When the Arts Mix With Politics

CONCERT: Charlie Chaplin's "City Lights" With the BSO Chaplin's "City Lights" was a curiosity at its 1931 release because it was a silent movie, thumbing its nose at the talkies that already were gaining in prominence and popularity. Chaplin had made up his mind that "City Lights," which follows his famous Tramp character as he tries to save both a blind girl and a hard-drinking magnate, would be silent, and he went as far as to write a full score to accompany the film. At Strathmore tomorrow and at its hub at Baltimore's Meyerhoff Hall on Saturday and Sunday, the BSO screens the movie while performing its fleshed-out, orchestral take on the music. $21-$84 at Strathmore tomorrow (8 p.m., 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda); $15-$60 at Meyerhoff Hall (8 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore). For tickets for both shows, call 410-783-8000.

Virginia

Today

FILM: Catch a Movie With Your Coffee Tonight's the premiere of the Friends of Duncan Library's year-long series of film events that will be set in the relaxed confines of Northern Virginia coffeehouses. Once a month, the group will take over a coffee shop to screen new, limited-release, award-winning indie and international films. Tonight at Caboose Cafe & Bakery, you can catch eight live and animated shorts from Europe and Canada, including "The Great Zambini" from Spain (it's about an aging circus performer) and the British film "The Sickie" (about an burned-out employee who calls in sick to test his bosses). Free. 7 p.m. 2419 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria. 703-566-1283.

CLOSING: "Frida Kahlo, the Passion" So this Teatro de la Luna production of Ricardo Halac's play was likened by The Post's critic to "watching paint dry," but if you're a huge fan of the Mexican painter, the set and costumes are said to pay striking attention to the details of her work. The show, in Spanish with English supertitles, closes Saturday. $20-$30. 8 p.m. tonight and tomorrow, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday. Gunston Arts Center Theater II, 2700 S. Lang St., Arlington. 703-548-3092.

Tomorrow

ON STAGE: Todd Barry The latest comic to play the Arlington Cinema 'N' Drafthouse is this seasoned cameo-type performer whose latest gig was as the bongo-playing "third Conchord" on an episode of "Flight of the Conchords" (other roles have included voicings for "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" and a drop-in on "Chappelle's Show," so clearly he has some cred). Barry drops a new stand-up album, "From Heaven," next month, and visits the Drafthouse for a two-night run beginning tomorrow. $20. Tomorrow and Saturday at 9:45 p.m. 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington. 703-486-2345 or get tickets in advance at http://www.arlingtondrafthouse.com.

Save the Date

CONCERT: A Meeting of the Gods? Kanye West. Rihanna. N.E.R.D. and Lupe Fiasco The last time West wore his sunglasses indoors in Washington was 2006, when he played the last HFStival. Rihanna? Never been here, it seems. So you see what we're getting at. This show, from Pharrell all the way up to the uppity Kanye, is a very big deal -- so hot it has already sold out in other cities. The "Glow in the Dark" tour visits Nissan Pavilion on May 10, and tickets go on sale to the general public tomorrow at noon through Ticketmaster (yes, fan club members already had a presale). $43.75-$100.75; lawn, $36. Doors at 6:30 p.m. Nissan Pavilion, 7800 Cellar Door Dr., Bristow. 202-397-7328.

CONCERT: Sia"Six Feet Under" and then Starbucks (yes, that Starbucks) catapulted quirky Australian pop singer Sia Furler to semi-fame. She had been kicking around for nearly a decade before a song featured on the HBO show and another on Fox's "The O.C." brightened her star a bit; but then Starbucks's fledgling Hear Music record label came calling, and suddenly her soulful pop album "Some People Have Real Problems" (with Sia's ingenue good looks on the cover) is being hawked along with skinny lattes at coffee shops across the country. She performs at the 9:30 club March 7 with Har Mar Superstar. $20. Doors at 7 p.m. 9:30 club, 815 V St. NW. 800-955-5566.

FILM: D.C. Independent Film Festival It's Year 10 for this festival, which presents a couple dozen features and 80-odd short films straight from the indie world (and since last year, the fest has included a music festival). This year, it opens March 6 with "Searchers 2.0," a film by Alex Cox, whose achievements have included "Repo Man" and "Sid and Nancy"; on March 7 (7 p.m.), don't miss the "Advocacy Day" political movies, including feature "Karl Rove I Love You." Also on the festival slate are seminars and panels on "chick films," filmmaking, anime and composing music for film, and a screening of the documentary "The Clash Live: Revolution Rock" on March 16. Individual screenings, $10; students and seniors, $7; opening night film and reception, $25. Passes range from $75 for a one-day all-access pass or music festival pass to $225 for an all-access pass lasting through the festival. March 6-16. George Washington University, Jack Morton Auditorium, 805 21st St. NW. 202-592-6230 or for full schedule, visit http://www.dciff.org.