| Nightwatch -- Live
Hosted by Eric Brace
Washington Post Nightwatch columnist
Friday, Jan. 3, 2002; 1 p.m. ET Where's the best karaoke joint in town? What's the best brewpub around? Who was that band that rocked at the Black Cat last week? For the answer to any going-out-in-Washington question, just ask Eric Brace -- our resident nightwatchman. From backstage at the annual Wammies (Washington's own Grammy Awards) to karaoke at Renzo's to salsa dancing at Cecilia's, every week Post staff writer Eric Brace throws himself on the front lines of the bar-n'-music beat in the Washington area. A Washington resident for nearly 30 years, Brace started with the Style section in 1990, where he wrote live music reviews and filed longer feature stories on the likes of Fugazi, Jawbox, Pearl Jam, Stephane Grappelli and many others. Then he created the Nightwatch column, which appears every week in The Post's Weekend section and on washingtonpost.com's Bars and Clubs page. He also sings and plays guitar for the country-rock band Last Train Home. The transcript follows. Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. 
Eric Brace: Hi gang,
here it is, my very last chat!! sniff...
Actually , that's not true, I'll be on Friday Feb 21 to talk about my band and its new CD (CD release show at iOTA Feb 21 and 22!)
But I've been writing the Nightwatch column in Weekend for almost 7 years.... about 320 columns... it's been an amazing time for me... Washington is an incredible city. I've been incredibly lucky to be the one to help you navigate the local nightscape...
Thoughts on local nightlife? Bring em on...
e
Arlington, Va.: Shane, Shane, come back Shane ... oops, sorry. Wrong farewell. Eric Brace: awwww. Thanks
Do you know that the Shane screenplay was written by A.B. Guthrie, one of the greatest writers of the American west ever? His two books "Big Sky" and "The Way West" explain the settling of the West better than any other works of fiction.. he's a genius. he also has a couple of cool Montana sherriff mysteries....
A little off-topic, but what are you gonna do, fire me??
Somewhere, USA: Have you heard of this cool magazine called Harp?Are you planning on doing a story on them? There website is www.harpmagazine.com and they have Steve Earle and Ryan Adams in their current issue. Eric Brace: I love love love Harp magazine.
I did indeed do a story on them because they're local. Founded, published and edited by Scott Crawford, it's one of the best all-around music magazines in the country... I believe this new issue is the 5th issue. You should all subscribe right now. My piece ran just before their second issue, early last year.
Arlington, Va.: Are you still going to have your Weekend column? When will be the last one? Where can we find out more about your band? Best of luck! Eric Brace: Today's Weekend section contains my very last "Nightwatch" column...... others will be carrying the nightlife torch (including my online counterpart and chat producer Fritz Hahn) while I take a one-year leave-of-absence to hit the road with my band, Last Train Home (info: www.lasttrainhome.com) If it doesn't work out musically, I'll be back in Jan. 2004.
Arlington, VA: I know you have seen lots of clubs come and go, but will there ever be another place like The Bayou? Or has DC topped out in it's musical venues? Eric Brace: oh, yes, I've seen em come and go... for 25 years i've been clubbing in D.C....
And I'd say the new 9:30 is was better than the old Bayou ever was, frankly.
I miss more the smaller joints like Desperados, D.C. Space, Psychedelly...
washingtonpost.com: Everyone asking "Where is Eric going?" can find out the answer in today's Nightwatch column, which is his last.
Washington, D.C.: Hey Eric - now you can go ahead and mention your band as much as you want without fear of reprisals (well, for an hour at least). What are they going to do? Fire ya? Do you know if the archives of your chats will remain on the site? washingtonpost.com: Yes, along with the archives of his Nightwatch columns and some of his weekly picks. Just be wary of when articles were published. -- Fritz Eric Brace: Last Train Home
Last Train Home
Last Train Home
there... let's see what'll happen......
.............................................
.................................................
Nope.. I'm still here!
Come see my band tomorow. Saturday jan. 4 at the Falls Church Duckpin lanes, the Bop'n'Bowl night!!
U Street NW: Let's review 2002 in Washington bars and clubs. What was the club you will miss the most, the best new bar/club that opened in 2002 and the best live show.
