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=> GENERAL DISCUSSION => Topic started by: kookiemnstr8 on May 24, 2007, 09:47:00 am
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No full schedule yet, but this is what we're seeing so far. I'm getting excited, Fort Renos are my favorite nights of summer.
June 18 - Deleted Scenes
July 2 - Evens and Joe Lally
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Damn that Evens/Joe Lally show is the same night as Morissey.
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Are they gonna pay off the DC cops again? That was so lame. I can't hang there if they're gonna harangue the audience to help pay extortion money
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August 13 - Perfect Souvenir (http://www.myspace.com/perfectsouvenir)
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Originally posted by Stairmaster E:
Are they gonna pay off the DC cops again?
Explain.
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Explain.
Something about making the organizers pay for the cops to sit parked there, because some woman in the neighborhood called them and said she overheard her kid say he was gonna meet his friends there to smoke some weed. As usual, maybe I wan't paying enough attention and have the story wrong
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they don't need to pay the cops to be there. the police do that on their own.
if the shellac show happened, then it would have been considered special circumstances and *maybe* would have had to foot the bill for park police.
in interest of full disclosure, this is beth b.
i booked the shows 2002-2005, now i do the permit/t shirt screening/admin end of things.
we don't have a special deal with park service or police. we do make an effort for them to realize we are responsible folks with great (generally) audiences.
it wasn't "extortion money" that we were trying to raise last season. the fact was we replaced *every* piece of plywood last summer (24 sheets at $75 a sheet) and it took about 13 hours to tear it all up and put new stuff back down, so excuse me if i was fucking pissed that someone burned a hole through a board.
luckily, we used pressure treated wood last year which translates into only having to replace 2 or 3 boards this year. (which by the way, we're doing on the 10th. i count that i will see you with a prybar and a paint roller, yes?)
we also haven't had a benefit show since the last time Run For Cover benefited the Fort, so we're honored and thankful that they're going to throw a little cash our way, because after 3 years without a benefit and a full stage overhaul, the pockets are a little sparse.
seriously, if you have questions, ask. we'll tell you.
speculation isn't good for anyone.
and i've heard through the grape vine that the kid who was arrested last year with weed on him has been arrested another three times. With pot and also lewd activity in a park.
i guess some people don't learn.
that said, i'm more excited for this summer than i have been in a long time. if you have questions or concerns about how fort reno happens? ask me. i am nice when you're not burning my playground down, mkay?
xoxo
beth b.
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Originally posted by tigers scare me:
and i've heard through the grape vine that the kid who was arrested last year with weed on him has been arrested another three times. With pot and also lewd activity in a park.
i guess some people don't learn.
god damn hippies!
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by the way, I think I'll use this thread to pimp a few of my photos from last summer's Antelope show at Ft. Reno:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexdc/tags/fortreno/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexdc/tags/fortreno/)
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Originally posted by tigers scare me:
seriously, if you have questions, ask. we'll tell you.
What's the date for the Fugazi show?
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I know this is a joke...probably?, but nonetheless, I regret to inform you they won't be playing this summer.
However, there will be 17 ( i think?) nights of other local bands that you will hopefully fall in love with.
besides, isn't a new relationship more exciting?
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Originally posted by tigers scare me:
I know this is a joke...probably?, but nonetheless, I regret to inform you they won't be playing this summer.
However, there will be 17 ( i think?) nights of other local bands that you will hopefully fall in love with.
besides, isn't a new relationship more exciting?
Can you get Cedars on one of the nights? :)
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What night is the JAWBOX reunion?
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will 9353 be there?
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rustyorgan:
oh, if only...i would be the happiest girl ever.
but seriously, if you have questions such as "how do i do something like this / when do you start / what are your opperating expenses / why can't we drink / how much does it cost / where does our money go to? " those kinda questions, i encourage you to ask me.
i'd rather you know the nitty gritty (albeit boring) details than to have floofey baseless speculations floating around ruffling feathers of people with nothing better to do than have said feathers ruffled.
also, re: The Ceders- I have removed myself from the booking portion of events. That's handled by another person with a far better ear. All i can tell you is to check out the web site early March-ish for when and where to send in demos, send in a CD or link to your myspace page, and differentiate yourself by being nice. And good. And, well, different.
