[Concerts]

Sunday, August 13, 2006

More happenings

around town that still had tickets available

at press time:

[Concerts]

CHRIS KNIGHT -- Today at 8:30 p.m. The country guitarist from Slaughters, Ky., is known for his stark playing and songs evoking forgotten small-town America. Iota Club & Cafe, 2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. $12. 703-522-8340.

JAKUTA AND CARL -- Today at 9 p.m. Certainly one of the city's strangest "duos" (though given writing credits, Carl is actually a laptop), Jakuta and Carl pair light, thoughtfully crafted, delicate electronic melodies with off-key, operatic, meandering vocals that are voyeuristic in an awkward way. Standouts of the local experimental scene, Jakuta and Carl shows aren't seen, they're experienced. Galaxy Hut, 2711 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. $5. 703-525-8646.

JURASSIC 5 -- Monday, doors at 7:30 p.m. The old-school hip-hop throwbacks tour in support of "Feedback," the first album since the departure of producer Cut Chemist. 9:30 club, 815 V St. NW. $25. 202-265-0930.

CATARACT CAMP -- Monday at 9 p.m. The Charlottesville indie rockers, who combine a new-wave pop sense with spastic rhythms in a sound reminiscent of the Dismemberment Plan, conclude their national summer tour. With Hand-fed Babies. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. $6. 202-667-7960.

AS THE WORLD BURNS TOUR -- See Can't Miss, this page.

CUTLERY -- Tuesday at 9 p.m. The electro-informed indie group from Waldorf celebrates the release of its CD "Escape From the Cinema." With the Second Sunrise and the Drugstore Cowboys. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. $8. 202-667-7960.

EDDIE FROM OHIO -- Thursday at 8 p.m. A performance by the local folk-rock favorites. With Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers. Wolf Trap, Filene Center, 1551 Trap Rd., Vienna. $22-$35. 877-965-3872 or 703-255-1868.

ARTURO SANDOVAL -- Thursday-Aug. 20 at 8 and 10 p.m. The Cuban-born jazz trumpet virtuoso, who practically lives in the higher registers, frequently draws from material outside of his Afro-Cuban musical roots. Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW. $37.75. 202-337-4141.

OLLABELLE -- Thursday at 9 p.m. Friday at 7 p.m. Named after country singer Ola Belle Reed, the New York quintet mixes traditional American musical styles such as folk, blues and gospel. Formed as a lark in 2002 to participate in a local bar's gospel night, the group was heard by producer Steve Rosenthal, who recorded an album on speculation and sent it to T-Bone Burnett, the man behind the soundtrack to "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" While Ollabelle's first album featured mostly traditional songs, this year's "Riverside Battle Songs" has more original material. Thursday: Iota Club & Cafe, 2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, $12, 703-522-8340; Friday: Rams Head Tavern, 33 West St., Annapolis, $16.50, 410-268-4545.

MUNDELL LOWE -- Friday at 6 p.m. The native of Laurel, Miss., began his jazz career on Bourbon Street before honing his craft while serving in World War II. National Museum of Natural History, 10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. $10, ages 12 and younger free. 202-633-1000.

REZIN -- Saturday, doors at 8 p.m. The hard-working local quartet has been making melodically heavy alt-rock since the mid-'90s. With Colouring Lesson, Havok in Hollywood and the Hint. 9:30 club, 815 V St. NW. $10. 202-265-0930.

THE SKYDIVERS -- Saturday at 9 p.m. Light, melodic and witty dream-pop from Columbia. Galaxy Hut, 2711 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. $5. 703-525-8646.

JOE LALLY -- Saturday at 9:30 p.m. The local bassist performs his solo material, which features laptop accompaniment and a lighter touch than he was known for in Fugazi. Benefits Street Sense, a local charity for the homeless. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. $10. 202-667-7960.

THE TRACHTENBURG FAMILY SLIDESHOW PLAYERS -- Saturday at 9:30 p.m. Love them or hate them (our staff has mixed opinions), the Trachtenburgs' pop-rock take on anonymous family slides dug up at estate and yard sales is certainly a different stage experience. Iota Club & Cafe, 2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. $14. 703-522-8340.

[Exhibits]

INVESTIGATING WHERE WE LIVE -- Reception Friday, 5:30-7 p.m. Opens Saturday. Through Nov. 26. For a decade, the National Building Museum's "Investigating Where We Live" outreach program has taught students to use photography as a tool for exploration and documentation. This year, the resulting exhibit showcases the work of junior, middle and high school students who've canvassed three Southeast neighborhoods: Congress Heights, Hillsdale and Uniontown. National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Free. 202-272-2448.

