"Before the Frost," a trip through America with the Black Crowes

"Man, this is a great rock and roll album!"


Now that's not something you hear people say much these days. But the latest Black Crowes CD, Before the Frost, is one of the best rock and roll albums I've heard in a while, which means it has lots of guitars, good melodies, and driving rhythms. 


The band recorded this album of new material in front of a live audience in Levon Helm's barn in Woodstock, New York. That they were recording where Helm, former drummer and singer for The Band, lives and works, may have influenced the Crowes. When they first appeared in the early 1990s, they were considered a modern version of the Faces. But lately, the band's sound has moved closer to some great American bands like The Band and Creedence Clearwater Revival. On the opener, "Good Morning Captain," I swear I hear Helm singing along. 


To me, this is their best album since the early 1990s and definitely better than anything they've put out since 2000. The band is maturing, mixing in elements of bluegrass and country with their more traditional blues rock sound. Now it's fiddles and mandolins along with slide guitars and blues harp. And for the most part, they're keeping their songs tight—they've managed to reign in their desire to "jam til you drop" during these live shows. I don't care how long Chris Robinson grows his beard and how ratty his blue jeans get, this ain't 1975 and songs don't need to be eight minutes long. 


When you buy Before the Frost, it comes with a passcode that will allow you to download another new album, Until the Freeze, something of a more a traditional American roots album. But it's roots music in the way the Stones played country — with a lot of respect for the traditions of the music but a good dose of rock 'n' roll energy and a bit of bluster.


So let's see—that's about $12.00 for a two-hour trip through americana with the Black Crowes. Sounds like a no-brainer.

A Wop Bop a Loo Bop - Little Richard at the Birchmere Monday

Yes, Little Richard, one of 'the' original founders of rock 'n' roll will be playing the Birchmere in Alexandria tonight, Monday, October 19. There aren't many left from those golden early days of rock 'n' roll: Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, and Little Richard are about it. And it's getting harder and harder to catch a glimpse of these remaining rock pioneers - soon they will have all disappeared. At 76-years-old, Little Richard may not give you too many more chances to catch him in concert, but for now he stills plays a number of shows a year and, based on the reviews I've read recently, he's still giving the audience a great show.


Fifty-four years after he first started recording, it's hard to understand just how original and outrageous Richard was in 1955. With his hair piled high and his makeup, Little Richard gave kids a peek into a crazy, flamboyant world that wouldn't reach its peak until the glam years in the 1970s. His world was so crazy, that after just a few years of hit singles, incessant touring, and wild parties, in 1957, at the top of his fame, he announced he was retiring from rock 'n' roll and enrolled in a Bible college. That phase didn't last too long and he eventually returned to the stage, playing shows in England with young bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones as his openers. But that's all ancient history now - Little Richard lives on through his music and his wonderfully over-the-top interviews and performances in films. Check him out in the "Jimi Hendrix" documentary to see him at his most flamboyant! 


Birchmere Schedule Here

Stone's Keyboardist Chuck Leavell at O Street Mansion

Chuck Leavell, keyboardist with the Rolling Stones since 1982 and former member of the Allman Brothers band, will be featured at a benefit tonight, October 15, for the American Forest Foundation (AFF) at the Mansion on O Street, 2020 O Street, NW, Washington, DC. 


Billed as "an intimate evening of music and stories," the event will raise money for the AFF, an organization that works to ensure the sustainability of America’s family forests for present and future generations. Leavell has been a well-known, long-time environmental advocate and has written three books about conservation. Along with Leavell's performance, the benefit will include a silent auction and an award ceremony to honor several members of Congress who are leading the fight against climate change.


One of the great things about this event is that the Mansion only holds about 100 people plus staff, so if you're there, you'll be able to ask Chuck the one question about the Rolling Stones you've always wanted to know. I'm working on mine right now!


For more information, visit Chuck Leavell at the Mansion on O Street.

Jackman and Craig in "A Steady Rain"

Last weekend in New York I saw "A Steady Rain," starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman. The show is hottest ticket in New York right now despite the recession and ticket prices hovering  around $100.00, and the run has been sold out. So there's really not a lot of reasons to write about this play since if you don't already have a ticket, you probably won't get one. But I wanted to weigh in on the negative reviews the play's been getting, mostly from critics who seem angry that audiences will actually pay money to see two stars at work in an average vehicle (as if we've never paid money to see a summer Hollywood movie).


The play itself is not great. In it, Craig and Jackman's characters spend 90 minutes onstage relating increasingly sordid and violent events that occurred over the course of one summer. There are some humorous and moving passages, but the writing also veers into sentimental pap, mostly concerning a boy and his puppy. Generally, I steer clear of shows that feature puppies or babies in critical plot points (and plays/movies that use the words "hijinks" or "heartfelt" in their advertising), but author Keith Huff sneaks this one in on us. It's not necessary and comes across as contrived.


Jackman and Craig both do credible jobs as Chicago cops and the production, two chairs on an otherwise empty stage enhanced by an occasional backdrop, works well for this material. It's an intense, increasingly morbid descent into hell for one of the characters, which might not be what James Bond and Wolverine fans had in mind when they bought their tickets. Neither man is a super hero — far from it. Both struggle with moral or immoral decisions, their self-deluding recollections, and the realization of who they are and what they want. Despite a few flaws in the material, I found it a compelling hour and a half. 

Arabian Sights Film Festival

The 14th annual Arabian Sights Film Festival opens in Washington on Friday, October 9 and runs until the 18th. Thirteen films from Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Yemen, Syria and other countries will be screened at these two locations, both located near metro stops.

Landmark's E Street Cinema

555 11th Street, NW (Metro Center)

National Geographic Society 


Grosvenor Auditorium


1600 M Street, NW (Farragut North)

Two years ago, I saw a very good film from Morocco at this festival, which helped to prepare me for my visit to the country that December.

This year there are a number of comedies on the schedule including "Hassan & Morcos" from Egypt, starring Omar Sharif, "Number One" from Morocco, which looks at changing gender roles, and "Laila's Birthday," set in the occupied territories.

For information, Click Here.

Asian Pacific American Film Festival Opens

The 10th Annual Asian American Film Festival 
opened in town on Thursday and continues until Saturday, October 10. Over those 10 days, DCAPA will be showing 50 features, documentaries and shorts at the Freer Gallery, E Street Cinema, Goethe Institute, and other venues. Children of Invention will be the closing night film for this year's festival. An Official Selection at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, the film has won several Grand Jury awards across the U.S. and will make its Washington, D.C. premier on October 10th, closing the festival. Director and Writer Tze Chun’s previous short film Windowbreaker was an official selection at the 2007 DCAPA Film Festival. Here's the info Asian Pacific American film festival.