Why do we ask for demos? Because if you can get your stuff together enough to submit something on time, you can generally find your way to Fort Reno on time. It's pretty much a rule. It has been bent for people in the past and they were beyond late or just didn't show up. Uncool on both counts.
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God, a Jawbox reunion would be SO excellent.
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OH MY GOD. THE EVENS ARE PLAYING ON MY GODDAMN BIRTHDAY AND I.WILL.BE.IN.PROVIDENCE.
MOTHERFUCKERS.
Let's French is playing June 21st...
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Does anybody know if Ian McKaye has any kids, and if so, how many?
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ps, also, hi beth! you rule! thanks for all the fun!
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Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
Does anybody know if Ian McKaye has any kids, and if so, how many?
We are all Ian's children...
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Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:
Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
Does anybody know if Ian McKaye has any kids, and if so, how many?
We are all Ian's children... [/b]
Yes he adopted me yesterday. Now I can go to as many shows on school nights as I want.
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I'm excited to see the Evens again. Luckily, my Morrissey ticket is for the b'more show.
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Originally posted by you be betty:
Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:
Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
Does anybody know if Ian McKaye has any kids, and if so, how many?
We are all Ian's children... [/b]
Yes he adopted me yesterday. Now I can go to as many shows on school nights as I want. [/b]
But you may never drink no matter how old you get!
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From the Going Out Gurus:
June 18 -- Deleted Scenes
June 21 -- Let's French
June 25 -- The Engine Room
June 28 -- Julie Ocean
July 9 -- Statehood, Greenland
July 16 -- Beauty Pill, Len Bias
July 19 -- Carol Bui
July 26 -- Antelope
Aug. 2 -- Yell County
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you be betty:
aw!
if it makes you feel better we are looking into pod casting a show or two. that would be one we would definitely try to pod cast.
however, some of us in the fort reno family aren't so tech-savy (such as um, me) but there are some down-right tech gurus who are convinced this is possible.
so keep your fingers crossed!
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that would be amazing! the evens at fort reno are always the highlight of my summer. both my fingers and toes are crossed...
Originally posted by tigers scare me:
you be betty:
aw!
if it makes you feel better we are looking into pod casting a show or two. that would be one we would definitely try to pod cast.
however, some of us in the fort reno family aren't so tech-savy (such as um, me) but there are some down-right tech gurus who are convinced this is possible.
so keep your fingers crossed!
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http://www.fortreno.com/ (http://www.fortreno.com/)
Monday, June 18th
Mass Movement of the Moth
Deleted Scenes
Boom Orangutans
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Neat-o...I can't wait to bring the pooch to a few shows this year. Although that site design is giving me a headache :eek:
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Hey - Can't they just set aside part of the park for kids to smoke dope and drink? As long as it's under Ian's watchful eyes it should be okay...
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Originally posted by Bombay Chutney:
http://www.fortreno.com/ (http://www.fortreno.com/)
Monday, June 18th
Mass Movement of the Moth
Deleted Scenes
Boom Orangutans
AMAZING
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you can smoke weed under the stage while the show is going on. nobody will see you.
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hey also:
please note, the first band to play this summer is the boom orangutangs....not the boom orangutans.
they're here:http://www.myspace.com/theboomorangutangs
there seems to be some confusion (there are, infact at least three bands named some variation of the boom orangutan/gs....must be something in the water)
anyhow, before we get more angry letters about how we're letting someone from louisville play, we're not.
they're young. they have actually written a song about fort reno. and we love them.
besides, if i could import someone from louisville, i'd try for Rodan. I mean, c'mon. dream big people.
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Yeah...I have a question.
And this is not meant to degrade and is not phrased with the least bit of snobbishness, as I love Fort Reno to death and come to every show.
BUT
I am wondering, I have been wondering, many others are wondering why, year after year, great DC bands with great fanbases who play great shows at the Cat and the Warehouse and 9:30 and St. Stephens who are great folk and greatly talented...are turned down. It seems that year after year, some of the most talented acts in this city - some of which employ slightly poppier sounds, and some of which do not - are turned down. Yet, they are booking sold-out headlining shows every other month at the Black Cat.
One would find it very curious that bands like Washington Social Club and Exit Clov are shot down year after year. Yet, last year, Georgie James (who are similarly poppy) got a slot. One would find it even more curious that bands like Washington Social Club and Exit Clov are playing bigger shows to more people than bands like Georgie James and have been around longer. Not to knock GJ.
