In my eyes, the iConcertCal application is a must have for those who rock an iPhone. It was released this past July to highly favorable reviews for its interface, usability, and numerous practical purposes, most notably the ability to pinpoint local tour dates for artists included in your phone's music library. If you wish to broaden the ap's search to your entire iTunes library, there's a downloadable iTunes plug-in which enables you to setup your phone to sync your iConcertCal artist lists with your desktop. Even if you don't have any artists loaded to your phone, or an extensive iTunes library for that matter, just simply having the iConcertCal ap on your phone enables you to view a list of all upcoming area shows at a very diverse set of venues, so you're never behind the live performance 8-ball.
Here's a list of all available features inherent in the Android application. No tremendous differences from the iPhone version, with the exception of displaying pending album releases from your artist lists. I'd say it's worth the $2.99 investment.
Download it today and see which of your favorite artists are coming to Wolf Trap!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Live: Spoon at 9:30 Club - 3/23/10
Ok yes, I've heard it from all angles that Spoon can be a bit sloppy, unpolished, unpredictable, and generally average in a live setting. I didn't find this to be the case on Tuesday night at the 9:30 club as Britt Daniel led his band through a blistering set of 24 songs, mostly pulled from their last two records, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, and Transference. I can understand the unpolished argument, since Daniel definitely missed a few chords here and there (was surprised to see this happen on The Underdog which is a huge fan, and seemingly, band favorite), but for a band that delivers raw sounding, loosely arranged indie-garage rock, I, and the rest of the crowd for that matter, just accepted it as part of Spoon's charm. That's just the way they get by.
I was disappointed to learn that they played one of my faves "Black Like Me" during Monday's 9:30 show, but was excited to hear the haunting "The Ghost of You Lingers", "Don't You Eva", "The Beast and Dragon Adored", "You Got Yr Cherry Bomb", and "The Underdog". What really gets me about Spoon is their temperance and discipline in keeping their songs to 3-3/12 minutes across the board. Many of them have the potential to explode into a vapid chasm of instrumentation, but Daniel's songwriting strays from this temptation. He continues to deliver efficient, potent, straight-forward rock, completely devoid of any pretention. They have a formula, and they rarely, if ever, deviate.
At the end of the show, Daniel said to the crowd, "You're the best sold out audience we've ever played for." Not bad D.C.
Setlist:
Everything Hits at Once
I Saw the Light
Don't You Evah
Metal School
The Ghost of You Lingers
Before Destruction
Is Love Forever?
Stay Don't Go
Written in Reverse
Love Song (The Damned)
The Underdog
They Never Got You
I Summon You
Don't Make Me a Target
The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine
Got Nuffin
Someone Something
Trouble Comes Running
Encore 1
The Beast and Dragon Adored
That's The Way We Get By
You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb
Encore 2
I Could See the Dude
I Turn My Camera On
Small Stakes
I was disappointed to learn that they played one of my faves "Black Like Me" during Monday's 9:30 show, but was excited to hear the haunting "The Ghost of You Lingers", "Don't You Eva", "The Beast and Dragon Adored", "You Got Yr Cherry Bomb", and "The Underdog". What really gets me about Spoon is their temperance and discipline in keeping their songs to 3-3/12 minutes across the board. Many of them have the potential to explode into a vapid chasm of instrumentation, but Daniel's songwriting strays from this temptation. He continues to deliver efficient, potent, straight-forward rock, completely devoid of any pretention. They have a formula, and they rarely, if ever, deviate.
At the end of the show, Daniel said to the crowd, "You're the best sold out audience we've ever played for." Not bad D.C.
Setlist:
Everything Hits at Once
I Saw the Light
Don't You Evah
Metal School
The Ghost of You Lingers
Before Destruction
Is Love Forever?
