Weekly Music Agenda
Mogwai is at the 9:30 Club tonight.
>> Post-rock's loud-soft-loud dynamics and frenetic instrumentation may have been pioneered by bands like Tortoise and Mono (among others), but Scottish outfit Mogwai have become one of the sub-genre's most recognizable names. They'll be blasting out eardrums tonight at the 9:30 Club. 7 p.m., $25.
>> Going from hardcore bands to composing film scores hardly seems like a musician's typical progression, but Portland transplant Keegan DeWitt has done both, plus written some woozy atmospheric tunes for himself. That will be the fare when he opens at Galaxy Hut for Annie & the Beekeepers. 9 p.m., $5
TUESDAY
>> The Pat Benatar/Blondie double bill at Wolf Trap has already sold out. No big surprise there, as Benatar and Deborah Harry were two of the hardest rocking women of the '80s who spawned infectious hit after infectious hit. Check with Craig for options.
>> They've been nominated for a Mercury Prize, lauded by artists such as Radiohead and released four albums over the course of their 12-year career. Not bad for a band whose name you may have only heard in passing who has received only minor commercial success. Elbow will be at the 9:30 Club. 7 p.m., $20.
>> It's been a long time coming, but Middle Distance Runner has finally gone from one of the area's best unsigned bands to Engine Room Recordings artist. Engine Room must like D.C. bands, having also signed US Royalty last month. They'll be celebrating at Jammin Java and playing lots of material from their upcoming release on that label. Congratulations, guys. 8 p.m., $10.
>> There appear to only be two bands playing at the Velvet Lounge on Tuesday night, but running down the list of names playing in these two bands is like looking at an eye-popping collaboration of pure awesome. Members of Fugazi, The Thievery Corporation and Sonic Suicide Squad (among others) will be performing on a Guitar Trio Double Bill and Private Language Argument features Chris Haskett of The Rollins Band. Yes, please. 9 p.m., $18+, $8.
Los Campesinos! are at the 9:30 Club on Wednesday.
>> Despite the departure of Aleks, one of the singing Campesinos, Scottish band Los Campesinos! will be bringing their upbeat catchy pop songs (and hopefully a few Pavement covers) to the 9:30 Club. Girls and Smith Westerns open. Early show at 6:30 p.m., $15.
>> Slick rapping kid with high-powered fans, Asher Roth, and hip-hop alternative fusion artist Kid Cudi have generated enough of a buzz that the late night 9:30 Club show has sold out. A sold out late show on a weeknight. Yes, it is possible.
>> The supergroup most likely to trigger mid-90s alt-rock nostalgia, Tinted Windows, features members of Smashing Pumpkins, Hanson, Fountains of Wayne and Cheap Trick. Not sure how Bun. E. Carlos got in there. Whether the music is palatable remains to be seen but in case you need a reason besides pure curiosity to head to the Black Cat mainstage, U.S. Royalty, as mentioned earlier, will be celebrating their new status as a signed recording artist. 8 p.m., $20.
THURSDAY
>> The good news: legendary Irish singer/guitarist Van Morrison is playing two nights at DAR Constitution Hall and neither show appears to be sold out. That's probably because, if we're reading ticketmaster correctly, the tickets range from $95 - $350 a pop. Ouch. 8 p.m.
>> The Birchmere is presenting their show with Southern blues-rock mainstays The Derek Trucks Band at National Harbor. Soulive opens. 6:30 p.m., $16.50-$35.
>> A bunch of rootsy bands, all of which have DCist approval will be hitting the Black Cat backstage tonight. Olivia Mancini & the Mates, The Oscillating Fan Club and The Beanstalk Library. 9 p.m., $8.
>> When jazzy Bottles/Cans first appeared a little over a year ago, we were happy to announce their first show. Now they’re having their CD release party at the Rock and Roll Hotel. Good to see that they’ve stuck around. 8:30 p.m., $10.
FRIDAY
>> If Fort Reno’s set was any indicator, former Three Stars subjects Fffever have a few brand new tracks and the same 80s workout video inspired sweatbands. They’ll be at the Velvet Lounge performing some of these new tracks for their EP release party. 10 p.m., $8, 21+
>> Former Three Stars subject Loose Lips will be at the Rock and Roll Hotel with a band they talked up mightily in that interview, Paperhaus. However, headlining will be The Tennis System, whose songs have echoes of everything from The Smiths to The Dismemberment Plan all masked by a veil of My Bloody Valentine reverb. Hard to go wrong with that combination. 9 p.m., $10.
SATURDAY
>> The iconic Athens party band, the B-52s have opted for Wolf Trap on this visit through the area, having previously visited the much cozier 9:30 Club. 8 p.m., $40 in house, $25 lawn.
>> Smoky-voiced Tracy Chapman had a few radio hits in the early 90s, but the acoustic guitarist has been recording music for twenty years and has gained quite a loyal following. She'll be performing songs from her latest release, Our Bright Future at the 9:30 Club. 8 p.m., $40.
>> Fur Nightclub isn't a place that frequently comes across the Weekly Music Agenda radar but when we found out that electronic heavyweights MSTRKRFT would be playing and The Crystal Method would be DJing at this club near the New York Ave. metro stop, we quickly took note. We also took note that this party will be going until its 5 a.m. closing time. 33 Patterson St., NE, 9 p.m., $20 , 18+
>> It's not terribly clear how the Fiery Furnaces and Wye Oak ended up on the same bill. Yes, they both each have two members but The Fiery Furnaces have looping song structures, sudden changes in pace and experimental sounds that still recall older artists like The Who and Frank Zappa. Baltimore's Wye Oak plays slower more lushly arranged songs that are heartbreaking and beautiful. Actually, that sounds like a pretty awesome combination. They'll be at the Black Cat Mainstage. 9 p.m., $15.
>> It's Len Bias' last show. No, we're not happy about it either. But considering that both drummer Mark Raymond and bassist Wes Garcia are headed toward the left coast, that pretty much seems to be the only option. They'll be playing at the Velvet Lounge with Citizen Meander, Lost Civilizations and The Fordists. 10 p.m., $8, 21+
>> The ladies (and one guy) in Five Four have had a burger named after then at DC9 and have graced the playlists of many a Liberation Dance Party. They'll be headlining tonight at the Rock and Roll Hotel and they'll have some back up from Bellflur, Sweet Interference and Gaslight Society. 9 p.m., $10.
SUNDAY
>> Yes, Mos Def has appeared in some fantastic (and some slightly less than fantastic) films, but he first came on the scene as a rapper and his latest offering, The Ecstatic, has received rave reviews with good reason. His tour stops by the 9:30 Club. 7 p.m., $35.
>> We found out after interviewing both bands that Ra Ra Rasputin and Lode Runner share two members. That's exhausting for anybody, much less a drummer playing in two bands with dance-inflected sensibilities. Thankfully, their show at the Black Cat has a third band, Anamanaguchi, sandwiched in between them. 9 p.m., $10.
>> Screen Vinyl Image, one of the most unique sounding bands in D.C., will be at the Velvet Lounge. 9 p.m., $8, 21+
>> Joe Pernice of the highly underrated Pernice Brothers will be stopping in at Iota after the two hour (and free) poetry series from 6-8 p.m. Poetry and Pernice seems like the right speed for a Sunday night. 8:30 p.m., $15.