For me;
Most missed: Metro Cafe
New: 16 Local
Best live show: Aimee Mann at 9:30. She's coming back in February this year. Hurray! Eric Brace: Those are all very good picks....
i agree with the first two, but missed Aimee this time around (saw her in 2000... and while i love her, I don't really need to see her live anymore... I used to see her in Boston BEFORE Til Tuesday, around 1981.... After all these years, while i admire her songwriting 'n'stuff, i don't think she brings much new to the table in the way of performance (besides that comedian guy who privided banter for her and hubby.)
ANYONE ELSE GOT 2002 FAVES THEY WANNA SHARE??
Alexandria, VA: Hey Eric - Just wanted to say thanks for all the columns and chats over the years. You turned me on to local groups like Canyon and Metropolitan; bands I might not have checked out without your recommendations. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to your chat guests as well - Ian Mackaye, Dante from Black Cat, Tim from Now! Music, etc. Eric Brace: Very nice of you to say...
it's been easy to turn you on to stuff, as there's so much good music being made in D.C., despite what way too many people say. Because of my job, most of the music came to ME... I just had to keep my ears open then share what I heard.
glad you liked the chats.. i wish i'd had MORE guests on..
SW Washington, D.C.: Eric, First, best of luck to you. You've been my Friday afternoon entertaiment, bimonthly, for a long time. Second, I'm taking 12 people out for restaurant week on Wednesday, the 15th. where can we go after that would be pleasing to some 18th Street Lounge fans, some punk fans, some jazz fans, and peeps with no sense of musical style? But no one wants to go dancing. I was thinking maybe HR57 for jazz? I've actually never been there though. This would be around 9 or 10 p.m. for an hour or two. Got any suggestions? Eric Brace: HR 57 is a good call... but I'd also throw Chi Cha Lounge in the mix... not pretentious (at least mid-week).. really great tapas.. fine latin/lounge/jazz/world music. It remains my favorite hang-out joint in d.c.
Washington, D.C.: Local 16 the best new bar in Washington? In a year that saw the grand opening of Bar Rouge, the Reef, Hotel Helix, the VIP Club and Chelsea's (just to name a few)? Eric, say it isn't so. Eric Brace: I really like the bar at Local 16.. not the restaurant.. and it's beautifully done.. if you're there (again) mid-week, you avoid all the annoying clubbers that come out on weekends..
Reef is nice, but, I dunno....
Rouge was 2001, but Helix and the other hotel bars from the Kimpton Group (Topaz, Poste, Firefly) still feel like hotel bars. VIP is just another Dream.. Chelsea's has bad attitude I think.... If I just think about new places I'd like to go have a drink, i definitely put Local 16 at or near the top of my list... Service needs help, yes. Like I said, go early in the week.
Cubehell, Washington, D.C.: Boo hoo boo hoo boo hoo boo hoo. -sigh- We'll miss you Eric. Eric Brace: awwww cubehell, it ain't that bad.
Don't cry!!!
Bethesda, Md.: Thanks for all the great columns. Wouldn't have discovered the Half-Moon Bar-B-Que if not for you -- Great Music AND Great Food! By the way, Last Train Home's Christmas CD was a nice addition to the holiday shuffle mix. Best of luck with the band -- a noble pursuit! Eric Brace: yeah, Half Moon is a lot of fun.
Glad you go there.
Thanks for the nice thoughts...and glad you like the "Holiday Limited"...
Washington, D.C.: Can you tell me more about "Ellington's on Eighth -- Champagne Lounge and Garden Cafe"? Is there entertainment on other nights? What's the address? Is food available? Is there a cover charge, and how long has it been open?
washingtonpost.com: All the info you need is right here, and is searchable in the Entertainment Guide's Bars and Clubs database. Eric Brace: Ellington's has been around for several years, owned by a sweet-as-can-be 40-something African American woman... she does the cooking herself.. fried catfish and such.. not amazing cuisine, but it's something to fill you up while you're drinking beer... there's a full bar.. little couches and chairs.. an odd layout,, very small.. big piano right in the middles, so there's jazz there often. Thursdays are my favorite, with Vince Evans (piano [and magic]) and Donna Curtis )bass). No cover.... it's a nice quiet corner of Capitol Hill.. deserving at least a visit.
