My Top 5 Shows!

Since my season this year was exactly half the length of the Wolf Trap season I had 2 years ago, i decided to do a Top 5 this year instead of a Top 10. I tried to make the list diverse but in the end, I'm a rock n' roll guy to the core and I enjoy a good band the best. That being said, i don't think there was a really bad show this whole summer and I think the diversity of shows is what makes Wolf Trap unique. Jiffy Lube Live and Merriweather might be bigger but they also fall prey to the same rock bands every year. Wolf Trap prides itself on all forms of the performing arts and it's a spectacle to be here, even for as long as I did. So here it is!

#5: Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy - No one played harder than these guys and their pure blues performance, even at their advanced ages, shows the true power of rock. Buddy Guy has influenced nearly every guitarist in the past 50 years and still delivers heart-wrenching performances that evoke an earlier time of pure blues. Jeff Beck is hard rock all the way and his covers are so unique that he may have well have written them as new songs. Together, they represented the evolution of popular music in the best way and helped maintain that link to the golden age of rock n' roll.

#4: Carlos Vives - Definitely the biggest party of the year, I don't think we had any other performer this year that was so beloved and adored by the audience. He also reminded me of my own heritage and why I should always be proud of my hispanic ethnicity. The Latin American community came together for wonderful music and dance and I couldn't help but dance a little too. It's what Carlos would have wanted, after all.

#3: Phillip Phillips, Matt Nathanson, and A Great Big World - Pop music has recently reached a new pinnacle as of late and these three artists have peaked along with it. Each of them brought something new to the table and together they created a wonderful collection of some of my favorite pop songs. I don't think any of them played a song I didn't like and they all seemed genuinely happy to be there. It seems pop singers seem to come and go every year but my hope is that years from now, these guys will still be singing to me and the rest of the world.

#2: The Band Perry - When these three siblings first played together, sparks must've been flying. With a connection only created with family, they created a rock tinged brand of country and have seen a huge growth in their popularity. being on the stage really gave me an appreciation of how hard they and other artists work on stage and the Band Perry really put it all on the line. Kimberly, Neil, and Reid are still very early in their careers and here's to many more great songs that bring out all sorts of emotions, as country music should do.

#1: Paul Simon - The only show that sold out while I was there deserves congratulations in and of itself. I knew Paul Simon was great and I knew this was going to be a great show, but his performance showed a man who knew he was singing his last song. Many outlets have said that Paul Simon is going to retire soon and I can't believe that I might be one of the last people to have seen him live. He gave an incredible performance, filled with the ups and downs of his career and acknowledgment of the wonders of Simon and Garfunkel. He will go down as one of America's greatest songwriters of all time and when he sang "Sound of Silence" for what was one of his last times, everyone in that audience recognized the greatness, the humility, and brilliance that is Paul Simon. Luckily, so did I.

Honorable Mentions

Sufjan Stevens - Sufjan definitely had the craziest performance of the summer and while I didn't enjoy every part, his stripped down encore showed the incredible songwriting ability and showmanship of brilliant mind. In the end, I realized that through all the sounds, dancers, and costumes, he was still asking for the simplest of requests; peace and harmony.

Tony Bennett - A man who sang to me, my father, and my grandfather all in one lifetime showed no signs that age can batter every man. At 90 years old, he composed a remarkable show that any fan of music would appreciate. It was pouring rain but very few people left the lawn that day; everyone knew how gracious they should be that Tony still wants to give the people something he has offered for 65 years, his voice.

Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me - Through all the political drama, NPR stands alone as a sign that the news can be informative and funny at the same time. The quizzes and limericks were funny and all, but Peter Sagal and his crew picked a dandy of man to interview in NASA Administrator Charlie Boldon. When he said that people will be on Mars by 2020, one can only hope NPR goes with them.

DC

Pop Sensations - Phillip Phillips, Matt Nathanson, and A Great Big World

We have finally come to the end of the line for me this summer! It feels like the time really flew by but this is the last show of the season for me. It has truly been an honor and privilege to serve as a lawn usher again and the hope is that one day I can come back, either as an usher or patron. Luckily, Wolf Trap sent me out with a bang! Each of these artists were better than I thought they would be and even though I have seen Nathanson before, I forgot how could of a performer his is! A Great Big World is a band that formed by Ian Axel and Chad King at NYU in 2011. They are widely known for their piano balled "Say Something" but their artistry goes a lot deeper than that. They released their 2nd album late in 2015 and also won the Grammy Award in 2015 for "Say Something". Matt Nathanson is a singer-songwriter who got his start in 1993 with the release of his first album. I have already reviewed him in a post a couple years ago do I won't go into detail but he has released 9 solo albums so far and has no signs of quitting. Phillip Phillips is best known for winning the the 11th season of American Idol and has released 2 albums since his win 2012. His singles "Home" and "Gone Gone Gone" were quite successful and his blend of folk rock has differentiated himself from the other winners of Idol in the past. Together, the three artists have toured around the country and Wolf Trap is actually their third to last stop in this summer tour!

I really thought this show was fantastic. People tend to put pop down a lot but honestly it hits home just as well as any rock song if done correctly. A Great Big World are a true band and I actually thought "Say Something" was not a good representation of how good they are together. Their driving pop sound is quite refreshing and I believe they have a lot of good music left in them. Matt Nathanson was just as good as I remember him and he actually came on to the lawn during the performance! He was really engaging with the crowd and one of the funniest and most down to earth performers we've had! His softer acoustic set contrasted well with the raucous show of Phillip Phillips. You might think Phillips is just another Idol product but he can rock like the rest of them and is actually a very good acoustic guitar player. He was able to spread out his hits while keeping the audience interested and let his band play out in many of his songs. All together these artists presented one of the better pop performances I have seen and I have gained more appreciation for each of these performers!

My favorite part of the show was when all 3 artists came out together and sang a tribute to Prince, "Raspberry Beret". That's my favorite Prince songs and they all put their forces together and did a fine job. I think he would be proud.

As always, I look forward to coming back to Wolf Trap in the near future and to enjoy more shows!

