Monthly Archives: March 2011
Janet Jackson @ Dar Constitution Hall Recap
I’ve seen Janet Jackson perform numerous times. Typically the show is at a large venue and there is a lot of production, costumes, fireworks, male audience props, etc. This show was in a more intimate setting (Constitution Hall), none of the big show production, and not many outfit changes. But there was still plenty of dancing and more singing than usual.
The show opened with the preteen boy group, Mindless Behavior. While they may have been quite entertaining for tween girls, this night was about seeing Janet do her thing for the first time in 7 years. Janet dedicated one of her hits to each city she visits on tour. The song for Washington, DC was “I get so lonely”. The show started with the video of the song dedication blasting on the big screen to the excitement of the fans, who were very excited that they were minutes away from experiencing Ms Jackson live. She came out on stage in a leather cat suit and high heels performing “Pleasure Principle”. She continue to to roll through her hits, “Escapade”, “Control” ,etc, as her dancers joined her in various choreograph dances resembling the videos of the songs she performed.
At Janet’s first break and outfit change, snippets of her roles in movies & TV shows played on the big screen with the crowd cheering the memories. After sweating it out in the leather cat suit in the first set, Janet came out in a more comfortable outfit (jeans, tank top & boots) ready to dance. She continued through hits on the “Rhythm Nation & “Janet” albums, slowing it down briefly to sing a few of her popular ballads and then putting it back in to gear with “If” & “Rhythm Nation”.
On Janet’s last outfit change her band just showed off, doing a mash up rock version of songs Janet didn’t sing like “Anytime, Anyplace”. Once she and dancers came back on stage in all white, the show was punctuated with a tribute to her brother Michael. She sang together “Together Again” , which fit perfectly. At one moment her dancers cleared the stage as she continued to sing and point toward the sky as a slideshow with pictures of her and her brother played on the big screen leading to a huge ovation.
****Pause The IPOD****
Janet Jackson @ Dar Constitution Hall Recap
I’ve seen Janet Jackson perform numerous times. Typically the show is at a large venue and there is a lot of production, costumes, fireworks, male audience props, etc. This show was in a more intimate setting (Constitution Hall), none of the big show production, and not many outfit changes. But there was still plenty of dancing and more singing than usual.
The show opened with the preteen boy group, Mindless Behavior. While they may have been quite entertaining for tween girls, this night was about seeing Janet do her thing for the first time in 7 years. Janet dedicated one of her hits to each city she visits on tour. The song for Washington, DC was “I get so lonely”. The show started with the video of the song dedication blasting on the big screen to the excitement of the fans, who were very excited that they were minutes away from experiencing Ms Jackson live. She came out on stage in a leather cat suit and high heels performing “Pleasure Principle”. She continue to to roll through her hits, “Escapade”, “Control” ,etc, as her dancers joined her in various choreograph dances resembling the videos of the songs she performed.
At Janet’s first break and outfit change, snippets of her roles in movies & TV shows played on the big screen with the crowd cheering the memories. After sweating it out in the leather cat suit in the first set, Janet came out in a more comfortable outfit (jeans, tank top & boots) ready to dance. She continued through hits on the “Rhythm Nation & “Janet” albums, slowing it down briefly to sing a few of her popular ballads and then putting it back in to gear with “If” & “Rhythm Nation”.
On Janet’s last outfit change her band just showed off, doing a mash up rock version of songs Janet didn’t sing like “Anytime, Anyplace”. Once she and dancers came back on stage in all white, the show was punctuated with a tribute to her brother Michael. She sang together “Together Again” , which fit perfectly. At one moment her dancers cleared the stage as she continued to sing and point toward the sky as a slideshow with pictures of her and her brother played on the big screen leading to a huge ovation.
****Pause The IPOD****
Just Around The Corner – 3/29
Happy — Tuesday. There are a few new events but I wanted to put this poetry event on full blast. I love poetry slams. They are usually pretty entertaining and spontaneous burst of talent. I unfortunately will be at work but hopefully one of you can go and give me a review. Also got the Janet Jackson review coming up tomorrow and the play list to get you ready for the post. So check out the events below.
New events are in red and free events are in blue. Feel free to subscribe to the blog and get this listing every week. Thanks for your support.
