Wednesday, June 24, 2009

what's up the pike: sooner than you think

Acorn Market
The Acorn Market at last year's South Silver Spring Block Party.

Good morning. The Red Line is still out of commission after Monday's tragic accident, but as BeyondDC points out, Metro remains hundreds of times safer than driving as a means of getting around. Here's a look at what's happening today in East County:

- Organizers of the South Silver Spring Block Party have announced that this year's event will take place October 3rd. Last year's Block Party, which was in May, featured live music, food, and booths with dozens of local vendors.

- If there's one thing I've never done before, it's sing karaoke at the bar of a chain restaurant. Luckily, there's Silver Spring's Friday's Idol, hosted by the T.G.I. Friday's on Tech Road every Wednesday night at 9pm. You know how hard it is to find a decent watering hole Up The Pike, so I'm taking it for what it's worth.

- But, if that's not your thing: Tonight, the Police Department unveils their plans for the new 3rd District station to be built on Milestone Drive in White Oak. They'll also talk about proposals to build mixed-income housing on the twelve-acre site, which haven't been finalized yet. That meeting is at 7pm at the Eastern Montgomery Regional Services Center on Briggs Chaney Road.

- I.M.P. Productions, the local promoter who tried to circumvent MoCo's deal with Live Nation to open a Fillmore music hall in Downtown Silver Spring, sued the international booking agency, arguing they prevent touring acts from playing in venues they don't own. Best known as owners of the 9:30 Club in the District, I.M.P. also manages Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, which competes directly with Live Nation's Nissan Pavilion in Northern Virginia for shows during the summer concert season.

- Ocean City institution Fractured Prune will be opening in Downtown Silver Spring . . . soon, with signs appearing in its future storefront next to Men's Wearhouse on Fenton Street. Known for its menu of hand-dipped donuts, the store currently has locations in Cloverly and Rockville Town Square; a store in College Park closed last year due to a lack of summer business. (Ironic for a chain that began in a beach town, huh?)

1 comment:

Easley said...

I go to both Merriweather and Nissan Pavilion for at least one show each a summer. The truth is that while IMP likes to portray Merriweather as equal to Nissan, they are different venues. Merriweather is smaller and has a more crowded feel than Nissan does. Merriweather also has a much smaller lawn area than Nissan Pavilion. After you factor in the massive fees for tickets, really lawn seats for most of these shows are the most affordable by a long shot. Merriweather cannot sell as many lawn seats as Nissan can, hence, more bigger name acts will chose Nissan over Merriweather because more money can be made and more exposure can be gained.

And I'm sorry, but I have a hard time finding simpathy for IMP when they attempt to make up for this by constantly overselling the lawn area of concerts at Merriweather to the point that if you don't go in an hour before the show you pretty much can't find a place to stand on the lawn.