Stay Don't Go
Written in Reverse
Love Song (The Damned)
The Underdog
They Never Got You
I Summon You
Don't Make Me a Target
The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine
Got Nuffin
Someone Something
Trouble Comes Running
Encore 1
The Beast and Dragon Adored
That's The Way We Get By
You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb
Encore 2
I Could See the Dude
I Turn My Camera On
Small Stakes
Friday, March 19, 2010
"This Month at Wolf Trap" and A Must See From the Hold Steady's Blog
After a brief hiatus, "This Month at Wolf Trap" is back and ready for broadcast. We just put the finishing touches on February's chapter this afternoon, so please take a few minutes to watch highlights of Paula Cole, Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, Eric Brace & Last Train Home with special guest Peter Cooper, and an exclusive interview with Kofi Dennis, a Wolf Trap teaching artist, regarding his approach to instructing our Baby Arts Play classes.
I'm doing double video duty today, because I simply must share this incredibly adorable version of my buddy Cory's daughter singing a cover of The Hold Steady's "Sequestered in Memphis." This video made the homepage of The Hold Steady's website after the band's manager found it on YouTube. Check it out below. Cory - your daughter rocks.
I'm doing double video duty today, because I simply must share this incredibly adorable version of my buddy Cory's daughter singing a cover of The Hold Steady's "Sequestered in Memphis." This video made the homepage of The Hold Steady's website after the band's manager found it on YouTube. Check it out below. Cory - your daughter rocks.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
13 New Shows Announced Today!
13 new ones, all listed here! This particular installment includes a nice blend of exciting debuts, longtime Wolf Trap friends/performers, and D.C. area faves.
Since my tastes tend to sway towards pop/indie-rock and alt-country, shows that carry a particular swagger for me include:
Ryan Bingham, who co-wrote (with T-Bone Burnett) the 2010 Academy Award selection for Best Original Song from the film, Crazy Heart. A 28 year old former rodeo bull rider, Bingham will open for alt-country legned Lyle Lovett.
John Butler Trio, Australia’s most successful independent band, will play alongside State Radio with their socially and politically conscious roots-reggae anthems led by Chicoree Stokes, former frontman for the disbanded Dispatch.
Rodrigo y Gabriela, the fast-fingered flamenco-rock duo whose new album is a personal “gracias” to 11 influential musicians, both past and present, who have inspired them along the way.
The recently re-united Crowded House, performing their ’80s pop hits, and selections from their newly released album, Time on Earth.
Tickets for this batch of shows will go on sale to the general public on April 10 at 10am via the Wolf Trap Box Office located at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts at 1551 Trap Road, Vienna, Virginia; by calling 1 (877) WOLFTRAP; or online at http://www.wolftrap.org/
Since my tastes tend to sway towards pop/indie-rock and alt-country, shows that carry a particular swagger for me include:
Ryan Bingham, who co-wrote (with T-Bone Burnett) the 2010 Academy Award selection for Best Original Song from the film, Crazy Heart. A 28 year old former rodeo bull rider, Bingham will open for alt-country legned Lyle Lovett.
John Butler Trio, Australia’s most successful independent band, will play alongside State Radio with their socially and politically conscious roots-reggae anthems led by Chicoree Stokes, former frontman for the disbanded Dispatch.
Rodrigo y Gabriela, the fast-fingered flamenco-rock duo whose new album is a personal “gracias” to 11 influential musicians, both past and present, who have inspired them along the way.
The recently re-united Crowded House, performing their ’80s pop hits, and selections from their newly released album, Time on Earth.
Tickets for this batch of shows will go on sale to the general public on April 10 at 10am via the Wolf Trap Box Office located at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts at 1551 Trap Road, Vienna, Virginia; by calling 1 (877) WOLFTRAP; or online at http://www.wolftrap.org/
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Thirteen New Shows Announced this Tuesday for Summer 2010
Aside from our projected goals of increased membership and advance ticket sales-in my opinion, the most thrilling bi-product of Wolf Trap's newly adopted rollout strategy for Summer 2010 has been the heightened anticipation surrounding forthcoming shows. With four distinct rollouts, it's been an exciting winter-wondering what will come across next as a member of the prophetic booking sheets.
Having said this, this coming Tuesday, Wolf Trap will announce thirteen additional shows, all of which will carry a public on-sale of April 10 at 10am. As is Wolf Trap's pattern, passion, and mission, this particular grouping represents a healthy blend of programming, but undoubtedly skews towards a younger demographic.
A few hints...and if you can nail all three, I'll set you up with in-house tickets to the show of your choice.
