A Post business columnist and an independent music non-profit have joined the chorus questioning Live Nation’s proposal for a Silver Spring music hall. Last Friday, Steven Pearlstein wrote that while I.M.P. boss Seth Hurwitz has fought against competition for his 9:30 Club before, and his alternative proposal to Live Nation is in his own best interest, “he’s put forward a financial proposal attractive enough that county officials cannot ignore it.” Under their non-binding letter of…

England’s “Britpop” movement in the mid-1990s has proven to be one of the most enduring music trends of recent memory. Checking the local club listings will reveal all sorts of dance nights aligning themselves with “Cool Britannia,” Creation Records and the like. Not many of the bands from that time are still together and making music though. The two stewards of the movement, Blur and Oasis, continue to release records now and then, although…

It’s rare that any of the well-read political blogs based here in Washington take on issues that fit within DCist’s mandate to stick mainly to local issues, but when they do, boy howdy, they can really make a mess of things for themselves. The American Prospect’s Ezra Klein has already issued a mea culpa for a post he put up late last night on his personal blog, which wondered why there aren’t more amenities for…

>> Peabody Award-winning broadcaster Michael Lasser will be at the Phillips Collection tonight to give a lecture called “Songs from The Time of American Impressionism” — think Irving Berlin and the like. The event, which is free with a $12 admission to the museum, coincides with regular Thursday later hours (until 8:30 p.m.) and the upcoming end date of the American Impressionism exhibit (Sept. 16), so consider this your reminder to check it out….

Five years ago, Carol Trawick began funding the highest paying art competition in the area at the time. The Trawick Prize, held at Creative Partners, was open to artists working in all media, with the high cash prizes often won by new media artists working in video, digital technologies and installation. Encouraged by Fraser Gallery owner Catriona Fraser, Trawick began a similar competition open only to painters three years ago: the Bethesda Painting Award. The…

Baseball’s amateur draft hasn’t quite established the same caché as the NFL, with All Day Draft Coverage, mock “war rooms” and the like. This is partially because baseball’s deep player development system delays the impact of most draftees and partly because baseball’s draft has twenty bazillion rounds. Even without a media circus, though, the 2007 Draft looms large for the Nats and their plans for future development. Many of their decisions over the past few…

We are fully aware that pizza is a very contentious issue here in D.C., what with all the wood-fired homegrown options, upscale regional inspirations, and the occasional pie that’s been specially designated Napoletana. We’ve certainly had more than our share of the stuff from celebrated area ovens such as 2 Amys, Pizzeria Paradiso, and the like, but lately we’ve found ourselves craving a simple pizza-by-the-slice unencumbered by framed certificates or toppings exotica. We recently found…

Mayor-Elect Adrian Fenty’s most celebrated quality is his rigor for getting the small things done. Ward 4 supporters tell tales of the Councilman as Blackberry-brandishing musketeer, sweeping in to remedy urgent street repairs and the like. By contrast, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams’ supporters have always heralded his ability to dream big. Details be damned, he’s the guy with the grand vision: a growing, vibrant city; attractive to businesses and middle class residents, and with enough…

In what could be described as either the rebirth of Fear Factor or Anthony Bourdain’s dream come true, TasteDC.com — that hard-hearted harbinger of haggis — has organized the 1st Annual Unique and Unusual Food and Wine Festival. Scheduled for Wednesday, October 25 at the Women’s National Democratic Club in Dupont Circle’s Whittemore House, the festival will spotlight both rare ingredients and seldom seen animal parts that will make you moan with delight or squirm…

Last night DCist ventured north to Charm City for a three band lineup made in blogger heaven. L.A.’s Cold War Kids, Denmark’s Figurines and Minnesota’s Tapes ‘n Tapes brought the music that all the indie kids have been gushing about to a great little club called Fletcher’s. The review in 20 words or less: Cold Ware Kids were really, really good. Figurines were not. Tapes ‘n Tapes pretty much rocked. Fletcher’s is a tiny (probably…