A Smorgasbord of Nordic Pop

By Lavanya Ramanathan
Friday, January 25, 2008

In a town filled with Prince face-offs and Britpop/indie dance nights (what does that even mean?), Hej Hej, the all-Scandinavian DJ night, arrived at Cafe Saint-Ex a year ago like a blast of fresh, Nordic air.

Hej Hej (pronounced hey hey, it's Swedish for "hi!") became the place to go for Washingtonians of Scandinavian descent. Then came the masses, the connoisseurs of Scando-pop who wanted to hear Jens Lekman, the Shout Out Louds and Ida Maria.

The event's fans are " really on their game," says Natalya Minkovsky, who with Melissa Gilmore Vivari founded the dance night following a trip to Iceland and a for-kicks all-Nordic set at their old Black Cat dance party Bluestate. They say they're struck by the cultures of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland, not just the music of that part of the world.

Behind the DJ booth, the frosty ladies (who, oddly, don't dress like Abba, don't seem to love Ikea and only occasionally don viking hats) say they play what they like -- upbeat pop, though they note that Norway has a strong heavy metal scene, and Sweden has its own hip-hop. To stay up on the scene, they visit sites such as http://www.itsatrap.com.

On Tuesday, they return to Saint-Ex to celebrate the first anniversary of their ever-growing, ever-evolving bash. They'll take requests and generally keep the crowd moving (in return, they're requesting that guests dress up like Bjork, for fun, of course). And down the road, the ladies of Hej Hej are among the sponsors of a concert by Sweden's the LK on March 8 at the House of Sweden in Georgetown.

Free. 10 p.m. Tuesday. 21 and older only. 1847 14th St. NW, basement level. 202-265-7839.

Save the Date

[ ON STAGE ] Margaret Cho It seems like every comedian has taken to the road lately (Tracy Morgan's at Lisner on March 1, and tickets go on sale through Ticketmaster at 10 a.m. today for Chris Rock's fourth local show, this one at DAR). The latest to add to your list is Cho, the biting Korean American comic, who'll be at the Warner for a two-night stand later this spring. (Ever the entertainer, she's bringing guests, including comic-video purveyor Liam Sullivan, the guy behind the YouTube hit "Shoes.") Tickets go on sale today at 10 through Ticketmaster and at the Warner box office. $28.50-$45.50. April 10 at 8 p.m., April 11 at 7 p.m. Warner Theatre, 13th and E streets NW. 202-397-7328.

[ ON STAGE ] "Primary Urges" Returns This silly wisp of a musical, staged by City in a Swamp and packed with performers from the local spoof squad Hexagon, had a run at the Warehouse Theater in the fall. It returns to the stage for a few laughs before the Super Tuesday primaries Feb. 5. The show follows a congressman's ill-thought-out run for president. $30; students $20. Feb. 1 at 8 p.m., Feb. 3 at 3 p.m. The Writer's Center, 4508 Walsh St., Bethesda. 202-364-8644 or visit http://www.cityinaswamp.com.

[ ON STAGE ] Flamenco Festival Returns There are, in all, five chances to catch a performance of flamenco by some of the dance form's stars (set to live music) at Lisner Auditorium next month. Set to perform: Cuatro Esquinas (Four Corners), Tomatito Quintet, Mujeres and Eva Yerbabuena. So what's new? This year, you won't have to choose between traditional and contemporary performances. All the shows will blend old-world and new forms of flamenco. $35-$60; $20 GWU student tickets available at the box office. Various days and times Feb. 9-15. Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St. NW. 202-994-6800 or 202-397-7328.

The District

Today

[ FILM ] "Rule of the Game" The last film of the Freer's Iranian Film Festival is said to be one of the rare comedies shown outside that country, and it looks as though it was made for Western audiences: It's a zany ringer for "The Beverly Hillbillies," what with its uncultured peasants going head-to-head with wealthier relatives for an inheritance. Free tickets (two per person) distributed an hour before shows. Tonight at 7, Sunday at 2 p.m. Meyer Auditorium, Jefferson Drive and 12th Street SW. 202-633-1000.

Tomorrow

[ THE SCENE ] "New York Is Now" Tomorrow, head to Irvine Contemporary for a screening of this fine-art projection work by Paul D. Miller (a.k.a. DJ Spooky), which was seen at the Venice Biennale, and shorts by the guys from Dissident Display. Free. 4-6 p.m. 1412 14th St. NW. 202-332-8767.

