Nightlife Agenda

By Fritz Hahn, Rhome Anderson and David Malitz
washingtonpost.com Staff Writers
Thursday, January 31, 2008 12:00 AM

Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday

Thursday, Jan. 31
In the constant search for the Next Big Thing to emerge from D.C., is it possible that she was sitting right in front of us the whole time and we didn't notice? Thao Nguyen (listen) always flew a bit under the radar, but that won't be the case once everyone hears her fantastic new album, "We Brave Bee Stings And All."; It's an exuberant album filled with bouncy, indie-folk tunes, heavy on banjo and ukulele. Nguyen's lyrics aren't always cheery, but her sing-song delivery is charming and addictive. "Bee Stings" was released on venerable indie label Kill Rock Stars and she's starting to get some blog love, which is the first step to breakout success these days -- just ask Vampire Weekend -- so big things could be in store in 2008. Her band, the Get Down Stay Down, will be backing her tonight at Iota for the official CD release show.

If you hadn't noticed, the artists who create the music that hip-hop stars rap over have become stars in their own right. With the exception of pioneers like Dr. Dre and Marley Marl, early producers were more likely to play the background, creating sonic alchemy that was only recognized by those who read liner notes. Modern production giants like Kanye West, Timbaland, Scott Storch and the Neptunes can command five figures and up for their tracks, which gives hungry hip-hop aspirants another model of success to shoot for. Beatmakers are now masters of branding too -- hearing the eponymous cry of "Just Blaaaze!" at the beginning of a song is a sure-fire guarantee that it'll bang before the featured rapper utters his first couplet. With its fertile hip-hop scene, Washington is teeming with its own tribe of beatmaking devotees. Some of them have a few major credits under their belts. Bink! has sold tracks to the American Gangster himself, Jay-Z. Sebb has laid down beats for Tony Yayo and Kool G. Rap. Mark Nfinit is contributing to Wale's rise to stardom, and K. Murdock started out humbly on his U Street grind before becoming known for his work with Raheem Devaughn and his own group Panacea. You can hear all of these producers at Felix tonight going track for track in the Beatdown showcase. For all you hungry producers trying to shine, the first round will be reserved for walk-up entries, so bring your beat CDs.

In the last few years, the Arlington Cinema N Drafthouse has become more than a second-run movie theatre. The schedule increasingly offers live music or sporting events on the movie screen, but the Drafthouse's dedication (or, you might say, addiction) to showing cult '90s films has made it a popular spot with the area's 20- and 30-somethings. Tonight is the "Bi-Annual TPS Report Managers Meeting," which means it's a full evening of "Office Space"-related events. (Some of our readers in the IT department just got really excited.) Everything kicks off at 7 with VJs spinning hits from the film's soundtrack, and that's followed by a trivia contest, Lumbergh impersonation contest, "O" face contest and a costume contest. (The actual film is shown at 8:30). Admission is $8; come in costume to get a two-for-one admission coupon for an upcoming film.

Our friends from the Washington Post Express are throwing a Mardi Gras party at Mister Days tonight, featuring live New Orleans-style R&B, funk and zydeco by the Junkyard Saints (listen), food and drink specials and an "endless supply of beads." There's no cover, and the festivities run from 5 to 9.

Friday, Feb. 1
There's plenty of competition on the local rock circuit tonight, with the three biggest clubs all hosting bills packed with homegrown talent. The three shows also show different segments of the scene. The cool kids (no, not the hip-hop group that toured with M.I.A., the surly ones drinking PBR and Red Stripe) will be at the Black Cat for the Shortstack (listen) CD release show. The band's excellent "The Covers EP" tackles artists as diverse as Captain Beefhart, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Lungfish's Daniel Higgs, and gives each song the Shortstack treatment, adding just a bit of twang and southern gothic feel. The energetic romp through CCR's "Commotion" chugs along with all the power of the original, which is about as high as praise gets. Breezy bluegrass-inspired folkies Junior League (listen) and grimy garage rockers Suns of Guns open at the Black Cat.

