[Concerts]

Sunday, August 27, 2006

More happenings

around town that still had tickets available

at press time:

[Concerts]

ROOTS, ROCK, REGGAE FESTIVAL 2006 -- Today at 2 p.m. A number of groups from across genres, including Ziggy Marley, Stephen Marley, Bunny Wailer, Ozomatli and Jon Nicholson, come together in a fusion of styles to celebrate the music of Bob Marley. Wolf Trap, Filene Center, 1551 Trap Rd., Vienna. $25-$42. 877-965-3872 or 703-255-1868.

ALOHA -- Today at 9 p.m. Catchy but experimental indie-pop that leans on rich textures created with a mix of electric rock and traditional acoustic percussive instruments. With Rahim. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. $8. 202-667-7960.

THE ADVANTAGE -- Monday at 8:30 p.m. Drummer Spencer Seim, who also performs with the California noise-rock group Hella, heads this band that focuses its attention on the 8-bit video game era. Named after a Nintendo controller, the foursome adapts the old three-voice soundtracks of classic games, turning them into high energy, staccato rock numbers. But don't expect irony -- the Advantage's take is that of a loving homage, not a parody, which makes this a must-see for those of us who cut our gaming teeth with the likes of Link and Simon Belmont. Warehouse Next Door, 1017 Seventh St. NW. $8. 202-783-3933.

FINAL FANTASY -- See Can't Miss, this page.

SHAKIRA AND WYCLEF -- See Can't Miss, this page.

SHELLAC -- Thursday at 8:30 p.m. Steve Albini has been recognized as an iconoclastic producer for years, manning the decks for influential acts such as the Pixies, Nirvana, Mogwai, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Fugazi and Slint. But he also has made waves as a musician, especially with Shellac and his '80s drum-machine-punk group Big Black. An all-producer group, Shellac is made up of Albini, Bob Weston and Todd Trainer. With a new album reportedly on the horizon, this is a good chance to preview the unreleased tunes. With Uzeda. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. $12. 202-667-7960.

MARSHALL CRENSHAW TRIO -- Friday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. During his long career, the popular Detroit singer-songwriter has dabbled in many forms of musical entertainment. From playing John Lennon in the off-Broadway musical "Beatlemania" to recording classic power-pop albums such as "Field Day," Crenshaw has always been involved in varied and interesting projects (he even made an appearance in the great Nickelodeon program "The Adventures of Pete & Pete"). On stage though, his tight, well-written rock really shines. Rams Head Tavern, 33 West St., Annapolis. $25. 410-268-4545.

LOS AMIGOS INVISIBLES -- Friday, doors at 9 p.m. Originally rising to fame in its native Venezuela, the group relocated from Caracas to New York and found some crossover success stateside. Blending funk, disco, acid jazz and electronic club music, Los Amigos Invisibles provides a very contemporary take on Latin dance. Standing up well on stage, this group is better appreciated live than on record. With DJ Afro. 9:30 club, 815 V St. NW. $18. 202-265-0930.

SPACEBOY! -- Friday at 9 p.m. The closing of a number of popular Southeast nightclubs to make room for the Nationals' new stadium created something of a diaspora for the various hip-hop, rave, Goth, industrial and gay DJs who made the area one of the most diverse local club scenes. Among the displaced was DJ Kangal, who now settles in with a new night at a relatively new club. His event on the first Friday of every month will mix electro and retro dance music with a healthy dose of industrial rock. The Red and the Black, 1212 H St. NE. $5. 202-399-3201.

VIOLENT FEMMES -- Friday at 9 p.m. Saturday, doors at 9 p.m. The classic '80s underground band has been touring and releasing albums for more than 20 years. Though its early work continues to be its most memorable, its more recent albums have hardly been flops. Gnarles Barkley proved that the Femmes songs can stand up to interpretation, but that's no reason to snub the originals. Friday: Rams Head Live, 20 Market Pl., Baltimore, $25-$28, 410-244-1131; Saturday: 9:30 club, 815 V St. NW, $25, 202-265-0930.

COMETS ON FIRE -- Friday at 9:30 p.m. A staple on the underground jam rock scene, the band's riff-heavy brand of overdriven acid-rock has become more accessible in recent albums without losing its hard-driving anthemic rock approach. For fans of big grooves and big guitars. With (The Sounds of) Kaleidoscope and Benjy Ferree. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. $12. 202-667-7960.

ATOMIC MOSQUITOS AND FLEA BOPS -- Saturday at 9:30 p.m. Enjoy a night of revival rock by two acts whose sound is tight, fun, authentic and catchy. The Flea Bops play full-bore rockabilly while the Atomic Mosquitos are known for honest two guitar surf-rock. Galaxy Hut, 2711 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. $5. 703-525-8646.

