Thursday, August 29
DISCUSSION: Politics & Prose hosts a discussion by Dr.
Norman Rosenthal, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown. He’s responsible for first diagnosing
seasonal affective disorder, and will tell you all about the positive effects of adversity—in
other words, why all those bad things that keep happening to you might be a good thing.
Free. 7 PM.
BURLESQUE: Burlesque is huge these days, so hop on the band . . . umm, pole, and learn how to
do it yourself at
Bier Baron. GiGi Holliday, who has a certified degree from Trixie Little’s Burlesque Boot Camp,
will teach you how to do it. You keep your clothes on, and the lesson comes with a
free cocktail. $10. 6:30 PM.
Friday, August 30
KARAOKE: Standard karaoke lets you put yourself in the shoes of Madonna or Michael Jackson
or whatever rock star you want, but to get the Ian MacKaye experience, you’re going
to have to go to Black Cat’s punk rock karaoke, where you’ll be able to get a whole
room of sweaty fans moving in the mosh pit. Tickets ($8) are available online. 9 PM.
MICHAEL JACKSON: The King of Pop is long gone, but his legacy will never be forgotten, especially if
we keep throwing him birthday parties. 9:30 Club hosts
MJ Day 2013, a dance party made specifically so you can moonwalk the night away. A portion of
the proceeds will go to Duke Ellington School of the Arts, so you can help train the
next Gloved One. Tickets ($15) are available online. 9 PM.
JAZZ: Believe it or not, this week marks the end of
Jazz in the Garden. It flew by, didn’t it? For one last time this season, you can sip sangria among
the sculptures and watch the sun go down as jazz violinist Bruno Nasta and the US
Navy Commodores Jazz Ensemble regale you with their tunes. Free. 5 PM.
Saturday, August 31
GARAGE SALE: Local vendors, record labels, and bands head to Black Cat for
Rock-N-Shop, a rock-and-roll garage sale. You’ll find rock-related arts and crafts, T-shirts,
records, and lots more. Of course, you’ll also have one of the best soundtracks in
the city, and both bars will be open. Free. 8 PM.
DANCE: After you finish shopping at Black Cat, head downstairs, where DJ Beta-G will be putting
on
US Department of Bhangra, an Indian music dance night. Bhangra combines the traditional with popular Western
dance, rap, and hip-hop music for a twist on what you’re used to. Show up right as
doors open for a dance lesson if you don’t know what you’re doing. Tickets ($7) are
available online. 9:30 PM.
MORE DANCE: DC9 hosts
Lift Off, a dance night featuring California’s DJ Lemz. Check it out if you like eclectic
music. Free. 10:30 PM.
COMEDY: Arlington’s Comedy Spot (in Ballston Mall) hosts
“The Blue Show,” an R-rated comedy night for adults only. It features lots of people upset with their
lives, profanity, and sexual hijinks. Attend at your own risk. Tickets ($15) are available
online. 10 PM.
Sunday, September 1
COMEDY: Jake Johannsen, a former veterinary student and chemical engineer, gave that stuff up and went into
comedy. Since then, he’s shown up on Comedy Central and Showtime and has had numerous
spots on
Conan and
The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, and is one of David Letterman’s favorite comedians. He’ll be at the Improv all weekend
for you to check him out yourself. Tickets ($17) are available online. 8 PM.
BIKE + ART: BicycleSpace and Words Beats & Life Inc. team up to host the
Capital City Mural Ride, which aims to help you celebrate the wall art of DC. A guide will lead you to the
best examples and explain the history of the art and artist, and you’ll stop along
the way for a snack. Free. 11:30 AM.
MUSIC: The
National Symphony Orchestra is performing on the west lawn of the US Capitol to celebrate Labor Day weekend.
Bring a blanket and some snacks (no alcohol allowed), and get comfy. Free. Gates open
at 3 PM, show starts at 8 PM.
Monday, September 2
THEATER: The Kennedy Center’s
Page-to-Stage festival gets started this week, featuring all new plays, free readings, rehearsals,
and previews of upcoming works. For this Labor Day, things run almost 12 hours
on many of the center’s stages, so head in and find something you like. Works come
from theaters such as Dog & Pony, the Inkwell, Theater J, Washington Improv, and Scena.
Free. 11 AM to 10 PM.
MUSTACHES: Every Monday in September the Mansion on O Street hosts
Mustache Mondays, where you can slap on a mustache and take part in the curious traveler treasure
hunt. Admission gets you a beer, snacks, and mustaches, duh. Tickets ($30) are available
online (reservation required). 5:30 to 8 PM.
Know of something cool going on around town? E-mail Jason Koebler at jasontpkoebler@gmail.com,
or find him on Twitter.