DC

Phillip Phillips

Matt Nathanson

A Great Big World 

Stagehand - The Band Perry

People always ask me if I get to meet the artists after the show or if I go back stage after the performances for whatever reason. My answer has always been no. Ushers have one job to do and we're focused on that job of keeping the patrons safe and happy throughout the whole show. After Sunday night though, I can no longer say I've spent every summer in the stands. The Band Perry is a country-rock group who formed in 2005 when siblings Neil, Reid, and Kimberly Perry joined together. They released their first album and single in 2010 and have since scored 3 #1 hit's on the country charts. With songs like "Better Dig Two" and "If I Die Young", their songs deal with emotional trouble while others are uplifting. Their song "Live Forever" was actually selected to be the official song for the Rio Olympics and they were flying to Rio right after their performance in Wolf Trap to perform it down there! I thought they kind of sounded like a younger Taylor Swift with a little less of the teenage angst that often permeated through Swift's records. Their third album is to be released soon and they previewed several of their new songs during the show. Their opener was Jordan Rager, a new name to the country scene who is coached by Jason Aldean's father and appeared in season 2 of the Voice!

This was the cool part. The Band Perry requested that two ushers be on stage the whole time to help monitor the crowd and just have a new set of eyes in the theater. I happened to be selected! Luckily, the crowd was very tame and I didn't have to call anything in so I got to watch the performers for a good amount. I was literally only 20 feet away from them and at one point, guitarist Neil Perry came over and shook my hand! (easily the most awkward handshake I've ever done). The band themselves were amazing! They have much more of a rock sound on stage and they have great energy and exuberance on stage. Along with their big hits, they sang a number of covers ranging from Justin Bieber to Queen. Kimberly is a fantastic singer and the two brothers are excellent musicians. I could also tell that they were relatively new to their fame by the way they actively engaged with the audience. They threw their guitar picks after every song and stopped playing to take selfies with people's cameras. They debuted their new song "Comeback Kid" at this show and it seemed this is a band who is just starting to peak. One of the best shows of the year!

My favorite part of the show was their opener, "Better Dig Two"! It's just a great song and I was overwhelmed with being on the stage for the first time ever which made it all the better!

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future (only one more this summer)!

DC

The Band Perry 

Jordan Rager 

Stewie's Surprise - Seth MacFarlane and the NSO

When I hear the name Seth MacFarlane, I think of a comedy guy who has a knack for light humor and animated TV shows. What I didn't think about is a show tune singer who idolized pop singers such as Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. MacFarlene of course first came to prominence when he created Family Guy in 1999. Before that, he went to the Rhode Island School of Design and assisted with several animated shows. With Family Guy, he voices several of the characters and was the chief creative artist for much of the time. He has also produced other shows such as American Dad and the Cleveland Show. He has won several awards for his shows, including an Emmy for Family Guy. Recently however, he has released a couple musical albums containing old pop standards and selections from the Great American Songbook. The albums have been successful on the Jazz Charts and he has played with a variety of orchestras around the country. His primary focus has been to appreciate singers such as Sinatra and Martin and to make sure these classic tunes are not forgotten.

I honestly had no idea what this show was going to be like. Was it going to be a comedy or would he stay within the realms of the quieter songs he was singing? What would his voice songs like? In the end, he did a little of both. His baritone voice was quite pleasant and he sang the songs with a deep, rich tone. While I guess one could say there was nothing remarkable about his delivery, the strength of the NSO bolstered the performance to turn it from good to very good. He song selection was diverse and he really tried to give credit to the composers, arrangers, and singers he was covering. It was nice to see how thankful he was for these songs and I could tell being able to sing them meant a lot to him. But never fear because between the songs, the Seth MacFarlane we all know and love came out. He cracks jokes while introducing the songs and while I don't really watch any of his shows, I can't deny that the guy isn't funny. For his last number, he sang in the voice of some of his iconic characters like Peter Griffin and Ted. But for the most part, the show was serious and I was really able to listen to the songs. One thing I realized about these old tunes is that if you stripped them of the vocals, they would still be beautiful songs. Back then, the orchestra was just as important as the voice and behind every singer like Sinatra was a rich and enthralling accompaniment. It was a beautiful night on the lawn and I think by the end of the show, everyone realized that MacFarlane wasn't just doing this for fun, he really put his heart and soul into the performance.

My favorite part of the show was when he did the classic number "Old Man River". This song ends in an incredible climax and it really showcased both the orchestra and MacFarlane's voice at the same time. MacFarlane really gave it his all and for that time, he threw aside the comedy and became a worthy singer just like the men from the 40's and 50's he loves so much. Sinatra would be proud.

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Seth MacFarlane

Somebody to Love - La Bohème

Through my explanations of art forms, opera still seems the most mysterious to me. To be fair, the closest I come to listening to opera for pleasure are the mid 70's Queen albums. I have tried to understand and listen to it when possible but it still puts me off a little bit. Do they really have to sing every word? Having to read what's actually happening on the subtitles also lessens the blow of the performance in my mind. Nonetheless, the artistry and talent of opera singers is never lost on me. I can hold a note pretty well but I couldn't last 5 seconds in an opera. La Boheme happens to be one of the most famous operas of all time! It was written by Giacomo Puccini and made its debut in Italy in 1896. The story, in true operatic fashion, tells the tale of a groups of friends who fall in and out of love under the lights of 1830's Paris. Rodolfo and Mimi have fallen in love but he is haunted by his old flame, Musetta. Mimi becomes sick but ultimately it's that appearance of fate that brings everyone closer together. Since its debut, the opera has been performed by thousands of companies all over the world. This time, it was performed by the Wolf Trap Opera, a summer program that serves to teach opera singers looking to start a career while performing iconic operas like La Boheme!

The opera truly was fantastic...just not my cup of tea. The NSO provided a wonderful music accompaniment and I honestly wished I could've appreciated the performance more! I thought the singing was incredible and they really conveyed the emotions of the characters well. The acting may have been a bit over the top but that's what opera is I guess! All the patrons seemed to like it and the house was practically sold out. A very easy show and the weather was super nice!

My favorite part of the show was when the main characters where in the market surrounded by all the hustle and bustle of shoppers and children. There were tons of people on stage and it really filled up the whole theater! 

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Original Poster 

Live Long and Prosper: Star Trek: Into Darkness - the NSO

This will be a short blog post today since this show was simple but quite good! Coming up on the 50th anniversary of the Star Trek original series, the rebooted series by J.J Abrams came to Wolf Trap with a score played by the NSO. This was the 2nd movie of the series, with the third one being released very recently. Star Trek of course has a very long and successful history and is one of the most popular fantasy series of all time! The original series with Leonard Nemoy and William Shatner aired from 1966 to 1968 and the first feature film was released in 1979. The first film in the rebooted series was released in 2009 and all three have been critically acclaimed and commercially successful.

