You can’t properly call a band a favorite band until you’ve seen ’em live. Only then can you determine if the group deserves that level of love.
We adore the 2 1/2 albums worth of recorded material that’s come from Nashville’s jazz outfit Coal Train Railroad, so much so that the Bear once choreographed a carpet-ice-figure-skating routine to one of their songs. But we’d never seen Chris Donohue & Katy Bowser bring their finger-snaptastic swing tunes to life in front of an audience. Until today.
The duo, along with a D.C.-area piano player and drummer, performed the first of two sets at Wolf Trap’s enchanting Theatre-In-The-Woods, and we four were lucky enough to be there. The group played a handful of songs from each full length album, and one from their digital-only EP, for a packed house of families and campers. The weather was ideal, if not a bit sticky (a little breeze would have been perfect, Mom Nature…just sayin’) and the music was brilliant.
We love this band. And they are one of our favorites. That’s official now.
More great shows are scheduled at Wolf Trap including one more with Coal Train Railroad tomorrow (!), Aaron Nigel Smith, Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem, and The Jimmies over the next 7 days! This was out first visit to the aptly named Theater-in-the-Woods and wow, what a lovely setting for a venue. Bring some bug spray with you though, especially if you and/or your kids are human magnets for bug bites (as my wife and daughters are). And feel free to pack a picnic lunch for after the gig, because there are plenty of tables and shady grassy spots to relax and extend your stay in this National Park for the Performing Arts. If you’d rather eat in air-condition environs, I’ve got a beat on THEE best spot to grab a bite coming up riiiiiight now:
Helpful tip #1: Use Old Courthouse Rd to get to Wolf Trap from the McClean/Falls Church/Vienna direction thus avoiding the construction-y Leesburg Pike (Route 7) and the Rt 267 highway. Helpful tip #2: Grab a post show bite at the Silver Diner in McClean — a clean, affordable spot with killer milkshakes and tons of menu options – many of which include local and/or organic ingredients. Helpful tip #3: Use Old Courthouse Rd. to get Silver Diner after the concert (less than 8 minutes away with a playground on your left about 1/2 way there, in case you are so inclined).
*OWTK received complimentary tickets to the performance today, courtesy of the band. The opinions expressed above are honest and unbiased, as always.