Save the Senator
February 13, 2009
Local bands unite to preserve historic Maryland theater
By Holden Warren
Special to Metromix
Sipping $1 Bohs and $2 PBR tall boys, a hip crowd milled around the lobby of the Senator on Feb. 13 as it waited for the first of the three-day Save the Senator benefit to begin. The set up was beautiful: A large stage in front of the giant screen offered the feel of a different era. "I wanted a Fillmore-style rock show," said organizer Sean Brescia, noting that he was making a DVD of the event.
The night began with a local short film, then the music began. Prozakistan performed first, followed by Nathan Bell, whose banjo virtuosity created an utterly captivating rockabilly mood. Next, Jana Hunter took a break from serving at the bar to share her musical stylings. Wye Oak took the stage briefly, performing in front of projections of James Brown. The John Hardy Boys got the crowd to its feet, which was followed by a rousing old-school-rock-meets-new-school-cool set by D.C.-based US Royalty. The Payola Reserve closed the show. Folks made some noise while basking in the band's smooth sounds and horn solos.
It's unclear whether the show actually saved the Senator, but there's no doubt the night was a great one. Viva la Senator!
