Out and About: Weekend Picks
FRIDAY
MOVIES: This weekend there are three film festivals to choose from: the Alexandria Film Festival, Chocolate City Films: Reflections on the Diaspora, and the AFI Latin American Film Festival. Get all the details on what to see at these festivals, along with the rest of our film picks of the week, here.
ART: All four artists featured in Renwick Gallery's Staged Stories: Renwick Craft Invitational 2009 will be will be at the Smithsonian's American Art Museum for a roundtable discussion and reception. 6 p.m., free. Read more about art events this weekend in our Arts Agenda.
MUSIC: See who’s in the The Minus 5 tonight, as their frequently rotating line-up has included guests from Guided By Voices, Wilco, R.E.M., The Decemberists, and Death Cab for Cutie. They're at Iota at 9:30 p.m., $20.
D.C. band the Cornel West Theory has a new album on the way and a show at Liv. As an added bonus, they'll be appearing at the performance with their namesake, Princeton prof. Cornel West. $10 in advance, 7 p.m.
JAZZ: An icon of African American culture, poet/playwright/activist Amiri Baraka comes to Twins Jazz tonight for a reading with jazz accompaniment. Leading the backing band will be woodwind artist Renè Profit-McLean. Tickets to the 9 and 11 p.m. sets are $20. And with more jazz events this upcoming week than I’ve ever seen highlighted before, please look at our Week in Jazz feature for much more to choose from, and good luck making your jazz rounds this weekend.
SATURDAY
BOOKS: The National Book Festival is today on the National Mall from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Check out famous authors such as John Grisham, Jodi Picoult, and James Patterson speaking and signing autographs. More details can be found here.
FOOD & DRINK: The Barrack’s Row Oktoberfest is free from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
ART: On Saturday, swing by Art Enables for the opening of their massive Outsider Art Inside the Beltway exhibit, featuring over 80 artists. Reception is 1 - 5 p.m. and features a performance by the Quicksilver dance company.
MUSIC: Stop in throughout the day as the Sonic Circuits Festival takes over the The Velvet Lounge for 12 full hours, including performances from Jandek and minimalist electronic artist Tim Hecker, 2 p.m., $20.
Houston rapper Bun B headlines the "DMV South Takeover" at the 9:30 Club. He'll be joined by local emcees Kingpen Slim and Tabi Bonney. $25-$35, 9 p.m.
In case you missed the reunited Polvo the last time they came through town, you can catch them again tonight at the Black Cat. Sick Sick Birds and Last Century open. 9 p.m., $15.
MUSEUMS: It’s National Museum Day, which means that the few D.C. museums which are not normally free just might be. Find a full list of participating museums here.
JAZZ: The same folks who bring you Jazz Night in Southwest present the 8th Annual D.C. Jazz Preservation Festival, taking place at Pond Park, located at 6th and I Streets SW. Performers include many of the city's finest, including Paul Carr, Buck Hill, Nasar Abadey, and many more. Noon to 9 p.m. Free.
MOVIE: Check out a screening of the documentary Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme at the Historical Society of Washington, D.C.. Free, 3 p.m.
SUNDAY
MUSIC: The culmination of the Sonic Circuits festival includes a performance by the innovative Faust, whose sound has influenced most of the accepted “challenging” musical acts out there today. Also of note, L.A. noise rockers HEALTH, whose explosive energy will likely overwhelm the non-earplug wearing crowd at the Black Cat. $13/$15, 8 p.m.