Puppets. Off-color humor. Off-color humor involving puppets. What could go wrong? Well, plenty, if BurleyQ is any indication. This exhaustingly awful entrant into the Capital Fringe Festival may appear to have a wacky, whimsical premise, but instead is the kind of show where you find yourself digging your nails into the knee of your theatergoing companion, eagerly waiting for the 50 minutes to pass. Think painfully bad jokes, laughably poor production value, frequently off-key singing,... more ›

The curtain over the Warehouse Arts Complex that we've watched being pulled down by enormous tax hikes and aggressive developers around the new Convention Center is, sadly, finally scheduled to fall, at least in part. City Desk reports today that the Warehouse Next Door, site of off-the-wall, sometimes experimental music events, as well as the Bar & Cafe will close for good on July 30. The venue takes its usual summer break over August, and... more ›

>> There's a great, free Caribbean-themed outdoor concert tonight on the Kennedy Center's South Plaza Stage from 5:30 to 9 p.m.: Wyclef Jean, Shaggy, Jamaica’s The Ska-talites, and Richmond's jazz-funk outfit Plunky & Oneness. The show will go on rain or shine. Bring lawn chairs and blankets. >> Assuming the predicted thunderstorms late tonight don't block the view completely, you might want to dust off that telescope and see if you can spot the... more ›

MONDAY >> The wait is over! We've been anxiously awaiting the start of Fort Reno's season, and the day has finally arrived. Head up to the park and hear one of DCist's favorite local outfits, Deleted Scenes, along with Mass Movement of the Moth and The Boom Orangutangs. >> It's movie night at Galaxy Hut, and tonight the theme is 80s Surf Films. Get your Point Break on and drink an Alagash or twelve. It... more ›

FRIDAY: >> DCist favorites The French Kicks are at the Rock and Roll Hotel tonight with The Childballads (the Bon Savants cancelled). $13, 9:30 p.m. >> Exotic Fever Records is keeping the spirit of the D.C. underground scene alive almost singlehandedly, and this weekend they'll celebrate their seven year anniversary with an ecclectic festival to showcase their artists. Tonight it's Mass Movement of the Moth, New Idea Society, Den of Thieves, Kathy Cashel, Worn In... more ›

>> Check out Unbuckled alums Deleted Scenes at Warehouse Nextdoor with the rest of an intriguing line-up, including Brooklyn's rising bedroom blues star She Keeps Bees, the psychedelic-influences The Love Story and Pash. [1017 7th St. NW, 9:30 p.m. $8] more ›

Monday >> It’s been a few years since Strange and Beautiful brought English singer/songwriter Aqualung into the spotlight with his radio friendly sensitivity, but now he’s back touring to promote his latest release, Memory Man. He’ll be headlining the 9:30 Club with opener Sara Bareilles. $20. >> Three Stars favorites The Deleted Scenes will be out at the Warehouse Next Door tonight as part of a four band line-up including Pash, The Love Story, and... more ›

Many of you have probably heard guitarist Anthony Pirog at various bars and restaurants around the DC area, and some of you might not have even realized it. Whether playing with local jazz artists at Utopia or Tryst, as an experimental duo with celloist Janel Leppin at Bossa, or with his vintage rock band The Bang at the Velvet Lounge, Anthony's prolific guitar work seems to find its way into just about every club and... more ›

Funniest thing — we met Dave from Monopoli at Warehouse Next Door on Friday evening and he told us a story about a Boston band called Two Man Advantage who wear Bruins jerseys and random bits of hockey gear for their shows. Try as we may've, we couldn't convince Dave that Monopoli should follow suit in a local equivalent, and when he sees the Caps new uniforms, he's definitely not going to go for... more ›

FRIDAY: >> Friends 'o DCist Middle Distance Runner have had quite a ride since playing our special Unbuckled/Anniversary concert last September. Despite a few bumps on the road, they've gone from little band that could to having their first headlining slot at 9:30 club tonight. We'll say we knew them when. With The Dance Party. 10 p.m., $10. >> Akron/Family impressed the pants off of critics in 2005 with their self-titled neo-folk stylings. They'll be... more ›

FRIDAY: >>Do you like Hall and Oates and Haddaway? Who doesn't? The Black Cat is hosting Crap, a dance night of bad music on purpose. We advise loosening your Macarena muscles and preparing your ears for "singers" like Don Johnson, Eddie Murphy, and Bruce Willis. 10 pm, free. SATURDAY: >>There are more art openings than we can shake a sculpture at today, so check out our Arts Agenda for a rundown. >>Anything called "Underwear Party"... more ›

FRIDAY: >> Bliss, the Black Cat's indie rock dance party, presents a combination DJ/Live show. Kicking things off will be The Juan Maclean, followed by the always memorable (and not nearly as dead as you might have thought) Edie Sedgwick. 9 p.m., $12. >> We're all by now familiar with the greatest hits of the Kubrick canon: The Shining, Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, etc. But if you've never had the... more ›

Normally we leave covering the Brooklyn bands to our sister (or is it mother?) site, Gothamist, but The Shondes jumped out at us with their self-described combination of "classical music, feminist punk, and layered harmonies and traditional Jewish melodies." Not a lot of bands can claim that. more ›

