>> Two quality offerings from the Black Cat tonight: Japan's uber-weird noise outfit Melt-Banana take the mainstage with Hex Machine at 8:30 p.m., $13. Plus Falls Church native and now Richmond-based newgrass singer Josh Small is in the Backstage tonight, with Tim Barry and The Wading Girl, for a paltry $8 at 8 p.m.

>> Campus Progress is calling all summer interns and other young folks to head over to Science Club tonight for their Summer Kick-off Party from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. You only have to be 18 to enter, but of course drinks will require an ID. Looks like they'll be serving up free nibbles as well.

>> The Arlington Cinema and Draft House presents the DC School of Beer monthly class, the ABCs of Beer. Learn about and taste the difference between ales, lagers, IPAs and many more. $24, starts at 7:30 p.m.

>> This August will mark the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's devastating impact on New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Jenni Bergal stops by Olsson's in Penn Quarter to read from her book on the subject, City Adrift. 7 p.m.

Photo by Sexy Fitsum