This show was very easy to manage and because of that, I was really able to get into the music and film. I forgot how good these rebooted Star Trek movies are and the music was really amplified with live orchestra. The audience was very into the movie itself and I couldn't help but get into it too! The only unfortunate part is that it rained almost the entire time and it was pretty miserable on the lawn. Luckily, that also brought down the temperature and the rain did stop by the end of the movie!

I don't know if I have a favorite part of the movie but I was able to get a close look at the orchestra near the pit while they were playing the credit which was very cool!

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

The USS Enterprise 

Violin Prodigy - Chad Hoopes and the NSO

Despite spending so much time around music, I would be hard pressed to tell anyone what instrument I like the best. Every instrument is capable of playing beautiful music and it's based on my mood or what I'm listening to at the time. If I had to pick my top instruments though, I'd probably say piano, guitar, clarinet, violin, and mandolin. Last night, violin was at the top of my list. Chad Hoopes is only 22 years old but he has already travelled around the world and is making a big name for himself on the classical stage. He has been playing the violin since the age of 3 (how is that possible???) and began his study in the Cleveland Institute. He later studied in violin in a prestigious school in Germany and has since went on tour, playing with a variety of orchestras and symphonies. He has garnered critical acclaim and I'm simply marveled at how young he is, only a few months older than I am!

I was floored by the talent of Hoopes. He's definitely the best violin player I've ever heard in concert and this might be the best classical performance of the year for me! He played a suite by Tchaikovsky, who happens to be my favorite composer! His high notes were a pleasing as any other note and he played with such emotion and grace it seemed he was telling a story through the music. I felt like I was transported to another time and place, guided only by sound! The NSO was a perfect accompaniment and guest conductor Stephane Deneve was great at facilitating the exchange between orchestra and soloist. The NSO also played great pieces by Ravel and Debussy which were top notch, as usual. There wasn't a huge crowd tonight so I really got to watch and listen to a lot of the show. I felt like people knew they were in the presence of greatness and it's so great that Hoopes still has his whole career in front of him! Great show!

My favorite part of the shoe was the first movement of the Tchaikovsky piece! It was absolutely beautiful composition and Hoopes violin flowed effortlessly through the arpeggios and runs. Definitely won't be the last I hear of him!

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

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Chad Hoopes 

The King of Croon - Tony Bennett

An often used phrase in sports is that "age is undefeated." This year saw the retirements of prominent sports figures like Kobe Bryant and Peyton Manning. Music is under the same spell. Every singer has to deal with age and some have dealt with it the better than others. When I heard that Tony Bennett was going to celebrate his 90th birthday next week, I was completely shocked. What an accomplishment to still be singing and touring when you've been around for 9 decades! With a career like his, he deserves retirement more than anyone but he has graciously continued singing to his beloved fans. Tony Bennett started his career shortly after he returned from Europe while fighting in World War II. He made his first recordings in the late 1940's and his first hit came with Columbia records in 1951; "Because of You." He would achieve a number of big hits in the 1950's and the early 1960's with his signature tune, "I Left my Heart in San Francisco", coming in 1962. During this time, he also engaged in the Civil Rights Movement and participated in the March to Selma in 1965. His popularity waned in the late 60's and 70's due to the emerging rock n' roll scene but he revitalized his career in the 80's and continues to tour and record to this day. One of his most recent releases was a duet album with pop star Lady Gaga, a weird matching that shows he's still a big name in the music industry. He has won a whopping 19 Grammys and 2 Tony awards and has sold more than 50 million albums in his 65 year career. He is now considered one of the best pop crooners in history and is certainly up there with Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. A truly remarkable artist!

This whole show I was literally in awe of this man! Backed by a band of only a guitarist, drummer, and piano, he gave a wonderful show and his voice has ages incredibly. He sings with the passion and wisdom of a man who has seen it all and he really hasn't missed a beat. His voice still carries quite powerfully and I wonder how he's been able to maintain his voice for so long! While his music isn't my cup of tea per-say, I have nothing but admiration for his songs and his voice is so soothing and relaxing! I'm quite glad that he put on a good show because everything else that night was crazy. This was the first big rainstorm at Wolf Trap since I've been back and it rained pretty much the entire time. We had a huge amount of wheelchair patrons due to the age of the audience so everyone was running around in the rain and hardly had time to enjoy the singing. But luckily, all the patrons were gracious and were just happy to see this legend still performing. No one seemed to mind the rain on the lawn which was great to see.If that doesn't show the respect Bennett has gained from his followers, nothing does!

My favorite part of the show was when he performed his most popular song, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco". This was the only song of his that I know and somehow the whole scene was perfect. I was standing in the rain, watching this marvelous artist perform a song he's sang for 54 years and somehow, it sounded like he could sing it for another 54.

As, always looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

 

Tony Bennett 

Guitar Gods - Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy

I always tend to downplay my skill on the instruments that I play. I've finally acknowledged that I've chosen to learn a bunch of instruments rather than learn one instrument really well. I've been playing the guitar for about 2 years and even though I'd say i'm pretty comfortable with the instrument, I'm by no means advanced and I would love to learn how to really improvise. Seeing these artists play showed me what real guitar playing is like. Jeff Beck first got his start in the mid 1960's with the Yardbirds. Taking over from Eric Clapton in that band was a tough task but Beck led them to major innovations in their sound and became well known for his psychedelic playing . He later formed the Jeff Beck group who pioneered the heavier blues rock sound that Led Zeppelin and other 70's bands would emulate later. When that group broke up in 1969, Beck embarked on his own and has released a number of critically acclaimed albums of his own. Although he never achieved the commercial success of players like Clapton or Jimmy Page, he strove to reinvent his guitar playing whenever possible and pushed the limits of what a guitar can do. He has won 8 Grammy awards and was rated as the 4th greatest guitarist in Rolling Stone magazine. Buddy Guy also has a long history. He got his start in Chicago in 1957 when he began to play in the style of Muddy Waters. He released a number of critically acclaimed albums throughout the 1960's and 70's but it wasn't until the 80's when he truly became recognized outside of the musical circle. While he could be called a Chicago Blues artist, his works also incorporates more free form blues and jazz fusion. He has influenced countless guitarists including Clapton (who called Guy the best guitar player alive), Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. In a sense, Buddy Guy formed the basis of what Jeff Beck was able to achieve in the peak of his career during the 70's.