Jumping to conclusions, one would suggest an apparent air of "Dischord Bias," yet we all love Dischord and love what everybody stands for. And we assume that here in DC we have a very supportive community of music, and encourage all different sub-genres to thrive and do their things. We are, after all, non-discriminatory, right?
Sorry, but somebody was going to say it soon enough...
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not to speak for Tigers, but I think the point of Fort Reno, with the exception of a couple of shows meant to draw attention to the overall program, is to showcase new/little known bands... not the bands that can get a gig at the Cat at the snap of their fingers...
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I do agree with that to an extent, and think it is a great. But it certainly is not true with the exception of a couple of shows. Plenty of the bands that play Fort Reno are able to get those gigs, and do...
Originally posted by They call me Doctor Doom.:
not to speak for Tigers, but I think the point of Fort Reno, with the exception of a couple of shows meant to draw attention to the overall program, is to showcase new/little known bands... not the bands that can get a gig at the Cat at the snap of their fingers...
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I agree with Doom, but at the same time I don't think WSC or Exit Clov have _ever_ played Fort Reno. Even when they were playing places like the Velvet Lounge and The Warehouse Next Door. They were always shot-down.
It just seems a little odd that some bands that slowly build-up followings over the years have to beg and beg (only to get denied), while other bands with only a few shows under their belt and no records out have no problem getting a slot.
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Originally posted by They call me Doctor Doom.:
not to speak for Tigers, but I think the point of Fort Reno, with the exception of a couple of shows meant to draw attention to the overall program, is to showcase new/little known bands... not the bands that can get a gig at the Cat at the snap of their fingers...
Its just that bands like WSC have been trying since they were first starting off in DC. Marty told me they got shot down four years in a row. They haven't even sent in a demo the last two years. He was reluctant about even sending in a demo of his solo stuff for consideration this year (www.myspace.com/martinroylemusic) because of the vibe he's gotten from them in the past.
I understand it is a lot about showcasing young talent, but the SAME young talent seems to be getting showcased every summer. This schedule looks almost identical to last year's. And some of the bands that are getting repeat slots really really underwhelmed me. Give some other unknown bands a chance. I would like to see some pop music love.
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Well I guess this would not be the first time allegations of Dischord cliquiness have been leveled...
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Originally posted by tigers scare me:
besides, if i could import someone from louisville, i'd try for Rodan. I mean, c'mon. dream big people.
Or Slint. :)
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Wow, I thought that the stage was close to being plywood to the ground. That thing scared me for years. Have they ever upgraded the power there or is it still that super-scary box?
Do they still do Shakespeare in the park there?
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http://www.fortreno.com/schedule.html (http://www.fortreno.com/schedule.html)
Monday, June 15th
Mass Movement of the Moth, Deleted Scenes, The Boom Orangutangs
Thursday, June 21st
The Hard Tomorrows, Let's French, The Mirror Script
Monday, June 25th
LeJeune, Pup Tent, Engine Room
Thursday, July 2nd
Mess Up the Mess, The Sentiment, Julie Ocean
Monday, July 2nd
The Evens, Joe Lally
Thursday, July 5th
Max Levine Ensemble, TBA, Sonic Survivor
Monday, July 9th
Greenland, Statehood, Kitty Hawk
Thursday, July 12th
Mary Timony, Medications, The Charm Offensive
Monday, July 16th
Caribbean, Len Bias, The Ardennes
Thursday, July 19th
Beauty Pill, Carol Bui, The Alphabetical Order
Monday, July 23rd
Meredith Bragg, TBA, The Andaulsians
Thursday, July 26th
Antelope, The Omega Band, Scanner Freaks
Monday, July 30th
TBA
Thursday, August 2nd
The Aquarium, Benjy Ferree, Yell County
Monday, August 6th
TBA, TBA, Shapes Not Sounds
Thursday, August 9th
Brandon Butler, TBA, Baby Killer Estelle
Monday, August 13th
TBA, Perfect Souvenir, TBA
Thursday, August 16th
Edie Sedgwick, Sentai, TBA
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Top.
Who's going tonight?
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You going? I'm considering bringing the pooch, although I'm still exhausted from the weekend. Still, I might make an appearance.
