Favorite Venues: In Praise of the 9:30 Club

9:30 Club, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

It's rare that a gritty club in a gritty part of town could attract the likes of Bryan Ferry, The Hives, Neil Finn, Jurassic 5, Dolly Parton, Wilco, Liz Phair, Los Lobos, Lucinda Williams, etc. It's also rare that a gritty club in a gritty part of town could induce folks from all over the surrounding countryside to brave the road rage-inducing tourist traffic of our nation's capitol.  But attract and induce it does.

In fact, I can think of no place I'd rather see live music. Truly.

Why? The room. When the crowd is light, the room never feels empty. When a show is sold out, it never feels claustrophobic. And in either case, the sound is phenomenal. I mean phenominal. The sound team seems equally at home with acoustic acts featuring hard-to-hear instruments like stand-up bass, as well as the heaviest riff-rocking guitars, and hip-hop's human beatboxes and turntables. You never strain to hear, nor do your ears ever bleed. But it doesn't end there, oh no! If you're not a fan of standing on the floor, or you're sick of being too short behind a wall of 6-footers, there are many options. Head on up to the balcony for a view down over the crowd and have a beer at one of the bars. Or pull up a bleacher seat along the side walls upstairs. You'll always be able to find a good view. And even up in the back balcony, you'll still feel as if you could reach out and touch the band. Optical illusion? Optical delusion? Who cares?! All I know is it's good.

Why? Musicians love playing there. Despite having a smallish stage (Bryan Ferry's band and back-up singers looked positively squished), every last band I've seen there seems to be having a fab time. Maybe the soundman is particularly adept at giving them a good monitor mix. Who knows? But every last one of 'em that I've seen has seemed to be kicking  proverbial butt and enjoying themselves more than usual. The interactions with the crowd are personal and the encores long. I think it must be the close proximity to the crowd. I imagine that for many artists used to playing huge venues to tens of thousands, playing at the 9:30 Club is like returning to your roots. Calling it "intimate" kind of falls short of the mark. Getting in touch with your fans can literally be achieved, as Neil Finn proved when he pulled a fan up on stage to lead the room in singing one of his songs, while he accompanied on guitar. It breeds such "special moments" like warm, fuzzy tribbles.

Why? Atmosphere. The 9:30 Club doesn't have to try. It just has that special something without all sorts of decor or theme-y posturings. It has just the right mix of tattoos and big, scary bouncers to make it feel like an equally great place to see hard core as hip-hop. And then there's the afore-mentioned proximity of the crowd to the stage. At about hip height, you can walk right up to it and determine if that's a Gretsch or a Gibson hollow-body the guitarist is playing, and read the set list taped to the stage floor. You can make eye contact with the band. You can hang out in the rafters and still feel as if they're singing just to you. That ever elusive quality of "intimacy" that so many venues strive for seems effortless here. It kind of feels like home to me now.

The numbers don't lie! The concert industry reports that the 9:30 Club is the single most popular club-size venue in the country, with the highest $$ earned and the greatest number of tickets sold. It's that magic combination -- musicians love to play there, and music-lovers hanker to head there.

Can you think of a better way of summing up the 9:30 Club? Post it here!  Or check out what the AOL CityGuide Editors had to say, and find out why they ranked it as the City's Best Place to See Live Music. Then find out who's playing next at 9:30!

Breaking News: Morrissey

This just in from a press release from Morrissey's PR people...

"On Saturday, July 17th, Morrissey will perform at Chicago's House of Blues. This is likely to be his only US show this summer, and as such, tickets for the performance sold out in less than two minutes."

Why wouldn't he resched all his Lollapalooza dates with replacement solo US dates, you ask?  It's a mystery. 

Ben Folds, Guster & Rufus Wainwright at Wolf Trap

Ben Folds is The Man. I'm talkin the MAN.  THE man. 

Having gotten that brief observation out of the way, I'll start at the beginning...  

Last Tuesday night, I had the magic combination: Mix 3 parts superb performances, 1 part phenomenal acoustics & 1 part perfect weather. Shake it with a sold-out crowd, garnish with 10th row seats, and you'll get the divine cocktail I knocked back last week.  I had mysteriously stumbled across the ingredients to love potion number 9. Or the stairway to 7th heaven.  

