Category Archives: The Features

These are our features. They come back either weekly, bi-weekly or monthly.

Interviews, Music, We Love Music
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Q&A with J. Tom Hnatow

 

I first became acquainted with the soulful, sweet pedal steel guitar styling of J. Tom Hnatow pretty recently, whilst listening to, loving and obsessing over the last These United States record, released earlier this year. As I like to say- I may be late, but at least I made it to the party. Hnatow is skillful on the pedal steel, playing with nuance, subtlety and heart, but can also totally rock it out, and plays many other instruments as well. He was with TUS for seven years (starting out in DC), five albums, and about a thousand shows, living mostly on the road. He has recently left the band, moved from North Carolina to Lexington, Kentucky, and is now on tour playing guitar with The Mynabirds (another band with DC roots- front-woman Laura Burhenn lived many years in DC.) Amidst his busy tour schedule he took some time to chat with me on the phone about music, icons of the pedal steel world, leaving These United States, and more. You can see Tom play with The Mynabirds this Friday, October 26th at Black Cat!

 

Alexia: So how did you first start playing music?

Tom: I was forced to take piano lessons when I was a kid, like 8 years, and I hated it! Absolutely despised it, and, I think my Mom said something like “When you turn fifteen you can quit.” So I was like “Ok, cool, I’m out!” And then I sort of stumbled into playing guitar and thought that was pretty cool, and kind of went from there.

Alexia: And how did you get into pedal steel?

Tom: How did I get into pedal steel? I think I stumbled into it, because I played banjo and I played lap steel for a long time, and realized that what I was doing on the lap steel, there were a lot of things where I was trying to imitate a pedal steel, so I thought “Oh, this’ll be really easy! How hard could it be? I can play slide guitar!” And I learned rapidly that was not the case! I’m just sort of stumbling my way through it.

Alexia: Um, for stumbling you’re doing a pretty damn good job! (laughs)

Tom: (laughs) It’s smoke and mirrors! It’s an illusion.

Alexia: Was there any artist or album that first made you fall in love with rock & roll?

Tom: Yeah. Well, I didn’t listen to rock & roll as a kid much. I wasn’t that into it, and it wasn’t that my parents banned it, but we just weren’t allowed to watch MTV, and I just really was not exposed to rock & roll. My Dad’s like a real jazz guy. So, for some inexplicable reason, and I still don’t know why he did this, when I graduated from junior high school he bought me the Led Zeppelin box set. And I don’t think I’d ever heard a note of Led Zeppelin, other than, you know, of course “Stairway to Heaven”, and I was just floored by the fact that this music existed! So I was like “I’m going to play guitar,” so of course my first band was like Led Zeppelin riffs played even stupider. (laughs)

Alexia: Are there any people in the pedal steel world who are inspirational or icons to you?

Tom: Yeah- there’s a guy named Ralph Mooney, Waylon Jennings’ long-term sidekick, and he is just absolutely one of my favorites. And Ben Keith , I think he’s the only steel player who played on any Neil Young records, and I just love his playing. It’s just like so simple and beautiful and perfect. You know, any Neil Young song you hear the steel and it’s just like, it just couldn’t exist otherwise. Continue reading →

Entertainment, Interviews, Music, The Features, We Love Music
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Q&A with Sharon Van Etten

photo courtesy of Sharon Van Etten

 

Sharon Van Etten has a beautiful, pure, at times haunting voice, which she uses to bring her dark, hypnotic songs to glorious life. Her songs are vocal and guitar driven, dreamy, dark, moody rock with a folk influence. The Brooklyn-based Van Etten has released three albums to date- 2009’s Because I Was In Love, 2010’s Epic, and this year’s Tramp. She is currently on tour of the U.S., and in December will head to Europe and Australia. Sharon Van Etten plays DC’s 930 Club this Thursday, October 25th. Amidst her chaotic tour schedule she took a few minutes to answer some questions from We Love DC’s Alexia Kauffman.

 

Alexia Kauffman: How did you start playing music?

Sharon Van Etten: I took piano lessons, violin lessons, clairinet lessons, then I was in choir and musicals.

Alexia: What music did you grow up listening to?

Sharon: Neil Young, The Kinks, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez (parents)
Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr, Screaming Trees, Guns ‘n Roses (brother)
Julianna Hatifeld, Lemonheads, Mazzy Star (sister)
PJ Harvey, Liz Phair, Sonic Youth, Frente, Murmurs, Portishead

Alexia: Was there any artist or album that first made you fall in love with music/rock?