Originally posted by econo:
Top.
Who's going tonight?
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Yes, I would like to check out Mass Movement of the Moth. Also, I think bringing the dawg might be a requirement.
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yes! please bring dogs!!
please bring a leash 'tho too.
you could get fined for not leashing your pooch...i'm just say'n if you see park police, throw a leash on your dog.
they asked us to remind people. i hate the list of reminders we have to keep harping about but it's a small price to pay i think.
(also, we are *not* the ones who would fine you...i'm just passing the info along)
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Thanks for the warning. Our dog is pretty good off a leash, but I wouldn't trust her enough (in a crowd with live music in a place she's never been) with running around without it.
Originally posted by tigers scare me:
yes! please bring dogs!!
please bring a leash 'tho too.
you could get fined for not leashing your pooch...i'm just say'n if you see park police, throw a leash on your dog.
they asked us to remind people. i hate the list of reminders we have to keep harping about but it's a small price to pay i think.
(also, we are *not* the ones who would fine you...i'm just passing the info along)
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I wouldn't trust nkotb off a leash. NEVER EVER.
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Sorry everyone. Joe's confusing his daydream fantasies about me with real life. Just give him a few minutes to wake up and he'll be back to normal.
Originally posted by wanderlust aka j. marshmallow:
I wouldn't trust nkotb off a leash. NEVER EVER.
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I'm excited for tonight!
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i'll be there...probably wearing a weird floral headband thingy; say hello!
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Well that probably does it for me... in one night I got my yearly dose of dissonant anti-pop
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And I fell asleep on the couch at 6pm like an old man. Sorry I missed the call, econo. Oh well...maybe next Monday.
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I went last night and saw the first two bands. Deleted Scenes were really good! Didn't get to stick around for Mass Movement. Looking forward to more concerts in the park.
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youbebetty-
was your headband sparkly?
if so, i totally saw you!
xoxo
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Originally posted by wanderlust aka j. marshmallow:
I wouldn't trust nkotb off a leash. NEVER EVER.
There was actually a teenager on a leash last night, hahah.
I thought the show was fine, I'm not a Mass Movement of the Moth fan but a lot of people obviously are, so more power to them.
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Originally posted by They call me Doctor Doom.:
will 9353 be there?
I hope so! I missed them when they played the DC Space reunion show @ 9:30.
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Originally posted by tigers scare me:
youbebetty-
was your headband sparkly?
if so, i totally saw you!
xoxo
yesyes, it was. i'll say hi next time :)
the show was good. though, i have to say, i was in a band when i was 12, and we were better than the openers.
nevertheless, deleted scenes were super fun...as was expected, they are always so wonderful.
and mass movement of the moth ruled. a lot. it was great.
some of my photos are up on brightest young things if you wanna have a looksie
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FUCK A DUCK!!!! i COMPLETELY forgot about Monday's show. :mad:
http://www.tramp.waw.pl/galeria/data/media/47/130_Ursus_fuck_duck.jpg (http://www.tramp.waw.pl/galeria/data/media/47/130_Ursus_fuck_duck.jpg)
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Question for Beth (or anyone who knows): at what point do you decide to cancel a show when there's a forecast of rain/thunder? or do you simply go on with the show and see what happens? and if it starts to rain during a set, do you wait for it to pass or just cancel the show on the spot? thanks!
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So, I'm thinking of driving there to check out the Evens/Lally show. Is there anything I should know about Fort Reno?
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Did it actually happen tonight? Very wet!
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it did, and it was great!
there aint nothin' like dancin in the rain.
but i'll put money down that my camera breaks tomorrow...
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Originally posted by andyrichter:
Question for Beth (or anyone who knows): at what point do you decide to cancel a show when there's a forecast of rain/thunder? or do you simply go on with the show and see what happens? and if it starts to rain during a set, do you wait for it to pass or just cancel the show on the spot? thanks!
You can always call the Ft Reno hotline at 703-318-2197. On rainish nights theres always an update on there as to what's goin' on.
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Originally posted by Volk:
So, I'm thinking of driving there to check out the Evens/Lally show. Is there anything I should know about Fort Reno?
Bring bug spray and a blanket, but no drugs, alcohol or glass bottles.
