PHOTO STORY

Thievery Corporation at the 9:30 Club

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

It all started at Dupont Circle’s famed Eighteenth Street Lounge, where a young Rob Garza met with owner Eric Hilton to discuss musical influences and tastes. Hilton was a veteran DJ of the D.C. nightlife scene, and Garza was a rising star. That chance meeting led to the formation of the world-famous Thievery Corporation that set off a string of hit records, sold-out stadium tours worldwide, collaborations with the likes of rock legends Perry Farrell, David Byrne and the Flaming Lips, and recently five-sold out shows at the venerable 9:30 Club in the DJ-duo’s hometown Washington, D.C. Hilton and Garza have always embraced the international culture and music found in D.C. and their music reflects that, with songs sung by their collaborating artists in English, Spanish, French, Persian, Portuguese, Romanian and Hindi. Their live shows also reflect on the multi-cultural nature of the band, with a diverse set of musicians rotating in-and-out of the 9:30 Club’s stage to perform various musical genres. Among the local musicians on stage were Rootz and Zee from reggae band See-I, guitarist Rob Myers from Fort Knox Five, as well as local salsa performer Verny Varela. Here are images from a wonderful weekend full of great music, electic performances and good vibes.

WASHINGTON POST EXPRESS
WEEKEND PASS COVER STORY

ARTS & EVENTS

No Identity Crisis Here: Jeff Dunham

Written by Washington Post Express contributor Alfredo Flores

JEFF DUNHAM'S STAGE show starts out as most comics' do, with a short stand-up set. That changes when he unloads boxes that surround him, and Dunham's quiet persona transforms into those of his filthy-minded politically incorrect dummies, er, ventriloquial figures. Achmed the Dead Terrorist got his start in D.C. in Dunham's 2007 "Spark of Insanity" TV special filmed at the Warner Theatre. It's the character that became a YouTube sensation with 200 million hits — the fourth-most-watched online video ever — and turned Dunham into the world's first superstar ventriloquist. Achmed — a bearded, furry-eyebrowed character who tries to act tough despite being all bones — gets frustrated when the audience laughs at his vain attempts to terrify, shouting, "Silence! I kill you." Achmed is an incompetent suicide bomber whose explosives suffer "premature detonation." When asked about his skeletal appearance, he replies, "It's just a flesh wound." To get through airport security, Achmed just says he's Lindsey Lohan. Part of the humor arises from how the characters' carefully crafted appearances immediately telegraph their provenance and attitudes — we give you Bubba J, Dunham's resident "redneck." Once the visuals have been established, the performer is free to provoke and intensify that attitude. And it gets pretty intense: "Each character is me, just exaggerated beyond the socially acceptable point for anyone living outside a suitcase." Dunham himself has become a polarizing figure. Ventriloquism has never been fully embraced by the comedy community, and for every laudatory review — Slate says he's "America's favorite comedian," although that may have been a slap at us, not him — there is scathing criticism. The Washington Post called his recently cancelled "The Jeff Dunham Show" "deadeningly unfunny," and the Chicago Sun-Times called for his viewers to "destroy all the puppets in your home." Ouch. While not all of his characters have been well received in the mainstream, they are adored by Dunham's fans. Those attending Dunham's Verizon Center show on Thursday night will hear from Walter, a Vietnam vet curmudgeon with crossed arms. When Dunham mentions that "Girls Gone Wild " was shot in Fort Lauderdale, Walter replies, "That's only during spring break. The rest of the year, it's 'Girls Gone Saggy.' Then it's 'Girls Gone Senile.' Then it's just 'Girls Gone.'" Expect Jose Jalapeno on a Stick, a mustachioed, sombrero-wearing talking pepper that's unhappy about being on stick. He doesn't enjoy skiing with the other puppets because, he laments, "I had to snowboard." Peanut is a hyperactive Muppet-like purple-skinned "woozle" with white fur on most of his fuzzy body. Peanut asks Dunham if he has ever done drugs, which he denies. Peanut then asks, "How the hell did you come up with me?" Nothing here is going to explode the boundaries of performance. Add to these mild, personality-based gags the stigma of ventriloquism as musty, corny children's entertainment and it's hard to fathom that one of America's most popular comics is a ventriloquist. (He's the third-highest-earning comedian in the United States behind Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock.) But Dunham is tapping into something. "I realized early on that the ventriloquism needed to be just a vehicle for the comedy," the Dallas native said. "It couldn't be the focus of the act. In other words, I needed to focus on the material and the jokes and keep people laughing. The ventriloquism just happened to be my instrument." Dunham has come a long way from the days of performing at any place that would have him — churches, banquet halls, a Six Flags amusement park, and heck, even a TV commercial for a local Datsun car dealership. (The name Datsun, now Nissan to you kids, is the only clue that the youthfully handsome and confident performer is 48.) After the completion of his 60-city tour, Dunham is planning on shooting another one-hour Comedy Central special, and his autobiography "All by My Selves Walter, Peanut, Achmed and Me," will be published this spring. "To me, hard work which results in success at the end is always fun and exciting. More than half the fun of the race is getting to the finish line." » Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW; Thu. Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m., $46.50; 202-397-7328. (Gallery Place)

