September 22, 2025
gem
art, concert, travel
audio, brazil, christian, concert, esperanza spalding, fabio, live music, romey, São Paulo, shotgun app, travel
When we were looking for a concert to attend Saturday night in the São Paulo Spring, we were surprised by the pickings. Not much going on even though the city is huge. A conversation in Brazil with a young show producer told the tale of why, the gist of it being that a post COVID explosion of creativity is drawing to a close and the performers are exhausted. But the constraints led us directly to an exceptional treat—Esperanza Spalding in Brazil.
Magical.
We did require some help from our new friend Christian (a USP fresh out Ph.D.) who was able to use the local shotgun app to get tickets. I tried that earlier from the US with no luck since the app required a Brazilian citizen ID number.
In a small world phenomenon, we ran into Fabio Kon and his wife while waiting in line to get into the venue.
It was nice to spend some time with the locals. LOL. Here are some pictures and videos of the show.
There was some waiting around to do from 8pm to 10pm, but it was all worth it.
.
We were, in fact, in Brazil…as you can hear.
.
A commentary in AI and jazz. Computer speed and human speed compared.
When we got back to the rosewood after the show, we had a late night snack at 1:30am.
August 21, 2025
gem
concert, music, party
april, felst, moosehut, music, NH, oopstock, rhine, warhol, where's aubrey
For me, the highlight of year 32 was this cover of ziggy stardust by moosehut.
32 years. Dang. I will admit that oopstock iterations are starting to run together. Sadly, Romey couldn’t come because Leiden was due any second. In fact, two days after I returned from NH, Leiden was born.
My direct puddle hopper was delayed on the tarmac before taking off (for no real reason). But at least the instruments fit. First on, both flights with a few seconds to stow. Arrival time was 2am, but Rhine was ready with Negroni fixings.
Ah yes, and there were the uncharacteristic shorts kindly loaned from Zay. I forgot to pack shorts. Given the temperatures, that was a major mistake.
There were two warholian projects underway this year in parallel…silk screening and screen tests. Very cool. Maybe inspired by the wedding?? Or maybe just a coincidence.
There was also a stump. We disagree with the “kill the fiddler” sentiments for all the reasons. I mean, exactly how long can a little brother aggravate you?
Meanwhile the stage was set and the fascist clock’s batteries were checked.
Music ran from noon to 10pm before shuttling over to the campfire.
Some salsa for you.
Abba in shorts!
Eventually it got dark.
Hendrix.
—
And then it was the next day. Another day of uncharacteristic shorts.
All hail the inner chijuana…is that how you spell it?
Lazing
And a visit to the pond before an evening of electric fun featuring lots of Floyd.
We surrender!
August 3, 2025
gem
art, concert, music
allan james, berryville, fiddle, gary mcgraw, guitar, music in the park, original music, rose hill park, violin
Allan James and I have played together a few times late night at a soltice party or during jam sessions at the cabin, but we had never performed together until this July 25th. On a steaming hot day, clocking in at 94 degrees in the shade, we played a couple of sets to an appreciative audience in the park at Rose Hill in Berryville.
We had a blast. Here’s how that went.
We played 20 original songs all written and performed by Allan. After just a handful of practice sessions, we were ready…
Lonely Little Bird
Low Down Dirty
The music was just as hot as the evening. You can find many of the songs we performed on Allan’s CDs.
August 3, 2025
gem
concert, dance, music, photography
dc, filene center, iron man, live music, ozzy, trombone shorty, Virginia, wolf trap
Trombone Shorty puts on a damn good show, packed with energy, dancing and pizzazz. The Filene Center is a great place to catch his act. But by all means skip the opening acts. (Seriously, Dumpstaphunk was a disorganized mess, and JJ Grey was in need of a trailer park bar. We were looking at each other like “what the fuck.”)
Then this happened and the place magically transformed.
No show this day was complete without a tribute to ozzy.
The show ended with an ovation at 10:58.
August 3, 2025
gem
art, concert, film, photography
blue ridge, chicago, danny hobert, invisible cities, italo calvoni, magic, miniatures, social analysis, toy atlas theater
What a treat. A Chicago-level show in our tiny hamlet (in fact well outside the hamlet way up on the mountain). Danny Hobert and his partner in crime, performing as the Toy Atlas Theater, put on a magical captivating multi-media extravaganza—twice. (This entry combines photos and videos from both shows. To keep you on your toes, the interleaving is imperfect and a bit faded around the edges.)
Clark Hansbarger and I opened for the first show with a bit of Bitter Liberals music. Which of course requires actual Liberals.
The scene. A barn on the blue ridge converted into a portal to other dimensions.
The audience was captivated.
This kind of magical experience is all too rare in modern American adulthood. Calvino’s work is an excellent vehicle for considering the contradiction and confusion of modern life, exposing its inner absurdity from a view at the sharpest edge of a very small razor.
August 2, 2025
gem
art, concert, music
Call it Dreaming, Flightless Bird, God Made the Automobile, I Give a Little Bit of Myself, i'm with her, iron and wine, live music, Robin's Egg, video, worlf trap
Iron and Wine put on a very good show. Great band. Tasty drums. And tight.
Call it Dreaming
God Made the Automobile
Things got even better when I’m With Her joined in. Outstanding.
Robin’s Egg
I Give a Little Bit of Myself
Flightless Bird
And as Ben said. It was hot as the Dickens.
January 25, 2025
gem
art, concert, music
pittsburgh symphony, prokifiev, vadim gluzman
In town on yet another wedding planning trip (woo hoo!), we attended the Pittsburgh Symphony. Incredible!
MARÍA HULD MARKAN SIGFÚSDÓTTIR: Oceans [PSO Premiere]
PROKOFIEV: Violin Concerto No. 2
SIBELIUS: The Oceanides [PSO Premiere]
DEBUSSY: La Mer
Vadim Gluzman was excellent. As always the Prokofiev was the best thing.
January 25, 2025
gem
art, concert, travel
Charlie Brown Christmas, DJ WIlliams, Lion's Den Cigar bar, original music, richmond, RVA
Well, not really back home. DJ Williams now lives in Colorado. But his roots are in Richmond.
We went to see DJ perform at Anytime Beer Company. Honestly, though the brewery might be awesome, we’re just not beer people. In fact, before the show was on, we spent some time next door at the Lion’s Den Cigar Bar and had way more fun. But hot damn is DJ Williams excellent and the band is tight.
We were on a secret scouting mission for our up coming 5/25/25 nuptials. So glad he is involved in the plan!
Of course there was xmas music. Obligatory.
November 20, 2024
gem
art, concert
barns of rose hill, BORH, furnace mountain, jen, jen lee, megan caldwell, musical, orange on the blue ridge, original music, suni
An original musical, Orange on the Blue Ridge was performed twice at the BORH. Here are some pictures. (More information can be found on Facebook…not linked here).
November 20, 2024
gem
concert, mixology, music
c'est bon, jazz, nick, nick schrenk, NOS, savoir fare
The jazz was fantastic. The company was excellent.
Sadly, the venue was only OK. The food is workaday suburban fare, kind of beige. The bar is terrible. C’est Bon by Savoir Fare needs to work on their non-musical aspects.
But if NOS is playing, go see them. Even in Round Hill.
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