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Everyone check out youbebetty's fantastic photos of last night on www.brightestyoungthings.com (http://www.brightestyoungthings.com)
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the short story is: technically we're supposed to cancel a show if we see lightning.
i think mostly we leave it up to the comfort level of the band. we're certainly not going to ask you to do something you're not comfortable with. and ruining your gear is a big thing to ask of someone.
if it looks really dangerous, we'll call a show. monday and thursday weather.com must blow up for DC. if it looks like it's something that'll blow over (like last night) we will try to wait it out and cover equipment with tarps and under the stage.
last night all three bands were massively great sports and the show (i thought) was superfun.
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hey Youbebetty-
Do you know about the sunday source summer...um...something photo contest? you can submit a photo taken on june 21 about "what summer means to you" or something.
you should totally submit one of those!
"HT2" is particularly lovely!!
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yeah! i actually submitted one the other night...it's the one where the bassist is bending over...though maybe i should have submitted the other one, hmmm. maybe they'll like it :)
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with the invention of the portable dvd player (for point of purchase previews), and the vhs to dvd burner, i was contemplating setting up a stand at ft reno and selling dvds of old ft reno fugazi shows there.
since ian doesnt show up until the last band or so, any chance someone might chase me away sooner?
i would sell them at a reasonable price, say $6.66 or in exchange for 3 lbs of organic produce.
thoughts?
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vending on national park land is illegal.
just say'n
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you can sell the dvds where the fr staff sells their t shirts.
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Any word on the bands tonight?
If you see either of these cuties, stop by and say hello.
<img src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q233/aobehr/lula-first.jpg" alt=" - " />
When I've shaved and don't have 6 chins, I'm actually quit handsome.
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Lejeune:
<img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1045/626860921_bcd68d5995.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1422/626877873_42cfd3ed1a.jpg" alt=" - " />
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexdc/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexdc/)
http://dcalex.blogspot.com (http://dcalex.blogspot.com)
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Anyone else make it out last night? I thought Lejune was pretty decent indie pop.
What a fun place to take a pooch!
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I was there, I'm standing on the steps in that second picture.
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I was there. I really liked LeJeune. The lead singer sounds a lot like Morrissey. I wish they would have had a bit more time on stage.
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how much time do the bands get?
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The whole thing is only about 2 hours long..
in an ideal world, first band on at 7:15, off at 7:50, 2nd band on at 8:05 off at 8:35, third on at 8:50-9:30
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a spot of bloggage on the show here:
http://dcalex.blogspot.com/2007/06/fort-reno-run-for-cover-and-power-of.html (http://dcalex.blogspot.com/2007/06/fort-reno-run-for-cover-and-power-of.html)
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hey hey, about that whole photo contest deal that we were talking about...
i just got an email from the post today stating that i was one of 25 semifinalists out of over 450 submissions. they are going to run the winner and four finalists in the source on the 8th, and said if they have room they'll run some of the others. if not, they'll all be up on their website. i am 99% positive i am not the winner or one of the other four since i didn't get notified further, but i'm still pretty shocked that i even got as far as i did.
so keep an eye out. sweet!!
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Good job, Betty!!!
I've been meaning to ask you, what kind of camera do you use? You always have such good color saturation and balance. What are you doing to get those? Your's always look so much richer than what the rest of us tend to have in similar settings yet without being over saturated.
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i use a pentax optio s60. it's a basic point-and-shoot digital camera. haha, my dad refuses to get me anything else right now, and i can't afford a good digital SLR, even though i am finally realizing all of the limitations of working with this sort of thing. but as far as a nice compact point and shoot...it's great.
there are a couple of color filters on it, but they usually de-saturate the photos.
as far as colors go, it could be the camera, but i've used other cameras before and my photos have tended to look the same. i am generally more of a colorist when i paint and draw, and even in my clothing design. i don't photoshop. i think i weirdly just gravitate towards nice colors, and that's what and when i end up shooting. who knows...
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regarding the Post: wow, and congrats!
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youbebetty-
that's awesome! congrats congrats!!!!
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Considering only 2 bands have been announced to play monday, and each of them has a member of Fugazi in them, I'm surprized no one has started a rumor that the third band to play will be a Fugazi Reunion of some sort.
every other date has three bands (or at least a "TBA" for the third slot) except for mondays show.
