>> Heading over to check out semi-crazy ambient rockers Deerhunter play with Clockcleaner tonight at the Black Cat seems like an entirely reasonable thing to do. 9 p.m., $10. >> NYC's Beat the Devil host a CD release party at the Red and the Black with Brandon Butler and Revival. Doors 9 p.m. $8. >> The charity organization Bartending for Change hosts a benefit for Food For All at a happy hour from 6:30......

MONDAY >> Three Stars alums The Chance and J. Forté + the Secret Pop Band, D.C.'s favorite lofi power-poppers, are playing a great double-bill (bothThree Stars veterans) at the Black Cat Backstage. 9 p.m. $6. TUESDAY >> Yet another revival of West Side Story comes to Wolf Trap and stays there until Sunday. Apparently it's the 50th anniversary. 8 p.m. with matinée shows at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. $18-68. WEDNESDAY >> The Rock......

>> It's the last night of Screen on the Green, which would guarantee the National Mall will be packed with folks who have been meaning to catch one all summer on its own -- but tonight's selection is also Casablanca, perhaps the most beloved film of all time, so get there early, kids. Films start around 8 p.m. >> Fort Reno should be similarly packed as they count down their final couple of dates,......

MONDAY >> Fiending for some good ol' bluegrass and Americana? San Francisco's The Pine Box Boys will be delivering just that at the Red and the Black tonight. With two drinks tonight, you'll also be served free beans and rice. We suggest some whiskey to wash it all down. Or, The Whale and Revival open. 9:30 p.m., $8. >>Enjoy the slightly cooler weather by taking in Georgie James, Perfect Souvenir and Brandon Butler at Fort......

>> Most of the city it seems will be heading to RFK after work, so plan your Metro rides on the Blue and Orange line accordingly. >> The band that brought you the third most played song on the DCeiver's iPod, The Daybreak Line, is teaming up with three other list-worth bands (The Grownup Noise, The Able Birds and Aubriot) tonight at the Red & the Black. $8, 4 bands, too good to pass......

Monday >>Provided these thunderstorms pass us by in time, the place to be tonight is Fort Reno. First off, it's free, and we know everyone's wallets are light from all that gas you're having to put in the car just to make a run to the beach. Second, recent Three Stars alums Garland of Hours are taking the stage, along with The Aerialist, and the excellently named Lady in the Radiator. 7:15 p.m., $0.......

FRIDAY: >> We told you all about the Buzzlife White Party at Five yesterday, so follow the link for more details. >> ArtOutlet presents its first ever Flash animation film festival, called Flick, at Warehouse. Tim Bracken opens the event with an alt-country set at 7 p.m., with screenings from selected artists beginning at 8. $5 suggested donation, also Saturday. SATURDAY: >> Like we mentioned in this week's music agenda, the artwork of Mingering Mike,......

MONDAY >> A year ago, Rolling Stone called The Whigs one of ten bands to watch and "the best unsigned band in America." The Athens, GA trio has since been taking their pure rock-and-roll on the road in support of Give 'Em All a Big Fat Lip, winning comparisons to the Replacements, the Strokes, REM, and the Drive-By Truckers along the way. The break hasn't come yet, but we've got a feeling it could......

“What kind of music does Rob Crow play” is a question that stumped us more than once when we told people we were going to his show at the Rock and Roll Hotel on Sunday. Umm… indie rock? That doesn’t really tell you much, does it? How about math-rock? Alt-metal? Prog-rock? All of the above? Crow’s music is so difficult to classify because he’s something of a whiz-kid, with too many side projects to keep......

Rob Crow is best known for his work in Pinback, though he's been a part of too many bands to count. In January, he released a solo album called Living Well. And well, it's a damn good album. Pitchfork said, "Living Well is likely the most cohesive album to bear Rob Crow's full name on the cover." It's what PopMatters called "an extremely sharp flex of his solo muscle," and what Lost At Sea magazine......

FRIDAY: >> Nothing wrong with another strong all-local lineup: Washington Social Club, These United States and Let's French will be on Black Cat's mainstage. DCist has interviewed two of these bands before, and we're set to get up close and personal with the third. So check 'em out. 9:30 p.m., $10. >> We're definitely impressed with the speed at which DC Rollergirls have gotten their act together since hosting a series of recruitment happy hour/arm......

TUESDAY >> There isn't much going on today, but you might want to check out Black Cat's backstage screening of the 2005 documentary New York Dolls: All Dolled Up. Photographer Bob Gruen followed the band during the early 1970s and shot performances in venues all across the U.S. We expect plenty of sex, drugs and that other thing that comes after drugs. Kittens? $3, 9 p.m. WEDNESDAY >> The Alphabetical Order let us know that......

Editor's Note: The Picks are a little lean this week, not because there isn't a ton of fun stuff to do but because we're operating on an "it's one of the last Fridays of the summer" frame of mind and can't muster the energy for more. Please tell us what you're up to this weekend in the comments, for the benefit of the group. FRIDAY: We'll be down at the ongoing opening festivities for Joe......

