Diamond Area / Hermitage Rd Corridor / Ownby District

[I miss RVA]

On 2/24/2023 at 3:16 PM, Hike said:

I had the albums you mention but wore the grooves off of Goodby Yellow Brick Road.

"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" was an all-timer. Tons of classics came off that album.

Now, the album I wore the grooves off of (I actually had to replace it with a second copy of the album) was "Tumbleweed Connection". To this day, it's my all-time favorite of his albums. "Madman" is my second fav. 

BTW - "Rocket Man" was a cut off of the "Honky Chateau" album.  (You prolly knew that, tho!)

Now - I had his first 13 albums (both studio and live) in succession - from "Empty Sky" (1969) through "Blue Moves" (1976) - including the 1971 soundtrack album to the movie "Friends" AND the "11-17-70" album produced released following his live radio concert in New York in November of 1970. (In Great Britain, the album is entitled "17-11-70")

Thanks to modern technology, the internet and YouTube, MANY MANY MANY of his live concerts from that era - as well as original demo cuts - are available. I LOVE listening to his sound from 1970 and '71. Just utterly amazing - AMAZING - music! I particularly enjoy the more obscure songs. Not that his classics from that era aren't good - but WOW... the less-famous tracks like "Razor Face"... "Rock Me When He's Gone"...  "Come Down In Time"... "Where To Now St. Peter"... "Ballad of a Well-Known Gun"... "Skyline Pigeon"... "My Father's Gun"... "Country Comfort"... "Rotten Peaches"...  "Can I Put You On"... "Amoreena"... "Bad Side of the Moon"... "Friends"...  "Indian Sunset"... "Holiday Inn"... "The King Must Die"...  "Honey Roll"... "Empty Sky"...  "Sixty Years On"...  "All the Nasties"... (among MANY others) -- not to mention his AMAZING live covers of "Honky Tonk Woman"... "Get Back"... "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On"... "My Baby Left Me" ... WOW... 

My all-time favorite Elton John song came from this era (1970): "Burn Down the Mission".

No question - 1970-71 is my absolute favorite era of his music. FUN FACT: In 1971 - Elton had no fewer than FIVE albums SIMULTANEOUSLY on the Billboard Top 100 chart. To my knowledge, NO OTHER ARTIST has EVER done that. The albums in question were: "Elton John", "Tumbleweed Connection", "Friends" (movie soundtrack), "Madman Across the Water" and "11-17-70".

i've enjoyed those live performances and songs again and again and never tire of them.

Edited February 25, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Hike]

45 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" was an all-timer. Tons of classics came off that album.

Now, the album I wore the grooves off of (I actually had to replace it with a second copy of the album) was "Tumbleweed Connection". To this day, it's my all-time favorite of his albums. "Madman" is my second fav. 

BTW - "Rocket Man" was a cut off of the "Honky Chateau" album.  (You prolly knew that, tho!)

Now - I had his first 13 albums (both studio and live) in succession - from "Empty Sky" (1969) through "Blue Moves" (1976) - including the 1971 soundtrack album to the movie "Friends" AND the "11-17-70" album produced released following his live radio concert in New York in November of 1970. (In Great Britain, the album is entitled "17-11-70")

Thanks to modern technology, the internet and YouTube, MANY MANY MANY of his live concerts from that era - as well as original demo cuts - are available. I LOVE listening to his sound from 1970 and '71. Just utterly amazing - AMAZING - music! I particularly enjoy the more obscure songs. Not that his classics from that era aren't good - but WOW... the less-famous tracks like "Razor Face"... "Rock Me When He's Gone"...  "Come Down In Time"... "Where To Now St. Peter"... "Ballad of a Well-Known Gun"... "Skyline Pigeon"... "My Father's Gun"... "Country Comfort"... "Can I Put You On"... "Amoreena"... "Bad Side of the Moon"... "Friends"...  "Indian Sunset"... "Holiday Inn"...  (among MANY others) -- not to mention his AMAZING live covers of "Honky Tonk Woman"... "Get Back"... "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On"... "My Baby Left Me" ... WOW...

i've enjoyed those live performances and songs again and again and never tire of them.

I didn’t know that about Rocket Man, I did have the albums, almost all his work,  but for whatever reason gravitated toward the popular hits. Sad but related to Rocket Man, when we had to put one of our cats down, as we held him for the last time, Rocket Man was playing on the vet’s music and every time I hear it now I’m saddened and remember that day. It seemed perfect to symbolize his passing over to the rainbow bridge. 

 

[I miss RVA]

52 minutes ago, Hike said:

I didn’t know that about Rocket Man, I did have the albums, almost all his work,  but for whatever reason gravitated toward the popular hits. Sad but related to Rocket Man, when we had to put one of our cats down, as we held him for the last time, Rocket Man was playing on the vet’s music and every time I hear it now I’m saddened and remember that day. It seemed perfect to symbolize his passing over to the rainbow bridge. 

