Photo by damiec
FRIDAY
VARIETY: Tilted Torch presents “Celebritease” at Bier Baron (1523 22nd Street NW) this evening, a line-up of 25 area variety performers presenting burlesque, belly dance, live music, drag, go-go dancing, and comedy acts. 9 p.m. $10 in advance, $12 at the door.
PANDA?: Let’s face it: When it comes to local duotone ursines, Mei Xiang and Tian “Weakly Loaded” Tian are kind of meh. But then there’s the local band Violet Rocker, which, sonically, can be described as a mashup of Led Zeppelin, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Run-DMC. The group plays tonight at the Black Cat (1811 14th Street NW). So why are we talking about pandas? Because the band’s fifth member is a person who dances around the stage in a panda suit. Because why the fuck not? 9 p.m. Tickets $20.
SPACE FETISH: Are you sometimes bothered that there isn’t enough bare skin or latex devices in your science fiction? The Dupont Circle nightclub Phase 1 (1415 22nd Street NW) hosts Galactic Bound, a spacey dance night featuring industrial and electronic music, glow-in-the-black-light body paint, and other effects to give the hedonists of Logan’s Run a good show. Begins 9 p.m., $15-25.
SATURDAY
BEER: DC Homebrewers and Sam Adams team up in the Meridian Pint basement (3400 11th Street NW) this Saturday for the 3rd Annual Homebrew Competition. Come out to sample 15 homebrews and vote for which you like best. 1:00-4:00 p.m. Tickets: $15 donation to Brainfood.
DOGS AND BASEBALL: If you smell something hairy at tomorrow’s Nationals game, don’t be alarmed—it’s all planned. out. Unfortunately for latecomers, tickets to the Washington Nationals’ second Pups in the Park event of the season are sold out. But if you’re going to Nationals Park (1500 South Capitol Street SE), prepare to see some dogs. You know, besides the National League Central basement-dwelling Cubbies.
ROCKETS: Weather permitting, all conditions are go for the Team America Rocketry Chalenge in The Plains, Va. Starting at 9 a.m., 100 teams of students from around the country will compete for $60,000 in scholarship money by launching rockets into the sky. The winner also gets to advance to an international rocket competition later this year in Paris. At Great Meadow (5089 Old Tavern Road, The Plains, Va.); begins 9 a.m.
SUNDAY
LES B-GARÇONS: The Alliance Française’s Urban Corps transatlantic hip-hop festival begins Sunday. This year, the week-long festival brings in 25 international and local dancers for a week of events that share the impact of American urban culture on dance and music styles abroad. Performers and tickets here.
MUSIC: On his eponymous debut in 2011, the British crooner James Blake stepped out from behind the MPC machines of his early singles to show off his crystalline voice. The move pushed him from the blog buzzbin to garnering glowing reviews while playing increasingly larger stages. Fresh off the release of his much awaited sophomore release, Overgrown Blake appears to be growing past the dubstep label that accompanied his debut and into more of a traditional singer-songwriter. If you want to get into his 9:30 Club show, you’ll have to try Craigslist. 7 p.m. (Andy Hess)