Washington, D.C.: You "don't know" about the Reef? Take your own advice and go early in the week for a pint of Chimay in the jungle room. Then you'll see the light. washingtonpost.com: Amen. Eric Brace: I know.. early on it was a frequent stop of mine, especially for the Chimay, which indeed i recommended in print. But when i say i don't know, I mean it hasn't grown on me the way I thought it would. Hard to explain. Something about teh Feng Shui or something.
Washington, DC: I've heard a couple bad things about Ortanique - prices and service. Any other good places around town have Latin bands playing on Friday night? Eric Brace: I've had a couple of middlin experiences with servie there... but the prices are not out of line with other more-or-less upscale joints in town.. and the quality of the food and drinks is very very high last few times I've been.
but yes there are Latin bands all over town on Fridays. Cecilia's on Columbia Pike, Chelsea's in Rosslyn, Granja de Oro in Falls church, Cuzco on columbia Pike... VIP has been booking amazing international Latin talent onto its basement stage, if you wanna fight lines on a Friday night there... hmmmm lemme think. Where else...?
20009: eric, just curious...when you say "things work out musically" what do you mean? What's the big goal...besides world domination i mean? if you succeed in earning a living will that be enough to keep you at it or are your goals loftier than that? Eric Brace: Making enough to make payments on my debt and pay my rent would really be enough. It would be nice to be in the soundtrack of a big movie, or get a big write up in the Washington Post Sunday Arts section.. but really, if I can go to 20 cities in the u.s. and play to a few hundred people on a regular basis, and put out a CD every 2 years, then I'll be a happy man.
New York, NY: Eric, Thanks for the great columns and great chats -- and, most importantly, for turning me on to the amazing Citizen Cope. (What an amazing -- and amazingly overlooked -- album.) Looking forward to having more chances to see Last Train Home in New York soon. Best of luck to you. Any word on Velocity Girl? Last I heard (following their reunion show at the Black Cat), they were going back into the studio. (Loved Sarah Shannon's solo album this year as well as the debut full-length from her label mate Seldom, btw.) Thanks again! --An old Top Records fan Eric Brace: Good call on Sarah Shannon's solo CD.. and Seldom's too.. both verrrry good. Cope's CD is amazing, but perhaps not as good as the one that was in the can when he was signed to Capital records, but not released. His next will be even greater. he should be huge. Spread the word!
Velociy Girl plans a release in 2003... and will play a few dates.
thanks for the compliments!!!
sw, dc: you had a christmas cd? really? where can i buy it? on your website? eric, any news on metro cafe finding a new location? i miss the prince and depeche mode parties there. that was a big loss in 2002. washingtonpost.com: I was talking to DJ Dredd last night at Visions' Prince-versus-Michael Jackson event, and he says the Prince/Lovesexy dance parties will be back in the next few months. Stay tuned. -- Fritz Eric Brace: See.. Fritz is out and about and is getting the word on teh street, yo!
And metro Cafe guys say they're still looking.
check out www.lasttrainhome.com site for info on "Holiday Limited"... with all available objectivity, I proclaim it one of the finest holiday releases ever.
Herndon, VA: Year 2002:
The Blasters Reunion was a hoot, and not likely to happen again, so goes the word. Jamin' Java was fun with the Rhodes Tavern Troubadors with Kevin Forder showing up as one of the Well Strung Boys in the mostly attorney group. Eric Brace: excellent choices...
New Haven, Conn.: Eric, can we expect your next chat on Jan 2, 2004? That is, if you're not on the cover of the "Rolling Stone." Best of Luck. I moved from D.C. around around five years ago and you have been my life blood to D.C. Going to miss you. Eric Brace: Hey New Haven!!
I reckon i may be chatting with you in one year, but if not someone else will...
And look for my band in your city!
Washington, DC: Hi Eric - I don't get out as much as I used to, so I've lived vicariously through your column. It's the first thing I read in the WE section. Good luck in Nashville - Steph and I will always try to get out for LTH! Cathy C. Eric Brace: Hiya Cathy!
Long time no see!!
I hope you'll make it to a show soon... LTH will be playing around town at least as much now as we have been in the past. I head to Nashville next month... yikes... but we'll be playing up here about every month still.
