Philadelphia's Taalib Johnson, also known as Musiq or Musiq Soulchild performs at Howard Theatre. 8 p.m. $35 advance, $40 door.

BOOKS, OPEN MIC, ART, DANCE

The Union of Concerned Scientists study the art of keeping cool in Cooler Smarter: Practical Steps for Low-Carbon Living. Politics and Prose. Saturday. 6 p.m. Free.

DCypher: DCoded Joy of Motion Dance Center presents new works by Laura Edwards, Ama Henry, Maurice Johnson, Aurelia Michael and Viktor Wallace. Atlas Performing Arts Center. Saturday. 8 p.m.

Dana Ellyn and Matt Sesow's Stocking the Fridge, featuring new works from the artist's past 31 Days in July projects and one from the first week of 2012 edition. Works are inspired by the morning news, most are a reflection of current events. The Fridge. Saturday opening reception. 7 p.m.

WKS Fashion Trunk Show at Jordin's Paradise. Sunday. 11 a.m.

Florence Williams, author and contributing editor at Outside, discusses her new book, Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History, an informative and humorous study in the breasts' life cycle. Politics and Prose. Sunday. 5 p.m.

S+S (Singer-Songwriter) Open Mic at Busboys and Poets/5th&K. Sunday. 7:30 p.m. $5.

MUSIC

Broadway ROCKS! A night of music from Phantom of the Opera, Jersey Boys, Dream Girls, Mamma Mia!, Hairspray, Rock of Ages, The Lion King and more, sung by Broadway performers Rob Evan, Morgan James, LaKisha Jones and Doug LaBrecque. Wolf Trap Filene Center. Friday. 8:15 p.m. $20 - $52.

DJ and producer Lee Burridge, the brains behind All Day I Dream, spins with Mike Fisher at U Street Music Hall. Friday. 10 p.m. $10.

Civilian Art Projects and Sasha Lord present Summer Scream 2 with music from electro-pop band Video Love, Heavy Breathing and Janka Nabay and interactive art and dancers. Comet Ping Pong. Friday. 10 p.m. $10.

Sweet Tea Pumpkin Pie Benefit featuring local bands Young Rapids, Gary B and the Notions, Graph Rabbit and The Sea Life at Black Cat Mainstage. Friday. 9 p.m. $10. 

If you're missing out on Coldplay and Robyn at the Verizon Center this weekend, no worries. The Swedish DJ and producer takes the stage at U Street Music Hall. Saturday & Sunday. $30. Tickets sold at door for Saturday. Sunday's set is SOLD OUT.

Nostalgic for your youth? No Scrubs: 90's Dance Party with DJs Will Eastman and Brian Billion. 9:30 Club. Saturday. 9 p.m. $15.

Hasidic Jewish hip-hop singer Matisyahu & reggae-pop band Dirty Heads perform at Wolf Trap. Moon Taxi opens. Sunday. 3 p.m. $38 in-house, $29 lawn.

Pop-rock singer Trevor Hall performs at Rock and Roll Hotel. Justin Young and Justin Trawick open. Sunday. 7 p.m. $15.

FILM

An unusually true and bittersweet portrait of human relationships, Take This Waltz stars Michelle Williams as 28-year-old Margot, happily married to Lou, played by Seth Rogan. On a flight home she meets Daniel, an artist who turns out to be her neighbor, and their mutual attraction is undeniable. Avalon Theatre/E Street Theatre. Opens Friday.

A special screening of Frederick Wiseman's documentary, La Danse: The Paris Opera Ballet, a riveting and immersive look into the world of the Paris Opera Ballet, from rehearsals to production design to costuming. Paris Opera Ballet's artistic director Brigitte Lefevre will appear in-person. AFI Silver Theatre. Friday. 7:15 p.m.

Whores' Glory, Michael Glawogger's third film in his globalization trilogy, following Megacities and Workingman's Death, is an explicit documentary of global prostitution. It's an intimate look into the lives of ordinary women who live in worlds where poverty and survival dictate their choices. Winner of the Orizzonti Special Jury Prize at the 2011 Venice Film Festival. E Street Cinema. Opens Friday.

H.P. Lovecraft Double Feature with screenings of the horror master's The Whisperer in Darkness and The Call of Cthulhu. Artisphere. Saturday. 8 p.m. $8.

Nada Surf's seventh studio album, The Stars are Indifferent to Anatomy is no departure from the indie bands' usual sound spanning the course of the past 20 years but in a comforting way. "About halfway through...singer Matthew Caws issues a mission statement to sum up this and all Nada Surf records: 'It's never too late for teenage dreams.'," reviews NPR. Ram's Head Live. Waters opens. 7 p.m. $20.

BicycleSPACE launches its' Full Moon FireFly Ride edition tonight, one of a series of bike rides and picnics this summer. Done light colors in honor of fireflies. Glowsticks will be passed out. The ride will culminate with a grand late night picnic and musical guests. BicycleSPACE. 8 p.m. to midnight. Donations accepted.