Sharon: Neil Young

Alexia: How did you start writing music?

Sharon: By making up words ad singing to chords I didn’t know existed yet. It was terrible.

Alexia: What inspires you?

Sharon: Everything. Love.

Alexia: Are there any singers that have been really influencial to you?

Sharon: PJ Harvey, Rufus Wainwright

Alexia: You’ve been touring a lot- do you have any favorite or really memorable moment from tour?

Sharon: Getting stuck in the mud at a festival and having the tow-truck get stuck and we had to get another tow-truck to get the two of us out. Ha!

Alexia: If you could collaborate with any artist who would it be?

Sharon: PJ Harvey

Alexia: I saw that you worked with The National’s Aaron Dessner on your latest album, Tramp- what was the experience of making this album like?

Sharon: Working with Aaron was amazing. He pushed me to try new things and he helped my ideas flourish in his instrumentation.

Alexia: Who are you listening to these days?

Sharon: Angel Olsen, TEEN, Triffids, Nick Cave, The Rolling Stones, Robyn Hitchcock, John Cale.

Alexia: What’s on the horizon for you?

Sharon: I have three more tours: US, Europe, then Australia. Then in January I am taking a three-month break to decompress, rest, write, and hopefully record. I really miss having a normal life.

 

Check out Sharon’s song “Warsaw” and “Serpents” from her latest album, Tramp. See Sharon Van Etten live this Thursday, October 25th at the 930 Club!

Sharon Van Etten
w/Damien Jurado
6pm/$18
get tickets here!

Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: The Rocky Horror Show

(Photo: Jeff Malet)

Rocky Horror and Halloween go together like Hollywood stars and hit-and-run accidents. Whether it’s a midnight screening at E-Street Cinema or a local production of the Richard O’Brien musical, the show takes on a special significance during this time of year when “sexy” costumes of all kinds are in vogue. What makes Rocky Horror different from any other show is the musical’s culture of attending performances in costume, heckling the cast with call-outs, and taking part alongside the show through the use of props. As a result the campy tale of Brad (Chad W. Fornwalt) and Janet’s (Ali Hoxie) night at a mysterious castle inhabited by a trans-sexual cohort turns into a cult performing arts experience that everybody has to experience at least once.

The Washington Savoyards paid special attention to the Rocky culture as they opened their production of The Rocky Horror Show at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. The audience on H-Street maybe a bit too hip to show up to a performance in heels and corsets as they demonstrated this past weekend but the vibe was still there with bags of props sold to patrons in the lobby and a healthy encouragement from the cast for audience members to shout some of the more commonly known Rocky call-outs. Director Jay D. Brock and company understand that the audience entertains themselves as much as the actors on stage and have created a production that plays to the Rocky Horror fans out there.

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Music, The Features, We Love Music
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Q&A with Jeremy Dawson of Shiny Toy Guns

Photo courtesy of Shiny Toy Guns

Shiny Toy Guns have embarked on a tour in support of their new album III, out today (Oct. 23) in the United States. Not only does the album mark the group’s first new record in four years, but it also heralds the return of vocalist Carah Faye Charnow, who was the female singer on the band’s first album, We Are Pilots. (Shiny Toy Guns recorded a second album, Season of Poison, without her.) In returning to Shiny Toy Guns, Charnow has reunited with male vocalist and guitarist Chad Petree, drummer Mikey Martin and of course keyboardist Jeremy Dawson.

Dawson took some time out on the road in New Mexico, where it is illegal to talk on the phone and drive, to chat with We Love DC about getting the band back together and injecting the drama of the ’80s into their music.

Mickey McCarter: How is it going?

Jeremy Dawson: Good! We are slowly creeping across New Mexico. We are moving our equipment to California. We were doing a YouTube thing and soon we will start the tour.

MM: I’ve had a few times to meet you in the past and I’m always struck by how authentic you guys are. I really mean this as a compliment. I saw you in Baltimore for the first time some years ago and my friends were getting pictures with Carah. You walked up and said, “There are beers in the green room. Want to have a beer?”

JD: (chuckles) It gets lonely out there.

