Is pre-post-rock a thing? Because, if it is, D.C. instrumental champs Tone have got it down. The band began in 1991, well before the Explosions In The Sky-style soundtrack-rock that rose to fame in the late '90s and early aughts. Twenty years in, Tone has now played shows with many of the bands it predated. A strange honor, no doubt. Tonight, celebrate two decades of wordless, sonic exploration at 9 p.m. at the Black Cat. With Savage Republic and Caspian. $15. (Ryan Little)

MUSIC

It's a pretty ridiculous music weekend. Some picks:

Friday: The Haters headline at Pyramid Atlantic for Sonic Circuits, and their performance involves an amplified suitcase (also with Les Rhinocéros, Valentina Vuksic, Miguel A. Garcia, Elena Aitzkoa, Infant Factory, and Rind; 8:30 p.m.; $12). You can work out your chillwave schadenfreude at Rock & Roll Hotel, where Neon Indian and Com Truise are sharing a bill (10 p.m.; sold out). After all these years, Darkest Hour is still channeling melodic Swedish death metal; see the local quintet do it tonight at DC9 (6 p.m.; $10).Lupe Fiasco and Wale are at Merriweather, and Marcus J. Moore says this: "Lupe Fiasco has been noticeably quiet since he called President Obama a terrorist. Meanwhile, DMV native Wale made noise with his recent mixtapeThe Eleven One Eleven Theory...Given the lineup, this show promises to be anything but subtle." That one's at 5:30 p.m.; tickets $36-$60.

Saturday: Legendary post-punkers The Raincoats perform at Comet Ping Pong on the occasion of their Odyshape reissue; 10:30 p.m. and $10. As part of Sonic Circuits, Anthony Pirog of local duo Janel + Anthony is directing a performance of Terry Riley's important minimalist work In C, featuring a ton of cool experimental musicians (free at 5 p.m. at Veterans Plaza in Silver Spring). Mos Def and Talib Kweli are at The Fillmore; 8 p.m. And there's a great We Are Family benefit at La Casa in Mount Pleasant featuring Tereu Tereu, noon:30, and Imperial China; 7 p.m. and $5-$10 donation.

Sunday: Local skuzz monsters The Shirks are at the Black Cat (8 p.m.; $10).

FESTIVALS

H Street Festival on Saturday has a pretty good music lineup. Also, I'll be hanging out at the City Paper booth from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Say hi!

THEATER

According to WCP''s critics, there is a lot of good stuff on stages right now, including: The Boy Detective Fails! The Heir Apparent! The Habit of Art! Much Ado About Nothing, riot grrrl edition! Stop Kiss! See them all this weekend and I'll give you a prize.

Just when you thought it was safe to mark your calenders...

"Major major major tour" dates forthcoming. (via TSS)

Lupe Fiasco has just been added to the line-up of D.C.'s Hip-Hop Theater Festival, as part of the Voices Remix event on July 7.  Phife from A Tribe Called Quest will be in town, too, to participate in the J. Dilla tribute/fundraiser on July 8. Note to event organizers: keep them away from each other.

The festival runs July 6-11. Check out the complete schedule of events after the jump.

All events are free and open to the public.

MONDAY, JULY 6

AM Radio Live Art & Performance, in association with ART UNPLUGGED

The Library Saloon, 3514 12th Street, NE, 7 p.m.

Art Unplugged features the visual artists team AM Radio. The creative collective is made up of Aniekan, PJ Herring, Wes Clark, Jamaul Smith, Perry Sweeper, Tyler Luck, BUCK! and DJ Two-Tone Jones. The artists and DJ work in collaboration to create painted 7'x5' compositions in front of a live audience. Using the environment and the African aesthetic as inspiration, AM Radio breaks canvas and concepts down to
their root.

HHTF Opening Night Party, in association with Lil Soso Productions

Marvin, 2007 14th Street, NW, 9 p.m.

Join us for "The Main Ingredient" and share in a global Hip-Hop experience that includes music from DC to West London. Featuring resident DJs, Jahsonic and DJ Stylus of The Soul Controllers, with special guests from the London?based collective Uprock Recordings.

TUESDAY, JULY 7

Youth Panel: Parallels between Graffiti Art and Fine Art

Ballou Senior High School, 3401 4th Street, SE, 12 p.m.

What was considered radical art at the turn of the 20th Century today is now hanging proudly across the worlds finest contemporary art museums. Where does that leave Graffiti Art, arguably one of the most influential and popular visual art forms from the last quarter century and of the new millennium? This panel will engage youth and pioneers alike on the subject.

Voices Remix:A People's History of the United States

The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Terrace Theater, 2700 F Street, NW, 6 p.m.

Narrated by Dave Zirin and featuring Lupe Fiasco, Michael Ealy, Walter Moseley, Stacyann Chin, Reggie Cabico, Elizabeth Acevedo, W. Ellington Felton and other special guests. Music by DJ Earth 1ne

The Voices Remix: A People's History of the United States (National Project of Howard Zinn) is a unique collaboration set to ignite and honor the activists, dissenters and progressives from America's vibrant history as read by today's hottest talent. Fashioned as a night of theater, it will fuse multi-generational artists and performers to celebrate the courageous agents of change who gave birth to the most powerful generation yet. Seating limited. First come, first served.