MUSIC

The Jacksons Unity Tour 2012 at DAR Constitution Hall is canceled and Aerosmith at Jiffy Lube Live tonight is postponed.

Scissor Sisters' Magic Hour tour with Rye Rye at 9:30 Club. 7:30 p.m.

EFJO, a 19 piece Big Band brings the sounds of World War II to Blues Alley. 8 & 10 p.m. $25.

Bay area Soft White Sixties' soulful rock and roll arrives at Red Palace. Stereo Sleep opens. 8:30 p.m. $8.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

Around town Toki Underground and Fireworks Pizzeria will be closed for the holiday. Brixton's rooftop still awaits and Taylor Gourmet opens another location in Dupont Circle!

It wouldn't be Independence Day without a bit of Will Smith. Remember that July 4th in '96 when we stood in line at the movie theaters to watch the premiere? (or maybe I just dated myself.) Relive the experience at NoMa Summer Screen's 'Is 2012: The End of the World?' outdoor film series screening of Independence day. The fun starts at 7 p.m., with films starting at sundown. @AmoriniPanini @Kababji and @GridsWaffles food trucks will be serving! 2nd & L Sts. NE.

July 4th Grillin' with DC Brau. Grillin' on the rooftop with a perfect view of the fireworks all over the city. DC Brau Beer's are 4 bucks, chefs Amber and Austina will be grillin' up meats and DJ Bill Spieler will be on deck with summer time music. What could be better? DC9. 12 p.m. 21+. Free.

BYT Summer Camp Presents: FAT CAMP pool party at Capitol Skyline Hotel. The first 100 get a free burger. 11 a.m. $15.

Irish acoustic singer-songwriter Mickey Harte hops the pond to perform at Iota tonight. The Benefit front man John Condron opens. 8:30 p.m. $15.

Crystal Screen's outdoor film on the lawn tonight is My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Pack a picnic and lay under the stars before the storms roll in again tomorrow. 1851 S. Bell St. Free. Sundown.

Pina and Beyond: Contemporary Dance in Film film series screens Pina Bausch and Café Müller at Goethe-Institut. Pina Bausch, filmed three years before the death of the famous German choreographer, tells the story of how she rose to fame. Café Müller was Bausch's most intimate performance. Goethe-Institut. 6:30 p.m. $7.

MUSIC

The Tender Thrill's debut LP, All Night, riffs from Bruce Springsteen to The Ramones, pulling indie rock back with a sense of nostalgia. If you missed their performance last February, don't miss this one. Comet Ping Pong. Quilt and Young Magic open. Friday. 10 p.m. $10.

Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter Regina Belle performs at Blues Alley. Friday - Sunday. 8 & 10 p.m. $43.

Sweet Tea Pumpkin Pie presents Hammer No More the Fingers, More Humans, Mittenfields and downstairs with DJ Smudge. Velvet Lounge. Friday. 9:30 p.m. $8.

An Athens invasion with alternative band Modern Skirts and Americana-rock band District Attorneys at Rock and Roll Hotel. England in 1819 opens. Friday. 9 p.m. $10.

Local indie-pop outfit Silver Liners perform at DC9. Basement Batman and Council Bluffs open. Saturday. 9:30 p.m. $10.

Post-rock-metal band Black Clouds, featuring former members of Solar Powered Sun Destroyer takes the stage at Black Cat. Torild and Gunny Sack open. 8 p.m. $8. Sunday.

Sacred Roots Indie Arts and Musical Festival celebrates independent artists featuring Grammy-nominated indie artists, an open air marketplace and workshops. Ellington Theatre. Sunday.

FILMS + THEATER

Totally Awesome 6 returns for another summer with Great Films of the 1980's at AFI Silver Theatre. Take a trip down memory lane this weekend with Explorers, Withnail and I, and E.T. Friday - Saturday.

Spy Cinema presents a selection of spy films spanning more than 80 years featuring a special James Bond ode, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Screening this weekend are Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest, Mata Hari, and Dishonored. AFI Silver Theatre. Friday - Sunday.

Woody Allen's To Rome with Love, a romantic comedy set in Rome, Italy, stars an ensemble cast with stories told in four vignettes. Allen also stars in the film as a grouchy American opera director who tries to put a singing mortician on stage. Finally, a smart romantic comedy to look forward to. E Street Cinema/Bethesda Row Cinema. Opens Friday.

An intimate affair with the Ooh La La Belly Dance & Sideshow Revue featuring Ami, Ebony, Candy Del Rio, Lisa Zahiya, Reverend Valentine, Shakra, and hosted by MC Aaron Share. Montserrat House. 7 p.m. $10/$15.

The 2012 DC Black Theatre Festival presents:

Max Garner's Sphere: The Thelonius Monk Story, the story a pioneer of bebop and an "exploration of 20th century racial politics, mental illness, and the nature of genius." Woolly Mammoth Theatre. Saturday & Sunday. $17.97.

Babygirl, the coming of age sitcom/drama/confessions of a media-codependa-lova-holic, stars playwright Kaypri in a journey through life growing up watching 70's and 80's television. Sitar Arts Center. Saturday - Sunday.

