When Jakob Dylan and the Wallflowers (recently sans Rami Jaffee) took the stage at the 9:30 last night, it was the first time they’d been on tour in two years, and the first time in DC in nearly four. It was pretty clear that they’d not been on stage in a while, but it didn’t show in the music, just the pacing. Long breaks were frequent between the songs, as Dylan tuned one of about six guitars he played during the evening. When he noted some restlessness from the near-capacity crowd, he explained he didn’t use electronic tuning, which seem to mollify the crowd.

It was a great show, overall. Dylan’s vocals were fresh, yet full of a rasp that was not borne of fatigue but rather a unique part of his genetic heritage. The songs were all heartfelt and sincere, Dylan’s voice could lend Happy Birthday a degree of gravitas usually reserved for songs of triumph or mourning. The highlight of the night for me, though, was Fred Eltringham on the drums. The man’s just have a good time. Not in that kinda-creepy Mick Fleetwood way, though, but in more of an “I love my job and everything that comes with it” sort of way. New guitarist Stuart Mathis was simply amazing last night, with a virtuoso’s touch on lead guitar, with soaring melodic solos that were not mere approximations of the studio versions, but added depth and character to the live performance. I don’t go for the jam band philosophy of rock concerts where each song should be 20 minutes long, featuring lengthy solos based on jazz reinterpretations of the cuban cover of the song, it doesn’t work for me. Mathis’ excellent solos captured the essential character of the songs without straying too far afield into the land of the jam band, from whence many concerts do not recover.

The set was a mélange of their catalog, featuring tracks from Red Letter Days, Bringing Down the Horse and Rebel, Sweetheart, but nothing indicated that they’re headed back to the studios for a fifth album, which was a bit of a disappointment. In contrast to the Killers show I saw this summer, the Wallflowers show was entirely business like. There was no set. There were no antics. Just a band getting up and rocking out. It was just what I was looking for, and just what I got. I left the 9:30 with my ears ringing with the last chord (as they still are this morning), and looking forward to their next stop in DC.

Two final notes from the show:

1. Dear TR Kidd & the Visions. Please consider going back to your day jobs. If you don’t have day jobs, please look into them. Your opening set last night was quite possibly the worst live music performance I’ve ever seen.

2. Dear guy behind us who was totally rocking out. I respect your enthusiasm for the show last night. I recognize that you likely worship the man’s entire catalogue, but that was no reason for you to gratuitously shout “WOOO!” in quiet moments. Also, the Night at the Roxbury dance routine was entirely uncalled for.

photo courtesy of Aphrodite

It’s easy to be cynical about people in this city, whether because they have a wide stance, like to chat up the wrong people online, or just in general seem selfish in their behavior. I’m finding that taking mass transit is instead exposing me to people’s little courtesies and kindnesses, and they put my day off to a good start. Maybe they’ll improve yours.

A few minutes into my journey on the bus, a woman got on who clearly wasn’t used to taking it and lacked the proper change. The bus driver was being kind but firm with her and someone sitting near the front said “here, I have change.” She didn’t in fact, have full change for the woman’s fiver – she just had the necessary change to pay the woman’s fare. She refused to take the $5 in exchange for 75 cents – which would have been a sizable ROI – and told her not to worry about it.

A wee later, another fellow stopped what he was reading, leaned forward and waved at someone sitting down and across from him. “You dropped something there.” Not a great sacrifice, not even as much as giving away $0.75, but a small and basic courtesy he could have failed to do never the less.

I am headed out to San Francisco the first week of November for my new job. Since I am a Premier Executive on United, I automatically get an Economy Plus upgrade and 9,500 frequent flyer miles.

But with the new Virgin America flights from IAD to SFO, I am willing to experiment. But only to a point. My boss wants me to be productive for the five hour flight over and the Betrothed Butterbean wants me to be productive when I get back Saturday morning so I have two deal-breakers to a switch:

• I need to work the whole flight to SF, and this means using a laptop. On UA’s Economy Plus seat, I can get my T60 open and have room to type in a semi-comfortable fashion. I also often can get exit rows or first rows due to status.
• I take red eyes back to IAD and I know I can usually sleep a few hours in a UA EP seat at the window. The recline pitch is just enough and the flexible headrests keep me from neck aches.

Now I don’t care for the inflight entertainment, work and sleep are higher priorities, and my laptop batteries will last a whole flight, so the Virgin America inflight games, electrical plugs, and even snacks on call are not decision points.

So that makes me ask those who have flown Virgin America:

1. Can you use a laptop in a VA main cabin seat?
2. Does the VA seat experience allow for decent shut-eye?
3. And is the $25 extra for an exit row or first isle seat worth it?

Bonus if you can compare your Virgin America experience with United’s Economy Plus.

Why anyone would open up their house for the public to walk through is beyond me, but I’m sure glad they do it. If you’ve never been to one of DC’s house tours they are a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. They give you a chance to see inside many of the homes you walk by every day. Sometimes they are surprisingly nice, other times they are a big disappointment, but overall it is a great chance to take in some history of the area and even get some decorating ideas for your own home.

So if you don’t have any plans this Sunday, be sure to check out the Dupont Circle House Tour from noon to 5pm. Unfortunately the DCCA’s website doesn’t list the homes on this year’s tour, but in years past there have been amazing places like the O Street Mansion. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 on the day of the tour. Check here for a list of places to purchase tickets.

