Dumbek's Random Stuff

10/17/95 - R.E.M. @ USAir Arena - Landover, MD

Like I said - This one blends together with the previous night. I was on the same side of the floor, but about 15 rows closer, in the back of Section 1. Right on the aisle though, which gave me plenty of room to jump around. Nothing radically different from the night before. Tonight we got "Half A World Away" and "So. Central Rain" - one of the very few early songs played on this tour. One thing we didn't get tonight was "Country Feedback." Bummer. One of my all-time faves. This was one of the only times (if not the only time) they didn't play this song on this our. We also got a brief version of America's "Horse With No Name." Really. I never did track down copies of these Landover shows. I should probably do that someday. I tried to get a setlist from the soundboard guy. Denied.




10/17/2006 - Joan Jett/Eagles Of Death Metal @ 9:30

I louurrve me some Joan Jett. This show rocked from start to finish.

My only exposure to the Eagles Of Death Metal was their appearance on one of those late-night shows - Conan maybe? - but they were impressive enough that I made a note to check them out when I got the chance. Well, this was my chance, so I made sure to get there super early. Best. decision. ever. They were f--king amazing. Rock and Roll presented with crunchy riffs, lots of attitude and swagger, bad-ass through and through. So much so that it's kind of hard to tell if they're making fun of the genre, or they're heralding the comeback of good old rock and roll. Who cares. Either way they're pulling it off. And you can't help but shake your ass to it. They're coming back to to the 9:30 Club in December. I already have my ticket. You really, really need to go. Let's rock.

Joan Jett was her typical kick-ass rock and roll self. A hit-laden set, but plenty of songs from Sinner, too. Not a bad record by any stretch. Go buy it. One of the highlights of this show was her cover of the Replacements' "Androgynous." How awesome is that?

I'll go see Joan every time she makes it to DC-proper, or even in Baltimore. I just wish she'd stop making her DC tour stop those lame summer town-fest things, like Celebrate Fairfax. I just can't bring myself to go to those things. Joan needs to be seen in a dark, dirty crowded bar. Yeah. Oh yeah. Oh yeah.

My old review of this one is here.




10/17/2007 - The Hives @ The Black Cat - Washington, DC

I got tired of people telling me that The Hives were the greatest live band on the planet. I finally broke down and decided to go - ready to be disappointed. But I wasn't disappointed. They were pretty rocktastic. The singer totally has a Mick Jagger thing going, if Mick played punky-garagey (post-garage?) stuff. Short, tight songs that had the crowd jumping, dancing and generally rocking-out. I didn't know a single song, but it was hard to not get caught up in it. Super fun stuff. I definitely wouldn't say they're the greatest live band on the planet - although on some nights, I wouldn't doubt it. And snappy dressers to boot. Highly recommended.