Weekly Music Agenda
The Pretenders
>> Good luck getting into the 9:30 Club this week. There are sold out shows on five out of the next seven days (what, no love for Big Head Todd on Friday?). First up on the list of packed houses is Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders, who just released an album of brand new material last fall, to pretty solid reviews. They're on tour with American Bang. Get ready to start those Craigslist searches or sad-eyed "have an extra ticket" routines out in front of the club this evening. 7 p.m.
>> Musée Mécanique is a folky group from Portland who trade in haunting, melancholy melodies and the sort of ethereal tone one might expect from a band whose recent record was called Hold this Ghost. They're at Iota tonight as the guest of The Federal Reserve collective's first Monday series. $5, 8 p.m.
>> Looking for an It-Came-From-The-80s moment but don't want the uncertainty of trying to score Pretenders tickets? Classic 2 Tone ska band The English Beat is at the Birchmere tonight, and there are still tickets to be had. Bad Manners were contemporaries of The Beat (and actually predated them by a couple of years), but never got quite as big. They're re-formed as well, and are opening the show. This show is in the bandstand area, which means standing room, and which also means you can skank out to your heart's content. $25, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday
>> We're not sure why a band hailing from eastern Pennsylvania calls themselves Illinois, but you can ask them tomorrow at DC9, where they'll be performing their rather fractured pop take on roots rock. Beach Boys revivalists Explorers Club will be harmonizing for all they're worth, and Giant will kick things off. $8, 8:30 p.m.
>> In case you missed this weekend's tribute to the anniversary of the deaths of Richie Valens, Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper, there's another event commemorating the tragedy this week, on the actual anniversary of the day their plane went down (February 3, 1959). Musician J.P. McDermott will deliver a lecture and give a performance devoted mostly to Holly at the National Museum of Natural History's Atrium Cafe. $40, 6:45 p.m.
>> Fan of electro-poppers Passion Pit but disappointed that their Black Cat backstage show sold out? Good news, the 'Cat moved them up to the mainstage and tickets are available again. Paper Route and Cale Parks open. $12, 9 p.m.
Wednesday
>> Psych rockers Radio Moscow join forces at the Velvet Lounge with local band Nitroseed, who are just as heavy as that name and their pedigree (former members of Spirit Caravan and Wooly Mammoth) would suggest. $8, 9:30 p.m.
By PJ Sykes Photography, from the band's Myspace page.
Thursday
>> The Andalusians have been gigging pretty constantly on area stages, judging from the frequency their name comes up in this column. Basla Andalusan and her rotating crew of backers are celebrating the release of a single on Dischord Records ("Do the Work", out 2/16/09) at the Black Cat backstage with fellow local acts Statehood and Played Tomorrow. $8, 9 p.m.
>> Virginia Music Adventures is an organization that gives kids an opportunity to develop their musical skills and tour the world. Jammin' Java hosts VMA night, in which they showcase one of the program's proteges, Greg Howard. He'll perform on the "Chapman Stick", an unusual instrument that looks like a huge guitar fretboard, minus the body. Joining him is the single-monikored Harper, a virtuoso harmonica player who we hope doesn't remind us of the only other "virtuoso harmonica player" we can think of. $20, 7 p.m.
Friday
>> The Andalusians aren't the only ones celebrating a record release in town this week. Local indie rockers Sweet Interference are releasing We Never Draw Hearts Anymore, their second full length. Head over to The Red and The Black to congratulate them and pick up a copy. Carousel Rogues and Earth Note Syndicate open. $8.
>> The Cassettes' Shelby Cinca, who we interviewed last year, is never a person to have just one iron in the fire. In addition to his activities with the Cassettes, he also has an electronic music collective called Swedish Columbia. The collective is playing DJ for the Marquis night at Red Lounge this week, with sets from Jonathan Kreinik, Triobelisk, Outputmessage, Micah Vellian.
>> Two DCist favorites (and former Three Stars profilees) are at The Rock and Roll Hotel this weekend. The hard rocking Caverns (***) and Americana-inflected Deleted Scenes (***) top a bill that also includes Hammer No More the Fingers and Acedia. $10, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday
>> One of the few non-sold out shows at the 9:30 Club this week features three generations of D.C. stoner metal, a genre that isn't necessarily automatically associated with D.C., but that has a long history on the fringes of the more highly publicized hardcore scene. The main attraction here is the Wino Band, the current project from legendary purveyor of doom Scott "Wino" Weinrich, who has been the frontman for heavy D.C. bands for over 30 years now, from The Obsessed to Saint Vitus to Spirit Caravan. The younger generations are represented by Northern VA's King Giant and Salome. $13, 6 p.m.
>> D.C. mainstays Shortstack (***) released their last record a year ago, a collection of covers ranging from The Kinks to Captain Beefheart to Creedence, giving some insight into their own diverse sound. They'll headline a mainstage show at the Black Cat with tour diarists These United States and The Minor White. $10, 9 p.m.
Sunday
>> Asheville, NC indie-poppers The StereoFidelics are on tour in support of their new record, Only Sleeping. They'll hit The Red and The Black this weekend with local folk rockers Whiz Bang Three. $6, 8:30 p.m.
>> Transcendant glory, or train wreck? It's the question one always must ask oneself before committing to buy tickets to see Cat Power in concert. It seems a lot of folks are banking on the former, since her show on Sunday at the 9:30 Club has long since sold out. Either that or they're the sort of folks who go to Nascar races just hoping for a fiery crash. But she seems to have found the key to more consistent performances, which is to hire a crew of seasoned professionals to play behind her. Whether it's via their support, their experience, or just the fact that she doesn't want to humiliate them by having a nervous breakdown on stage, she seems much more centered when she's playing with a full band. Bring her out on her own, things still seem a little shaky. But the fact is, no matter what kind of show Chan Marshall puts on, you probably won't be able to avert your eyes. If you're not already going, good luck finding tickets. 7 p.m.