There's always something special about last shows. Whether the final episode of a beloved television series, or the farewell tour of a band, or even just the closing show of a tour, the artists involved always seem to throw a little something extra into the mix. So what does that mean for someone like Ted Leo, who closed out his tour Saturday night at the 9:30 Club, for whom giving roughly 210% at any......

Victory — not the concept, but the statue at State Place and 17th Street NW — is the Ghost of Christmas Past. Freedom — the Eastward-facing statue atop the Capitol Dome; not that thing that The Terrorists hate us for — is the Ghost of Christmas Present. And the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come arrives draped in the inky robes of Grief. This stunt-casting of local landmarks as Charles Dickens’ familiar trio of......

Black Friday, the be-all, end-all of go-crazy shopping days (well, not for those celebrating "Buy Nothing Day"), is less than two turkey-filled days away. But in our blind rush to leave a tithe at the alter of mass consumerism, we often lose our thrifty ways. Not to worry - for those of us with office jobs, that raise is right around the corner, coming soon to help ease those credit card bills come January. Right?......

The interconnectivity of all things – for some, this bond is religion; for others, just fateful coincidences. But whatever your interpretation of the relationship between all things, a stunning study of one era’s belief in interconnectivity is now on display at the Sackler Gallery in the Smithsonian’s Patterned Feathers, Piercing Eyes exhibition. The show, on display through April 2008, is a startling reminder that art is much more than just paint and a brush. Those......

Washington has a ton of good things, but also a lot of problems. One we often hear about is a general lack of customer service in some local businesses — sometimes people are slow, rude, forgetful, or a combination of the three. We've seen it all over, from fancy joints to Mickey D's, but it seems to be worse here than elsewhere on the East Coast. Somebody could make a lot of money by renting......

By DCist Contributor Aaron Morrissey Dogfish Head Alehouse, the third (and we assume not the last) in a planned series of eateries that serve lovers of the venerable Delaware-based brewery with the American basics, is now open in Falls Church, and DCist popped by to survey the scene in advance of Tuesday night's official Grand Opening party. There’s nothing outstanding about the place upon entering. The immediate thought was the episode of The Simpsons in......

It’s been a few years since the Pope of Mope has graced the District with his presence—four three to be exact—and in the meantime, many of us have managed to see him play in other nearby locales. As a matter of fact, a few DCist staffers caught the Moz’s Halloween show in Baltimore, at the relatively intimate Ram’s Head Live—a date that was rescheduled due to Morrissey’s string of cancellations this past July. While......

We're a little short-staffed today, so if you've got any picks to add for this weekend, please leave them in the comments. FRIDAY >> This weekend the Uptown Theater is playing the final cut of everybody's favorite movie about replicants running amock, and young Darryl Hannah being super sci-fi hot, Blade Runner. >> If an apocalyptic future isn't exactly what you're in the mood for, try on Seattle's dream folk rockers, Band of Horses, for......

Seattlest watches as a S.L.U.T. is born and Seattle Flickr users go nuts over a local art installation. A restaurant critic demands a Diner's Bill of Rights over a gnat next to her drink, and, in lieu of a Portlandist, Seattlest debates with itself over the identity of the Northwest's crown jewel. Seattlest also joins the guys from Fantagraphics for an ill-fated gun party in the woods. LAist saw national headlines soar this week with......

In our continuing effort to pay for things around the office, we'd like to take a moment to thank the advertisers on DCist this week: Zipcar, providing multiple, easy locations to get a car. Bookfest 2007 at the Library of Congress, did you know First Lady Laura Bush is one of the hosts? Morrissey, who is coming to DAR Constitution Hall on November 2. Did you get your tickets? Busted Tees because everyone needs some......

As we head into the weekend, we'd like to make a small public service announcement. Though we've been enjoying unseasonably cool temperatures the past week, the heat is coming back, and we'll be back to our usual late August sweatbox by tomorrow. We realize that the heat and humidity can make you cranky and irritable. But we beseech you to try to keep your temper cooler than the air outside. We fully grant you your......

Because we like to bring you great bands and great things to do around D.C. as often as we possibly can, DCist has teamed up with Bliss Pop and Brightest Young Things in the name of a great night at the 9:30 Club. On September 8, join your favorite internet types and your favorite music types as DJ Will Eastman, Georgie James, The Dance Party and Soft Complex fill our city's finest music hall with......

The last time DCist reviewed a Morrissey concert -- in September of 2004 -- the Mighty Mozzer had canceled two shows in California the week before taking the stage at D.A.R. that night. As you might know, Morrissey was forced to postpone four shows last week due to a chest cold, proving once again that the more things change, the more they stay the same. And for Morrissey, that's not a bad thing at all.......

>> We're probably never gonna get a full-blown Fugazi reunion at Fort Reno, but tonight is the closest you could ask for. Tonight's show includes Ian MacKaye and Amy Farina's band The Evens along with Joe Lally. 7:15 p.m., always free. >> Bouncing Ball Theatrical Productions opens their second summer season with a benefit production of Titus, the musical, a punk rock musical adaptation of Shakespeare's play with a similar name, at the Black......

