The organizers of Saturday’s Virgin Mobile Free Festival saved the best for last. LCD Soundsystem — manifested onstage by brains-and-vox-of the outfit James Murphy-plus-six — closed down the sprawling 11-hour, three-stage, one-ferris wheel, no-T.I. music bazaar with an 85-minute blast of sweaty 21st-century dance-rock that felt taut and commanding after a long, discursive day. All dance tunes necessarily have a pulse, but Murphy’s have a heart, and they’re also wickedly funny. (Murphy was 22 when he turned down a job writing for Seinfeld. True!)

At this weekend’s Virgin Festival, we snagged a few spare moments with Spoon’s songwriter and front man, Britt Daniel, and drummer Jim Eno. The Austin-based quartet has been one of indie rock’s most beloved for more than a decade. They recently released their sixth album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, to warm reviews pretty much everywhere (you can hear the whole album on their label’s site here). After enjoying their set, I headed back…

When joining the fray for a big music festival, it’s always important to have a game plan — even if large chunks of it usually get lost in the wash somewhere along the way thanks to a really long ATM line or running into some dude you haven’t seen since you were 14. This weekend several DCists and at least two of our readers will be heading up to Baltimore’s Pimilco race track for…

For your buying pleasure this week, we have tickets recently on sale, tickets going on sale in the next few days, or just tickets that, in general, you need to be getting on. >> Who doesn’t know of Chuck Brown, the godfather of D.C. go-go? You know him, you love him, and now you can party down with him at his official birthday bash at the 9:30 Club on August 27. Tickets are just $25;…

TUESDAY: >> The Sea and Cake’s Sam Prekop does solo post-rock at the Black Cat. $12. Local singer Brandon Butler (formerly of Canyon) opens. WEDNESDAY: >> Get a huge dose of hipsterness when The Killers (at right) play Merriweather Post Pavilion. Bands-of-the-moment Keane, Louis XIV, Regina Spektor, and Maximo Park all open. Lawn tickets at $25 are still available at Ticketmaster. >> If you don’t feel like making the trek out to Merriweather, you can…