I don't know how I had missed the Strathmore for so long, but it wasn't until this summer that the hubs and I finally saw a concert there. Rodrigo y Gabriela, a dynamic guitar duo from Mexico, were passing through DC on their tour, and we had to see them. We first listened to them years ago when we were traveling through South America, and if their albums and YouTube videos were any indication, we needed to see them live to get the full experience.
The land that the Strathmore is on is beautiful. It's green and rolling, and in the late sun, everything looks golden and warm. Their outdoor patio space was a great place to sit for a while and sip on a drink before heading in for the show.
The interior of the theatre channels a similar vibe, with everything done in light wood and the mezzanines following soft, curving lines. At first I wasn't quite sure what to make of it, initially expecting a darker, plusher feel like that of the Kennedy Center. I later decided that I liked it, and I've certainly never been in a performance space quite like this one.
Rodrigo y Gabriela completely rocked it, and by the end of the concert we were all on our feet, clapping along and cheering them on with big grins on our faces. These two have so much energy and force in their style, and it was absolutely entrancing to both watch and hear them create such lively music. They ended with a variation of my favorite song, Tamacún (seriously, go watch that video right now!!), that was powerful, crazy, ecstasy-inducing, and perfect. I'm so happy that we were able to see them!!
The Strathmore treated us well, and in such a neat space, we would definitely be open to returning for more performances. DC has no shortage of performance venues, and I'm glad that we finally made it to this one.