This was an incredible show! Buddy Guys is an astounding musician and I simply couldn't believe he is 79. He played with such fiery passion and his voice still sang with the fury of a younger man. You could tell that countless guitarists have tried to mimic his wonderful playing but I simply had never heard the blues done in that way. He even came into the audience and was a great entertainer. Jeff Beck has a much more developed and varied set that included blues, soul, and straight up rock. He was helped by a couple singers who were very good and knew when to take over from Beck or let him have the stage. I can't really explain Beck's playing since it was entirely his own and he played with the confidence of a seasoned musician who has seen it all. While he usually remained inconspicuous on stage, the sounds coming out of his Stratocaster were was probably the best guitar music I've ever heard. Overall, these musicians rocked the house and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen at Wolf Trap! The people on the lawn were as drawn into it as I was and despite one unruly patron, everything went smoothly. It was the 5th day of 90+ degree weather but everyone persevered!

I couldn't decide my favorite part so I went with two. Beck played an incredible cover of "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder and it's soul beat was perfect for his free form playing. He also closed the show with a cover of "A Day in the Life" by the Beatles. Both times, he took a well known song and for that night, it was all his.

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Jeff Beck 

Buddy Guy 

Pink Martini and the NSO

When I heard that the band Pink Martini was going to play last night, I immediately thought of a cabaret performance with music that would be fitting in a smoky lounge or even a fancy elevator. But as usual with Wolf Trap concerts, I thought wrong. Pink Martini is a band founded in 1994 by Thomas Lauderdale in Oregon. He initially set to create a "mini" orchestra that would incorporate a diverse number of musical genres including jazz, classical, pop, and elements of music from around the world. They have become popular all over the globe, particularly in Europe. They have released 7 albums since their debut in 1997. In addition, they have performed with a variety of ensembles including the LA Phil, Boston Pop, and the San Francisco Symphony. Along with Lauderdale, they are headed by singers China Forbes and Storm Large.

The show got off to a slow start initially with the sort of cabaret music I thought they would play throughout the night. I'll admit I'm not a fan of that kind of music but I was relieved to find their repertoire spanned many distinct genres and rhythms. They had a couple songs with a latin beat, songs with more of a Bollywood feel, and even some swing songs that seemed to come straight from the 1940's. What I thought was really was that the singers knew a few languages a sang songs in english, spanish, and arabic! It was remarkable how easily the band and the NSO switched between different types of music and each of the musicians in Pink Martini were fantastic, particularly the brass players. In a show that I thought would be relaxing and laid back, they had people up and dancing for a quite a number of songs and the energy of their instrumentation prevented their songs from settling into a mellow trance. A special moment was when Ari Shapiro, the host of NPR's All Things Considered (which has gotten me through a slew of traffic jams on the way to work) came out and sang a beautiful song. He is a man of many talents and seemed super comfortable on the stage! Once again, the NSO took a backseat to another performer but that definitely added to the sound in a positive way and despite it being incredibly hot, I'm sure they liked playing different kinds of music than they're used to. There were a lot of people on the lawn for an NSO show and it was really hot but everyone was nice and didn't seem to mind the weather that much.

My favorite part of the show was the end of the first set when they played a swing song with a kick-ass drum solo. I love swing music as it gives each musician a chance to shine and Pink Martini didn't disappoint!

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Pink Martini 

Russian Legend - The Firebird and the NSO

When I heard that last night's performance was going to be a puppet show, I literally thought there were going to be a bunch of people running around the stage with sock puppets. Luckily, it was a bit more complicated than that. The National Symphony Orchestra accompanied a truly unique performance of the Firebird ballet by Stravinsky. But instead of just having a dancers, the performance was done by the Handspring Puppet Company. This South African company is one of the most famous in the world and their work has included the critically acclaimed play, War Horse. Firebird itself is a ballet written by Stravinsky in 1910 that tells a story of Prince Ivan who spares the Firebird from death and with the help of the magical creature, defeats the magician Koschei and frees all the creatures under his spell. The Firebird itself is based on an old Slavic legend of a bird that can be both a blessing and a curse to its owner.

Although the plot was pretty hard to follow throughout the show, it was a very good performance and the puppets were truly amazing! When I say puppets, think of huge models of dragons and birds that have to be manned by several people. The puppeteers themselves are also incredible dancers and the whole performance flowed really well. They did a great combination of choreography combining the subtly of their dance moves with the fanfare of these large puppets and props they were flying across the stage. And this was only the 2nd part of the show. The first part was the NSO itself playing a number of relaxing pieces including selections from Prokofiev and Ravel. But they were not the main part of this show, and the puppets really made this a great performance. I didn't come in expecting much but was really blown away by the artistry! There were a fair amount of people on the lawn but it was a very easy show and despite being blazing hot, the show was an easy one to work.

The best part of the show for me was the climax when the magnificent firebird itself emerged  in its full form on the stage. It took up the whole front of the stage and must have been manned by half a dozen people. I was able to look at it up close and it was so awesome! No wonder these guys won a Tony award in 2011!

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

The Firebird 

Eclectic Artistry - Sufjan Stevens

I can definitely say that there are a few key things I look for in a good songs. I look for a nice guitar riff, good chord progressions, a nice chorus, and a heavy emphasis on the band sounds. On the other hand, I try not to limit myself to these credentials and remain open to any kind of music I can get my hands on. I had heard of Sufjan Stevens before tonight but I'm now a firm believer that no one knows Sufjan Stevens unless you have seen him live. His performance was one of the most chaotic, yet harmonious concerts I have ever seen and I'm still trying tot decide whether it was all too much or just enough. Stevens grew up in Michigan and recorded his first album,  A Sun Came, in 2000 while finishing up college. He plays a variety of instruments including the banjo, guitar, bass, drums, english horn, and oboe. Since his first album, his recordings have ranged from moody acoustic sets (Carrie and Lowell) to the outlandish and avant garde (Illinois). Over time, his performances have become grand and ornate and Stevens seems to be forever on the quest to change and update his sound. He has released seven albums in total and while he's never had a blockbuster record per say, he has a loyal following and is quite well known. His opener was Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, a local Virginia band who formed in 2003 and have released five albums in the electronic rock genre.

