Nightlife Agenda

Sunday, February 11
The Grammys are Sunday night and that's all well and good if you want to stay home and watch three-plus hours of industry self-congratulation, questionable onstage collaborations and money-grubbing reunions. But if you're looking for some, y'know, good and interesting music, try the Black Cat. Deerhoof has been making weirdly accessible (and not so accessible) indie rock for about a decade. Singer Satomi Matsuzaki has a sweet chirp of a voice, but it's usually floating on top of some harsh noise. The band's songs have a tendency to zig and zag, switching directions just when you got comfortable with where things were headed. It's sometimes gentle, but mostly pretty heavy. In the hands of less-experienced and less self-assured performers it would be a recipe for disaster, but the Oakland group has been doing it long enough to know how to pull it off with always pleasing results. Be sure to arrive early for openers Harlem Shakes. The quintet is actually from the next borough over, in Brooklyn (shocker, I know), and is one of those bands that has songs that are instantly familiar, yet not derivative. You can certainly hear a bit of the Strokes and Ted Leo, but it's the ever-present harmonies and background vocals that may be the group's defining feature. We talked about the band on the latest edition of our podcast, so check that out for more info on these up-and-coming blogland favorites.

Tuesday, February 13
There's nothing punk rock about being in love -- haven't you seen "Sid and Nancy"? -- so tonight's punk/metal/hardcore-centric Valentine's Day Boozer at Asylum should be just the place for everyone who doesn't want to be around hand-holding, lovey-dovey couples. (This event is so punk rock that we can't even print the full name.) Self Abuse and the Anchors perform live, while DJ Joshua, who used to host the Riff Raff raveups at Chief Ike's, is on the 1s and 2s.

Here's a novel idea: Hey, singles! Go to a bar to meet people! Though it's targeted exclusively at single men and women, Chi-Cha's Valentine's Day Eve party won't include any of those speed-dating or lock-and-key games, so you're left to your own devices when it comes to mixing and mingling. Maybe $6 martinis and $5 sangria will help you chat someone up before hitting the dance floor. Doors open at 8.

Wednesday, February 14
Dear happily coupled-up: We like you. We really do. We'd just prefer not to be around you on Valentine's Day. See, the single-and-looking among us would prefer if we could be around other single-and-looking types on Valentine's Day, and well, your presence might make us resentful and bitter. No offense, of course. So we'll make you a deal: For one night only, we'd like you to keep out of Chief Ike's. Just for one night, okay? That way we'll all know who's trying to find someone to take down. Don't worry -- the half-price drinks for ladies and the singles-only dance floor mean we'll still have fun while you're out somewhere else being the cutest couple ever. Thanks! Talk to you tomorrow!

Sometimes you need a strong drink on Valentine's Day. Like, say, Gordon Biersch's rich, divine Baltic Porter. Or the Cerberus, a strong Belgian-style Tripel from Baltimore's acclaimed Brewer's Art. Maybe a dark, heavy Russian Imperial Stout made at Ballston's Rock Bottom. In any case, you should get yourself over to R.F.D. for the annual Strong Ale Tasting, a two-night beerathon that features 20 of the region's top brewers showing off their special winter beers and offering tasting notes. (Your $30 ticket includes a sample of each beer, plus the chance to suck down any leftovers at the end of the night.) This year, says R.F.D. owner Dave Alexander, special guests include the brewers from Michigan's Arcadia Brewing Company and Jeremy Cowan, the founder of San Francisco's He'Brew. Cowan will lead a tasting of his Bittersweet Lenny's, a double IPA named after Lenny Bruce, on Thursday. (A full list of participants and their beers is listed on the Going Out Gurus Blog.

"Bachelor #1: Do you prefer frozen swirlie margaritas or are you a lick-the-salt kind of guy?" This is the kind of question we'd brace ourselves for at Freddie's Beach Bar tonight, where the gay hangout's usual Singles Night party is being enlivened with a special edition of the Dating Game. Hosted by drag queens and featuring performances throughout the night, this isn't an event for the timid -- but it's sure to be a lot of fun. The party begins at 9.

We've always thought salsa was a particularly romantic dance, and there are two chances for salsa lovers to celebrate on Valentine's Day -- and maybe even meet someone new on the dance floor. At Cecilia's, top big-band Orquesta La Romana is performing at "A Tribute to Love," so we expect there will be plenty of opportunities for a hold-close slow number. DJ Mike Morales works the breaks, and there's a $10 cover. Over at Habana Village, meanwhile, there's a "Jack and Jill" dance contest, where partners are randomly matched with each other, and a more traditional contest for couples. It costs $5 to enter, and there's a $150 prize for the top "advanced" couple and $80 for the novices. Call the bar to register in advance.

If you're just looking for a classic dinner-and-live-jazz date tonight, we're pretty keen on Felicia Carter and the Chris Grasso Trio at Twins Jazz. Carter has played around town for years, recording with Victor Dvoskin, the New Legacy Jazz Band and the Unified Jazz Ensemble, and performing, usually with a pianist or piano trio, at Twins, the Willard Room and the Mandarin Oriental. She has a cool, husky drawl that's fetching and sometimes reminiscent of Billie Holiday. (Click over to our very special Valentine's Day podcast and you can hear a clip of Carter performing the classic "There's A Small Hotel.") Expect a night of romantic standards, and note that there are two shows, at 8:30 and 10. We'd go for the latter if we were you.