[ THE SCENE ] John Alexander In conjunction with his current show at the American Art Museum, the painter -- whose work took a bit of a beating in a recent review in The Post -- visits the museum to discuss his career. Perhaps the New York-by-way-of-Texas artist, who paints landscapes and swampy images of his native state, will address the concerns of some of his critics. Free (tickets available in the G Street NW lobby an hour before). 3 p.m. McEvoy Auditorium, Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture, Eighth and F streets NW. 202-633-1000.

[ EXHIBIT ] "Chasing Tales" Project 4 gallery's show has eight artists imagining fantasy worlds (these being artists' creations, the bears are cute but blood-loving killers, and Tinker Bell is out of sorts). Free. Wednesday-Friday 2-6 p.m., Saturday noon-6 p.m. Through tomorrow. 903 U St. NW. 202-232-4340.

Sunday

[ FOR KIDS ] It's a Reptile World. We're Just Living in It. The Reptile Man, Michael Schwedick, is bringing along a host of his pals, including snakes and lizards, for a morning with the kids at the Sixth and I Historic Synagogue on Sunday. Sure, you can pet them, but there's also plenty to learn at this event (which includes a light brunch). $6; ages 2 and younger free. 10:30 a.m. 600 I St. NW. 202-408-3100.

Maryland

Today

[ CONCERT ] Neil Berg's 100 Years of Broadway A century's worth of show tunes by composers including Leonard Bernstein, George Gershwin, Andrew Lloyd Webber and more recent contributors to the stage, such as Billy Joel, are performed by Berg and a few of his good friends (Broadway actors including his wife, Rita Harvey, a "Phantom of the Opera" alum) tonight at Strathmore. $25-$67. 8 p.m. 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100.

Sunday

[ FILM ] "Hamilton" Matthew Porterfield's little 2006 movie about suburban Baltimore, made with non-actors and coming in at just over an hour long, won't ever play at your local megaplex. But a short art-house run in New York yielded a good bit of buzz about the Charm City director and his film, which follows a teenage mother trying to find her child's father so he might connect with the baby before she leaves town for a while. The New Yorker even called it "a minor miracle." It plays Sunday at the AFI Silver as part of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Showcase. $5. 7 p.m. 8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring. 301-495-6720.

Northern Virginia

Today

[ CONCERT ] The Von Bondies So, this Detroit band might be best known for a little feud involving the White Stripes' Jack White (a bar fight between White and the Bondies' Jason Stollsteimer back in 2003 landed White in jail). But the Von Bondies also make pretty catchy, Killers-esque rock. They're on the road promoting an upcoming record, "Love, Hate and Then There's You," and hit Jammin' Java tonight. $14. 8 p.m. 227 E. Maple Ave., Vienna. 703-255-1566.

Tomorrow

[ THE SCENE ] Dr. Dremo's Farewell Bash Tomorrow is officially the last opportunity you'll have to visit Arlington's ultimate divey bar, Dr. Dremo's Taphouse, at its current location, anyway. The bar-cum-film-society-meeting house-cum-Texas-hold-'em-joint is being displaced for yet another condo building. Go to see and be seen; the bar closes for good at 2 a.m. Sunday morning. 5 p.m.-2 a.m. 2001 Clarendon Blvd. 703-528-4660.

[ ON STAGE ] Derrick Comedy Does a YouTube phenomenon translate to the stage? The fellas of New York's Derrick Comedy troupe are prodigious producers of the short videos that work perfectly for the YouTube set, such as "History of the Drunk Dial." But they also perform regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York. On a short tour, Derrick Comedy visits the Arlington Cinema 'N' Drafthouse tomorrow for stand-up comedy at 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. $18. 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington. 703-486-2345 or get tickets online at http://www.arlingtondrafthouse.com.

[ CLOSING ] "Cops" It's 1970s Chicago in American Century Theater's production of Terry Curtis Fox's play about, yes, cops. They sit in a diner, drink coffee, smoke and seethe in this play, which is said to have inspired that television phenomenon: the gritty cop show. The play, which is definitely not for kids, closes Saturday. $23-$29. Tonight at 8 p.m., tomorrow at 2:30 and 8 p.m. Gunston Arts Center, 2700 S. Lang St., Arlington. 703-998-4555.