The people who just want to have a good time will be at the Rock and Roll Hotel for a show headlined by Army of Me (listen) the power pop group that's perpetually on the verge of very big things. It seemed like those big things might come after the group's "Welcome to D.C." started getting radio play a few years ago, but as things stand now, most people still think of "Army of Me" as a Bjork song first and band second. The band members are road warriors, regularly playing 100+ shows a year, but they have a relatively light schedule coming up: tonight's show is their only area appearance for a while. Opening will be the Dance Party (listen), who have gained a reputation as one of the city's most fun live bands, and Exit Clov (listen), who have their slightly-skewed, harmony-filled pop songs down pat after many years together.

The biggest venue, 9:30 club, hosts the oddest show, with a triple-bill topped by Olivia and the Housemates (listen), who just last week were playing on the Black Cat's backstage. That's quite a quick leap to the big time for the local sunny pop group, but not as quick a leap as the Cobra Collective (listen). Just a few weeks ago we wrote about the quartret -- comprised of former members of the Bonapartes -- playing its second ever show at Iota. Seasoned scene veterans the Ambitions (listen) handle the middle slot with a winning combo of soul, ska and R&B. The local music fans who don't fit into either of the above categories will be the ones at this show.

The House of Sweden occupies a place of pride on the Georgetown waterfront, and while it's used as a exhibition space for rotating exhibits by Swedish artists, the Swedish embassy is launching a series of cultural events called the House of Sweden After Dark, which will mix interactive art exhibits, DJs and drink specials into late-night cultural affairs. Tonight's kickoff promises to be packed -- almost 2,000 people have already RSVPed through Facebook -- and for good reason: You can check out the exhibits on "Innovation and Technology," listen to DJ Double o 7 spin funky house music and sip free cocktails from Swedish vodka company Svedka from 8 to 11. A $10 donation is requested at the door. If you want to RSVP, there's a link on the House of Sweden After Dark Web site. (If you're not a member of Facebook, you'll have to register with that site.)

The Carnival season is kicking off in the Caribbean this weekend, as Trinidad and Tobago gets its celebrations underway. If you can't make it down to Port-of-Spain for the party, this area offers plenty of chances to celebrate in the Trini spirit. Let's start at the Crossroads, where the Trinidad and Tobago Mardi Gras happy hour offers an open buffet and two-for-one drinks from 5 to 8. Stick around for reggae, soca, hip-hop and other beats by Super Slice, Bobby's Music Machine and other DJs.

Meanwhile, Zanzibar on the Waterfront is hosting T&T Carnival Fever at its monthly Fresh Fete Friday party. Hazard, Spyda and Fireburn HD should keep the club jumping with a mix of soca and reggae. Drink specials are offered from 10 to midnight.

Ibiza is hosting its Mardi Gras kickoff party with one of those "How many beads can you collect?" competitions. There are cash prizes for the winners, so leave your sense of shame at home. Hurricanes are $7 all night. Get on the list at dcnites.com, then pick up your "starter beads" at the door. DJs spin mashups, hip-hop, rock and old-school jams on the dance floor all night.

Birdman, whom you may know as the founder of Cash Money Records, is performing live at H2O tonight. Since Lil' Wayne, who's featured on Birdman's recent hits "Pop Bottles" and "I Run This," won't be in the building, our interest is lessened. Fans of the Cash Money Millionaires, though, are advised to show up early: Women get in free before 11.

Saturday, Feb. 2
Mardi Gras isn't until Tuesday, but some clever promoters are getting the jump on the competition tonight. At the Hard Rock Cafe, the Mardi Gras Kickoff Jam includes DJs spinning jazz, salsa and samba music before the music shifts to retro, Top 40 and hip-hop hits later. Masks, beads, hors d'oeuvres and movie passes are free, as are caricatures drawn by an artist. Oh, and you can enter to win a trip to Iceland, which is as far from Mardi Gras as you can get, but it still sounds pretty cool. Dress to impress. Tickets are $12 in advance from minkevents.com, and will be $15 to 20 at the door.

Down on the Southwest Waterfront, Mardi Gras Madness offers live Cajun and zydeco music by the Crawdaddies and local cover band That Guy at the massive Phillips Flagship restaurant. The first 200 folks through the door get free masks; everyone gets $2 Miller Lite, $4 hurricanes and various food specials. Doors open at 9. Tickets are $5, but you can skip the wait if you buy them in advance from lindypromo.com.

