August 28, 2016 – Rockies 5, Nationals 3 – Nationals Park

http://m.nationals.mlb.com/news/article/198058832/nolan-arenado-stays-hot-as-rockies-beat-nats/

 

Attendance: 28,124

Game Time: 2:52

Weather: 86 degrees, sunny

Wind: 3 mph

Umpires: Home Plate - Mike Muchlinski, First Base - Marty Foster, Second Base - Mark Wegner, Third Base - Mike Winters

Seventh-inning stretch song: The Twist – Chubby Checker

 

Highlights – Trea Turner led off the bottom of the first with his fifth home run … other two Nats runs also came on leadoff homers, by Ramos in the seventh and Harper in the ninth

 

Non-highlights – Lucas Giolito struggled in the first but only allowed one run … with two out and none on in the third, Giolito allowed a single to Carlos Gonzalez, followed by back-to back homers by Nolan Arenado (who finished a double short of the cycle) and David Dahl … final Rockies run came in the eighth on a Koda Glover wild pitch that nailed home-plate umpire Mike Muchlinski on the left shoulder, allowing Daniel Descalso to score from second … Bryce was having trouble with the sun in right field most of the game, most notably on Arenado’s fifth-inning triple (which was initially scored an error) … Zimmerman fanned in all three appearances against Rockies starter Chad Bettis

 

Other – was third in the section 129/130 pre-game autograph line, but A.J. Cole didn’t come out to sign until we’d been in line in the sun for about 50 minutes (12:05-12:55), after Glover had already finished signing for the luckier folks in the other line … tried the chicken and biscuit sandwich from Virginia Country Kitchen (not too bad) … worst traffic ever getting out of the parking area by the Homeland Security offices

Bonnie Raitt w/ Richard Thompson Trio – Wolf Trap, 8/27/2016

Row U, Seats 28-29 – last row of the Front Orchestra section (farthest back we’ve been in a while)

 

When the show started around 9:00, I initially figured we were in for a good-but-not-great evening – I’ve always thought the cover of “Need You Tonight” on her latest CD was somewhat misguided, and the crowd didn’t seem to warm up to “Used to Rule the World.” However, things really got rolling 5 songs in with “Shakin’ Shakin’ Shakes”, followed by Richard Thompson’s guest appearance for “Not the Only One” and “Dimming of the Day”, and didn’t let up from that point on. I had forgotten how great a singer she can be, particularly on ballads such as “Dimming” and “Angel From Montgomery”. The four-song encore was especially wonderful, starting with “I Can’t Make You Love Me” and continuing with “Nick of Time”, a version of “You Got the Love” that threatened to out-funk the Rufus original, and concluding with the sublime “Your Sweet and Shiny Eyes” (from 1975’s Home Plate).

 

Setlist

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/bonnie-raitt/2016/filene-center-at-wolf-trap-vienna-va-3fc215b.html

 

The Richard Thompson Trio delivered a regrettably short (under 40 minutes) but satisfying opening set to the enthusiastic sellout crowd, most of whom were already in their seats. The song selection emphasized the rock side of his repertoire, particularly a cover of “Take a Heart” (originally done in 1965 by British band The Sorrows) and an extended version of “Tear Stained Letter” to close the set.

 

Setlist

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/richard-thompson/2016/filene-center-at-wolf-trap-vienna-va-bfc215a.html

August 17, 2016 – Rockies 12, Nationals 10 – Coors Field

http://m.nationals.mlb.com/news/article/196128614/rockies-outslug-strasburg-nats-in-finale-win/

 

Attendance: 25,308

Game Time: 3:52

Weather: 85 degrees, sunny

Wind: 4 mph

Umpires: Home Plate - Clint Fagan, First Base - Brian Gorman, Second Base - Quinn Wolcott, Third Base - Mark Carlson

Seventh-inning stretch song: Hey Baby – DJ Otzi

 

Section 236, Row 11, Seat 1 – club (2^nd) level, looking down first base line, in the shade, more limited concessions selection than main concourse and not quite enough seating in the “club”, although the air conditioned refuge would have been great in rainy, hot, or freezing weather

 

Finally, a real Coors Field kind of game!