So I wouldnt be surprized if after the Evens, and Joe Lally plays, the Smashing Pumpkins take the stage! (oops, i mean Fugazi!).
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I think there were only two bands on the Evens night last year too, so they had a longer set than other bands over the summer, but I could be mistaken. I have a sneaking suspicision it has to do with the fact that Amanda Mackaye does the booking and Ian Mackaye plays in the band.
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well im going to be sure to be eating some ice cream before the show anyway, just incase.
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I spotted Ian today!!!
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Originally posted by They call me Doctor Doom.:
I spotted Ian today!!!
hahaha i see him EVERYWHERE, it's so silly. i mean, how many times can you go up to the guy and be like "hey...you changed my life..." etc.
was he wearing his little fishermans hat?
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Originally posted by Graace:
I think there were only two bands on the Evens night last year too, so they had a longer set than other bands over the summer, but I could be mistaken. I have a sneaking suspicision it has to do with the fact that Amanda Mackaye does the booking and Ian Mackaye plays in the band.
yea, last year i remember it was just the evens and another band. looks like we'll get another hour set this year!
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/28/AR2007062800781.html (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/28/AR2007062800781.html)
With the Evens, MacKaye Keeps It Simple
By Richard Harrington
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, June 29, 2007; WE16
Listen to an audio clip of the Evens
MacKayes and Fort Reno go together like . . . Ian MacKaye's baritone guitar and Amy Farina's drums in the Evens.
MacKaye, much to his annoyance, is a punk icon, a legend, and not just local. His shorthand CV: Teen Idles, Dischord Records, seminal bands Minor Threat and Fugazi and, since 2001, the Evens.
Fugazi, one of the most influential American post-punk/indie-rock bands, played its last U.S. concert in August 2002 -- at Fort Reno, in fact -- and is neither officially broken or bent, but on hiatus. That has left plenty of room for the Evens, in which MacKaye teams with Farina, formerly of the Warmers, a mid-'90s punk trio that recorded on Dischord and featured guitarist-singer Alec MacKaye, Ian's younger brother.
Did we mention that sister Amanda MacKaye, who organizes the free Fort Reno summer concert series, is in a band (the Routineers) on Dischord, the label started 27 years ago to release a posthumous single by Teen Idles, a punk band featuring Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, classmates at Wilson Senior High School, which is adjacent to Fort Reno Park in Northwest Washington?
Yes, MacKayes and Fort Reno belong together, even as musical energy levels shift from Fugazi's brash, compulsive post-punk to the Evens' minimalist indie rock. A Washington Post review suggested the Evens' sound was "what happens when post-hardcore becomes post-post-hardcore." (Award here for most "posts" in a single sentence.)
Something sounds familiar to MacKaye: "I remember at the beginning of Fugazi, people were saying, 'You're a reggae band?' Because to their ears, the sound of Fugazi was so radically different than Minor Threat. When you're in the thick of it, the smallest incremental moves seem so insane to people."
Which may explain why the Evens have maintained a steady presence on the road, mostly favoring all-ages shows at nontraditional venues such as coffeehouses, galleries and churches. According to MacKaye, the Evens "have played four times as many shows as Minor Threat ever played. We tour pretty steadily, but we don't tour as much as Fugazi did in its heyday in the early '90s, when everybody was in their 20s and didn't have families or ailing parents. Toward the end of our touring time, we were not going away for very long."
As for the Evens, this year alone they've toured Australia and New Zealand as well as Argentina, Chile and Brazil. They've just returned from a month-long tour in eastern Canada, with western Canadian dates next month and a West Coast tour in October -- all organized, MacKaye says, in manageable increments.
"It's not a matter of sanity, but of running a record label," he says of Dischord. "We also have our lives to look after here in Washington." Farina, for instance, is a painter who does portraits and commissions. She used to be a decorative painter specializing in murals, but that was hard to sustain with so much road work.
"Both of us love to tour; we're quite comfortable on the road," MacKaye says. "And I can't tell you how much easier it is to tour with your partner and nobody else. Fugazi, it was the six of us, with a pretty big back line, and it was much more of a production. Amy and I are traveling in a minivan with our own P.A. [system] and our own lights. We don't play rock clubs, we don't even play with other bands, so everything is much more simple."