COMEDY + BOOKS

Comedian and actress Aisha Tyler who's starred as Tyler, Ross's love interest on Friends, and appeared in 24, Talk Soup, Girl on Guy Podcast and the Adam Carolla Show takes the stage at DC Improv. Friday - Saturday. $22.

Actor and comedian Pauly Shore takes his show to 9:30 Cub. Godrey, Rachel Feinstein (another chance, if you missed her show at Riot Act Comedy Theater!), and Vidur Kapur open. Saturday. 5:30 & 9 p.m. $20.

Novelist Joshua Henkin talks about his third novel, The World Without You, set in the Berkshires, a family gets together for an annual reunion after the death of the family's youngest son, Leo, in Iraq. Politics and Prose. Sunday. 5 p.m. Free.

From Last Comic Standing Season 7 and Comedy Central, area-native Rachel Feinstein takes the stage at Riot Act Comedy Theater. 8 p.m. $12.

Brandi Carlile and Josh Ritter
Thursday, June 28 at Wolf Trap, $40 (pavilion) or $30 (lawn)

Josh Ritter and Brandi Carlile are two of my favorite Americana singer-songwriters, and it's certainly awesome to see them both at the same show. Ritter hails from Idaho and has been releasing albums since the late 90s; I still remember a moment at a sold-out Birchmere show in 2006 when he performed his song "Lawrence, KS" acoustically and off-microphone, and the entire audience stayed completely silent. Carlile is younger than Ritter, but she's released some outstanding albums, including her latest, the country-infused "Bear Creek". I've missed her every time she's come through this area, and I'm pretty stoked to see this show.

Margot MacDonald
Friday, June 29 at Lubber Run Amphitheater, FREE!

If you've been reading these columns for a while, you know that I love supporting local bands, I love seeing music outdoors, and I especially love free shows-- and this concert combines all three! The four-decade-old Lubber Run Amphitheater was shut down for a few years while Arlington County estimated it would cost $3.5 million to renovate. Several citizens formed the Lubber Run Amphitheater Foundation and worked with the County to get a few improvements made at a fraction of the estimated cost, so that the Amphitheater could re-open last year. They've got another great schedule this summer, with bands on Fridays, Saturdays, and the occasional Sunday.

Iron Maiden and Alice Cooper
Saturday, June 30 at Jiffy Lube Live, $31-$92.50

This show is pricey, but c'mon, it's Iron Maiden! I'm not sure how much needs to be said about this show and these bands, but here's something to consider: since Iron Maiden hasn't had a new album out since 2010, the setlist here is likely to be a "greatest hits" set, rather than a set full of new songs that nobody really cares about. This tour started last week in North Carolina, and setlists for the shows so far seem to support my theory. Can I play with madness, indeed!

Black Clouds
Sunday, July 1 at the Black Cat Backstage, $8

Local band Black Clouds includes members of the late indie/ambient band Solar Powered Sun Destroyer, which broke up in May 2011. I saw Black Clouds back in March, opening for the French shoegaze/black-metal band Alcest, and their post-rock ambience fit nicely on that bill. They've been running a "name-your-own-price" deal on their album Everything Is Not Going To Be OK on their Bandcamp page, so you can check them out before heading out to this show.

These and other show listings can be found on ShowListDC.

*SPARKLE* Queer Open Mic reading series features an array of LGBT-dedicated poets, English poets and open mic hosts Rod Tame and Dominic Berry, Feministing.com editor, Miriam Zolla Perez, and performance group Eva Brontosauras. Busboys and Poets/5th&K. 9 p.m. $5.

Author and journalist James Mann discusses his new book, The Obamians: The Struggle Inside the White House to Redefine American Power, a look into President Obama's foreign policy advisors and the struggles they face in implementing a global role for the U.S. along their own internal conflicts. "Trapped between the domestic political environment on one side and the international system on the other, they have modest freedom to choose a course of action," writes a Washington Post review. Politics and Prose. 7 p.m. Free.

The D.C. Black Theatre Festival, a week-long festival presents "One Act Battles: Drama." Busboys and Poets hosts the competition featuring a series of plays each night, for four nights under four categories. Each evening, audience members vote for the night's best play, culminating in the final night where the four winners compete for the title of DCBTF's Heavy Weight Champion. Busboys and Poets/Hyattsville. 7 p.m. $12.

Summer is finally here, which means everything poolside. Trivia Under the Stars at Capitol Skyline Hotel. Thursday. 7 p.m. $18/$20 day of. Admission includes kosher dinner and two drink tickets.

From the SNL Cast, The Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and the voiceover of Barack Obama on CNN's D.L. Hugley Breaks the News, Dean Edwards takes the stage at Riot Act Comedy Theater. Thursday - Saturday. $12 - $22.

Northside Social coffee shop/wine bar/place to aimlessly people watch hosts "Get Wet" Surf Art and Photography Exhibit. Curated by Alison Christ and Sean Kelley, the works bring the ocean, sand and waves to town. An opening reception-meet the artist will be held on Thursday. 6:30 p.m. Free.