At first, I was taken aback by this show. Let me describe the stage. At the center was Stevens, dressed in a space suit like costume with a banjo draped in banners. Along with his core band, there were several brass players in vibrant suits flanked by three girl dancers who were wearing glow in the dark costumes. Behind everyone was a huge projection of spacey images At one point, there was an inflatable robot that towered over Stevens and the rest of the band. His first few songs was a deluge of sound and even though the band is quite good, they were overpowered by the sheer multimedia presentation of the performance. It was hard to tell where one song ended and the other began and Stevens was perfectly content with not being the center of the sound. For most of the show, I thought everything was too over the top and his artistry was hidden behind a wall of crazed sound. Honestly, i was disappointed. What didn't help was that Thao and the Get Down, Steven's opener, were quite bad.  They tried to be a rock band an electronic artist and ended up being neither. The singers voice was not suited to the type of music and their unrealized musical direction was a little hard to hear. But alas, the show ended on a high note. Sufjan came back for an encore backed by only his banjo and  a guitar. At that moment, I finally got to here the beauty of his music and his great voice. I also began to understand his message of living life and being appreciative of everything around you. His Christian values were a lear influence on his music and it was great hearing an artist so passionate about peace and harmony. In the end, I can't say that Sufjan Stevens is one of my favorite artist, but his concert showed me that he is one of the great musicians of today and I have nothing but respect and admiration for his message and musical style. In the end, isn't that what all musicians want?

My favorite part of the show was when he played Chicago! While this was during the loud part of the show, I think it was one of the few moments when the whole spectacle locked in and brought the song to a whole new level. the audience was engaged and the soft spoken Stevens couldn't have been happier.

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Sufjan Stevens

Thao and the Get Down 

THIS is NPR - Wait Wait.. Don't Tell Me!

Since i have to brave rush hour almost every day on my way to Wolf Trap, I've come to appreciate public radio a lot more. It's a great way to stay updated with the events of the world and pass the time while you're yelling at other drivers. But Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me has been one of my favorite shows for years. I remember driving home from church every Sunday and listening to lightening fill in the blank or the limericks. So you can imagine it was a real treat finally seeing the broadcast live with all my favorite people like Peter Sagal, Bill Kurtis, and Paula Poundstone! Wait Wait was started in early 1998 and quickly became one of the most popular NPR broadcasts around. Sagal even said that the broadcast on Thursday will be heard by over 5 million people over the weekend. The broadcast consists of a panel of people commenting on national and international news while also hosting interviews and games. They usually broadcast from the Chase Bank Auditorium in Chicago but they also travel around the US to theaters like Wolf Trap.

The show is definitely just as good live as it is on the radio! Despite some technical difficulties early on, Sagal and company have the segment down pat and everything flowed very smoothly. I think what makes the broadcast stand out is that the panelists all have done things other than radio and even when they're live, they know how to command an audience and bounce off one another. The person interviewed was Charlie Bolden, the administrator of NASA. While yes there were some funny moments of his talk, he really got me excited about NASA again and even promised that humans would be going to the moon by the 2030's! The Wait Wait crew always does a great job of bringing even some of their most famous interviewees down to earth and Bolden really seemed relaxed and happy to be there. Along with the interview, the panelists had lots to talk about since we were in the midst of the Republican National Convention. After the show, Sagal and the panel did a Q&A session which I thought was a great gesture for the fans, especially in a theater this big. I was really impressed with their performance and it was a very easy show to usher at. the weather held up just fine and it was a great night!

My favorite part was definitely the interview with Boldon. Amidst all the talk about the RNC and the sad political situation, it's nice to know that NASA is at least in good hands with Bolden. He has a clear vision of the future and it was reassuring seeing that NASA has no interest in being complacent. Also shout out to Carl Kasell for the surprise guest appearance in the audience!

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Soul Train - Tedeschi Trucks Band, Los Lobos, and North Mississippi Allstars

This show had all the hype one of the biggest rock shows of the summer. Sure I've seen Paul Simon and Bob Dylan, but these guys were all about jamming and pumpin' up the guitar. All three band delivered great performances and each one had a different interpretation of the soul genre! The Tedeschi Trucks Band formed in 2010 when Susan Tedeschi and husband Derek Trucks decided to combine their respective band and collaborate together. Since then, they have released three successful albums and their album Revelator one the 2012 Grammy for Best Blues Album. They have also continued to tour throughout the past five years and have put together a great live act. Los Lobos have a much longer history. They first got together in 1973 but didn't release their first studio album until later in the 1970's, In the 1980's, they achieved the height of their fame when they agreed to play on the soundtrack for La Bamba, the biopic about Ritchie Valens. Their cover of "La Bamba" reached number 1 in the US and their combination of genres ranging from blue-eyed soul to Tex-Mex assured them a big following. Finally, the North Mississippi Allstars were formed in, you guessed it, Mississippi. They have been together since 1996 and although they haven't achieved the same level of success as the other two acts, they have a loyal following among blues enthusiasts and have even appeared on the Late Night Show with Conan O'Brien!

Each band was great for different reasons! The North Mississippi Allstars were more straight up R&B which was refreshing to hear. I was surprised to see their "bass" player was actually playing a Sousaphone; quite the interesting choice! Their guitar player plays a bit like Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys and goes between high feedback to more melodic riffs. They had a pretty full sound for a trio and I was quite pleased with their music! Los Lobos were all over the place in a good way. At one point they were playing blues and then they switched to latin rhythms for the next song. They had a bigger sound simply due to having more players but their vocals were very strong and even though they didn't play "La Bamba", I still thought they did a great job. The Tedeschi Trucks Band was a much more jam heavy band than I thought they would be and Derek Trucks is a hell of a guitarist. He often stole the show and the band allowed each member to go on their own. Even the drummer had a nice solo! Being a musician myself, it's often nice to just here a nice band jamming in their own world and this band did that very well. They even through in a couple nice covers in there!

At the end of the day, the show wasn't even that bad to manage. Sure there were a lot of people and I had shut down a few smokers but there weren't any unruly patrons and people seemed at ease to just jam alongside the music. It was a super hot day but definitely sunny!

I seem to be setting a trend with picking the last part of the show as being the best. The Tedeschi Trucks Band ended their set with an incredible cover of "The Letter" by the Box Tops. While the original is a short pop song, they turned it into a soulful enterprise filled with a brilliant horn section and passionate vocals from Susan. Most bands don't end with covers but I'm super glad they did because it showed just how locked together they were as a group.

