THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10
ELECTION We’re sure everyone has a lot to say about the election. The folks at the DC Diary podcast are holding an election-themed Recording Happy Hour at Policy, where DC residents are invited to grab a drink and get into recording booth and share their thoughts and experiences on 2016. Free, 6 PM
FILM The Library of Congress has been celebrating fallen heroes David Bowie and Prince with its film series Shooting Stars: Bowie and Prince on Film, which focuses on the lesser-known works in their cinematic repertoires. Tonight’s offering is Absolute Beginners, the British rock musical set in 1950s London and featuring the likes of Bowie and fellow musicians Sade and Patsy Kensit. Free, 7 PM
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11
MUSEUMS Before Horace Poolaw, photos of Native Americans were largely taken by white outsiders. A member of Oklahoma’s Kiowa tribe, Poolaw was one of the few Native Americans to take the camera into his own hands, documenting the daily lives of his fellow Kiowa from the 1920s to the ’70s. His photographs not only helped dispel racist stereotypes but also traced the everyday effects of a half century of the government’s Indian policies. They will be featured in the National Museum of the American Indian’s exhibit, For a Love of His People: The Photography of Horace Poolaw, which runs until June 4. Free, 10 AM
FESTIVAL Those in the need of healing should head to the National Mall. The perfectly-timed Catharsis on the Mall is a weekend of speakers, art, music and dance, all dedicated to to those “who have had traumatic events disrupt or destroy their lives and our healing journey.” Along with the Burning Man-esque burning of a memorial to those affected by trauma, DC Bike Party will also be hosting rides throughout the weekend. Free, 11:11 AM
MUSEUMS As he established himself as one of the US’s most creative 20th-century sculptors, Isamu Noguchi took inspiration from Buddhist temples, Native American burial sites, and Egyptian pyramids to imagine what the future might hold. This exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, which runs until March 19, is the first comprehensive exhibition to examine how ancient art and architecture molded the late artist’s work, featuring more than 70 pieces that address then-futuristic concepts such as nuclear energy and the space race. Free, 11:30 AM
MUSIC British quartet Wild Beasts hop across the pond to liven things up at Black Cat, with thumping beats and a dancy, electro-indie rock sound akin to Muse. The group is touring support of their recently-released album, Boy King. $20, 8 PM
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12
MUSEUMS FotoweekDC, the eight-year-old photography festival kicks off with a party at the National Geographic Museum—featuring the dicey combination of an open bar and a photo booth—and continues through November 20 with more than 150 events showcasing the work of local and international photographers. An exhibition at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum projects images of persecuted groups on the building’s exterior, while the Nat Geo Museum shows off hits from its Instagram account in an exhibit that extends through May 1. Free to $55, various times and locations
FOOD & DRINK The third iteration of The Emporiyum, a weekend-long food market and “celebration of everything delicious” at Union Market, features Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Erik Bruner-Yang’s ramen, Eggloo’s egg waffles, and other treats from more than 90 chefs, producers, and artisans. Food and cocktail samples will be passed around, while gourmands can find a gift for their fellow foodies or dig into a meal right there in the market. $15 to $25, 11 AM
DANCE In “What’s Going On,” Dance Place uses Marvin Gaye’s musical oeuvre to in explore social issues such as war, suffering, injustice, and police brutality—the same topics Gaye sang about in the 1971 song and album that the work is named for. With dancers who move through West African, jazz, modern, and hand dance, choreographers Vincent E. Thomas, Ralph Glenmore, and Sylvia Soumah aim to build a work that goes beyond the venue to be a catalyst for community discussion. See it this weekend or November 19 and 20. $25 to $30, 8 PM
MUSIC Few classically trained violinists can say they’ve played Bonnaroo. Even fewer have collaborated with Kanye West. Black Violin—two musicians from Florida who blend classical strings with hip-hop and R&B—can claim both. Neither member initially wanted to pick up the instrument as a kid, and both faced scrutiny as they rehearsed the rhythms of Bach alongside their hip-hop idols—perhaps the reason they named their latest album, released last year, Stereotypes. The duo plays Strathmore this Saturday. $25 to $55, 8 PM
ART BOOK FAIR With the holidays around the corner, the hunt is on for thoughtful, one-of-a-kind gifts. Try your luck with the paper makers highlighted at the first-annual DC Art Book Fair in Union Market’s Lab 1270, featuring diverse work ranging from DIY zine makers to high-end artist publications to photography and more. Free, 11 AM
COMEDY The hilarious sketch and standup artists of Chicago’s the Second City have landed at Woolly Mammoth at the perfect time to begin their run of “Black Side of the Moon.” The all-black cast explores the current American landscape as well as what it’s like to be black here. If you, too, are feeling like you’re “living on an entirely different planet,” then this show’s for you. You have the opportunity to laugh through the pain until January 1. $49 to $59, 8 PM
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13
YOGA Denizens Brewing Co. combines two of the most relaxing pastimes imaginable at Yoga on Tap, with an hour-long yoga session at the Silver Spring brewery, followed by a free pint of one of their delicious craft beers. $15, 10:30 AM
FILM With an event name that may be a little too on the nose at the moment, the Hill Center’s next offering in their Political Nightmares Film Series is the 1964 Cold War thriller Fail Safe, along with a discussion with New Yorker staff writer Margaret Talbot and movie critic Nell Minow. Or, you can tune out and enjoy Sun Cinema’s presentation of the 1996 biographical drama Basquiat, with Jeffrey Wright portraying neo-expressionist Jean-Michel Basquiat and David Bowie as pop artist and tastemaker Andy Warhol. Free, 4 PM / $5, 7 PM