D.C. Fashionista: Eric -- Do you think VIP will remain open? Every week I get invites over email for a get in free before midnight deal on Fridays, and so do all my friends. How can they be making money if most end up on the pseudo guest list? Are VIP and Dream still financially viable? I still won't go to Dream because its a pain in the patooties to get to. Downtown yes, New York Avenue, hell no. Eric Brace: oh it'll stay open... it has to. It cost to much to renovate, and they've got to pay the nut on their debt.
The guest list stuff is just incentive to get you in the door. Once you're there, they make all their money off the bar. The door is just icing for the owner.
Both clubs are doing just fine, it seems.
Re: Harp: That's interesting that someone brought up Harp. A friend of mine in Denver, CO told me about it. He said the music columinst mentions it quite regularly. Apparently, the magazine was recently purchased by another big magazine a while back. I was really surprised to find out it was published here do to the fact that I've heard nothing about it in local press. (I must have missed your column!) I think it's one of the best mags out there right now. I would be interesting in knowing more about them but I guess I'll have to do my own investigating thanks to our supportive local press. I'm glad to know someone supports local achievements! Thanks. Best of luck to you! Bethesda, MD Eric Brace: Most press doesn't write about other press... I wanted to because it's such a great magazine and Scott is doing amazing thing. go to www.harpmagazine.com for more info about them.
They haven't been bought by another magazine.
They have entered a partnership with ANOTHER impressive LOCALLY based magazine, Jazz Times. Jazz Times becomes the publishing partner of Harp, as of this issue from what i understand, and gets Harp into a great magazine distribution system, so that it'll get into all the big stores now.
DC: What's up with your old bandmate Kevin Johnson? Is he still playing out? Haven't heard much from him lately. Thanks for the great reporting. Eric Brace: Kevin Johnson, in whose band I played in the early '90s, has taken a hiatus from playing/recording and is concnetrating on his rare used book biz in Baltimore called Royal Books...
check it out at www.royalbooks.com ... he's done something incredible in a very short time, becoming a prominent nationally known bookseller!
New York, NY: Kudos on mustering the guts to do the music thing as a career. That takes a lot of guts, especially in light of the organization you're leaving. I'm impressed. I noticed it's just a leave of absence. That was smart. Good luck. Eric Brace: Thanks for noticing, New York....
Yeah, the "leave" policy of the Post is very generous (though i'm not on salary or anything)... They promise a job if i want to come back. I wonder if I'd have had the guts to do it without that promise....
20008: Wow, someone mentioned Top Records -- what a blast from the DC pop past. Whatever happened to Frontier Theory? We need them to do a reunion show. Eric Brace: good question.. they're all over the place, geographically speaking.. singer Michael works at DCAC... go visit him there and chat him up!
(Top Records, for those who don't know, was a little record label I helped run in the late '80s.. releasing local guitar pop/rock)
Bangkok Blue: Will miss your Best Picks the most -- just saw F. Yonnet blow up a storm on harmonica at K.Center based on your rec.; also the daytrip articles detailing good beer along with the muzik (thinking a German biergarten off the BW Parkway). Good luck with LTH -- hope they'll still do some of the special shows like the Beerfest, Strathmore, Millenium stage... Eric Brace: Thanks... yeah, FYonnet is good, eh? And I'll miss Blob's Park! but LTH will play as many of those ongoing concert series (like those you mention) as we can... just keep checking the site. We're already down for teh Old dominion Beer Fest on June 28, i think it is..
Long Beach, Ca.: Any chance of the Post doing a 50 year anniversary of the death of Hank Williams article? They missed the January 1st date, but should still do a good article. Hank Jr. and Hank III did a special show at the Grand Ol' Oprey. Any chance of a good review from someone in Nashville who attended? Eric Brace: If it hasn't run yet, it probably ain't gonna run....
send a note to David Segal .. segald@washpost.com and ask him what Style's plans are. It would seem the thing to do, but i don't know if it's on their plate.
Washington, D.C.: Hi Eric, Friends and I are planning a "girls night out" for tomorrow night. Any suggestions of where we can go to dance and have fun without being hit on? Eric Brace: Girls Night Out... dancing...hmmm..You will be hit on.
Though you could diminish your hit-on factor if you go to Apex (formerly Badlands) or some other gay dance club. You could go to Nation Saturday for Velvet night, which is a great dance party, primarily gay, but wide open.
Otherwise, guys will decend on y'all. That's what they do.