FRIDAY: >> Baltimore's Fertile Ground return to 9:30 Club for a concert with collaborator Raheem DeVaughn called Let's Do It Again. Also singer Anthony David. 9 p.m., $22. >> Gallery Openings of Note: Maria Friberg opens her show, titled embedded, at Conner Contemporary, reception 6 to 8 p.m. That's embedded #4 at left. Also we checked out a preview of Colby Caldwell's new show, Small Game, at Hemphill Fine Arts on Wednesday, and definitely recommend... more ›

FRIDAY: >> George Washington University's surprisingly excellent improv/sketch comedy troupe, Recess, will hold their monthly midnight show tonight in the Ballroom Center . They assure fans that dress-up clothes are not necessary, "but you must have showered in the last 72 hours." For just three bucks, let the campus legacy-holders make you laugh, and likely piss you off. They're willing to take that risk. (Erin Zimmer) >> There's a little band called The Ambitions playing... more ›

Named after an NES joystick, The Advantage tore apart the Warehouse Next Door on monday. The foursome from California plays instrumental Nintendo covers, but somehow aren't gimmicky. With no keyboards or electronics, the two guitarists, bassist, and maniacal drummer have to be blisteringly fast and precise - hitting the turbo button as video gamers might say. more ›

You know you are in for a night of indie rock when there is a line around the block of young adults in various colors and designs of vans and chucks, a multitude of black rimmed glasses, more than one kid who needs a shower, and a number of people who look as though they have yet to hit puberty. And this is great, fine really, unless this block and a half of people are... more ›

By DCist contributor Joelle Seligson more ›

MONDAY It's a pretty quiet Monday around town. If there's a show you'd reccomend, let us know in the comments. TUESDAY >> The first Unbuckled was long ago, but its headliner Cedars are still going strong. Head to the Black Cat's backstage to hear them perform material off of their new EP as they open for Dirty on Purpose. 9 p.m., $8. >> Do you have a soft spot in your heart for Lyle Lovett?... more ›

Compiled by Amanda Mattos and Jacques Ntonme more ›

When you attend an improv show, you kind of know what you're getting. Audience suggestions will be used. Certain theatre games will be played where one cast member will have to guess what the others are acting out. Sex humor will be prevalent. more ›

Cabaret does not seem to be a format of entertainment that appeals to everyone. In fact, most fans of the style that I know either starred in their high school production of Pippin and/or could be caught singing "Maybe This Time" in the shower. Then again, The Warehouse Next Door was packed with eager audience members and clear Cabaret fans (this writer included) Tuesday night, so either D.C. has a lot of former theatre people,... more ›

In its first weekend, the Capital Fringe Festival turned downtown D.C. into a moveable feast of performance, as show after show made its Fringe debut. As we enter Day Five of the festival, it’s now time to go get a second helping—a show you want to see again or a show your friends have told you is a must-see. Even still, a handful of shows will get their start today. At DCist, we’d love to... more ›

Saturday at the Fringe brings audience goers political polemics, aerial artistry, deconstruction chic and a tour of some D.C. neighborhoods. When you have to navigate, don't forget to use our special Fringetastic new Google Map. The best way to get to the show on time! Theatrical Performances: Frozty the Abominable Snowman, Landless Theatre There must have been some magic in that old silk hat they found! For when they placed it on his head, he... 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 ›

Before we kick off this week's suggestions, a quick note about Sunday's show at the Black Cat. The Lovely Feathers were good, Dr Dog was great, and The Spinto Band was freakin phenomenal. What a tremendous bunch of characters those guys are, we haven't seen head shaking like that since That Thing You Do. TUESDAY: >> We'll be honest -- we can't exactly picture Trent Reznor playing in an amphitheater. But it's a plan so... more ›

Really, we should all be mad about Pink Mountaintops. Because they're Canadian. And they're doing down-and-dirty, makin'-it-behind-the-bleachers rock 'n roll, a genre that we should theoretically own, hands down. And worse than that, they're doing it well. I mean, as if Canada had not already asserted its indie rock dominance, now they come trouncing on home territory. Yet, it’s just really hard to be mad at a man with questionably short shorts and Jesus-hair crooning... more ›

FRIDAY: The Mozart Year is almost halfway over — the man's birthday was January 27 — but classical concert programming continues to celebrate it. Opera Lafayette gets in the game tonight and tomorrow (June 2 and 3, 7:30 p.m.) with a concert performance of Mozart's first important opera, Idomeneo, at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in College Park. The vocal cast promises to be excellent, including an up-and-coming young singer named Millicent Scarlett, who... more ›

This review by DCist contributor Genevieve Smith. more ›

FRIDAY: Dear organizers of tonight's Cryfest -- Cure vs. Smiths Dance Party on the Black Cat mainstage: Did we go to the same high school? Because, really, I thought I was the only one who spent several nights a week as an awkward teenager perfecting the disaffected side-to-side shuffle that is the only kind of actual "dancing" one can do to this music. Meet me there tonight, OK? I'll be the one in the raccoon... more ›