Results tagged “fortreno”

Flickr user Matt.Dunn has a swell portrait series from the park. My favorite part is always seeing the kids wearing band t-shirts that I used to wear when I was a kid (keeps me young). Do check out DCist's photoset, too.

              

Written by DCist Contributor Matthew Siblo

It's here! It's here! We got a taste of what this summer had in store earlier this week, but now the fine folks behind Fort Reno have divulged the full schedule on their snazzy new website.

Fort Reno really let it get down to the wire before announcing the start of its season this year. The unveiling of the schedule is a time-honored tradition, and everybody knows that the free concert series on Monday and Thursday nights in Fort Reno park marks the official start to a good D.C. summer. So it is with great anticipation that we've kept an eye on fortreno.com these past several weeks, to no avail. As it turns out, the site has had some technical bugs, so organizers Amanda MacKaye & co. have been using their Facebook group to relay the lineups for the first two shows. And lucky for us, we don't have to wait long -- the series kicks off next Monday night, June 22.

If anybody out there tried to pay a visit to the Fort Reno web site this week, you were probably met with a scary error message telling you that your browser deemed it unsafe and that you should click far far away in the other direction as fast as you possibly could. Apparently some cranky hacker just doesn't like free outdoor music in the summertime. Festival organizer Amanda MacKaye tells DCist that the site has since been cleaned of the problematic code and is now safe to visit. She's also continuing to work on lingering issues (the site doesn't seem to want to load right now, for one), which the Fort Reno staff hopes to have remedied as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can also visit Fort Reno on Facebook if the regular site is still proving problematic for you. And when the online donation tool is available, make sure to give what you can!

Did this weekend's taste of summer weather make you start thinking of things like barbecues and picnics? The fine folks behind Fort Reno apparently felt the same way. The call for submissions has officially opened for 2009's Fort Reno Summer Concert Series in Tenleytown. If you're a local band with a yen for playing outdoors, all you need to know is available on the Fort Reno web site. Here's the gist:

          

It's hard to believe that just a few short months ago we were questioning whether or not this season of Fort Reno would even happen. Drastically cooler temperatures and Halloween candy on the shelves in drug stores tell us that the lazy days of sitting on blankets and catching shows under the stars are drawing to a close. Tonight is the last announced Fort Reno show of the summer (there's still one surprise line up left on Thursday; DC Rock Club says that it'll be Yell Country, The Jet Age and Title Tracks), though we haven't been able to confirm that just yet (we'll let you know when we hear).

Let the joyous news be spread, the wicked old arsenic is finally dead. It's been a trying year for Fort Reno's summer concert series; from the initial panic to the slow realization that there was nothing actually to worry about, it's time to "dust off the arsenic," as Fort Reno's organizer Amanda MacKaye put it. The 2008 schedule has been officially announced, and it's looking like a great summer.

On the heels of a press conference with Mayor Fenty this afternoon, NBC4 is reporting that Fort Reno Park in Northwest D.C. is now open after soil samples found that arsenic levels were "well within safety limits." Previously, satellite imagery analyzed by geographer Dr. Terry Slonecker appeared to show that arsenic levels in the park were very high, causing the National Park Service to close the park. About a week later, soil tests showed the levels were safe, and Ward 3 Council member Mary Cheh and Mayor Fenty vowed to reopen the park.

Things continue to look up for the future of the Fort Reno Summer Concert Series, as well as for general safety concerns in the neighborhood surrounding Fort Reno Park. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released official soil sampling results today which confirmed preliminary results that show arsenic levels in the park are well below what is considered safe.

WTOP has the scoop on the latest from the Fort Reno Park arsenic saga. Officials have said that early testing from 13 soil samples at Fort Reno Park, Wilson High School and Alice Deal Middle School show a reading of 10 parts per million -- far below the up to 1,100 parts per million a U.S. Geological Survey finding that closed the park last week. Safe levels of arsenic are listed as 43 parts per million by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Potentially terrible news for local music fans: The Going Out Gurus are reporting that Fort Reno Park, the site of D.C.'s beloved outdoor summer concert series, has been closed indefinitely after United States Geological Survey satellite imaging reports found high levels of arsenic in the soil there. We've since heard from readers who said they saw the park service today in the process of putting a fence around the entire park to ensure no one enters it.

