Craig Wedren has one of the most distinctive voices in rock. How it is that he managed to avoid becoming a household name is a bit of a mystery. Pony Express Record, his 1994 major label debut with Shudder to Think, the band that he got his start with in D.C. in the mid-80s, should have been a huge breakthrough. It was an adventurous record of inventive, art-damaged post-punk, all shifting time signatures and angular…

If you were traveling over the holiday weekend, you would have easily missed the announcement that popular local NPR affiliate WAMU 88.5 FM will be making big changes to their broadcast schedule — most notably moving the entirety of their popular weekend bluegrass programming to an HD Radio channel, leaving many listeners upset and confused as to how the station could abandon their signature music programs on the regular FM dial. Here’s what’s going 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…

One of yesterday’s major stories was the release of a new study indicating that about one-third of adults in Washington, D.C. are functionally illiterate. Wikipedia actually has a decent definition of functional illiteracy: “the inability of an individual to use reading, writing, and computational skills efficiently in everyday life situations.” In other words, a person may be able to read somewhat, but nowhere near well enough to hold down a job. The reality of the…

Bring out your purple plastic beads and get ready for some king cake! Well, we wish. For obvious reasons, the District and surrounding areas are decidedly calmer than, say, Bourbon Street. But we’ve still got some action going on. If you’d like to experience some good ol’ Mardi Gras flavor, the Post’s City Guide lists what’s going on today, from galas to Zydeco. Of course, there is always Lulu’s in Foggy Bottom — they…

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…

Don’t get yourselves down about the gloomy weather, fellow DC-ites. Capital Weather suggests that it’ll get sunny by tomorrow afternoon, and there are plenty of goodies to keep you occupied this weekend. FRIDAY: >> Local band Full Minute of Mercury (pictured here) plays the Velvet Lounge tonight. Read a review and see pictures over at Seeking Irony. She calls them “fun girl-fronted powerpop with a smile.” Plus, we think they’re hot. >> The Fraser Gallery…

8/10 – Projekt Revolution: Linkin Park, Korn, Snoop Dogg, and the Used – Nissan Pavilion – 2 p.m. – $35-$49.50 8/10 – Alanis Morissette and Barenaked Ladies – Merriweather Post Pavilion, 7 p.m. – $25-$49.50 8/10 – O.A.R. – Wolftrap, 7 p.m., $25-$32 8/11 – Jimmy Cliff – The State Theater (Falls Church), 8:30 p.m. – $29 8/11 – Sarah McLachlan – Merriweather Post Pavilion, 7:30 p.m. – $35-$55 8/12 – Bob Dylan & Willie…