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MUSIC: The U Street Music Hall and Mingering Mike present the 10-piece soul band Kings Go Forth along with funk legend Sir Joe Quarterman. 8 p.m., tickets are $12. Nightkrawler and Secret Chimp will also be DJing, and the event will be broadcast live on NPR.

TALK: Not content to be merely famous and successful writers, Dave Barry, Mitch Albom, Amy Tan, Scott Turow, Ridley Pearson, Greg Iles, Roy Blount, Jr., James McBride, and Kathi Kamen Goldmark have come together to perform as the band The Rock Bottom Remainders. On Wednesday, April 21, they play the 9:30 Club at 7 p.m., but tonight they sit down and chat with veteran newsman Sam Donaldson at Sidney Harman Hall. General admission tickets to the talk are $33, or, if you don’t feel like spending money on groceries this month, fork over $203 for VIP tickets, which include the opportunity to meet the band/authors at a reception beforehand, and to see them perform tomorrow at the 9:30 Club. Tonight’s event starts at 8 p.m.

FOOD & DRINK: While National Puppy Day was back in March, celebrate your furry friend and Earth Month tonight at the Aveda Doggie Happy Hour at Hotel Monaco (480 King Street, Alexandria, VA). From 5-8 p.m. Aveda and the Potomac Conservancy invite you to toast to clean drinking water, while your pups snack on treats or converse with a Pet psychic.

The Reef hosts Rob Tod, Allagash Brewing Co. founder, owner, and brewer for a meet and greet & five-course dinner paired with Allagash beers. 6:30-8:30 p.m., $60.