POTOMAC BONSAI ASSOCIATION CLUB EXHIBIT -- Opens Saturday. Through Aug. 27. The Chesapeake Bonsai Society, a member of the Potomac Bonsai Association, exhibits plants from the private collections of its members. U.S. National Arboretum, National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, 3501 New York Ave. NE. Free. 202-245-2726.

[Literature]

JEFF NEUMANN AND RAY LEMOINE -- See Can't Miss, this page.

AARON SCHATZ AND RYAN WILSON -- Wednesday at 7 p.m. Join the brainpower behind "Pro Football Prospectus 2006" for beer and pizza as they discuss which NFL teams progressed and which regressed in the off-season. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Free. 202-364-1919.

MARITA GOLDEN -- Saturday at 2 p.m. The author signs her most recent novel, "After," about a Prince George's County police officer who shoots an innocent man. Karibu Books, Bowie Town Center Mall, 15624 Emerald Way, Bowie. Free. 301- 352-4110.

JOHN MCQUAID -- Saturday at 6 p.m. McQuaid and Mark Schleifstein co-wrote the New Orleans Times-Picayune's series "Washington Away," a look at the Gulf Coast's hurricane risks. Their book "Path of Destruction" examines the inadequacies that existed before Hurricane Katrina, the Washington officials who failed to act and the likelihood of future storms. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Free. 202-364-1919.

[Miscellaneous]

THE RUSS PARR MORNING SHOW -- Thursday at 6 a.m. Catch the WKYS morning man as he broadcasts his nationally syndicated show in front of a live audience. Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. Free. 202-328-6000.

ARLINGTON COUNTY FAIR -- Thursday, 5-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Aug. 20, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. The 30th-annual festival features exhibits, carnival rides, arts and crafts, entertainment, pony rides, pig and goat races, and a petting zoo. Thomas Jefferson Community Center, 3501 S. Second St., Arlington. Free. 703-920-4556.

[Movies]

Films open Friday and are in general release unless otherwise noted. Opening dates subject to change. Checkhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/moviesor Friday's Weekend section for details and complete movie listings.

ROCKY -- Monday at dusk. Thirty years after it won the Academy Award for best picture, Sylvester Stallone's story of a lowly Philadelphia boxer who risks it all for a chance to fight heavyweight champ Apollo Creed is still a crowd pleaser. A true classic untarnished by its less-than-stellar followups, "Rocky" remains a champion on the big screen, with romance, drama and a great score (we're humming it right now). Part of Screen on the Green's outdoor movie series. National Mall, 15th Street at Constitution Avenue NW. Free. 877-262-5866.

FIVE DEADLY VENOMS -- Friday at 8:30 p.m. Saturday at 9:40 p.m. Cheh Chang's 1978 chop-sockey classic is presented in a new 35mm print. The film follows the one remaining disciple of the dying master of the House of Venoms, who follows his mentor's final wish by bringing justice to his five previous disciples. Each criminal is master of a different fighting style (scorpion, snake, centipede, gecko and toad), and when our hero corners them in a small village, a story of intrigue unfolds. In Mandarin with English subtitles. AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring. $9.25, seniors and students $7.50. 301-495-6720.

ACCEPTED -- Justin Long (you might know him better as "the Mac" from recent Apple commercials) stars as the big man in a group of outcast friends who dream up their own fake learning institution after being rejected from various colleges. No word on whether PC makes an appearance.

BOYNTON BEACH CLUB -- This romantic comedy, set in an "active adult" retirement community in Florida, shows that you are never too old for the foibles and fumbles of finding love. Directed and co-written by Susan Seidelman. Starring Joseph Bologna, Dyan Cannon, Len Cariou and Sally Kellerman.

HEADING SOUTH -- When three women vacationing in Haiti in the late '70s are charmed by an attractive and enigmatic young man, they come face to face with the poverty and danger that marked the decline of dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier's reign. Laurent Cantet's film stars Charlotte Rampling, Karen Young, Louise Portal and Menothy Cesar. In French and English with English subtitles. At the Avalon Theatre and Landmark E Street Cinema.

THE ILLUSIONIST -- In turn-of-the-century Vienna, a magician uses tricks to win the love of a woman well above his social standing. But when she becomes engaged to a prince, he must use his magic against the royal family. Starring Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, Paul Giamatti and Rufus Sewell. Director Neil Burger's film, based on a short story by Pulitzer Prize-winner Steven Millhauser, promises to be a treat for fans of lushly realized period pieces -- and fake German accents. At Landmark Bethesda Row and Landmark E Street Cinema.

