>> Will D.C. soon be joining the ranks of fine art festival go-to locations like Miami and New York? The inaugural (e)merge art fair has been officially scheduled for September 22-25 at the Capitol Skyline Hotel. Behind the event, "a new vetted art fair that internationalizes the current groundswell of creative activity in DC," is Leigh Conner and Jamie Smith, of Conner Contemporary, and Helen Allen, former creator and Executive Director of PULSE Art Fairs. They'll be working with, among others, the Phillips Collection, the National Gallery of Art and the National Museum of Women in the Arts to create events during the fair. (e)merge is accepting applications from galleries, non-profits and unrepresented artists through May 2. more ›

Perhaps the result of these economical times, but satisfying triple bills continue to pop up throughout the District's spring calendar, with Saturday night's lineup at the Rock and Roll Hotel yet another convergence of quality and value. more ›

Three songs into Bob Mould's set at the 9:30 Club on Saturday night, he sang, "The twentieth century has not been particularly kind to me." Actually, he more screamed it than sang it, cords standing out in his neck and palpable rage spilling out over the microphone. It almost seems odd now that Mould can still deliver this line from his self-titled 1996 record with such vitriol; whatever the twentieth century's transgressions, the twenty-first century seems to have been pretty kind indeed. He's found a niche here in D.C., a place that seems to allow him the balance and the leeway to be whatever he wants to, be it electronic experimentalist, DJ night impresario, or punk rock elder statesman. I've been going to Bob Mould shows for 14 years now, and I've never seen him as confident or comfortable in his own skin as on Saturday night. more ›

So now you know who we loved locally this year. Here's our list of the live shows that came through town and left a lasting impression in '07. more ›

Good morning, Washington. In case you didn't believe us when we first told you that this tax office corruption scandal was going to get bigger and badder as the week went on, just check out the trio of stories on offer from the Post this morning on the widening scandal. First and foremost, it turns out Harriette Walters and Diane Gustus allegedly worked together to steal $4 million more than originally thought, bringing the grand... more ›

It’s pretty remarkable how much one performance can change your perception of an artist. Take Patrick Wolf. Prior to his first ever show in the District this past Monday night, we might have classified him as a musician whose sensibilities lie somewhere between electronic music and Baroque pop. We now know, however, that while stuttering, glitchy beats sometimes take precedence on his albums, the heart and soul of his songs lie in the string arrangements. more ›

Chances are, if you live in or near the city and are not fantastically wealthy, you probably have roommates. Maybe you live with friends, maybe with some folks you randomly found on craigslist and barely talk to, but sharing your living space with other people is a fact of life for most people under 30 in D.C. And in this kind of heat, any sort of odd personal odors emanating from your roommates' bedrooms might... more ›

>> Fort Reno continues tonight with LeJeune, Pup Tent and Engine Room. There's a bit of a chance of isolated showers this afternoon and evening, but nothing that should prevent the free concert from going on around 7:15. >> There's a stand-up comedy benefit show tonight starring Seattle comic Yoram Bauman --"the world's first and only stand-up economist" -- and four local comics: Tyler Richardson, Aparna Nancherla, Jason Weems, and Erin Jackson. Shows at... more ›

>> We've been waiting for this all year, and it's finally here: Fort Reno kicks off this evening with Mass Movement of the Moth, Unbuckled alumni Deleted Scenes, and the Boom Orangutangs. Take Metro to Tenleytown/American Univeristy and head over to the grassy field at 3950 Chesapeake Street, NW. Shows usually start between 7 and 7:30. Picnics and camaraderie begin whenever you can get out of work. As always, leave the glass bottles and booze at home. more ›

Good morning, Washington. We hope you had a safe weekend and were able to enjoy the cooler weather on Sunday thanks to the rain brought in by remnants of Tropical Storm Barry. The respite from the heat, which looks like it may last through Wednesday, is one of the few things we can find to be upbeat about as we go over today's headlines. As you've already heard, Tonya Bell, a 30-year-old woman from Oxon... more ›

As we mentioned in the Morning Roundup today, there are plenty of ways to define the start of summer. For music lovers in the D.C. area however, once Fort Reno starts, you know the lazy days of fire fly catching and swimming pool splashing are officially upon us. We told you last week about the opening lineup for this summer's series on June 18, but we're happy to tell you now that the full... more ›

