FRIDAY:
>> Artomatic is finally here. Check out Heather’s great article on today’s opening for all the details.
>> The Drive-By Truckers are at the 9:30 Club tonight and Saturday. Don’t miss Chris Klimek’s interview with Patterson Hood. The Dexateens open. $20, doors at 9 p.m.
>> Mothereffin’ Polvo (pictured) are at the Black Cat. Sir Arthur & His Royal Nights and Baltimore’s The Oranges Band open. 9 p.m., $13.
SATURDAY:
>> Kanye West brings his enormous tour to Nissan Pavillion with notable opening acts Lupe Fiasco, N.E.R.D. and Rihanna. Tickets run $36-$100.75 and there are still some available. 6:30 p.m.
>> Transformer Gallery takes over a stretch of Northwest this weekend. The gallery opens Here & Now, featuring site-specific installations by 17 artists both in the gallery, and down the street in the three floors of open commercial space at 1840 14th Street NW (look for the big “Here & Now” scrawled on the building). The exhibit focuses on “place, time, fragility, security and fantasy.” Join an artist conversation at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at Transformer, and a performance by artist Paul Shoemaker at the 1840 building. See the web site for more events during the run of the exhibit.
>> Don’t forget to head up Wisconsin Ave. for the Lighting to Unite event at the National Cathedral. The entire building will be lit up with projections of brightly colored images by Swiss artist Gerry Hofstetter from sunset to midnight all weekend, but tonight also features a live musical performance starting at 7 p.m. Picnics encouraged; check out the web site for more information.
>> The Ballston Arts + Crafts Market kicks off its summer run this Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free opening day concert will feature Exit Clov, Carol Bui, and Gist, starting at noon. The market is open every second Saturday through October.
>> Homes for Our Troops is a non-profit dedicated to providing specially adapted homes for wounded members of the military. The Velvet Lounge is sponsoring a benefit for the organization on Saturday afternoon with five acts (mostly local): Len Bias, The Prisoner’s Dilemma, Imperial China, Appomattox, and Moscow Telephone. 3 p.m., $8, veterans and active duty military get in for free.
>> The House of Sweden sponsors a festival of Swedish performers on the Potomac, right on their own lawn at the river’s edge. They’ve assembled five performers for the afternoon: Roger Hinchliffe, Elin Ruth Sigvardsson, Chris Wigren, Kajsa Grytt, and Abalone Dots. 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Free.
>> Author Jared Bernstein wants to give us a little perspective on today’s economy and how our decisions affect the grander scheme with Crunch. Hear him talk at Politics and Prose at 6 p.m.
SUNDAY:
>> Call your mom.
>> Fertile Ground has rightfully earned a reputation as one of the area’s best live acts, thanks to their combination of soulful vocals with an amalgam of jazz harmonies and world rhythms. They’ll be at Blues Alley for 8 and 10 p.m. sets (also Saturday). Tickets are $25 + $12.50 minimum/surcharge.
>> Don’t forget to check our film picks of the week, including Son of Rambow at E Street and the United Artists 90th Anniversary Film Festival at the AFI Silver.
>> Bethesda holds its annual Fine Arts Festival this weekend in Woodmont Triangle, with 150 artists, live entertainment and surely some food that’s served on a stick. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
