Hodie

Wow, you can say that again! I'd love to hear those songs again. I can't do the 30th, but the 29th is potentially doable. Yay. It kind of looks like The Famed Martin Rivas has a show in NY the night before, too...

May I commend you both on an incredibly helpful thread? I don't even know why I read it, since I'm not planning to attend, but this is so sane and useful that I may as well just grab my comfortable shoes and go.

I KNEW it would be you to finally notice! Although he did not perform, he did sing Happy Birthday to me. OK, the more accurate wording would be "...he sportingly joined in when everyone sang Happy Birthday to me." He didn't know my name, so when it got to the "happy birthday, dear ____" part, he just whistled instead. OK, the more accurate wording would be "NO, he did not either do that, but I like the idea!"

They really were! I hope that puppy under the table isn't eating one!

Mrs. Sansone!?!!

Jeff is doing three shows for a total of 90 people -- this is just the first thirty. Since you mentioned it, and I was interested myself: 53% of our group has seen shows all three years they've been in existence, 30% have seen two, and the remaining saw their first basement show on Saturday. It's a charity auction (someone will be kind enough to post a link I'm sure), and the way to get involved is pretty simple -- get thirty people together, raise as much money as you can, and win the auction!

We've been talking about the fact that there was a particularly sunshiney chemistry at this one. Someone said Susan mentioned it, too. I don't know what elements melded to make it happen so perfectly (having it in the same comfy basement every year? a puppy and a beautiful baby on the premises? alison's amazing macaroni & cheese?), I just know I'm grateful to be a part of it.

I hope people aren't tired of photos yet... Jeff singing the heck out of Strangers while Dave plays the heck out of Strangers:

We have a winner!!!!

[quote name='pn

It was Wednesday, but my friends are pretty generous on the timing.

I'm 49.

I like to make my wishes quickly, in hopes of getting 'em faster. I seem to recall I also ordered the crowd to pick up the tempo on Happy Birthday, too (though that was more to get the self-consciousness over with). Dang, those were good cupcakes.

Yes, I do: the only food they will give you is baloney on wonderbread. True! In all actuality, these events are so common in DC that the routine is pretty straightforward. If you're not willing to risk arrest, then when they give you the order to disperse, walk away. If you want to be arrested, don't disperse. And generally the group organizing the CD has lawyers at the ready, so unless you refuse to post bail, you'll be out before you have to suffer more than one baloney sandwich. The one exception to that was committed by the chief of police who is no longer here (people were arres

Yes! Herman's Hermits are the best bonus tracks ever for a basement show, just in case someone's keeping score. And speaking of keeping score, is there anyone who is watch-aware enough to tell us how long jeff played? It seemed like it was way above and beyond what we might have expected. He's a generous guy, and Susan is the Czarina of Patience in my book. I would like to add to the strong appreciation of this year's poster: when my flight was delayed two hours, I forgot the poster was in my backpack and fell asleep on it. The poster nevertheless made it home without a wrinkle! Not

Oh, you're making me all swoony again:

You should see both the Vietnam memorial and the Holocaust museum, though I warn you that the holocaust museum will take you half a day to see and another half a day to process emotionally. I don't know your dates, but the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center has free shows every day, and some of them are plenty great. If you come to DC, you need to eat Ethiopian food (we have a huge ethiopian community), and the recommendation for Ben's Chili Bowl is correct. The vegetarian chili cheese fries are so delicious they'll make you cry, and half-smokes are pretty much DC's only regional spe

Lord, I'm just overwhelmed remembering it all. Kris, thank you for mentioning that "Pee Break #1" was not just a respite, but a musical composition as well. I don't think I've ever heard a hotTer version of Try a Little Tenderness. And Dreamin' Judy's little baby girl chuckles better than anyone I've ever met.

Everybody's still traveling, so it probably won't appear here too very fast. I'l just say that things went on a VERY long time; that this was the first of the three Basement Shows I've attended where virtually everybody got up to dance (at Sam's great encouragement); and that Mart and Dave and Jeff (and Devin and Adam) make one amazing five-guitar attack band.

I know a certain Beloved Somebody has a setlist, plus we now have the definitive spelling for "The Song Formerly Known as Walken" What a night, what a night, what a night.

Ah, you know you've arrived when your birthday thread is filled with Jon Brions. And squirrels. And piano cakes. Also donuts and wine. (I'm averting my eyes from the freak with the HAND) You also know you've arrived when a little sleet storm shuts your city right down on your birthday! Nicely done, weather. Three days!! Twenty-three days! Thanks everybody, you're the best.

I've got a ridiculous and very dated t-shirt from 1995 that I found in the back of my dresser when I was looking for a different very dated t-shirt. I think we'll have to refer to what I'm wearing as more of a 90s gesture than a 90s costume.

I was just about to offer that up myself.

What a voice, dang.

Unless they have a petition, I don't think they stand a chance.