PHOTO STORY

Stars of Jersey Shore host McFadden's Tuesday College Night

Photo Credit: Alfredo Flores, On Tap Magazine

Two reality stars from the MTV series, "Jersey Shore" Jenni "JWow" and Pauly D, made a red carpet appearance at McFadden's on January 19. The duo was there to host the sold-out crowd, award a spring break giveaway and, oh yeah, do some fist pumping.

PHOTO STORY

Timbaland at the 9:30 Club

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

Many people at the 9:30 Club probably couldn’t predict what kind of show the man who made his living producing some of the most memorable pop music since the mid-1990s would put out. Would he bring in any of the A-list pop stars he’s worked with (Nelly Furtado, Missy Elliot, Justin Timberlake)? Would he rely on his deep throaty rap vocals to fill-in for the guests? And it turns out it was a bit of both, at least virtually. Timbaland was quite the show man, often flexing his giant muscles, smiling and preening for the audience, and making the crowd at the 9:30 Club wave their hands in the air and get down to hit after club banging hit. Sitting in on the jam fest was his house band: Timbaland’s brother Sebastian, rapper Petey Pablo (who rose to fame off of the Timbaland-produced “Raise Up”), and a special preview performance of the newly signed Dr. Dre prodige Haze. For the tracks that didn’t feature those artists, Timbaland looked on to a video screen just to his left where images of his chart-topping co-stars appeared and sang along to Timbaland’s raps—many of the videos coming from last year’s “Shock Value II” including the hit “Say Something.”

PHOTO STORY

Modus Union 2010

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

The Modus Union 2010 fashion show was held at the beautiful Mayflower Renaissance Hotel. The runway show was presented by Mary Amons, founder of Labels for Love and featured Lela Rose’s Spring 2010 Collection. The event was a benefit for the Center for Heart, Lung and Kidney Disease at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington DC. Guests included a who’s who of fashionable Washingtonians including Paul Wharton, Ebong Eka, and Blonde Charity Mafia’s Krista Johnson. The official VIP after-party was held at Recess.

PHOTO STORY

Wale DC Concert

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

Already building off of the buzz from the release of his major-label debut “Attention Deficit” and its hit singles, as well as a surprise guest appearance at The Roots concert at the 9:30 Club recently, D.C.-native Wale thrilled the New Year’s Day sold-out crowd. Just like he did when he hosted the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, Wale had the terrific UCB (Uncalled 4 Band), one of Washington's leading go-go troupes, backing him up with a mix of heavy percussion and funky grooves that kept the party going until the wee hours of the night. The D.C. go-go inspired themes ruled as the biggest reaction of the night came when Wale did a stirring rendition of his hit “Pretty Girls,” which samples go-go legends Back Yard Band. Wale also gave shout outs to his hometown and Prince George’s County in “Chillin.” Opening for Wale were D.C. hip hoppers Fly Gypsy, a comedic performance by Remy (he of "Arlington: The Rap" YouTube fame), and a stand out performance from Pittsburgh rapper Wiz Khalifa who performed with tremendous energy and swagger. He ignited the crowd with his catchy tracks “Pittsburgh Sound” and “Say Yeah.”