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Sports Fix
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Redskins Lose to Giants 27-23

Photo courtesy of Keith Allison
Chris Cooley
courtesy of Keith Allison

Under a minute and a half left to play, the Redskins with a three point, and the Giants needing a long drive to take the lead. What could possibly go wrong? How about everything that has gone wrong for the Redskins all on display for on play. Manning would find Victor Cruz who was supposed to be double covered by Wilson and Williams for a 77 yard game winning touchdown. The Redskins secondary had once again let them down, blown a late lead, and allowed a big play. Everything the Redskins have done wrong this season on display for one play.

Here is the good news, and it is the same good news it has been for the past six weeks. Robert Griffin looked good. No, he looked great, electrifying, unstoppable. Robert Griffin looks like the next superstar quarterback in the NFL. All those little things he was going to have to work on like accuracy and poise are already on display. For a hybrid quarterback Robert Griffin might be the most accurate there has been. For the season he has completed 70% of his passes. That is off the charts good for a drop-back, pocket passer. For a scrambling quarterback that is other worldly, and about that scrambling thing. RGIII has rushed for 557 yards on 73 attempts.

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The Features
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ULTRA & Elkins: DC Faces at The Fridge

h.r. by ULTRA / aerosol and acrylic, 30 x 22 inches. 2012

It’s portraiture at its most local: to celebrate the opening of their new retail and gallery space, the folks over at The Fridge have put together two important DC-centric shows, filling their space front and back with provocative new works.

Quiet Walks in Dangerous Places

In the main gallery, the exhibit quiet walks in dangerous places showcases work by street artist Asad “ULTRA” Walker. ULTRA began his career as part of a DC-native go-go graffiti movement; and today his work in spray paint has changed the artistic sensibility of the district.

quiet walks in dangerous places is ULTRA’s first solo show. It focuses on portraiture of everyday people he has met in DC – people different from the ones you and I meet, unless you happen to be a graffiti artist out at 4am.

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Sports Fix
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Week Seven Preview: Redskins at Giants

Photo courtesy of Mike Morbeck
Eli Manning
courtesy of Mike Morbeck

This one has been coming for awhile. It is finally time to see what Bob Griffin can do against Jason Pierre-Paul and the rest of the Giants defensive line. If you don’t know the story it goes something like this. Jason Pierre-Paul was asked what he thoughts of RGIII and how they would stop him. He then went on to explain that Robert Griffin had done nothing in the NFL and wasn’t worthy of the respect of a nickname, and until he won something he was just Bob Griffin.

The Giants defensive line is tough. Aside from Jason Pierre-Paul there is Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, and Prince Amukamara. All four of them can get to the quarterback and be a general nightmare for an offensive line. Their ability to get to the quarterback allows the Giants to drop more men into coverage and close off passing lanes for their opposition. The Redskins offense has been one of the best in the league thus far into the season, but the Giants defense is going to provide a tough test for RGIII and the rest of the Redskins.

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Entertainment, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music
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Hot Tickets: Music worth checking out this weekend!

Tonight you can satisfy your musical cravings whether you prefer a dance night or a live show.
Black Cat starts a new dance night tonight on the backstage- Catalyst, “a party for people who like great music.” The night will be hosted by a rotating cast of awesome local DJs. Tonight’s kicks off with DJ Steve EP, and is $5.
Also at Black Cat tonight on the mainstage is The 9 songwriter series. Tonight’s edition features some great talent including Sam McCormally of Ugly Purple Sweater, Ryan McLaughlin of Typefighter, Victoria Vox, and Christylez Bacon. $10/9pm
Meanwhile, Comet Ping Pong has an awesome lineup of local and international bands tonight that will make you want to dance. Starting off the night are one of my favorite DC bands, Coup Sauvage & the Snips.  Their super-sassy neo-soul-punk realness is super-entertaining, not to miss. DC’s Drop Electric is also on the bill, and headlining the night are Berlin’s  Thieves Like Us, bringing their delicious blend of nostalgic disco-dream-pop. (If you like M83 or Miami Horror, check them out!) $10/10pm/All-ages.
Saturday night Chicago’s JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound bring their post-punk/soul extravaganza to U Street’s Tropicalia. Also bringing the grooves is DJ Baby Alcatraz. This is an early show! $10/7pm doors, music starts at 8pm!
Sunday, if you feel like a change of pace, or a touch of culture, why not head over to the National Cathedral? The Cathedral Choral Society will be performing their “Glory of France” concert, featuring the Durufle Requiem & Saint-Saens’ Symphony No. 3. Beautiful music in a gorgeous setting. 4pm, tickets from $20.
Entertainment, Music, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Norman Rockwell

Photo Courtesy of Norman Rockwell

It was a rainy Saturday night in September and I almost stayed home but I couldn’t. It was the night of Derek Evry‘s CD release show and I knew I’d regret missing it if I didn’t go. So instead of a boring night home alone, I braved the eerily dark storm and headed on over to Iota in Arlington. Long story short – it was the best live show featuring local music that I’ve seen in 2012.

