In January Richie Unterberger  was at the Library of Congress discussing his book The Unreleased Beatles: Music and Film.  Now he is back, tonight, Monday August 3rd at the Library to talk about his new detail-packed, 368 page book, White Light/White Heat: The Velvet Underground Day by Day (I have not seen it yet).  According to his own website, Unterberger drew “on about 100 interviews [he conducted] and exhaustive research through documents and recordings rarely or never accessed…”  Unterberger is promising on his website that he will feature rare audiovisual material from throughout the Velvet Underground's career at the Library of Congress presentation. 

Monday August 3rd at 7 P.M–writer Richie Unterberger at the Library of Congress, James Madison Bldg., Pickford Theater, 101 Independence Ave. SE. Call 202-707-7833 for details.  The Pickford has only 60 seats.

Thursday June 11th offers a ton of choices for live music fans at night, and a  fascinating lunchtime event as well.  I will start with the latter. John Cohen, a founder of the old-timey string band The New Lost City Ramblers, an early photographer of Bob Dylan and others, and a producer of unique rural American folk and blues singers, will be speaking from noon to 1 at the Mary Pickford Theater on the 3rd Floor of the Library of Congress’ James Madison Building on Independence Avenue SE between 1st and 2nd Streets.  His presentation is billed “The High Lonesome Sound Revisited: Documenting Traditional Culture in America.”   “The High Lonesome Sound” is Cohen’s 1963 documentary film that offers the songs of Appalachian miners, farmers, and churchgoers. The flick also spotlighted banjo picker Roscoe Holcomb. 

Thursday night’s show choices include:

Mika Miko and the Strange Boys (punk rock and garage rock) at Comet Ping Pong, Connecticut Avenue NW

BLK JKS (Johannesburg, South African black rock w/ dub, mbqanqa, prog, and Hendrix influences) at the Black Cat.

Gil-Scott Heron at Blues Alley (through the 14th)

Dave Brubeck at the Warner

The Avett Brothers at Lisner

Sir Richard Bishop and His Freak of Araby Ensemble (Sun City Girls guitarist goes acoustic) at The Talking Head in Baltimore, 407 E. Saratoga St., Baltimore
410-207-8011 all ages $10

Elvis Costello & country-bluegrass band at Wolf Trap

Closing night of Jewish Music Fest with Israeli-born Miri Ben Ari, the hiphop violinist at 8 pm followed by the closing party, all at the Aaron & Cecile Goldman Theater,
16th Street JCC

DJ Lee Burridge at the Electric Cabaret at the Muse Lounge

Dillinger Escape Plan at the Rock n Roll Hotel

AA Bondy and Holly Miranda at Iota

Plus sold-out shows with Jenny Lewis at the 930 and Taylor Swift at Merriweather Post.

As Michael J. West noted here nearly a month ago, the Library of Congress’s Larry Appelbaum has been presenting jazz and jazz-related films on Wednesdays for free throughout the month of April in the sixty seat Mary Pickford Theater (3rd floor of the Library’s James Madison building).  This is a quick reminder that tonight, Wednesday April 22, the Library will be showing the 2006 documentary “New Orlean Music in Exile,” with director Robert Mugge on hand to introduce the 113 minute film that includes blues, soul, brass band, jazz, and rock musicians.

Per the title, the movie examines the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the Crescent City music scene with footage of Dr. John, Irma Thomas, Cyril Neville, Marcia Ball, the recently deceased Eddie Bo, Theresa Andersson, Kermit Ruffins, The Iguanas, ReBirth Brass Band, and others. Director Mugge, who attended college in Baltimore, has been making music documentaries since the 1970s.  He has captured for the big screen such quintessential American performers as Sun Ra, Al Green, Sonny Rollins, RL Burnside, BB King and many more, including countless performers from the bayou state. With the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival starting Friday April 24, this seems like a good week for this flick.

Reservations may be made by phone for the movie or you can show up at the Pickford Theater and hope for empty seats. Call (202) 707-5677 for a reservation between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm. Reserved seats must be claimed at least 10 minutes before show time, after which standbys will be admitted to unclaimed seats.   The Library of Congress James Madison Building is located at 101 Independence Ave SE, between 1st & 2nd Streets.