With yesterday's unseasonably warm weather, thoughts of summer time danced in our heads -- and apparently, in the heads of Amanda MacKaye and the other fine folks behind Fort Reno. The free outdoor concerts hosted at Fort Reno are the best part of D.C. summers. If your band wants to play one of the most quintessential local venues, now's your chance. MacKaye and company are accepting demos for the 2008 season from February 11 through March 17. Fortreno.com has been updated for the upcoming season, and has submission details. We can't wait to see who'll be providing the soundtrack to those humid summer nights this year.

We don't understand why Benjy Ferree is not a big star. The Three Stars alum plays roosty indie gems and has great stage presence — he's a funny and engaging and a strong performer. He's toured with Spoon and The New Pornographers and is signed to Domino Records (Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, etc). And his band is basically a D.C. supergroup, with Laura Harris of The Aquarium, Amy Domingues and Jonah Takagi from Garland of Hours, and Drew Mills from Blood Feather. And the new disc, Leaving the Nest, is great. But he doesn't seem to get much notice.

Last night the sun set on another summer at Fort Reno, which always makes us a little wistful. We never make it out to quite as many shows as we want to at the beginning of the summer, and now it's all gone until next year. It also means that parents' options for taking their kids out to see cool music is once again limited. One of our favorite aspects of Fort Reno is...

>> Sigh. It's the last night of Fort Reno, which means summer is officially ending soon. Hopefully it'll dry out in time to make this a great final concert -- scheduled to play are drag-rocker Edie Sedgwick, Sentai, and the adorable Eyeball Skeleton, a Maryland band featuring brothers age 8 and 10 (plus their dad) who are known to sing the lyric "eyeball skeleton" over and over again in what sound almost like fake...

>> It's the last night of Screen on the Green, which would guarantee the National Mall will be packed with folks who have been meaning to catch one all summer on its own -- but tonight's selection is also Casablanca, perhaps the most beloved film of all time, so get there early, kids. Films start around 8 p.m. >> Fort Reno should be similarly packed as they count down their final couple of dates,...

MONDAY >> Fiending for some good ol' bluegrass and Americana? San Francisco's The Pine Box Boys will be delivering just that at the Red and the Black tonight. With two drinks tonight, you'll also be served free beans and rice. We suggest some whiskey to wash it all down. Or, The Whale and Revival open. 9:30 p.m., $8. >>Enjoy the slightly cooler weather by taking in Georgie James, Perfect Souvenir and Brandon Butler at Fort...

Like a beach-side romance, several local bands are coming to an end this summer. The Sentiment (pictured), who we profiled in a Three Stars piece last summer, said farewell last night at Fort Reno. Let's French (***) are "being exiled" and are playing their last show on August 17 at the Black Cat. The Hard Tomorrows, who graced the stage of our second Unbuckled show, just called it quits last month. Say it ain't so!...

>> Most of the city it seems will be heading to RFK after work, so plan your Metro rides on the Blue and Orange line accordingly. >> The band that brought you the third most played song on the DCeiver's iPod, The Daybreak Line, is teaming up with three other list-worth bands (The Grownup Noise, The Able Birds and Aubriot) tonight at the Red & the Black. $8, 4 bands, too good to pass...

>> It's the annual Night of 1,000 Cakes at Fort Reno. Did we mention the Free Cake? Free Cake! (in the form of cupcakes). Also Aquarium, Benjy Ferree and Yell County. 7:15 p.m. >> Jammin' Java in Vienna is trying something different tonight with Porto Beat, a night of electronic music featuring four of the area's top DJ talents: Ross Lara, DJ Lantern, Ramiro and DJ Nexius. All ages show, $10 for under 21,...