I got to the venue early and caught the other acts’ soundchecks. This included brief bursts of tunage from local folk-rockers The WeatherVanes and Americana folk-rockers Norman Rockwell. My interest was piqued since I’d never heard Norman Rockwell live before. They were a new blip on my local music radar at the time. I had listened to The WeatherVanes before but I’d only heard of Norman Rockwell recently after they shared the stage with some of my favorite local musicians, including the incomparable Ben Tufts.

Needless to say, it was love at first strum. Norman Rockwell is a Northern Virginia-based band and a name to know if you’re keeping an eye out for up-and-coming talent in the DC area.  Not only can Joshua Johnston (Guitar/Harmonica/Vocals), Ben Hirsch (Guitar/Banjo/Mandolin/Violin/Vocals), Sean Meyers (Bass/Guitar/Vocals), and Nathan Read (Drums/Percussion/Vocals) all sing in beautiful four-part harmony with each other but they’re sound is refreshing in an almost nostalgic way. Norman Rockwell sounds as if Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and The Band all got together and said, “Let’s combine our powers for the greater musical good!”

The guys of Norman Rockwell took some time to do a Q&A with We Love DC in anticipation of their CD release show this Saturday at Jammin’ Java. Tickets are available online for $15 and the show starts at 8:00 p.m. Here’s what they had to say:

Rachel: How did you all meet and decide to form the band now known as Norman Rockwell?

Norman Rockwell: Josh and Ben met at various open mics in the greater Washington, DC area. Sean and Nathan have previously played in other bands together. We all met at The Soundry, an arts space/music venue where Sean ran his first open mic. The atmosphere was incredibly open and catered to any and all types of music. We then decided to join together to form Norman Rockwell.

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Music, The Features, We Love Music
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Hot Ticket: Saint Etienne @ U Street Music Hall, 10/25/12

Photo courtesy of Saint Etienne

When former music journalists Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs formed the band Saint Etienne in London around 1990, they sought to make music for films — to borrow a page from Brian Eno. If you’ve never sat and listened to the band’s first two albums — Foxbase Alpha and So Tough — from start to finish, you must do so immediately. They will transport you from driving Italian sports cars on a sunny afternoon to sipping wine at dusk in empty city plazas to dancing the night away in smart Europop dance clubs. The albums are the soundtracks to the fabulously interesting life experiences of your daydreams.

When recording Foxbase Alpha, Stanley and Wiggs intended to use different singers for every Saint Etienne song, adding to the varied texture of movie soundtracks. But to their delight and ours, the lovely Sarah Cracknell alone fulfilled their expectations so completely that she quickly became the permanent third member of the group.

Borrowing from Italo disco and other dance genres, the trio fused different musical strands into ambient house originally before moving into what critics called folky electronica in later albums. Cracknell’s lush voice and the sweet and synthy stylings of Stanley and Wiggs forged an alluring brand of dreampop that became the band’s signature sound.

Around 2000, Saint Etienne shifted into trip hop, becoming more followers than trailblazers with several interesting if occasionally dull albums. The band kept very busy for seven years after 2005 engaging in musical projects other than releasing studio albums. But they returned this year with Words and Music by Saint Etienne, a fantastically great album that not only sees them re-embrace their Italo disco roots but indeed fully unearth them in a shimmering spectacular of pop nostalgia that is so good your ears cannot help but melt with joy upon hearing it.

I.M.P. Productions is bringing this remarkable trio to the intimate U Street Music Hall for a concert on Thursday, Oct. 25. Local smooth house band Volta Bureau, featuring U Hall co-owner Will Eastman, serve as openers. Inconceivably, the show has not yet sold out. Do yourself a favor and buy a ticket now for this potentially once in a lifetime show.

