music

John Denverville – Personal Reflection on “Annie’s Song” by Rebecca Brenner

By Prince Of Petworth

This week’s ode to John Denver was written by Rebecca Brenner is a PhD candidate in history at American University. You can follow her on Twitter @rebeccabbrenner.

I first heard “Annie’s Song” as a sophomore in college in the mountainous Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. I related to the “like the mountains in springtime” line when the frigid New England winter finally released its grasp. Now as a Washingtonian free from New England winters, I am planning my wedding for next summer in DC. My fiancé let me choose our wedding song, and naturally I chose “Annie’s Song” because I love the line “let me drown in your laughter, let me die in your arms.” (more…)

Black Cat Closing First Floor “by the end of the year…to make room for one or two retail tenants”

By Prince Of Petworth


1811 14th Street, NW

I ran down to the levee
But the Devil caught me there
He took my twenty dollar bill
And he vanished in the air

So much for that third floor expansion?

The Washington Post reported the bombshell news yesterday:

“By the end of the year, its ground-floor Red Room bar — where, for years, young Washington’s edgier population convened to pound PBRs and Tecates — will close, along with the Backstage, the Black Cat’s small secondary performance space. (more…)

Cleveland Park’s (presumably) only record label has released a benefit compilation for Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services

By Prince Of Petworth


courtesy Fuzzy Panda Recording Company

“Dear PoPville,

Cleveland Park’s (presumably) only record label, Fuzzy Panda Recording Company, has released a benefit compilation for RAICES. The compilation is available here.

From the Fuzzy Panda website:

This compilation benefits the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES). RAICES’s Legal Representation, Advocacy, and Education Project provides universal representation for released unaccompanied children in Texas. (more…)

John Denverville commences with Take Me Home, Country Roads. Obviously!!

By Prince Of Petworth

Please enjoy our inaugural John Denverville post with his classic from 1972 when he guest-hosted ‘Burt Sugarman’s The Midnight Special’. Magnificent. Truly.

I’ll never forget the first time I really appreciated this song, it was 1995 and I was in Munich for Oktoberfest. I was at a picnic table surrounded by drunken Germans, Italians, and U.S. soldiers on leave. Everyone was singing together at the top of their lungs in pure joy. This unadulterated joy courtesy of John Denver. And massive amounts of beer. But still. It is where the seeds of John Denverville were first sown.

Howard Theatre’s Alcohol License Suspension was a Clerical Error.

By Prince Of Petworth

UPDATE from the Howard Theatre:

“I would like to bring to your attention the simple fact that the liquor license at the Howard Theatre was never actually suspended. The suspension notice was a clerical error made by ABRA. Please see attached letter from ABRA explaining such events (above.)

Upcoming shows include:

8/25 – Sheila E
9/7 – Wyclef Jean
9/12 – The Wonder Years
9/15 – Stanley Clarke
9/20 – Black Uhuru
9/21 – Roc Marciano & Friends
9/26 – Pete Yorn
9/28 – White Ford Bronco
9/29 – Ginuwine
10/10 – Buika
10/11 – Kool Keith
10/12 – Kranium
10/31 – George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic”

Update from Jim: (more…)

THIS IS JUST A RUMOR: Is the 9:30 Club “not long for this world”?

By Prince Of Petworth


815 V Street, NW

Update from Audrey Fix Schaefer
Communications Director
I.M.P. • 9:30 Club
Lincoln Theatre • The Anthem
“Live At 9:30”
Merriweather Post Pavilion:

“it’s unequivocally not true.”

“Dear PoPville,

I heard a terrible rumor from a friend in the music industry that the 9:30 Club is not long for this world. All of the big acts go down to the Anthem now, and this friend said the owners of 9:30 keep getting offers from developers that are ever higher and harder to refuse.

I have noticed that Satellite Room is rarely open Monday – Wednesday anymore (it was completely dark by 7:00 Wednesday night), wondering if this doesn’t substantiate it a bit. Would obviously be a huge loss for Shaw/U Street and the whole city, just wondering if anyone has heard anything similar.”

Again, THIS IS JUST A RUMOR. But it is worth talking about because I actually heard this same rumor a number of months ago. I asked somebody who is very well connected to the powers that be and he said there are absolutely no current plans for 9:30 Club to shutter/sell and he didn’t think they would. Having said that, the incredibly development going on all around 9:30 Club has changed things. I mean I don’t think I need to go into the history of 9:30 Club – everyone knows they are the best club in D.C. and quite possibly the country. They have had legendary performances there. They are the best. Period.

However, the Shaw of today is not the same as the Shaw/U Street of 1996 when they moved there. (more…)

Friday Question of the Day – What would your walkout song be?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Rudi Riet

It’s been a long week. It’s gonna be a longer weekend. So indulge me!! I was talking with a buddy of mine about an essential question: what song would you walk out to if you were lucky enough to be a professional baseball player. Ed. Note: Go Nats!! This is a very, very hard question – you can only pick one song. After much consideration I ultimately went with Sure Shot. What’s yours?

“I use Rally Bus for every concert we attend at Merriweather and it’s awesome”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user kristenstake

“Dear PoPville,

I am trying to get a Rally Bus trip confirmed for the Dispatch concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Saturday, July 21. If you aren’t familiar with Rally Bus, it’s a “crowdpowered” bus service that connects riders going to the same event and takes them there and back. Each rider purchases a seat on the bus, however there is a minimum threshold of riders needed in order for a trip to get confirmed. If the trip doesn’t get confirmed, you are notified a few days in advance and you get your money back.

My husband and I use Rally Bus for every concert we attend at Merriweather and it’s awesome. (more…)

“Who is DC’s best busker?”

By Prince Of Petworth

Video

Thanks to Sean for sending:

“I nominate this older woman, probably early 60s outside my office at 18th & Eye Street. Here’s a video of her absolutely slaying on Purple Rain. She was doing a bunch of amazing solos.”

NOOOOOOOOOO. WAMU announces cancellation of Hot Jazz Saturday Night, Last broadcast is June 23rd.

By Prince Of Petworth

Well this is just awful. From Hot Jazz Saturday Night’s Facebook Saturday Night:

“In the likely (and understandable) event you were watching the Caps play tonight instead of listening to HJSN, I wanted to share with you that WAMU announced earlier this evening a slate of upcoming program changes. Among them is the cancellation of Hot Jazz Saturday Night. My last broadcast will be on June 23rd. You can find a link to the station’s press release on the home page, www.wamu.org.

The station will be moving LIVE FROM HERE, the successor to A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION, to air 8:00-10:00, followed by LIVE WIRE, at 10:00 P.M. Judy Carmichael’s JAZZ INSPIRED will be replaced with an additional hour of news from the BBC. (more…)

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