The Nationals will kick off the 2017 season against the Miami Marlins on Monday afternoon. (Photo by whutchins1)
Baseball is back, jazz is forever, and more in this week’s most intriguing D.C. events.
MONDAY, APRIL 3
PEANUTS AND CRACKER JACKS: Baseball is back! The Nationals will face off against the Miami Marlins, which had a losing record last year and fell below the Nationals in the National League rankings. The game promises to be…
UP NORTH: Few places would seem to have less in common with D.C. than the Canadian countryside, but the two will meet on Monday, courtesy of a concert from John K Samson & The Winter Wheat. Samson is the former leader of well-liked Canadian indie band the Weakerthans, and his latest venture will be joined by the punk group Worriers, because worrying is the new punk aesthetic? Admittedly, that’s just a guess. (Songbyrd Music House & Record Cafe; 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.; $20-22)
DIGITAL MIGHT: There are few compliments more pleasing—and, at least for me, difficult to believe—than “You’re more powerful than you think.” Citizen University CEO Eric Liu must agree: It’s the title of his new book, which argues that the Internet has given rise to social movements that could never have existed without digital technology. His discussion promises to be, well, empowering. (Politics and Prose; 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.; FREE)
FAITH TALK: Imagine writing such interesting novels that a panel of notables gathers in the Library of Congress to discuss them. That’s what’s happening to Marilynne Robinson, who won the library’s 2016 Prize for American Fiction. Robinson herself, whose novels typically reflect aspects of the mid-20th century American Midwest, will join the discussion at the end, and sign books afterwards. (Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building; 7 to 10 p.m.; FREE)
More: Comics and Cocktails; Improv Wars
TUESDAY, APRIL 4
Sonita wants to be a rapper, but her country’s laws throw a wrench into her dreams in the 2015 documentary Sonita. (Photo courtesy of Docunight)
NOT JUST A MAN’S GAME: Don’t just take the lectures of Ryan Gosling’s character in La La Land at face value—the art form deserves better. It’s Jazz Appreciation Month and The Smithsonian is celebrating all April, including an exhibition honoring the women in jazz on Tuesday afternoon. (Take that, Gosling.) (National Museum of American History; 1 to 3 p.m.; FREE)
DREAM BIG: Sonita wants to be a rapper, but her country doesn’t allow her to sing, and her family wants to arrange her marriage. A 2015 documentary bearing her name tells her story, and Busboys and Poets will boost it with a Docunight screening. (Busboys and Poets; 6 to 8 p.m.; $10)
WALK ON BY: Life is made up of moments missed, argues a new exhibition from the artist lurro at the Czech Embassy. Forgotten Corners shines a light on spaces like alleys and corner buildings that go overlooked, even as hundreds of people pass them each day. (Embassy of the Czech Republic; 6 to 8 p.m.; FREE)
FIGHT APATHY: There are vital, uncomfortable conversations to be had about relationships and HIV testing. Now, there’s a place and time to have them. A panel from the Red Pump Project will discuss condom negotiation, HIV, STIs, and other issues surrounding the epidemic. (University of the District of Columbia; 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; FREE)
More: Toned Up Tuesdays; Mellow Mushroom Trivia Night; Nude Drawing and Brewskies
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5
Shah Selbe will discuss rocket science and open-source data at National Geographic Live on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy of National Geographic Live)
CHILL LAUGHS: Martin Moreno and Alfred Robles want to make people laugh, but not in a painful way. They’re part of a school of “laid-back” comedians, and they’re coming to DC Improv’s Next Wave series on the strength of a recommendation from Gabriel Iglesias, better known as “Fluffy.” They might be the perfect entertainers for this stressful time. (DC Improv; 7:30 p.m.; $17)
CULTURAL COMMENTARY: For those who prefer comedy with a bit more political bite, “Black Joy: A Comedy Showcase Featuring Sampson” should satisfy. Sampson McCormick, who four years ago was the first black gay comedian to headline at the Howard Theatre, currently takes on religion, politics, race, and sexuality during appearances on Viceland’s PayDay, and he’ll likely do the same onstage. (Busboys and Poets; 7 to 10 p.m.; $20)
SAVE THE PLANET: Rocket scientist Shah Selbe collects open-source data that will help protect the environment and the species that depend on it. He’ll discuss his efforts at National Geographic Live. Those are all the details; it’s not rocket science! (Actually, it is.) (National Geographic Live; 7:30 to 9 p.m.; $25)
More: Meklit Hadero; RedskinsTalk Podcast Party; Leganes v Real Madrid; Phillip Kerr
THURSDAY, APRIL 6
Relive the 80s and 90s at Nellie’s on Thursday night. (Photo by Clif Burns)
THROWBACK THURSDAY: Nellie’s is hosting a dance party featuring music from the 80s and 90s. The event description promises attendees will “party like the 00s never happened.” (That’s a lot to process.) The event is sponsored by the World Bank, an obvious and natural fit for a revel. (Nellie’s Sports Bar; 7 to 10 p.m.; FREE)
MUSIC FOR ALL AGES: The target audience for The “Listening” Party, according to the event description, includes “hip-hop appreciators,” “advocates for children/racial justice/equity” and — best of all — “woke parents.” The party, including a listening component and a discussion, will showcase music designed to enrich black and brown children. (BloomBars; 6 to 9 p.m.; FREE, $5 donation requested at the door)
PUNK UP: D.C. stands for more than just District of Columbia. According to the organizers of the city’s annual DIY hardcore punk festival, it means Damaged City. Watch and listen as up-and-coming punk artists attempt to put the pieces back together. (The Pinch; 8 p.m.; $10)
More: Pancakes and Booze Art Show; Equality Federation 2017; Dining Out for Life
Other helpful links to plan your week:
How To Eat Your Way Through D.C. This Week
April Arts Agenda
April Theater Guide