Upcoming Events:
- Today – May 1st – America I AM: The African American Imprint exhibit @ National Geographic Museum
- Wednesday – Grafitti DC Poetry Slam Finale @ Liv Nightclub
- Thursday – 4/1 – Maze f. Frankie Beverly w/ Raheem Devaughn
- Saturday – Ginuwine, Tank, Carl Thomas & Case @ DAR Constitution Hall
- April 5th – House of Pain @ 9:30 Club
- April 6th – N’dambi & W Ellington Felton @ U streel music hall
- April 7th – 17th – DC International Film Festival
- April 7th – Marsha Ambrosius & Melanie Fiona @ Ramshead Live Baltimore
- April 9th – National Cherry Blossom Parade
- April 12th – 24th – The Color Purple Musical @ The National Theatre
- April 14th – Tina Fey @ Sixth & I Synagogue
- April 17th – Eric Roberson & Vivian Green @ Ramshead Live Baltimore
- April 18th – Eric Roberson & Vivian Green @ Birchmere
- April 22nd – June 5th – Ruined stageplay @ Areana Stage
- April 29th – Poetry Out Loud – Spoken Words National Finals @ Lincoln Theatre
- April 30th – Stephanie Mills @ Birchmere
- May 3rd – Talib Kweli @ Blackcat
- May 8th – Angela Johnson @ Blues Alley
- May 10th – Eric Benet @ Ramshead Live Baltimore
- May 11th – Anthony David @ Blue Alley
- May 12th – Adele @ 9:30 Club
- May 12th – Eric Benet @ Birchmere
- May 13th – Anthony David w. Yahzarah @ Ramshead Onstage Annapolis
- May 15th – Maceo Parker @ Birchmere
- May 19th – Stephanie Mills @ Ramshead Onstage Annapolis
- May 19th – Avery Sunshine @ Blues Alley
- May 20th & 21st – En Vogue @ Birchmere
- May 20th – 22nd – Chuck Brown @ Blues Alley
- June 1st – 13th – DC Jazz Festival
- June 2nd – 5th – Gil Scott Heron @ Blues Alley
- June 2nd – Aisha Tyler @ DC Improv
- June 2nd – Bill Cosby @ Wolf Trap
- June 4th – Chuck Brown @ Rams Head Onstage Annapolis
- June 4th – An Evening with Spike Lee @ Lincoln Theatre
- June 4-5 – Capital Jazz Festival @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
- June 16th – Sade w. John Legend @ 1st Mariner Areana
- June 22nd – Sade w. John Legend @ Verizon Center
- June 24th – Alice Smith @ Ramshead Onstage Annapolis
- June 24th-26th – Last Comic Standing’s LaVell Crawford @ DC Improv
- June 26th – Earth, Wind & Fire @ Wolf Trap
- June 30th – Cheryl Pepsi Riley @ Blues Alley
- June 30th – 7/3 – Mamma Mia stage play
- July 1st – Eric Roberson @ Birchmere
- July 7th – 10th – John Witherspoon @ DC Improv
- July 13th – Michael Jackson Cirque Du Soleil @ Verizon Center
- July 31st – Morris Day & the Time @ Birchmer
The Box Friday’s: Janet Jackson
Happy Friday. Fresh off the Janet concert, I’m going with Janet for today’s vid. The concert was awesome and the review will come next wednesday. I’ve got lots of video to crunch. Enjoy and be sure to get your comments in on the baggy pants post.
****Pause The IPOD****
Baggy Pants Ordinance
A couple days ago, Dez Bryant, a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys was kicked out of an upscale mall in Dallas for having his pants to low, apparently enough to show his underwear. It seems most people are slamming this guy and the style of wearing sagging pants. I’m doing some research about the “Baggy Pants” Ordinances in different areas of the country and will post my findings next week. But I’m curious as to what you think? Your comments are welcome
Just Around The Corner – 3/21
Happy Monday. New events posted and rolling with the same playlist. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing Janet this week. I’ve been to quite a few Janet concerts and they have always been very entertaining. It will be interesting to see her in a smaller venue with lets space and props. Check out the new events below and a side note, Raphael Saadiq will be on Jay Leno tonight.