But simple things in MacKaye's life often get complex. Take Dischord, where that Teen Idles memento, an eight-song EP titled "Minor Disturbance," seeded one of the most respected American indie catalogues, almost all of its bands with strong D.C. roots. Also in 1980, MacKaye formed Minor Threat with Nelson, bassist Brian Baker (now in Bad Religion) and guitarist Lyle Preslar; in the early '80s, it would inspire the American hardcore and "straight edge" movements. Fugazi, with bassist Joe Lally, drummer Brendan Canty and guitarist Guy Picciotto, followed in 1987, becoming as influential for its politically conscious, melodic hardcore and anti-corporate esthetic.
All this is a roundabout way of noting that even as the Evens have been MacKaye's musical focus for the past five years, legacy issues abound, particularly with some hardcore fans reluctant to let go of the past.
MacKaye says: "When Fugazi started, I was asked, 'Will you ever be able to escape the specter of Minor Threat?' There are still people who want to talk to me about Minor Threat, and there will be people who will want to talk to me about Fugazi, but I can tell you already we play shows that are heavily populated with people who have come to see the Evens.
"In each case, the music has taken a turn not because it's a style or a genre but a particular reflection of what specific individuals develop," he explains. "That's the conversation I'm having with Amy, the conversation I had with Brendan and Joe and Guy, and the lack of conversation I had with Lyle, Brian and Jeff.
"I'm sure that people will always be interested in my legacy, and that's fine -- I don't deny it," MacKaye says. "They can take or leave the Evens; plenty of people don't take it, and that's okay. We have shows where 100 to 200 people come out; with Fugazi, it would be 1,000 to 2,000, so already it's clear it's not the same people who are coming out. Those who come, they're up for the voyage."
And, MacKaye suggests, it has been a voyage for him. "In every band I've been in, there's been a different thing going on. I played bass in Teen Idles; I sang for Minor Threat; I sang for Embrace, but we only played 12 shows; I played guitar in Fugazi." Though MacKaye plays sitting down now, wielding a baritone guitar instead of the old electric, "the energy of the music is as consistent as anything else I've ever done," he says. There are no regrets.
"What I do miss, in terms of Fugazi, those guys are my family," he says. "When I think about Fugazi tours and the work we did, I don't think about the gigs or the music -- that was the cathartic exercise I can still arrive at with Amy. I think about the before and after -- talking at the restaurants, driving, the experiences, the friendship. The way Fugazi toured, we sat at the same table for dinner from the beginning all the way through -- I remember other bands thought it was crazy. But it was that friendship that was the driving force of the band."
That camaraderie will be on display later this summer in Glen E. Friedman's book "Keep Your Eyes Open," a collection of his Fugazi photos. MacKaye has known Friedman since Friedman was SkateBoarder magazine's chief photographer and mail-ordered Minor Threat EPs from Los Angeles. The two met in 1981 at a Faith/Bad Brains show at CBGB in New York, "and we've been fast friends ever since," MacKaye says of Friedman, perhaps the most prolific documentarian of his generation's skateboard, punk and hip-hop subcultures.
"Keep Your Eyes Open" will be published Sept. 3, the 20th anniversary of the first Fugazi performance at the Wilson Center; the band's last American show, in 2002, was at Fort Reno, where, on Monday, MacKaye will share the bill with his longtime Fugazi mate, bassist Lally, who will play with members of DCIC (DC Improvisers Collective).
Lally, who is planning to move to Italy, has been in charge of the Fugazi Live CD series, drawn from the band's most legendary shows and available only on the Internet. Dischord will take over that responsibility and, MacKaye says, will sell the live recordings on CD and in digital formats. That first Wilson Center show is among the 30 available now, as is Fugazi's final show (or as the Dischord Web site puts it, "last show played to date") from London.
"Get Evens," the Evens' latest album, was released in November, on Dischord, of course, and its sound and substance suggest turbulence under a disarming calm. "Everybody Knows" is one of several Republican not-love songs ("You fabricated your way in here, and everybody knows," capped with a Trump-inspired "You're fired!"). The opening track, "Cut From the Cloth," asks, "How do people sleep amidst the slaughter / And why would they vote in favor of their own defeat?"
