- 1/4 Concert flashback #163: The Smashing Pumpkins opening up the new location of the 9:30 Club in 1996. On the way home Eric and I ran into the beginnings of some snow. He dropped me at my girlfriend’s apartment in Alexandria (right off 395), and then made it as far as our CD store in Springfield, where he holed up for several days.
- 1/5 Concert flashback #164: Michael Clem at Jammin’ Java in 2006 for his first solo CD release. He’s doing another CD release and show this January; details here.
- 1/6 Concert flashback #165: Jonathan Coulton on the 1st JoCoCruise in 2011 (also the cruise Jill was pregnant on).
- 1/7 Concert flashback #166: emmet swimming at the 9:30 Club in 2004. The first of 4 years in a row they played the club in January, and by the time they ended, Eddie From Ohio had started their January residency (in 2005). A brand new transfer!
- 1/8 Concert flashback #167: Mary Chapin Carpenter, Chris Coleman, Shawn Colvin, Sheryl Crow, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, Vince Gill, Patty Griffin, Chris Hillman, Iron & Wine, Alison Krauss, Kris Kristofferson, Daniel Lanois, Martina McBride, the Milk Carton Kids, Buddy Miller, Conor Oberst, Herb Pedersen, Shovels & Rope, Mavis Staples, John Starling, Trampled by Turtles, Sara Watkins, Holly Williams, Lucinda Williams, Lee Ann Womack & Emmylou Harris for The Life & Songs Of Emmylou Harris at Constitution Hall in 2015.
- 1/11 Concert flashback #168: Jon Anderson (Yes singer) at Barns of Wolf Trap in 2004.
- 1/12 Concert flashback #169: Declassified: Ben Folds Presents: Sara Bareilles & Caroline Shaw at the Kennedy Center in 2018.
- 1/13 Concert flashback #170: Pearl Jam (with Neil Young opening) at Constitution Hall in 1995.
- 1/14 Concert flashback #171: The Jayhawks at The Birchmere in 2002. The first real concert I went to with Jill (my mom insisted we come see the Cornell University Glee Club the night before).
- 1/15 Concert flashback #172: The Smithereens at the State Theatre in 2019, with vocalist Robin Wilson (of the Gin Blossoms) replacing the late and lamented Pat DiNizio.
- 1/19 Concert flashback #173: We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial in 2009. Remember hope about politics and not just hoping the side that supports science can keep us alive and the side that supports violence would leave us alone?
- 1/21 Concert flashback #174: Eddie From Ohio at The Birchmere in 2020, from their annual MLK weekend residency. This year’s is cancelled, of course. But they started selling the recordings in 2008 and I have all the shows we’ve been to since.
- 1/22 Concert flashback #175: Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds at the Landmark Theatre (Richmond) in 1999. The first 2 Dave & Tim shows I saw were at The Birchmere in 1994 before they got huge – this one wasn’t as good with all the frat boy screaming between songs.
- 1/26 Concert flashback #176: Quitter UK (emmet swimming/Smartbomb offshoot) at Jammin’ Java in 2005.
- 1/27 Concert flashback #177: Girlyman at Jammin’ Java in 2005. Notice this is the day after yesterday’s flashback. Jammin’ Java was hopping in January 2005. I also just digitized a Girlyman show from FRFF in 2004.
- 1/28 Concert flashback #178: Extreme at Baltimore Soundstage in 2015. Unfortunately the closest they came on their tour as they played Extreme II: Pornograffitti in full for the first time (the one with the 2 big hits) and I finally got to hear “Song For Love”.
- 1/29 Concert flashback #179: Au Pair> [Gary Louris/Django Haskins] at Jammin’ Java in 2016.
Month: February 2021
January
Friday the 1st we started the year by making Eggs Benedict and artichokes for brunch, followed by hours of cleaning the kitchen because my helper cracked an egg into a drawer. The girl squad made gingerbread houses in the afternoon. As always, I found wise words from Neil. Monday Jill faced black ice on the way to work, and got her second vaccine dose – she said “Second dose done! I’ll update in a few days with any side effects, but I feel so blessed to be able to be one of the first to get this vaccine to start helping us recover.”
Thursday the 7th, Seth says it better than I could. Friday we got take out from MyHome Thai Bistro and I got a duck roll & calamari (Nina had Popeyes instead). Saturday 2 of Nina’s friends celebrated their birthday with a party held in the park across the street. Luckily it wasn’t terribly cold and we ate food and watched the girls run around. Monday Nina was selling cookies again.
Friday the 15th we got takeout from Flippin’ Pizza and I made this mashup and posted it (after initially being denied for too much Go-Gos). Saturday we hosted Nina’s friends. Sunday Nina had Girl Scouts and she decided she wanted to be a chef – first up was brunch where she helped make a smoothie and a “turtle waffle” (waffle with pineapple feet and head and strawberries on top). Monday she helped cook cheeseburgers for us and chicken sliders for her. Tuesday Jill woke up to a flat tire and brought it to a mechanic and then took the bus to work. Happily it was fixed by the time she took the bus back.
Wednesday the 20th was the second student holiday of the week, this time for Inauguration Day. Nina and I watched the ceremony and I felt a great weight lift from my chest where it had been since the 6th. Jill said “So grateful to close Chapter 45 and start Chapter 46. The best parts of my day were listening to NPR on my way home recap the inauguration and watching Amanda Gorman with N on my lap for a cuddle.” And about the Bernie Sanders viral photo said “This is honestly my favorite Bernie pic/caption. (A photo showing Bernie at the inauguration sitting with his arms crossed wearing a brown winter puffy coat and handmade brown patterned mittens. It is captioned: The chairman of the senate budget committee wearing his only heavy coat and gifted handmade mittens made from recycled plastic bottles and repurposed wool sweaters. We found the right person for the job.)”
Friday I saw this article about Nina’s school. We got takeout that night from Panda House Chinese Restaurant – I enjoyed the half roast duck. Later that night I needed to talk to Disney and they left me on hold for a while.
Sunday the 24th Jill ran errands with Nina and they came home with frozen yogurt. Monday Nina started an appointment for neurofeedback, where she gets to choose to watch a show on Netflix while she’s being monitored (It’s not hard to convince her to go). Wednesday Nina played indoor gymnastics with her friends. Friday we got take out from Ariake – more sushi! At the end of the month, Jill said “A reminder to myself: the work is not done. It is neverending, but that is ok. It is good work, and good will overcome. Art and words by @ohhappydani . (A picture of an 8×10 art print; printed words in a rainbow gradient. It says: “You were created to do good work. Work that empowers and inspires, liberates and transforms, restores and softens. Yes, work can be hard – as it was meant to be. The verb itself calls us into action. Rejecting passivity and demanding sustained effort. It provokes, agitates, and disturbs. But this work – the call for justice – is good work. It defends the oppressed and frees the captive. It tears down walls and destroys barriers. It changes things. So when you’re feeling weary, or hopeless, or spent, remind yourself that the darkness is being flooded by marvelous light. Yes, this is work. And it is good.” -Danielle Coke)
