Enjoy the uncharacteristically warmer temperatures around Dupont’s art galleries, on a run, or starting that garden.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 4
BRINGING SEXY BACK: Last year Justin Timberlake took a stylistic detour with his first solo album in five years, Man of the Woods. Catch a set of songs old and new when he brings his Man of the Woods Tour to the Capital One Arena. (Capital One Arena, 6:30 p.m. doors, 7:30 p.m., $55+)
MISERY BUSINESS: Don your Converse and Vans and rim your eyes with dark black liner: Emo Night Brooklyn has become something of an institution. Expect to hear 2000s pop-punk favorites at the D.C. iteration of the DJ night. (U Street Music Hall, 10 p.m., $12-$15)
TAKE A WALK: Explore the art galleries of Dupont Circle with the monthly First Friday Dupont celebration. Galleries in the area will be open from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. for viewing. Heurich House is hosting a concert, Q Street Fine Art is celebrating its seventh anniversary, and Darlington House is offering appetizers. (Dupont Circle, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., FREE for most events, some activities require fee)
MORE: Rob Stokes with Bottled Up (Songbyrd, 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, $10-$12), Jazz Pizza Night with Three Man Soul Machine (A Baked Joint, 7:30 p.m., FREE), Improv Pop-Up Presents: It’s Called Comedy. Look It Up. (Colony Club, 8 p.m., $10), The Gimmicks with Civic Duty (Rock & Roll Hotel, 8 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. show, $12), No Scrubs: ’90s Dance Party (9:30 Club, 9 p.m. doors, $16)
SATURDAY, JANUARY 5
MAMBO RAPIDITO: Orquesta Akokán’s self-titled debut follows in a rich tradition of Cuban music forged in Cuba’s Areito Studios. Released last year by Daptone Records, the celebratory record comes from the craftsmanship of Cuban vocalist Jose “Pepito” Gomez, producer Jacob Plasse, and arranger Mike Eckroth. The mambo ensemble performs at the Kennedy Center this weekend. (The Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, 6 p.m., FREE)
A MAYORAL NIGHT OUT: Mayor Muriel Bowser’s inauguration celebration continues with DC Proud 2019, a free evening of music at The Anthem. The black-tie event features the sounds of Ledisi, EU, and more artists. (The Wharf, 6 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show, FREE with RSVP)
RESOLUTION RUN: Looking for some New Year’s resolution accountability? Head to the Anacostia parkrun. The timed 5k on a flat course is a chance to test your speed. (Anacostia Park, 12 p.m., FREE)
GREEN THUMB: Who says winter weather means you can’t grow a garden? Build an indoor garden that lasts all year along at District Hardware’s Succulent and Terrarium Crafting workshop. BYO container and plants, or purchase them on-site. (District Hardware and Bike, 9 a.m., $5)
LET’S DANCE: In the first week of 2019, the 9:30 Club launches a new tradition: BENT: A New LGBTQ Dance Party, which will take over the club each quarter with DJs, dancing, and performances. For this weekend’s kickoff, DJs Lemz and the Barber Streisand, plus performers Pussy Noir, Donna Slash, and more are headlining. (9:30 Club, 10 p.m., $15)
MORE: Family Afternoon: Capturing Light with House Lanterns (National Building Museum, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., FREE), Vinyl & Vinyasa (Songbyrd, 11:30 a.m., $10), Bier Baron’s 2nd Annual Cask Festival (The Bier Baron Tavern, 12 p.m.-8 p.m., $20), Chocolate City: Broadway on U Street (U Street Music Hall, 10 p.m., $20-$30), Big Ups with Flasher and FileSelect (Comet Ping Pong, 10 p.m., $10)
SUNDAY, JANUARY 6
READY, SET, RUN: The 2019 White House 10k Running Tour takes participants on a tour on foot. See the White House, Library of Congress, and the National Mall, all with the satisfaction of logging a few miles. (Lafayette Square, 8:30 a.m., $45)
LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER: Get schooled on the Crescent City. Author, documentarian and journalist Jason Berry presents his book, City of a Million Dreams: A History of New Orleans at Year 300, which chronicles the city’s storied history. (Politics & Prose, 1 p.m.-2 p.m., FREE)
TO BENEDICT, OR NOT TO BENEDICT? In 2015, Sherlock Doctor Strange Benedict Cumberbatch took on the title role in Shakespeare’s Hamlet at London’s National Theatre. If you didn’t spring for tickets (or a plane ticket across the pond), catch a screening of the tragedy at Shakespeare Theatre Company. (Shakespeare Theatre Company, 2 p.m., $20)
MORE: Envisioning Your Year: Creating a 2019 Vision Board & Ritual (Summit to Soul, 9 a.m., $40), Beginner Belly Dancing (Sahara Dance, 10 a.m., $160 for 8-week class), Woodshock (National Museum of Women in the Arts, 2:15 p.m., FREE)
