8/6/2019 DC 101 Chilli Cook-off/En Vogue @ the Birchmere

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THURSDAY,MAY19,2011

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TIME OUT!

MAY 19, 2011

Great grillingIshaq takes the

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FOOD & WINE

Having a blast

on Big BangAarti Mann dishes

on shows season

finale. PAGE 28

NIGHT IN

MUSIC

Women in Jazz Festival hits the Kennedy CenterDee Dee Bridgewater to host event. PAGE 33

ANDREW HARNIK/EXAMINER

Kick it up a notchKick it up a notchWeezer, Panic! At the Disco to take stage withWeezer, Panic! At the Disco to take stage withMiddle Class Rut, others for DC101s Chili Cook-OffMiddle Class Rut, others for DC101s Chili Cook-Off

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8/6/2019 DC 101 Chilli Cook-off/En Vogue @ the Birchmere

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THE LIST

If unfamiliar with the pop-rocksensibilities of Sacramento, Calif.-basedMiddleClassRut,a chancetoget a taste ofwhatthisduobringstothe stage presents itself this week-end.

Middle Class Rut opens theannual Chili Cook-Off on Saturday,thisyearfeaturingWeezer, Seether,Papa Roach andPanic!Atthe Disco.

Its cool, to be able to have so

many types ofbandsthat areprettypopularon thesameshowmakes fora goodone, saidguitarist andvocal-ist ZackLopez.

Lopez and band mate SeanStockhamhavebeen touring plentythelast few months. Thepairplansto continue playing shows throughtheend of thesummer.Familiarwith the festival circuit,

Middle Class Rut has shared thestage with the likes of Weezer andPanic! At theDiscoat other gigs.

I dont even know if it does,

if it fits in more or less than anyother bands up there, Lopez saidof where his bands sound fits. Ithink these typesof showsfeela lotdifferent than when you play yourownshowat a club orsomething.Itsa cool opportunity to play for fansthat you normally wouldnt get toplay for.

The Middle Class Rut duo offersa sort of raw energy that also pres-ents certain atmospheric qualities.Think Kings of Leon meets theBlack Keys.

The band has last years full-length No Name No Color andfiveEPs to itscredit.

The way we perform is prettymuch the same way we recordedthe record, Lopez said. Its pretty

stripped down. Its just the two ofus. I think the record was just araw, fast thing that happened. Ithink thats why it worked for us.Its pretty raw, and its pretty loud.When do it live it sounds prettymuch like that.

While maybe not householdnames, Lopez and Stockham arecertainly not new to the musicindustry. As part of another bandwitha recorddealat the turnof the

century, thepairlearneda lotof les-sonsas that earlier opportunity fellapart.

Peopleweremore willingto takechances andmoneywasnt so tight,Lopez said. I think we got in at a

timewhenwedidnt realize howfor-tunatewe were tohave gotten what

we did.We didnt really take it any-

where, he continued. We wereyoung, we had a ton of money, andwe kind of wasted it away on theHollywood party scene than try-ing to be a really good band. I dontthinkwewerereadyto get thebandon that level yet. It took a while tofind a sound that we were looking

for.Not allacts get a secondchance.Weve beenfortunate that way,

Lopez said.Were gladthat peopleknow us now from the band weredoing now.

MUSIC

Middle Class Rut opens solid Chili Cook-Off lineupByRobertFulton

Special to TheWashingtonExaminer

1 Choral Arts Society ofWashington: Music DirectorNorman Scribner conductsthe CAS and the ChildrensChorus of Washington inNorthern Lights: ChoralIlluminations fromScandinavia and Beyond

with a world premierecommission from Finnishcomposer Olli Kortekangasexploring the relationship

between man and nature.Where: Kennedy Center ConcertHallWhen: 5 p.m. SundayInfo: $15 to $65; 202-785-9727,202-467-4600 or 800-444-1324;

choralartssociety.org

2 National SymphonyOrchestra: ThomasDausgaard conductsEnSaga by Sibelius, NielsensSymphony No. 4 (TheInextinguishable) andBeethovens Piano ConcertoNo. 4 performed by NikolaiLugansky.Where: Kennedy Center ConcertHallWhen: 7 p.m. May Thursday,1:30 p.m. Friday, 8 p.m.SaturdayInfo: $20 to $85; 202-467-4600or 800-444-1324; kennedy-center.org

