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Assorted Bob Music Bob Transition Bob

Labatt’s, the Dead and the 1990s …

Bob and Lara

 

Boogie’s daughter, Kim, texted me this photo she found among her mother’s things. I’m thinking this is early ‘90s, after we moved to Albuquerque. That’s a Labatt’s in my grimy paw and some sort of Grateful Dead homage.

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Assorted Bob Music Bob Transition Bob

Carrie Rodriquez at the Artisphere

Carrie Rodriguez
Three things I learned Saturday night at the Artisphere in Arlington:

  1. Carrie Rodriquez and Luke Jacobs are incredible. If you don’t already own one of her CDs, go download one. Now. If you already own one, order another. If she comes to your town, go see her.
  2. The DC Circulator can be a savior from Metro’s muddled weekends. Things were a mess on every line Saturday, prompting me to look for an alternative way to get to the show over in Arlington. The Circulator came to the rescue. For a buck each way (cheaper than Metro buses or rail), it’s a great deal and it functions more like an express bus. We boarded at 19th and N in Dupont Circle after having amazing mussels at St. Arnold’s and were at the Rossyln Metro station in about 15 minutes, leaving plenty of time for a few glasses of wine before Rodriquez took the stage.
  3. The Artisphere is an overlooked treasure. I had seen Beckett’s Happy Days there a few years ago and was impressed. (I also remember visiting way back when it was the Newseum, before they moved to the District.) But I never found a reason to go back. Carrie Rodriquez gave me that reason. I’m now looking at their upcoming calendar and plan to hit a few more performances at this venue. We’ll definitely be going to see their showing of Amelie in February. I’ve been wanting to see that film for a while since it features one of my favorite artworks, Renoir’s The Luncheon of the Boating Party. And even though it looks creepy strange, I might have to go see The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik, Deep Sea Explorer.

(Here’s the Washington Post’s review of Carrie Rodriquez …)

 

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Assorted Bob D.C. Bob Music Bob

Time to desecrate the tree …

ornamentAnd so it begins. The first ornament of 2013 arrived in the mail today. It had a Missoula return address. Didn’t the Unabomber live thereabouts?

There’s back story here. John Baker visited D.C. earlier this year, and we went to see the amazing, vicious Ike Reilly live at a house concert in Tacoma Park. Incredible show. During which, Baker and Dave “The Instigator” Shaffer encouraged Lara to shout out a request for Ike.

“Play Sweet Jane!” she chirped, an allusion to an inside joke involving me, The Instigator, tequila and every version of Lou Reed’s Sweet Jane that we could find  in our iTunes collection one strange night in rural Virginia.

Ike responded with two or three notes, a taste of Sweet Jane,  and then a profanity-laced scolding of poor unsuspecting Lara. Ike had no desire to play covers. Not even a tune by the soon-to-be-no-longer-with-us Lou. And he made that clear to giggling Lara in no uncertain terms.

Leading to this ornament. That’s Ike on the left. Scowling. That’s Lara, his worthy nemesis, on the right. Happy go lucky.

We will never forget that fateful May night when Ike when apeshit on Lara. Tomorrow, we’ll tie one on the Christmas tree for the 24th consecutive year. Tis the season, y’all …