Benevolent Media Festival, celebrating storytelling and design for good features five days of events around town. Festivities include an Epic Opening Party at Epic Yoga, an Eco-Chic Pop-Up Shop, and Please Don't Beat Me Up: Stories and Artifacts from Adolescence, a one-hour show featuring true stories of the embarrassments endured while growing up. Thursday - Monday.

Comedian Jim Gaffigan takes the stage at DC Improv. Thursday. 8 p.m. $45.

BYT and Nat Geo Local Tourist Series After Hours brings a night at the museum to life. The second installment of the Local Tourist series takes over the National Geographic Museum with a late night of exhibits, martia arts, NYC performance artists, DJ Jahsonic, drinks photos and food trucks! Friday. 8 p.m. $20/$25.

From Chelsea Lately and Last Comic Standing, stand-up comedian LaVell Crawford performs at DC Improv. Friday - Sunday. 8 p.m. $30.

Progressive Beats 8.0: Progressive Lounge with special guest Michael Copon (One Tree Hill, Power Rangers: Time Force). The benefit for KAYA DC and Asian American LEAD features a night of guest DJs. Sutra Lounge. Friday. $15 general/$10 young professionals, students, limited income.

VietFest 2012, the Vietnamese cultural festival features singers Anh Minh and Hoang Vu, cultural events, traditional Vietnamese foods, photo booth, fashion show, beauty pageant, Pho eating contest and more! GMU/Lot K. Saturday. 10 a.m. $5/$7.

Pink Collar Comedy Tour features rising comedians that have made names for themselves in the NYC comedy scene. Comedians Erin Judge, Carrie Gravenson, Abbi Crutchfield and Kaytlin Bailey tell their tales of leaving the corporate world for comedy life. Busboys and Poets/5th&K. Sunday. 5 p.m. $10 suggested donation.

TableTribes presents its Summer Picnic Series. The nine week exploration of the human condition with thought leaders, chefs and mixologists in a series of picnics are held every Sunday evening and will run until August 26. Dying for an invite? Invitations are issued based on answers to an application: "What does your life taste like as a pie? How does job security, finding a roommate, a new baby, just married, recently divorced, traveling, joy, discontent, etc. translate into the bubbling, flaky confines of one of the world's most beloved foods?" Place TBA. Sunday.

MUSIC

9:30 Club and U Street Music Hall present Dutch electronic trio Nobody Beats the Drum with Gavin Holland of Nouveau Riche at U Street Music Hall. Thursday. 7 p.m. $12.

Greg Laswell's new album, Landline, "emerges as definitive Laswell: strong, keyboard-centric melodies, wry lyricism," featuring collaborations with wife and musician Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles. The California singer-songwriter's been featured on Grey's Anatomy, True Blood and 90210. Rock & Roll Hotel. Elizabeth Ziman opens. Thursday. 7 p.m. $15.

UNHCR World Refugee Day Concert honoring displaced people, returnees and refugees of Afghanistan, features a keynote address by best-selling author Khaled Hosseini (The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns) and performances by Farid Nouri, Salar Nader and Thomas Blondet. Eighteenth Street Lounge. Thursday. 7 p.m.

Eli "Paperboy" Reed brings a bit of soul to U Street Music Hall. With Lily and the Parlour Tricks. Friday. 7 p.m. $12.

Mass. roots-rockers Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers perform at Jammin' Java. Friday. 8 p.m. $25. 

Indie-rock band Paper Route's new album, The Peace of Wild Things is set to drop on September 11. They'll be performing from Absence as well as previews of the new record. On the album, "its creators presume — very much in the traditions of Romantic poetry and 80's New Wave (Tears for Fears) — that creatively fixating on the local, the achingly personal even, is probably the surest path to the universal." Half Noise, the new project from former Paramore member Zac Farro opens at Red Palace. Friday. 9 p.m. $10.

Face to Face performs an acoustic set with Nat Rufus of the Blacklist Royals at U Street Music Hall. Saturday. 7 p.m. $20.

The Mynabirds', fronted by Laura Burhenn, recently released their sophomore album, Generals, after a year of touring with Bright Eyes. Black Cat. With Sean Bones and Edie Sedgwick. Saturday. 9 p.m. $12.

A songwriters circle Fleetwood Mac tribute featuring Anthony Fiacco, Luke Brindley, Todd Wright and Michael Pearsall. Jammin' Java. Sunday. 7:30 p.m. $15.

THEATER + FILM

Home Performance Series 2012: Two weeks of performances by award-winning artists of Step Afrika! takes audiences on an exploration of hip-hop and technology at Atlas Performing Arts Center. Thursday - July 1. $20 - $39.50

Silverdocs documentary film festival celebrated its 10th anniversary with Monday's opening night screening of Don't Stop Believin'. The seven-day international film festival will screen Big Easy Express on its closing night, a film following three bands — Mumford & Sons, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes — as they tour by train from Oakland to New Orleans. Take a peek at the City Paper's guide. Various venues. Runs until Sunday.