 

That's a bittersweet story - sad but indeed, beautiful at the same time. 

[Hike]

21 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

That's a bittersweet story - sad but indeed, beautiful at the same time. 

It was perfect and now when we hear it, we smile and remember our little buddy. 

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, Hike said:

It was perfect and now when we hear it, we smile and remember our little buddy. 

Sweet! Elton did an amazing live version of "Rocket Man" in February 1972 -- backed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Royal Festival Hall in London.  So much of Elton's early stuff sounds absolutely AMAZING when coupled with a symphony backing him. What was cool about this concert - Elton demonstrated that he was more than just a wild, innovative rock-and-roll artist who could pound away on the piano and jump around all over the stage. He presented himself as the very serious, classically-trained musician that he is (and he demonstrated this again seven years later when he performed in Moscow with percussionist Ray Cooper and wowed the audiences with his classical-music-themed piano riffs that added a totally different flavor to many of his rock/pop standards of the '70s.

Don't get me started on Elton - we'll be here all weekend. 

Edited February 25, 2023 by I miss RVA

[eandslee]

Looks like City Council approved the $3.5M needed to make the necessary repairs on the Diamond before 7 April.  This is all despite that there is a new baseball stadium in the works. 
 

https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/richmond/richmond-city-council-approves-3-5-million-improvements-to-the-diamond/

[I miss RVA]

7 minutes ago, eandslee said:

Looks like City Council approved the $3.5M needed to make the necessary repairs on the Diamond before 7 April.  This is all despite that there is a new baseball stadium in the works. 
 

https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/richmond/richmond-city-council-approves-3-5-million-improvements-to-the-diamond/

Color me stupid, but this whole thing is just so wacked IMNSHO. Total waste of money unless it's safety related. MLB really can F-off (quoting Chef Ramsay) regarding "up-to-standard" baseball stuff. Unless the clubhouses are also unsafe and unsanitary. This is crazy.

[Urbs42]

It is an unfortunate waste of money, but I'm glad there is more pressure being applied to the city and developers to get their sh*t together and get moving. It's a $3.5MM reminder they have little margin for self-inflicted delays and setbacks they are known for.  

As long as the stadium breaks ground by Sept/Oct it can still be ready for opening pitch 2025. 

[eandslee]

21 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

Color me stupid, but this whole thing is just so wacked IMNSHO. Total waste of money unless it's safety related. MLB really can F-off (quoting Chef Ramsay) regarding "up-to-standard" baseball stuff. Unless the clubhouses are also unsafe and unsanitary. This is crazy.

I’ve heard that the locker room conditions are very poor, so it was probably needed many years ago, but just neglected to do anything…until now. 

[I miss RVA]

55 minutes ago, Urbs42 said:

It is an unfortunate waste of money, but I'm glad there is more pressure being applied to the city and developers to get their sh*t together and get moving. It's a $3.5MM reminder they have little margin for self-inflicted delays and setbacks they are known for.  

As long as the stadium breaks ground by Sept/Oct it can still be ready for opening pitch 2025. 

Wow! That would be a pretty aggressive/ambitious construction schedule, no?

Does anyone think we'll actually even have firm PLANS/schematics/renderings, etc., in place by September/October timeframe?

[Flood Zone]

49 minutes ago, eandslee said:

I’ve heard that the locker room conditions are very poor, so it was probably needed many years ago, but just neglected to do anything…until now. 

It's two separate issues. The locker room conditions are poor, and they have been for a while. But it's the minor leagues, and there's a grand tradition of minor leaguers grinning and bearing it. Although the Flying Squirrels are Double-A, which is in the higher half of the minor league structure, it's still a level filled with prospects and organizational soldiers. Not many major leaguers coming through on rehab assignments, especially given the parent club is on the other coast. So that's issue one -- it's kind of a hole. But issue two is the operative one here. MLB took over the minors and now there are higher standards for minor league facilities -- forced obsolescence in many cases -- with requirements for larger locker rooms/clubhouses, etc. (Some of these are patently necessary, like separate facilities for female umpires.) Issue one is neglect, but issue two is a much more recent edict from MLB.

9 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

Does anyone think we'll actually even have firm PLANS/schematics/renderings, etc., in place by September/October timeframe?

I don't know anything about anything, but I think that's possible! I'd suspect there's all kinds of stuff going on behind the scenes we're not privy to at the moment.

But being ready for OD 2025? I'd say almost no chance. 

[Urbs42]

1 hour ago, I miss RVA said:

Wow! That would be a pretty aggressive/ambitious construction schedule, no?

I've mentioned before but the Charlotte Knights broke ground on their new stadium in Sept 2012 and it opened 18 months later in March 2014, just in time for the season.

