Arts and Events: February 2009 Archives

I suppose we can never be sure if the driver plunked down here on purpose; but it is clear that sally henny penny was in the right place at the right time to catch this Smart Car's incredibly photogenic parking spot.

isn't the first ambitious attempt to adapt Tolstoy's epic novel to the stage. It's also not in the running to be the definitive version.

The Master Musicians of Jajouka were “discovered” by Beat-generation writer Brion Gysin, and later visited by Brian Jones and Timothy Leary on their lysergically-inclined wanderings around Morocco in the 1960s. Leary famously remarked that he had "found" a “four thousand year old rock and roll band” in the foothills of the Rif Mountains below Tangier. While the group's history remains contentious and questions about their roots still linger (Philip Schuyler's article "Joujouka/Jajouka/Zahjouka" gives the most comprehensive account) and while they’re hardly rock and roll, Leary’s sense of time lapse was appropriately and unsurprisingly apt: when the Master Musicians lock into a groove, minutes quickly turn to hours and hours to minutes.

Most mob dramas tend to concentrate on organized crime from the inside out. Whether it's The Godfather, Goodfellas, or The Sopranos, we see these operations from the point of view of those running them and those working within them. The communities they impact are often secondary. That's not a criticism; breaking down the codes of honor among thieves, and the interpersonal relationships between people who operate by entirely alternate moralities makes for great drama. But most of the time, the impact of their crimes on anyone but themselves isn't explored in great detail. You might get an appearance from a dying junkie here or there, but usually as a plot device and not an integral character. Don Corleone and Tony Montana may be the bad guys, but they're still the heroes of their stories.

As an artist looked on as a leading figure in 20th century art, Louise Bourgeois has enjoyed an incredible 70 year career. From her early influences of Surrealism to her Feminist works, Bourgeois uses memory and emotion to create thought provoking motifs and dramatic sculpture. At the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Bourgeois' lengthy and successful career is highlighted in a major retrospective of her work.

ART: We're told tonight's preview of Washington Project for the Arts Annual Art Auction still has room. RSVP info is here. Get a preview of the available art, hear curator talks, and see Jack Rasmussen, Director and Curator of American University's Katzen Art Museum, receive the Alice Denney Award for Contemporary Art. Free, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

As we'll remind you a few more times over the next ten days, DCist Exposed continues to run at the Gallery at Flashpoint until March 7. See it Tuesday through Saturdays, 12 to 6 p.m. While we'd love to encourage you to attend our panel discussion, Emerge Exposed, next Tuesday, it seems we just hit capacity this morning. Thanks to those of you who RSVP'd early.

The curves of the path and the trees coupled with the angle at which the photo was taken make it look like we're viewing dr_kim_veis's capture of a walk in the park through a peephole. And if the subtle nuances of perspective don't jump out at you, there's always the puppy and the little kid in the winter hat trying to walk. EXIF.

DCist's highly subjective and hardly comprehensive guide to the most interesting movies playing around town in the coming week.

Patton Oswalt’s career as a writer and actor has been on an ascending curve over the last couple of years, most notably since he provided the voice (and inspired much of the character) of Remy, the rat who dreams of becoming a gourmet chef, in Brad Bird’s terrific 2007 PIXAR film, Ratatouille. He plays his first on-camera leading role in Big Fan, written and directed by Robert D. Siegel — the former editor of The Onion, and the writer of last year’s critically adored The Wrestler — which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last month.

MUSIC: Carol Bui headlines the Rock and Roll Hotel tonight. Title Tracks and Paul Michel round out a solid local line-up. $8, 8 p.m.

When we reported back in August that Le Loup guitarist May Tabol had left the Unbuckled alums to focus on her solo work, we figured that it probably wouldn't be long until we started hearing more about her. Sure enough, after the summer had given us a few whispers and early performances and come colder weather, we started hearing a whole lot more about Pree.

With Utah and the District so intricately linked in the news lately, these shots seem all the more appropriate; besides, there's nothing quite as fun as a collaborative effort between DCist Flickr pool contributors. Cazimiro and volcanojw worked together to produce a set of double exposure images -- one exposure from the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, and the other of scenes in daily D.C. life -- of which this ghostly visage of mountainside homes hovering over I-395 is a part.

