This weekend offers opportunities to sing along on stage or sit back and sample seasonal ice cream—it’s up to you to brave the cold.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 25
GIMME PIZZA: Players Club joins the dozens of D.C. businesses offering specials for furloughed employees. Show your federal employee ID at the 14th Street bar and arcade on Friday between noon and 4 p.m. and receive pies from Timber Pizza and beer on the house. Games of billiards, skee-ball, foosball and others will be free, too. You’ll want to get there early: The deal is limited to the first 250 patrons who arrive. (Players Club, 12 p.m.-4 p.m.)
CHOP, CHOP: Learn everything you need to know about chopping, slicing, and dicing at Tastemakers’ Chop It Like It’s Hot Beginner Knife Skills cooking class. You’ll get hands-on experience as you make a stir fry. The cost of the class includes a snack, your veggie stir fry, and wine or beer. (Tastemakers, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., $75)
THE BOY IS MINE: Hear orchestral flourishes added to R&B favorites at NSO Pops: An Evening with Brandy. The two-hour show includes songs from Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, and Sam Cooke, plus singer’s own chart-topping tracks. No word on whether you can expect her iconic duet duel with Monica. (The Kennedy Center Concert Hall, 8 p.m., $39-$139)Update: Brandy’s appearances with the NSO have been canceled.
ISLAND ESCAPE: Flee the cold weather for a few hours and embrace the Caribbean, no flight necessary. Enjoy a Bahamian buffet and open bar, plus a live steel drum performance, at Caribbean Evening at the Bahamian Embassy Consulate. (The Embassy Consular Annex of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m., $50)
MORE: Steep Canyon Rangers with Kaia Kater (The Hamilton, 6:30 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, $25.75-$40.75), Jazz Pizza Night with Matt Horanzy Trio (A Baked Joint, 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m., FREE), White Ford Bronco (Rock & Roll Hotel, 8 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. show, $25), Guster with Henry Jamison (9:30 Club, 8 p.m., $37), Hip Hop Karaoke (Kennedy Center Atrium, 8 p.m., $15), Punkhouse Comedy with Tosser (Songbyrd, 8:30 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. show, $5 suggested donation)
SATURDAY, JANUARY 26
FIT SIPS: Take your yoga practice out of the studio with Women Who Whiskey’s Barre at the Bar. The morning includes yoga at beer hall The Sovereign in Georgetown led by CJ Fritts; your entry fee includes a handcrafted cocktail with Barr Hill Spirits. Bring your own mat! (The Sovereign, 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., $25)
YEAR OF THE PIG: Celebrate the Lunar New Year with a slate of special ice cream tastings at Ice Cream Jubilee. Flavors include Boricha Roasted Barley Tea, Red Bean Almond Cookie, Matcha Green, Citrus Sichuan Peppercorn and more. Your ticket includes a flight of all 6 flavors and a pint to take home. (Ice Cream Jubilee, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., $16)
BIG TRUCKS: Release your road rage by living vicariously through the drivers behind the wheels of monster trucks. Monster Jam heads to the Capital One Arena for a full weekend of shows, including afternoon and evening performances on Saturday, plus a Sunday matinee. (Capital One Arena, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., also Sunday at 1 p.m.)
BISCO NIGHT: Jam band favorites The Disco Biscuits take over D.C. for the weekend, beginning with a sold-out show Friday night at the Lincoln Theatre and an after party at U Street Music Hall. There’s still a chance to get in on the festivities on Saturday at The Anthem. (The Anthem, 6 p.m. doors, 7:30 p.m. show, $40-$95)
MORE: Elevate Your Game Workshop (Down Dog Yoga, 1 p.m.-3 p.m., $50), Resolution Breakers Ball (City Winery DC & Supreme Core Cider, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., $25), Joel Simon in conversation with Indira Lakshmanan (Politics & Prose, 6 p.m.-7 p.m., FREE), Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company (Sixth & I, 6 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show, $20-$25), The Current Affairs Podcast: Live! (Rock & Roll Hotel, 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, $15-$18), Great American Square Dance Revival (St. Stephen & the Incarnation Episcopal Church, 8 p.m.-11 p.m., $5)
SUNDAY, JANUARY 27
INTO THE GROOVE: If you’ve given up on KonMari-ing your record collection, hit the 10th anniversary edition of DC Record Fair to stock up on vinyl from more than 40 vendors. Early bird admission gets to enter an hour early; otherwise arrive at noon for DJs, drinks, and book signings. (Penn Social, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., $2-$5)
DEEP DREAM: Nashville band Daddy Issues got its name from graffiti that singer Jenna Moynihan spotted on the bathroom wall of a DIY space. The trio released its debut LP, Deep Dream, last year, and headlines Songbyrd this weekend. (Songbyrd, 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, $12-$14)
SEASONS OF LOVE: How do you measure a year? Capital Pride Alliance and Shaw’s Tavern team up for a RENT live karaoke and viewing party as the Broadway classic hits the small screen. The singing starts at 7 p.m. and the FOX musical event begins at 8 p.m. Tables are first come, first serve. Arrive at 6:30 p.m. to rehearse a group singalong that’s set to stream on Facebook Live. (Shaw’s Tavern, 7 p.m., free entry)
MORE: Brunch Me Like One of Your French Girls Titanic Brunch (Slash Run, 1 p.m.-4 p.m., FREE), Jazz in the Basement with Erol Danon (Goethe-Institut Washington, 2 p.m.-4 p.m., FREE), 7DrumCity Pop-Up Festival (Union Stage, 3 p.m., 4 p.m., FREE), (Fyre Festival Double Feature Screening (Dangerous Pies DC, 5 p.m., FREE), John Eisenberg: The League: How Five Rivals Created the NFL and Launched a Sports Empire (Politics & Prose, 5 p.m.- 6 p.m., FREE), Neko Case with Margaret Glaspy (Lincoln Theatre, 6:30 p.m. doors, $46)