Up first: Rufus Wainwright -- Rufus has been one of my favorite discoveries since he opened for Tori Amos at DC's DAR Constitution Hall 2 years ago. Rufus is a phenomenal songwriter with a knack for hummable melodies and deep-delving, often wickedly funny lyrics. I'm always impressed by young artists who can stand on a large stage all by themselves and hold a crowd with confidence. We were with him through the whispers and the crescendoes -- old fans and virgin ears alike. I love that he wears his alternative lifestyle proudly on his sleeve with aplomb. And his between-song banter is hilarious. (How rare is that?! Usually we just want singers to shut up and sing, am I right?)  

Some highlights: One of my favorite songs from his first album, Poses, "One Man Guy," originally recorded by his famous father, Loudon Wainwright. The kicker: the guys from Guster came out as his backing band and helped Rufus sing the four-part harmonies. Brought the house down. Keeping it all in the family with his musical mom, Kate McGarrigle on piano, he introduced the next song by saying that he started out his career performing it with her when he was nine. We all just about died when he busted out "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." What could have been shlocky dreck just for the laughs turned out to be a highlight of the show. Those who had only heard of Rufus through the Moulin Rouge soundtrack were thrilled when he played "Complainte De La Butte", sung entirely in French. Not a tall order for this native son of Quebec. I only wish he'd sung the Beatles' "Across the Universe" from the I Am Sam soundtrack. *sigh*  But all told, a divine performance, couldn't have asked for more.  

On second: Guster -- I'd never seen Guster before, nor had I owned any of their CDs. Suffice it to say that I am now the happy owner of two, count 'em, two Guster CDs. Plus, it kind of felt like old home week, as I remember them from the Boston music scene -- they formed at Tufts University. I must say, I'm a sucker for the bongo man. He took jangly folk rock and made it grooveable. Not that they'd be bad without the bongos. He just adds quite a bit to the mix. As does the multi-instrumentalist who swapped from guitar & pedal steel to piano and assorted noisemakers. I was surprised how many songs I recognized. I realized these guys have saturated pop culture far more than I gave them credit for.  The highlight of the set for me: They invited Ben Folds out to play piano and sing a tune.  Are you sensing a trend?  

Last, but not least: Ben Folds -- Did I mention that Ben Folds is THE MAN? Ahem. If I had ever at any point thought twice about including him in my Top 10 Shows of All Time list (I've never thought twice about it, but if I had...), his place in the pantheon was reconfirmed that night. If you ever, EVER have the opportunity to see Ben Folds within a three hour driving radius, DO NOT MISS HIM. He fills up the house with his personality within seconds of setting foot on stage. I've often wondered just what it is about Ben that puts his fans in rabid fits of rapture when he plays. I think it must be the hilarious lyrics that tell tales of a self-proclaimed misfit nerd making his way in the world. He's the everyman everyone wants to go have a beer with. Yes, that, plus his melodies are immediately hummable and the songwriting indulges in campy, rafter-rocking anthems. He held us in the palm of his hand (whenever it wasn't otherwise occupied pounding away on the piano).  

Highlights: Have you ever seen a lone artist on stage get an audience to sing in three part harmony?  He conducted us, standing on his Steinway. Did I mention that he also got the audience to divide into a horn section and sax section, to fill in for the backing band that wasn't there?  I'm not kidding!  It doesn't stop there. He brought Rufus out to help him sing a poignant rendition of "Careless Whisper", by, you guessed it, George Michael.  I loved the freeform jam he popped on the Guster boys without warning, giving them only "Key of D" as an indication of what was to come. He proceeded to sing as if he was possessed by the soul & pipes of Ronnie James Dio. They had a blast, and so did we.  Run, don't walk, to your nearest Ben Folds concert right now.

Inspired? Get tickets to the tour!

Who's Your Daddy?

OK, so you've seen me ramble on and on about my Top 10 Tours (see Favorite Sites list at the top right of this journal). Tell me about yours!

It doesn't have to be a list of 10. It doesn't have to be fancy. It doesn't have to be funny. But maybe I'll learn something about some bands I should be checking out next time they're in town. Or maybe you'll find that long-lost someone you left on the beach blanket at the Buffett show who agrees it was the best concert ever. Sound off!