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Tedeschi Trucks Band

Los Lobos

North Mississippi Allstars 

Through Yonder Window Breaks - American Ballet Theater: Romeo and Juliet

It seems as new types of artistry are being created, some forms have become less popular than they once were. While the power of dance is as strong as ever, certain fields such as ballet I felt aren't as widespread anymore.. I'll readily admit I know next to nothing about ballet itself and before this performance, I hadn't even seen a full ballet show. But I was truly amazed by the dancing and I'm glad I was finally able to see a performance. It was also great to see so many people at these shows and it definitely disproved my notion of ballet being unpopular. The American Ballet Theater is one of the principle ballet companies in the United States. Formed in New York City during 1937, the ballet quickly gained funding and support across the country  Since the beginning, the theater has tried to recruit the best ballet talent in the world and hundreds of dancers have performed under the ABT name. Since 1977, they have taken residence in the Metropolitan Opera House (the Met) and also continue to tour around the world. As i said before, they are considered one of the premier ballet companies in the US and it was a real privilege to see them!

In total, there were three shows of Romeo and Juliet at the Trap and while each one was fantastic, it was the second night that got all the hype. The main reason for that was Misty Copeland, the first African American ballerina to be a named a principle dancer in the ABT's 79 year history! As such, there were well over 6000 people who came that night, an extremely high number for a dance show. While Copeland was indeed amazing, I personally thought all the dancers were fantastic. Their fluidity, nuance, and precision was unreal and perfectly encapsulated the dramatic scenes of the play. While I didn't know the play well enough to know what was happening in every scene, it was good enough just watching the dancers move off each other. I also thought that the music was really top notch! I love pit orchestras and I thought they did a good job of filling in the different moods of the scenes along with the dancing. I could've listened to the music by itself! All in all, the shows were pretty easy to manage and most people put down their cameras to enjoy the show. The weather varied but overall wasn't too bad and the heat dissipated quickly as the night progressed.

My favorite part of the shows was the last scene. Everyone knows how Romeo and Juliet ends, but I thought the death scene was brought to life in a way only ballet dancing could produce. I really felt the sadness and pain of both Romeo and Juliet and it was one of the most emotional moments this season.

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Misty Copeland 

Latin Flair - Carlos Vives

I'll be the first to admit that Wolf Trap is often catered to an older audience. There are no raves here and most of the artists that come have been in the business for a long time. With that being said, we occasionally do have concerts that can get pretty crazy. This concert was definitely one of those. Carlos Vives is a Columbian pop singer who is one of the most famous Latin American artists in the country and throughout the spanish speaking world. Vives actually first got his start as an actor, appearing various telonovelas and movies in Columbia during the late 1980's. Hist first three albums, containing mostly ballads, were unsuccessful and it wasn't until 1991 that he released began releasing popular songs. His fusion of Vallenato music with rock was new to many people and helped expose Vallenato to the world. He has won a Grammy award for his work and released critically acclaimed and successful albums throughout the 1990's. He has gained adoration from many Latin American people, particular in Columbia, where he is their biggest star along with Shakira.

This show was nearly sold out but I can't imagine many more people could've come to be honest. I thought it was such a fun show though! Everyone was standing and dancing the entire time and true to Latin American culture, they had a grand old time. All his music was really good and it seemed everyone knew the words to all his songs. This is another one of those shows that I feel like brought a community together and I'm glad that an artist loved by so many people was able to come to Wolf Trap. Yes people were crowding the stairway and being rowdy but I can't really blame them, this was a great show! It wasn't even that hot out and it was a great night to be in the lawn, as 3300 people can attest. This show was also interesting for me because as you may or may not know, I'm actually from Ecuador! Despite that, my spanish is pretty bad and I couldn't help but feel a little disconnected from everyone at the concert even if we were similar in a lot of ways. I had no idea who Carlos Vives was and a lot of the culture that was present was foreign to me. It made me feel a little sad but I was also glad to be exposed to this music for the first time, it made me feel at least a little more linked to Latin America; if just for a night.

I don't know any of his songs but honestly seeing people dancing and being happy was my favorite part of the show! It makes all the hard work we do worth it!

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Carlos Vives

Night of Adventure - Indiana Jones and the NSO

Some movies, no matter how old or dated, remain timeless. Maybe its the plot, maybe its the actors, and maybe its the music Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of those movies and has all of those elements. Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, the film is seen as one of the greatest adventure movies of all time and is also one of my favorites! It was the highest grossing film of 1981 and brought together friends George Lucas and Steven Spielberg who directed and wrote the film, respectively. It also featured the music of John Williams, one of the most celebrate composers of all time. I won't go into the film too much since everyone should know the story but it truly is a fantastic movie and definitely set the blueprint for many action-adventure films today.

Surprisingly, the theater was almost sold out for the show! This usually doesn't happen for movies and it shows how popular Indiana Jones is. The NSO did a great job of bringing the music to life and even the subtle musical parts were amplified. The crowd was really engaged which was good because that meant they weren't taking pictures! They clapped whenever a cool scene happened or Indy once again escaped from his apparent doom. It was super fun to see all the kids get into the film too, much like there parents probably did when they were kids! It was a beautiful night on the lawn and I'm glad everyone got lucky with no rain and clear skies!

My favorite part of the movie is the beginning when Indy has to navigate through all the booby traps! It's such a simple set of shots but it's still exhilarating all these years later.

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Original 1981 Poster 

Pianist Extraodinaire - Yuja Wang and the NSO

Of all the instruments that I play, I would say without a doubt that piano is my weakest. Even after taking a great class at USC last year for a whole semester, I can't play more than chords for the most part and it takes a me a long time to read piano music and sight read. With that in mind, I am always in awe of incredible pianists and I respect everything about the way they play. Yuja Wang was no exception! She has been playing since she was 6 years old and continues to impress today. She studied at the Curtis Institute of Music and Philadelphia. Since graduating, she has embarked on many tours over the past few years and has played with the New York, London, Hong Kong, and Berlin Philharmonic orchestras. She's considered to be one of the greatest young pianists around today.

I personally thought her performance was amazing. She played two classical pieces and then played one of my favorites, Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin. The two things that stuck out to me was her temp changes and her fluidity. Both of these are incredibly hard to do on the piano (I would know) and her ability to connect notes while also playing with the entire NSO was a marvel. Sure she she could play fast notes but I think her best moments were when she was putting her own interpretations on the slower parts of the pieces. Thousands of people have played Rhapsody, but she was able to make it her own. I think everyone else at the show was impressed as well and it made for the easiest show this season. There was hardly anyone on the lawn and I was able to watch more of the show than I usually am. Once again, it was another hot day but it cooled off really fast and the night was beautiful.

The best part of the night for me was Rhapsody in Blue. While her playing was fantastic, nothing beats those clarinet notes in the beginning, music to my ears!

