• X, Steve Soto & the Twisted Hearts. 9:30 club. $25. All ages.
• Alex Rhoads, Midnight Ride. Bangkok Blues. Call for price.
• Dean & Britta, Cheval Sombre. Black Cat. $15. All ages.
• Viva Voce, Cut Off Your Hands. IOTA Club & Cafe. $15. +21.
• The Kennedys. Jammin’ Java. $18.
• Threat Signal w/ The Agonist, Flatline, Thy Will Be Done, Cab Ride Home, Kysmet, Murder the Element. Jaxx. $12–$14. All ages.
• Capital Jazz Fest 2009: Alonzo Bodden, Natalie Cole, Fourplay. Merriweather Post Pavilion. $39.50–$100.
• Rock Solid: The Champions Production Hip-Hop and RNB showcase w/ Crimestoppers, City Limits, and the Ian Walters Project with Angel B. The Red & The Black. $8. +21.
• A Place To Bury Strangers, Caverns, True Womanhood. Rock and Roll Hotel. $12. All ages.
• Like Bells, Kadman, Stella Schindler. Velvet Lounge. $8. +21.
• PJ Harvey and John Parish. Warner Theatre. $45.
• Sunsets with a Soundtrack: The U.S. Army Concert Band. West Steps U.S. Capitol. Free.
• John Prine, Steve Earle. Wolf Trap. $25–$42.
• Liberation Dance Party w/ Natalie Portman's Shaved Head. DC9. $8. +18.
• Subatomic Sound System, Dubblestandart, Jahdan Blakkamoore, Paul Zasky. Comet Ping Pong. $10. All ages.

Saturday

• Doves, Wild Light. 9:30 club. SOLD OUT. All ages.
• Hey Norton, Doug Parks and the Lone Wolves. Bangkok Blues. Call for price.
• Lowen & Novarro, El Fin Del Camino. Birchmere. $29.50.
• Denali, Ki:Theory, Pygmy Lush. Black Cat. $13. All ages.
• Buster Brown & the Get Down. Fireflies. Call for price.
• King Wilkie. IOTA Club & Cafe. $10. +21.
• Early show: The Friday Night Boys (CD Release) with The Downtown Fiction, Bobby Faithful. $10–$12. Late show: The Fif, Violet Says 5, The Echo Boom. $10–$12. Jaxx. All ages.
• Washington Men’s Camerata: “Thanks for the Memories.” Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. $30.
• Shakin' The Blues Away w/ Doug Bowles, Alex Hassan, Cindy Hutchins. Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. Free.
• Capital Jazz Fest 2009: Will Downing, George Duke, Norman Brown, Marion Meadows, Roy Ayers, Joey Sommerville, The Underground Divas. Merriweather Post Pavilion. $39.50–$100.
• BSO: Marin Alsop conducts violinist Hilary Hahn in a program of Beethoven, Higdon, and Dvorak. Music Center at Strathmore. $30–$85.
• The Black Hollies, The Breakups, DJ Bobby Babylon. Rock and Roll Hotel. $10-$12. All ages.
• Mittenfields, Typefighter, Vox Pop. Velvet Lounge. $8. +18.
• David Byrne, Devotchka. Wolf Trap. $25–$42.
• DJ Dk. Cafe Saint Ex.

Sunday

• Blues Jam with the Idle Americans. Bangkok Blues. Call for price.
• Zac Brown Band. Birchmere. $25.
• Blind Pilot, Local Natives. Black Cat. $13.
• Disappears, Dangerosa. DC9. $8. +18.
• Capital Jazz Fest 2009: Al Jarreau, Kirk Whalum, Lalah Hathaway, Marcus Miller & Friends, Pieces of a Dream with special guest Phil Perry, En Vogue. Merriweather Post Pavilion. $39.50–$100.
• Louisiana Swamp Romp. Wolf Trap. $25.
• Thunders, Caustic Casanova, Seamonsters. Velvet Lounge. +21.
• Warm Gun, Another Empty Box. The Red & The Black. $6. +21.
• The Fairfax Wind Symphony. Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. Free.
• DJ Eskimo. Cafe Saint Ex.

Photo of PJ Harvey and John Parish via IslandRecords.com.

Friday

• Caverns, Deleted Scenes, Hammer No More The Fingers, Acedia. Rock and Roll Hotel. $10. All ages.
• Sweet Interference CD Release Party, Carousel Rogues, Earth Note Syndicate. The Red & The Black. $8. +21.
• Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Joan Jones. 9:30 club. $25. All ages.
• Lonely Hearts Club with DJ Decibelle, DJ Jackie O. and AK Slaughter (from Baltimore). Velvet Lounge. Free. +21.
• DJ Eskimo. Cafe Saint-Ex. Free. +21.

Saturday

• Shortstack, These United States, The Minor White. Black Cat. $10. All ages.
• Once Okay Twice, Theory-Cast, Minus One, Conshafter. Rock and Roll Hotel. $10. All ages.
• Eat It Raw, Verse The Tempest, Deville. The Red & The Black. $8. +21.
• BLOWOFF featuring DJs Bob Mould and Richard Morel. 9:30 club. $12. +21.
• DJ Will Griffin, DJ Sean Haney, special guest DJ Chicus. 18th Street Lounge. Free. +21.
• DJ DK. Cafe Saint-Ex. Free. +21.

Sunday

• Cat Power, Dex Romweber Duo. 9:30 club. SOLD OUT! (So hit up Craigslist.) All ages.
• The Morning Benders, The Submarines (that band from the iPhone commercials!), Dawn Landes. Black Cat Backstage. $12. All ages.
• The Stereofidelics, Whiz Bang Three. The Red & The Black. $6. +21.
• Young Concert Artists Series: Wonny Song, piano. Kennedy Center. $30.

American University's WVAU is hosting its final fall installment of the student-run free concert series Capitol Punishment Saturday night. The show will be in AU's Kay Spiritual Center. Doors at 6:30; show at 7; all ages; free.

The lineup includes:

Imperial China
Caverns
Solar Powered Sun Destroyer
Hammer No More The Fingers