No sooner did word get out that Phil and the Busters were playing in Washington D.C. on Friday and suddenly their one-night-only gig was one of the hottest tickets in town.
"Oh good Lord," sighed Emily Murphy, president of Atlanta-based Mother Nature Network (MNN), which is throwing the "White House Correspondents 'Jam II" the night before the annual, star-studded White House Correspondents' Dinner. "On one level it's really exciting for us, and on the other, it's kind of heartbreaking. I totally get why people want to come."
That's because of who's in Phil and the Busters: Rolling Stones keyboardist (and MNN co-founder ) Chuck Leavell, R.E.M founding member Mike Mills, Widespread Panic founder/lead singer John "JB" Bell and and Paul Riddle, the drummer for the Marshall Tucker Band. All these major rockers are Georgia natives or residents (except for Riddle, though the MTB recorded in Macon).
“D.C. can be a very interesting place to be, especially at this time of year,” said Mills, who attended the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner. “So I figured it would be fun to play with some of my favorite musicians there this weekend.”
He wouldn’t disclose the specific titles on their short set list; still it sounds like fans of the represented bands will be happy.
“Without giving too much away, there’ll be one of mine (meaning an R.E.M. song), one of JB’s, and probably a couple of things Chuck knows well,” Mills chuckled.
Meanwhile, good news for anyone not among the approximately 350 to 400 expected guests: You can follow things on Twitter, possibly including some Periscope moments, at #WHCDJam
This is the second consecutive year that Leavell and enviro-news site MNN have hosted a party before the Correspondents Dinner (aka the “Nerd Prom”). The glitzy Saturday night dinner brings together reporter and editors with a “can you top this” guest list of celebrities from Hollywood, pro sports, politics (the president always comes) and a few “famous for being famous” types.
Last year’s inaugural “Jam” featured journalists rockin’ out with their own bands. The journalist bands will be back again this year, with those “Busters” ringers as headliners.
“Last year was so great, so we just really wanted to improve on it even more this year,” Murphy said.
Phil and the Busters (say it out loud, and remember D.C.’s a political town) will probably play four or five songs, Mills said. He’s “surprised there’s this much excitement over this short a show.”
There is. Murphy wouldn’t name names of would-be guests they’ve had to turn down; among those who are planning on attending are “someone from ‘House of Cards’ and ‘Grey’s Anatomy” and Funny or Die’s president.
Guests will get to enjoy shrimp-and-grits, collard greens and other Southern eats to go along with that all-star Georgia band.
“This is really the best of Georgia all in one event in Washington D.C.,” Murphy said. “We want to represent nicely.”
