DJ Lil E Spins

I know this is super last minute, but Lil E was on vacation and I didn't realize Right Round is tonight.

From Lil E's mailing list:

Right Round - THIS Friday, October 21. Black Cat - backstage. You know the deal. It's 80s. It's alt-pop. It's at the Black Cat. 10pm - 2am. Werd. This month's Right Round is dedicated to my dear friend, Phil O'Donnell - Mr. Phil to his pals. He was one of my favorite humans on this rock of ours. He died Tuesday in a motorcycle accident, and I believe I can speak for all of his friends when I say that we are heartbroken. So if you hear some music with an Irish flavor on Friday, shake your money makers with me, wouldya? He'd be mad if we did anything else.
 
- Saturday, October 22. Yippee, I get to be the guest dj for Will Eastman's <> dance party (www.blisspop.com)!!! <> is a monthly dance party dedicated to attractively alarming new music, indie dance, disco punk, tech-funk, and the occasional disturbingly alluring pop classic. And guess what? It's also at the Black Cat. Backstage. 9:30pm - 2am.

U2 @ MCI v2

I was lucky enough to acquire a floor ticket for the second U2 show, and it was definitely worth it. We found a good spot on the right side, up against the fence that separates the path into the ellipse (still not lucky enough to get inside), and ever so slightly elevated by the metal grating. This allowed us to be awesomely close when they were on the ellipse but not get trampled and still able to see when they were on stage.

Among the guests at tonight's show: Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Rick Santorum, and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice (and a number of accompanying security).

Each year, one of my friends sends out one of those questionnaires and it always includes "What's your favorite sound?" I always answer "the opening notes of Where The Streets Have No Name live." And tonight I realized that's completely true - it makes me unreasonably happy.

As I mentioned yesterday, it's a different show every night. Tonight we were treated to Wild Horses and Walk On. Unfortunately, they didn't end with 40, but considering that the trade-off was Bad, I'll take it.

U2 @ MCI

In case you've been wondering where I've been this week, the short answer is I've been at a U2 concert - three or (with luck) four times this week, that's where you'll find me.

Every concert is different, with different songs and a different flavor. Tonight was no exception with For the First Time and an acoustic Stuck in a Moment as differences from the last show. I'm still waiting for Gloria and Bad - I seem to miss those nights.

But knowing your audience is always important, and Bono knows that here in DC, he has the attention of the policy wonks who work on issues like AIDs, debt relief and fair trade. Not one to pass up an opportunity, Bono convinced Larry to "put down his drumsticks and not interrupt" while he ran on, but Larry did time him and let him know that One ran 15 minutes tonight.

What I've found most amusing is that Bono has taken to begging water from the audience rather than waiting for someone to bring him a drink when he's out on the ellipse. The fans on the floor are always happy enough to oblige but it still makes me laugh.

I was on the Club level tonight (section 217) with an end seat and a great view. Interesting though that the club level was full of people who sat through the entire concert (some even tried to convince people in front of them to sit down) and wore ear plugs (just the red foamy ones, not even good ones). The vibe up there was a far cry from the true believers on the floor and inside the ellipse.

I'm still looking for a ticket for tomorrow night, if you have an extra...

Jamming...

I tricked a couple of friends into joining me at Butler's Orchard in Germantown, MD this afternoon. After a week of gloom and rain, everyone seemed happy to be out in the country air, enjoying the sunshine, right up until I handed them quart baskets and made them pick six containers of raspberries (yes, those are thorns).

Half the fun was watching everyone heading to the pumpkin festival, complete with pumpkin train. Everyone in a 50 mile radius with an SUV and a kid was trying to get to the pumpkin festival or park at the farm market. After picking all our raspberries (and explaining to about 20 people that you get containers at the market and then go back there to pay), we headed back to the market and bought apples and concord grapes.

Eight hours later, I have 27 jars of raspberry jam. (Act suprised at Christmas when you get jam.) Tomorrow I have to buy more jars so I can make grape jelly for the first time.

Butler's is my favorite place for pick your own fruit - strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. When you're checking out , be sure to grab a couple of homemade caramels.

The pumpkin festival runs through the end of the month, and later in the year, they have cut your own Christmas trees.