 

Highlights – Nats kept battling back from their 7-0 first inning deficit … two-run Harper homer in the fifth traveled 461 feet and made the score 9-6 … Pedro Severino and Chris Heisey also homered (the first of Severino’s major-league career) … Jayson Werth ran his consecutive game on-base streak to 45

 

Other – Strasburg was torched for 7 in the bottom of the first on a combination of walks and scorched line drives, and gave up 2 more before being lifted with two outs in the second … splurged on the carved turkey sandwich for $12.00 (OK, with a pickle and chips), and grabbed a Dollar Dog later

August 16, 2016 – Rockies 6, Nationals 2 – Coors Field

http://m.nationals.mlb.com/news/article/196008928/rockies-lemahieu-flirts-with-cycle-in-win/

 

Attendance: 29,209

Game Time: 2:54 (delayed 2 hours and 4 minutes in the bottom of the third inning due to rain)

Weather: 84 degrees, cloudy

Wind: 7 mph

Umpires: Home Plate - Mark Carlson, First Base - Clint Fagan, Second Base - Brian Gorman, Third Base - Quinn Wolcott
Seventh-inning stretch song: Hey Baby – DJ Otzi

Section 137, Row 31, Seat 1 – lower level, section behind the visitors dugout, far enough back (just under the overhang) that I only got slightly wet when the storm hit

 

Highlights – Werth set the Nats team record by reaching base in his 44^th consecutive game (franchise record is 46) … singles by Werth, Murphy, and Ramos gave the Nats a 2-0 lead in the top of the third

 

Other – Rockies came right back to tie in the bottom of the third on a Blackmon double and LeMahieu homer off Gio … after play resumed, Nats were blanked for the final 6 innings, while the Rockies notched 4 runs in 5 innings against 4 Washington relievers … apparently if I take a road trip to see the Nats, there will be a two-hour rain delay … had a large burrito bowl for $8.00, and an overly large serving of gelato for $5.75 … over 700 canines for Bark in the Park, complete with a pre-game parade (not sure how they handled the rainstorm and delay)

August 15, 2016 – Nationals 5, Rockies 4 – Coors Field

http://m.nationals.mlb.com/news/article/195792814/nats-bryce-harper-hits-go-ahead-rbi-in-win/

 

Attendance: 27,818

Game Time: 3:26

Weather: 82 degrees, cloudy

Wind: 7 mph

Umpires: Home Plate - Quinn Wolcott, First Base - Mark Carlson, Second Base - Clint Fagan, Third Base - Brian Gorman

 

U338, Row 25, Seat 1 – halfway between third and home, very top row of the stadium (I requested something under cover since I realized I forgot to pack an umbrella)

 

Highlights – Nats rallied from a 3-0 first-inning deficit for the win … Werth (who tied Nats record by reaching base in 43 consecutive games) got things started with a two-run shot in the third … Bryce reached base all 5 times and knocked in the winning run with a seventh-inning double … Trea Turner stole another two bases … Treinen relieved Solis with two on and one out in the bottom of the seventh and induced an inning-ending DP on his first and only pitch … Melancon needed only 4 pitches to retire the Rockies in order in the ninth for the save

 

Other – Scherzer was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the top of the fifth, after needing 97 pitches to get through 4 innings … concession prices very reasonable by DC standards ($7.75 draft beer, $5.75 grilled chicken sandwiches) … unbelievably pleasant weather after escaping the Washington heat wave

August 14, 2016 – Nationals 9, Braves 1 – Nationals Park

http://m.nationals.mlb.com/news/article/195507330/rendon-roark-lead-nats-to-win-over-braves/

 

Attendance: 29,107

Game Time: 2:46

Weather: 96 degrees, partly cloudy

Wind: 9 mph

Umpires: Home Plate - Pat Hoberg, First Base - Mike Everitt, Second Base - Jordan Baker, Third Base - Tim Timmons

Seventh-inning stretch song: The Twist – Chubby Checker

 

Highlights – Tanner Roark had his second straight strong Sunday start, this time giving up only one run in his typical 7 innings … Bryce Harper, out over a week with a stiff neck, asked politely to get back in the lineup and was in the middle of the Nats’ 3-run first with a double … after Roark drew a walk to start the bottom of the 5^th, Nats broke things open on a sac fly by Ramos and a 3-run homer by Rendon

