Nashville at the Lincoln Theater

One of my favorite shows on TV right now is Nashville. A good mix of drama and good original country music. A few months ago I started buying some of the songs and rocking out to them. Then by chance I saw that they were coming to DC for a concert. I mentioned it to my friend Hannah and she was immediately on board. I'm not a big concert person, but I but the time the tickets went on sale in my calendar. Once 10 am came around I started trying to buy tickets... it kept saying to try again, try again, try again... finally after 10 minutes of trying to put two tickets in my basket it went through and we were set. The show actually sold out within like 12 minutes. Crazy. 

It was also my first time to the Lincoln theater. So I was excited to check it out. I had read some reviews saying that the line could get a little long. It was completely true and a little confusing as the seating was general admission and they had guys moving the through the line checking IDs, scanning tickets, and stamping our hands (with a blue light stamp!). 

Once we got inside it was a bit of a rush to find seats. We decided to start looking downstairs. A lot of people were saving seats so it wasn't easy to find two. We found some on the side towards the back, but they still had a great view of the stage. 

After getting drinks and visiting the restrooms it was time for the show to start.

Lincoln theater

The Lincoln theater is very ornate and pretty if not a little crumbly.

For the most part the performers came out one at a time and sang one song at a time with the occasional duet. They mostly sang songs from the first season and mixed in a few songs of their own that don't appear on the show.

Deacon (Chip) is actually from Alexandria and had a lot of friends and family in the crowd.

Deacon!

Did you know Gunnar (Sam) is actually british? I'm not sure if I like his southern accent or his british accent better.

Sam and Chip

They wrapped up the show with a group number, A Life That's Good.

the whole crew

Firefly

Last weekend I joined two of my closest DC friends and some of their friends and some of their friends' friends and several thousand other people in Dover, DE for Firefly, a three day music festival. We camped out so in order to have our sites next to each other we all met in Annapolis Thursday night. After 4 hours of sleep we got up at 4 am, finished loading the cars and headed to Dover. As soon as we hit the city limits we hit traffic and were at a standstill. Finally we moved a little and an hour later we were at camping registration and another hour later we finally had our campsite. We had four cars so we were able to set up a pretty big area.

The rest of the weekend consisted of getting up and ready early (that sun wakes you up!), hanging at camp till a little after noon, heading in to the festival, listening to 4 or so shows (some up close some way far back), eating, going to the THICKET (a silent disco in the woods), and crawling back in to the tent sometime after midnight.

Vampire Weekend

We we first arrived on Friday the crowds weren't bad at all, but people continued to roll in and with the addition of one day ticket holders on Saturday and Sunday the place got FULL. There was a line for everything, but mostly the lines went quickly.

Dispatch

My favorite shows were The Avett Brothers, Dispatch, Vampire Weekend, Foster the People, and Tom Petty. The sun got to me during the day, so night shows definitely had an advantage.

A little of what I've been up to...

walk the moon show at 9:30 club

new bike racks at Dupont

crafting so I feel better about ruining a pan

chalkboard magnetic wall hanging

nailed to the wall

trying out a new way to cut grapefruit

Dupont Dance Party

Sunday: Day for breaking it down in Dupont

Pat Green 9:30 Club

Last week I saw one of my favorite Texas Country singers in concert at the 9:30 club. It was a beautiful warm evening so I put on a dress with cowgirl boots and walked the mile to the venue, which wasn't much to look at from the outside:

The only way I found the venue was by following massive groups of men and women in plaid shirts.

The opening act was the Josh Abbott Band, which I really enjoyed. I didn't really know who they were, but ended up knowing some of their songs. 

Next up was Pat Green. He put on a good show, but we realized that he is pretty full of himself and clearly targets the younger crowd. 

Not sure what he would do if he played in front of a crowd who couldn't sing his songs for him.

Even so, the night was very refreshing. Packed in a room with hundreds of people in cowboy boots all singing the same song. Made me think of way back Texas.

PS 1 Warm up

After two years and three summers in LIC I finally made it to PS 1 Warm Up this past Saturday.  One of my work friends who has been a lot was going with her finance and some other friends.  I was excited when I got the email, but was heading out the door on my bike to hit up the Socrates Sculpture Park greenmarket.  I figured since I know have toe clips, I could make it there and back in no time!  It pretty much went that way even with battling the wind and people parking in the bike lane (people, don't park in bike lanes!).