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Rockin Ladies - Melissa Etheridge and Pat Benatar

After the relative disaster that was Bob Dylan, I was really hoping that this show would be a good time. Luckily, I wasn't disappointed! Both artists delivered great shows and it ended up being my favorite night of the year so far. The headliner was Pat Benatar and she has had quite the career. Since releasing her first album in 1979, she has become a mainstay in the charts and was one of the highest selling female artists in the 1980's. Backed by her husband and virtuoso guitarist Neil Giraldo, her rock songs were at odds with many of the synthesizer songs in the 80's but this was overridden by the memorable guitar hooks and lyrics. She reached the peak of her success with the release of "Precious Time" and "Get Nervous" in 1981-1982. She and her band have continued to tour ever since although she hasn't released an album since 2003. She remains one of the biggest artists of the female rock outburst in the early 80's. Much like Benatar, Melissa Etheridge also branded herself as a hard rocker in the 80's. She released her first album in 1988 and her thick raspy voice gained her a large following. She also became an advocate for LGBT rights while increasing her stardom in the 1990's. She has continued to release albums into the present day with good success and has garnered two Grammy awards over her career.

Both women were fantastic. Etheridge was slightly more energetic and her voice was still as forceful as it was in the 80's. The best part of the concert, though, is that both artists played what the audience wanted to hear. Towards the end of the show, Benatar ran through three of her biggest hits and ended with "Heartbreaker", one of my favorites! Neither seemed to have aged at all and they truly seemed to enjoy performing. I was also really impressed with Giraldo and both bands. While I tend to deride 80's music as lightweight, these two musicians definitely go against that current and are true rock stars. The audience overall was very into the show and this made the night on the lawn pretty easy. It was another hot day but I got to inspect bags for the first time ever! Overall a great night to be at Wolf Trap.

My favorite part of the show was when Benatar ran through "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", 'Love is a Battlefield", and "Heartbreaker" all in one go. The audience sang every word and the place was rockin' more than I've seen it in a long time.

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Pat Benatar

Melissa Etheridge

Freewheelin' - Bob Dylan and Mavis Staples

This may be the longest post I'll ever do because I simply have a lot to say about this show! I knew that this would be the most polarizing show for me personally and it definitely was. There were good parts and bad parts but no matter what, in the end I can say that I saw Bob Dylan and Mavis Staples! I don't think I really need to explain Bob Dylan's history but just in case, Bob Dylan is one of the greatest songwriters in history. He started in the early 1960's as a folk singer whose words uplifted a generation of counterculture. Beginning in 1965, he turned electric and became a rock star, to the ire of many of his folk fans. He later flirted with country music until finally returning to his roots in the mid 1970's. Throughout his career, he has refused to stay the same and continues to update his image. Since the late 1980's, he has embarked on his "Never-ending Tour" and he has toured almost continuously since then. For many years, Dylan has been the voice for millions of people and he has inspired countless musicians since he began in Greenwich Village all those years ago.

Mavis Staples also has an interesting history. She and the rest of her family formed the Staples Singers and together they became one of the biggest soul singers in the world. Their spiritual based songs spoke about civil rights issues and Mavis proudly worked with MLK and other leaders during the civil rights movement. They released a number of successful songs and they scored two number one hits in the 1970's. She later embarked on a solo career when the group broke up. At the age of 76, she still tours and continues to have the same fire she did with her family back in the 60's and the 70's.

I'll first talk about the good parts. Mavis Staple was fantastic. Her voice is still powerful but she just has such a captivating stage presence. She engaged the audience like few can and she didn't feel like an opening act at all. Her band was tight and while I didn't know any of her songs, she will go down as the best opener I've seen in either of my years at Wolf Trap. As for Bob Dylan, being in his presence was something in and of itself. His band was also really good and to see him performing after all these years was an amazing experience.

And now, the bad parts. One of the biggest parts of Bob Dylan's career is that he often doesn't give what the people want. When he was called the biggest folk singer of his time, he suddenly changed his music and released "Like A Rolling Stone". On his corresponding 1966 tour, he was booed at every venue and many people hated him for turning his back on folk. Later in the 1970's he became a born again Christian and his concerts became religious revivals with gospel songs. This once again alienated his fan base and he never really recovered his previous fame. These days, he continues his tradition of simple alienation. The whole show, he only performed two songs that could be considered hits, "Blowin in the Wind" and "Tangled Up In Blue". Even with those songs, he changed their style to which they were barely recognizable. This goes along with his voice which has aged for the worse unfortunately . He's less singing than mumbling much of the time and his band often had to pick up the slack. As good as the band was, everyone didn't come to see the band and he simply refused to play his hits in the way everyone knows them. If that wasn't enough, he never picked up a guitar once and never really acknowledged the audience at all.

Overall, yes the show was the disappointing. The Dylan from "Blonde on Blonde" and "Blood on the Tracks" is no longer there. Despite that, people still came in droves and both shows were almost sold out. There was a no photography policy that made things hard on the lawn but nothing too bad happened. It was super hot the past two days but no rain. In the end though, the hardest part was seeing people who struggled to understand how Dylan seemed to turn his back to his fans.

My favorite part was the 2nd night when he played "Tangled up In Blue". I really tried to listen for the old Dylan and at one point, he sang it just like he did on the recording and for that brief moment, I reveled in the fact I saw the songwriter of a generation before he finally lays his guns in the ground.

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Remember him for what he was. 

Mavis Staples! 

Parade at the Park - NSO and America the Beautiful

What people don't often realize about Wolf Trap is that it's an actual national park. Just like Yellowstone and Yosemite, it's managed by the US government, has a ranger staff and occasionally you'll even see cool wildlife! This year is the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service and the NSO did a concert honoring this occasion and the coming 4th of July. I'll use this post to give a little background on the NSO. The National Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1931 and since then has become one of the preeminent orchestras in the United States. Its main residence is at the Kennedy Center but it performs over 150 shows a year. They have had six conductors in its history but Emil de Cou often does the performances at Wolf trap. Time and again I've seen them give incredible performances and I always love when they come to the Trap.

While this show was no different in that regard, I thought the title was a bit misleading. I figured that there would be a continuous montage of National Park pictures while the NSO played patriotic American songs. Instead, they offered a wide range of pieces including some operatic pieces. The pictures they showed were nice but it was only shown during a small bit of the performance and they weren't as multimedia as I thought (maybe that's because I just spent a semester in New Zealand aka photographers paradise). So while they of course sounded great, it just wasn't what I was expecting so I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. The show overall was easy but people for some reason really wanted to take photos so I was running around the lawn making people delete their pictures. Luckily though, the weather was perfect and it was still a good night.