Don't Dismay! Lolla Artists On Tour

If you had your heart set on seeing your favorite artists on the Lollapalooza bill this year, don't give up all hope. Many are filling their recently emptied calendars with solo tours. Here's a handy list:

Ex-Day 1 Performers:  Sonic Youth -- Modest Mouse -- The Walkmen

Ex-Day 2 Performers:  String Cheese Incident -- Pixies -- Gomez -- The Polyphonic Spree -- Sound Tribe Sector 9

Personally, I wish Morrissey would hit DC this summer. After reading the glowing review of his show at the Apollo in NY in the June 10th issue of Rolling Stone, anyone would be a fool not to catch him. RS are more than happy to dole out 2 and 3-star ratings to live performances, but are notoriously stingy with a 4-star rating... and Morrissey Ranked 4 stars (sorry for the pun). This bit was the clincher for me: "Old classics such as 'Every Day Is Like Sunday' and 'I Know It's Going to Happen Someday' were amazing, but he zoomed past all expectations by dusting off a few Smiths tunes."  Smiths tunes?!  Please please please, Morrissey, come to DC! 

Breaking News: Lolla & Other Tour Cancellations

Lollapalooza: Yes, fellow music fans, it's true. Lollapalooza 2004 has been canceled. I am shocked and dismayed! Get the full story.

Wearing my "music industry" hat, on some levels I suppose I can understand. I think a 2-day traveling fest is a tough sell in the first place. Most folks will probably pick whichever day has the greatest percentage of their fave artists, rather than investing time & cash in both days. Second -- and you indie music purists will want to shoot me for saying this -- I don't think the lineups had any A-List artists capable of really roping in the $$$.  While any one of the bands on the lineup could easily support a solo tour, somehow their combined draw wasn't enough to support a 2-day fest.

Wearing my "music fan" hat, however, I was definitely seduced by the lineup -- particularly Morrissey and the Pixies. And I was looking forward to seeing what all the hubbub is about with several of the other bands on the lineup -- particularly Modest Mouse.

Why do you think Lolla couldn't make it this year? Give us your 2 cents worth.

Lollapalooza has a big place in my heart, being the source of an abnormally high number of my Top 10 concert experiences ever. (1st place, 4th place, honorable mentions, & more honorable mentions) I am saddened to see that it is having such a hard time sustaining itself in this decade. I hope Perry doesn't give up entirely next year. I'll keep my fingers crossed that he'll hit on a better concept that will prove irresistible to others besides just me.

Other Cancellations: News of Lolla 2004's demise comes hot on the heels of announcements of a slew of other A-List cancellations. First Ms. Dirrty herself, Xtina Aguilera backed out of her tour due to strained vocal chords. Next Marc Anthony (A-List status debatable) backs out, as well. Then (Ms. My-Last-Name-is-Superfluous) Britney cancels her tour due to knee surgery. With a dramatic lack of divas on tour, it's no small wonder Cher has stepped in to fill the void with her Farewell Tour muttering, "quitters!" all the way to the bank. The irony kills me.

Last year was a banner year for tours, leaving the industry wondering what the heck is happening this year?!  Tell us what you think.

Louisiana Swamp Romp

In the words of the immortal Maurice Sendak in Where the Wild Things Are, "Let the wild rumpus start!"

True to my words about fave local fests, I decided last-minute to ante up and head out to the Louisiana Swamp Romp at Wolf Trap on Sunday. First allow me to say how nice it is that Wolf Trap is one of the lone remaining amphitheatres that allows its patrons to bring food and beverages. A Louisiana Swamp Romp would certainly be less of a romp without the requisite bevvies, not to mention the Mardi Gras beads. Mass drunkenness aside, the highlight of the afternoon was the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. About them I will say just this: they can bring the funk. Hallelujah, brother.

As an aside: For those of you in the metro DC area who are curious about the cicada situation at an outdoor amphitheatre show, don't stress too much. I am NOT a fan of insects, and can think of few things I like less than cicadas dive-bombing my head. So I went to Wolf Trap with much trepidation. I'm pleased to report that it really wasn't that bad!  It wasn't a swarm of biblical proportions. Nor would I use the word "infestation". In fact, the cicadas really weren't that much of an issue. So don't let the cicadas get you down. Get thee to an outdoor show immediately and soak up the summer while it lasts.