Saint Etienne w/ Volta Bureau
Thursday, Oct. 25
doors 7pm
$30
U Street Music Hall
All ages

Sports Fix, The Features
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Everything’s Not Lost: A Nats Postseason Reflection

2012 10 01 - 5478-5486 - DC - Nationals Ballpark
courtesy of thisisbossi

The 2012 Washington Nationals can and will be remembered in a few different ways. Some will see it as a successful season riddled with historic milestones achieved by a team who competed well beyond anyone’s spring training predictions. Others will remember it for the gut-wrenching two-run loss induced by a ninth inning collapse versus the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals in Game Five of the National League Division Series after being up 6-0.

But maybe there’s a happy medium between the two extremes?

Washington baseball in the modern era organically evolved into a devotion-based fan obsession upon the May inception of #Natitude. The play-on-words marketing strategy, endorsed by the Nationals’ Chief Operating Officer Andy Feffer, peaked people’s interest enough to follow the team on its journey toward becoming a contender. And this is all in addition to the incredibly devout season ticket holders and fans who’ve been supportive of the team since 2005 — the Nationals’ inaugural season.

Since that time, the already active community of voices in support of the team on Twitter has increased in size, seats in the ballpark were filled willingly, and a Photoshop trend became the norm for expressing one’s thoughts surrounding the team and its players. Record attendance numbers and television ratings were tallied. The Nats made it to the playoffs for the first time in team history. These are all positive changes when compared to season’s past.

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Sports Fix
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Redskins defeat Vikings 38-26

Under the lights
courtesy of BrianMKA

It was happening to the DC sports fans again. Just two days after the Washington Nationals lost in the most heart breaking fashion possible the Minnesota Vikings had scored two unanswered touchdowns to cut the Redskins 31-12 lead to 31-26. The Vikings were inching closer and had time to stop the Redskins, get the ball back, and drive down the field once more to twist the dagger already sticking from the chest of local sports fans.

Then Robert Griffin happened. On a third and six play with 2:56 left on the clock Robert Griffin made up his mind that if the blitz failed he would run. The Vikings sent six men and Griffin scampered to the sidelines. Because of his concussion the week before his first thought was to get out of bounds, but he ignored that thought and went with his instincts. Griffin raced up the sideline and past all the defenders. No one even laid a hand on him as he raced into the end zone for a game securing 76 yard touchdown run.

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Entertainment, Interviews, Music, People, The Features, We Love Music
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Q&A with Dark Dark Dark

 

photo courtesy of Dark Dark Dark

Dark Dark Dark hail from Minneapolis, Minnesota, but spend much of their time on the road. Their sound blends moody piano and clarion female vocals with understated percussion and layers of cello, accordion and horns to create a dark, dramatic and beautiful melange. Dark Dark Dark is currently on tour in support of their new album Who Needs Who, and you can see them play tonight, Monday, October 15th at DC9. We Love DC’s Alexia Kauffman got to have a little chat with Nona Marie from Dark Dark Dark recently, and here’s how it went.

Alexia: So how did you first start playing music, and singing?

Nona: Well there was a piano in the house, and we always just played.

Alexia: In your family house?

Nona: Yeah, in my family house, when I was a kid.

Alexia: And how did you start singing?

Nona: My mom sang a lot around the house just listening to the radio and, I don’t know, singing in the car.

Alexia: Are there any singers past or present that really inspire you?

Nona: I mean yeah, every singer inspires me. It’s my favorite thing.

Alexia: Are there any artists or albums that first made you fall in love with music?

Nona: Yeah, I guess I really loved listening to that Joni Mitchell Blue record- that was a good one.

Alexia: How did Dark Dark Dark come together?

Nona: We just, Marshall and I just started playing together in Minneapolis, um and then just started traveling around and meeting people and playing with different people, and sort of over time it became what it is. Continue reading →

We Love Weekends
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Weekend Flashback – All Wedding, All the Time

I’m sure some of you did something else, but the Social Event of the Season was the Poe-Debelack wedding and why would we talk about anything else? Our congratulations to our own Fedward and the Social Chair on their nuptials.

You may think that having both wedding photos and a video are overkill, or may not want to prioritize videography in your budget, but trust us—you’ll want to hire a wedding videographer. For one, the day literally flies by and there are things you’ll miss that your videographer will capture beautifully, like seeing your grandmother’s emotional reaction as you say your vows. Also, you have to think of the sounds that can’t be captured in a photo, like your “I dos,” the reception music and meaningful toasts. But don’t just take our word for it—listen to feedback from these real brides from our message boards. Visit wedding.film for cinematography style wedding videos.