The best part for me was the end when they finally got everyone jazzed up with Stars and Stripes Forever. It's such a classic tune and even if it wasn't quite as good as the version we do with the USC Marching Band, it was still fantastic!

P.S. Mary Chapin Carpenter is tomorrow but since I saw her two years ago I won't write a post.

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Freestylin' Shrek - Dreamworks Animation in Concert with the NSO

I've definitely been more on the Pixar side when it came to animated movies but that's not to say that Dreamworks hasn't released some killer films in the past 15 or so years. I think the coolest thing about them is that they have such a varied array of stories that seemed to be pulled from a hat. Since 1998, Dreamworks has been releasing films, both animated and non-animated and have become one of the biggest film producers in the world. From talking zoo animals to a dragon in training, they have created some truly memorable stories! The first Dreamworks I remember watching was the Prince of Egypt but I think everyone was won over when they made Shrek. The first Shrek remains my favorite Dreamworks film and luckily it had a prominent spot in the lineup during the show.

The show itself was put on quite well. The NSO sounded fantastic as always and I was actually quite surprised how good some of the soundtracks to these movies were! Not to bash on Dreamworks but I simply hadn't really heard any of their soundtracks beyond Shrek. I even saw movies that I didn't know about which made it even cooler. It was super fun seeing all the kids come and get super into each of the films. The weather was very nice and the lawn was the place to be last night.

The best part for me was the How to Train Your Dragon part. I honestly have never seen the film but even after watching a few minutes of it, I definitely need to see it! Honestly I should see more Dreamworks films in general since apparently I've missed quite a few. Amazing music!

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC  

The iconic logo 

Bollywood Royalty - Asha Bhosle

While I try to believe that I have a rather deep understanding of music from different parts of the world, I often find that my scope of knowledge is rather narrow. This show was a great example of this! Asha Bhosle is considered to be one of Indians preeminent cultural icons and has frequently been labeled as the most recorded human in history. She has sung over 11,000 songs, most of them accompanying Bollywood films of a variety of genres. Despite all of that, I had amazingly never heard of her! She first got her start in the 1940's with small films and B-grade pieces. By the 1980's, she had become a household name and had begun to broaden her spectrum of material. Other than film soundtracks, she has also released albums on her own and has even dabbled in acting herself more recently. Her career overall has spanned seven decades and and I think it's simply amazing that she is still touring at the age of 82! She has a tremendous following in India and I quickly realized just how popular and adored she was. Her opener was Falu's Bollywood Orchestra, a similar artist to Bhosle but their songs had a more modern twist and was a bit more upbeat. It was super cool seeing her orchestra combining strings with more rock instruments like electric guitars and drums!

I will admit that Indian music was originally not my favorite but I always enjoy experiencing different kinds of music and I ended up liking both artists by the end! While a lot of the songs did sound similar and I had no idea what they were saying, I could see how carefully constructed each one was and as a musician the complexity of each piece was very impressive. Her vocals, despite her age, were quite strong and she still seemed to be enjoying herself on stage. People of all ages absolutely loved the show and it was really amazing seeing a community come together to witness a cultural figure like her. Simply due to their excitement, it was a bit of a wild show but nothing too bad happened and often times I simply had to get people to dance in the designated area! The weather was so perfect and the people on the lawn were having a grand old time.

While I honestly don't know any of the songs she sang but my favorite part of the show was one of her last songs. It started with a trumpet solo and within 10 seconds everyone was clapping and singing! I'm glad that all her hard work over the past 70 years has paid off!

As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

One of India's most vibrant stars 

Still Crazy After All These Years - Paul Simon

What a way to start out the season! The first act I got to see was the amazing Paul Simon. This iconic songwriter gave a fantastic show and I didn't even mind that I saw him twice! Simon began his career as part of the great Simon and Garfunkel duo. They were one of the most popular acts in the 1960's and had great songs like "Mrs. Robinson", "The Sounds of Silence", and "Bridge Over Troubles Water". They are one of my favorite artists and I play the Bridge Over Troubled Water record I have all of the time. Simon wrote nearly all of the duos material and crafted some of the best pop songs of all time. After they broke up in 1970, Simon had great success as a solo artist. He debuted his first solo album in 1972 and continued releasing popular albums throughout the 1970's. One of the great things about his songs are the way he incorporates sounds from around the world. His album Graceland is a wonderful example. he recorded the album in South African and wrote pop songs that went along with more traditional African rhythms. The album was a huge success and at the age of 45, he was on top of the musical world! Lately, he has been touring and continuing to write songs while occasionally teaming up with Art Garfunkel again. He's one of the most popular American songwriters of his time and his work is timeless.

Overall, Simon gave a great performance! I honestly don't know that many Paul Simon songs but he played all the songs I knew along with some great Simon and Garfunkel tunes as well! He was great at changing between slow folky songs and more upbeat material. The best part was the range of genres he and his band were able to play. From blues to zydeco, he went through a good deal of his material and really kept the crowd engaged. Both shows were sold out but for my first couple shows, they weren't hard at all! The weather was a little rainy the second day but it cleared up by the end of the night.

The best part of the performance to me was the final song Simon did. Standing alone with just his guitar, he did a beautiful rendition of "Sounds Of Silence". It quieted the crowd in a way few artists can do at Wolf Trap and instantly reminded me why I decided to come back!

Looking forward to more shows in the future!

DC

Simon and Garfunkel

Simon in 1976

I'm Back! - Wolf Trap Summer 2016

After a two year absence, it feels so good to be Back at Wolf Trap once again! Since I was in LA last summer, I was unable to work at the Trap and I recently just came back from being abroad in New Zealand for a semester. But fortunately I have been given the opportunity to return to Wolf Trap and I couldn't be more excited! I can't wait to watch such a variety of artists come to this wonderful venue while also making the experience enjoyable for everyone. Just like two summers ago, I will be updating this blog with all the amazing artists I will see over the next seven weeks. I'll give a little background on each one and then give a little review of the show and my favorite parts of the performance. I'm back as a lawn usher so you might get some weather reports every once in a while too. While there are a couple repeat artists from two years ago, most of them are new so there will be lots to write about! I truly am lucky to be back in this wonderful position and I hope you all like the posts!

I'm VERY looking forward to more shows in the future!

Derek


This was me two summers ago! Updated pic to come soon