As you know, you can see the DCist Exposed Photography Show at Flashpoint anytime from Tuesday through Saturday, 12 to 6 p.m. through March 7, but we have one more big event associated with it. Last year we asked the Pink Line Project to hold a panel discussion during the exhibition, to talk to people about how and why one should buy art, particularly photography. The event sold out quickly and was packed with useful information for artists and patrons alike, so we asked Pink Line, in partnership with the Cultural Development Corporation, to come back and do it again this year.

>> A hot set of local musicians will be performing on Thursday at Twins Jazz, in the form of the Duende Quartet. In 2007, Duende was one of six jazz quartets chosen to tour internationally on behalf of the State Department. The group consists of ace pianist Harry Appleman, bassist Josh Schwartzman, and hand percussionists Sam Turner and Mark Merella. Call 202-234-0072 for set time and cover information.

To say things are looking bright for Christon "Christylez" Bacon is a major understatement. Last year, he was the first hip-hop artist to be named an Artist-in-Residence at the Music Center at Strathmore. Just in the past month, he performed to a packed house on the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage, delivered an impressive performance at this year's Wammies, and picked up two awards, Rapper of the Year and Rap/Hip-Hop Recording of the Year for his debut studio release, Advanced Artistry.

MARDI GRAS: Looking for a taste of New Orleans tonight? We're recommending the Mardi Gras Dance Party with Creole Andre Thiery and Zydeco Magic at the Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd. Glen Echo, MD. Dancing runs from 8 to 11 p.m., and we're told there will be king cake. $15.

>> DJs Roddy Rod and 2-Tone Jones will pit two heroes of hip-hop's golden era against one another during their "Rakim vs. Big Daddy Kane" set at the Red Lounge. $5, 9 p.m.

I'm not a mathematician by any means, but I certainly heart the geometry in andertho's stark image, shot outside the District's decidely angular MLK library. (EXIF data)

The last time Stevie Wonder played in town, his venue was the Lincoln Memorial. Before that, it was the Verizon Center. But last night, the room was considerably smaller, and the music exponentially more unique. At the Library of Congress's Coolidge Auditorium, the overachieving 58-year-old pop/R&B legend, Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famer, Kennedy Center Honoree, and 25-time Grammy-winner led a reduced orchestra in the world-premiere performance of Sketches of a Life, a classical suite that's been in the works for more than half of his.

              

There is this misconception among the world of rock 'n' roll that being self-referential in songs is patently uncool. Oh sure, back in the 1950s and '60s, ironically asking "Who are you?" or proudly proclaiming "Hey, Hey, We're the Monkees!" was perfectly acceptable, but barring an occasional song like "The Dismemberment Plan Gets Rich!", being self-referential is usually relegated to the world of hip-hop (good and bad) or narcissistic hoo-hahs like Kid Rock. But British rock outfit Fujiya & Miyagi aren't afraid to let you know who they are, whether they're repeatedly saying their own name during "Ankle Injuries" or plastering it on the projection screen behind them, and they manage to come across as cool doing it.

DCist's guide to lectures and discussions in the D.C. area

Inserting a rap number into a 1930s Brechtian play-with-music takes a certain sort of chutzpah. Managing to elevate the work in the process: now, that's just impressive.

Here's one last picture from the DCist Exposed exhibit at the Gallery at Flashpoint. If you couldn't brave the crowds on Friday night, or just want to see the photos without the claustrophobia, do like c00lmarie and head back during their regular hours. We hear people are still streaming through, but at much more manageable numbers, as you can see above. Flashpoint is open Tuesday through Saturday, 12 to 6 p.m. If you're interested in purchasing a photo, talk to someone while you're at the gallery, or email me at heather[at]dcist.com

>> A lot of emcees are Def, but they 'aint Mos. Celebrated Brooklyn rapper Mos Def has managed to sell out both of his Monday night shows at the 9:30 Club. Luckily, there are plenty of tickets to be had on Craigslist--some of which are even listed at reasonable prices! Sold out, 6:30 p.m and 9:30 p.m.

For the next few weeks, the District will be a hub of Arab culture as the Kennedy Center presents Arabesque: Arts of the Arab World, a festival that begins tonight and runs through March 15. The festival will feature artists from all 22 nations that comprise the League of Arab States. The performances, many of which are free, will cover multiple artistic media, ranging from spoken word, to music and dance, to visual art.