Polly Esther's seems to have its share of "groups of girls" going dancing together, but I'm not gonna say the guys won't bug you...
Anyone have any suggestions??
NYC: A while back you mentioned a great guitar player who plays each week at Chick Hall's. Is that still happening? Thanks. Eric Brace: Chick Hall Jr. is the picker I talked about.. he recently had major heart surgery, but is apparently back playing... check him out there Thurs-Sat.
Frontier Theory: Michael Kelley is a good friend of mine and i can tell you a FT reunion is highly unlikely...I have been trying to talk him into a Kelley Girls reunion...but so far he's not budging. Eric Brace: Thanks for the update... I understand when people don't wanna live in the past...
though I would have been very very happy with the once-rumored Clash reunion... but sadly, that'll never happen now.
I miss Joe Strummer.
David Segal's Response: "Hank Williams died? Didn't I just see him on Monday Night Football a few weeks ago?" Eric Brace: ANOTHER Hank sighting!!
i guess he really didn't die in the back of a Cadillac on a twisting West Virginia road....
'Cause i think i saw him at a 7-11 last week....
Florida: Long Beach Re: Hank Williams While I wasn't at the show the other day, I did see Hank III play a couple of years ago. It's eerie as to how much he looks, walks,sings like his grandfather. The show I went to had a varied crowed -- people Hank III's age into alt-country and an older crowd that was around to see his grandfather play, with some of the Hank Jr. crowd mixed in. If his part of the show was anything like he put on that night in Nashville, it must have been amazing. Eric Brace: David Segal wrote a very cool profile of Hank III in the Style section about 2 years ago... maybe Fritz can post it.
Washington, D.C.: E:
How's it going to be not getting all the news first... weird? relief? How does the prospect of occassional "downtime" seem?
Eric Brace: When I started at the Post in 1990, I was amazed at how quickly I became addicted to the hum-and-buzz of the newsroom.... stuff coming over the wires fast-and-furious.. Being in the building on election nights.. during the gulf War...on Sept 11.... it's weird how electric it feels.
I love it.. and I'll miss it alot.
I'm going to enjoy NOT reading the paper though, I think... sleeping....
but then I'll get back in it, and i'm sure my laptop's homepage will be washingtonpost.com
washingtonpost.com: Country Music's Past and Future. (David Segal, Feb. 26, 2000)
Minneapolis, MN: Any plans to bring your band to the great north? And for the record, DJ Dredd is the best. Eric Brace: We'll be all over North America and beyond.. check our website!!
Maybe DJ Dredd will sit in with us...
Washington, D.C.: You have made a difference. Thank You, Dante. Eric Brace: Dante!!
High praise from a man who's done so much to make d.c. a happening music town with a rocking local scene....
thanks amigo.
Let's cross paths before i leave town.
I'll be broke though, so you'll have to pay.
DC: Eric, you've been a wonder. A great resource for music and the scene. Thanks for being there, and for being real nice about it too. in 2002: Prince at the Warner was one of the most amazing concerts I ever saw, and the Santana showed for an impromtu encore. Prince is amazing, and I wish there were more at that great venue. Other greats include Fugazi, of course, at Ft. Reno. I'm looking forward to checking out Canyon a bit more... Thanks again! Eric Brace: thanks!!!
yeah, i hear the Prince show was really really great.
People seem to have let Prince slip from their radar, but he's one of the all-time greats, and is still making great music... and I've read way too many reviews of people telling fugazi they should take a break. me, i say their making the best music of their lives right now.
Cleveland Park, Washington, D.C.: Best wishes for the New Year and the new endeavor! Looking back, June'02 was a great month:
Alejandro Escovedo w/LTH - IOTA
Blind Boys of Alabama on the steps of the Library of Congress
The Dudes - Birchmere
Angelique Kidjo - WolfTrap's Jazz&Blues fest
Anders Osborne - Birchmere's Bandstand Eric Brace: nice list (of course I'd have to agree with the first pick there..)
Washington, D.C.: Not a question: A comment. You are truly an iconoclast in the Washington entertainment community. Good luck. Eric Brace: That's me, busting icons left and right!!!
Actually, I have to say (a little bit of self-criticism here): I can be faulted for being too generous in my reviews of clubs and bands. I almost always give folks the benefit of the doubt, and my main job, as I've seen it, is to give people one tiny reason to leave their television sets behind and go out. I just want folks to go find fun places to spend their lives , outside the office and the home....