 

Other – perhaps the hottest game I’ve been to, as the official temperature hit 100 for the day … roasted in the sun until the second or third inning, at which point we got our shade and it wasn’t so bad … enjoyed the cooling center for a couple of innings (large conference room with plenty of large TV screens, ice, and water)

Lyle Lovett & His Large Band w/ Emmylou Harris -- Wolf Trap, 8/12/2016

Row H, Seats 46-48

 

Lyle Lovett & His Large Band somehow managed to be hotter than the sweltering weather Friday evening; despite the short (for them) two-hour set length, it may have been the strongest performance I’ve seen from them yet. They leaned into the gospel side of Lyle’s repertoire more heavily than in some past shows, as this summer he’s featuring local gospel choirs as part of his shows. Tonight it was members of the Morgan State University Choir, who shone at both the beginning of the show (“I’m a Soldier in the Army of the Lord”, “Church”, “I Will Rise Up”) and the end (“I’m Going to Wait”, “Praise the Lord”, and the sublime encore “Pass Me Not O Savior”). The other main theme was paying tribute to Texas singer/songwriter Guy Clark, who died in May. Lovett performed a heartfelt version of Clark’s “Step Inside This House” and brought opening act Emmylou Harris back on stage to duet on “Anyhow I Love You”; she had provided harmony vocals on Clark’s recording. Emmylou stayed for “Walk Through the Bottomland”, reprising her vocals from Lyle’s second album.

 

Naturally, Lyle also included some of his other favorites, such as “If I Had a Boat”, “Penguins”, and “I Know You Know”.

 

Lovett’s shows certainly aren’t just about the music. He called out his musicians a few at a time, generally with an anecdote or two about each one. He also included a number of personal stories featuring his dry sense of humor. If there was a general theme, it was Lovett thanking various folks who had helped him out along the way. He comes across as a genuinely nice guy, and given the length of time many of his bandmates have been working with him (one as far back as 1979), I have to assume it’s an accurate portrait.

 

Emmylou Harris, along with three bandmates, got the evening off to a nice start with a one-hour opening set. Highlights included “Red Dirt Girl”, her cover of Paul Simon’s “The Boxer”, and the final two songs, “After the Gold Rush” and “Boulder to Birmingham”. Clearly her presence significantly boosted sales; the house was full, which was definitely not the case the last couple times Lovett played without an opener. (The $55 ticket price was also remarkably reasonable, given that two well-known performers were featured.)

August 7, 2016 – Nationals 1, Giants 0 – Nationals Park

http://m.nationals.mlb.com/news/article/194170816/tanner-roark-wilson-ramos-lead-nats-in-win/

 

Attendance: 32,790

Game Time: 2:43

Weather: 87 degrees, sunny

Wind: 5 mph

Umpires: Home Plate - Rob Drake, First Base - Sam Holbrook, Second Base - Gerry Davis, Third Base - Carlos Torres

Seventh-inning stretch song: I Can’t Help Myself – The Four Tops

 

Highlights – Tanner Roark pitched out of big jams several times to hold the Giants scoreless thru seven innings … Shawn Kelley threw a 1-2-3 eighth, and Mark Melancon repeated the feat in the ninth for his first Nats save … Ben Revere made a spectacular catch to end the top of the seventh, saving two runs … after the stretch, Wilson Ramos went deep for the only run of the game (and only Washington’s second hit) … great enough game to inspire a Tom Boswell column in this morning’s Post

 

Other – Traffic down not too bad (left at 10:45) … traffic coming back somewhat slower getting out of the parking lot (the one formerly known as Lot HH), and backed up on the GW Parkway getting on to the Beltway