According to MacKaye, "Dinner With the President" is "about me realizing that by my decisions on how I live, that will never happen." Sample lyric: "I don't exist in their worldview / But if I went, I know what I'd like to do / Stand up and scream while the food is served." He's right -- that will never happen.
The context, even the specific focus may be different, but the passion, commitment and desire to challenge the status quo have hardly diminished from the days of Minor Threat.
"I'm a long-distance runner," MacKaye says. "It's not the means, it's the end. It's always the journey for me. That is the point, to have the engagement in life. I think I'm always going to be this way. I'm 45 and I've kept it up pretty steadily, and I'm pretty unflagging."
It's a spirit, he says, nurtured while he was growing up in late '60s and early '70s, witness to "a social revolution where people loved each other and worked hard to change things and questioned authority -- that just seems like such a good idea, today more than ever. Question authority!"
The Evens and Joe Lally
Appearing Monday at Fort Reno, across from Wilson Senior High School near Tenley Circle NW
Details: The free show begins at 7:15 and is over by 9:30. Occasionally, shows get rained out; call 703-318-2197 to check. For a complete schedule of Fort Reno performances, visit http://www.fortreno.com/schedule.html. (http://www.fortreno.com/schedule.html.)
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ah, thanks for posting that. i missed it in the post.
See you all at the show, i'll be the one selling bootleg fugazi dvds.
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damn. can't make it to this show. :( oh well, hope everybody has fun. no doubt they'll probably play another gig come winter time. last year's st. stephens show was incredible.
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Originally posted by you be betty:
Originally posted by They call me Doctor Doom.:
I spotted Ian today!!!
hahaha i see him EVERYWHERE, it's so silly. i mean, how many times can you go up to the guy and be like "hey...you changed my life..." etc.
was he wearing his little fishermans hat? [/b]
I shake my fist at him every time I see him for influencing me towards straight edge at a time of my life when I should've been experimenting with drugs and wanton sex...
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tonights show was great, thank you fort reno.
<img src="http://a302.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/108/l_799dd05e28a0745af0f92f5b8eb5a515.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://a169.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/67/l_7d1282456583d9bf7e0fb39c48a8b920.jpg" alt=" - " />
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Ft Reno was a really great time last night.
Thanks to everyone who came out, made a night of it, bought a t-shirt, danced/sang/shouted, or was a little kid.
We should be screening more t-shirts in the next couple of weeks and have some posters available in the near future.
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Yes, it was a great show last night. And the weather was absolutely perfect! Or should I say, "Fort Reno Cool".
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Originally posted by Marty666:
tonights show was great, thank you fort reno.
<img src="http://a169.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/67/l_7d1282456583d9bf7e0fb39c48a8b920.jpg" alt=" - " />
rollins, contemplating, after hearing the bad news that the ice cream man is out of klondike bars.
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Originally posted by They call me Doctor Doom.:
I shake my fist at him every time I see him for influencing me towards straight edge at a time of my life when I should've been experimenting with drugs and wanton sex...
Nice.
Of course there's that moment in Another State of Mind where I think maybe Ness should have stayed a little longer in DC.
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for the record I was kidding... I have nobody to blame for not getting laid in high school but myself!
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andy richeter-
it has more to do with letting bands play longer.also shows of that size have more going on crowd wise, so it's just easier to deal with two bands.
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i'd really like to bring the pup to a show there before the end of the summer... i need to get my shit together and go out.
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miss p-
you should! we have dog treats for good doggies.
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Does anyone know when night of a thousand cakes is this year?
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august 2nd!
we're updating the website and have to put that on it.
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why didn't you tell us fugazi was playing a show at fort reno? wikipedia says so! ;) :p
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugazi#Band_status (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugazi#Band_status)
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Originally posted by andyrichter:
why didn't you tell us fugazi was playing a show at fort reno? wikipedia says so! ;) :p
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugazi#Band_status (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugazi#Band_status)
I saw that too haha we can only hope.
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It's no longer on the page. I'm sure soon there will be a whole section on their page about the "Great Ft Reno Show" hoax of Thursday Morning.
That being said, come see Antelope tonight.
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Antelope are good... definitely worth seeing
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I've never once been to the Night of the 1,000 Cakes night. It's always on a night that I can't go.
QUOTE]Originally posted by tigers scare me:
august 2nd!
we're updating the website and have to put that on it. [/QUOTE]