1. Prince of Petworth reports that the Red and the Black will merge with Palace of Wonders. This is based on an announcement at the ANC 6A ABC Committee. Both are small spaces, so this isn't a total shock. Previously I've reported on plans for the Red and the Black to possibly create their own choucrouterie and pickles for gourmet burgers. The upstairs space will be joined, and the combined bar will host both the bands common at the Red and the Black, and the burlesque show fare typical of Palace of Wonders.
2. Ethiopic is now open, but only by reservation (this week and next week). I went on Monday and the food was top notch. Email info@ethiopicrestaurant.com for a reservation.
3. Dangerously Delicious Pies opens on the 19th.
4. Prince of Petworth glances at Liberty Tree.
I thought this had posted last night, but apparently it saved as a draft.
31 comments:
Joe Englert said:
Palace of Wonders and all its shows will still be featured at the new space. Why mess with a great success?
Stage should be just as big with much better sight lines. More people can watch a show and the new stage will be on the second floor.
We will have 4-5 shows a week featuring bigger and better acts. Alot of the old favorite acts will also return.
Priscilla and the Gang at POW and Anne and the Gang at Red and the Black have really worked hard all these years. We believe by joining the space and offering hot food and snacks, we really will do much better.
Lastly, we are keeping ALL the great circus stuff at the POW, just rearranging it a bit.
The Red and the Black Palace will give the neighborhood better shows, great food and a place for young families to eat earlier in the night. We look forward to a fun and profitable future.
Joe Englert said too:
The 4-5 shows will be a mixture of burlesque, rock and roll and variety. Sometimes just one of the genres, sometimes more than one!
Joe Englert also said:
The 4-5 shows will feature sometimes rock and roll, sometimes burlesque. Other nights will be a combination of the two genres. Lots of possibilities. Lots of fun coming our way
Sounds great. Thanks for the details and clarification.
Glad to hear there will be more POW shows. This place has a great charm once you get to know it.
Awesome..sounds to me like a good plan. Keep up the good work Joe!
Joe .. or anyone that know.
Will the bars be closing bars for renovation? If so when will the new space be closed and what is the current schedule for the re-opening?
THanks
Is anyone else having problems with their USA channel (channel 65)? My screen went blue on that channel only, but I can still hear the audio for the shows. I'm missing my NCIS and its driving me insane!
Nevermind USA just came back. See ya later FT - NCIS is on!
I hope that this merger will lead to an emphasis on booking bands and not result only in an expansion of the carnival/burlesque acts. I guess what I am trying to say is that I hope that the merger focuses more on the Red and the Black than on the Palace of Wonders aspects. The booking at the RnR Hotel kind of sucks, so there is a huge opportunity for the Red and the Black Palace to become a premiere venue for live music in DC.
does anyone know if Ethiopic is taking carry out orders this week? I cant find a phone number on their website. Anyone have a phone number for them?
Joe Englert said:
Music lover you are joking about RnR right?
The booking at Rock and Roll Hotel is very good, especially for a young club.
A very large amount of the newer acts we book end up going on to play 9:30, Black Cat or Birchmere the next time they tour (Phoenix, St. Vincent, Teagan and Sara, Black Angels, Tokyo Police Club, Vampire Weekend, Delta Spirit, Beach House,The Rosebuds, The Ravonettes, The Walkmen, Joanna Newsome..and hundreds more have alread played there).
These are the most highly acclaimed bands of their era and they play in your backyard constantly.
by the way, the Grateful Dead broke up.......
The dead broke up?!?!?! next thing you'll tell us the Doobie brothers split. We're not THAT gullible!
Good luck with RBP!
The booking at RnR sucks?!?
I think it's great to have both Red & Black and RnR Hotel as venue's in DC. The bookings span a pretty wide range of types of music and levels of talent. This eclectic (and often very good) line-up is in keeping in line with the also-eclectic character of H Street in general.
So, I for one hope that the merged club offers more of everything. More music, more POW shows. . . and who knows, maybe mash-ups of the two. (e.g., a flame throwing, sword swallowing, spoken word, acid jazz band. . .with magic tricks).
I don't want Red and Black to become "the premiere venue in DC". I absolutely want it to be successful and fill the house every night, but to do it with the same recipe of interesting, emerging entertainment. There's plenty of boring, mainstream stuff elsewhere in DC.
Keep up the good work Joe (and partners).
(this writer has no ownership interest in any H Street venue, but he does rely upon such venues for regular, reliable, hassle-free, tool-free entertainment, food, and beverage).
RnR hotel gets some good acts. DC still needs a venue to replace Nation. It was bigger than 930, but smaller than the really large venues. Thats whats we are actually missing. Red & black was good for really really small acts, but there are other venues like DC9 and a few others that fit that size. Hopefully with a slightly laregr red and black we can get some synergy between that and RnR hotel.