Cape Spin: An American Power Struggle, is a tragicomic tale, set in Nantucket Sound, of a battle over America's largest clean energy project, a proposal to install 130 wind turbines that ends up pitting neighbor against neighbor in the small town. West End Cinema. Opens Friday.

A midnight screening with James Dean and Natalie Wood in Rebel Without a Cause. E Street Cinema. Saturday. 12 a.m. $11.

BloomScreen presents Thirteen Percent, a documentary from D.C. filmmaker Art Jones that looks into how and why African-Americans make for 13 percent of the population, but they account for 50 percent of all new HIV/AIDS cases in the country. BloomBars. Sunday. 5 p.m. $10 suggested donation.

Banding Together '12
Thursday, June 21 at the Black Cat, $10

Events like these probably don't happen anywhere outside of DC: a bunch of lawyers put together bands and battle it out to raise money for charity. The show will take place on both stages at the Black Cat, so this is your chance to see bands with (admittedly nerdy!) names like Beats Workin, Sutherland Comfort, Attractive Nuisance, Law & Disorder, and Jazz Ipsa Loquitur. Here's how the charity part works: concert attendees will vote, "Chicago-style", for the bands that perform, where $1 equals one vote. Proceeds go to Gifts For the Homeless, which will purchase clothing and distribute it to ~35 shelters across the area. The bar is set high: last year's event raised over $150,000(!).

The Plums, Hawkins Mullinax Pirog, Lost Civilizations, and Colla Parte
Thursday, June 21 at the Fillmore, $15

The Fillmore might be the biggest room that these local experimental bands have ever played in. It's all for a good cause, too: proceeds from this concert will go to Sonic Circuits (the experimental music promotions company that culminates in a major festival in the fall) and Pyramid Atlantic (an arts center in Silver Spring that often hosts Sonic Circuits events).

Washington Early Music Festival: Suspicious Cheese Lords
Friday, June 22 at St. Mark's Episcopal Church on Capitol Hill, $20 (adults) / $15 (students)

You're probably thinking that the "Suspicious Cheese Lords" don't even sound like a real band. This all-male choral group (their name is a bastardization of the phrase "Suscipe quæso Domine") specializes in music from the Middle Ages and unrecorded works of Renaissance composers. This show is part of the Early Music Festival, and the SCL will be performing works about Joan of Arc by Guillaume Dufay, John Dunstaple, and more. (It is the 600th anniversary of her birth).

Del Ray Music Festival
Saturday, June 23, FREE

The Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria is having a huge festival on Saturday, which includes local bands Derek Evry & his band of Misanthropes, Chatham Street, and the Kate Moran Band, plus a headlining set by Richmond's Pat McGee Band. They've gotten the neighborhood in the mood, too; this whole week has featured a ton of local performances at small Del Ray shops and venues.

These and other show listings can be found on ShowListDC.

Story League Contest D.C. presents its latest edition, "Friend, Defriend, Refriend: Stories about relationships that truly deserve the description 'It's complicated.'" Busboys and Poets/14th&V. 9 p.m. $10.

Got an issue you feel should be addressed during an Obama second term? We Act Radio presents #PUSHOBAMA, a digital movement to identify the top 10 issues that should be addressed in a second term. Tweet your issue with #PUSHOBAMA and attend the event debating what #PUSHOBAMA to DO SOMETHING should cover. The final document will be hand delivered to the White House Press Secretary. Busboys and Poets/14th&V. 6 p.m.

If you missed Santi White at 9:30 Club last night, the artist better known as Santigold performs at Rams Head Live. Once compared to M.I.A., the artists' second album, Master of My Make-Believe, has earned her respect in her own right. The album is a "blending of sounds — driving beats intersect with ska, reggae and punk touchstones, all delivered in a slick, danceable package." Brooklyn-rapper Theophilus London opens, and he's not to be missed. Rams Head Live. 7 p.m. $30.

Australian-born comedian Gregg Turkington takes the stage as his stand-up comedy character Neil Hamburger at Black Cat. Duncan Trussell opens. 8 p.m. $12.

Taste of Reston, voted as "Northern VA's Best Food Festival," features a weekend of food and wine. The outdoor food festival hosts nearly 30 restaurants including Il Fornaio, The Counter, Mamma Lucia and Midtown Kabob, carnival rides, live entertainment and cooking demonstrations with Williams & Sonoma, The Melting Pot, Vinifera Wine Bar & Bistro, Paolo's Ristorante, and Barefoot Wine Pairings. Reston Town Center. Friday - Sunday.

Speakeasy DC presents Second Story: A Night of Works in Progress, a night where advanced storytellers take the art form to a deeper level in content, style and performance. Hosted by Vijai Nathan, storytellers featured are Mike Boyd, Derek Hills, Cara Foran, Mike Kane, Elizabeth McCain, Erin Myers and Cathy Smith. The Dunes. Friday. 8 p.m. $10 cash at door.