I also feel bad about all the musicians and clubs i HAVEN'T gotten around to writing about.. someone else will have to ..
Bumpkinville, Va.: Top o' the New Year to you, Mr. B! Looking forward to seeing the first video from your new release, any hints as to what song will be featured? On a club-related note, have you heard that the Fairfax Police have decided to go into bars and grab patrons for random BAC tests? Here's the story. Yet another reason for the dearth of live music venues in our beloved Commonwealth. See ya at the Bop 'n Bowl, the magic mystery monkeys enjoy Duckpin Bowling more than any other contact sport! Pax Mac Munkle Eric Brace: Hey there monkey-munkle...
see you tomorrow, yes, and no word on what the first "single" will be.. still pondering. Now to find money for a video!!
and NO! I hadn't heard about random bar blood-alcohol testing by Fairfax cops..
what the hell is THAT all about... can it be true?? I'll get on that and report back. Or someone ELSE will report back.. I'll be busy making music.
Anonymous Federal building, Washington, D.C.: Good luck from someone who knew you when. We'll be watching for you on the 2004 Grammys. Eric Brace: Gracias..... maybe 2009 Grammy's for best Oldies Group...
20071: You are so right about Local 16. It's so much better than those annoying velvet roped places!! Lcoal 16 is a friendly neighbor hangout with a good mix of people and a fair late nite menu... Eric Brace: well thanks for agreeing!
bethesda, md: has there been any discussion of having fritz continue the online chats? perhaps all us online groupies should go to the band's cd release party in shirts that say "eric groupies in sequin letters." i'm kidding, eric. Eric Brace: I think Fritz is more than qualified to continue discussing Washington's night life with you, but I haven't heard if he's going to jump right into that. you'll certainly see his byline in the Weekend section several times over the next few weeks... Listen to him.. he knows whereof he speaks!
Are all 5 words going to be on the t-shirts? I'll help pay for printing if you want..
Snugville, USA: Eric;
I'm having a total freak/anxiety attack with you leaving. In all kindsa ways. Who's gonna feebly try to fill your shoes? How about one last game of snooker before you go? (If you answer this one, I'll give you a whole dollar.) Eric Brace: I'll check with Buffalo Billiards and reserve a snooker table!!!
No anxiety... it's all good... really.
As for my shoes, well, my editor in Weekend has a few folks he'll be revolving, writing Nightwatch.
Gimme my dolla!
Arlington, VA: Eric,
Since so many cool places get annoying/ pretentious crowds on the weekends (Chi Cha, Local 16, etc.), where to go if you're looking for that same atmosphere on a Saturday night? Galaxy Hut is one, but I can't think of too many lounge-type places. Good luck with the music. Eric Brace: you're right.. it's endemic to the scene.
Reef on weekends... Toledo Lounge.. Lucky Bar...IOTA... Fox & Hound...
anyone else?
washingtonpost.com: Tune into the Going Out Gurus on Got Plans on Thursdays for nightlife info. -- Lisa, the management. washingtonpost.com: Yes. And play nice. -- Fritz Eric Brace: OOH OOH !! YEs I meant to say that...
if you HAVEN'T checked out the Going-Out Gurus online chats, they are one of the greatest things about washingtonpost.com and the Live Online page.. seriously great resource.. amazing ... it's a whole crew of top-secret experts (including Fritz) who answer all your going-out questions.
DC, DC: hey there, best of luck, I was saying new years eve that the best place to be was exactly where you are, the fear of the unknown should more than make up for the buzz of the new's room and I look forward to it generating a whole new slew of songwriting on your part. I'll miss sparing about visual art where it does it's music- nightlife crossover. Does Fritz have hang ups about visual art? washingtonpost.com: No. Just hold your horses and you'll see. -- Fritz Eric Brace: well thankee kindlee!
sparring's been fun.. but you're right.. off to focus on creation.. art (in the form of pop songs) rather than craft (in the form of newspaper column)...
Keep reading weekend.. there'll be art-nightlife nexus discussions there soon....
Bethesda, MD: Let's all raise our mugs to Eric. Hip hip hoooooray! And the best show for me and my kids was Last
Train Home at the Strathmore in the summertime,
where you had a new generation of little kids
dancin' up a storm, their was a little flapper girl that
rocked and your music was sublime and the sun
was a big orange ball!