Yeah, the thing about the small size of the Red & the Black was that because of that small size, it was a place that local acts just trying to get their feet underneath them could play. I'll certainly be happy if the expanded stage means better music on H, but I'll also be bummed if it means less opportunity for local acts. Compared to other cities of comparable size, DC's local rock scene needs all the help it can get.
Will the bottom floors merge? The first floor at Red and Black is my favorite spot on H. I've always felt an uncomfortable vibe at PoW, to put it politely. That's my problem though, so I just don't frequent it. Plenty of other options. But I'd be dissapointed to see my favorite spot turn into the exact type of place I don't want to go to anymore.
ate at ETHIOPIC last night, it was fantastic. big step up from the U Streeters, both in terms of food and ambiance. The variety of dishes was a nice surprise. in addition to the usual standard tips, lentils doro wot etc that I know had a bunch of other new stuff so we got a sampler. Delicious and we were stuffed. def going back.
6:13,
I can pretty much guarantee tha t Ethiopic won't be doing take out until they fully open.
Ethiopic doesn't have a phone number on the website yet, but I made a reservation by emailing the email address listed and that was fine. if you want to pick up an order I'd email them. They boxed up my leftovers the other day (yummm) no prob so maybe do take out if you ask ahead
I love Palace of Wonders, and I really like The Red & the Black. I', glad that all the decor is staying, since it really makes it such a unique spot. Music...burlesque...Abita beer--it all sounds good to me.
Not to derail this conversation, but I thought there was a dumpling place going in above Red & Black?
Congrats on the expansion/merge, should be great for everyone.
Kiki,
that's above the Pug.
Joe Englert said:
Red and the Blackdowsntairs will remain virtually the same. It will lose upstairs bar but gain a bigger stage, better lighting and sound system.
Palace of Wonders downstairs will have more seating for food, a kitchen. Upstairs it will be more wide open to watch bands and performers.
I'm so damn old. Am I the only one who has never heard of any of the bands Joe mentioned coming to the R&R Hotel?
the only band i know in that list is vampire weekend, who was just on snl.
I'm mid thirties and somewhat hip, but not up to date on the newer up and coming bands.
The two shows I've seen there have been very impressive, eventhough I had never heard of them before.
Friends of mine who really know music say RR has a good lineup.
Anon 12:55 -- I've heard of about half those acts (VW, Tegan and Sara, Joanna Newsome, Tokyo Police Club, The Rosebuds). Vampire Weekeend I know well; the rest, I've heard a song or two here and there.
One of the great things about the net is the way it's broadened the base of acts with which it's easily possible to become familiar. You're not going to hear any of these bands on a local FM radio station; but you come across many of them all over the Web.
An easy way to hear a lot of modern acts: get a free account on Pandora or Slacker. Create a channel based on one reasonably modern/current song or band that you like. Listen and pay attention to the ones you like. You'll start hearing lots of current stuff before too long. In the last 12 months, I've bought a ton of music from bands like the Tyde, Otter Petter, the Humbugs, all small bands from far away that I would never have heard of if it wasn't for the web. Mind, even then, there'll be tons and tons of current acts that you won't know; but that's just because there's so much music out there . . .which is a good thing. :)
Joe I'm getting confused about how this is coming together..
The "Red and the Black Palace" will essentially be 1 consolidated upstairs venue for a variety of music/shows while downstairs will remain two small bars serving food from the same kitchen?
Or are the downstairs bars merging to be 1 larger bar?
Either way sounds cool.
Not to be a tool, but I have heard all the bands Joe mentioned, and every single person in this thread has heard Phoenix - assuming you've seen a Cadillac commercial in the past year.
P.S. The booking at both Red and the Black and R&R is amazing. This is only one anecdote, but I saw Here We Go Magic last year at RedBlack. All my friends and I agreed they should be playing at 9:30 or DAR. Just last week they played at R&R. Watch out for them. They will be the next big thing.
I saw Heartless Bastards at RnR Hotel and was very impressed that a large crowd was there to see them. I didn't think there had such a following. maybe the next time they play in DC it will be at the 930. RnR is one of those venues where it is a stepping stone for bands. To me, 930 is too large, only because I am getting old and have done enough partying in my time.
Also, it has been some time since I ahve visited any bars on H St. Whatever is done to PoW & RnB will not make me go. Having an income and an improvement to the economy and having some spending money will only allow me to visit these places again.
To be fair, Vampire Weekend and Beach House did get their DC start in Red and the Black. Amazing shows, and really cool to see acts like that in a small room before they became huge.
Post a Comment