1) The Barns at Wolf Trap hosted a winter 2010 tribute show to this rock group that formed out of Australia in 1985.
2) This fast fingered flamenco-rock duo released their most recent album as a personal "gracias" to 11 musicians, both past and present, who have inspired them along the way.
3) As part of an epic co-bill, these arena rock kings will make their Wolf Trap debut with more than 40 million records sold and 13 top 40 power ballad hits. Their unique name is derived from a very rare vehicle type manufactured in the 1960s.
To participate, you may comment on this entry, on our Facebook page, or contact me via Twitter.
Having said this, this coming Tuesday, Wolf Trap will announce thirteen additional shows, all of which will carry a public on-sale of April 10 at 10am. As is Wolf Trap's pattern, passion, and mission, this particular grouping represents a healthy blend of programming, but undoubtedly skews towards a younger demographic.
A few hints...and if you can nail all three, I'll set you up with in-house tickets to the show of your choice.
1) The Barns at Wolf Trap hosted a winter 2010 tribute show to this rock group that formed out of Australia in 1985.
2) This fast fingered flamenco-rock duo released their most recent album as a personal "gracias" to 11 musicians, both past and present, who have inspired them along the way.
3) As part of an epic co-bill, these arena rock kings will make their Wolf Trap debut with more than 40 million records sold and 13 top 40 power ballad hits. Their unique name is derived from a very rare vehicle type manufactured in the 1960s.
To participate, you may comment on this entry, on our Facebook page, or contact me via Twitter.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Wolf Trap Co-Founds Green Music Group Alongside Dave Matthews Band, Guster, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson and Other High-Profile Industry Leaders
As part of our ongoing green initiative centered around inspiring environmental change within the music industry, Wolf Trap has joined forces with a robust collection of some of the most well recognized names in music to launch Green Music Group. Otherwise known as GMG, the name is in reference to a coalition of the pioneering environmental non-profit Reverb (co-founded by Guster guitarist/vocalist Adam Gardner), which has greened over 80 major music tours, subsequently calling over 10 million music fans to environmentally sustainable action since 2004.
Impressively, the coalition is comprised of huge names and influencers like Dave Matthews Band; Linkin Park; Maroon 5; The Roots; Willie Nelson; Sheryl Crow; Bonnie Raitt; Barenaked Ladies; Guster; and venues Wolf Trap; Shoreline Amphitheater; Comcast Center and Brooklyn Bowl.
As a participating venue in this important undertaking, Wolf Trap will continue to serve as resource and model for environmental action throughout the local and national performing arts communities. Along with the aforementioned industry giants, we are expertly positioned to shed light on some of the most relevant and pressing environmental issues of our time. Having been placed in the same sphere of influence with so many national playmakers, Wolf Trap can now bounce and intercept ideas from other like minded organizations with the greatest of ease. It's an honor to be welcomed into this esteemed group.
I encourage you to visit GMG's website, become a fan on Facebook (badge included below), and follow the group on Twitter @GreenMusicGroup. GMG is currently in the process of shaping a dynamic online community, so feel free to utilize social media as your primary GMG information source.
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Impressively, the coalition is comprised of huge names and influencers like Dave Matthews Band; Linkin Park; Maroon 5; The Roots; Willie Nelson; Sheryl Crow; Bonnie Raitt; Barenaked Ladies; Guster; and venues Wolf Trap; Shoreline Amphitheater; Comcast Center and Brooklyn Bowl.
As a participating venue in this important undertaking, Wolf Trap will continue to serve as resource and model for environmental action throughout the local and national performing arts communities. Along with the aforementioned industry giants, we are expertly positioned to shed light on some of the most relevant and pressing environmental issues of our time. Having been placed in the same sphere of influence with so many national playmakers, Wolf Trap can now bounce and intercept ideas from other like minded organizations with the greatest of ease. It's an honor to be welcomed into this esteemed group.
I encourage you to visit GMG's website, become a fan on Facebook (badge included below), and follow the group on Twitter @GreenMusicGroup. GMG is currently in the process of shaping a dynamic online community, so feel free to utilize social media as your primary GMG information source.
Promote Your Page Too
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