Things to Do

Things to Do in DC This Week (November 14-16): Czech Sci-Fi, DC Cocktail Week, and a Six-Hour Song

A fan of repetition, Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson filmed rock band The National playing their three-minute song, “Sorrow,” for six hours. Catch that performance, “A Lot of Sorrow,” followed by a conversation with band’s composer and guitarist at the Hirshhorn on Wednesday.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14

DRINK The best and buzziest bars and restaurants in DC—including Petworth’s Twisted Horn, Maketto, and EatBar, plus joints in Maryland and Virginia—are participating in the third-annual DC Cocktail Week, running through November 20. Sip on specially crafted cocktails from local mixologists, perfectly paired with small bites from 40 participating locations. It’s good thing you’ve got the whole week to try them all. Various times and locations

MUSIC Socially conscious hip-hop comes to the 9:30 Club, headlined by Minneapolis storyteller Atmosphere and featuring social justice advocate Brother Ali, deM atlaS (who’s featured on Atmosphere’s new release, Fishing Blues), Plain Ole Bill and Last Word. $27.50, 7 PM

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15

MUSEUMS The final Newseum Nights of the year is all about celebrating freedom of expression with “Act Up!”, an homage to the museum’s segment of the Berlin Wall on view. Among the open bar with Pumpkin Hot Toddies and craft brews from Flying Dog Brewery, attendees can enjoy a performance by acclaimed step team Dem’ Raider Boyz, improvised haikus from the Haiku Guys & Gals, and a live mural painting. $30, 7 PM

BOOKS Author Madeleine Thien made waves this year with her moving novel, Do Not Say We Have Nothing, which follows a multi-generational Chinese family and was short-listed for Man Booker Prize this year. Along with a reading, Thien is in conversation at Upshur Street Books with with Terry Hong, creator of Smithsonian BookDragon, a multicultural book review blog for the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. Free, 7 PM

DISCUSSION Scott Suchman has built a career on transforming food into art, and is a contributing restaurant photographer for Washingtonian. As part of FotoWeekDC, he’ll give a talk at the former Spanish ambassador’s residence about his food and restaurant photography. Free, 5 PM

FILM Head over to Bistro Bohem for some tasty Czech food and beer along with a showing of director Václav Vorlíček’s off-the-wall sci-fi comedy, What Would You Say to Some Spinach? (Což takhle dát si špenát). Along with the fact that the movie’s in subtitles, the detailed plot means you’ll really need to pay attention: two former criminals work in a lab on a machine trying to get old cows to start producing milk but accidentally make themselves younger in the process, and are propositioned by a beauty salon manager with the idea of turning the machine into a money-making scheme. Free, 7 PM  

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16

MUSEUMS In honor of their current exhibit from Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson, the Hirshhorn is screening A Lot of Sorrow, Kjartansson’s film of indie-rockers The National playing their three-minute song, “Sorrow,” for six hours straight. The event is followed by a conversation with the band’s composer and guitarist, Bryce Dessner. Free, 10:30 AM / 7 PM

MUSIC Fuzzy, nostalgic, indie-rock darlings IAN SWEET play Songbyrd in support of their highly celebrated, first full-length album, Shapeshifter. The trio plays alongside local acts Two Inch Astronaut (who also have a very ‘90s vibe) and Go Cozy, both of which are considered bands to watch out for in the coming year.  8 PM, $12