Eric Brace: the sun WAS a big orange ball that night, wasn't it?? Strathmore is a great kid friendly venue.. outdoor.. long sloping lawn... bbq and ice cream..
we'll be back there in summer 2003, but check out there other Tuesday and Wednesday summer concerts.
thanks for the mug-raise.
N. Bethesda, MD: Eric- Don't forget to plug your Birchmere show on January 30. Eric Brace: Thanks for the excuse to plug this:
I've formed a side-project band called the Skylighters, with me and the rhythm section from Last Train Home (Jim Gray & Martin Lynds) and we've hooked up with the incredible Mike Auldridge (dobro & pedal steel) and Jimmy Gaudreau (mandolin and guitar) and we will be playing our first show on Thursday Jan 30 at the Birchmere.. and we'll have a special guest: John Starling.. my favorite singer.. formerly of the Seldom Scene (as is Mike Auldridge.).. we're doing lots of old country tunes, bluegrass tunes.. my tunes, country-rock tunes.. it's really really fun. Be there.
Arlington: Eric - can't be on the chat, but I saw your farewell message in the Weekend section and had to tell you how much I've enjoyed your columns over the past few years. I ended up visiting quite a few fun places and events that I would otherwise probably not have heard of. Also, congratulations on the "career" move! Even though you obviously enjoyed your job with the Post - those of us office drones numbly pushing paper all day while dreaming of a better, happier life - salute you! It's never too late to take that step, yes? Anyway - best of luck with everything! Cheers! Eric Brace: Thanks so much!!!
and the fact that you actually took some of my recommendations means I've done my job. That means a lot.
Arlington, VA:
You mentioned there was a bunch of local artists you wanted to profile but never got around to...now's your chance. Name a few unknown locals and say some nice things about them...I'm sure they (and their press kits) will thank you. Eric Brace: ooh!! good call:
Metropolitan (great indie rock)
Eric Felton Orchestra (WWII big band swing)
Satin Doll (lounge jazz standards trio)
Patrick DeSantos (incredible jazz/latin/samba/pop)
Temika Moore (contemporary jazz singer)
...
more rock: Spoils of NW, Dame Fate, Phaser,
songwriters: Mike Holden, Karl straub, wil gravatt,
jazz: Wayne Wilenz, Will Smith, Marshall keys, Phil Mathieu
bluegrass: Orange line Special, sally love, Gary Ferguson
folk: Andrew mcKnight, mary Sue Twohy...
oh lord.. my brain is shutting down!!! forgive me.. I'll think of more...
Two best guest stars: Hey there, though I was a late comer to these chats, the last year was thoroughly enjoyable. Thinking about the the 13 years I've lived in DC I've been to two shows where special guests showed up to play with the headliner and completely blew me away. Count Last Train Home in those two when Paul of Peter Paul & Mary had to push his way past the bar to get on stage with ya'll this Summer. It was short and sweet and all nostalgia power. To give you an idea of what beats "Paul" out, I went to a Yousou N'Dour show at the DAR in 1989 or 1990 where all of a sudden you heard an unmiked trumpeter on the sidelines of the stage, and HUGH MASEKELA stepped out and played the rest of the show with N'Dour and his band. It's funny when I hear people complain about no dancing at the DAR-it's probably because of that show. I'm going to miss your soft-spot for the visual arts and willingness to engage my rants about paintings in bars. Best of luck & see you around! Eric Brace: Having Noel "Paul" Stookey come to IOTA to see us play after the PP&M wolf Trap show last August was incredibly cool.. then to have him get up on stage with us, well that was another thing alogether.. he's a really cool guy, and if any of you think he's a wimpy folkie, then come here and let me kick yer *ss. He's an incredible singer, guitarist, songwriter ... and i'm proud to call him a friend.
thanks for remembering!
Somewhere, USA:
He was the man about town
who clawed his way up the
Washington Post Ranks
earning every calendar entry
bi-line and Nightlife opportunity that came his way
he covered the hip, the not-so-hip
eclectic, mainstream, off the beaten track
it was ALWAYS about the music, man.
