DC101 Chili Cook-Off

On Sunday, May 16, over 35,000 people crowded RFK Stadium for the DC101 Chili Cook-Off. The festival, which benefited the National Kidney Foundation, is a one-day rock festival that featured Niki Barr Band, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Puddle of Mudd, Papa Roach, Shinedown, Third Eye Blind and The Offspring.

The line up was the perfect example of why I fell in love with rock in the 90’s. Before rock was full of Ashton Kutcher looking, pretty boys, playing love songs, there were the guys who were a little rough around the edges. They were loud, with messy long hair cuts, their shirts a bit wrinkled paired with torn jeans, but damn it they were hot cause they knew how to rock!

Puddle of Mudd brought back old but never forgotten songs like “Contol” and “She Hates Me,” which the crowd sang word for word.

Once Shinedown came on stage, it was time for moshing and crowd-surfing. Everyone seemed to chant the lyrics to the song “Second Chance” as the official summer anthem for 2009. It’s just a feel good song about taking life by the horns, against all odds, against everything you know, and making the most out of it.

Of course I am a 90’s kid and Third Eye Blind was the soundtrack to my adolescence and yours, especially if you watched the teenage drama Dawson’s Creek. Even if you didn’t, you still bobbed your head to the songs “Semi-Charmed Life,” “Never Let You Go,” and “Jumper.”

We finished off the day of rock euphoria with The Offspring and every white boy from the not so white neighborhood claimed “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)” as his song.

Neither the piercing sun, rain, or flying sandals could thin out the crowd. We had good music, good company, chili, and beer.

Did anyone try the chili?

Redman Block Party

Since the conception of hip-hop emerged from the cracks of the concrete pavements of Bronx, NYC, the language, dance, fashion, and art that made up the music has evolved substantially within the last three decades.

Is it for the better or worse? Is your local radio station still playing you hip-hop or are they just slapping that badge to a song for the hell of calling it music?

Rapper, Redman partied at Listen Vision Recording Studios Hip-Hop Shop, on Georgia Avenue, NW, D.C. on May 4, promoting his and Methodman’s new album “Blackout! 2,” set to release on May 19.

The night promised the perseverance of the art and movement that is the hip-hop culture because that’s what it was all about. There were no flashy lights, rented bling, or hired super-models to distract you from the addiction that Methodman and Redman have been rolling as a sequel to their 1999 classic “Blackout.”

The album has songs like “A-Yo,” featuring Suakrates, which carries a steady beat with a swagger that is old-school but never outdated; and dedicated to woman, doing it all with style, is a slow jam called “Miss International.”

Damn, we were so lucky rappers like Red and Meth are still doing their thing and keeping it real with lyrics that say and mean something, despite some of the trash Youtube is infesting this generation with; like _____ (you fill in the blank).

I'm tired of these new "rappers" showing off ice, cars, mansions, calling one repetative chorus a song and cashing in on ignorance.

Give me substance, inspire me, give me "Blackout! 2"

Gavin Rossdale at the 9:30 Club

Confirmed fans crowded the 9:30 Club Sunday, May 3, on a pilgrimage worshiping Gavin Rossdale, one of the best guitarists/songwriters to bless our ears.

His coming was long overdue but we quickly forgave him as we indulged in the hip-swaying, head- banging, hard rocking songs of his new album “Wanderlust”. The night in D.C. may have dampened a few of us outside in line to enter the club, but it served as a baptism for the few who were either too young, too high, or too ignorant to remember the glory of mid-90’s grunge rock.

Fortunately, Gavin keeps himself in good company during tours, introducing us with an opening act by the band “Endless Hallway.”

The Los Angeles-based five man group warmed up the crowd exactly the way they were supposed to, with a raw, grungy, punk-rock style that leaves your body sore and wanting more. They pleasured us with songs like “Games” and “Cell”, from their must have album “Autonomy Games” and tranquilized the crowd’s need for grunge by playing Nirvana’s song “Breed.”

The world stopped for everyone at the 9:30 Club as Gavin seemed to confess to us that he has been gone for too long, singing “Can’t Stop The World.”

He rocked D.C. with familiar songs from Bush like “The Chemicals Between Us” and “Breathe In Breathe Out” and dominated the stage with new songs “If You Are Not With Us You Are Against Us”, “The Skin I’m in”, and the smooth rock ballad “Love Remains the Same.”

It was like Gavin Rossdale never stopped playing or writing songs and I am glad for it.
Music always has a way to evoke the best in everything. There is no telling how many first dates, mended hearts, and new friendships were formed that night. But one thing is certain, Rock is alive and here to stay in Washington D.C.

When people think of D.C. they think of politics and museums, but my city is full of so much more than that. Sure, our bars and clubs may be full of more politicians, military members, and government contactors than in most cities, but when the ties come off and the shirts are buttoned low amazing things can happen.

We love, cry, laugh, and do it all with a soundtrack in the background. I call the soundtrack the metro siren and it’s the music in D.C.

Music is my passion, and lately my obsession because I am addicted to concerts. I’m not trying to lobby for or against a genre or artist. I just want to share with you my favorite shows and learn something about yours.

What is your favorite part about a concert? For some it is the chance to get just a little closer to that hot guitarist or vocalist who seems to cry and strum all your pain and desires. A chance to be within feet of the mortal God whose image is plastered all over your locker and bedroom walls; the one who answers every apprehension with a song and makes us laugh with them in their music videos.

My favorite part is the crowd. The people, just like me, who are there for all of the above and more. We memorize the tour schedules and sign up for every email alert. We make sure everyone knows when the band comes home to play. We are the ones who come early to the show and stay late until everyone leaves. Call us what you want, but we are fans of music.

In the crowd it doesn’t matter if you are rich, poor, young, old, prep, punk, Emo, pop, from the country or the city. We may never otherwise talk to each other and we might even hate each other but the truth of the matter is that this silly little piece of music brought us all here. We are singing, dancing, having fun, and all is good in the world.

So, when is the next show?