MATERIAL GIRLS -- The Duff sisters team up for a film about heiresses of a cosmetics empire who must get jobs and fend for themselves when the company their father built goes south. Also starring Anjelica Huston, Brent Spiner and Lukas Haas.

SNAKES ON A PLANE -- Here's the premise: An assassin lets loose a crate full of deadly snakes on a commercial flight in an effort to kill a witness in protective custody, and Nelville Flynn (Samuel L. Jackson) is the only one who can bring the plane home safely. Sounds like a straight-to-video release, and it might have been if not for the magic of the blogosphere, which latched onto the campy project and its easily parodied star and made a throwaway action flick into one of the year's most anticipated films. And it seems like Jackson himself was behind the film's self-aware absurdity from the beginning. After signing onto the project because of its working title, the star revolted when the studio changed it briefly to "Pacific Air Flight 121." We stand behind him on this one: "Snakes on a Plane" is as honest as Hollywood gets.

TIME TO LEAVE -- A Parisian photographer (Melvil Poupaud) seems to have the perfect life until he learns he has only a few months to live. Writer-director Francois Ozon's ("Swimming Pool") film puts a twist on the Douglas Sirk 1950s melodramas that inspired it by placing a gay man at the center of the suffering. Also starring Jeanne Moreau and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi. At Landmark E Street Cinema.

TRUST THE MAN -- Usually the phrase "Manhattan rom-com" makes us want to run, screaming, as far from theaters as we can get. But writer-director Bart Freundlich's film about two men struggling to save their relationships looks more interesting than its peers, and with a cast that includes David Duchovny, Julianne Moore, Billy Crudup and Maggie Gyllenhaal, we have more than enough reason to check it out. At Landmark E Street Cinema.

[On Stage]

TOM RHODES -- Tuesday-Thursday at 8:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday at 8 and 10:30 p.m. Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. The comedian's stand-up act has been featured on Comedy Central and Fox's "Comic Strip Live" (plus some fans may recall his 1996 NBC sitcom "Mr. Rhodes"). DC Improv, 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW. $15-$17. 202-296-7008.

THE WOODPECKER -- Wednesday-Friday at 7:30 p.m. Saturday-Aug. 20 at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Brett Williams's dark comedy is the final offering in the Hatchery Festival, a collection of staged workshop presentations by as-yet-unknown playwrights. District of Columbia Arts Center, 2438 18th St. NW. $15. 202-462-7833.

RUTHLESS -- Opens Friday. Through Sept. 23. This jaunty musical comedy follows the rise of a child actress whose mother wants her to be a big star. Maryland Ensemble Theatre, 31 W. Patrick St., Frederick. $20. 301-694-4744.

ALL-STAR COMEDY CABARET -- Friday at 10:30 p.m. Stand-up performances featuring Denny Live, Timmy Hall, Fat Doctor and Damo. Jokes on Us, 312 Main St., Laurel. $25. 410-547-7328.

PATTON OSWALT -- See Can't Miss, previous page.

[Sports]

NATIONALS -- Today at 1:05 p.m. against the New York Mets. Monday-Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. and Thursday at 1:05 p.m. against the Atlanta Braves. RFK Stadium, 2400 East Capitol St. $7-$45. 202-397-7328.

WWE PRESENTS SMACKDOWN -- Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. The scripted conflicts of the muscle-bound soap opera are almost refreshing in light of the doping scandals in "real" sports. Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW. $20-$25. 202-397-7328.

WNBA PLAYOFFS -- See Can't Miss, previous page.

WIFFLE BALL WORLD SERIES FOR BRAIN CANCER -- Saturday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. The nation's finest Wiffle ball squads battle for the 11th Annual Northern Virginia Wiffle Ball World Series title. Team slots are filled, but Wiffle ball is a surprisingly exciting spectator sport. Plus there's a home-run derby, carnival games, a silent auction and more. Benefits the Brian Bedell 2-Young Fund, a charity dedicated to finding a cure for brain cancer. For complete information, see http://www.brianbedell.org . Waters Field, 130 Center St. S., Vienna. Free. 703-629-1546.

DC UNITED -- Saturday at 4 p.m. against the Colorado Rapids. Show your support for the Red and Black during this nationally televised live game (on ESPN2). RFK Stadium, 2400 East Capitol St. $16-$40. 202-397-7328.

STILL LOOKING? For more area happenings, look in Friday's Weekend section or go online athttp://www.washingtonpost.com/cityguide.