I quickly showered and walked the few blocks over to the PS 1 museum.  In order to keep the community happy with the influx of hipsters every Saturday, LIC residents get in free!  Not only did I get in free, I got to cut the line that was wrapping around the block, double score.  The PS 1 hosts DJs in their courtyard every Saturday during the summer months.  Each year groups compete to decorate (I guess they are called art installations) in a functional way (keep it cool and entertaining).  They also sell beer and food.  With admission to the dance party you also get admission to the museum.  My friends were half way through the museum when I got there so I didn't see the whole thing, but the current installation is eh, interesting.  It was all artwork of this one lady, who mostly took pictures and videos of herself.  Not the best stuff I've seen at PS 1.

The DJ's were playing Techno while we were there (my friend explained to me that this is different from house music and electronica).  It had a nice beat and I was able to bop around with the rest of them.  Best of all was the people watching... amazing outfits, hairstyles, and attitudes.

Courtyard from inside the museum (5 Pointz in the background)

In the courtyard, the trees will be donated to the neighborhood after the summer

View from the dance floor

Live at the Gantries

I made it to my first Live at the Gantries concert tonight.  They have fun Tuesday night concerts all summer long.  Tonight it was Gamelan Orchestra- Yowana Sari.  The Orchestra was made up of Queens College students and some native Balinese people from the community.  Yowana Sari is a Balinese orchestra.  It was pretty cool they explained all the instruments.  It sounded a bit like a bunch of chimes and flutes and gongs playing all at once.

Warming up

Kids dancing

In concert garb

I got home from work early today so before the concert I took a walk around the neighborhood.  I found some artist in action at 5Pointz.  They were working on a bright, pretty, aztec looking piece.  It looked pretty awesome (some of the art is creepy and gross) so I'm definitely going to swing by and see the finished mural.

Trying to see Beyonce

My sister and I went to the GMA concert this morning to see Beyonce, but as we approached I knew it was full and we wouldn't be getting in.  Pretty girls in pretty outfits were walking the opposite way looking very disappointed.  It was apparent that some people had spent the night in the area waiting in line.  So instead we enjoyed an early morning stroll through the park.

outside the fence

the stage

central park

turtles

Glen Hansard + the Temple of Dendur

I'm lucky to have a good friend in NYC who likes different (but really good) music.  One of her favorite artists is Glen Hansard.  You might of seen him in the movie Once or heard his song Falling Slowly if you haven't check him out.  Last night as part of the Guitar Heroes exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Glen performed in the temple of Dendur room at the Met.

The room itself is pretty cool, but add Glen, 100s of fans, and free beverages and you've got a pretty cool event.

My favorite part was when he was strumming so hard that he broke a string so he finished the song by drumming on the guitar.  While he fixed the guitar he had us all snap while he sang a song then taught us the words so we could sing along with him (it was something about everyone being Vampires).

He closed not using his guitar and singing an old Irish (or maybe Scottish, he said it wasn't known) song.

The crowd was sitting till the show started

Glen singing

Texas Independence Day

Texans around the world (or maybe just in Texas) celebrate Texas Independence Day each year on March 2. Texans celebrate their independence from Mexico in 1836. Texas only remained an independent republic for 9 years before it joined the United States in 1845. During my two years in Texas I had friends visit the site of the signing at Washington-on-the-Brazos to celebrate and painted bluebells on children's cheeks while substitute teaching on March 2nd. Since I've moved to New York I've celebrated the Texas holiday twice, both times by attending the the Texas Independence Day concert at Terminal 5. Other than a free drink ticket for wearing a shirt bearing the logo of a Texas University its basically just an awesome Texas country music concert.

This year the line up included:

Casey Donahew (sorry we missed your act)

Wade Bowen (pretty good)

Jack Ingram (love Barbie Doll)

Pat Green (awesome show)

There is just something about a concert where everyone is singing along and having a great time. Except for two girls who I almost had to fight and ended up getting in a fight with some boys a few minutes later....

I took some low quality cell phone pictures...

pretty sure this is Pat Green, loved the guitar player on the left

Jack Ingram- he took his boots off and stuck them on the mic stand to sing "barefoot and crazy"

more Ingram I believe

elf

It is true I like musicals and it is also true that I like the movie elf. So a friend and I went to check out the new Broadway musical "elf". I realize it is not yet Thanksgiving, but the ticket prices went way up after Thanksgiving so I allowed myself to celebrate the Christmas season a little early.

Outside the theater

The show starts in santa's workshop and the elves outfits are great fun in lots of different bright colors. Buddy quickly learns he's human and heads to NYC. The next part before intermission was full of corny NYC centric jokes and so-so song and dance.