Sparkplug: A DCAC Artists Collective presents "Loose Ends." The collective exhibit represents each artist as "open systems operating within the mutable environment of Sparkplug." With video, photographer, painting and sculpture the artists decipher themes of neo-romanticism, deconstruction of systems and shifting frames. DCAC. An opening reception will be held Friday at 7 p.m. with an artist talk on Sunday at 5 p.m.

The Soapbox BLOWOUT! features over twenty past Soapbox performance artists, as well as new international and local performers. Hillyer. Saturday. 1 p.m. $10 donation.

Gary Valentine takes the stage at DC Improv. The stand-up comedian has appeared on Chelsea Lately, Comedy Central, King of Queens, and the films, Stuck on You and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. Friday & Saturday. $15 - $17.

The DC Record Fair Father's Day Edition features 40 vinyl vendors along the East Coast, a line of up guest DJs spinning, local vintage clothing and handmade craft pop-ups, and a screen printing station by Pyramid Atlantic Art. Plus! A Bloody Mary bar. Fillmore Silver Spring. Sunday. 11 a.m. $5 early bird, $2 regular.

FILMS + BOOKS

Author Alan Furst discusses his twelfth historical spy thriller, Mission to Paris, set in 1938 Paris, surrounding a Hollywood movie star who becomes the target of a Nazi efforts to cause trouble in the city. Politics and Prose. Friday. 7 p.m. Free.

In dire need of a breakup cleanse? Lola Versus, director Daryl Wein's romantic comedy stars Greta Gerwig (Damsels in Distress), as Lola, a 29-year-old dumped by her longtime boyfriend three weeks before their wedding. Out of desperation she embarks on a series of strange affairs with numerous men in an attempt to figure out the single life nearing 30. E Street and Bethesda Row Cinemas. Opens Friday.

DMV International Film Festival presents films by local and international filmmakers with weekend screenings of 25 films including, Tin Man, Chocolate City, and Charlie Casanova. Brentwood Arts Exchange at Gateway Arts Center. Friday to Sunday. $10 per day.

In celebration of Father's Day, Etan Thomas, NBA player and author of Fatherhood: Rising to the Ultimate Challenge, and E. Ethelbert Miller, literary activist and author of Fathering Words: The Making of an African American Writer, will read from their works and discuss fatherhood. Busboys and Poets/14th&V. Sunday. 7 p.m. Free.

MUSIC

Dream of an endless summer at the Beach Boys 50th Anniversary with Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David Marks. Merriweather Post Pavilion. Friday. 6:30 p.m. $45 - $125.

Sasha Lord presents electro-house-funk EDH performs with Phoebe and Glitterlust at Comet Ping Pong. Friday. 10 p.m. $10.

Brooklyn-Israel ex-pats Balkan Beat Box's global dub dance party arrives at 9:30 Club on the heels of their fourth LP, Give. In an interview with DCist, member Tamir Muskat says of the groups' sound, "The mashups are not accidental....They must live in harmony and they must make sense to us." Mucca Pazza opens. Friday. 8 p.m. $22.

 It's officially summer (almost) ladies and gents. Dave Matthews Band at Jiffy Lube Live. Saturday. 7 p.m. Tickets online.

If only Eternal Summers were possible in real life. We'll just have to settle for second best. The Roanoke, Va. band brings their sun-drenched pop with locals Beach Week and Go Cozy to Comet Ping Pong. Their new album, Correct Behavior, drops July 24th. Saturday. 10 p.m. $10.

R&B-soul artist Michael Kiwanuka at Rock & Roll Hotel. "His songs purr along at leisurely tempos, harking back to the kindly, folky soul of 1960s and ’70s songwriters...," reviews the New York Times. With BAHAMAS and Elle King. Saturday. 8 p.m. $16.

Romana Falls, the experimental-indie project of former rock trio Menomena member, Brent Kopf, drops its second album, Prophet. Red Palace. The Darcys open. Saturday. 9:30 p.m. $10/$12. 18+.

Steez Promo presents a Sunday of drum and bass with TC at U Street Music Hall. Magnetie, Fringe and Masters of Death open. Sunday. 10 p.m. $10/$14.

Roots and soul artist Eric Lindell at The Hamilton. Sunday. 7:30 p.m. $27.50.

Columbia Festival of the Arts - LakeFest
Friday through Sunday, June 15-17, FREE

2012 marks the 25th anniversary of Columbia Festival of the Arts, a two-week festival in Columbia, Maryland. This weekend is the Festival's kickoff, and the "LakeFest" events include artisans, aerial acrobats, and live music. The music highlights some great local artists, including blues singer Janine Wilson (Friday), alt-country band the Highballers (Saturday), rock group Dirty Names (Saturday), WAMA winner Ted Garber (Sunday), and the MarchFourth Marching Band (all three days).

Fest Too
Friday and Saturday, June 15-16, at the Lab $8 (Friday) / $10 (Saturday)

Fest Too is DIY festival held at the Lab, a cool all-ages venue in Alexandria. This festival features over 30 punk and hardcore bands (including the Max Levine Ensemble, the Fordists, and Sundials) as well as workshops about pedal effects, zine making, and "writing practices to cope with trauma and painful experiences".

