SHARING THE SHOWS
Pete had been telling me about Rays of Violet, a Grateful Dead tribute based out of Frederick, Maryland. I’m generally not motivated to go that far north to see music when I have so much of it at my fingertips here in the nation’s capital. But they were playing close enough that I was willing to take that Metro ride to Shady Grove, at the tail end of the Red Line, where Pete would pick me up.
Montgomery Village is described on Wikipedia as a “planned suburban community.” And the lush scenery gives just that vibe, complete with a person-made like. After Pete and I frantically navigated our way to a parking spot, we walked down a beautiful path toward the G.W. Bowie Music Pavilion. It sounds grand, but it was a tiny, hilly grove with a small stage. But it was enough to house the band, who was starting with “Cold Rain and Snow” as Pete and I arrived. We walked with Kathy on the way in, and ran into Pete’s friend Steve (whom I met at Jazz is Dead) and their friend George. All I can say is Pete was on point with his assessment of the band. One of my criteria for judging a band is their song selection. Many limit themselves to the obvious tunes: “Casey Jones,” “Uncle John’s Band,” “Shakedown Street,” “Touch of Grey.” Rays of Violet got into deeper cuts like “It Hurts Me Too,” “Cumberland Blues,” “He’s Gone,” (Johnny Mac’s fav), “Dancing in the Streets” (that jam was the highlight for me), and an “Around and Around” encore. Some cool random people at the show: the dude who brings his harmonica to the shows and plays out with the band from the audience, a guy named Elmo, George sharing his popcorn. I took a couple of band stickers and gave a tip, along with a note that said, “Come to DC!” Maybe someday; they’d do well at the Pearl Street Warehouse. And I hope they do. That 90-minute set was a tease. As I sat on the Metro going home, I stared out the window (we get a nice view of the highways and houses from Shady Grove to a little north of the Grosvenor-Strathmore stop). I enjoyed the serenity of this peaceful ride and thought, I’m so happy to live here. Hopefully many more years to come.
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April 2024
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