This is going to be a good week for classical music, with a concert by a major visiting artist or ensemble just about every day. There are even some excellent free concerts, listed after the jump. Will anyone but your faithful music critic be able to hear it all?

              

Here we are again, blown away by those of you who came out to celebrate the talents of our local photographers. This year we had one special new thing: a door counter. DCist and Flashpoint were thrilled to greet 1,036 visitors to this year's Exposed Photography Show (and makes us wonder if we've been lowballing that number in previous years). We can't thank you enough for coming out to the show, waiting in the cold in a line that formed around 5:40 p.m., and supporting our little venture. You guys are what makes DCist Exposed a success.

DCist is knocking off early to head to DCist Exposed 2009, our annual juried photography show! The opening reception is tonight from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Gallery at Flashpoint, located at 916 G St NW.

In the handy study guide that accompanies the world premiere production of The Heavens Are Hung in Black, now running at the newly reopened Ford’s Theatre, playwright James Still observes that his subject, Abraham Lincoln, is "probably the most written-about person in the world after Jesus." If that’s true, then Still's creaky but still richly rewarding drama more resembles the 16th president's The Last Temptation of Christ than his New Testament: It's a humanizing portrayal that ennobles its mighty subject by cutting him down to size.

FRIDAY:

Sanjay Suchak has given you all the details. You know what to do.

D.C.-based Arena Stage proudly announced earlier today that for the first time in the theater’s history since 1979, two productions that recently played at Arena will be on Broadway at the same time: Moisés Kaufman’s 33 Variations starring Jane Fonda, and Next to Normal featuring the entire Arena Stage cast. You can read our reviews of both Arena productions here and here.

DCist's highly subjective and hardly comprehensive guide to the most interesting movies playing around town in the coming week.

MUSIC: New Zealand's Mark de Clive-Lowe brings his keyboard and on-the-spot beat making skills back to the District for the second time in the past several months. Sharing the bill with him at Bohemian Caverns will be British vocalist Vanessa Freeman and D.C.'s own Bilal Salaam. $12 in advance/$15 at the door, 8 p.m.

As far as any of us are concerned, there's only one art event going on this weekend that should be on your calendar. (Okay, that's not entirely true; we've got your abbreviated agenda below.)

Tomorrow is only a day away! The DCist Exposed Photography show opens Friday at the Gallery at Flashpoint, featuring the work of artists who have beautifully captured D.C.'s faces, scenes, and structures. It may be hard to remember what summer feels like right now, but Pianoman75's Fountain Fun conjures memories not just of cooling down in the oppressive heat, but also of the summer when my friend got a Slip'n'Slide for his steep downhill backyard.

MUSIC: Looks like tickets are sold out to see R&B star Ne-Yo at Constitution Hall, but Craigslist has plenty of options. Also Musiq Soulchild and Jazmine Sullivan. $64-$74, 7:30 p.m.

>> Veteran guitarist Sanjay Mishra is known for combining a modern jazz sensibility with the sounds of his native India, and has collaborated with the likes of Jerry Garcia and DJ Logic. He will perform 8 and 10 p.m. sets tonight at Blues Alley. Tickets are $20 + $12.50 minimum/surcharge.

Just two more days left! The DCist Exposed Photography Show opens at the Gallery at Flashpoint this Friday, featuring the work of our many talented photographers. Flickr user andertho's photo of the Metro is a fantastic example of the unique vision that flips our city's touristy images on their heads, a vision acquired only by the people who work and live here every day.

The concert will feature the critically acclaimed Orchestra of Tangier and 22-year-old vocal virtuoso Marouan Hajji, both from Morocco, along with Tunisian singer Lotfi Bouchnak, considered one of the great Arab musicians. The festival's producer is Kazko Kawai, president of MENA music, a New York-based company founded in 2006 with the goal of enhancing mutual understanding between the Arab world and American people.

MOVIE: In honor of Black History Month, the National Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of African American History and Culture are screening Lady Sings the Blues, the 1972 Billie Holiday biopic starring Diana Ross in her film debut. In the NPG's Nan Tucker McEvoy Auditorium, free, doors open at 6:30; seating is first come, first served for the 7 p.m. screening.

