Black Keys Concert

 

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Sure, I had heard of the Black Keys, but that's really all I knew: the name. But when a friend asked me on Sunday night to go to their concert for the following day at Merriweather Post Pavilion, I thought: Why not? I love live music, and my only other plans for that night were to work out, so I cancelled my Pure Barre class to go to the show!

The first act was Ceramic Animal. I had never heard of this band before, but I liked their sound. In looking at their YouTube channel to find videos for this post, I saw that they haven't uploaded many videos at all, with their newest video from two years and the first video from seven years ago. In reading about them, the band is made up of three brothers plus two of their friends, and they self-produced and self-funded their first three albums. So maybe they're an older, scruffy band? Hopefully this tour will help boost things for them! Here are a few of their videos:

Look for a Lover

All My Loving

Working (Real Hard)

The second opener was Band of Horses. Just like with the Black Keys, I had heard their name before, but I couldn't tell you a single song they sing. I also enjoyed their rock 'n' roll sound, and I was particularly enamored with the fox design of their backdrop (in photo above). Why don't they have that on a tank-top?!

Here are a few of their songs:

Warning Signs

Crutch

In Need of Repair

And then it was time for the Black Keys! My friend told me that it's really just two guys who are "the" Black Keys, and that they had a blues sound. I definitely could hear the blues influence in their music, but their beats were a little too fast for actual blues dancing, which is my jam. In doing some research, I saw that their bassist Richard Swift passed away in 2018, which is sad. I also learned that their duo name comes from a saying a friend of theirs used to use: he would call people he didn't like "D Flats and Black Keys." I knew black keys was in reference to piano keys, but I didn't get why they would pick that name since the two main guys don't play the keyboard. Now it makes sense!

I think the lead singer looks like an older, less attractive Ewan McGregor.

I was taken aback by the lighting/color effects that were used on the monitors: it was like they were trying to hurt your eyes and make the lead singer (Daniel Auerbach) look as bad as possible, all at the same time! Sometimes it felt like you needed 3D glasses, sometimes it was like looking through blinds, and most of the time the effects enhanced the wrinkles on the lead singer's forehead. Just, why? See what I mean:

But other than those visual notes, I did enjoy their show and their energy. Check out some of their videos:

Stay All Night

Weight of Love

Tighten Up (I knew this one!)

Wild Child

Little Black Submarines (This was my favorite song of the night, although I wish the whole song were a ballad!)

Even though I wasn't familiar with most of this music, and it's probably not something I would listen to on my own, I still had a lot of fun. Going to a concert is way better than spending a Monday night at home!

*Apologies for my photos: I was taking pictures of the screens as opposed to the actual bands themselves. But I was thankful that we had seats inside the pavilion instead of on the lawn, because there had been a big thunderstorm before the show!

OneRepublic Concert

 

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This past weekend I went to Jiffy Lube Live for the first time! I had never been to this venue before because I had heard such horror stories of the traffic and parking situation there. But my boyfriend was able to get $20 tickets from Goldstar to see OneRepublic in concert there. I figured I might as well have a fun time with him and then decide for myself if the venue is worth the hassle or not. 

We arrived around 5:30pm so we could tailgate before the show. I think that was smart because we weren't rushing, and it meant getting into the parking lot was a breeze. So that part was easy! Gates opened at 6:00pm, so shortly after we made our way inside. There is quite the staircase to get onto the lawn (which is a little tricky when you're carrying lawn chairs), but the place is huge! I looked up the stats: Jiffy Lube Live can hold more than 25,000, while Merriweather Post Pavilion is closer to 19,000, and little Wolf Trap hovers only around 7,000. So this was quite the lawn!

