FRIDAY:
>> Dutch-born producer Nicolay first made a name for himself after producing an album completely over the internet with Little Brother’s Phonte for a group they called Foreign Exchange. Now he’s teamed up with another MC, Houston’s Kay, for a new release titled Time:Line. They’ll be at the Black Cat along with two D.C. acts: Panacea and Unbuckled 7 headliner, Muhsinah. $15, 9 p.m.
>> Jazz saxophone legend Sonny Rollins‘s 8 p.m. show at the Kennedy Center is sold out, but it’s always worth contacting the box office or the Washington Performing Arts Society, the sponsors of the show, for last minute cancellations. Don’t miss our full preview and chat with Rollins, where he shares his memories of playing in D.C.’s finest jazz clubs over the last 50 plus years.
>> It’s friggin’ beautiful out. Get yourself to a happy hour with a patio immediately! All the obvious places will surely be filled up by 6:30 p.m., so consider some place a little bit out of the way, like The Red Derby at 14th and Quincy, which has a brand new patio, or Palace of Wonders on H Street, which offers sweet wooden horses to sit on in their elevated patio.
>> Project 4 opens a new exhibit with the abstract scenes of Christine Gray, curated by local art critic and sometime DCist guest blogger Kriston Capps. Her paintings are created by first building models (“modest micro-sculptures”) with craft and other simple items, then translating those models with her paintbrush. See them at the reception, 6 to 8:30 p.m.
>> Musician, poet and activist are just some of the words to describe Gil Scott-Heron. His body of work over nearly 40 years is credited as being a forerunner to acts such as Public Enemy with songs like “The Bottle” and “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” He’ll be at the 9:30 Club for a special seated show. $30, 7 p.m.
>> The Child Ballads with frontman Stewart Lupton (formerly lead singer of Jonathan Fire*Eater) are releasing their new album, Cheekbone Hollows, on April 15, and will be playing a CD release party tonight at Comet Pizza and Ping Pong. The band is schedules to tour with British indie rockers, The Kills, this May. $10, 10 p.m. BrightestYoungThings has an awesome video and photos from their Columbia Heights porch hangout sesh with Lupton.
>> New York’s The Forms will be at The Rock and Roll Hotel tonight touring off their 2007 self-titled release. They’ll be sharing the stage with Cloud Cult, Exit Clov, and The Beanstalk Library. $10, 9:30 p.m.
SUNDAY:
>> The District’s annual Big Band Jam kicks off with the Duke Ellington Jazz Orchestra at Blues Alley, in celebration of the109th birthday of D.C.’s favorite musical son. 8 and 10 p.m. Tickets are $40 + $12.50 minimum/surcharge.
>> Out of all the Green Apple Festivals taking place across the country this day, D.C. has the best musical lineup. The Roots, Doug E. Fresh, Ne-Yo, Talib Kweli, will.i.am, Chrisette Michele, and D.C.’s own Thievery Corporation are all slated to perform on the National Mall to commemorate Earth Day. Free, starting at 12 p.m. Ride your bike to the Mall and take advantage of free bicycle valet service from WABA, and check out the myriad environmental action and green technology exhibits that will be set up all afternoon.
Photo by monavano
The listed events were chosen by the editors of DCist and brought to you by the 2009 Toyota Corolla.
