Tonight’s Pick: Statehood at Fort Reno

Often lost among the quirky lyrics, angular guitar work, and impromptu conga lines snaking their way through audiences was the fact that a good deal of the Dismemberment Plan’s songwriting success was due to the rhythmic contributions of bassist Eric Axelson and drummer Joe Easley. As the rhythm section for Statehood, Axelson and Easley provide much of the same propulsion that marked D-Plan’s more memorable songs—but, playing alongside guitarist Leigh Thompson and singer Clark Sabine (formerly of Motorcycle Wars), the musical result is less frenetic. On the band’s 2007 debut, Lies and Rhetoric, tracks such as “End the Moderation” and “Giant” initially promise a busy, Dismemberment Plan-esque freakout but quickly switch gears to a brand of rock that is, if slightly more straightforward, no less appealing. Statehood performs at 7:15 P.M. at Fort Reno Park, 3950 Chesapeake St. NW. Free. (202) 355-6356. —Matthew Borlik