MONDAY
>> Those looking to kick the month off with a bang might be out of luck, as it looks like there’s not a whole lot going down tonight. Still, it’s not a total wash, as all the usual suspects — the Black Cat, DC9, the Velvet Lounge and the Rock and Roll Hotel — will have their bars open and waiting for the District’s disillusioned masses.
>> DJ Jahsonic has a new Monday night residency at Marvin and he’s celebrating with the latest installment of the “East, West & Beyond” icons series. “Hail Mary, Full of Grace” will pay homage to the work of both Mary J. Blige and Grace Jones. Free, 9 p.m.
>> Seeing how a number of DCist staffers were raised on 70s prog, we can’t make fun of Jethro Tull with a clear conscience. And considering that they’ve sold 60 million albums worldwide, they’ve got to be on to something. Give your dad an early Christmas present by letting him relive his glory days at the Strathmore — just don’t let him wear that jean jacket. You know the one. Sold out, 8 p.m.
TUESDAY
>> Judging by the songs on their MySpace page, local act Evan Bliss & The Welchers alternate between slow acoustic pop, Sublime-esque ska numbers and sensitive guy jams that veer a little too close to adult contemporary territory for comfort. Still, if it’s variety that you’re looking for, this could be the ticket. With D.C. Celtic punks O’Tasty at the Black Cat Backstage, $8, 9 p.m.
>> Indie rappers take over DC9 on Tuesday, with Glue, Definitive Jux’s Hangar 18, and Maryland’s Educated Consumers. Expect funky beats, non-gangsta lyrics and guys with backpacks in the audience. $10, 8:30 pm.
>> Want to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah beyond just lighting a candle at home (or the home of a Jewish friend), eating latkes, spinning a dreidel, and opening a gift? Head out and hear some “Jewgrass” music. The Sinai Mountain Boys, a Maryland combo that melds the speedy strumming and twanging of bluegrass with Orthodox Jewish melodies, will be offering an hour of unique sounds for free beginning at 6 p.m. at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage.
