FRIDAY
Onetime Dre protege Xzibit takes the stage at Dream and delivers his trademark blistering flow laced with lyrics that range from pensive to violent at the drop of a hat.
Local noise rock favorites Metropolitan take over the Black Cat mainstage with a release party for their sophomore effort The Lines They Get Broken. Backstage is Dollhouse, an old-school industrial / new wave / goth dance night.
With trad rockers Cowboy Mouth, at 930 Club, well past their commercial peak of the late 90s, they can get back to their meat and potatoes: smoking live shows for their devoted fan base.
NoVa natives Pharmacy Prophets bring their straightforward rock and roll tunes to Velvet Lounge with affected Atlanta garage rockers Sovus Radio.
Flash-in-the-pan hair metal dinosaurs L.A. Guns headline at Jaxx, where all great flash-in-the-pan hair metal dinosaurs go out to pasture.
SATURDAY
Progressive trance jet-setter Armin van Buuren blows through town to spin at the long-running Glow party, now held at Fur.
The Blind Boys of Alabama, at GWâ??s Lisner Auditorium with harmonica blues legend Charlie Musselwhite, perform stirring renditions of traditional gospel spirituals.
Alt-country darlings Last Train Home return to their home base of Iota for a three night weekend stand.
MN8 presents a big night of neo-soul and hip-hop on Black Catâ??s mainstage with Philly scenester Bahamadia, up-and-coming University of Maryland grads Critically Acclaimed, Head-Roc and DJ Stylus. Backstage is Wag, a 60s garage and soul DJ night.
Get to DC9 to check out the monstrous riffs of DC stoner-metal veterans Wooly Mammoth, playing with fellow hard rockers King Valley from Burkitsville, MD.
Good luck getting tickets to see acoustic guitar genius Leo Kottke at the Birchmere this weekend. Both tonightâ??s and Fridayâ??s show are sold-out.
SUNDAY
DJ Steve Hoffman of WPFW continues the monthly Bob Dylan night at St-Exâ??s Gate 54 lounge. Expect to hear a sampling of Dylanâ??s hits and more obscure tracks from the last five decades.
So-Cal punk forerunners T.S.O.L., at Black Cat with the AKAâ??s, have returned to their hardcore roots after regaining their original members and saving the band from pop metal purgatory.
Jason Ringenberg is past his 80s heyday as a cowpunk trailblazer with Jason & the Scorchers. Check out his more mature, sensitive side at the intimate Jamminâ?? Java.
