scout shortbreads) in another, and a third housed our now seemingly 10-15 pound soggy blanket and our (then) unopened bag of animal crackers. That whole use Metro to take you to your place to eat and not *as* your place to eat? Yeah. Not quite believers. But our clean patch of Wolf Trap grass surely earned us honorary Cadet status.

Muchas gracias to DrP for lending me her pepper spray ("just in case") for last night. I did do the test spray en route to mi casa, so be forewarned I'm prepped, armed, and dangerous. I think DrP may have come out with the better deal out of the arrangement somehow...

I'm loving the absence of rain. Dry clothing. Dry um all sorts of garmets. Yeah. I think I've served my time in the rain department for quite some time to come.

a big loan from the girl zone

Ok, almost the entire new Tori Amos album is online on MySpace. Seriously, between that, meetings, and training today - am I really going to get work done today? Slim chances there for sure.

tell me 'bout it

I love the variety of in DC. The different flavors you can get by going from one neighborhood to another. Not wild about one area? Go several blocks in any direction and you're likely to find something with at least a slightly different vibe. I've only recently begun to dabble a bit in the musical offerings along the U-Street Corridor. I'd heard of the many locations with live jazz to add to that must-check-out list (that's ever growing and only very slowly being whittled down) along that strip. I did dinner once at Sala Thai in that area and was pleasantly surprised that the jazz ensemble which was performing was such a highlight, and the restaurant wasn't even a location I'd noted as a must-hit for live music.

Saturday I had plans to go to a friend's birthday, but when Rio texted to say that he and a couple of friends in from out of town were going to go to U-topia (one definitely on my list), I said I'd figure out a way to make it all work. U Street is such a fascinating area to me. I love all of the history there. I always forget that it has a longer standing history than NYC's Harlem. I wish that live music was as plentiful in DC as it is in say Austin.

Walking into the restaurant, I could tell it was going to be rich on many levels. The walls were a deep crimson and there were satin curtains framing the doorways between the different areas of the restaurant. There was a small bar area with some seating around it and then another room, which was primarily more tables with some couches and plush chairs in the back righthand corner. The walls were covered with vibrant paintings of all sorts, all for sale. I really love to see it when the work of local artists is put on display (and also for sale) like that. I didn't check out the price tags associated, but the combined effect with the surroundings made for a rich atmosphere.

The flavor carried through to the food as well. Their traditional gumbo was delicious. The blackened shrimp was good, although it could have used a bit more of the traditional blackening "umph". The sauce was really good though, even if not quite what I'd anticipated by the whole blackened label. Even menu items not touted as spicy came out with a little extra kick, as Rio found when his lamb chop arrived adorned by a big fat jalapeno pepper. Knowing his lack of affection for things mega-spicy, I made sure to point out the pepper before he dug in.

I was supposed to be at the party by then, but I drug my feet in leaving to be able to hear the ensemble kick off their set. We were seated towards the back of the restaurant. This proved to be a plus for saving us from that neverending draft you get by being close to the entrance, but not such prime real estate for enjoying the music. They set the performers up in an alcove torwards the front, so if you ever go to check out the scene there, keep that in mind. I only was able to stay through the first couple of songs. The clarinet had a rich, soulful sound that cut crisply through the room, but yet gelling perfectly with the percussionist and the others in the ensemble. Finally 15 or so minutes in, I had to excuse myself to head to stage two of the evening. But I was quite impressed with U-topia. It's a stop I'll definitely have to make again.

And speaking of soul, I picked up the new Joss Stone album on Friday during mine and Sassy's "suburban" shopping run. If you haven't heard it, I highly recommend it. It's R&B with sort of a dance/pop twist. Her first single is a catchy tune.

I figured I'd start my pre-concert prep-work now, having already picked up tickets to her upcoming show at Wolf Trap. I'm not a big fan of attending concerts and not knowing the music. I have her first album, but that's it. This third one though has definitely been on repeat in my office. I think my co-workers think I have a multiple personality disorder. Just a week ago, I was listening to this classical channel on streaming radio all day long. Now it's Joss. Sing it, girl.