Insufferable? Try adorable.

Robin Givhan’s tribute to special-effects guru Stan Winston had us misty-eyed . . . and then pissed. Discussing Winston’s work, Givhan writes in the Washington Post: “ ‘Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines’ will not be discussed here even though Winston worked on it. The film pales in comparison to its predecessors and it co-stars the insufferable Claire Danes, whose resting facial expression can best be described as condescension.” Yeah, Terminator 3 sucked, but excuse us, Robin—did you really just call Angela Chase, a.k.a the heroine of our teenage years, insufferable? Because if you did, we might have to go all Rayanne on you.

Guess his karma is not huge after all: Mike Myers’s The Love Guru tanked at the box office with a whimpering $14 million.

RIP, George Carlin. 

Monday, June 23: First Night of Fort Reno
There’s no better way to kick off the first official week of summer than by heading to the kickoff of Fort Reno, the free outdoor indie-rock concert series (directions here). Tonight’s show will be headlined by Olivia Mancini & the Housemates, who play upbeat pop tunes filled with trumpets, hand claps, and harmonies. Shows start around 7:15. If you want more free summer music, check out our guide to free concerts around town, and the full schedule of Fort Reno.

Tuesday, June 24: Half-Price Belgian Beer
This warm weather got you itching for an outdoor happy hour? Let me recommend an oldie-but-goodie happy hour that’s a favorite for my friends and me: half-price Belgian beers at Bohemian Caverns on U Street. From 6 to 11 PM Tuesdays, the beers include everything from Delirium Tremens to Lucifer to a variety of Chimays. There are bottles and drafts; expect most drinks to run you between $3 and $5 after the discount.

Self-proclaimed “D-List” celebrity and Bravo TV star Kathy Griffin brings her standup comedy tour to DC at DAR Constitution Hall on Friday, September 26. Tickets ($48.50 to $55.50) go on sale Friday, June 20, at 10 AM and can be purchased here.

Also going on sale this Friday is Culture Club’s Boy George, who will be playing all of his hits at Sonar in Baltimore on Thursday, July 31, following a show at the 9:30 Club the previous night. Tickets ($35) go on sale at 10 AM, and tickets for his 9:30 Club show are on sale now.

Black Kids are all the rage on the indie rock scene, and they’re headed to the Black Cat on September 26 with another buzzed-about band, the Virgins. Tickets are $15, go on sale Friday, and can be purchased here.

Thursday, June 19: Ooh la la! Bethesda Row boutique Ginger hosts a Paris-themed book party for Kristin Harmel’s latest novel, The Art of French Kissing. It’s the perfect dishy beach read. Pair it with a breezy Christiane Celle Calypso tunic and you’re totally prepped for summer. (Plus, customers get free gift with all Christiane Celle purchases during the party.) RSVP to dcrsvp@thepattongroupinc.com.

Think ‘70s Swedish pop was the best it got? Then you’ll probably be at the 9:30 Club tonight for the Official Abba Celebration Tribute. The fun and campy tribute to the Swedish supergroup will still have you singing along to “Dancing Queen.” $40; 7:30 PM.

Annuals, a six-piece indie-pop outfit from North Carolina, are playing at Iota this evening. We’ve found their lush pop melodies and exuberant songs to be the perfect soundtrack for summer. How can you resist the soaring sounds of this song, for example? Find out for yourself tonight at their show. 9 PM; $12.

Wednesday, June 18
• Whether making music or sitting down for a chat, the guys from local band These United States are a hoot. Tonight is the guys’ last show in town before they leave for a tour in the UK. These United States plays at the Rock and Roll Hotel.

• We’re not ones to readily buy into hype, but music site Stereogum is a source we tend to trust. That’s why we’re paying close attention to San Diego quartet The Muslims. In “Nightlife,” front man/guitarrist Matt Lamkin demands to be let go with such irreverence it almost makes us want to tell the same thing to our boss. Almost. The Muslims play at DC 9.

Hooray! After a delay involving high levels of arsenic in the soil, Fort Reno has gone and announced its summer 2008 concert line up. Fort Reno take place in the field at 3950 Chesapeake Street, NW; the closest Metro stop is Tenleytown/American Univeristy. Shows start around 7:15; they’re a real Washington music tradition, so even if you can’t make all of them, check out the schedule and catch a show in the next couple of months. The series highlights the best in local indie music; plus, what's not to like about sitting outside in the grass on a blanket, catching a concert and doing some seriously great people watching? Click below for the full schedule, and if you're into free music, don't forget to check out our guide to free summer concerts.

Mat Brooke once made a career out of sad, folky songs—first as the founding half of Carissa’s Wierd and then, upon quitting the band, as the founding half of Band of Horses. But listening to the album from his latest band, Grand Archives, you’d be suckered into thinking of him as a pretty sunny guy. And you’d be right. Mostly. The Grand Archives is full of breezy pop songs with catchy hooks and some surprising sounds. There are some traces of melancholy in Brooke’s voice, but downright gloom is nowhere in sight. Last night, Grand Archives played at the Rock and Roll Hotel and Brooke spoke to After Hours about the band and why he’s a much happier person these days.