BEAUTY PILL -- Saturday at 9:30 p.m. This all-Dischord lineup sees the Aquarium and Soccer Team, brand-new additions to the record label's roster, take the stage with local post-punk favorites Beauty Pill. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. $9. 202-667-7960.

[Exhibits]

AN UNCOMMON WAY -- Opens Wednesday. Reception Friday, 6-8 p.m. Through Oct. 1. Recent paintings by JoAnn Clayton feature non-representational, playful colors influenced by her studies with Sam Gilliam at the Corcoran. Foundry Gallery, 1314 18th St. NW. Free. 202-463-0203.

RUTH DUCKWORTH: MODERNIST SCULPTOR -- Opens Friday. Through Jan. 15. A comprehensive retrospective assesses the artist's contributions to the contemporary art world. The 80 works include wall reliefs, freestanding sculptures and sculptural vessels, some of which were drawn from the artist's private collection and are being exhibited publicly for the first time. A video documenting the artist's work will be incorporated, as well as photographs of her large-scale architectural murals and site specific sculptures. Renwick Gallery, Pennsylvania Avenue and 17th Street NW. Free. 202-633-2850.

OUT OF THE WOODS -- Opens Friday. Through Sept. 30. Nature-themed watercolors by local artist Jane Alexandra Walsh explore a small natural space in the otherwise urban environment of Bethesda. Orchard Gallery, Art & Framing, 7917 Norfolk Ave., Bethesda. Free. 240-497-1911.

PIECES OF A PUZZLE: CLASSICAL PERSIAN CARPET FRAGMENTS -- Opens Friday. Through Jan. 7. Three known fragments of an unusual 16th-century Persian carpet are reunited for the first time, along with other rare carpet fragments from the same period. Textile Museum, 2320 S St. NW. Free. 202-667-0441.

CHINESE SCHOLAR'S STONE EXHIBIT -- Opens Saturday. Through Sept. 24. Scholar stones, shaped and naturally occurring rocks selected for their aesthetic shapes and patterns, are displayed. Includes stones from the museum's permanent collection as well as private collections. Included in the show are Taihu stones, often considered the best example of the art. U.S. National Arboretum, National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, 3501 New York Ave. NE. Free. 202-245-2726.

PERSPECTIVES: SIMRYN GILL -- See Can't Miss, this page.

BLACK BOX: JESPER JUST -- Through Dec. 10. The short films of the Copenhagen-based artist use tightly edited vignettes to focus on common juxtapositions, such as age vs. youth, loneliness vs. detachment and macho camaraderie vs. suppressed eroticism. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Black Box, Seventh Street and Independence Avenue SW. Free. 202-633-1000.

[Literature]

ALISSA QUART -- Tuesday at 7 p.m. The author of "Branded: The Buying and Selling of Teenagers" signs and discusses "Hothouse Kids: The Dilemma of the Gifted Child." Quart analyzes the lives of overworked child prodigies and the pressure parents put on their gifted children to expand their skill sets. Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Free. 202-364-1919.

REYNA GRANDE -- Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The author, a 2003 PEN Emerging Voices Fellow, discusses her debut novel, "Across a Hundred Mountains." The coming-of-age story centering on family and growing up is told through from the perspective of Juana, a Mexican teenager, and Adelina, an older American runaway who Juana befriends. Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW. Free. 202-387-7638.

BRIAN MANN -- Wednesday at 7 p.m. The journalist signs and discusses "Welcome to the Homeland: A Journey to the Rural Heart of America's Conservative Revolution," which analyzes the Republican party's success in wooing Americans in the South using interviews, polling and voting data. Olsson's, 418 Seventh St. NW. Free. 202-638-7610.

ZANE -- Thursday at 6:30 p.m. The popular erotic fiction writer signs and discusses "Caramel Flava: The Eroticanoir.com Anthology," which is based on stories on her Web site Eroticanoir.com. Karibu Books, Bowie Town Center Mall, 15624 Emerald Way, Bowie. Free. 301- 352-4110.

[Miscellaneous]

CAMBODIAN COMMUNITY DAY -- Today, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Includes artistic performances, arts and crafts exhibits, live music, games, sports, food and more. Ben Brenman Park, 5000 Duke St., Alexandria. Free. 703-838-4844.

ALCHEMY AFTER DARK -- Friday, 7-11 p.m. The non-alcoholic event includes acoustic music, tea tastings and classes, poetry readings, guest speakers, fortune telling, tea leaf readings and more. Alchemy Tea & Trading Co., 92 Maryland Ave., Annapolis. Free. 410-216-7001.

MOVEABLE FEAST: A TASTE OF DC -- Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Munch, sip and Metro-hop on this snack-a-thon walking tour that includes Washington history and more. The Metro-heavy tour includes stops where you can buy ginger scones, bubble tea, shrimp crackers and more. Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter Metro Station, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. $15. 202-484-1565.