 

images courtesy of Kate, Ed, and Route 1 Multimedia

Images courtesy of Fedward, The Social Chair, and Route 1 Multimedia

Images courtesy of Fedward, The Social Chair, and Route 1 Multimedia

Images courtesy of Fedward, The Social Chair, and Route 1 Multimedia

Images courtesy of Fedward, The Social Chair, and Route 1 Multimedia

And of course, you know the Passenger had to eventually be involved. Tom Brown led the ceremony that ended with their pronouncement as “married in the eyes of the Passenger” and Derek Brown gave a lovely toast. I’m not sure what it means that I think the Prenup was the best of the themed drinks, but hey. Congrats you two!

Kate and Ed and the Passenger drinks in their honor Don Whiteside
Adventures, Entertainment, Fun & Games, Special Events, The Features
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Murder, BBQ, and a Creepy Hospital…and You’re Invited!

Photo courtesy of Tony DeFilippo
Old Naval Hospital – 1
courtesy of Tony DeFilippo

Labyrinth Games & Puzzles shop is doing another mystery party. “The Mystery of Aorta Springs” unfolds on Sunday, October 21 from 5 to 8 pm at the Old Naval Hospital in Southeast DC.

“Lately the town of Aorta Springs, Maryland has been plagued with terrifying trouble. But the crazy rants of a few townsfolk about ‘real’ vampires aren’t stopping Buffy Chaste, the homecoming queen, from celebrating her Halloween birthday! She’s invited you to celebrate with her at a fabulous BBQ at the home of her boyfriend, the reclusive rock superstar Killian Killagan.”

Kathleen Donahue, owner and proprietor of Labyrinth, says the party “is like a live-action Clue mixed with vampire rock and light horror.” When you purchase your tickets, you’ll be given a character role so players can prepare and dress appropriately. During the event, players will receive clues to share and are encouraged to work with other party-goers to solve the mystery. Prizes will be given for Best Costume and Best Mystery Solver. Food will be served, courtesy Inspire BBQ.

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Labryinth Games at 202.544.1059. If you mention you saw this article here on WeLoveDC, they’ll even knock $5 off the ticket price of $45! Don’t wait too long; the last mystery party Labyrinth hosted completely sold out.

Sports Fix
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Week Six Preview: Vikings at Redskins

Photo courtesy of Mike Morbeck
Christian Ponder, Charles Woodson
courtesy of Mike Morbeck

The big news this week for the Redskins is that RGIII is cleared to play and play he will says Kyle Shanahan. There are no plans to slow down or to attempt to contain Griffin. He was drafted because of his ability to both pass and run. That is what makes him a dynamic player and it is how the Redskins are going to use him. The only problem is the Redskins aren’t going anywhere and risking the investment that is RGIII by calling so many run plays in his first season might not be the best, but Griffin was injured on a scramble and not a designed run. Quarterbacks that can run are going to run when a play breaks down. Part of this is on RGIII to get out of bounds or slide sooner.

Aside from all the RGIII talk the second biggest news out of Redskins Park is they cut Billy Cundiff and signed Kai Forbath to take over the kicking duties. It can be argued that Cundiff is a big reason the Redskins lost last week to the Falcons and while making a change may not help the Redskins this season they get to look at someone different in game action and could find their kicker of the future.

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Sports Fix
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Jayson Werth’s Walk-Off Earns the Nats One More Tomorrow

Photo courtesy of wolfkann
Jayson Werth — Walk-off home run to win Game 4!
courtesy of wolfkann

With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth the Nats were in a good position. They had the top of the order due up and the man batting third, Ryan Zimmerman, has earned the nickname Mr. Walk-off for a reason. The game would not get that far. Jayson Werth looked at the first two strikes he saw from Cardinals reliever Lance Lynn and then engaged in a war.

Ahead 0-2 Lynn wanted to entice Werth to swing at a ball and threw him a curveball and a fastball out of the zone. Werth swung at neither. Werth would then see five straight fastballs all fouled off. At times it looked like Allen Craig was close to catching them, but he would run out of room close to the stands. Werth then saw a breaking ball he fouled off, another fastball he hit foul, and a curveball he let go for ball three. Pitch 12 was a fastball that Werth hit foul. The more pitches a hitter sees in a plate appearance the more the advantage swings their way. Lynn wasn’t going to risk putting a runner on base and he knew Werth could ID and lay off his curve so he threw him one more fastball, and it was on this 13th pitch of the at bat that Werth earned the Nationals what they played this game for.