The early part of the week is looking a little light for shows, but after the Fourth things really get rolling through Sunday night. MONDAY >> After coming down with a case of "David Letterman throat" last week, Morrissey was forced to reschedule three shows, including his gig at Madison Square Garden in NYC. Right now it looks like NYC's loss is our gain, as we just recieved an email from the staff at Wolf......

The last 24 hours have proved quite busy for regional concert announcements, and we're happy to say the news isn't about bands skipping DC as they galavant around the country. Earlier this morning the 9:30 Club's Seth Hurwitz announced the newly reformed Police and Smashing Pumpkins, along with the Beastie Boys, as the headliners for this year's Virgin Fest, now to be a two-day event held on August 4th and 5th at Pimlico Race Course......

Sunday. Usually, a quiet, contemplative day in the Blogosphere. But not here in the Ist-a-Verse. Nonono! Just look below and see all of the wild and crazy stuff our staffs are up to. In Austin, bands are beginning to confirm for SXSW and the rumor mill is up and running. Good thing, too, because we all know how much Austinites love live performances. Austin also found itself in the national spotlight, with Longhorn Legend......

So, apparently it rained last night...A tornado touched down in Severna Park, Maryland. The Post says that according to area utility companies, 30,000 customers across Maryland, Virginia and the District lost power last night. I know my Internet is out; can I blame the storm? In other news, today is the 116th birthday of Rock Creek Park: check out the National Park Service's list of activities celebrating the District's very own nature-y goodness. District Teen......

Barcelona, the sparkly new EP from Virginia’s Soft Complex transcends easy genre labeling. Containing three original tracks and their remixes, one could (and this one does) describe the disc as offering the best of Ben Gibbard. Ben who? Why Ben Gibbard, the force behind indie darlings The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie. Like the beloved Portland quartet, Soft Complex explores love, loss and lost love. Taking a quasi-literary apprach, the songs feel......

By DCist contributor Joelle Seligson Zach Condon, a multi-instrumentalist from Albuquerque, has named his band Beirut. His debut album is called Gulag Orkestar – an invented orchestra of the Soviet slave labor camps – but he doesn't sing in Russian. And though he’s a 20-year-old musician (with underground fame to spare), he didn’t dub himself after a drinking game. Condon’s Southwestern roots are a most unlikely origin for a band where Balkan folksongs and gypsy......

DCist was excited to see Supergrass when the show was originally announced a few months ago. But the late start time (headlining a Sunday night show in which doors opened at 10 p.m.) coupled with the hazardous travel conditions, to say nothing of the parking nightmare I encountered when I finally got home, did more than dampen my enthusiasm by the time the show rolled around. But the prospect of seeing a great band......

Looking for a few good shows? Our music picks for this week follow. TUESDAY: >> The Carlsonics (pictured at right) continue their month-long Tuesday night residency at DC9. Read the DCist review of their performance here. With The American Watercolor Movement & The Heartless Bastards. $6. THURSDAY: >> Noise Against Facism: The Inauguration got you down? You should head over to the Black Cat tonight, where for $12 you can see Mirror/Dash, a duo of......

A very chatty Stephen Patrick Morrissey took the stage at the DAR Constitution Hall at 9 p.m. last night and watched the crowd go crazy as his backing band launched into the seminal Smiths hit “How Soon is Now.” He looked particularly dapper in a red blazer and dark pants. When the band completed the song, he told the crowd “Thank You. Thank you. It’s good to be back at the 9:30 club” in......

You know what? D.C. gets a bum rap sometimes, but there really is a ton of great stuff constantly going on in this town, and not just on the weekends. With that in mind, DCist brings you Out and About: Hump Day -- events dedicated to Wednesday, that most humpable day of the week. Check out what's happening this evening: Former presidential candidate Howard Dean gives a talk and signs his new book, "You Have......

Because we like to keep you in the know, here's an updated list of upcoming shows, through middle of October or so (if we've missed anything, please let us know!). A couple of DCist-ers will be in attendance at the Thrills show tomorrow night at the Black Cat, so come on out! 9/17: Lungfish, Black Cat 9/18: The Thrills, Black Cat 9/23: The Walkmen, 9:30 Club 9/24: Fiery Furnaces, Black Cat 9/25: Travis Morrison, Galaxy......

DCist usually laments the state of shows here in the nation�s capital. Often passed over for the bigger markets of Philadelphia or New York, the D.C. never seems to get a fair shake when it comes to the concerts that all the cool kids wanna go to. It�s so unfair! We have some great musical venues; when are we going to get a steady influx of good live bands? Well, it seems the times, they......

From DCist contributor Catherine Andrews: The Moz is back: Morrissey, he of Smiths fame and brooding icon for suicidal highschoolers the world over, is making a tour stop in D.C. Sept. 29 at D.A.R. Constitution Hall. We know that's a bit far in advance for you kids who fly by the seat of your pants, but trust us � tickets just went on sale this Saturday, and DCist knows that they won't last long. So......