When we last heard, the crew from Gypsy Eyes Records were in the metaphorical maternity ward resting comfortably with great things ahead of them. Those great things kick off this weekend in grand fashion, and you’re all invited to join the festivities. The upstart local music collective has put together an exciting two day concert series they’ve christened as the Forever Festival and the first incarnation is almost upon us all. On Friday, head to......

TUESDAY: >> All hail the mighty Pearl Jam! Their show tonight with openers My Morning Jacket has yet to sell out, so fulfill your duty as a child of the 90s and head to the Verizon Center at 7:30. $54. >> The locals alight on Arlington, as Pontiak, These United States and Brandon Butler take the stage at Iota. >> In "huh?" show #1 of the evening, T Bone Burnette and Jakob Dylan -- remember......

FRIDAY: >> After a superb D.C. debut last year in the back room, Pleaseeasaur is returning to theBlack Cat tonight, this time on the mainstage, opening for San Diego's Pinback. J.P. Hasson and his invisible sidekick Thomas Hurley III are apparently taking a break this month from recording a new Comedy Central-sponsored album to perform a number of valuable pubilc service announcements. Did you know, for example, that "Cobras are Totally Cool?" Or, for that......

Over the past several years, the dynamics of music marketing and promotion -- both locally and nationally -- have drastically shifted under the tectonic changes in the old school music industry and its marketing institutions. Corporate radio playlists by the likes of Clear Channel have done away with diversity on the airwaves, while the once-novel MTV is hardly an option to sort through new music. Today’s music connoisseurs often resort to digital downloading both legal......

MONDAY >> Hockey Night, the Minnesota band making waves for drenching their songs in the sounds of classic rock and mid-90s Pavement and Dinosaur Jr, visit Iota tonight. You can read an interview with them over at You Aint No Picasso to catch up on the bluzz. Rumor has it a few DCists may be in attendance, so don't forget your blogger bingo card. $10, 8:30 p.m. >> Has science done anything to you lately?......

In yesterday's first installment of January Three Stars, you met Hello Tokyo. Today we're covering local guitarist/singer Mike Holden, and tomorrow we'll round things out with Ris Paul Ric (aka Chris Richards). Mike Holden We saw Mike Holden play this past Friday at Revolution Records, where he was promoting his EP, Level, alongside Sara Kryscio. His music is equal parts rock and folk. The guitar playing is mostly in the folk sphere, and his vocals......

Monday: Thank goodness for Iota, as most of the other clubs in the area are dark tonight. Head to Nearlington to see (The Sounds of) Kaleidoscope's (pictured) brand of noise-pop, with Brandon Butler (ex-Canyon), and Mike Maloney. $10. Alternatively, make a holiday mix-tape. Tuesday: Deleted Scenes are one of a number of local bands to do the catchy, up-tempo, New York rock thing really well. See them Tuesday as they release their new album at......

Monday: >> Over at Black Cat there's a Pitchfork friendly line up of mid-tempo, indie folk, with John Vanderslice, Portastatic, and Brandon Butler. There's sure to be some quality balladeering, but you'll probably want to hit the 14th Street Caribou for some caffeine beforehand. $10. >> As for us, DCist is going to see The Sentiment at DC9. They're loud, they're fun, and they let you jump on stage. On a Monday, this is what......

TUESDAY: >> The Sea and Cake’s Sam Prekop does solo post-rock at the Black Cat. $12. Local singer Brandon Butler (formerly of Canyon) opens. WEDNESDAY: >> Get a huge dose of hipsterness when The Killers (at right) play Merriweather Post Pavilion. Bands-of-the-moment Keane, Louis XIV, Regina Spektor, and Maximo Park all open. Lawn tickets at $25 are still available at Ticketmaster. >> If you don't feel like making the trek out to Merriweather, you can......

A legendary figure in the alternative music scene, Bob Mould came to prominence in the 1980s with his group Husker Du, who influenced independent music for years to come. Mould later formed the band Sugar, and now moonlights as a DJ (alongside local producer Richard Morel) at Blowoff, a popular dance night at the 9:30 Club where he spins everything from Depeche Mode to Gwen Stefani to his own material. This Saturday's Blowoff will......

There's a tiny bit of a lull this week in concerts before the end of February and the start of March absolutely slam us with great shows, but there are still a few good picks out there for the next seven days. MONDAY: >> Tonight, lo-fi spacey rockers Low take their show on the road to the Black Cat. We hear their new album, "The Great Destroyer," was produced by Dave Fridmann, who's worked with......

Thanks to everybody who entered the Arcade Fire ticket giveaway (all 50+ of you). The randomly picked winner of a pair of tickets to the Jan. 30 show at the 9:30 Club is...Lauren Pearlman! We'll be e-mailing her details and contact information shortly. Now, we hope Lauren will use the tickets to actually go to the show instead of selling them for billions of dollars; DCist is most decidedly not a fan of scalping, though......