FRIDAY
Black Cat hosts an impressive bill headlined by Ivy, veterans of the NYC indie scene who include stunning Parisian chanteuse Dominique Durand and Fountains of Wayne everyman Adam Schlesinger. Openers Stars play impeccable pop and feature members of Montreal supergroup Broken Social Scene.
The 9:30 Club opens its doors this afternoon at 5 p.m. for the sold-out Fueled by Ramen tour, headlined by Warped Tour veterans Fall Out Boy. Emo clones Gym Class Heroes, The Academy Is?, and Silverstein get the X-handed crowd warmed up.
In an effort to recoup their alcohol profits for the evening, 9:30 Club re-opens at 10 p.m. for Paul Westerberg, former frontman of infamous 80s booze-rockers The Replacements. Expect a smattering of old classics like ??Alex Chilton? and new tracks from Westerberg??s solo career.
DJs Medusa and Strange are giving away copies of the New Order??s latest LP at the Saccharine dance party, hosted by Adams Morgan??s Zucchabar. Remember to show up at 9 p.m. sharp to take advantage of the early open bar.
Local indie favorites Monopoli take their polished atmospheric rock to Arlington??s Iota; power-pop newcomers The Sketches open.
SATURDAY
Black Cat goes all-DJ tonight. In the mainstage, Girl Friday hosts a rare Saturday party with DJ Rekha spinning bhangra and hip-hop. Backstage is Razzmatazz, billed as ??britpop goes glam? with DJ ReddAJ and the Holiday Girl.
Rob Thomas, frontman for paint-by-numbers superstars Matchbox 20, plays a sold-out solo gig at 9:30 Club. Get there early for roots-rock torch Beth Hart.
DC9 hosts Electrotease, featuring a live performance by The Prids and DJs 12inch and Ca$$idy spinning the hottest dance-punk and electro tracks.
Five years have past since Flickerstick won the first season of VH1 reality show ??Bands on the Run.? At Iota, the volatile band has long since lost its major-label deal, but still plays tight, radio-ready alt-rock.
Local psych-rock heroes The Apes come home after a mid-west tour with Q & Not U to Warehouse Next Door for the CD release party of their latest album ??Baba??s Mountain.?
SUNDAY
Indie legends The Wedding Present (singer/songwriter David Gedge) were architects of the British C-86 craze in the mid-80s. After a 10 year break, Gedge takes his jangly rock to Black Cat.
Alt-metal supergroup Audioslave features ex-Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell and the remains of leftist heroes Rage Against the Machine. Audioslave, playing a sold-out gig at 930 Club, have sanded their political and arty edges into bland mainstream rock.
Like fellow bubblegum stars Hillary Duff and Ashlee Simpson, American Idol veteran Kelly Clarkson ?? at DAR Constitution Hall with Graham Colton Band ?? has been recast as an edgy alt-rocker.
Singer/songwriter Alana Davis, at Iota, scored a hit with her 1997 cover of Ani Difranco??s signature ??32 Flavors.? She??s since been dropped from her label Elektra, but her latest indie release is just as solid as her previous work.
A founding member of The Irish Tenors and a regular performer of ??God Bless America? at Yankee Stadium, Ronan Tynan brings his impressive vocal range to Lisner Auditorium.
