I should do better homework, but when I heard that the NSO would be performing selections to back-up a movie that NASA has sanctioned, I thought there was no need for homework…I was wrong! Emil de Cou conducts brilliantly, as usual, and the NSO plays to their usual perfection, BUT it was not what I was expecting!
The sun was setting and the audience was assembling. A calm but yet exciting ambience filled the air as members of the National Symphony Orchestra made their final preparations. The lights dimmed and Eimear Noone was introduced as this evening’s conductor and she was more than well received. The overture was incredible. It was exciting and brought back found memories of sensuous bliss recounting my early childhood days intently playing the 8-bit masterpiece the Legend of Zelda. The orchestral arrangements of Koji Kondo’s original themes sent shivers down my spine. It was masterfully prepared. Eimear Noone conducted with flare the overture was intense and heart pounding.
The first ever Summerland Tour rocked Wolf Trap on Wednesday night. A sold out crowd packed every square inch of lawn and seats at The Filene Center and partied until curfew! Because Wolf trap is a National Park and in a neighborhood, there is a curfew for the sound, but I have a feeling that if these guys could have rocked all night, they would have!!
I will start by saying that I am an Ingrid Michaelson fan, so I wanted to see her live because the acoustic versions of her songs are my favorite. As far as Rufus Wainwright, I am familiar with his cool tone from his version of “Hallelujah” that was used on the soundtrack of “Shrek”. It was interesting to me that Ingrid kept saying that she was grateful that she was “opening” for Wainwright and he, in turn said the same thing when he came. But this was a split-billing, meaning that the artists share equal billing and could essentially trade places any performance.
Johnny Mathis delighted fans at Wolf Trap last Friday with a beautiful trip down memory lane. Though his 76 years young, his voice is still the velvet that it has always been. Not a note or bit of feeling was out of place.
Marvin Hamlisch along with two special guests, Kevin Cole and Melissa Errico delighted the Wolf Trap audience last Friday night, with the NSO and an evening of Gershwin. The weather was lovely and their infectious spirits and amazing talents, made for a superior evening. This was my third time seeing Mr. Hamlisch in this type of format and he never falters. He is an accomplished composer, multiple Oscar winner, multiple Grammy, Emmy, and Golden Globes winner and even receiving a Tony and Pulitzer Prize for his triumphant “A Chorus Line”! I could write this review and tell you every interesting thing about Hamlisch and I’d have paragraph after paragraph of one of the most amazing careers and lives in history. He truly is an amazing man and everyone should get to witness his talents!
The NSO took the Filene Center at Wolf Trap by storm on Saturday, well by twister to be exact! In another fine evening of the NSO lending it’s talents to Wolf Trap, adults and children alike got to experience the true magic of the cinema. The large screens descended and the evening was set. With Conductor, Emil de Cou at the helm, the NSO treated the audience to the best way to see a classic!
Crosby, Stills, and Nash opened at Wolftrap’s Filene Center on July 3, by greeting the crowd and receiving a standing ovation from their adoring fans. They sang to a sold out audience of young and old. Even the lawn area was full of their admirers.
Saturday night and the big story of the weekend is MUSIC. Eighties Icon Pat Benetar and guitarist Neil Giraldo wowed the crowd during the Celebrate Fairfax fesitivies. Ms. Benatar continues to shine on as she performs classic hits like “We Belong”, “Shadows of the Night”, and “Invincible”. The multi-Grammy winner told some unique stories about the songs during each break especially when she found out her video for “You Better Run” was the second music video played on MTV back on August 1, 1981. Enjoy our pictures!
Dubstep has officially landed in the U.S. from the U.K. and I wouldn’t exactly call it Beatlemania but there is a resonance protruding from these speakers that’s hard to pass up. Rusko headlining at Rams Head Live is even harder to pass up. So grab your best dancing sneakers and let’s go party.