New events are in red and free events are in blue. Feel free to subscribe to the blog and get this listing every week. Thanks for your support
Upcoming Events:
- Today – May 1st – America I AM: The African American Imprint exhibit @ National Geographic Museum
- March 22nd & 24th- Janet Jackson @ Constitution Hall
- March 24th – Art & Soul of South Africa f. Carolyn Malachi @ Smithsonian Art Museum
- March 24th-27th – Kevin Eubanks @ Blues Alley
- March 25th – Naturally 7 @ Strathmore
- March 25th – Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble @ Lincoln Theatre
- March 26th – Bradford Marsalis Quartet @ Kennedy Center
- March 26th – Elton John @ 1st Mariner Areana
- March 27th – “The Nine Lives of Marion Barry” film @ Busboys & Poets 5th & K
- March 31st – 4/1 – Maze f. Frankie Beverly w/ Raheem Devaughn
- April 2nd – Ginuwine, Tank, Carl Thomas & Case @ DAR Constitution Hall
Down the Road:
- April 5th – House of Pain @ 9:30 Club
- April 6th – N’dambi & W Ellington Felton @ U streel music hall
- April 7th – 17th – DC International Film Festival
- April 7th – Marsha Ambrosius & Melanie Fiona @ Ramshead Live Baltimore
- April 9th – National Cherry Blossom Parade
- April 12th – 24th – The Color Purple Musical @ The National Theatre
- April 14th – Tina Fey @ Sixth & I Synagogue
- April 17th – Eric Roberson & Vivian Green @ Ramshead Live Baltimore
- April 18th – Eric Roberson & Vivian Green @ Birchmere
- April 22nd – June 5th – Ruined stageplay @ Areana Stage
- April 29th – Poetry Out Loud – Spoken Words National Finals @ Lincoln Theatre
- April 30th – Stephanie Mills @ Birchmere
- May 3rd – Talib Kweli @ Blackcat
- May 8th – Angela Johnson @ Blues Alley
- May 11th – Anthony David @ Blue Alley
- May 12th – Adele @ 9:30 Club
- May 12th – Eric Benet @ Birchmere
- May 13th – Anthony David w. Yahzarah @ Ramshead Onstage Annapolis
- May 15th – Maceo Parker @ Birchmere
- May 19th – Stephanie Mills @ Ramshead Onstage Annapolis
- May 19th – Avery Sunshine @ Blues Alley
- May 20th & 21st – En Vogue @ Birchmere
- May 20th – 22nd – Chuck Brown @ Blues Alley
- June 1st – 13th – DC Jazz Festival
- June 2nd – 5th – Gil Scott Heron @ Blues Alley
- June 2nd – Aisha Tyler @ DC Improv
- June 2nd – Bill Cosby @ Wolf Trap
- June 4th – Chuck Brown @ Rams Head Onstage Annapolis
- June 4-5 – Capital Jazz Festival @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
- June 16th – Sade w. John Legend @ 1st Mariner Areana
- June 24th-26th – Last Comic Standing’s LaVell Crawford @ DC Improv
- June 26th – Earth, Wind & Fire @ Wolf Trap
- June 30th – Cheryl Pepsi Riley @ Blues Alley
- June 30th – 7/3 – Mamma Mia stage play@ Wolf Trap
- July 1st – Eric Roberson @ Birchmere
- July 7th – 10th – John Witherspoon @ DC Improv
- July 13th – Michael Jackson Cirque Du Soleil @ Verizon Center
- July 31st – Morris Day & the Time @ Birchmere
The Box Fridays: The Puppies
Happy Friday Indeed. So I’m digging deep in the Box pool of hall of fame one hit wonders. The Puppies, another Miami bass group. Two kids, brother and sister, that released two albums and got one Top 40 hit on the U.S. Billboard Top 40 ”Funky Y-2-C”. At the time, I could not understand why people ordered this video sooooo much. I once seen this video come on 12 times straight. After the demised of the box, it made sense that record labels used The Box to push certain artists. 
Music For Rain
The picture above, is one of many image taken by Dig for Fire on a recent trip to Kenya. The trip was to promote awareness for Music for Rain, which will be used to raise funds and awareness around the issue of access to water and sanitation in Africa. The group launched their website this week as part of Coca-Cola Foundation’s charity , Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN). In 2009, Coco-Cola committed 30 million dollars for water projects in “19 African countries – Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Cote d’ Ivoire, Kenya, Mali, Malawi, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia – reaching over 300,000 people”.
Music for RAIN wants to initially raise ten thousand dollars for three projects, to build girls latrines at local schools in Rwanda, the installation of water service points in Uganda, & to build wells in communities and schools as well as latrines and hand-washing facilities Cameron. Chris Taylor, Solange Knowles, Twin Shadow and director Natalie Johns collaborated to create “Kenya“, a donate to download track for RAIN”
As 300 million Africans lack access to safe drinking water, I think this is an awesome charity. Please visit the website.
www.musicforrain.net
Just Around The Corner – 3/14
Happy Monday. There were not a lot of new events this week but I have updated the playlist with the MIA 90′s ladies of R&B. I also have the presale code for the Sade show at the Verizon Center on June 22nd. The presale starts on March 17th 10am – the 18th 10pm. The code is “FLOW”.
Remember new events are in red and free events are in blue. Feel free to subscribe to the blog and get this listing every week. Thanks for your support.
