Weekly Music Agenda
MONDAY
>> You may not be able to pronounce their name, but !!! (chk, chk, chk)’s disco enfused indie pop will leave you speechless. The former band members from The Yah Mos, Black Liquorice and Popesmashers are on tour promoting their recent release Myth Takes. Catch them at the 9:30 Club tonight with Canadian experimental rockers, Holy Fuck. $18.
TUESDAY
>> Velvet Revolver kicked off their Re-evolution tour on May 3rd the same way they began, with a fundraiser. The proceeds from the first show in support of the upcoming sophomore release, Libertad, will help families cope with those lost to addiction. Tuesday night they’ll be in D.C. playing a sold out show at the 9:30 Club with The Actual.
>> Japan’s instrumental brooders Mono are…out there, but in a good way. A review of their album Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined claims that “in the space of eight songs and 58 minutes [it] swells beyond the confines of a rock quartet to become a lush full-flavored orchestra of sound and emotion.” So if the trippy ambient scene is your thing, head down to the Rock and Roll Hotel and catch them with Grails and World’s End Girlfriend. $10/$12, 8 p.m. doors.
>> Azerbaijan, an oil-rich country that lies between the Caspian Sea, Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Iran has still not resolved its territorial disputes with Armenia. As a benefit for Azerbaijanian kids living in refugee camps, Imamyar Hasanov (on kamancha/spiked fiddle), Rufat Hasanov (on tar/lute) and Pejman Hadadi (on percussion) will perform an evening of traditional mugham music at Lisner Auditorium. Sound samples suggest it is not easy listening — expect high-pitched Middle Eastern and Asian stringwork overtop far from simple beats.
WEDNESDAY
>> The boys from Britain owe their quick rise to international gritty indie-pop stardom to MySpace. A debut album that topped the charts earned The Arctic Monkeys the distinction of album of the year in Time Magazine in 2006, and their recent sophomore release, Favourite Worst Nightmare has them testing the waters with a more aggressive sound. Be Your Own Pet will be opening this SOLD OUT show at the 9:30 Club.
>> Girl groups take over the Velvet Lounge tonight for a domestic violence benefit show. Show your support and enjoy a full folk-acoustic lineup including Girl Parts, Julie Loyd, Liz Clark, Laura Tsaggaris, Melineh Kurdian.
THURSDAY
>> Synth-pop sensation Ladytron will be checking into the Rock and Roll Hotel tonight. The band has recently invited fans to produce their own films with “White Light Generator” as the soundtrack and post the links in their MySpace. It’s a collaborative music video project that could turn out to be pretty cool. So whip out your video camera or just head on down to H Street.
>> Bassist Joe Lally from Fugazi will be performing tonight at Jammin’ Java before heading out to tour Japan. He’ll be accompanied by producer and Inner Ear Studios owner Don Zientara. 7:30 p.m., $10.
FRIDAY
>> Granian is no stranger to Jammin' Java, but this time around he’s packing more of a punch with his new band Kill the Alarm. While his vocals are unique the headlining pop rockers Nine Days have a similar style in the mainstream circuit. But where have they been since “Absolutely (Story of a Girl)”?
>> KRS-One (Lawrence Parker) has been under the gun for his controversial lyrics and political statements about 9/11 and the Bush administration. What better place for him to embrace his activist side than D.C. He’ll be at Black Cat tonight as part of his “Hip Hop Lives Tour” with Emoni Fela. 9 p.m., $20.
>> Prolific, infectious, and quite expensive. No, we're not talking about something you picked up on spring break. We're talking of course about the wonderful Elvis Costello, who's gracing the 9:30 Club this weekend with his band, The Imposters. It'll set you back $75, but if it's anything like his visit last summer to Wolf Trap, it just might be worth it.
SATURDAY
>> In the final days of Artomatic, a Boston-based band will take the stage to reintroduce you to the banjo. Onside modernizes the instrument and weaves together a sound worthy of any radio friendly indie-pop group currently dominating alternative airwaves. 6 p.m..
>> D.C.-based No Second Troy has got what it takes to make it in the national music scene with their catchy professionally packaged pop rock. These locals were recently added to Alternative Addiction’s Top 10 Unsigned Bands, (Army of Me was up there too before they hit it big) and will be at Iota tonight for their CD release party. Get them while they’re hot, with openers Jealousy Curve and Copper Sails. 9 p.m., $10.
SUNDAY
>> We never thought of McLean, Virginia as the D.C. area's center for Arabic language sounds. However, Zina Daoudia, a Moroccan chaabi singer will be performing there at the Best Western Tysons West Park, 8401 West Park Drive. She has a number of videos on YouTube that showcase her melodramatic vocals. $70 includes dinner. For more information e-mail sba22 (at) msn (dot) com or call 703-906-2425.
>> Indie rockers Pretty Girls Make Graves are preparing to rest in peace as they head towards their final show on June 9th in their hometown of Seattle, Washington. But you have one more chance to catch the band as they tour through D.C. this week. They’ll be at the Black Cat with Moonrats, and Call Me Lightning. 8 p.m., $13.
>> What better way to put a cap on your weekend than with the exhilarating yet soothing sounds of professional whistler and all around awesome musician Andrew Bird? His latest album, Armchair Apocrypha, is just as lovely as his last, so if you can wrangle away into this sold out affair, it'll be worth your time.
DCist Amanda and Steve Kiviat contributed to this week's agenda.
Photos from ChkChkChk.net, MySpace.com/Ladytron, and Dan Monick