Venomous World Fest 2
Saturday, June 16 at Ras Hall, $8

Speaking of DIY shows, the DIY promoter Chris Moore (of Coke Bust, DOC, and Magrudergrind) is hosting his second Venomous World Fest this Saturday at Ras Hall, a Jamaican restaurant in Petworth that regularly hosts hardcore and metal shows. This weekend's fest includes a few local hardcore bands (Caust, Misled Youth), a few touring bands (Shaved Women, Sectarian Violence, and Poison Planet), and one of Moore's own bands, DOC.

These and other show listings can be found on ShowListDC.

Los Angeles comedian Ali Wong takes her talents to Riot Act Comedy Theater. Listed as Variety's "10 Comics to Watch," Wong stars as Bianca in the new NBC series, Are You There, Chelsea? based off comedian and late-night talk show host Chelsea Handler's books. 8 p.m. $12.

Bonnie Raitt performs with special guest Mavis Staples at Wolf Trap. 8 p.m. $48 in-house, $30 lawn.

Art Crimes' newest edition features local photographer Dominique Fierro's first solo exhibit. Fierro's whimsical works have been featured at FotoDC Flash, Studio H, Capitol File and other local venues. The Dunes. 7 p.m.

Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot discusses her new book, Exit: The Endings That Set Us Free. In a series of interviews, the sociologist and Harvard Professor provides a compilation of people moving on to new lives, new careers, new countries, distilling the lessons people learn when experiences end. Politics and Prose. 7 p.m.

Serve your palates at Cuba Libre Pop-Up Paladar. Chef Alain brings recipes from his Cuban restaurant in Havana to D.C. for a collaborative 4-course dinner with Chef Guillermo Pernot. Cuba Libre. 6 p.m. $45.

SpeakeasyDC returns for its monthly installment of true stories. The latest edition features Jekyll and Hyde: Stories about the dark and light of human nature at Town Danceboutique. 8 p.m. $15. 21+. Bring-your-own-food. DC BBQ Bus will be parked out front from 6:30 until 8 p.m. Full bar.

Gary Jules gained recognition with his cover of Tears for Fears' "Mad World" featured in Donnie Darko. The indie-acoustic singer-songwriter releases his newest album at Jammin' Java. 8 p.m. $15.

SOCIALS + POOL PARTIES + EXHIBITS + BOOKS

Megan Mueller: I Built This For You combines sculpture and drawings to create abstract works of landscapes and natural forms. The works "suggest a connection to land and exploration, place and memory..." Flashpoint. Friday.

Escape the sweltering summer heat at Laugh Index: Everything but the Kitchen Sink, a series of comedy variety shows featuring local stand-ups, sketch and improv troupes. Flashpoint. Friday.

Another Saturday pool side at the Mother Trucker Pool Party featuring live DJs, corn holes, slip and slide and entertainment! Capital Skyline Hotel. Saturday. 11 a.m.

The Write On: A Benefit for 826 DC. Come hang out at the mixed media venue and bar to the sounds of DJ Christian Storm, and DJs Itchy Mitch and Big Nick of Wonderland Ballroom and Cafe Saint-Ex. The Dunes. Saturday. 10 p.m. $15.

Behavior researcher and author Dan Ariely discusses his new book, The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone — Especially Ourselves. Politics and Prose. Saturday. 1 p.m.

Dandies and Quaintrelles presents the 2012 Seersucker Social at the Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens as the day rewinds back to the Jazz Age with the musical stylings of the Holly Bass Performance Projects. A morning bicycle ride is followed by a lawn party featuring food, drinks, lawn games and music. Saturday. 11 a.m. The bike ride starts at 11 a.m. at a secret location emailed to registrants.

CAPITAL PRIDE

Capital Pride holds down the city all weekend!

BYT and Capital Pride present WildLife, the official 2012 Capital Pride Party featuring international superstar Amanda Lepore, JD Samson, Big/Bright, Natty Boom, DJ MAJR, Summer Camp, AutoRock, Heidi Glum, Pu$$y Noir, and more. Howard Theatre. Friday. 8 p.m. $25. The event's sold out but there's a waitlist.

Pride Parade Beer Garden: a front row seat to the Capital Pride Parade. JR's. Saturday. 3 p.m. $5. Capital Pride Parade takes over Dupont Circle, 17th Street and Thomas Circle. Saturday. 4:30 p.m.

Cap off Pride Week at the Capital Pride Street Festival with headliner Deborah Cox, an art fair, demonstrations, entertainment, food, drink, Taste@Pride and more. 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Sunday. 11 a.m. $5 donation. Keep the party going on Be True! Be You! at the official after party. Cobalt. Sunday. 6 p.m.

MUSIC

The-Brass-A-Holics New Orleans celebration of the life and legacy of Chuck Brown. The Hamilton. Friday. 8 p.m. $27.50 - $38.