Most Mardi Gras parties around Washington have a decidedly New Orleans vibe, but the holiday is celebrated by cultures around the world. Germany's been celebrating Karnaval since at least the 14th century; get a taste tonight in Fairfax, where the Washington Saengerbund, a German cultural group, is hosting its annual Fasching Masquerade Ball. Two live bands play polkas, waltzes and other ballroom dances, German food is offered by the Swiss Bakery, and German beer and wine is available. Come in costume, as prizes will be awarded. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door; see the Saengerbund's Web site for more information.

Brazil's Carnival celebrations are legendary, and the folks at Ultrabar are trying to recreate that spirit tonight at their Brazilian Carnaval 2008. You'll get the Brazilian beers and drinks you'd expect (Skol, Brahama, etc.) on the third floor, where DJ FabioSoul is spinning Carnival favorites all night and samba dancers will perform. There's an open bar from 9:30 to 10:30 and free admission for everyone over 21 until midnight when you snag a pass from dcgroove.com.

Elephant Man is known as the Energy God. This dancehall veteran's trademark, other than his day-glo hairstyles, is a manic stage presence akin to what Busta Rhymes brings to the hip-hop world. Singles like "Jook Gal" and "Shake" with Pitbull and Ying Yang Twins faithfully bring dance floors up to his energy level. Elephant Man owns the hottest dancehall riddims like "Scoobay" by running down all the new moves like some sort of Jamaican square dance caller. You can "Get Jiggy," "Row Di Boat," do the "Summer Bounce" and the "Shelly Belly" with Father Elephant at Zanzibar tonight. Tickets are available for $30 from Zanzibar's site.

Will Rast was diligently building up his chops and playing in jam bands years ago when W. Ellington Felton scooped him up to direct his live ensemble. Since then he's become an in-demand touring musician (with R&B star Mya among others) and made a name for himself in the jazz-fusion world. In between the increasingly frequent tour dates you can still find him leading different combos at intimate spots around town. His current outfit, The Funk Ark, features Jerry Busher of Fugazi on drums and a full horn section that wouldn't be able to fit in the front window of his weekly Bossa gigs. Style-wise, the name says it all. The Funk Ark will be exploring the far reaches of outer vamp-space and dropping it on the one for two sets at Bohemian Caverns tonight.

The Washington Capitals' up-and-down season finds the Caps with a 8-4 record in January, which is pretty good when you consider how awful they looked early on. Celebrate during today's Caps on Tap Bar Tour through Penn Quarter, then watch our guys (hopefully) beat the Atlanta Thrashers; We think the odds are good -- as we write this, the Thrashers haven't won a game in two weeks. Anyway, the $30 cover for the bar tour includes a $35 ticket to the game, plus $2 beers at seven bars: R.F.D., Rocket Bar, the Irish Channel, Lucky Strike, Austin Grill, RNR Bar and Lounge and the Penn Quarter Sports Tavern. The crawl runs from 1 to 7; the puck drops at 7:05. If you already have tickets to the game, you can pick up a wristband for an extra $5 at the Phone Booth.

Sunday, Feb. 3
Super Bowl parties. Yep. Patriots fans, go here or here. Giants fans, Fritz spoke to the president of the New York State Society, and he suggests you go here, here or here. If you want a neutral environment and like the idea of unlimited beer and wings, this is the place. Want to watch on big screens? Try here, here or here. For a more international flavor, we like the sound of this. Can't make up your mind? Try a party with live go-go by Chuck Brown. Or just check this longer list.

Got Tom Brady fatigue? Need something to do on Sunday? Ghana and Nigeria are playing at noon in the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals.

Monday, Feb. 4
Here's an odd one: Rob Pierangeli, former singer for local alt-rockers the Hard Tomorrows, will take to the Iota stage with friend Holly Tegeler to play a short set of Magnetic Fields covers. They've dubbed themselves Umbrellas in London, after the wonderful song from the band's 1995 album, "Get Lost," and the stripped-down acoustic duo (think guitar + bells, tambourine, toy piano) will perform as guests of the Federal Reserve's monthly first Monday gathering. The Hard Tomorrows sometimes played all-cover sets and if you went to school in College Park about eight years ago you might remember the pre-Hard Tomorrows outfit Tweezer (yes, a Weezer cover band), so Pierangeli knows his way around other people's tunes. And since few people write better tunes than Stephin Merritt of Magnetic Fields, this could prove to be more than just an interesting curiosity.