So it's possible, but not sure how much more site work would be needed for the Squirrels stadium though. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truist_Field

[eandslee]

Didn’t know if any of you have seen this video, but I had not until now.  The focus is on the Diamond District, but showcases all of what Richmond has to offer in a one-minute ad.  I thought it was worthy of posting here in case you had not seen this yet:

 

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, eandslee said:

Didn’t know if any of you have seen this video, but I had not until now.  The focus is on the Diamond District, but showcases all of what Richmond has to offer in a one-minute ad.  I thought it was worthy of posting here in case you had not seen this yet:

 

Oh dear God -- YES!!! YES!! and DOUBLE YESSS!!!!

FINALLY!!!

THIS is EXACTLY the kind of promo/advertising the city has so desperately needed for EONS! 

Oh wow - it brought tears to my eyes and a huge smile to my face. Yes, I actually got emotional watching this. In truth, this is without question, the best promo AND sell line for the city I've ever seen.

"RICHMOND KEEPS RISING"  

I hope and pray that the powers-that-be are getting up on every rooftop and spreading this gospel all across this great land of ours, coast to coast, border to border, wall to wall. I'm blown away. This is as good as it gets. We need MORE. 

What ever ad agency did this one REALLY got it right. They did their homework and absolutely knocked it out of the ballpark. To say I'm impressed would be an epic understatement of Cecil B. DeMille proportions.

Edited March 2, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Shakman]

Wait a minute.  Richmond has a Hippodrome Theater?  (0:39)   I thought Hippodrome is in Baltimore?

Edited March 3, 2023 by Shakman

[wrldcoupe4]

https://hippodromerichmond.com

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, Shakman said:

Wait a minute.  Richmond has a Hippodrome Theater?  (0:39)   I thought Hippodrome is in Baltimore?

We do indeed, and it's quite famous, historically! 

[Rooster]

The Hippodrome is really cool - all the jazz greats played there in the day as they came through town. The upstairs of the building next door opens onto balcony seating for the theater. They still do events down there - a few years ago Health Diagnostic Lab threw our company halloween party down there and it was off the hook

[I miss RVA]

10 hours ago, Rooster said:

The Hippodrome is really cool - all the jazz greats played there in the day as they came through town. The upstairs of the building next door opens onto balcony seating for the theater. They still do events down there - a few years ago Health Diagnostic Lab threw our company halloween party down there and it was off the hook

If my rather faulty memory serves, 100 or so years ago, the Hippodrome was nationally known - and many referred to it as the Apollo Theatre of the South. Jackson Ward back then held national prominence as one of the country's pre-eminent Black neighborhoods - and N. 2nd Street was thought of as Richmond's version of 125th Street in Harlem.

Edited March 5, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Flood Zone]

Your memory is spot-on here.

[Urbs42]

Does anyone know if demo permits need to be filed to take down the old ABC facility? I was hoping we would see construction fences go up around the property this month. 

[Icetera]

On 3/4/2023 at 11:38 AM, Rooster said:

The Hippodrome is really cool - all the jazz greats played there in the day as they came through town. The upstairs of the building next door opens onto balcony seating for the theater. They still do events down there - a few years ago Health Diagnostic Lab threw our company halloween party down there and it was off the hook

Apparently we were co-workers!  HDL was certainly an experience back then.  Funny thing is, I only gained interest in employment at HDL thanks to following the development news here (or may have been RCW then).

Ah, just realized who you are and likely who sent you.

[RiverYuppy]

On 3/7/2023 at 7:38 AM, Urbs42 said:

Does anyone know if demo permits need to be filed to take down the old ABC facility? I was hoping we would see construction fences go up around the property this month. 

I don't see any demo permits.

It will be interesting to see if the old Pet dairy facility gets included in whatever the ABC redevelopment is. Thalhimer purchased it in 2018. It is located right next to the old ABC HQ.

 

[Urbs42]

30 minutes ago, RiverYuppy said:

I don't see any demo permits.

It will be interesting to see if the old Pet dairy facility gets included in whatever the ABC redevelopment is. Thalhimer purchased it in 2018. It is located right next to the old ABC HQ.

 

I really hope so.

The facility clearly isn't a fit for the future of this neighborhood, and is primed for lucrative redevelopment considering what is being built around it. 

[Rooster]

On 3/7/2023 at 10:28 AM, Icetera said:

Apparently we were co-workers!  HDL was certainly an experience back then.  Funny thing is, I only gained interest in employment at HDL thanks to following the development news here (or may have been RCW then).

Ah, just realized who you are and likely who sent you.

So many fine folks in Richmond because of HDL - it really drew people from all over the country. Ive seen several companies spin off from them and other biotech start-ups down there in the park (including my current company) - thats why Im such a booster for continued development of the biotech park (and leaving room for it to grow in city center). Both the counties have way better tax incentives for labs compared to the city, so to make it work there have to be other value-adds like "center of gravity" (proximity to other labs/biotech/VCU)