Nightlife Agenda - washingtonpost.com

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Nightlife Agenda

By Fritz Hahn, Rhome Anderson and David Malitz
washingtonpost.com Staff Writers
Thursday, July 12, 2007; 12:00 AM

It's Bastille Day weekend, and Francophones will find a number of parties around town where they can toast the health of the Fifth Republic. Click here for our longer list of events.

Thursday, July 12
With all the love Allen Iverson gets in D.C., you'd think he was from here, instead of Hampton, Va., or that he hung around Georgetown longer than two years before heading to the NBA. (Okay, not everyone loves A.I. in D.C.) Every summer, Iverson hosts a celebrity softball game in Bowie that brings in big names to raise money for charity. According to the Reliable Source, "among the expected VIPs are fellow Denver Nugget Carmelo Anthony, Patti LaBelle, Vivica A. Fox, stars of the Wizards and 'The Wire' and other pro athletes and music biz types." Along with the fundraising, of course, is a huge weekend of parties and events that trade on Iverson's name and reputation to draw large crowds to clubs. (Just beware of the Nuggets star's bodyguards, unless you want to find yourself injured but ultimately $260,000 richer.) Tonight's "Kickoff Party" at Fur kicks off the festivities with mixtape DJ SNS, and promoters are saying that the "invited guests" include most of the folks confirmed for the softball game, plus Floyd Mayweather, Clipse and Method Man. Will you see any of the superstars? Doubtful, but it can't hurt to try -- grab a pass for free admission from MadPowerUnit.com, then get there early to make sure you get in the doors.

There have been a number of attempts to cross the bhangra and hip-hop markets over the years, primarily by adding Indian rhythms and percussion to American hip-hop tracks. The biggest hit came when Jay-Z lent his rhymes to the thundering dhol drums and Indian rhythms of Punjabi MC's "Mundian To Bach Ke" to create "Beware of the Boys," but other producers, most notably Timbaland, have dabbled in the sound. Now the shoe's on the other foot. For last year's hit "2 Step Bhangra," Canadian group the Bilz took what sounds like a standard, shuffling T-Pain-esque club beat, and mixed verses and choruses in both Punjabi and English. The result is a tune that would feel equally at home on urban dance floors in Mumbai or New York. (Watch the video here.) New follow-up single "Spanish Fly" follows a similar formula, although it's not as memorable as "2 Step." Desi fans get a special treat tonight when the Bilz and singer Kashif make their Washington debut at the Southern Hospitality party at MCCXXIII alongside DJs Bikram Keith, Dynamix and Big Boi. Arrive early for $3 domestic beers and $4 rail drinks. Tickets for the 18-and-over event are $15 in advance from http://www.shparty.com.

With the sad demise of the Warehouse Next Door, the city lost its primary venue for avant-garde and experimental music. Thankfully, the Velvet Lounge has stepped up to fill the void. The U Street club lacks some of the DIY charm of the Warehouse, not to mention those $2 cans of Schlitz, and the bands will have to deal with lugging equipment up that steep staircase, but those are small complaints, especially now that shows are starting at more reasonable hours. It's a bit of an oxymoron to have a "high-profile" experimental show, but tonight's with Richard Pinhas Duo qualifies. Pinhas is widely regarded as the father of electronic music in France, as he was one of the first to blend the noise of guitar-based rock music with the emerging electronic technologies. He remains a master manipulator of sound and those with an appreciation for textures and tones shouldn't miss his only East Coast appearance of the year. Local drone favorites Insect Factory open.

Cool Cee Brown has the humor and distinctive voice of Ludacris, the underground cred of MF Doom and the D.C. swagger of any cat who has rocked Madness gear or dubbed a go-go P.A. tape. His partner Joe D's got beats and more beats. As Dirty Water, their numerous releases can ably occupy the same playlist space as your EPMD and Little Brother tracks. Tonight the duo is sharing the Black Cat backstage with W. Ellington Felton and DJ Underdog of Major.

We've written about Asylum's Guitar Hero tournament before but just want to point out that the winner of tonight's rockin' video game competition gets tickets to see Slayer later this month. That's so metal it hurts. Signup at 8:30, contest begins at 10.

