Calendar

MAY 2008

Sounds in the Square Concerts to Rock Farragut Park This Summer

(Image) No Second Troy

Downtown is going to heat up this summer when DC’s hottest bands take the stage during the free “Sounds in the Square” concert series, sponsored by the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID). Held in Farragut Square Park Thursday evenings in May and June from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., the series commences May 8 and promises to rock the business district like never before - lawyers will become rock stars after work and post-concert parties at area bars and clubs will keep the vibe alive into the wee hours. In addition, interested guests will have a chance to win an Epiphone guitar or a scooter from Coleman PowerSports.

“This year’s concerts are going to transform Farragut Square Park into the summer’s top post-work destination,” said Leona Agouridis, Executive Director of The Golden Triangle BID.  “Our event production and promotion team have booked some of the most popular acts in the area and with the 75,000 + people working within walking distance of the concerts, this is a great opportunity to see an amazing show each week this summer.”

Kicking off the series is No Second Troy, a band that Spin Magazine says “burns bright as the sun” and who received a nod from The Washington City Paper as one of DC’s best local bands in 2008. Other acts in May and June include the Kelly Bell Band, voted “Best Blues Band” six years in a row by Music Monthly, and Junkfood, Washington City Paper’s 2008 Best Local Band.

 “It’s rare to have this caliber of musicians perform for free in public,” Agouridis continued. “We hope people stay around for the after-concert events that will be going on each week in the neighborhood.”

The Concerts are Free! Here is the schedule:
May 15: Justin Jones & the Driving Rain Country www.justin-jones.com
May 22: Everyone But Pete Rock www.everyonebutpete.com
June 5: JunkFood Rock www.gotjunkfood.com 
June 12: Kelly Bell Band
Blues & Funk www.phatblues.com 
June 19: Crowded Streets - Dave Matthews Tribute www.myspace.com/crowdedstreets
June 26: The Reflex Popular 80s Retro www.reflexlive.com

Penn Quarter Events: May 21 & 28

An Invitation to the Pennsylvania Quarter Breakfast Meeting Wednesday, May 21, and Evening Reception, Wednesday, May 28. On the 21st, join members for the next Pennsylvania Quarter Neighborhood Association breakfast meeting at The Caucus Room, located at the NE corner of D and 9th streets, NW.

The Caucus Room will serve a continental breakfast between 8:30 and 9:00. Announcements will begin at 9:00 and will be followed by Lisa Wiersma’s presentation of the City Vista residential and retail development at 5th and K streets, just north of Penn Quarter in the Mount Vernon Triangle. Lisa is Development Manager and Assistant Vice President for Lowe Enterprises, the developer, and is intimately involved with the entire development, including the residential and retail mix.

Please RSVP via email tojoann@PennQuarter.org. When responding, please include the first and last names and affiliations of all people attending; it makes it much easier for Jo-Ann to create an attendance list.

The Evening Reception at Penn Quarter Sports Tavern at 639 Indiana Ave., N.W. on May 28 is to sample appetizers and complimentary drink specials at a Penn Quarter happy hour from 5:00 to 7:30pm. Please RSVP to Matt Hunter at pqsportstavern@gmail.com or by calling 202-279-1900 by May 27.

Wolf Trap Premieres Howard Shore’s “Lord of the Rings Fellowship”

Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts ushers in its 2008 Filene Center season with the U.S. Premiere of Howard Shore’s Academy® and Grammy® Award-winning musical score to Peter Jackson’s film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

On May 21 and 22 conductor Ludwig Wicki will lead a live symphony orchestra; the City Choir of Washington; and the World Children’s Choir, in a unique presentation of Shore’s three-hour original score performed live beneath towering, high-definition projections of the film. Widely regarded as one of the most ambitious cinematic undertakings of all time, Jackson’s film leaves an indelible imprint upon viewers with its stunning realization of J.R.R. Tolkien’s literary masterpiece. In this moving performance, the musical score is allowed to bear the story’s narrative weight, both supporting the film and driving it.

Upon its 2001 arrival, Howard Shore’s original score to The Fellowship of the Ring was proclaimed an instant classic. The composer crafted a fully-developed musical epic that echoed Tolkien’s tale with intricately related themes for each of Middle-earth’s cultures and charted the One Ring’s journey with an exhilarating flourish. Shore’s work on The Lord of the Rings is counted among film music’s most complex and comprehensive works. The composer’s score creates a world as rich and thoroughly realized as the story that inspired it.

This wholly new, live concert experience marks the first time auidiences have been able to hear Fellowship’s full score played live. Fresh off its Canadian and European premieres, Shore’s vibrant music has been embraced by audiences for its emotional depth and intellectual detail. Wolf Trap’s limited engagement back-to-back dates are currently the only performances scheduled on U.S. soil, and are not to be missed.

One hour prior to both performances, attendees will have the opportunity to experience a Pre-Performance Preview on the Old Farmhouse Lawn for a lecture and demonstration that offers insight and interpretation of the evening’s attraction. More information can be found on www.wolftrap.org. Tickets can be purchased by calling 1 (877) WOLFTRAP; or online at www.wolftrap.org.