MARYLAND RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL -- Through Oct. 22. Travel back in time to a 16th-century English village called Revel Grove for jousting matches, musicians, magicians, crafts, five pubs, 10 stages and more. Hint: Don't be afraid to don a period costume; you'll fit right in. Crownsville Road, between Farm and Hawkins roads, Crownsville. $8-$70, ages 6 and younger free. 800-296-7304 or 410-266-7304.

[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.

REBUILDING NEW ORLEANS -- Monday at 6:30 p.m. Watch a preview screening of this unfinished documentary, which includes footage and interviews of the days leading up to Mardi Gras 2006. Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW. Free. 202-246-3321.

VAMPIRE PUNK NIGHT -- Monday at 8 p.m. The festivities begin with cult classic "The Return of the Living Dead" at 8 p.m., followed by Tetsuro Takeuchi's "Wild Zero" at 10 p.m. Galaxy Hut, 2711 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. Free. 703-525-8646.

CRANK -- A hit man (Jason Statham) must keep his adrenaline pumping or else he'll die from poison that was injected into his body while sleeping. As he races to find a cure, he must get his girlfriend (Amy Smart) out of harm's way and stay away from the thugs who want him dead.

CROSSOVER -- Hoops star Noah Cruise (Wesley Jonathan) aims to use his basketball skills to secure a college scholarship to achieve his true goal: becoming a doctor. Cruise also takes on the world of underground street ball with the help of Tech (Anthony Mackie). With Wayne Brady as a smarmy former sports agent and "America's Next Top Model's" Eva Pigford.

MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY -- Director and cinematographer Laura Poitras worked alone for eight months in Iraq in order to produce this glimpse of Iraqis living under U.S. occupation. Poitras's documentary, which focuses on the political and religious ramifications of the American soldiers' presence, features an Iraqi medical doctor who doubles as a Sunni political candidate. At Avalon Theatre.

QUEENS -- Director Manuel Gomez Pereira's ensemble comedy is about five mothers coping with the personal family conflicts surrounding the impending marriages of their gay sons. At Landmark E Street Cinema.

THE QUIET -- Camilla Belle stars as Dot, an orphaned deaf teenager who moves into her godparents' suburban world after her father dies. At first glance, the Deers are the average American family, until they begin to reveal their troubled secrets to Dot. Elisha Cuthbert stars as the popular cheerleader daughter who terrorizes the newcomer, and Edie Falco is the heavily medicated mother.

THE WICKER MAN -- See Can't Miss, previous page.

[On Stage]

DISNEY'S BEAUTY & THE BEAST -- Tuesday-Friday at 8 p.m. Saturday-Sept. 3 at 2 and 8 p.m. The Theater of the Stars musical is adapted from the Academy Award-winning cartoon film. Wolf Trap, Filene Center, 1551 Trap Rd., Vienna. $18-$65. 877-965-3872 or 703-255-1868.

COREY HOLCOMB -- Tuesday-Thursday at 8:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday at 8 and 10:30 p.m. Sept. 3 at 8 p.m. The Chicagoan got his start when comedian Adele Givens called him to the stage at a comedy show and handed over the mic. Since then, Holcomb has been on Fox's "Mad TV" and Comedy Central's "Premium Blend." DC Improv, 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW. $15-$17. 202-296-7008.

PAGE-TO-STAGE NEW PLAY FESTIVAL -- Saturday-Sept. 4, 2-10 p.m. Norman Allen, Joe Calarco, Richard Dresser and many others present new works along with more than 35 local theaters. Participating theaters include the African Continuum Theatre Company, Signature Theatre and Washington Improv Theater. Features readings, special events, panel discussions and more that offer a look upcoming Washington premieres for the 2006-2007 season. Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW. Free. 202-467-4600.

SUNDIATA: THE LION KING OF MALI -- Saturday at 8 p.m. The Kankouran West African Dance Company presents the 23rd-annual conference and concert, which is a culmination of four days of intense workshops instructed by traditional master dancers and drummers from Mali, Senegal, Guinea and Liberia. Choreographed and directed by Acting Artistic Director Aboubacar "Oscar" Camara. George Washington University, Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St. NW. $25, students $20, ages 12 and younger $16. 202-994-6800 or 301-808-6900.

IN THE CONTINUUM -- See Can't Miss, previous page.

[Sports]

NATIONALS -- Tuesday-Thursday at 7:05 p.m. against the Philadelphia Phillies. Friday-Saturday at 7:05 and Sept. 3 at 1:05 p.m. against the Arizona Diamondbacks. RFK Stadium, 2400 East Capitol St. $7-$45. 202-397-7328.

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