Photo by ssteege1.FRIDAY
DRUNKEN SPELLING BEE: The Rock and Roll Hotel (1353 H Street NE) hosts their traditional Friday Rock & Roll Spelling Buzz. Those interested in participating sign up beginning at 6 p.m.; at 8, 20 names are randomly drawn to face off in a spelling bee of “4th-9th grade word lists, dirty word lists and theme rounds.” First place earns you sixty bucks off your tab; everyone gets a $6 16oz PBR/shot of whiskey deal until the contest is over. 6:00 p.m.
FOOD & DRINK: Eatonville (2121 14th Street NW) celebrates the birthday of Zora Neale Hurston with half-priced champagne and complimentary teacakes. 6 p.m.
>> Sticky Rice (1244 H Street NE) is back to serving alcohol tonight — now you can get a frosty beverage to wash down those tots.
HIP-HOP: DJ/producer Quentin Harris began making a name for himself on the house music scene almost 10 years ago. Now, the Detroit native is one of the more in-demand remixers around. He’ll be at U Street Music Hall (1115A U Street NW) for “Red Fridays,” with local Chris Burns spinning the opening set. Free before 11 p.m. / $10 after 11 p.m. Doors open at 10 p.m.
JAZZ: Popular local afro-jazz-funk band The Funk Ark, under the direction of keyboardist Will Rast, returns to a regular performance schedule after taking time off to record its forthcoming album on ESL Records. The band will be at the Velvet Lounge (915 U St NW) with openers Phone Home. 9 p.m. doors. $8. (Check out This Week In Jazz for a full roundup of a busy weekend around town.)
FILM: Alamar, a film that our Ian Buckwalter called “the film I most regretted not being able to see” before putting together his year-end best-of list, opens today at West End Cinema (2301 M Street NW).
ART: Flashpoint Gallery (916 G Street NW) will be hosting an opening reception for Suzannah Vaughan’s new exhibition Tracing Form which will feature a luminous string installation as well as a new series of glass and cement structures. The exhibition is presented in conjunction with Solas Nua, the only non-profit organization in the United States dedicated exclusively to contemporary Irish arts. 6 to 8 p.m.
>> On Friday evening, The Foundry Gallery (1314 18th Street NW # 2) will host an opening reception for its January 2011 show dedicated to a “celebration of gay marriage” and the passage of the same-sex marriage bill by the D.C. Council. All artwork was selected based on its ability to visually convey the significance and meaning of gay marriage. 6 to 8 p.m.
MUSIC: DCist Unbuckled alum and local native Olivia Mancini takes the stage at the Black Cat (1811 14th Street NW) alongside her band The Mates. Birdlips, Greenland and Diamond’s Ahead will warm up the crowd. 9:00 p.m. $10.
>> The 9:30 Club (815 V Street NW) hosts manic power-bop of the The Dance Party tonight. Wallpaper, K-Flay, Ra Ra Rasputin and lowercaseletters open. 8 p.m. $15.
COMEDY: The Daily Show’s John Oliver brings his wonderfully dry take on current events to the D.C. Improv (1140 Connecticut Avenue NW) tonight and tomorrow. Both shows are sold out, but there’s a chance Craig might be able to help you out if you’re willing to pay a premium.
>> Rob Cantrell, who’s appeared on Last Comic Standing, CBS and Comedy Central will take the mic at the Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington). 9:30 p.m. $18.
