Last week, I had planned on hyping the opening of the National Theater with Dark Star Orchestra, my going to the Van Halen concert in C'ville, and the Radiators at the National. Then real life intervened and threw a monkey wrench into all those plans. My five-month old son caught the flu, got dehydrated and ended up in the hospital for two days while he got IV fluids. It was frightening to say the least, as he lost 10% of his body weight and didn't look or act like himself at all. He is thankfully OK now and is back to his chubby-cheeked, happy self. Well, mostly happy, as his first tooth is coming in and that's starting to piss him off a little.
Just as I was on my way to hand my Van Halen ticket to my friend to try to sell at the show we got the word that the show had been postponed due to the freezing rain in C'ville. A valid weather excuse as I would guess at least half the crowd is coming from the Richmond, DC or western VA regions to see the show. I was quite excited as I thought I would miss VH with David Lee after waiting 25 years to see them. And I like that the show will now be in May or June as VH was always more of a summer band for me. Driving in my friend's green LTD with the windows down blasting VH 1; hanging with my friend Chris W. and listening to 1984 on his boom box as we walked the neighborhood on hot summer nights; or cruising the boardwalk in Sea Isle City with Chris G. trying to attract the ladies by playing Fair Warning (especially Unchained) over and over again (it didn't work). All great summer memories fueled by VH's rock with their California harmonies. To get a little VH fix until the show rolls around, here is the "true" story of how VH got Ted Templeman to produce their first album. This is part of my favorite video series "Yacht Rock" and this one has guest host, Drew Carey. Watch out for bad language if you're watching this at work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGjL4hsBs3M. Van-F**kin'-Halen!
By the way, my three year old son came downstairs tonight as I was listening to VH II and, unprompted by me, started playing air guitar and said "I'm rocking out." Must be genetic.
The National had their own...ahem...weather issues and postponed their opening. I never heard of an indoor show being canceled due to rain. If they weren't ready to open, they should have just said that on their site. Anyway, they piggybacked the Dark Star Orchestra on top of the Radiators show on Monday night, pissing off DSO fans who had made plans to see them on Friday night and Radiators fans who now had their band as an opener instead of a headliner. Hopefully, things will run better at the National in the future.
Let's move onto this week's shows. This is one of the weeks where if I had no kids, some money and a job where I didn't have to be in until 10 or 11 AM, I would be out every night of the week.
We start Wednesday at Toad's Place where the Godfather of Funk, George Clinton, lands the P-Funk Mothership with doors opening at 8 PM and tickets $30. Rest up before you go. If I remember the review correctly from the first time they played at Toad's, P-Funk played for four hours straight. You'll definitely get your money's worth.
Friday night at Capital Ale House Downtown you can get your blues fix with Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin. Doors open at 9:30 and tickets are just $10. Per the Capital Ale House site: "Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin is a Blues guitar player and vocalist, carrying on the deep Chicago Blues style and creating his original music today. From 1973-1980, Bob played guitar in the band of Chicago Blues legend Muddy Waters, touring worldwide and recording, and learning to play Muddy's powerful music directly from him. In 1980, Bob started his own band, and he's still on the road and recording. He won the W.C. Handy award for guitar in 2005, and was nominated again in 2006."
Keep the Blues thing going on Saturday night but mix in a little honky-tonk and country and you've got yourself Junior Brown. He'll be at Toad's Place, doors open at 7 PM, tix are $16 in advance, $18 day of show.
Coming next week to Toad's, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, which I hope to get to for my first show of the new year. More on that next week.
Have a great weekend!
Tony Jordan
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