January 23, 2007
Come On Feel The Kennedecibels
It was all the way back in November that we brought news — via The Upstate Life — that Sufjan Stevens would be playing a free show at the Kennedy Center. Unfortunately, that teaser was all we had to offer; ticket details weren't available, and the concert wasn't until February 5.
Well, it's finally time. If you're keen to see Sufjan — or the NSO, or the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater — get yourself over to the Kennedy Center this Saturday, January 27.
This is a rare chance to see Stevens, who relies heavily on an eclectic collection of instruments in his studio recordings, accompanied by the entire Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. The Opera House seats 2,300, so there should be plenty of opportunity for those interested to grab a ticket. We'll be there asking Stevens to consider adding the District to his 50 states project, in which he hopes to produce an album about every state. (We're a little sceptical of his timeline after two consecutive records regarding the Land of Lincoln.)
Tickets are first come, first served, and you can only pick up two per person. After noon on Saturday, remaining tickets for all four shows will be available at the Box Office. Here's where and when to go:
9–10 a.m.: SUFJAN STEVENS (Hall of Nations, line forms to left of entrance)
10–11 a.m.: NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (River Terrace, follow signs)
11 a.m.–12 noon: ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER (Hall of States, line forms to right of entrance)
Photo by Flickr user rombocket, used under a Creative Commons license
DCist writer Lindsay Gibson contributed to this post.
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You guys are optimistic about tickets.
Please, the only place I've ever seen this Sufjan Stevens assclown mentioned is here on DCist and eMusic. I think the tastemakers, and those who listen to them, that are endlessly jocking Sufjan (and TVOTR and [insert "indie" band that almost noone cares about here]) vastly overestimate their own influence.
Hill Rat, you're so right! God I hate it when people try to turn me on to new music (especially in a pull medium like a blog!). Why won't they just let me listen to my Warrant records in peace? ps - are you a staffer for an RIAA friendly legislator? I sure hope so, cause these Indie assclowns sure do irritate me with their can-do, DIY ethos, and operating outside of the system and all. We sure need solidarity in crushing them, don't you think?
Hill Rat, haven't you anything better to do? I think you vastly overestimate the demand for your banal comments.
I'm looking forward to seeing this "assclown," and I would imagine quite a few other readers here are as well.
Hill Rat, you are an idiot. Illinois was one of the best reviewed records of 2005, favorably written about by such obscure publications as Rolling Stone and the New York Times. Maybe if you didn't spend every waking moment trolling in comment sections you wouldn't be so out of touch.
Considering over 2000 people were turned away from Balki reading Shakespeare, I think I should get in line early for this.
I'm so pissed I'm going to miss this -- I'm moving out of the country on Friday! Argh. Sufjan is da greatness. Everything he does is art.
According to metacritic, which compiles reviews from all over and then creates an average rating based on those reviews, Illinoise was the most acclaimed album of 2005. And they're talking all music, not just indie. Maybe it's time to start reading more than just DCist or eMusic...
www.metacritic.com/music/bests/2005.shtml
I really want to go to this show but dragging my ass down to the Kennedy Center well before 9 a.m. on a Saturday may be beyond my capabilities . . .
I sure got under a few people's skin didn't I? I guess around here the most unforgivable crime is having your own opinion and taste in music instead of one that's been validated by Rolling Stone and the NYT.
i think everyone in the world should be more informed on music. and everyone should relax.
hill rat, i think you make good points and generally have informed posts.
Amazing, Hill Rat. In your first comment you criticize DCist for pushing artists outside the mainstream. After taking some criticism on this point, you subtly change the issue to whether you should be criticized for having musical tastes outside the mainstream!
Now you're a martyr for independent thinking? Go read your first comment, rat. You flatter yourself.
I think Hill Rat is just spoiling for a fight today.
Sorry if this posts a thousand times.
Hillrat, why do you assume that because you've only heard of Sufjan through perceived indie music sources that people who like him can't form music choices on their own? Tell us some of your gold star music picks, please! When does YOUR music blog go public???
Is this how all people think on the Hill?
It is, after all, good, clean, cheap entertainment, ticking off those indie kids.
Such-fan Stephens? I think I was in a band with him once.
Jim - I'm a big fan of MadLib/MadVillian/MF Doom and most of the stuff you can find on Stones Throw Records. I still listen to a lot of old school hardcore punk like the Bad Brains, Black Flag, and so on; a little boring I know, but most new hard/heavy music these days is some sort of watered down derivative of those bands IMHO. I will also cop to listening to Lil Jon occasionally because he makes me giggle.
Check out these guys: www.guajiromusic.com. I'm a little predjudiced since a good friend of mine is in this band (don't worry he thinks I'm as much of an asshole as you do), but I think they could blow up. For slightly more local flavor navigate to www.myspace.com/thepoints, I've seen them a few times at the Velvet Lounge.
Hoodrat - You're at least partially right, I'm a little bored with DCist neverending stream of skinny white guys with guitars.
JDS & jgg - I hope you guys get raging hard-ons like this for your sex partners of choice. It was just a throwaway comment, calm down tough guys.
re: raging hard-on, of course.
re: MF Doom - yes.
re: skinny white guys w/ guitars - but sufjan plays banjo, too!
have a good one.
Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy free Sufjan!!!!!!!!
Boooooooooooooooooo angry posters!!!!!
Hill Rat, thank you! I'll check these out for sure.
Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy free Sufjan!!!!!!!!
Boooooooooooooooooo angry posters!!!!!
but sufjan plays banjo, too!
Ugh! No wonder I didn't make it through one song. Maybe I listened to the wrong song at the wrong time of the day or something. What song/album would you recommend to a Sufjan novice given what you now know about the music I listen to?
Peace,
HR
I heart Sufjan! Now if only someone would tell me how to pronounce his name....
It's Suff-yaan, as far as I can tell.
What time are people planning on lining up on Saturday? I'm thinking 7am...
Damnit, DCist. Stop reminding people.
hill rat - yeah, given your taste as you described it, I don't think you'd dig Sufjan.
chrisafer, that was my first thought when I saw this too. (call me the drawbridge minder, as it was dcist that tuned me in in the first place)
it's members of the KCOHO, not the entire orchestra. Get there Friday night or you may lose out.
I was hoping you'd forget to remind the masses. Too bad.
I've heard interviewers pronounce it Soof-yahn.
Neverending Stream of Skinny White Guys with Guitars.
I caught those guys at Rod's House of Semen. They rocked! The trained seals at Rolling Stone said they were "the new Dylan."
Off topic, but how early should I get there for Alvin Ailey Tickets? I'm worried that people who don't get Sufjan tickets will feed into the Alvin Ailey line, but let's face it, earlier than 10am on a Saturday is bordering on Not Worth It For Arlene.
Does anyone know if seating is reserved? Does it matter if I get Ticket #2 or Ticket # 2,299?
I don't know for a fact, but I would assume that seating in the Opera House is reserved. It would just take too long to seat the place pre-concert if they tried to do it general admission.
DCist -- Do you know how many people got turned away? I was one of the lucky ones that got tickets, but it looked like LOTS of people weren't able to get them...
Like I said on the new SockYam thread, consider me chastened; I had no idea SurfYarn was so popular.