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-
When discussing families in R&B music, three names are usually at the top: Jackson, Debarge, and Isley. For the first Slow Jam Saturday of 2025, I wanted to show love to Isley Jasper Isley and their hit “Insatiable Woman” from their 1985 album “Caravan of Love.”
For their second single, the group presented a ballad entitled “Feels Like The First Time.” Once again, Greene handles the lyrics, while Neville Hodge is responsible for production duties. Greene begins the song with robust energy, proclaiming his love for the lady. Greene’s group members provide stellar work on the background vocals, and the songs eschew nineties R&B without going into crass vulgarity.
The ballad was composed by Michael Masser and lyricist Gerry Goffin, and it was first recorded by Dionne Warwick in 1981. Eight years later, Natalie Cole covered the song, shortening the title. It became the fourth single from her twelfth album, “Good to Be Back.”
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