Monday >>Provided these thunderstorms pass us by in time, the place to be tonight is Fort Reno. First off, it's free, and we know everyone's wallets are light from all that gas you're having to put in the car just to make a run to the beach. Second, recent Three Stars alums Garland of Hours are taking the stage, along with The Aerialist, and the excellently named Lady in the Radiator. 7:15 p.m., $0....

>> Fort Reno's got Garland of Hours, Aerialist, and Lady in the Radiator. 7:15 p.m., call 703-318-2197 for rain updates. >> Screen on the Green has the excellent, often overlooked thriller Wait Until Dark, which stars Audrey Hepburn as a recently blinded woman who is terrorized by a group of criminals while they try to get to a doll stuffed with heroin they believe is in her apartment. Films start at sunset, call 877-262-5866 for...

Have you made it out to Fort Reno yet this summer? Only six more shows remain in the season's line-up, but Flickr user stgermh made it out to last Thursday's performance to see Scanner Freaks, who loved this photo so much they asked stgermh if they could use them on their MySpace page. We particularly love the contrast of the serene summer sunset with the silhouettes doing some serious rocking out. Stop by Fort Reno tonight, if the weather holds up, to see Garland of Hours, The Aerialist, and Lady in the Radiator. EXIF.

It's happened before and it'll happen again: rumors of a Fugazi reunion began swirling around the blogosphere today.

Rumors are all over the place that Fugazi will get back together for one final show to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their first show, which was documented in Instrumental. The show is supposedly taking place at the Fort Reno Park in Washington, DC on Monday, September 3, 2007.

IT IS A HOAX. apparently it was up on wikipedia this morning and my brother took it down but its been popping up on folks' blogs all day.

>> Fort Reno has Antelope, Scanner Freaks, and OmegaBand tonight, at the usual 7:15 p.m. start time. Check out our Three Stars interview with Scanner Freaks and album review of Antelope for a preview of the show. >> The Bang -- featuring Three Stars veteran Anthony Pirog -- is playing at Wonderland Ballroom with Pilesar and the Quagmire, 10 p.m. >> Former Washington Post writer Jeffrey Frank, now a senior editor at The New...

>> The Capitol Fringe Festival officially kicks off tonight, and we'll have our daily picks of Fringey goodness rolling out for you soon enough. You can buy all your tickets online, by phone at 866-811-4111 Mon–Fri, 9 a.m.–9 p.m. and Sat–Sun, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., or in person at the festival box office at 507 7th Street, next to the Warehouse Theater. The festival runs through July 29, and features over 100 productions from D.C....

>> Fort Reno has The Caribbean, Len Bias and The Ardennes. But the National Weather Service has a Severe Thunder Storm Watch from 2 to 9 p.m., so you might want to hedge your bets and make a back-up plan. >> Ohio's alt-country rawkers Two Cow Garage stop by the Red and the Black tonight, with Minneapolis' Birthday Suits and Richmond's Clint Maul for what should be a loud, fun show all around. $8,...

>> It's going to be hot, but tonight's Fort Reno lineup will be worth it: Greenland, Statehood and Kitty Hawk will each take the outdoor stage. 7:15 p.m., free. >> Stop by the opening night party of the Hip-Hop Theater Festival, at Andalu (1214 18th St, NW) starting at 9:30 p.m. DJ Rich Medina will spin a free set. >> D.C.'s geekiest lit fan-boys will be out in full force both tonight and tomorrow...

MONDAY >> Today's Fort Reno show features local indie poppers Greenland (***) with Statehood and Kitty Hawk. The weather report calls for clear skies, but bring water. 7:15 p.m., free. >> How about another free event? The Black Cat backstage will feature movies about punk rockers Murder City Devils and Anti-Flag. 9 p.m., free. >> This week marks the sixth year of the Hip-Hop Theater Festival, sponsored by the DC Commission on the Arts and...