Got a second? Good! Because we want to thank the advertisers on DCist this week: CNN.com, who has a surprising amount of video on their site (including one of a couple with sextuplets). Zipcar, because even non-car owners sometimes need a car. Bookfest 2007 at the Library of Congress, which starts in a little more than 14 days from now. How did we know? They have a nifty countdown on their site! ALO, coming to…

There was a time in the 1970s when male artists could become famous by simply writing and singing great songs. Seemingly average joes such as Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, Paul Simon, and Elton John sold millions of records without subscribing to the psychedelia of 60s rock, the angst of punk, the glam of the 80s, or the hyper-masculinity of metal and hip-hop. Today, acts such as Coldplay and James Blunt might hint at a resurgence…

MONDAY >> Looking for an act whose name you are sure to forget at least once over the course of the evening? We give you an Orlando hip-hop duo with a name like a serial number: X:144 and SPS. Okayplayer called their debut collaboration, M.E., “a producer’s wet dream.” At the Red and the Black. 9:30 p.m., $8. >> After releasing solo CDs and making babies, Aterciopelados, Colombia’s finest rock en español outfit is back…

Amanda Mattos contributed to this post. A recent tip from Dave at Indiefolkforever lead us to a rather unflattering portrait of our fair city. Norfolk & Western, a Portland band that visited D.C. last month, apparently didn’t have a very nice time playing DC9 or visiting the U street/Shaw neighborhood in Northwest D.C. As part of a tour journal posted on Local Cut, the band wrote: Washington DC proved to be a less pleasant experience…

The agenda’s coming in a little late this week, many appologies. Before we get into our picks, we’d like to wish a very happy 5th birthday to Jammin’ Java. The Vienna venue that started out small has come far since its beginning, earning acclaim and great acts along the way. Head on out to the ‘burbs (and if you take the metro, wear a belt), and pay Jammin’ Java a visit sometime this month. Might…

Buckle up, music fans. The next few months are set to be a wild ride, with an almost embarassing number of bands coming through town that have been described at one time or another as “teh awesome.” Because there are so many to talk about, we’ll save the somewhat descriptive quips that usually accompany these posts and just give it to you list style. And — might we add — nicely done, Black Cat. SEPTEMBER…

For those of you that don’t know, Six Points is a D.C. music festival in its third year, hosted at venues in and around the city, including the Black Cat, Jammin Java, the State Theater, The Mansion at Strathmore and more. This year’s lineup was announced yesterday on the festival’s blog. The GOG Blog has an interesting take on the festival, namely, that the bands selected are all homogeneous and don’t represent the full spectrum…

Six Points Music Festival: Get Those Submissions In! This is for all of those musicians out there. You’ve only got a few more days to get your submission in for the third annual Six Points Music Festival, showcasing live music at venues throughout the D.C. area April 6 – 8. Get those tracks loaded onto MySpace, pony up your $5, and enter for your chance to play at this very cool festival. Participating venues include…

Monday: Halloween on a Monday is a bit of a let down. You’ve already donned your costume and bobbed your fill of apples, and all that’s left is to egg a few motorcades and hit the discount candy bins at CVS. It’s damned anticlimactic. Much like the two orchestral “Want” albums Rufus Wainwright put together after enticing us all with two strong opening efforts (on Dreamworks, natch; pays to be a legacy). Nevertheless, Rufus is…

Before delving into the week’s picks, we want to point out a couple of hurricane benefits that are happening this week. This Thursday, come out and support musicians affected by hurricane Katrina. The State Theater in Falls Church hosts the Hell or High Water Benefit, featuring the legendary Chuck Brown. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door, with all proceeds benefitting the MusiCares Katrina Fund. 7 p.m. If you’re feeling philanthropic as…