The X2

fringe /frinj/ adjective 1. not part of the mainstream; unconventional, peripheral, or extreme. Capitol Fringe Festival has cemented itself as part of the DC cultural landscape over the past decade. It returns in 2017 at a time when we need the arts find an apt critique, establish a primer for future life experiences, make sense of things, or simply to escape. I hate to say I ever want to "get lost" in the art, but sometimes you want to stay hidden in it, envelop yourself in it, insulated from reality, for however long that lasts. Other times you want it right front and center for deconstruction and interpretation. However you experience and react to art, there will be a lot of it starting this week in the form of the Capital Fringe Festival.  There are too many shows to list them all, but here are a few I'm intrigued by: Ready to Serve: Remember the Nurses Presented by Ellouise Schoettler, Spoken Word Artist A true story of 64 Maryland Army nurses w...

Ted Leo, Priests, and a whole slew of other amazing artists are playing music and otherwise performing at the Black Cat tonight for NO THANKS : A Night of Anti-Fascist Sound Resistance in the Capital of the USA. NO THNAKS is a benefit for Casa Ruby and ONE DC, two needed, local organizations in these uncertain times. This night is a two-fer of sorts with two mainstage-worthy shows on the same night. NO THANKS is actually on the mainstage and on the Backstage is the Solidarity Cabaret , a burlesque that will benefit Collective Action for Safe Spaces (full disclosure, I'm on the Board of Collective Action for Safe Spaces). Two shows, one venue, three great organizations. Do it!

I had only been to the H Street Festival twice before, and the last visit was 2009. As a new resident to Carver, I was excited to return not as a visitor, but as someone who is that much closer to connecting with neighborhood traditions in a meaningful way. I spent almost all day there, from about 12:30 PM to some time after 7 PM.  Some personal highlights were: Meeting friends in the crowd -- planned & unplanned, eating both lunch and dinner at the festival, enjoying drinks on two different patios (Imm on H and Ben's Chili Bowl), hearing live music from blog friends Atoms Apart and DC legends Rare Essence, walking something like 5 miles over the course of being at the festival, seeing everyone's awesome clothes (I was in regular t-shirt and shorts), and generally reveling in what now seems like DC's best neighborhood street festival.  The festival seemed to go well after the 7PM endtime! Atoms Apart . Good Stuff! Ten01 restaurant is now Ben's U...