I was at the Mates of State show at the Rock n' Roll Hotel last night and was struck once again by the lives and times of musicians. While watching the duo run through a strong (and flagrantly pop-y) 70 minute set I realized that the degrees of coolness that can be climbed by (possibly) high school bandies are immense. In particular, watching Kori work the keyboards, sing, and dance about was proof to me that if you play as a child - or maybe are forced to play as a child - the path to rock n' roll stardom* is possible. Think about it: if you played sports then you could play pro sports. That's interesting, but getting to a point where people come and watch you play is not only too distant for most, but not even a significant change in stature You're smart at math and become some Sports Illustrated-featured geek who rules the regressive world? Sort of interesting, but not rock n' roll. Play keyboards in the school band, or take piano lessons for years as a kid, and then end up playing in front of hundreds of bouncing fans on a Friday night? Very cool. In the end everyone wants to be a rock star. Everyone.
The RnR Hotel gets a B+ as a venue. A perfect size, pretty good drinks, and an above average sound system. Add to those the additional bars on the second floor and the roof garden and it's well worth visiting for shows. In particular, with a warm room last night (it was 50 degrees in D.C.), the roof garden with some heaters was a perfect late-night hangout. The minor downgrades are location (not near a Metro, though the H. St NW area is quite nice), and the bar location within the showroom - totally blocked during the sets.
* My definition of rock n' roll stardom is making a living while playing even moderate-sized venues with adoring fans. Preferably, adoring fans with beers in their hands - bar fans. You know what I mean. Also, I shouldn't sell Jason short, but the degrees that launch a drummer from cool to cooler are far easier to overcome, right? What do I know.
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