Tuesday, Feb. 5
Mardi Gras and Super Tuesday fall on the same day this year, pitting policy wonks who want to follow election results in their favorite bar against drunks who just want another hurricane and whether you want to "earn" a string of plastic beads.

There is one non-Mardi Gras/political event you should know about:

According to the Red Cross, an African child dies of malaria every 30 seconds. That's more than 3,000 per day. The Arlington chapter of the Red Cross is hosting the Fight the Bite fundraiser tonight at Piola to help in the battle against this treatable disease. Drink specials and free food will be offered from 4:30 to 8, and Piola will donate 20 percent of all proceeds to the Red Cross. There's no cover, but anyone who wishes to donate money to the cause will be put into a raffle to win box seats to an upcoming Capitals game.

Okay. On to Mardi Gras.

For living out those "Girls Gone Wild" fantasies, you may as well head for the Bourbon Street Bash at McFadden's, which offers tantalizing deals like $1 Miller High Life and $1 Miller Lite drafts from 5 to close, along with $3 hurricanes and various food specials (you're going to need them). Here's a hint at the target audience: Admission is $5 if you have a student ID and $7 without one.

New Orleans's Abita Brewery was wrecked during Katrina, but it's now back producing great beers like Purple Haze. That beer is one of four featured tonight during Rustico's "keep the glass" beer happy hour, along with Troeg's Nugget Nectar, Eggenberg's Samiclaus and Victory's Donnybrook Stout. As always at these events, when you buy one of the selected beers ($5-$8), you get a logo pint glass to take home and keep. Just be aware that the glasses can run out reeeeally early, so arrive as close to 6 p.m. as you can.

The happy hour for tonight's Mardi Gras on U Street will kick off with classic Preservation Hall style horn-driven jazz, which is quite fitting for the historic Bohemian Caverns. The New Orleans/D.C. parallels continue later on as XM Radio's DJ Rik Ducci takes over the decks to drop some authentic New Orleans bounce, raw club music that is as fiercely regional and tied into the local identity as go-go is to Washington. Hit up mardigrasonu.com for the $10 advance tickets.

What gave harmonica player Malkum Gibson the blues? Certainly not his career: He's performed alongside Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal and BooZoo Chavis, and his debut album "Just the Blues" was produced by the great B.B. King. Gibson and his bluesy Mighty Juke Band are featured tonight at Madam's Organ's Mardi Gras party, along with $3 Budweiser beers and $5 Bacardi cocktails. Yes, there's a bead contest, with a $100 prize.

The Pros in the City young professionals group is hosting its non-New Orleans-themed Fat Tuesday party in the cool blue lounge at Mezze Luna, with a wide selection of $4 drink specials (wine, beer, sangria, hurricanes, martinis) from 7 to 10. There's a $10 cover in advance.

Chi-Cha Lounge is offering a more grown-up (and more expensive) Latin Mardi Gras party with $7 specialty cocktails (hurricanes, old fashioneds and key lime pie martinis) and DJs spinning '80s, electro, Top 40 remixes.

One place mixing politics and Fat Tuesday is the Ugly Mug, where the Super Fat Tuesday party offers $3 Captain Morgan hurricanes in either red or blue cups so you can show your true colors. Oh, and they'll have "plenty of beads!"

Wednesday, Feb. 6
If you're a regular at the Rockas International reggae night at Eighteenth Street Lounge, don't fret because the stars of the show are currently off touring with Thievery Corporation. It's Bob Marley's birthday, so See-I's rhythm section has recruited some heavy hitters to pay tribute to the legend. Thievery Corporation collaborator Sleepy Wonder will be fronting an all-star band consisting of members borrowed from Chuck Brown's crew and popular local outfits S.T.O.R.M. and Mojo Nya. If you've only been to ESL on a weekend, this is definitely the night to change up your routine.