PHOTO STORY

Metromix's "Real World D.C." Viewing Party with the RWDC Cast

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

The night many Washingtonians have been anticipating for months finally took place December 30 -- the debut of "The Real World D.C." on MTV. And to commemorate the occasion Metromix held a special Viewing Party at the new Black Finn in D.C., complete with the RWDC cast members Emily, Ashley, Ty, and Callie! Also making it to the party were Chris Wiggins of @RealWorldDCNewz and Metromix's "Real World D.C." blogger Elizabethany. A horde of media from various print, online, and broadcast outlets came to cover the event, which was way over capacity, but didn't stop anybody from having a good time. Once the pre-partying ended, the cast members hushed down the audience, the room darkend and the series premier began with, "This is the true story of..." The party didn't stop at the BlackFinn, as the cast members dispersed to various RWDC-themed "after parties" including one at Halo. Check out our exclusive photos and the cast members' smiles to see why this was a night they'll never forget!

PHOTO STORY

Top 10 D.C.Concerts of 2009

Photo Credit: Metromix concert photographer Alfredo Flores

It's been a stellar year for live music in the D.C. area. Two days in particular will be remembered fondly by many concert-going Washingtonians: U2 graced us with their presence on September 29 (making many forget Lady Gaga was also performing in town that same night), while Virgin Mobile FreeFest hosted an incredible lineup on August 30 at no charge to the audience. But there were plenty of other great shows this year, and Metromix concert photographer Alfredo Flores offers his take on 2009's ten best concerts based on visual spectacle, stage presence, rapport with audience and, of course, their music.

PHOTO STORY

Raphael Saadiq live at 9:30 Club

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

A blend of 1980s classic R&B, neo-soul new school and several odes to the style of Motown-era blues, Oakland, Calif.-born Raphael Saadiq brought his smooth rhythms to the 9:30 Club. Many may remember Saadiq as a key member of the new jack swing group Tony! Toni! Tone!, which had their best years in the late-1980s to mid-1990s. And many of the crowd at the 9:30 Club surely did remember those days as they chanted for Saadiq to sing the band’s seminal hit “Anniversary.” Saadiq teased the crowd by repeatedly asking if “ya’ll ready for Anniversary?” only to go into songs from his solo career. But that’s a good thing considering his soulful hits like "Ask of You" and "Me & You," all sung passionately on stage, Saadiq often clutching the microphone, eyes closed, letting the music take over his soul.

PHOTO STORY

Dancing w/ theStars' Mya & accused "White House Party Crashers" @ America's Polo Cup

Photos by Alfredo Flores, D.C. Entertainment Examiner

Grammy-award winner and "Dancing with the Stars" runner-up Mya shines at Land Rover America's Cup 2009, co-founded by Tareq Salahi. Filming for a potential spot on “Housewives of D.C.” was former model Michaela Salahi, who along with husband Tareq have recently been accused of crashing last week’s White House state dinner honoring the Indian prime minister. The event also featured a special performance by Grammy-winner and feature star of the upcoming season of "Dancing with the Stars" Mya.

PHOTO STORY

They Might Be Giants Play for Kids (and Grownups Later)

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town

Always looking to expand their musical horizons, They Might Be Giants hosted a show for both kids and adults, and one just for adults at the 9:30 Club -- selling out both. They Might Be Giants’ appeal to children is easy to see and hear, with their folksy tunes about science (paleontology, evolution, astronomy, chemistry, anatomy and more), and a fun portion of the concert sung by sock puppets called "The Avatars of They."

