concert

ANC to Host 150th Anniversary Event

By ARLnow.com

Arlington at 150 event posterArlington National Cemetery will host a concert and observance next Friday in honor of the cemetery’s 150th anniversary.

The event, starting at 8:00 p.m. on June 13, is free and open to the public. It will be the first-ever evening event held at the cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater, according to organizers.

“‘Arlington at 150’ is an hour-long live military show featuring musical performances by ‘The President’s Own,’ U.S. Marine Band and a Joint Chorus made up with singers from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force; a wreath ceremony and historical vignettes that showcase how military conflicts have shaped our nation and the cemetery,” according to a press release.

“Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis in the amphitheater,” the release continued. “Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to ensure access and should plan to be seated no later than 8:00 p.m.”

The Arlington Cemetery Metro station will remain open until 11:00 p.m. to accommodate the event.

Arlington at 150 is one of a number of special events taking place over a 5 week commemoration of the cemetery’s sesquicentennial.

Shirlington Outdoor Concert Series Returns for June

By Ethan Rothstein

Shirlala Music Festival logoShirlington’s weekly outdoor concert series is back for a second season this summer.

The Shirlala Music Festival begins June 12 with urban folk rock artist Justin Trawick, performing in the plaza in front of Signature Theatre (4200 Campbell Avenue) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The concerts will take place every Thursday through August 21.

The festival will also include a weekly $5 wine tasting, with the proceeds going to benefit the Arlington Food Assistance Center. The concerts themselves are free for the public.

Here is the schedule of performers:

  • June 12 — Justin Trawick (urban folk rock)
  • June 19 — The Morrison Brothers (Southern rock)
  • June 26 — King Teddy (swing)
  • July 3 — Taylor Carson (acoustic rock)
  • July 10 — Down Wilson (pop rock cover band)
  • July 17 — Scott Paddock (jazz)
  • July 24 — Ewabo (tropical steel drums)
  • July 31 — The Shack Band (Southern funk)
  • Aug. 7 — Paul Pfau (pop, rock & blues)
  • Aug. 14 — Lloyd Dobler Effect (80s & 90s cover band)
  • Aug. 21 — Dan Haas Trio (pop rock)

Lubber Run Announces Summer Concert Schedule

By Ethan Rothstein

Performance at Lubber Run Amphitheater (photo courtesy Arlington County)The Lubber Run Amphitheater, an open-air concert and performance venue, has announced its summer schedule with 27 events that are free for the public.

The public stage, near the intersection of N. Columbus Street and 2nd Street, will host musicians, theater troupes and other acts in multiple shows during the week, starting with Mary Anne Redmond on June 13 and ending with Rico Amero on Sunday, Aug. 17.

Spectators are encouraged to bring picnic materials, although alcohol is prohibited. In the event of inclement weather, visitors are encouraged to call the concert hotline at 703-228-1850 for info. There is no schedule for rain-dates in the event rain causes an event to be canceled.

Here is the list of performances scheduled. All performances are at 8:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted. For descriptions of the artist or group, visit Lubber Run’s website:

Photo courtesy Arlington County

Spectrum Theatre to Host Kristallnacht Anniversary Concert

By Ethan Rothstein

Artisphere during the Silver Clouds exhibitThe National Chamber Ensemble will perform a medley of Jewish songs at Artisphere‘s Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre (1611 N. Kent Street) next month to commemorate the anniversary of a massacre of Jews in Europe.

The NCE’s show, “Jewish Musical Treasures,” will be the first show of the orchestra’s season, and it falls on the 75th anniversary of Kristallnacht. On Saturday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m., they will perform an assortment of music by several Jewish composers.

The NCE is the Spectrum Theatre’s resident ensemble and the show opens its seventh season. It will perform premieres of new pieces, including one based on the musical “Fiddler on the Roof,” as well as compositions by George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for children.

A brief description of Kristallnacht, from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum:

On November 9–10, 1938, the Nazis staged violent pogroms—state sanctioned, anti-Jewish riots—against the Jewish communities of Germany, Austria, and the Sudetenland. These events came to be known as Kristallnacht (commonly translated as “Night of Broken Glass”), a reference to the broken windows of synagogues, Jewish-owned stores, community centers, and homes plundered and destroyed that night. Instigated by the Nazi regime, rioters burned or destroyed 267 synagogues, vandalized or looted 7,500 Jewish businesses, and killed at least 91 Jewish people. They also damaged many Jewish cemeteries, hospitals, schools, and homes as police and fire brigades stood aside.

“The National Chamber Ensemble concert ‘Jewish Musical Treasures’ will note events that should never be forgotten through our concert celebrating the joy of life and creative survival,” the NCE said in a press release.

Photos courtesy of Nick Khazal

Band to Stage ‘Endurance Performance’ at Artisphere

By Ethan Rothstein

Bella RussiaA local band, with the help of collaborators, will perform for eight hours straight at Artisphere tomorrow to promote its new EP release.

Bella Russia, based in D.C., will perform Sept. 7 from noon to 8:00 p.m. in Artisphere’s Black Box Theatre, at 1101 Wilson Blvd. The band is releasing its new EP, “Epaulet,” Saturday and — once the marathon concert is over — hosting a release party from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. with performances by other artists and a cash bar.

Visitors will be able to watch the performance from a viewing window above the theater and will only allowed to enter the theater during the afterparty. The Sea Life and Janel and Anthony will be performing during the release party.

“With a live show consisting of manic instrument changes, unexpected arrangements, and blistering instrumentation, D.C.-based Bella Russia falls somewhere between rhythmic avant-indie and progressive instrumental,” according to The Pink Line Project‘s announcement of the event. “On stage, the band layers and builds their driving and occasionally nerdy compositions into sounds that at times seem too impossibly complex to be coming from a trio.”