3 The Philadelphia Orchestra:WPAS presents CharlesDutoit conductingMendelssohns HebridesOverture, TchaikovskysSymphony No. 5 andWaltons Violin Concerto

performed by Gil Shaham.Where: Kennedy Center ConcertHallWhen: 8 p.m. FridayInfo: $42 to $97; 202-385-9727

Emily Cary

BEST MUSIC

En Vogueaccumulated awards andnomi-nations fromtheoutsetof their success asoneof the most popular female vocal groups ofalltime.More than20 years later, theyboastthesamemembers TerryEllis,CindyHer-ron,MaxineJones andDawnRobinson andthesamerich voices, energyand personalitiesthat setthem apart.

This week, they return to the Birchmerefor two bedazzling evenings of their great-

est hits. Unlike her colleagues, who are stillbased in California, Jones makes her homenear Charlottesville, Va.

While in the studio cutting a new albumscheduled for releasein a fewweeks, shetooka fewmomentsto talkabout thejoyofsinging

with threedynamicwomenand thechallengeeach has faced while balancing a rewardingcareerwith familydemands.

I, and at least two others in En Vogue,were focused on a solo career at the outset,Jones said. Even though we were all strongsingers,it was easyfor usto sharethe stage.Competition was never a problem. I loveour music because its a lot like the music Ilistened to growing up. We see lots of youngpeopleat ourconcertswhomaynothavebeenbornwhenwefirstgottogether, butthey lovewhat theyre hearingfrom us thats so differ-

entfrom themusic being writtentoday.With the advent of a new, young fan base,

stalwart fans who go back to the beginning,theupcomingrelease ofthe album,anda real-ityshowon thehorizon,EnVogueanticipatesa busy future.

We love performing at Birchmere and

look forward to showingtheaudience thatwestillhaveit, cangetoutthere, interactandberelevant, Jones said. Our fans can expectour greatest hits together with all-originalnumbers.

Songwriter/vocalist/producer L. Young

opens for En Vogue with songs from his lat-estalbum, Loveis aVerb. Hesaysthe show

will rekindle craving for the kind of melodic,romantic numberspennedand performedbyMarvin Gaye and StevieWonder.

Opening for En Vogue, an iconic female

groupof thepastfewdecades, isa huge honor.I know that our Birchmere audience willappreciate music with deep meanings thatevoke change in people. Many out there are

waiting forour kind of music.

MUSIC

En Vogue and L. Young at BirchmereByEmilyCarySpecial to TheWashingtonExaminer

ONSTAGE

EnVogue with L. Young Where: The Birchmere, 3701 Mount

Vernon Ave., Alexandria When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday Info: $59.50; 703-549-7500; birch-

mere.com

ONSTAGE

TheDC101Chili Cook-Off Where: RFK Stadium Festival

Grounds When: 11 a.m. to 8:15 p.m.

Saturday Info: General admission is

$35 in advance, $55 at thedoor. VIP tickets are $250.Benefits the National Kidney

Foundation; dc101chilicookoff.com Bands: Weezer, Seether,

Papa Roach, Panic! At theDisco, Neon Trees, PaperTongues, and Middle ClassRut

The Chili: Plenty of if, with101 cooks competing.

Schedule Middle Class Rut, 11:40 a.m. Paper Tongues, 12:40 p.m.

Neon Trees, 1:40 p.m. Panic! At the Disco, 2:50 p.m. Papa Roach, 4:05 p.m. Seether, 5:25 p.m. Weezer, 6:45 p.m.

COURTESY PHOTO

The female R&B group En Vogue is set to performat the Birchmere this weekend.

COURTESY PHOTO

Alternative rock duo Middle Class Rut is set to open for Weezer, Seether and Panic!

At the Disco at the DC101 Chili Cook-Off on Saturday.