D.C. Native and comedian Earthquake graced the stage of the Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse on Thursday, March 20th, 2021, for a night of laughs. It had been a few years since I had the chance to see Earthquake live, so when I found out he was in the DMV, I decided it would make for the perfect date night with my wife. Walking into the venue, one of the first things I noticed was a sign from the venue informing patrons that they no longer needed to wear masks. While I am vaccinated, I still chose to keep my mask on and the bulk of the audience did as well, unless they were eating, or drinking.
The show started about fifteen minutes late, which is the norm; however, once comedian Spencer Neal took the stage, all was forgiven. An Atlanta-based comic, Neal warmed the crowd up with a rapid succession of jokes. Most of Neal’s material revolved around 2020 and how the year was good for him. While I will not spoil the jokes that Neal told, I will say he is a comic on the rise, and he gained an Instagram follower in me.
After Neal’s opening set, Earthquake graced the stage, making his entrance to Drake’s “Show Me a Good Time.” The veteran comic ran through a solid ninety-five minutes without any dry spots. Some of the commentaries included the importance of life insurance, kids with autism, and dating. While I have seen Earthquake before, it was great to hear primarily fresh material and jokes that catered to the DMV audience. My favorite moment of the night occurred when the comic mentioned he is working on a special with Dave Chappelle that will air later this year.
With a night full of laughs and quality service from the wait staff, it was a great night out at the Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse.
Final Grade: A-
This weekend is about celebrating the King of Pop, Mr. Michael Jackson, and his legacy. For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I wanted to highlight his debut solo album, “Got To Be There,” which was released on January 24th, 1972.
Fifteen years after his untimely passing, the King of Pop’s music continues to resonate with us, a testament to its timeless appeal. As we honor his heavenly birthday this past Thursday, I wanted to pay tribute to him with ‘Loving You’ for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday.
When we reminisce about the potential of lead singers who could have been iconic solo acts, the name Sisqó immediately springs to mind. The front man for R&B quartet Dru Hill, Sisqó, stormed onto the scene in 1999 with his solo debut ‘Unleash the Dragon.’ The success of the singles ‘Incomplete’ and ‘Thong Song’ propelled Sisqó’s solo debut to sell a staggering five million copies in the US alone, leaving an indelible mark on the music industry.
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