this is a special "for sonick" edition of club picks
Friday
After scoring a minor hit with her plaintive debut single ??Six O?? Clock News,? Kathleen Edwards has established herself as one of the brightest young singer/songwriters in the alt-country scene. See her perform with Mary Gauthier at Birchmere??s bandstand.
If you??ve yet to see El Vez, the inimitable Mexican Elvis, then high tail it to the Black Cat tonight. He??s done running for Prez, but his current Cinco de Mayo tour promises to be the most unique show of the weekend.
The Crystal Method, DJing at Nation??s Cubiq, may have peaked in the big-beat-friendly 90s, but they??re still pounding the pavement and commanding dance floors.
Avoid the astronomical ticket prices for U2??s October MCI Center shows and head to Clarendon Grill for the next best thing: U2 cover band 2U.
What better way to tune-up for DC101??s nu-metal extravaganza on Saturday than a ??pre-show bash? at 930 Club featuring trippy UK prog-rock experimenters Porcupine Tree. Confused? Us too.
Saturday
The annual DC101 Chili Cookoff on Independence and 12th features uber-angsty alt-metal snoozers like Papa Roach, Chevelle, and Trust Company playing with lite-rock favorites Carbon Leaf and bluesy newcomers Tony C. & the Truth.
Competing with the Cookoff is the venerable HFStival, sponsored by recently defunct rock station WHFS, held at Baltimore??s M&T Stadium, and featuring a killer lineup including (in reverse order of appearance) Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Billy Idol, Good Charlotte, Social Distortion, New York Dolls, Garbage, Echo and the Bunnymen, Interpol, and They Might Be Giants.
Bruce Springsteen comes to the Patriot Center for a long-sold-out acoustic solo show featuring his new well-received album ??Devils & Dust? and other quieter numbers.
Black Cat??s Mousetrap, billed as ??DC??s biggest britpop dance night? remains one of the best DJ nights in a dance-party-crazed city.
Guilty pleasures are often tough to confess, but none are quite as fun as Super Diamond, the ultimate Neil Diamond tribute act, performing at 930 Club.
Two of the best local indie rock groups, Monopoli and Bicycle Thieves, take the stage at DC9 with Alice Despard and Man on Earth opening.
Sunday
Fresh from a reportedly spellbinding performance at the Coachella Valley Music Festival, godfather of goth-rock Peter Murphy ?? frontman for early 80s trailblazers Bauhaus ?? plays at 930 Club with singer/songwriter Sarah Fimm.
Arlo Guthrie, son of folk legend Woody Guthrie and an icon in his own right, comes to the beautiful new Music Center at Strathmore Hall in Rockville, err, North Bethesda.
