Baltimore's Dan Deacon, who plays tonight to a sold-out Black Cat, does things differently. His latest album, the critically acclaimed Spiderman of the Rings, starts with cascading and overlapping samples of Woody Woodpecker's laugh. Usually called an "absurdist composer" rather than solo electronic musician, he packs a crazy sense of humor, samples and loops into a building frenzy on tracks like "Crystal Cat," the 11 minute "Wham City," and "Snake Mistakes." In concert, Deacon sets... more ›

It’s almost impossible to discuss the state of punk and hardcore music in this town without someone making a grand pronouncement like “the D.C. scene is dead”. Ask any of the old timers and they’ll tell you that the kids in Washington just don’t care about punk rock anymore. It’s not hard to understand where these folks are coming from; given the vital role that our city played in the evolution of hardcore music, it’s surprising that relatively few bands in the District carry the torch to this day. However, declaring the scene “dead” is a tad hyperbolic — a punk community does still exist in D.C., it’s just a little harder to find nowadays. more ›

>> Since Tuesday is the new Thursday, we'd recommend heading over to Rock and Roll Hotel for a stellar line-up of DJs including Ken and Juan of East Coast Boogiemen, Lexus King, Devin Byrnes of Exit Only, Aaron Sparks and Keenan. 8:30 p.m.- 1:30 a.m., free all night long. >> Montreal's The Besnard Lakes play with Dirty On Purpose at the Black Cat's backstage, 9 p.m., $10. If you can't get enough of the... more ›

It was just last week that we pondered the usual post-Fourth of July question -- what should the District do about the annual DIY firework displays that help mark America's independence? Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) may have an answer. Today Graham is introducing legislation that would severely restrict the use of fireworks and prohibit their sale. According to a press release from Graham's office, "The bill requires a permit for the display of... more ›

LAist was comped front row seats by the Dodgers due to Malingering being struck by a foul ball last week, and she came back with some great photos, and earlier made fun of 4th of July on Venice Beach. But the biggest stories of the week was that the Mayor's Hot Tamale was revealed, and that a Kwik-E-Mart was erected in Burbank. Phillyist was busy doing the Fourth of July up right, exercising their... more ›

Long after the official fireworks display had ended last night, the District's neighborhoods cracked and popped as residents of all types took to the streets with fireworks of their own. The city's DIY fireworks culture isn't anything new -- we reported on it last year -- but its opponents seem to have gotten much more vocal. Over the last week, residents have taken to neighborhood listservs to decry the July 4th tradition, arguing that the... more ›

There are more ways to take in our local arts scene than strolling the quiet museums on a Saturday afternoon or gulping some free wine at a gallery reception. Checking out events and lectures around the city is a great way to get exposed to not only the current exhibitions, but new ideas and theories you might not come upon while browsing the canvases by yourself. >> Patrick Swayze probably won't be there to perform,... more ›

If the visions that come to us in the dead of night—the ones we’d most like to forget and shove violently back into our subconscious—had a cinematic patron saint, it would be David Lynch. In his latest, Inland Empire, the director continues to mine familiar territory: shifting notions of the self and identity, sexual violence, surrealist dream logic, and scaring us in the places in our minds we prefer not to acknowledge. Unfortunately, even with... more ›

Over the past few years, Carol Bui has been working hard building a following for her inventive and emotive post-punk. After a summer spent in the studio recording the follow-up to her highly praised debut, This is How I Recover, Bui's show at next week's DAM!Fest kicks off three weeks of touring that will take her as far west as Madison, Wisconsin. Bui's reputation for excellent live shows precedes her, and material from the new... more ›

The music department took a bit of a siesta to watch fireworks, eat hot dogs, and catch Panacea -- the excellent hip hop outfit that rose from the ashes of RPM. As always, if you've got any other suggestions for this week, let us know in the comments. more ›

Rock-n-Romp, like Fort Reno, is a D.C. summer concert series for post-punk music. Like Fort Reno, it caters to an underserved crowd. But while Fort Reno is for younger folks enjoying a wide open summer, Rock-n-Romp is trying to get parents out of the house. Running since 2002 in the backyard of the founder's house, and spreading as far as Austin and Memphis, Rock-n-Romp is now hoping to change the music scene in Silver Spring... more ›

We've known for quite a while that Metro isn't terribly prepared to secure the transit network against terrorist attacks. So bad was the situation late last year that Metro Police Chief Polly Hansen admitted to the Senate's Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that while she had identified $150 million in needed security upgrades, the transit agency had received but $15 million in grants from the Department of Homeland Security over the three preceding... more ›

Written by DCist contributor Genevieve Smith. In a city better known for press conferences than literary readings, Take That Hill is a refreshing addition to the D.C. local arts scene. Friday night's program at the Warehouse Theater merged short films from local filmmakers with a selection of readings from D.C.-based literary magazine, Barrelhouse. Works ranged in content from a comparative analysis of Godzilla versus samurai movies to a short film about competing lemonade stands. Though... more ›

You've seen them selling t-shirts, bumper stickers, and magazines on the busy corners of Georgetown, Dupont Circle, and other areas. Their schwag carries the same bold slogan: "Stop Bitching, Start a Revolution." Perhaps you or a friend have even purchased a shirt or sticker. more ›