We had brought our own snacks, so we didn't visit many of the vendors. But it looks like they have a good variety, from basic concert food (i.e. pizza, chicken tenders) to different things like tacos and plant-based burgers. There were also a TON of drink vendors. I liked that several were along the perimeter of the lawn so you didn't have to trek very far to get a drink. As with most venues these days, many of the drinks come in 16-20oz cans, which is a lot (plus your drink gets warm by the time you're getting to the second half of the can). But my boyfriend did buy us fun frozen drinks in plastic guitars!

And I only visited the restroom once early in the night, so I can't speak to how long the line gets for the ladies room. But it looked like there were a lot of stalls, and each had a clever label attached to it so that when you closed the door, it pushed a button and turned red so you knew that stall was in use. I like useful tricks like that! I also appreciated that they had paper towels instead of hand dryers. So much faster and more efficient! Plus I needed to wipe the sweat off of me from being outside in the humidity!

Now to the actual music...

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There were actually TWO openers for the show, so we definitely got our money's worth! The first opener was John K (not to be confused with John Kay). In doing my research for this post, I found out he was on American Idol not once, but twice! He has a very pop-like sound, and a voice kind of like Justin Bieber. I really liked his music! I didn't end up stopping at the merch table, but part of me was tempted to get his CD! Here are a few of his songs:

A LOT

If We Never Met

Cheap Sunglasses

Parachute

Everything

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The next opener was NEEDTOBREATHE. I had never heard of this band before, although I did end up recognizing one of their songs. I liked their southern rock (i.e. country-like and sometimes bluesy) sound. A woman near us was a big fan and told us that the band got their start in Christian rock, so that gave us some context about their music. I almost bought some of their merch, too! Here's a taste of what they do:

Brother (I had heard this song but had no idea who sang it!)

Banks (This song was better live!)

Washed by the Water

Money & Fame

Hard Love

The Outsiders

I Wanna Remember

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Before the main act came on, both my boyfriend and I got warning notifications on our phones about a possible storm and even flash flooding. Part of me thought we should just leave right then to avoid the bad weather. But then we would have felt silly if it didn't rain, and we would have missed the big band. So we stuck around, but it did end up raining. Luckily we were prepared with umbrellas as well as chairs that kept us off the ground. We still got a little wet, but not nearly as bad as some people! We did get a short break in the rain, and I thought about leaving then, but we had only heard a handful of OneRepublic songs at that point. So we stayed and sat through another bout of rain. But they were worth it!

Before this show, the only song I could associate with OneRepublic was Apologize:

But they have a lot of other hits that I didn't realize were theirs! I had heard some of these songs plenty of times of the radio, but I didn't know who sang them. Now I do!

Counting Stars

Stop and Stare

Secrets

Someday

West Coast

And he wrote the song I Lived for his son, as a message to live every day to the fullest:

And then there were songs I hadn't heard before (I know, I live under a rock) but I did like, like this one:

Lose Somebody

OneRepublic even did a song called I Ain't Worried for the new Top Gun movie:

I also really enjoyed the mini-set (if you will) that Ryan Tedder, the band's lead singer, did in the middle of the show. It sounds like he is a really talented songwriter and has written songs for many other celebrities.* The list is very long, but here are a few he sang that night:

Beyoncé's Halo

Adele's Rumor Has It

Leona Lewis' Bleeding Love

Ellie Goulding's Burn

Maroon 5's Love Somebody (He also helped write these other songs for the group: Lucky Strike, Maps, and New Love)

It really was a great show! We left before the first encore so we could beat the crowds (and get out of the rain). And because of that, it really wasn't difficult to leave the venue, either. I don't know what all the fuss was about! I have missed SO many country music concerts because I was avoiding this location, and for no good reason! I'll definitely need to come back!

*Old Dominion does the same thing at their concerts; some of their band members are amazing songwriters, too! Read my blog post about their concert in 2019 at the Anthem.

Play Review: A Midsummer Night's Dream

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A Midsummer Night's Dream is my favorite Shakespeare play. It's such a fun love story (that involves magic and fairies, btw), and it has a happy ending. I saw it at the Synetic Theater in 2013 (read that blog post here), and I saw it again as an outdoor show with the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company in the summer of 2018. I never get tired of it, and I always like to see new versions and reinterpretations of a story that has clearly stood the test of time. 