Title-winning DJ Quixotic returns from Los Angeles for a weekend of shows, including tonight's stop at the newly made-over Indebleu. Check Saturday's listing for a full profile.

Friday, July 13

Femi Kuti's genes run deep. Like his legendary father Fela Anikulapo Kuti, known as the founder of Afrobeat, Femi plays marathon concerts with enough personnel and manic energy to not only fill a bus but also power it. He wails away on sax and keys and decries the corruption of Nigeria's ruling class in ways that almost make you believe in reincarnation. But this not just rehashing an old legacy. Femi's spin on his dad's creation is as relevant and exciting as it ever was, and he's not afraid to add new flavors to the stew. With the significant cultural underpinnings of the music, it's actually comforting to see tradition not only continue but to thrive. Femi will be sweating it out with his massive ensemble tonight at the 9:30 club.

It will soon be two years since hip-hop producer James "J. Dilla" Yancey passed away. While alive, Dilla really only got the acclaim that he deserved from serious hip-hop and soul heads, but those same devotees have been diligent in making sure the historical record shows that Dilla was one of the best of all time, if not the hands-down best. Unlike a lot of the unfortunate shilling of archival work from other deceased hip-hop stars, Dilla's posthumous releases have only solidified his standing. His catalog is so impressive in its depth and breadth that for the second year in a row, a practical We Are The World of Washington artists will be paying tribute by performing Dilla's work live. Led by drummer and producer J. Laine, whose "Applejons" project is directly inspired by Dilla's "Donuts," the J. Dilla Memorial Concert lineup at Bohemian Caverns extends from beat banging Dilla disciples like Kev Brown, Roddy Rod and Grap Luva to vocalists Musinah, Wayna and many more. As Dilla Dog was fond of saying, "Turn it UP!"

The Allen Iverson takeover continues tonight with a party at Love, and really, its numerous levels, open layout and multitude of bars make Love the best club in town for this kind of multi-level VIP-gawker extravaganza. WKYS is broadcasting live, so you'll get all the hip-hop hits you know, love and have heard 100 times before. Marcandtaz.com has a pass for free admission before 11. Don't sleep on the dress code.

Girl Power is clad in short plaid skirts, pigtails and white dress shirts tonight at the Rock and Roll Hotel. Reform School matches a team of five female DJs who are usually found at Right Round (Black Cat), Pow Wow (Spy Lounge) and Razmatazz (Black Cat), and they'll be spinning a mix of Britpop, '80s, hip-hop, disco, punk and party rock. Admission is $8, or $6 if you're wearing a private school uniform.

Saturday, July 14
All hip-hop heads that bemoan Mos Def's focus on acting need to understand a few things. The underground superstar with the mainstream appeal studied acting as a youth -- the same time he was lighting up Brooklyn rhyme ciphers. His much-delayed recent album "True Magic" is actually pretty dope, considering the record label drama and the fact that music had taken a back seat for some time. And most importantly, hip-hop could use more multi-dimensional performers that do more with the occasional film role than just channel the largely fictional personas they create on their records. Black Dante, aka Pretty Flaco, aka Mos Def can still spit it raw. Catch him rocking an early show at the 9:30 club tonight.

The Hip-Hop Theater Festival wraps up tonight with one of Washington's hardest-working and internationally lauded hip-hop performers. When Asheru isn't fine tuning his educational curriculum, which uses hip-hop to reach kids in the classroom, he still gets into recording booths and onto stages to drop hot verses. His Guerilla Lounge parties are like hip-hop parlor gatherings where Ash Gordon rocks improvisational style with his hybrid organic/electronic band The ELs and guests can also engage in a fully stocked game lounge or try their talents during an open mike portion. Check it out at Cafe Nema tonight and forget about paying a cover.

Bastille Day parties really kick into gear tonight and there's a wide range of events going on to celebrate the 218th anniversary of the storming of the notorious Parisian prison and the symbolic beginning of the French Revolution. Want to watch customers in French Maid costumes, sip discounted French beer and listen to DJs spinning classic French music? Head for L'Enfant. Prefer modern electronic music that packs clubs in Paris and C?te d'Azur? There's a rooftop party at Tabaq that will be packed with Francophones. All the information on these and other events can be found here.