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We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends – Oct 12-14

Wedding of Carl Franz Josef (LOC) The Library of Congress

The nip is in the air and the nuptials are scheduled – several of us will spend this weekend watching the second most visible celebration of women with questionable taste in men since my own wedding. We’ll work some other things in – most hopefully the Nats going after the NL championship on Sunday – and we’re hot to tell you about them. So let’s get to it.

Fedward: The Social Chair and I are getting married on Sunday. We’ll follow that up with a special brunch at The Passenger, where Tom Brown will preside over a second ceremony.

Union Market ekelly80

Natalia: It’s going to be a busy weekend! Friday I am going to check out 14th street’s latest arrival, Drafting Table. Saturday, a morning at Union Market followed by an afternoon learning, drinking, and hanging with some of DC’s finest at the Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s Snallygaster Festival, where food and fun will be guaranteed. Sunday will be spent celebrating a friend’s birthday in our old alma mater hood- Georgetown- if its nice weather, a little kayaking and fall picnic by Jack’s Boathouse could be in order.

Dangerously Delicious Pie Half Mr. T in DC

Tom: Whatever happens today and Friday, my weekend is all about preparing to go on vacation come Monday. I’ll be reminding myself of the joys of Fall first, with a trip to Dangerously Delicious Pies for an apple or pumpkin pie, as well as a trip to Union Market for some Peregrine Espresso. Sunday, we’re going to see some dear friends wed (Congratulations to you, Ed & The Social Chair!) and enjoy some lovely time. For me, I hope the Nationals come through and we find ourselves watching the NLCS from Keoki’s Paradise on Kaua’i.

Wizards erin m

Patrick: How about that other DC team playing this weekend? No I’m not talking about the Nationals or the Redskins- the Wizards are back on the court as the NBA pre-season kicked off this past week. It’s time for me to take my mind of the local theatre scene and prep for a Wizards season preview! I’ll look to Northside Social to fuel my mind as I try to put a positive spin on John Wall missing the beginning of the season. I’ll also need some brunch- and for that I’ll be spending some time in AdMo (not SoMo) at Bourbon.

Raf n Sel | DayGlow Danilo.Lewis|Fotography

Jenn: Lately I’ve been feeling the urge to dance. Not bop-your-head-around-casually kind of dancing either. I’m talking about letting loose with your soul and having a crazy sweaty good time. So Friday night will see me at Tropicalia for Shrine as the Sol Power DJs spin the beats to get your spirits high – music from Cuba, Brazil, West Africa – and it features a special midnight performance by the energetic Janka Nabay and the Bubu Gang. It’s impossible to sit still while listening to the band’s galloping beats. Bubu music may be centuries old, but this band’s sound is incredibly alive. I guarantee you’ll forget whatever stress you’re battling when you dance to it with me. After dancing, art! Saturday and Sunday wander through the open studios of the Mid City Artists as they showcase work ranging from painting and sculpture to mixed media and photography. Have some brunch. Look at the leaves. Breathe.

Drama Masks Klondike Kate Photography

Don: First the bitter, then the sweet. I start the weekend saying farewell to a friend who outlasted cancer for several years more than his doctors thought he would – stubborn to the last, Jer – and we’ll be honoring his wishes by doing so decked out in our favorite sports jerseys. My darling wife and I will be in our Nationals gear and hopefully not simultaneously mourning and end to their playoff chances. Sunday makes for far more joy and more formalwear when we go stand next to Ed and The Social Chair as they tie their knots.

Entertainment, Music, The Features, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: The Temper Trap @ The Fillmore, 10/13/2012

Today We Love DC is giving away a pair of tickets to see The Temper Trap at The Fillmore in Silver Spring, on Saturday, October 13th! Tickets are on sale now through the Fillmore website.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address until 4pm today. One entry per email address, please.

For the rules of this giveaway…

Comments will be closed at 4pm and a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be notified by email. The winner must respond to our email in 24 hours or they will forfeit their tickets and we will pick another winner.

Tickets will be available to the winner at the will-call window of The Fillmore on the night of the concert. The tickets must be claimed with a valid ID. The winner must be old enough to attend the specific concert or must have a parent’s permission to enter if he/she is under 18 years old.

The Temper Trap

w/The Neighborhood

Saturday, October 13th

8pm/All Ages/$25