The Folger Theatre is still closed due to COVID-19 (and perhaps renovations?), so instead they put on this play in the National Building Museum. The museum is a very cool venue because it has a HUGE atrium where you can fit nearly anything. They have hosted inaugural balls there, and I took a yoga class in there once when a tall, fake-grass hill was installed in the room. For this play, they created a playhouse within the atrium. I walked through a foyer that was supposed to give you the feeling of walking into a forest, and there were drawings of several of the characters within the foyer. Then there was a curtain, and once I walked under some bistro lights, I entered the real theater part. And it was beautiful:

Stage designer Jim Hunter (left) and production designer Tom Cisek. Image found here

The set, which looks like the inside of a castle, works well in representing the location for all of the scenes: within the palace, in the middle of the forest, etc. And while it was beautiful in the light (since the play started at 8:00 p.m. in the summer, there was actually a lot of natural light in the space for some time), the space transformed with wonderful lighting once it got dark:

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As for the actors, I thought they all did a very good job! I was particularly impressed by Jacob Ming-Trent, who played a very funny Bottom, and Nubia M. Monks was giving me all sorts of Angela Bassett à la How Stella Got Her Groove Back vibes (plus, she has the most beautiful gowns throughout the show!). 

Rotimi Agbabiaka is rocking that gown! But the bug-fairies? Not into it. Image found here

There were parts of the play when I really enjoyed the new, modern interpretation. I did like how Monks and Rotimi Agbabiaka played two sets of royal couples: Hippolyta and Theseus in Athens and Titania and Oberon in the fairy kingdom. I also thought the twist of Titania tricking Oberon into falling in love with Bottom (as an ass) instead of the other way around was interesting (and female-empowering). And as for the magical flower she used to drug Oberon, I thought it was fun that these flowers lit up AND emitted a swirling smoke to show their mystical power. This version threw in some singing too, which was mostly blues or gospel in style, which I loved! (Pre-pandemic, I was a blues dancer, and hearing some of those songs made me want to dance!). I also appreciated the inclusivity represented in this show: there were actors of all different backgrounds, and I think two of them had slight speech impediments. I'm glad that so many people who wants to be an actor can have opportunities to perform in local theater!

I know Hermia (Lilli Hokama) is supposed to be a young woman, but for a play, couldn't she have a prettier costume?
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But there were some parts I did not enjoy as much. While some of the costumes were beautiful (even Agbabiaka was killing it in that bright pink ballgown!), the four Athenian lovers were just wearing regular clothes; Helena and Hermia (played by Renea S. Brown and Lilli Hokama, respectively) were dressed like they walked out of Clueless. And during their playful fight scenes, they started undressing... Why? I also didn't like the interpretation of the fairies (played by the same people who are the "actors" for the play within the play). I think of fairies as being pretty and graceful, but these characters were insect-like: they each had five or six feathery antennae, flitted about in tic-like motions, and were accompanied by an awful helicopter sound that represented their movements. They were more awkward than cute. 

However, those are minor in the grand scheme of things. All in all, I enjoyed this show. It was performed in a gorgeous venue, and the set-up made everything feel more intimate (I was in the second row and felt like I was part of the action!). And again, the actors did a wonderful job, and I definitely laughed out loud a couple of times. It was a fun night out, so get your tickets now!

PS: Read this DCist story about the set and the venue!

"Six" at the National Theater

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This past weekend I got to see the Broadway musical "Six" at the National Theatre. My friend, who is also really into theater, originally bought the tickets, but her husband was sick, so my boyfriend and I went as a date night. 

I didn't know anything about the show other than that it featured a story about the six wives of King Henry VIII. Anything I know about Henry VIII comes from watching The Tudors or the movie The Other Boleyn Girl. So my knowledge was limited, only knowing that he tried many ways to get out of marriages that he was no longer happy with. I didn't even know there had been six in total!

