Thursday, March 29
If you can’t resist screaming “Livin’ on a Prayer” or “Sweet Caroline” when it comes on at the bar, maybe it’s time to put yourself in the spotlight at Karaoke for Kids, which will benefit St. Jude’s Research Hospital. Cover is $5, and songs cost $1. You can piss everyone off by skipping the line for $5 more, then remind them it’s going to a good cause. 9 PM at George.
Unfortunately, the Washingtonian-sponsored Artini this weekend is sold out, but you’ve got one last chance to enjoy a top mixologist’s take on the martini at P.O.V. tonight. Check out Joe Ambrose‘s cocktails, then head here to vote for your favorite if you’ve been following along. Free. 6:30 PM.
Friday, March 30
You know him from Whose Line Is It Anyway? and plenty of other goofy gigs, but behind all those improv’d songs, Wayne Brady has a genuinely great voice–at least according to the Kennedy Center. He’ll be performing Sammy Davis Jr. and Sam Cooke classics with the help of NSO Pops. Tickets ($20 to $85) are available online. 7 PM.
South by Southwest might be over, but you can learn more about some of the coolest tech startups Friday at House of Sweden in Georgetown. Three American and three Swedish companies focusing on education technology will show off their wares, followed by a panel discussion about how these products can change the world. Afterward, enjoy a cocktail hour with other techies. Free. 5 PM.
Jake Starr formerly fronted Adam West, a DC garage rock band that stuck around for 17 years and oddly ended up with a big following in Europe. The band broke up in 2008, but Starr has recently reemerged in the music scene as a deejay–he and three other deejays make up Modern World, a throwback dance night at the Black Cat focusing on ’60s mod, power pop, and garage music, with a few more recent songs thrown in. $5 at the door. 9:30 PM.
Saturday, March 31
What’s your favorite game show? ALL OF THEM? Well that’s good, because You, Me, Them, Everybody is combining every game show, board game, trivia night, and other battle of wits you can think of into This Is a Game Show at Artisphere. There will be prizes, and you might just fall in love with the format. Tickets ($10) are available online. 8 PM.
No word on whether the Artisphere event includes any murder mystery elements, so if that’s more your style, you’re safe checking out Paradise Springs Winery’s murder mystery wine dinner night. It’s set in the Roaring Twenties, and you can expect suspicion, deceit, crime, and a family-style Italian dinner with four wine pairings sure to temporarily bring you together with the others. Tickets are $99; call 703-830-9463 for more information. 8 PM.
All of us have junk in the closet we haven’t been able to part with–whether it’s jeans that fit us 20 pounds ago, a hideous impulse buy, or a sweater we’ve just fallen out of love with. Bring that stuff to the Hillyer’s Swap Shop Saturday afternoon, and find new treasures–$10 gets you in the door, and you can do one-for-one exchanges with everyone else in attendance. Leftover clothes will be donated, and some local stores will be selling brand new wares you can get rid of next time. 2 PM.
The most famous tap dancer in the world, Savion Glover, is coming to Warner Theatre Saturday. Glover took tapping mainstream with several leading roles on Broadway and various appearances on Sesame Street in the early ’90s. Lately he’s been putting most of his energy into teaching tap, but this rare appearance gives you a chance to check out his moves. Tickets ($29 to $59) are available online. 8 PM.
Sunday, April 1
It’s only available twice a month, so if you haven’t checked out the brunch buffet at the Corcoran, Sunday after Artini is the perfect chance to soothe your queasy stomach with gourmet takes on classic hangover foods such as ham, bacon, and eggs–and some not-so-classic ones such as beet salad, salmon gravlax, and Gruyère-and-sweet-onion quiche. $25. 11 AM.
Some of the best sushi chefs from the country are being flown in for Sunday’s Hanami After Dark at the Ronald Reagan Building. The celebration will include an oversize sushi bar (with made-to-order rolls), sake, shochu, and wine, followed by several traditional Japanese ceremonies. Tickets ($175) are available online. 5 PM.
Celebrate the opening of “Colorful Realm: Japanese Bird-and-Flower Paintings” by Ito Jakuchu at the National Gallery of art with a pair of concerts. At 11:30, Anraku, a harpist for the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and Miyata, who plays the Japanese sho, will perform classic songs for children. At 6:30, the duo will perform again, this time playing more complex arrangements. As for the exhibit, it’s the first time the entire 30-scroll set, painted between 1716 and 1800, will be seen in the United States; even better, the works were recently restored as part of a six-year process. Free.