The musical might be better for people that haven't seen the movie because I kept waiting for three signature scenes from the movie that never came. Also the songs from the movie weren't used (i.e., baby its cold outside and santa clause is coming to town) instead they have made up songs... like buddy makes them up... on the spot... However the overall storyline is the same and many lines and scenes are carried over.

At the time I was much more satisfied with the second half. Now I can't place why. I think the songs were better, bigger dance scenes, and they went back to the north pole with those great elf costumes.

Week of culture

The week before last week went from ho hum to full speed ahead and has now continued for another week. I had been enjoying a peaceful life when all a sudden my social calendar filled up. A few highlights:

Wednesday:

First event was attending PopArt the musical. The music was written by one of my Mizzou friend's boyfriend. The show was part of a festival aimed at previewing as many new musicals as possible. So it wasn't like the Broadway musicals, smaller theater, less flash, but it was really good and the singers and musicians were talented.

Thursday:

A coworker IM'd me at the end of the day wondering if I wanted to attend a concert in Williamsburg. One where the headliner would go on till around 11pm. Hmm.. well I got talked in to going to see !!!, who? !!! (if you are wondering how to pronounce that it is chk, chk, chk) The show turned out to be a lot of fun. I'm not sure how to describe the music but there was a string section, occasional horn action, and major danceability. The lead singer had an adorable dance that I could of watched all night.

Friday:

For my second concert of the week I headed back to Brooklyn with a friend to see Mark Geary and Marketa Irglova (you might know her from Swell Season or the movie Once). Mark's music was fun folksy irishy (I'm not a music critic) while Marketa's was more soft, slow, and deep. It was in a cute "art space".

Play Me- I'm Yours

For the past few weeks artist Luke Jerram left pianos all over the city in different public spaces as part of Play Me- I'm Yours we were lucky enough to get two in Gantry State Park. I was amazed by how many people just went up to the pianos and started playing like a professional. All I was able to do was Mary had a little lamb and the beginning of Ode to Joy.

Salsa night

I went with a few friends to the Latin Quarter for salsa night. I know everyone is thinking "that Courtney is a fabulous dancer, I bet she's danced the salsa a million times" but you would be wrong. It was my first time really trying to do the actual steps (not just act like it). Luck have it this place gave lessons in a room off the main area. The lessons were pretty simple, but what I needed and soon I was 1,2,3,5,6,7 all over the place. We moved back to the main area and gave everyone a show. The crowd was a bit older and we were not lacking for invitations to dance.

They had a live band that was very good. The lead singer (see below) was lots of fun... and apparently well known as he had quite a crowd photographing him... so I joined in.

Wassdacraic

One of my friends invited me to the Craic Fesitval opening night festivities at Tribeca Cinemas. For those not familiar with the Irish term, craic is used to describe fun, entertainment, and all around good times.

The night started with City Council Speaker Christine Quinn talking about the importance of the link between Ireland and New York City.

We then all were treated to the movie "Perrier's Bounty" a gangster movie set in Dublin. A bit graphic but enjoyable movie. Afterwards while looking up some of the actors I found that two of the main characters also appear in Harry Potter (Brendan Gleeson/Mad-Eye Moody and Jim Broadbent/Horace Slughorn), but I don't suggest taking your kids to this one.

To finish up the night we were treated to an intimate show by Mundy. I went in not knowing much about him, but the songs were instantly catchy. I had read in a short bio that day that he sang one of my favorite Irish songs, Galway Girl. Soon after he started I was singing and dancing along and at the end of the night he didn't disappoint and played Galway Girl... along with an interesting rendition of M.I.A's paper planes.

80s Awesome Prom

A friend of a friend of a friend was having a birthday party at an 80's Prom and I got invited... So the birthday boy's roommate is an actress in this off-off-off broadway performance "Awesome 80's Prom", which is an interactive show and the perfect place to celebrate. We were encouraged to dress 80's and were part of the prom. The music was awesome and the performance was, well entertaining. The actors strolled through the crowd interacting and had several scenes, mostly surrounding the voting on Prom Queen and King. The show reminded me of my senior play in highschool, which was an interactive dinner theater (I was an alligator wrestler), in that the characters seemed to overact. Overall it was a fun night and it did take me back to my high school prom, just a little bit.

Carrie and I in our 80's garb... when didn't go all out in the prom dresses, but many people did. Notice the Swedish foreign exchange student in the background.

The prom DJ on stage

Grooving out with the nerds from the show.

Carrie dancing with him

MC Hammer showed up. Hammer Time!

In case you didn't think I looked 80's enough... check out my awesome legwarmers.