Now that COVID seems to be less of a risk (fingers crossed!), the theater actually provided paper playbills (as opposed to digital ones, which are so annoying). Someone wrote up fun little bios for each wife, sharing stats from her birthdate and the age she got married to her possible interests and the details of her death (if applicable). I liked having even just a little background information like that to prepare me for understanding the characters of the show. 

With its modern music and lyrics, this show feels more like a Beyoncé/Sasha Fierce concert than a play. You are immediately immersed in a female-dominated universe featuring beautiful women in sparkly, metallic costumes and intricate hairstyles, each including a crown of some type. Even the band backing the singers was all women! The pop numbers are very catchy, and with the choreography, you might think you're watching a live music video. It's certainly the most fun history lesson I've ever had!

I don't want to share too much in fear of spoilers. So here's a video of the opening number so you can get an idea for yourself (if you want):

Clearly this is a very female-focused show. My boyfriend wasn't the biggest fan, so I would definitely suggest it as a girls' night out! (Speaking of which, if you haven't seen "Once Upon a One More Time," that's a great female-empowerment show, too! Read my blog about it here.)

Tickets are still on sale, so enjoy the show!

Recipe: Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Sugar Cookies

 

I visited Saint Michaels, MD over the holiday weekend, and I stopped by Olivins, this little shop that sells all sorts of flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars. I have tried and bought several of their products before, and this time I purchased a bottle of their meyer lemon olive oil. The store owner recommended making lemon cookies using the flavored olive oil and he shared the recipe with me (image above). I also found the recipe on the Love & Olive Oil blog, reproduced here:

Ingredients

·   2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

·   1/2 teaspoon baking soda

·   1/2 teaspoon baking powder

·   1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

·   1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, plus more for rolling

·   1/3 cup lemon infused olive oil

·   2 large eggs

·   1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2.     In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3.     In a second large bowl, combine sugar and olive oil and mix with a spatula until it forms a grainy paste. Add eggs and vanilla and stir until smooth. Fold in dry ingredients until just incorporated. You should have a fairly soft, oily dough.

4.     Fill a small dish with more granulated sugar. Scoop dough by the tablespoonful into balls and roll in sugar to coat. Arrange on a nonstick or parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between cookies.

5.     Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until tops are puffed and crackly and edges just start to turn light golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies are best enjoyed the day they are made, but will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

This recipe is identical to the one the store manager gave me, except that he recommended baking the cookies for 13-15 minutes. I ended up baking mine for just over 13 minutes. They did look a little blonde after coming out of the oven (although you can't tell from my auto-filtered photo!), but he was very adamant about not overbaking. (Which is funny, since the time he suggested was longer. But anyway...). 

The dough for these cookies was very easy to put together, but NOT easy to roll. It was SO sticky! My apartment is quite warm, so that might have had something to do with it. In the picture, you can see some of the cookies look perfectly round (closest to the bottom of the picture); those were the first few I was able to make, and they have a wide crackling effect on the top. But after only a few cookies, my hands were caked in batter and could no longer roll the balls properly. So I gave up and used a cookie scoop to make round-ish drop cookies; rather than roll them in sugar, I sprinkled some on top. You can see how some of the other cookies still look pretty good, but others are lumpy and misshapen. And those secondary cookies have more, smaller cracks rather than several large ones like the "perfect" cookies.

In the end, I think I achieved the desired outcome that was pretty close to the original intent. The cookies were soft and delicious ("if I do say so myself," as my great-grandmother would say if no one complimented the meal she had just prepared. Sassy lady!) I'm not sure I would bother making this recipe again because the dough was such a pain to work with, but maybe next time I would wait until the fall to make them, rather than in the heat of summer. And I definitely would add this olive oil to my next boxed cake to add a yummy lemony flavor!