ARTS & EVENTS

The Upside of Heartache: Aventura

Written by Washington Post Express contributor Alfredo Flores

PERHAPS IT'S A good thing bachata boy band Aventura grew up in the South Bronx rather than the Dominican Republic. While the bachata Latin genre is popular in the DR, it was considered hick music for older folks due to its origins in the rural countryside. But there were no stigmas attached to the music in New York, where Dominican-Yorkers like Aventura's lead singer and heartthrob Anthony "Romeo" Santos could sing enchanting and soulful love ballads to his heart's content. "Many people thought that bachata was for middle-aged guys who would kill themselves if their wife didn't come back for them. It's sad stuff, man." Sad might be an understatement. The original name for the bachata genre was "amargue" — bitter — and its lyrics are laced with heartbreak, infidelity and tears. But in the 1990s, many bachata bands ditched the acoustic guitar in favor of electric while keeping the traditional bongos and guira percussion instruments. Aventura took it a step further and added R&B and hip-hop elements — that led to more than 1 million albums sold thanks to hit singles "Ella y Yo," "Mi Corazoncito," "Obsesion" and the newly released "Por un Segundo."
"It's tough for young people to admit they like bachata because of its reputation as a 'back in the days' type of music, but now they can say it with pride that they love bachata because of Aventura." The title of the new album, "the Last," had many fans fearing the group might split up, but it's merely the final album under Aventura's old contract with Premium Latin Music label. It's also a signal that change is coming to the band's music. "We don't want to marry any genre," said Santos. "We definitely want do more collaborations in the future. But you can say goodbye to 100 percent bachata." The new album features Santos translating Wyclef Jean and Ludacris trying to woo in "Spanish Fly" and in "All Up 2 You" an electronic booming beat is layered with Spanish-language raps from reggeaton duo Wisin y Yandel and R&B singer Akon (yes, Akon en espanol).

Haunted Hill 09 Photos

PHOTO STORY
WWW.CYPRESSHILL.COM

Monday, November 2, 2009

Haunted Hill 09 Photos

Photo Credit: www.alfredoflores.net
Posted by Cypress Hill at 5:51 PM

A few shots from this past weekend's Haunted Hill show at the Nokia Theatre in NYC

PHOTO STORY

W Washington D.C. Grand Opening Celebration

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

Six-time Grammy Award winning artist John Legend and actress and singer-songwriter Emmy Rossum were among the celebrities and VIPS in attendance at the W Washington D.C. Grand Opening Celebration in downtown. Also in attendance were TrenDC’s Paul Wharton and Reggie Love, President Obama's Body Man, who all walked the “purple carpet” under the glow of the luminous purple “W” sign of the lavish hotel. The W is the closest hotel to the White House, and acclaimed designer Dianna Wong has redesigned the historic Hotel Washington, infusing bright colors and contemporary design while preserving the building’s Beaux Arts architecture.

PHOTO STORY

"Becky's Fund: Walk This Way" Charity Fashion Show

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

For the first time ever in D.C., the lavish Liaison Hotel was home to an "over the pool runway show" featuring several players from Washington Redskins and D.C. United in support of Becky's Fund, which raises awareness to help prevent domestic violence in the community. The rooftop runway for Becky's Fund: Walk this Way was hosted by the Redskins' Clinton Portis & Custom Clothiers' Eric Finn. Other Redskins in attendance were Jason Campbell, DeAngelo Hall and Chris Cooley, joined by United players Bryan Namoff, Devon McTavish and Santino Quaranta. The event also marked the beginning of a new strategic partnership between George Washington University Hospital Women's Board and Becky's Fund to work together to spread the message of respect, hope, and empowerment.

PHOTO STORY

U2 360° Tour at Fed Ex Field

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

U2? Perhaps it’s a band you may have heard of! Well the masses made the trek out to Fed Ex Field in Landover, MD to see the spectacle that is U2. Like the 360° description in the tour’s title, U2’s stage itself is circular and is almost completely encircled by another ring – Bono’s runway so he can walk deep into the audience on the field. The Dublin, Ireland rockers have released 12 studio albums, with worldwide sales totaling 145 million records, and they have won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other band. But none of that mattered to those lucky enough to get tickets to the sold-out show. Many in attendance gawked at the U2’s enormous stage, which featured a steel structure that took four days to build, $40 million to construct, three days to break down, transport and set up again, and features a 150-foot pylon and a 54-ton cylindrical video screen that lit up Fed Ex Field. U2’s arena anthems were a perfect fit for what quite possibly has been one of the biggest stage setups in the history of live music. Among the hits belted out by Bono, rocking his signature purple shades, during the band’s two-and-a-half hour show, were "Beautiful Day," "New Years Day,” "Get On Your Boots," and "Where The Streets Have No Name." One of the more touching moments of the night was when Bono pulled a Persian-American from the audience, and denounced racism in the United States. The two were draped by a large American flag while they sang "Sunday Bloody Sunday." Opening for U2 were English rockers Muse.