"Hollywood style" DJing describes the popular party experience of mash-ups taken to the extreme. Hair band metal, crunk and hardcore electro can all collide within seconds with the right manipulation, and cats like DJ AM have ridden the formula into the celebrity stratosphere. DJ Quixotic is more from the A-Trak school of DJs who put in years mastering intricate scratch science before moving on to meld those skills with party rocking techniques. Now a Los Angeles fixture, Quixotic got his start here in Northern Virginia with the turntablist crew the Trooperz, whose membership also includes the every-popular DJs Enferno and Geometrix. Quixotic's battle career culminated with several Guitar Center, ITF and DMC regional titles before he focused his skills on the club world. Now he's one of the few jocks on the scene who can rip a flawless hyper-technical routine for a dancefloor filled with party girls who would never know a laser scratch from a flare scratch. He's back home in the D.C. area for two weekends of shows, including Thursday night at Indebleu and Friday at Lotus, but if you want to catch him in a club setting instead of an expensive lounge, your opportunity is tonight at Ultrabar. Hit the club's Web site (ultrabardc.com) for discount admission.

Sunday, July 15
The genre is called Rock en Espanol, and even though it refers to alternative and punk sung in Spanish, it's all part of the universal language of rock. Case in point: Almost every song on Volumen Cero's "Estelar" could be an alternative radio or blogger favorite if it had English lyrics. Filled with touches of the Pixies, New Order, the Beatles, Weezer and jangly '90s guitar rock, the Grammy-nominated album crashes through the language barrier, and you'll be humming the melodies to "Muerdeme," "Bailarinas" and "Autos" after a listen or two, even if you can't understand all the words. (Check our most recent podcast for audio samples, or visit the band's MySpace page.) The band, now based in Los Angeles, is scheduled to release a new album later this year, so expect some new songs mixed in with the favorites at the State Theatre.

There's more experimental goodness to catch at the Velvet Lounge tonight as Brooklynites Jessica Pavone and Mary Halvorsen (listen) bring their unique blend of jazz, classical and folk to town. Both young musicians are classically trained -- Pavone holds degrees in viola performance, music education and composition, while guitarist Halvorsen studied jazz at Wesleyan University and the New School -- but regulars in the Kennedy Center's Concert Hall would certainly be thrown for a loop by the duo's choppy, instinctual compositions. The songs manage to feel both improvised and thoroughly thought-out at the same time, as Halvorsen's lyrical guitar mingles perfectly with Pavone's viola, which can go from mournful to playful at a moment's notice. Judith Berkson (listen) opens with what she calls a "modern take on the 19th century salon concert." She plays alone on Wurlitzer piano, everything from jazz standards to originals to songs from the Schumann canon.

Monday, July 16
The independent hip-hop scene has gotten quite crowded since Souls Of Mischief and their Hieroglyphics crew helped draft the blueprint for the indie game almost 15 years ago. Back then, Souls Of Mischief were hyper spitfires, dropping careening freestyle rhymes over dusty loops. They've got more styles in their catalog these days, but fans come to shows to hear them get lyrical. As is the case with most underground shows, you'll get a gang of performers for your door dollars. Home team representation on this Black Cat gig includes Icon the Mic King, an interesting kid who's been diligently working the circuit.

Two Cow Garage just seems like they'd be a fun band to see live. The Columbus, Ohio, group (listen) lives up to its name with a raucous blend of country and garage rock that ends up sounding a whole lot like the Replacements. If their live shows are anything like early shows by the Replacements, well . . . someone might get injured, or at least soaked in beer. Two Cow Garage is another fine data point in the argument that true originality isn't the be-all, end-all when it comes to quality music. Write good songs, inject them with an honest energy and that's plenty good enough.

Wednesday, July 18Bohemian Caverns scores a major coup this week with back-to-back shows featuring Les Nubians, the acclaimed Francophone sisters who began their love affair with America right here in Washington. The breezy Afropop and nu-soul of Les Nubians' debut caught fire on WHUR in 1998, back when Europe wasn't really showing them love. That first single "Makeda" instantly made a lot of listeners more worldly, opening them up to black music in other languages and from other shores. Les Nubians have only dropped one other album since, 2003's solid "One Step Forward," but the sincerity and fun in their music makes them a consistent concert draw. Catch one late set in the upstairs Liv space tonight or Thursday.