"How could it have snuck up on us so suddenly?" I hear you cry. Perhaps time has been skewed by the Large Hadron Collider, or maybe we can blame those annoying flashes. Whatever the reason, the big event is a mere three days away!

>> Twenty-one year old pianist Laura Izibor comes from Dublin and is being dubbed as the "next big thing." She'll be performing at Bohemian Caverns for her D.C. debut. $5, 8 p.m.

DCist's guide to lectures and discussions in the D.C. area

>> Folkie Justin Trawick wants to help you fight off your case of the Mondays with a solo acoustic set at IOTA. With Blues James Band. 8:30 p.m., $10.

          

'Presidential Cupcakes,' on display Saturday at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, was both a celebration of Barack Obama's recent Inauguration and a tribute to our 16th President's recent 200th Birthday. It also happened to be President's Day Weekend and, um, Valentine's Day. And who wouldn't want cupcakes on Valentine's Day?

OK, fine, I'll admit it; I've got a serious jones for tilt-shift photography. But maxedaperture's tilt-shift of the Whitehurst Freeway is especially enjoyable -- a different take on a common D.C. photograph.

The news this week in classical music is the major concerts being offered by the area's symphony orchestras, as well as a large number of concerts that you can hear for free.

See, we knew that there was at least one good reason to brand chocolates as a cliché Valentine's gift: homemade cupcakes, of course. spiggycat supplies us with all the supporting evidence we need.

FRIDAY:

              

Photos and words by DCist contributor Francis Chung

Flickr user jng03 captures the future of advertising, in which men breakdance and seizures are induced. Sign spinners elicit a range of reactions, from "Damn, that guy can dance!" to "I hope I don't plow into someone while watching this" and even "I wasn't a flag twirler in high school...would I be qualified?" Have you ever purchased a mattress or rented an apartment because of the swirling advertisements? EXIF.

DCist's highly subjective and hardly comprehensive guide to the most interesting movies playing around town in the coming week.

With the 10th anniversary of Artomatic comes a new location — Half Street’s 55 M Street SE, a 275,000 square feet LEED Silver Class A office building that is currently under construction. The dates of the five-week long art, music, and theater event are May 29 to July 5, and it will run Wednesdays through Sundays.

              

On Wednesday, the bicentennial of President Lincoln's birthday, Ford's Theater celebrated its grand re-opening after having been closed for a significant renovation and restoration project since June 2007. As Paul Tetreault, the theater’s director, explains in the video below, many of the changes aren't entirely obvious, as many objects were carefully restored to their original luster from 1865, the year Lincoln was assassinated. However the theater also boasts new seats (a change we understand patrons will be especially thankful for), a renovated lobby and restrooms, and a new gift shop. With the nearly $50 million they've raised, the venue will eventually include a museum and Lincoln education center. Last night they christened the new stage with a special event, including the presentation of the Lincoln Medal to Sidney Poitier and George Lucas.

       

As momentum builds in Hollywood for the Academy Awards, Tracy's Kids, a local charitable program for children with cancer, held their own movie-themed gala on Tuesday night. Politicos, corporate honchos, and other benevolent Washington types filled Lucky Strike for a reception before taking the escalator upstairs to the Regal Gallery Place cinemas to see one of six Oscar nominated films.

BENEFIT: There's a bigger benefit tonight for Rock and Roll Hotel/DC9 bartender and manager KT Robeson, who is still recovering from back surgery and hasn't been able to work for some time. There's a crazy-long list of performers, including Domino Team, Tom McBride and the Whig Party, the Public Good, and Stewart Lupton, plus big name DJs from all over town including Will Eastman, Shannon Stewart, and Nacey and Steve from Nouveau Riche. All proceeds from the night -- every $5 cover and 10 percent of the drink sales -- will be donated to KT. At the Rock and Roll Hotel, music gets started at 9 p.m.

The DCist Photo Pool has seen a spike in milling-about and sleeping-in-public photos, no doubt due to the improved weather over the past couple days. You probably didn't spend your time outdoors wondering what's behind the fence, as captured by Nivad. The couple in the foreground couldn't care less.