See you there!

Do you just so look forward to the annual Work Bank and IMF meetings each year? My favorite year was when I was at grad school at GWU – it’s pretty interesting to see your windows get plastic bolted to them for a week and a half. I always wondered if the risk of severe fire hazard or the risk of broken glass was worse…

Starting tomorrow be careful with road closings – for pedestrians, cars, and bikers. Make sure if you’re anywhere near the are that you’re carrying your work ID too – they’ll be checking. Here’s the initial information, but see the full closings here:

Beginning at 8 pm on Friday, October 19, until 9 pm on Monday, October 22, the following streets will be closed:
***18th Street, NW between F Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
***19th Street, NW between F Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
***20th Street, NW between F Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
***F Street, NW between 17th Street and 20th Street, NW
***Vehicular access to the 1700-2000 blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, the 1700 – 1800 blocks of H Street, NW, and the 800 block of 19th Street, NW is tentatively scheduled for AM Rush Hour traffic on Monday, October 22, 2007.

Only pedestrians with business in the area and proper identification will be permitted access to the following locations:
***600, 700, and 800 blocks of 18th Street, 19th Street, and 20th Street, NW
***1700, 1800, 1900, and 2000 blocks of G Street, NW
***1900 block of H Street, NW

Wayan’s DC Photos

Coming back to the office after a morning errand run, look what I found occupying my office sidewalk: a fire drill party.

With a week’s warning, the drill was not unexpected and the timing was not bad either. In fact its a great excuse to go for lunch.

What do you do for your Fire Drill Party Time?

Show me a person who hasn’t had a blood-boiling experience with Comcast and I’ll show you a person who has never had cable TV. Whether they’ve screwed up your bill, showed up five hours late for a service call, or taken three visits to actually fix your problem, their quality of customer service is at the bottom of every industry.

Let’s say for example that Comcast scheduled an appointment to come by your house for an installation, didn’t show up, came by two days later, then botched the installation. You decide to go to the local Comcast service center to complain, patiently wait two hours, only to be told that the manager has left for the day. What would you do?! What would you do?! Stop! Hammertime.

That’s exactly what little ol’ Mona Shaw of Bristow decided to do as she went home and stewed over the weekend, got her husband’s claw hammer, and went back to the service center to let them know who’s boss. According to today’s Washington Post article:

“Hammer time: Shaw storms in the company’s office. BAM! She whacks the keyboard of the customer service rep. BAM! Down goes the monitor. BAM! She totals the telephone. People scatter, scream, cops show up and what does she do? POW! A parting shot to the phone!”

She claims that her blood pressure skyrocketed, she started to hyperventilate, and was ultimately booked by Johnny Law. She was fined $345 and received a three month suspended sentence for disorderly conduct. Poor little ol’ lady. While I don’t think busting office equipment with a hammer is the solution to every problem, kudos to her for letting her voice – and her hammer – be heard.

Photo by yoganerd

photo courtesy of atp_tyreseus

If you can’t think of anything more fun than lurching around the District, covered in bits of gray matter and blood, menacing tourists, then, well, [Representative Ron Paul joke redacted] the upcoming zombie lurch is for you.

Pour on the red paint, tear up your clothing, re-enact the zombie dance from Thriller, then walk shamble around the city. Yep, dance.

First, to kick off the event, we invite folks to “Thrill The World!” Starting at 6:00PM sharp, people around the planet will be dancing the same routine to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most people to do the same dance, simultaneously & world-wide!

Sadly, my darling girlfriend won’t have the opportunity to veto our attending this event – we’ve got an art show in Dupont at Church of the Pilgrim that day. If you’re free and pride-impaired, put on your best food coloring & corn syrup and go for a walk stumble. If it’s 1/10th the fun of Santarchy it’ll be a good time.

Ingrid Michaelson, singer/songstress, is performing at lunch at the Borders at 18th & L Streets at 12:30 tomorrow. So, if you’re not packed with lunch, go by and see her perform. If you’ve seen Grey’s Anatomy, or caught anything with an Old Navy ad lately, you’ve heard her voice, and tomorrow you can see her down at the Borders.

Or, you could see her open at the 9:30 club tomorrow at 5p. I’ll be at the 9:30, but for the Wallflowers show that opens at 10. Tomorrow’s going to be an awesome day for music here in DC, check some of it out.¹

¹ Not that every day in DC isn’t an awesome day for music, but tomorrow is especially so.

Will the Taxi Zones really die so easily? I’m not sure they will. I can see a potential taxi-strike, or maybe some sort of peculiar form of passive protest? Then again, how would you know if your cab driver was being a jerk to you because of the meters he’s had to take over, or because he’s a nutjob with a crappy-ass cab?

It’s really going to be hard to tell if they take up the passive protest route. I suppose a court challenge isn’t out of the realm of possibilities, but I look forward to seeing what’s next. Mayor Fenty has said “he has no idea how much the transition will cost or what the timetable will be,” according to the Washington Post, which is a bit of a bummer. I was hoping to see a drop-dead date today for the changeover, but I suspect now they’ll have to standardize the fare rates, not to mention settle on a meter platform, and get them installed in taxis. So, I think the death of the taxi zone is probably still at least 9 months off, and probably closer to a year given the District’s proclivity toward taking a good amount of time to do anything.

Now, if we could just make cabbies sit for The Knowledge in DC…