TheScene Shows to Catch
Friday, February 9, 2007; Page WE09
Friday
Enjoy classic soul and R&B when the O'Jays, the Whispers and Jeffrey Osborne perform at DAR Constitution Hall (202-397-7328). They also perform Saturday. . . . Like many female DJs, DJ Rap sometimes finds people focusing more on her looks than on her skills, even though her career is more than 10 years strong. Granted, she is quite pleasant to look at -- and her pre-music modeling jobs added to the distraction early on -- but she's a talented DJ, with drum 'n' bass and pop-ish electronica in her portfolio. She's at Five (202-331-7123). . . . If you haven't yet sampled the solo work of Luke Brindley (of the Brindley Brothers), this is a good time. He's at Jammin' Java (703-255-1566) on a bill that includes the entertaining Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart. The husband-and-wife duo plays some great country tunes, and Earle has a knack for chatting up an audience and making a connection. She might even tell some tales about brother Steve (she has some funny ones, as you might imagine). . . . There should be laughs aplenty when comedians John Witherspoon, Sommore and Shawty-Shawty show up at the Lincoln Theatre (202-397-7328) for two shows at 7:30 and 10:30. . . . NFL QBs Michael Vick and Vince Young are hosting at Love (202-636-9030). It can get hot in the club. Let's hope Young doesn't borrow Vick's water bottle. We wouldn't want any more headline-making incidents with airport security. . . . Indie rock icon Yo La Tengo plays an early show at Sonar (410-327-8333). If you know the group, you stopped reading about 10 words ago and headed for Baltimore. If you don't, then go and get educated. . . . Daniel Bernard Roumain & the Mission SQ Unit plus DJ Scientific are at the Library of Congress's Coolidge Auditorium (202-707-5502) in a free show debuting a "Neo Soul Sonata," which consists of musical portraits of iconic civil-rights-era figures.
Sunday
Noise, noise, noise! Deerhoof is doing that thing it does (think experimental rock) at Black Cat (202-667-7960). Also playing is Harlem Shakes. . . . The colorful Dr. John brings his boogie-woogie blues piano style to Rams Head Tavern (410-268-4545). On Monday, he's at the Birchmere (703-549-7500).
Wednesday
Smooth soul man Jerry "The Iceman" Butler is at Blues Alley (202-337-4141). Butler is doing two shows each night through Feb. 17. . . . Singer-songwriter Doug Alan Wilcox plays a catchy brand of folk-pop. Amy Speace has a sassy, smart sound that can veer from country to rock to folk in a split second. Both play at Focus Inn (301-275-7459) at O'Brien's BBQ in Rockville. . . . R&B loverboy Robin Thicke is at Love (202-636-9030), but you have to listen to radio station WKYS (93.9 FM) to get tickets.
Thursday
Thoughtful singer-songwriter Steve Forbert debuted in the late '70s and quickly became one of the many labeled the New Dylan. He has carved a better career than most so categorized. Hear him at Jammin' Java (703-255-1566).
-- Curt Fields