He’s a music man
Who’s sense of humor and
Zest for exploration into the crevices of DC suburbs
Will keep us missing him,
Branching into computers, radio and TV
(who could forget infant belly dancing?)
His impact was far and wide
Both for those lucky enough to know him
And those who only read him
Rightly blowing off the “aren’t you to olds?”
Knowing age is just a number
Being the eternally young at heart
With his eyes on the horizon
He will continue to influence and amaze
With endless energy for his work, his art.
Mr. Brace
We give you a parting shout out….
You duh man.
Eric Brace: I like poetry...
thanks thanks thanks....
Dupont Circle West, Washington, D.C.: Hey Eric, I'm pleased to see you passing along some duties to Richard Harrington. I used to help him distribute Woodwind! (Yes, I'm an old hippie, too.) Good luck with your group. My former step son was in Dag Nasty and its predecessors, so I try to keep myself aware of the current scene, too. Eric Brace: Richard has been a mentor for years.. he got me started by asking me to review shows when i was a copy aide in the style section... then he asked me to write more stories: Fugazi, Jawbox, Scream, Beth Lomax Hawes..
he did more than any one person to get me on the road to writing (something I'd never done before workign at the Post.. talk about on the job training!!!)
Richard will be contributing to the Nightwatch page in the form of profiles of local bands and musicians. He's amazing.. ever since the days of Woodwind, thenUnicorn Times...
SW Washington, D.C.: Thanks so much for all the great chats and articles you've written at The Post. For over three years now I've been glued to my computer every other Friday for your chats. Thanks for always keeping an open mind and staying loyal to your readers. You'll be missed but I wish you well. Eric Brace: You're a peach.
thanks so much for saying that.
NW: Eric, don't go away... Any idea what's going in the vacant space near Conn and Florida Aves, across from Thaiphoon (not too far from Bistro du Coin)? Eric Brace: I GOTTA go away, otherwise you'll never miss me.
as for that prime space.. i was just peering into the window, but have no idea what's coming in there. I'll ask Fritz to tell you when he finds out.
Rockville, MD: I am always in a quest to find a place to hand out with my friends who are lesbians (I am not a lesbian). We want to go to a bar that is fun and has atmosphere, but is not a gay bar or a "straight" bar, per se. We want beer, perhaps some dancing, and a good time, but not a drunken frat party meat market - and a place with some tolerance. Many times we end up going to lesbian bars because they can be themselves there. Isn't there a happy medium, or is this city too uptight? Eric Brace: That's a damn good question..
IS the city too uptight? you should come to the Falls Church Duckpin Lanes tomorrow and dance to Last Train Home.. we're a band with a big umbrella.
Anyone got places that might fit the bill?
Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.: What happened to http://www.pheer.com? It's gone. Where else are we to find punk show listings? Eric Brace: I can't find pheer.com either.. Jimmy Askew sends out a great listing for punk rock shows in d.c. and baltimore..
i think this is it..:
www.newcolumbia.net/showlist.html
rockville looking for tolerant bars: they might want to try peppers on 17th st. that gets a mixed crowd. as does the drag show at ziegfields in se, next to secrets. Eric Brace: good call. peppers is a fun scene.
Arlington, Va.: No offense to you, Eric, but that poem made me hurl. Eric Brace: well, okay, it was a little over-the-top... but i just had to share, right?
speaking of vacant prime locations: any idea what's going into the old black cat and state of the union/republic gardens spaces?
Eric Brace: Marc Barnes owns both SOTU and RG ... he's making his bucks off Dream right now, but I hope the city will force his hand and get him to do the promised renovations and reopen them.
I saw constuction going on that old Black CAt space, but have no answers for you..
stay tuned to washingtonpost.com's club listings and the WEekend Nightwatch column.
Conn across from Coin: Ask Sietsema, he's talked about it in his chat. If memory serves me it's going to be a Brazilian fusion restaurant. They may have acoustic music. The new managers are well known, but I can't remember for what. Eric Brace: cool. Smart man.
thanks.
Eric Brace: Okay gang.
thanks for chatting with me all these years.
as I type on my tear-stained keyboard...
i'll miss all y'all (as they say in nashville) and if you wanna drop me a line, I'm keeping my e-mail for a good while:
bracee@washpost.com
It's been fun.. thanks for reading, and thanks for all the feedback... really. It's been the best time of my life.
yours,
eric
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