meandthestereo

What image comes to mind when someone mentions Van Halen? Don’t be afraid; close your eyes and just let the thoughts and pictures flow freely. Is that a guitar you see? Is it the red and white striped one? Who is the singer? Is the bass guitar shaped like a Jack Daniels bottle? For me, Van Halen was one of those revolutionary bands that comes along every few years and raises the bar on rock music. The four original members, Eddie and Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth combined to create a synergy that was unrivaled at the time and some would still argue, has not been equaled since. I like all the incarnations of Van Halen. I refuse to pick a favorite. There has been heated debate in recent years regarding which Van Halen was the best Van Halen. Let’s travel back in time to 1978 and have a little look-see; shall we?

Jimmy Carter jogging is sooo 1978.

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Van Halen, released 1978

In February of 1978, Van Halen took the country by storm with its self-titled, debut release: Van Halen. You have to remember that one. The cover featured a long-haired David Lee Roth, Alex and Eddie slightly blurred and Michael Anthony banging on the four-string. This album contained arguably one of the greatest, single guitar tracks of all time: Eruption. My God, man! Who is this guy? How did he play that? How many guitars are on that track? This instrumental, along with several other radio-friendly tracks like Jamie’s Cryin’ and Ain’t Talkin ‘bout Love, catapulted Van Halen into the national limelight. And the four original members would become rock icons before the decade was out. They went on to record five more albums; their last being 1984. I was lucky enough to see the original Van Halen in 1984 and I have to say, they kicked ass! The guitar solo, in and of itself, was worth the price of the ticket. David Lee Roth was a master showman and an unbelievable front man. They were so tight and well-rehearsed; I hated to see the show end. But, as we all know, egos got the best of the band and the original Van Halen was history…or so we thought. Read the rest of this entry →

Artist: Radiohead
Venue: Nissan Amphitheatre, Bristow, VA
Date: 05/11/2008

Radiohead is powerful. It’s amazing stuff. It’s moving and uplifting. Forceful and exciting. It grabs you by the shirt collar and says, “Hey. It’s time to pay attention.” Radiohead is the visual and physical equivalent of Kurt Vonnegut’s trademark phrase, “Listen:”.

Radiohead was almost able to save last night, but it was just far too miserable. Read the rest of this entry →

Venue: the Red & the Black
Location: 1212 H Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002
Age Range: 21 & Up Only
Website: http://www.redandblackbar.com
Score: 3/5 Enjoyable

This is what the Red & the Black has to say about itself:

“The Red & The Black is a cozy tavern and live music venue located in the H Street “Atlas” shopping district of North East, Washington, DC. Decorated inside with “New Orleans” style tin ceilings, walls covered in doors, and red velvet drapes. The Red & The Black  is a comfortable place to have a drink and some Jambalaya with friends or see some local live entertainment. ”

So, I’d like to provide my experience with the venue:

1. The Arrival

     Getting there is a pain in the @$$. It was only six miles away from my start location (Takoma Park), yet it still took about 40 minutes to get to the general NorthEast DC area. Parking is, of course, no fun (as it usually is in DC); however, there is a nice parking lot across the street (the Auto Zone lot) which did not result in the towing of the car (no promises on towage). All the Red & the Black seems to have for location indicators is a nicely decorated window and a doorman looking more likely to play you a crappy punk song than have the nerve to throw you out (no promises on the throwout-age). I didn’t pay cover this time, but it usually runs around 8 – 10 US Dollars (a little pricey in my opinion). Upon checking your ID, they stamp you with a nice black stamp that washes off easily (so be careful restroom frequenters!).

2. The Atmosphere

     Very nice! It’s very similar to most small bar situations. In fact, it made me feel like it was plucked from the heart of Adams Morgan and moved over here. It has a very large bar, though, which I find very necessary when entertaining many patrons. It’s a loud place, with plenty of echoes, so expect to do some yelling to communicate with friends or significant others. Drinks are average priced, maybe even a little cheaper than some places. The downstairs area is mainly seating and bar. A jukebox is around the corner for your perusal. Upstairs boasts a winding, wooden, creaky staircase to a set of bathrooms. Past them and through the heavy curtains await another smaller bar and a small stage. The room is a bit smaller, but for small bands that want to play here, it’s a wonderful intimate environment for your show. Note: Being a sound guy myself, I was NOT pleased with the job the sound guy did. Granted, he was both the bartender and sound guy, but I believe a live music venue should have an official sound guy on duty.

3. The Decision

     3/5 Enjoyable. Unless you know the DC area really well, this place is a pain to get to. The neighborhood is not too bad, but it’s not that nice either. For bands, the sound guy could be more skilled, but live music is meant to be enjoyed loudly, not precisely. It’s a nice place for a show, even a nice place to grab some drinks, but it’s just not in the best location. Seriously, if you have the money to spend on bands you maybe haven’t heard of yet and don’t live too far from the venue, you should be checking out this place every night they have live music. I’ll definitely be going there again, but hopefully I won’t be driving next time.