Voices Post-Show Reception

Eye Bar, 1716 Eye Street, NW, 9 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8

Panel Discussion: A Conversation on the Power of Hip-Hop Arts and Culture
to Create Change

Flashpoint Mead Theater Lab, 916 G Street, NW, 12 p.m.

This conversation will address how hip-hop arts and culture can be a primary vehicle used to build communities and create social change. It will explore the amazing organizing power of community arts by looking at the existing efforts and organizations within the cultural and social justice movements that are building on these ideas. Additionally it will touch on how hip-hop arts and culture might be used by the Obama administration as a tool for national change.

Teacher Training: Shakespeare Metes the Beat

American Poetry Museum, 1922 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE, 4:30 p.m.

As an educational component to the 2009 DC Hip-Hop Theater Festival, Joy Jones will provide arts-in-education training for District of Columbia teachers with techniques and dynamic activities to enliven and supplement language arts and theatre education through exploration of the exciting similarities between the poetry of William Shakespeare
and Hip-Hop music.

Film Screening: HOMEGROWN: HipLife in Ghana, by Eli Jacob Fantauzzi

Studio Theater, 1501 14th Street, NW, 9 p.m.

HOMEGROWN is a documentary about VIP (Vision in Progress), the most popular HipLife music group in Ghana. The film chronicles their journey from the ghettos of ACCRA to their first international tour.

3rd Annual J. Dilla Tribute Concert & Fundraiser

LIV/Bohemian Caverns, 2001 11th Street, NW, 10 p.m.

Hosted by Phife (ATCQ) and Grap Luva and featuring Ma Dukes Yancey, Wayna, Kev Brown, Kaimbr, Oddissee + Diamond District, Ardamus, Roddy Rod, Alison Carney, Phil Ade and more. Music by J. Laine and the
Players. Suggested Donation at the door.

THURSDAY, JULY 9

Zomo the Rabbit: A Hip-Hop Creation Myth, Written and Directed by Psalmayene 24
An Imagination Stage Production

THE ARC Theater, 1901 Mississippi Avenue, SE, 7 p.m.

Set in our Nation's Capital, Zomo is a contemporary, high-energy take on an African tale. Zomo the Rabbit calls the Sky God (on his cell phone) requesting the ultimate prize of wisdom. The Sky God gives him three tasks and Zomo succeeds in trickster fashion, but it's only by sharing the prize that he invents Hip-Hop, leading all the characters to celebrate their culture together. Enjoyed by Ages 4+.  NOTE: For Thursday, July 9 performance, HHTF Shuttle Van running from Southern Avenue, Green Line Stop from 6 p.m.-7 p.m.

FRIDAY, JULY 10

Zomo the Rabbit: A Hip-Hop Creation Myth: special youth matinee

THE ARC Theater, 1901 Mississippi Avenue, SE, 3 p.m.

Freshest of All Time

St. Stephens Episcopal Church, 1525 Newton Street, NW, 6 p.m.

Last year's Freshest of All Time attracted over 600 spectators and more than 25 breakdancing crews from across the globe. Building on the momentum created by last years' event, Freshest of All Time 2009 will bring together the b-boy/b-girl community, youth, families, and anyone interested in seeing one of the best battles of the year together under one roof. Registration for the battle will begin at 3 p.m. and closes at 6 p.m. A film screening of Beat Street will begin at 6 p.m. Battle will begin at 8 p.m. sharp. For more information, call 202-667-1192.

Nita Liem's Dance Party

Dance Place, 3225 8th Street, NE, 9 p.m.

Featuring Don't Hit Mama, Holly Bass, Step Afrika, Brandon Barnette, Meghan Bowden, Olivia Crosby (Culture Shock), Simone Jacobson, Shae Lim and many more. Curated by Holly Bass. Music by DJ RBI. Support for Nita Liem was made possible by the Dutch Consulate.

What happens when you mash-up a great dance theater venue like Dance Place and eliminate the barriers between performer and audience? You get Nita Liem's Dance Party. Featuring some of DC's hottest local dance talent, Dance Place will be transformed for two nights into the ultimate jack your body experience. Don't miss this unique, unprecedented site-specific performance.

SATURDAY, JULY 11

Step Into a World Open House

Benning Park Recreation Center :: 5100 53rd Street, SE, 12 p.m.

Each year this event welcomes families, community leaders, local artists, and young people out east of the river to enjoy some of the art and music created by the students of the DC Urban Arts Academy. This year, Words Beats & Life is inviting several local organizations, community groups, and programs to come showcase their programs. Throughout the day there will be interactive workshops in arts and crafts, Hip-Hop history, chess, a b-boy/b-girl exhibition, an interactive student art exhibition and performances, all for ages 6 and up. For more information, call 202-667-1192. All ages welcome.

Closing Night Performance: Nita Liem's Dance Party

Dance Place, 3225 8th Street, NE, 9 p.m.

Featuring Don't Hit Mama, Holly Bass, Step Afrika, Brandon Barnette, Meghan Bowden, Olivia Crosby (Culture Shock), Simone Jacobson, Shae Lim and many more. Curated by Holly Bass. Music by DJ RBI.

Closing Night Party: Shake What Your Mama Gave You with DJ Rich Medina and special surprise guests!

Warehouse, 411 New York Avenue, NE, 10 p.m.- 3 a.m.