As you know, Valentine's Day is this weekend, and with it comes plenty of opportunities for arty couples to go on dates, and for singles to pretend the Hallmark holiday isn't happening at all. Read on for details about a whole art weekend taking place near the Navy Yard Metro, a flamenco festival and Presidential cupcake art.

It feels pretty sadistic to voluntarily let someone put you through hell, but Synetic is making a pretty good case for it.

       

When Mehan Jayasuriya (and a few others of us from the music staff) saw Passion Pit at the Black Cat last week, he got to see a scenario when a new band can’t quite rise to the level of its own hype. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart were up against similar, if slightly less daunting odds. Much like Passion Pit, they have only been together for about two years and only have a handful of songs but have received widespread blogger approval, including big ups from that music reviewing monolith based out of Chicago. Granted, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart only had to rise to the task of impressing a sold-out Backstage crowd, and after having toured with indie rock mainstays The Wedding Present, their exuberance seemed a little more polished.

       

Last night the D.C. Commission on Arts and Humanities held a meeting in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library to solicit opinions regarding public art in the city. DCCAH hired consultants (Via Partnership and Todd Bressi, an urban planner) last summer to research and present a five-year plan to identify locations, projects and collaborations that would most benefit both the residents and visitors of D.C. Last night's meeting invited city residents to come and interact with advocates of public art, with the goal of developing new ideas and hearing what citizens want to see.

MUSIC: Lenka Kripac, the lead singer/songwriter from Aussie band The Decoder Ring, will be at DC9 performing under her first name, Lenka. Lenka's solo material sounds less post-rock (although the influence is still there) and more experimental, recalling Bjork more than Godspeed You! Black Emperor. The Spring Standards open. 18+, 9 p.m., $12 day of show.

You know what I want right now? A big stack of pancakes for lunch. A big stack of greasy flapjacks drenched in liquid butter, in a place so soaked in grease from floor tiles to ceiling that your clothes smell like it for the rest of the day. Mmmm, pancakes. Florida Avenue Grill anyone? I know hellomarkers! is with me.

>> Tin Pan Alley composer Cole Porter is responsible for standards like "What is this Thing Called Love?" and "I've Got You Under My Skin". On Friday, the Kennedy Center will be hosting a tribute to the great songwriter. The 7:30 p.m. set will feature pianist/vocalist Patricia Barber and Ann Hampton Callaway will perform at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are sold out, but it's worth contacting the box office for last minute cancellations.

      

Carl Rizzi is 67 years old, with more gorgeous kids and grandkids than he can count. And he's got nine more on the way this sunny Sunday afternoon.

It was a good year for the musical. Especially the Signature musical.

MUSIC: Andy Zipf, who we interviewed almost four years ago, will preform tonight with a full band at the Black Cat backstage. With Kaiser Cartel and Paul Michel. 9 p.m., $10.

>> Today marks three years since the death of hip-hop super producer J. Dilla and some of D.C.'s hip-hop elite will be celebrating his memory while also toasting one of their own. "Dilla's Nite" will double as a birthday bash for local producer extraordinaire Kev Brown with Grap Luva hosting and DJs Roddy Rod, 2-Tone Jones, and Jon Laine at the Red Lounge. $7, 9 p.m.

While the city's Cupcake Wars rage on, photographer zachstern invested part of his Sunday waiting in line for a tasty treat at the original D.C. cupcakery. Apparently trapped inside a psychedelic snowglobe, his fellow devotees' faces run the full gamut of emotions associated with an impending sugar rush. (EXIF data)

>> Two members are better than none as Gary Louris and Mark Olson from alt-country act The Jayhawks come to the Birchmere. 7:30 p.m., $25

DCist's guide to lectures and discussions in the D.C. area

Now here's a scene you don't see too often in February: pianoman75 caught these magnificently pink flamingos all atwitter at the Zoo on Sunday, ostensibly searching for whomever turned the dial from winter to spring. EXIF.

"There are two things that I hear from everyone who visits," said Ed Spitzberg, the Sitar Arts Center's Executive Director. "They say, 1. 'Wow, what a wonderful place,' and 2. 'I never knew this was here.'"