Upcoming Events:
Today – May 1st – America I AM: The African American Imprint exhibit @ National Geographic Museum
Today – March 15th – New African Films Festival @ AFI Silver Spring
Thursday – 19th – March Madness @ Verizon Center
Thursday – Les Nubians @ Embassy of France
Thursday – Rachelle Ferrell @ Birchmere
Thursday – Average White Band @ Ramshead Tavern
Friday – Average White Band @ Birchmere
Friday & 19th – Kem with Ledisi @ DAR Constitution Hall
Friday – Rachelle Ferrell @ Ramshead Onstage Annapolis
Saturday – Mike Epps & Sheryl Underwood @ 1st Mariner Areana
Sunday – Kem @ Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
March 22nd & 24th- Janet Jackson @ Constitution Hall
March 24th – Art & Soul of South Africa f. Carolyn Malachi @ Smithsonian Art Museum
March 24th-27th – Kevin Eubanks @ Blues Alley
March 25th – Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble @ Lincoln Theatre
March 26th – Bradford Marsalis Quartet @ Kennedy Center
March 26th – Elton John @ 1st Mariner Areana
March 31st – Maze f. Frankie Beverly w/ Raheem Devaughn
Down the Road:
April 2nd – Ginuwine, Tank, Carl Thomas & Case @ DAR Constitution Hall
April 5th – House of Pain @ 9:30 Club
April 6th – N’dambi & W Ellington Felton @ U street music hall
April 7th – 17th – DC International Film Festival
April 7th – Marsha Ambrosius & Melanie Fiona @ Ramshead Live Baltimore
April 9th – National Cherry Blossom Parade
April 12th – 24th – The Color Purple Musical @ The National Theatre
April 17th – Eric Roberson & Vivian Green @ Ramshead Live Baltimore
April 18th – Eric Roberson & Vivian Green @ Birchmere
April 22nd – June 5th – Ruined stage play @ Areana Stage
April 29th – Poetry Out Loud – Spoken Words National Finals @ Lincoln Theatre
April 30th – Stephanie Mills @ Birchmere
May 8th – Angela Johnson @ Blues Alley
May 11th – Anthony David @ Blue Alley
May 12th – Adele @ 9:30 Club
May 13th – Anthony David w. Yahzarah @ Ramshead Onstage Annapolis
May 15th – Maceo Parker @ Birchmere
May 19th – Stephanie Mills @ Ramshead Onstage Annapolis
May 19th – Avery Sunshine @ Blues Alley
May 20th & 21st – En Vogue @ Birchmere
May 20th – 22nd – Chuck Brown @ Blues Alley
June 2nd – 5th – Gil Scott Heron @ Blues Alley
June 2nd – Aisha Tyler @ DC Improv
June 4th – Chuck Brown @ Rams Head Onstage Annapolis
June 4-5 – Capital Jazz Festival @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
June 16th – Sade w. John Legend @ 1st Mariner Areana
June 24th-26th – Last Comic Standing’s LaVell Crawford @ DC Improv
June 30th – Cheryl Pepsi Riley @ Blues Alley
July 1st – Eric Roberson @ Birchmere
July 7th – 10th – John Witherspoon @ DC Improv
July 13th – Michael Jackson Cirque Du Soleil @ Verizon Center
July 31st – Morris Day & the Time @ Birchmere
The Box Fridays: Jodeci
Happy Friday. It has been a long week. I was having some technical difficulties with the blog this week. But I still had to get a video posted. After I seen Omarion’s horrible remake of Jodeci’s “Come & Talk to Me”, I knew exactly what to post. The group is apparently back together and signed to Interscope in 2009 but has yet to get an album done.
Enjoy the video. Keep the people in Japan in your prayers.
****Pause The IPOD****
Esperanza Spalding @ Weinberg Center for the Arts Recap
I was quite excited when I got off from work on Friday and headed out to Frederick to see Esperanza Spalding live for the first time. The concert was at the Weinberg Center for the Arts. It was a older venue that seemed more likely to host a stage play than a live concert. Unfortunately the attendants at the Weinberg were quite strict when it came to cameras, so I was only able to get this one photo at the end of the show. Although I did not come away a big fan of the venue, the atmosphere seemed fitting for the artist.
Esperanza strolled out from the floor and made her way to the stage. On the right of the stage in front of the curtain was a set up you might have seen in an old movie or even in your grandmother’s house. There was a living room chair, a small table and a tall lamp. Once on stage she turned on the lamp, slid off her shoes, slowly unbuttoned her jacket, and calmly took a seat in the living room chair. Violins began to play as she poured herself a glass of wine and lean back in the chair for a few moments. She took a few sips as the curtain raised to reveal three violinists, one drummer, one pianist and one female backup vocalist. Esperanza than made her way to the stage and begin to pluck away at the bass twice her size.
She started a bit slow with a few of the more mellow songs from her 2010 album, Chamber Music Society. Things picked up as she introduce her voice as an instrument, skatting and singing. She has a beautiful voice that reminds me alot of Amel Larrieux. At one point Esperanza stopped plucking and leaned the bass on a chair and started tapping it, in a back and forth rhythm with her drummer. There was also a moment when she and her back up singer teamed up to create music via skatting and clapping with the musicians filling in the background. It seemed they used everything on the stage to make music except the chairs. Just as it seemed they were hitting the peak in their set, the show was over. The curtain drew back down and Esperanza made her way back to her chair with the violins played in the background. She buttoned her jacket as the audience gave her a standing ovation.