It’s Labor Day weekend, and you thought everybody had gotten the hell out of Dodge City, hadn’t you? Well, they probably have, and we’re experiencing serious envy of anyone who’s on a beach right now with a margarita in hand. But don’t despair – there’s still tons to do in D.C. this weekend, and we’ve rounded up the best of the best for you to do in a special extended version of Weekend Picks. But…

>> Everybody loves a bargain. Sign up for the 9:30 Club e-mail list and catch all the fun of two shows this weekend for half the price. Let The Force be with you on Friday night with Jedi Mind Tricks, or get your crush-worthy lead singer fix with Will Hoge, Army of Me and friends-of-DCist Bicycle Thieves on Saturday. >> Canadian indie rock: it’s so hot right now. The New Pornographers have been luring…

So, it’s kind of a slow week for music in D.C. Labor Day weekend is beckoning, 9:30 is dark most of the week, and Black Cat is closed for a few days to make repairs. But give DCist lemons, and DCist makes lemonade, unearthing these gems for this last week of August. MONDAY: >> The early 1990s were full of quasi-generic melodic soft rock acts. We won’t say that Toad the Wet Sprocket stood head…

MONDAY: >> Watch a cartoon (and, according to reader comments, hipsters) come to life. Adding further cred to the notion that pop music is respectable as long as it’s from another country, the wildly popular duo Puffy AmiYumi bring their unforgettable show to the 9:30 Club tonight, with opener Adam Richman. 6 p.m., $20 TUESDAY: >> Because we love A Smokey Mountain Christmas, because the original version is always better, and because there’s nothing cooler…