Alex Ross, a music critic at The New Yorker, recently demonstrated that preconceptions about classical music as expensive and elitist, even in New York, are not entirely true. He did this by showing how far $100 could get him in buying cheap seats to as many concerts as possible. It is even easier to hear music on a budget here in Washington, where there are far more free concerts to attend and plenty of discount tickets. For this week's free concert options -- and for some classical music ideas for Valentine's Day -- keep reading.

We knew this was coming, but Randall Scott of the eponymous art gallery on 14th Street NW confirmed with us today that he'll be closing up his D.C. shop at the end of next week. Scott told us this morning:

I have been considering NY for over a year, the pace of the city attracts me, as does the community of artists and people involved in the arts. I have met an amazing group of people in DC over the past 2+ years, from collectors and gallerists, to artists, but I have been feeling that northward pull.

Continue reading "Randall Scott Gallery Moves to NYC"

I really can't get enough of the contrast in this photo; Marcellina. framed this vibrant red door in Chinatown -- remnant of a rural shed amidst tall oaks and evergreens, painted with care and effort -- standing firm next to urbanity's graffiti-ed whitewash, surrounded by the debris of the city-at-large.

It's Black History Month, and plenty of our museums are celebrating with a variety of activities for young and old. Lincoln-lovers also have it made, as this month marks the 200th birthday of America’s 16th president, and the city's museums and cultural centers have seized the opportunity to celebrate the man and his presidency.

Never is the contrast between comedy and tragedy so pronounced in Shakespeare as with .

FRIDAY:

This is one fish that's yelling out "Eat me"... but not in the way you'd hope. Look at those teeth! Captured by lifeinthedistrict, this a mackerel ripe for nightmares.

It was the misfortune of the young Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti to have had her recital scheduled the evening before that of Joshua Bell, hosted by Washington Performing Arts Society at Strathmore on Wednesday night. The comparison was damning, as Bell's technique is practically unassailable and he was playing a program of late 19th- and early 20th-century music, in which he excels as an interpreter. If it is Romantic, ardent, passionate, sweet, Bell at his best will draw the perfect soaring or sotto voce line from his Gibson ex-Huberman, a 1713 Stradivarius instrument that is matched beautifully to his strengths. Of all of his recent appearances in the area — his 2008 recital at the Kennedy Center, his unannounced stint in the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station in 2007, and his 2006 concerts with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra — this was the best program and the strongest performance.

Hello All,

Continue reading "Gypsy Eyes Records Calls it Quits"

DCist's highly subjective and hardly comprehensive guide to the most interesting movies playing around town in the coming week.

>> We're proud to give our top spot this week to DCist jazz writer Sriram Gopal and his arts collective Subcontinental Drift, who have put together the exhibition opening at Smith Farm Healing Arts Gallery tomorrow night. Positive Exposure: The South Asian Experience Through the Camera Eye is in two parts. The larger exhibit was picked from an open contest and includes photography from both local and international artists that feature South Asia and its diaspora; the second part includes work from The Clean Hands Project, where professional photojournalists trained Dalits (Untouchables) in Nepal to use digital cameras to document their lives. Visit the opening reception Friday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., and be sure to mark your calendar for a whole month of events, including Subcontinental Drift's regular monthly open mic night, held at the gallery on Feb. 12, and a panel discussion about challenges minority artists face getting into the mainstream on Feb. 17.

MUSIC: Top stop for local music tonight is a record release party for The Andalusians at the Black Cat backstage. Fellow D.C. acts Statehood and Played Tomorrow lend their support. $8, 9 p.m.

    

Hype can be a cruel mistress. Sure, hype is often credited when young bands get noticed and signed. But hype also brings with it a host of undesirable friends, not the least of which are expectations. While many a career has been launched by hype, just as many careers have been crushed under its weight.

If we were to imagine what an "urban barn" might look like ... well, this is pretty much exactly what we'd imagine. Flickr user lovedc went over to H Street SE to the adorably-named Charley Horse Carriage Company, which takes folks on rides around the capital, to visit the animals. We'll take lovedc's word for it that they're named Michelangelo, Blue Bear, and Zoie. EXIF.

CLASSICAL: Superstar violinist Joshua Bell -- no, not in the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station this time -- is playing a recital with pianist Jeremy Denk at the Music Center at Strathmore. The house is already sold out, of course, but you can always contact Washington Performing Arts Society directly to see if there are any tickets that become available at the last minute. Looks like there's a few options on Craigslist, too. 8 p.m.

