- 7/01 Concert flashback #53: Live 8 in Philly in 2005. Very crowded, and we only stayed for the first half, but worth it just for Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff getting everyone to sing along to the theme from The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air.
- 7/02 Concert flashback #54: Live Aid in 1985. The only concert I’ve listened to so far I haven’t been to, but I was drawn to it after Live 8 yesterday. I remember being physically pulled away from the TV because we had to go somewhere, and turning it on again the second we got back.
- 7/05 Concert flashback #55: the Foo Fighters 20th anniversary festival in 2015 with Gary Clark, Jr., Heart, LL Cool J, & Buddy Guy at RFK Stadium on 7/04, 2015.
- 7/06 Concert flashback #56: Page & Plant at MCI Center in 1998 (aka the closest I’m getting to a Led Zep reunion).
- 7/07 Concert flashback #57: Live Earth at Giants Stadium in 2007. Bon Jovi\The Smashing Pumpkins\Roger Waters\The Police still one of the best back to back lineups I’ve seen.
- 7/08 Concert flashback #58: Rush at Nissan Pavilion in 2002. First show for me after the break. Great set.
- 7/09 Concert flashback #59: Pink Floyd at RFK in 1994. My first time seeing them and so amazing I went back the next night (Ok, I was going anyway but cool to see how the disco ball came out when no one was looking).
- 7/10 Concert flashback #60: What better way to follow the finest moment of a Roger-less Pink Floyd than with Roger Waters’s finest post Floyd show, namely The Wall tour in 2012?
- 7/13 Concert flashback #61: Weird Al at Wolf Trap last year for Nina’s 1st time and my 8th. The symphony really took it to the next level.
- 7/14 Concert flashback #62: Pat McGee Band at Wolf Trap in 2000. Classic lineup joined by Michael Ghegan on sax, plus a nice cover of “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes”.
- 7/15 Concert flashback #63: The Police at Hersheypark in 2007. And we won the tickets!
- 7/16 Concert flashback #64: Veruca Salt at the Black Cat in 2014. I was always sad I never got to see them do songs from “Eight Arms to Hold You”, and I got over half of them.
- 7/17 Concert flashback #65: Brandi Carlile at Wolf Trap in 2015.
- 7/20 Concert flashback #66: The Rolling In The Aisles workshop at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in 2005 with Paul & Storm and The Arrogant Worms.
- 7/21 Concert flashback #67: Queen + Adam Lambert at Mohegan Sun Arena in 2017. With a capacity less than 4000, the most intimate show with them.
- 7/22 Concert flashback #68: Eddie From Ohio at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in 2005. With Paul & Storm!
- 7/23 Concert flashback #69: Red Molly at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in 2008.
- 7/24 Concert flashback #70: Our Native Daughters at the National Museum of African American History & Culture last year.
- 7/27 Concert flashback #71: Crooked Still at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in 2008.
- 7/28 Concert flashback #72: The Songs of Paul Simon at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in 2009.
- 7/29 Concert flashback #73: Dave Matthews Band at Classic Amphitheater in 1995. A charming show, and now it’s not all FRFF this week.
- 7/30 Concert flashback #74: Dar Williams at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in 2007.
- 7/31 Concert flashback #75: The Shantytowne fireside jam at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in 2017. This is the one that really hurts to miss.
Month: August 2020
July
For Jill’s birthday on Wednesday the 1st, she was still recovering and we stayed at home, but I made her request for dinner: chicken nuggets and fires in her new air fryer. I was sure everyone will be focused on the election in November, but noted that voting is important every year. Turning the VA statehouse blue was crucial for these new laws in effect now. This seemed like a good cause. More info here. Thursday one of Jill’s friends came by for a belated birthday visit, and Jill said “It was so wonderful to get a drive by birthday celebration from her and her sweet girl! Made me feel so special! Love you”.
Friday I took the workday holiday off (usually I work part of one day of the weekend because a number of days I only get 7 or so hours in) and we went to Lost Dog Cafe in Merrifield and had lunch outside, then I picked up meat and beer at Red Apron. I also said to wear your mask. Saturday Nina requested something special for breakfast so got strawberries with regular and blue dyed whipped cream. Then we watched a cardboard boat float and had the neighborhood kids over to open a pinata filled with candy and alcohol to belatedly celebrate Jill’s birthday (grownups took the alcohol) and play on the slip and slide. In the afternoon we took 4 hours to watch Hamilton (someone had so many questions: about history, blackmail, casting and song genre choices), then made these scrumptious ribs (the little bottle of Jack Daniels from the morning really came in handy). In the evening we went out on the boat, and as usual, Lake Thoreau did not disappoint (they were still going off past midnight). Sunday I saw “Weird Al” Yankovic had put up a video version of his Hamilton Polka.
Monday the 6th I felt this will happen to me in the future. Tuesday I had to quote this interview: “That mask is not for you. That’s for everybody around you. If you care about your neighbors, your family, the people that you encounter in the store — wear that mask.” Wednesday I saw that The Far Side was back. Jill was still off while she recovered from her surgery and said “I took a walk around the lake for the first time after my surgery 2 weeks ago and discovered 2 trails I didn’t know about before! 10 years in and still new things to discover.” Friday I saw this and knew what I was listening to the rest of the afternoon. That night we had dinner outside at Ariake, where Nina ate all her sushi and then proceeded to finish off Jill’s bento box (after she watched a ladybug escape it).
Saturday the 11th I went to Meadowlark Gardens for a socially distanced memorial to my elementary and high school friend Gretchen. Later we were so happy to host another boat concert, this time with Robbie Schaefer. Perfect ending to the day. Monday I thought we’d already come to this conclusion. After a Banh Mi on a handmade sourdough hoagie roll Thursday, I may never go back to store bought. Friday I noted that you can apply to vote absentee by mail now for the November election in Virginia.
Saturday the 18th my friend Norm pointed out that an artist had painted giant wings on a parking garage nearby, so I brought Nina to take some pictures. She convinced me that since we were out, we also had to go to Duck Donuts. Monday Nina had finished her 3 weeks of virtual camps at Lopez Studios (with songs from Wizard of Oz, Lion King and School of Rock) and chose to switch back to AFYP for the last 2 weeks of virtual camps, with acting camp and musical theater bootcamp. Tuesday I said “Oh dang” as Fairfax County Public Schools switched between hybrid and all-virtual classes to all-virtual classes. Thursday I thought this is a fantastic Dolly Parton parody for our times. Friday I saw this was a quick way to let Congress know live venues are important. Later I went to Golden King to get dim sum while Nina and Jill were at the pool.
Saturday the 25th Nina and Jill had a spa day. Sunday after having listened to the amazing feat of Hamilton Act 1 but it’s The Muppets, I figured he was done, but he did Act 2 too! Tuesday I said just wear your mask. Wednesday morning after forgetting our CSA veggies the day before I bribed Nina to come with me by offering Dunkin’ Donuts. Thursday I was today years old when I found out Levar Burton was “a police detective trying to arrest the band”. Also, this was tweet of the day and I made this intriguing image of Nina at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in 2012 and 2019 in response to a post on a Facebook group asking for pictures of kids at their first and most recent Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. Later Jill got takeout from Mama Tigre, some wonderful Mexican with Indian fusion.
From Senator Janet Howell’s newsletter
Continue reading “July”