Fort Reno, the long-running summer concert series that dates back to the days when Marion Barry wasn't dodging indictments, gives D.C.'s indie and punk faithful welcome respite from dark, dimly lit clubs, and everyone a chance to enjoy some great local bands during the long summer evenings. The stage has witnessed many amazing performances by a who's who of local luminaries including Fugazi, Q and not U, Ted Leo and Mary Timony, and was to... more ›

So you may have heard, we're putting on a concert on Thursday. Our fifth one actually. When we started this little endeavor way back when, we just thought it would be fun to get some bands that we liked, throw them on the stage and let them bring the musical goodness to the people. And if the bands gain some exposure that leads to bigger and better things, then we can say sit back and say "We love it when a plan comes together." We, of course, owe a big thanks to all of you, the people that come to the club and make each of these events incredibly successful. So, thanks! more ›

Looking out our windows this morning was a disappointment, to say the least, but don't say we didn't try to warn you. Whatever "wintry mix" that did rain down on the metro area last night has left little trace of itself in the city proper, except slick roads. Freezing rain and ice in the suburbs has, however, prompted some late starts at schools in Fairfax, Howard, and Montgomery county. Not to mention the excitement that... more ›

>> New Police Chief Cathy Lanier on being a woman in the Metropolitan Police Dept.: "Lanier says she wants to tell her story so it will help other women who face similar challenges. She describes how she faced a constant barrage of sexual harassment when she first came on the force in 1990. 'I've had police officers expose themselves to me riding around in a patrol car. {I was} assigned with a training officer who... more ›

FRIDAY: >> Seems like everyone's talking about the new nightlife options on H Street NE these days, thanks almost entirely to local bar Tsar Joe Englert. Englert's latest creation, Showbar Presents the Palace of Wonders (though we hear a lot people refering to it simply as the Freak Show Bar) has been open for a few weeks already to mixed buzz — the decor is cool, the drinks are standard, and the food is... more ›

Good morning, D.C. Thanks to everyone who joined us for Unbuckled last night — DC9 was packed for what we think was our best show yet. We had a great time, and we hope that you did, too. If you snapped some pictures while you were there, do us a favor and tag them on Flickr with unbuckled3 so that we can round 'em up in one place. Now that your concertgoing and drinking responsibilities... more ›

Back in the summer of 2001, news stations were broadcasting saturation coverage of the disappearance of Chandra Levy, the Federal Bureau of Prisons intern who was allegedly having an affair with California Representative Gary Condit. more ›

Mornin', Washington. We hope you had as much fun as we did at Unbuckled last night. Thanks to the Hard Tomorrows, Olivia Mancini and the Housemates, and our own DJ Leafblower for providing a night of great music. Most of all, thanks to all of you for coming out. We had a blast. Hospital Proposal Hits Roadblock: The Post reports that Mayor Williams' plans for building a hospital in partnership with Howard University has run... more ›

WEDNESDAY: more ›

Editor's Note: This preview of the Olney Theatre Center's Summer Shakespeare Festival comes to us from Missy Frederick, who has joined our staff to write about theater. DCist appreciates, heck, even admires the egalitarian nature of the annual Shakespeare Theatre Free For All's ticket giveaway madness that went down last month. The getting up early, the waiting in line for hours, then the returning to the amphitheater well in advance of curtain time only... more ›

A few local blogs have recently pointed us toward what we think is the greatest idea for parents since the Diaper Genie was invented: Rock-N-Romp, a family-friendly series of concerts in Silver Spring backyard featuring fantastic local bands. The season runs May through October, one Saturday afternoon a month. Shows are free for the little tykes, a mere $4 donation is requested for adults, and you can view the schedule here. E-mail the enterprising Debbie for more information. more ›

Don't forget to check out our music and arts agendas for other events going on this Memorial Day weekend (especially since this weekend is your last chance to see a lot of great exhibitions). more ›

Good morning Washington. Have you ever wondered why the WB advertises its show "Gilmore Girls" on bus shelters? Has anyone actually watched the show? (Apparently it takes place in Connecticut.) Well, A Nameless Yeast snapped this photo of the reflection of the WB ad in an unknown location, somewhere in the city we assume. So Where Would the Plane Have Come Down? One question we had sitting in the back of our mind during... more ›