Good titling always helps make a good photo better, and "Decor by Texas Chainsaw Massacre" seems appropriate here on these creepily lit antlers (actually the decor of Buffalo Billiards). We also like when photographers know their strengths, as Flickr user Karon does; low-light is her friend, as you can see on many well-done outdoor night shots on her stream. Of course the snazzy Nikon D300 probably isn't hurting the situation either.

My first call to Jason Brewer, lead singer of The Explorers Club, went to his answering machine. Which, by the way, is a few bars of “Good Vibrations” followed by Brewer’s urging to leave some similarly good vibes after the tone. And this sums up the band pretty well. Unlike your run-of-the-mill Beach Boys approximators content to nick a harmony line or two and sing about girls, The Explorers Club play dense, nostalgic pop songs overflowing with the lush orchestration and flowery details that made Brian Wilson and company one of the most-loved groups of all-time.

>> Saxophonist Ben Boker leads a quintet of young musicians this Thursday at Twins Jazz. The band specializes in the classic hard bop sound of the 50s and 60s, but adds a contemporary twist through original compositions and arrangements. Call 202-234-0072 for set time and cover information.

About Tonight is back! It missed you, too.

Is it just me, or does anyone else find this oh-so-D.C. scene from ep_jhu a little creepy? Maybe high contrast is to blame for creating the eerie void where a face might otherwise normally appear. Or did the hands in the background just let go of an empty hood at the prompting of our photographer? (EXIF data)

Holy February, Batman.

>> Saxophonist Teodross Avery is a jazz musician, but he's spent a lot of time backing the likes of Mos Def and Amy Winehouse, thus making him a bridge between different musical cultures. He'll be performing two shows at Blues Alley. $25, 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Monday

DCist's guide to lectures and discussions in the D.C. area

Yours truly made some kickin' chili for the Big Game, a venture requiring a lot of dicing, simmering, and spilling. That said, I expected to see some similarly complex dishes from our Flickr contributors' Super Bowl gatherings upon logging on this morning. But as lovedc's simple, rustic composition of bread, cheese butter, and wooden plates -- with nary a flat-screen television in sight -- proves, sometimes it's better just to keep it simple. EXIF.

              

Plenty of our Flickr contributors went down to enjoy the annual Chinese Lunar New Year Parade on Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately, a lot of folks ended up disappointed by the sudden cancellation of the traditional five-story firecracker display. The lighting of the giant firecracker was finally called off after being delayed for a full two hours due to a suspected gas leak. We've heard from a lot of parade spectators who stood by through the entire delay and were none too pleased to have been let down after waiting so long. D.C. fire spokesperson Alan Etter told the Associated Press that a strong odor of gas appeared to be coming from a manhole near 6th and H Streets NW, and apparently fire officials exercised extreme caution by eventually deciding to the cancel the pyrotechnics.

William Christenberry, the noted sculptor, photographer and painter, and his wife, Sandy, have lived in Washington since 1968. Christenberry, who has taught art at the Corcoran, is originally from Hale County, Alabama, a place that figures prominently into his work and that is the subject of Working from Memory, a new book about the stories behind his images. Christenberry will be at Politics and Prose tonight at 7 p.m. to read from his stories. DCist got a chance to sit down with him this weekend and talk about his work.

renovation, which was concluded this past fall. That dingy old theater, which badly needed a face lift, looks and sounds like a new space, and it was a delight to see it play host to Mark Morris's airy, sunny Mozart Dances on Friday evening. Premiered only in 2006, a commission for Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival, this graceful, bouncy choreography appealed on a purely visual level, with movements that corresponded to the Rococo whorls of some of Mozart's most aesthetically pleasing scores.

              

If you felt a low grumbling sound somewhere between your breastplate and bowels last night, a sonic force emanating from the direction of North Virginia, do not be alarmed. It was in fact a military exercise. The U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own" was performing tuba. A of tuba.

Hi kimberlyfaye! I'm an admin for a group called Depictions of Flowers That Lead Me To Question Whether Nature Is Plotting Against Us. We would love to add this photo of this fleshy, monstrous, seductive, predatory, alien orchid from "Orchids Through Darwin's Eyes" to our group!