2016 XPoNential Music Festival, July 22-24, Wiggins Park (Camden NJ)

This was almost certainly the hottest XPNFest I have ever attended (in terms of temperature, not music). Philly was right in the middle of the heat wave gripping the East Coast, with temps in the mid to upper 90s and high humidity. Consequently I abandoned my usual location near the River Stage sound board area on Saturday and Sunday in favor of more shady territory near the Marina Stage. Although I was close to the stage, off to the left side, I couldn’t see above the standees who wandered up for most of the sets, but the increased comfort level was well worth it. I’d have to say that the festival wasn’t as strong musically as in most past years – I still choose to pass on the BB&T lawn “experience” – but there were still some definite highlights. (As usual, WXPN did a nice job of summarizing all of the sets across the three-day festival.) Due to the Democratic National Convention starting Monday, I had to get a room at the Staybridge Suites in Mt. Laurel (not too far from my usual location), but since Sunday night wasn’t available I had to drive back in weekend traffic after leaving the festival Sunday (an experience I hope not to repeat). Traffic to and from the festival itself wasn’t bad, although the parking garage directly across from Wiggins Park was no longer available (at least not at the usual discount). There was plenty of space in several other lots for $10, although they were three blocks or so north of the festival, closer to the Ben Franklin Bridge.

 

TRANSCENDENT

 

The Record Company (Saturday afternoon, Marina Stage) – My decision to camp out by the Marina Stage Saturday was actually driven less by the heat and more by the desire to have a prime vantage point for the Record Company, which was the band I most wanted to see during this year’s festival. The blues-rock power trio certainly didn’t disappoint, putting together a set that was one of the best I’ve seen in my 12+ years of XPNFest attendance. The obvious high points were “Rita Mae Young” and “Off The Ground”, but there really wasn’t a weak spot in the entire performance. From what I could see, everyone was standing on the entire hill in front of the stage, with more fans crowding around the back. They made it a point to give plenty of credit to WXPN, and in particular to program director Bruce Warren, to whom they sent an unsolicited demo tape in 2012.

 

VERY GOOD

 

Shawn Colvin & Steve Earle (Friday evening, River Stage) – Since these were two of the biggest names at Wiggins Park this year, I was surprised that I was able to get a prime standing-room spot  in front of the stage less than 15 minutes before their set began; I assume this is because the gates to BB&T had already opened and Tommy Stinson had started over there 20 minutes earlier. The two did reward the fans who hung around, with some well-chosen covers (“Wake Up Little Susie” to start, “Ruby Tuesday” and “Tobacco Road” later), as well as “You’re Right, I’m Wrong” (the single from their recent album together), and some tracks from each’s solo work. I was somewhat amused that most of the between-songs patter came from Earle, since Shawn has always been extremely chatty when I’ve seen her before.

 

Mavis Staples (Sunday afternoon, River Stage) – Mavis Staples was added to the lineup only a few weeks before the festival, bolstering an otherwise unremarkable Sunday afternoon. Appropriately enough, the standing area in front of the stage was packed, and she didn’t fail to deliver, with a huge voice that showed few if any signs of her 77 years. The high points were a wonderful cover of Talking Heads’ “Slippery People” near the beginning of her set, and the closing audience singalong for the Staple Singers’ classic “I’ll Take You There”.

 

Preservation Hall Jazz Band (Saturday afternoon, River Stage) – OK, so they only got to get through one complete song before the lightning and deluge hit. (They did squeeze in another set later at BB&T, which I didn’t attend.) Although there wasn’t much of a chance of rain in the forecast, I thought I was well-prepared, with both an umbrella and a poncho in my bag. Unfortunately, the bag and my beach towel were by the Marina Stage, nowhere near where I was standing. I honestly don’t think I have ever been wetter with clothes on in my entire life. I squeezed into the nearby parking garage with hundreds of other people, waited until it stopped raining, and then headed three blocks north to my car – halfway back, it started to rain again. At least the hotel had a laundry room and a hair dryer.

 

ALSO WORTH MENTIONING

 

Opening River Stage acts Friday and Saturday (Billy Hector and Ben Arnold, respectively), David Wax Museum (Marina Stage Sunday, after their Saturday set was canceled by the storm)

 

AND THEN THERE WAS FATHER JOHN MISTY

 

Probably the most-talked-about “set” in XPNFest history. WXPN thoughtfully provided both a summary and a second post with some additional social media reaction.

Trump’s most enduring – and unbefitting – trait

Commentary from Washington Post columnist Allan Sloan on the (now official) Republican Presidential nominee

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/donald-trumps-most-enduring--and-unbefitting--trait/2016/07/15/f5684848-488b-11e6-acbc-4d4870a079da_story.html