Dimitri from Paris spins a 6-hour set at U Street Music Hall. Friday. 10 p.m. $10.

CapitalBop's Jazz Loft Mega Fest concludes the D.C. Jazz Festival with a day of music, film, food and festivities. The loft space at 629 New York Ave. NW is transformed into a pop-up space with an art gallery, music venue, movie theater, eatery and more. Performances feature Marc Cary's Cosmic Indigenous feat. Awa Sangho and Lenny Robinson's Mad Curious. Taste of DC will provide food and drink. The Taste of DC Loft. Saturday. 3 p.m. $10-$12.

SNRG Fireday 8 "See no evil, HEAR no evil, SPEAK no evil" featuring Connie Lim and Jenn Bostic at Jammin Java. Friday. 10 p.m. $10/$13.

Singer-songwriter Edwin McCain performs at State Theatre. Owen Danoff opens. Saturday. 9 p.m. $26.

Richmond locals Carbon Leaf brings a bit of roots-rock to Rams Head Live. With very special guests Civil Twilight and Matt Hutchison. Saturday. 7 p.m. $22.

Music from the Big House, an afternoon with roots and blues artist Rita Chiarelli as she performs live following a screening of the award-winning documentary, Music from the Big House. A Q&A will follow. Artisphere. Sunday. 2 p.m. $10.

Indie-pop band Foster the People take over Merriweather Post Pavilion with UK band theKooks and Kimbra. Sunday. 5:30 p.m. doors. $35-$45.

THEATER + FILM

Source Festival, now in its 5th year features new works and theatrical productions from rising and established artists. Over the course of three weeks, 25 new works will be presented including eighteen 10-minute plays, three full-length plays, three Artistic Blind Dates, the creative results of a six-month collaboration and a talent show. Source. Opens Friday and will run until July 1.

The Normal Heart, the 2011 Tony Award Winner for Best Revival of a Play, opens at Arena Stage. George C. Wolfe (Angels in America) directs the riveting and emotional story of how a group of friends struggled to cope with the AIDS crisis as it spread through New York's gay community. Opens Friday. 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday shows are almost sold out.

Set in a dystopian metropolis filled with cockroaches and unrest, The Animals and Children Took to the Streets is described as a part Charles Dickens, part Tim Burton world. Written and performed by the acclaimed London company 1927. Studio Theatre. Opens Friday. 7:30 p.m.

Léa Pool’s future-length documentary Pink Ribbons, Inc. battles a different side in the fight against breast cancer. Every year millions upon millions are raised for the "cure," yet in reality, cancer rates are still rising, breast-cancer research is poorly coordinated, and there's little done toward preventive measures. In fact, corporations in the fight against breast cancer are making profits off of products made with carcinogens, the documentary says. E Street Cinema. Friday.

Jamaican reggae musician Jimmy Cliff performs at 9:30 Club. 7 p.m. $40.

Legends of Hip-Hop: Digital Underground, DJ Kool, Rob Base, young MC, Flavor Flav
Friday, June 8 at Celebrate Fairfax, $9 and up

It saddens me to think that kids today probably know Flavor Flav from his copious reality TV shows rather than Public Enemy. Still, at Public Enemy's appearance at the ATP festival in New Jersey last September, Flavor Flav thanked the crowd for enabling his reality TV career, so maybe it's not a complete joke to him. Flav started his reality career on The Surreal Life, then Strange Love, then Flavor of Love, and after all that, he apparently has found love-- with a woman he didn't meet on a TV show.

Gavin DeGraw
Friday, June 9 at Wolf Trap, $25 (lawn) or $40 (in-house)

Pop singer/songwriter Gavin DeGraw's career got a huge boost when his song "I Don't Wanna Be" was used as the theme song for the TV show One Tree Hill, and for the show's 8th season, the theme song was covered by a different artist each week, including Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy, Aimee Mann, Lucero, Against Me, and Tegan and Sara. DeGraw wasn't just on the show behind the scenes, though; he appeared on the show several times as a musical guest, including the series finale this April. Notably, he also flirted with Jennie Garth on an episode of What I Like About You.

Pat Benatar
Saturday, June 9 at Celebrate Fairfax, $9 and up

No one ever thinks about television when they think about Pat Benatar, but she's dropped in on a ton of TV shows: Family Law, The Young and the Restless, Charmed, That 80s Show, and The Roseanne Show, among others. Oddly, she also performed the Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun" at an impromptu wedding at an airport in an episode of Dharma & Greg-- what? An impromptu wedding on a TV show? That's a first....

Kristin Chenoweth
Sunday, June 10 at DAR Constitution Hall, $45-$125

Kristin Chenoweth is most known for her role of Glinda in the musical Wicked, but she also starred in a short-lived NBC sitcom called Kristin in 2001 about a woman who works as a secretary while she looked for work in show business. She's also had recurring roles in The West Wing and Pushing Daisies, made a few guest appearances on Glee, and currently plays the character Carlene Cockburn on the new ABC series GCB.

These and other show listings can be found on ShowListDC.