PHOTO STORY

Pink and The Ting Tings: A Colorful Show at Patriot

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town

Pink, often stylized as P!nk, has sold more than 31 million albums worldwide. Her songs are characterized by their personally rebellious tone and a statement-like strict use of the first person. Pink’s fifth and most recent album, "Funhouse," was released in late October 2008 and was preceded by her first solo number one on the Billboard Hot 100, "So What."

ARTS & EVENTS

The Language of Dance: Reggaeton Club Stars Wisin y Yandel

Written by Washington Post Express contributor Alfredo Flores

AT THE MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS last month, everyone in the audience was stunned when Kanye West rudely stole Taylor Swift's moment by storming the stage. Many were wondering why he would do such a thing, but reggeaton stars and first-time VMA nominees Wisin y Yandel were just wondering what the heck was going on. "Remember that we don't speak the language, so we did not know exactly what was being said, but we felt that something inappropriate was taking place," said Wisin (born Juan Luis Morera Luna) in Spanish — his "La Revolucion" with Yandel is this year's top-selling Latin album. "And our heart just went out to that young lady." While they may not speak English, their infectiously danceable Latin hip-hop is crossing cultures, being played on English-language music networks and radio stations. Their "Abusadora" was nominated for the MTV VMA for best pop video, becoming the first nominated song written entirely in Spanish in the history of the awards. To be happy just to be nominated is a cliche, but Wisin y Yandel (Yandel's real name is Llandel Veguilla Malave Salazar) were beaming while walking down the red carpet. They hobnobbed with English-language collaborators (through their manager/translator) they've worked with in the past — including 50 Cent, Lenny Kravitz, Fat Joe, Paris Hilton and — and those they may work with (a Justin Timberlake collab is in the works). Their work with 50, who raps in "Mujeres in the Club" in "Revolucion," began last year when W y Y invited him to perform with them at Madison Square Garden. "To our surprise, he came," Wisin said. "Not only did he perform with us; he expressed that he loved our music and would like to continue to collaborate with us, so we wrote 'Mujeres in the Club.' He sent it back to us with his rap on it, and the rest is history." That history includes 50,000 at a concert in Venezuela when 50 opened for the Puerto Rican duo in February, and a raucous sold-out show last month in Miami erupted when T-Pain made a surprise cameo performance. While Wisin y Yandel differ in music styles, they seemed perfectly joined at the hip when performing, finishing each other's sentences, fast and slow parts of tracks flowing perfectly. Wisin is assertive and aggressive — his spit-fire raps fire up the crowd — while Yandel is calmer, more laid-back. This combination of hard raps with smooth vocals, in with dembow, hip-hop, dancehall, reggae and pop, have led to a string of club-banging hits like "Rakata," "Llama Pa' Verte" and "Sexy Movimiento." » Patriot Center, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax; Thu., Oct. 1, 8 p.m., $38.50-$78.50; 703-993-3000.

PHOTO STORY

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Pack the 9:30 Club

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town

Indie-rock demigods the Yeah Yeah Yeahs packed the house at 9:30 Club last Friday night. The band's lead singer Karen O has been noted for her sense of fashion, wearing ostentatious outfits made by her friend, fashion designer Christian Joy. The hipster leaders are based in NYC.

PHOTO STORY

Fruit Bats Hang at Black Cat

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town

Fruit Bats were formed in 1999 by guitarist, pianist and singer Eric Johnson, the band's main songwriter and only constant member. The folk rock band originated from Chicago, but is now based in Seattle. Originally part of short-lived Chicago group I Rowboat, Johnson and two of his fellow Rowboat members, guitarist Dan Strack and drummer Brian Belval, created Fruit Bats as a side project.