Photo by Yassine el Mansouri, via Artisphere

Ice Skating Starts at Pentagon Row

By ARLnow.com

 

In a sure sign of the season, ice skating has started at Pentagon Row (1101 S. Joyce Street).

The outdoor shopping center’s ice rink opened on Friday and will remain open every day — including holidays — through March 18. The rink opens at noon on weekdays and 10:00 a.m. on weekends. It closes at 10:00 p.m., except on Fridays and Saturdays, when it closes at 11:00 p.m. Holiday hours vary.

Two hours of skating time is $8 for adults and $7 for seniors and children 12 and under, Skate rentals are $3. Season passes are also available, as are skating lessons and birthday party/event rentals.

Pentagon Row will hold an ice skating “kick off celebration” this weekend. From 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10, the rink will host a free acoustic performance by 80s pop musician Tommy Tutone, of “867-5309 / Jenny” fame.

Weezer Concert Won’t Be Taking Place at Mall, After All

By ARLnow.com

It turns out we were wrong to assume that a Weezer concert that was said to be taking place “near The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City Microsoft Store” next weekend, in honor of the store’s grand opening, will be taking place at the mall. Or in Virginia, for that matter.

A PR rep emailed us today to let us know the concert — scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 11 — is actually taking place at the Warner Theater in D.C. The original media advisory (which omitted the Warner Theater detail) said the concert will be taking place at 2:00 p.m., though the band’s website says it’s scheduled from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Weezer fans can get tickets to the event by visiting the Microsoft Store’s Pentagon City mall grand opening on Thursday, Aug. 9. Starting at 10:00 a.m., the store will distribute free wristbands for admission to the event, in pairs of two, according to the Microsoft Store website. The first 200 people in line will also reportedly get a wristband for a meet and greet with the band.

A few lucky people who get in line early on the 9th will also have the chance to play Microsoft Kinect with Washington Wizards star John Wall later that day.

ARLnow.com apologies for the error in our previous article.

Photo by “James” via Wikipedia

Weezer to Play Concert for Pentagon City Microsoft Store Opening

By ARLnow.com

(Updated on 8/3/12) A Microsoft Store location is opening in Pentagon City mall next month and the company is bringing in some star power to help mark the occasion.

The store — which sells Microsoft products like software, gaming devices and phones — is officially opening at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 9. A grand opening ceremony that morning will be followed up with a Microsoft Kinect demonstration by Washington Wizards point guard John Wall at 6:00 p.m., and with an even grander event on Saturday, August 11, featuring a performance by the band Weezer.

The concert will take place at the mall Warner Theater at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 11, according to a company rep.

In addition to the rock concert and basketball star, Microsoft will be donating $1 million in software to “local organizations that help create opportunities for local youth” at the grand opening.

There are 20 Microsoft Stores across the country, with another 10 that are listed as “opening soon.” According to a press release, the Microsoft Store offers the following:

  • “A curated assortment of products, including Windows 7 PCs, Windows Phones, Kinect for Xbox 360, Office 2010 and more.”
  • “A range of tech trainings, business-ready PCs, phones and more.”
  • “Community organizations are regularly hosted in the theater space and the employees are out in the community supporting local causes.”
  • “Through a partnership with Skinit, customers can show off their personal style and design their own lids and skins for laptops, phones and Xbox.”

Lunchtime Concerts Start Today in Rosslyn

By Katie Pyzyk

Starting today, Rosslyn is beefing up its summer entertainment lineup with free lunchtime concerts.

The concerts all begin this week and will take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and and Thursdays from 11:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Tuesday concerts, held at Freedom Park (17th Street over Lynn Street and Wilson Blvd), will run through July 31. Wednesday concerts are held at CentralSpace (Wilson Blvd and N. Moore Street), and will continue through August 29. There will be no concert on Wednesday, July 4. Thursday concerts take place at the Farmers Market (Wilson Blvd and N. Moore Street), and will have a longer season, running through October 25.

This week, Vaughn Nark & Panorama will play today, Harry Wilson will play tomorrow and Rick Franklin & Friends will play on Thursday. The full schedules of performers for the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday lunchtime concerts can be found online.

With decent weather predicted for this week, it may be the perfect time to take in the music. Last year, extreme heat forced cancellations for some of the concerts.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Soccer Field to Close for Summer — The synthetic turf field at Virginia Highlands Park, used extensively for soccer games, is expected to be closed for much of the spring and summer so that the turf can be replaced. [Sun Gazette]

Church to Celebrate 50th Anniversary — St. Peter’s Episcopal Church (4250 N. Glebe Road) will be holding a concert next weekend to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12. [Falls Church News-Press]

Arlington Man Killed by Dump Truck — Prince George’s County Police are investigating the death of an Arlington County man who was hit by a dump truck in Capitol Heights on Wednesday evening. [Gazette.net]

To Do Tonight: Live Music in Clarendon, Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

What to do on a near-perfect summer evening? Head to Clarendon and enjoy an outdoor music performance at the Market Common shopping center (2800 Clarendon Blvd).

Guitarist Eric Waters will perform at the Market Center Gazebo from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Waters, who teaches guitar at George Washington University, will perform music ranging from Latin to Pop.

Market Common will be holding free concerts every Thursday night through October 14. Acts that will be performing in coming weeks include JG Jazz, Empire Swing, Key Bridge Three, Banjer Dan Bluegrass and the Justin Trawick Trio.

Another event you won’t want to miss tonight: The last concert of the year for Pentagon Row’s Rock the Row Summer Concert Series. Brother Shamus will bring it home with their brand of bluesy rock.

The concert will take place between 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. at the shopping square at 1201 South Joyce Street in Pentagon City.

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