Maybe it’s always been this way, but it seems the latest trends in indie bands are to either go really big or pare everything down. Examples: The two-person, girl-boy pop duo has exploded, not to mention the two person blues combo. Power trios seem on the rise — run-of-the-mill rhythm guitarists need not apply. On the other side of the spectrum, The Arcade Fire gains a member every time they tour, collectives like Broken Social…

FRIDAY: >> It may be that we’ve simply gotten so, so, so many press releases about The Horrors show tonight at the Rock and Roll Hotel, and we’ve been beaten into submission to mention it. Give the punky-garage rock revivalists a chance for $12 at 8:30 p.m., and let us know if they’re worth all the fuss. Seattle’s Schoolyard Heroes open, plus locals Scanner Freaks. >> One of the most anticipated new hip hop albums…

Alfonso Velez is an old soul. The former frontman from Monopoli recently stepped out of the indie rock scene and into the past, drawing upon various folk and blues influences in his solo career. He has the demeanor (and hair) of a young Elvis, the storytelling stylings of Bob Dylan, and the gritty vocals of George Harrison. These are but a few of the names that come to mind as you watch him on stage….

The sprawling anthology—wherein we follow a large number of characters as their lives overlap but rarely intersect directly—has been a constant presence at the movies for years. Although the genre was once an exclusive territory to which Robert Altman seemed to own the only set of keys, since the mid-90s, Quentin Tarantino, P.T. Anderson, and Alejandro González Iñárritu have all followed this loose pattern to big success—the producers of 2004’s Crash even got a Best…

>>Tomorrow is First Friday, so head over to Dupont for an evening of receptions with slightly buzzed gallery-goers. Stop by the Marsha Mateyka Gallery to wonder at Jae Ko’s gorgeously twisted paper sculptures. Studio Gallery opens a new show this week with Susan Cohen’s Frozen by Fire 2 that features her painted clay sculptures enriched with metals and other natural elements. Check out the map for other First Friday participating galleries. >>Kendall Buster will be…

In proving that blogs are still all the rage, Sam Brooks, a candidate for the Ward 3 seat on the City Council, recently launched a blog of his own. Born on December 5 and updated for the first time today, Brooks’ “idea blog” is presented as a means for the young candidate to exchange views with the voters. Writes Brooks: The basic idea is simple: to begin a substantive discussion about public policy that will…

We often flip through the Washington Times, sometimes for some comic relief, sometimes to see how the conservative newspaper views local news. In perusing its pages today, we came across a column written by Tom Knott, the Times’ answer to the Post’s well-known and well-liked Metro columnist Marc Fisher. Today Knott — often known for taking some creative license with his writing — describes a conflict between a neighborhood bar and residents who want it…

Dear Readers, Ask DCist has spent a few months now answering your queries, and yes, there are more in store for the future that we are working on … we have heard you. But this week, we want to flip this feature on its head because WE have a question. We know we could figure it all out on our own, but we need to to give us a good kick in the rear to…