Last night's Jay Reatard show at the Black Cat was supposed to take place on the club's large Mainstage, but was moved to its smaller downstairs area—probably due to low ticket sales, thanks to the holiday weekend. Still, the Black Cat's Backstage was crowded, and those who ventured out were treated to Jay Lindsey (aka Jay Reatard), along with bassist Stephen Pope and drummer Billy Hayes, in an intimate setting.

The Black Cat staff, likely aware of incidents at past Reatard shows, were prepared for a rowdy crowd. Four staff members barricaded the stage to protect the band and attendees from each other. They proved especially useful when a nasty fight between two young girls broke out during "It's So Easy." Although the confrontation looked painful, it paid off when Reatard apologized to the triumphant girl as she stood  in front of the stage. It was the only direct interaction the frontman had with the audience all night.

The music itself also landed like a punch to the face. Reatard's set was a 45-minute assault on the ears: It was loud and frantic, with material mostly drawn from In The Red Blood Visions and Matador Singles ‘08. Pressed against the front of the stage, an energetic pit of mostly younger showgoers went especially crazy over "Oh It's Such A Shame" and  "Greed, Money, Useless Children," the best track of the night. (I was hoping to hear a lot of new material from Reatard's forthcoming album Watch Me Fall, but since that didn't happen I bought it at the show. I listened to it and it's good. Really good.)

During the encore, show opener T.V. Smith, of the legendary punk band the Adverts, rejoined Reatard and crew on stage. Covers of late ’70s Adverts songs like "Bored Teenagers" were performed to the pleased crowd. By the time the last collaboration, on Reatard's "We Who Wait," kicked in, it was easy to lose track of where the Adverts' covers ended and the contemporary punk started-a feat showing Reatard's music is not just a flash in the pan.

• Eric Felten Jazz Orchestra. Blues Alley. $25.
• L.A. Guns w/ Mis-Fit, Tilt, Sinner’s Trail, Bitter Pill. Jaxx. $18/$20. +21.
• Sheryl Crow, Ari Hest. Filene Center at Wolf Trap. $30-$48.
• TheoryCast, ReVeL, Fight The Bear, Conshafter. Rock and Roll Hotel. $10. All ages.
• DC Summer Extravaganza w/ Tittsworth, Nadastrom, Will Eastman, Bobby Jae & Ken Lazee, Dmerit. 9:30 club. $10. All ages.
• Canda, Bobbie Allen, Mila Levine, Michelle Murray, Treevibes, Lulu Fall, Vox Pop, Lux Operon, Peter S. Pinocci, Liberated Muse, Rob Wolcott. Artomatic. (For more info, see our Artomatic Manual)

Saturday

• 40th Annual Smoke-In: Human Rights (HR of the Bad Brains), See-I, Christos, Telesma, The Package, The Omsteaders, J.B. Bevereley and The Wayward Drifters, and DJ Bedroom. 23rd and Constitution Avenue NW. Free.
• National Symphony Orchestra: “A Capitol Fourth.” US Capitol, West Lawn. Free.
• DJ Regal, Fort Knox Five, All Good Funk Alliance. Black Cat. $10. All ages.
• Independence Day Noon:30 Release Party w/ The Laughing Man, Achtung Panda, Ghost Light, DJ Natty Boom. Velvet Lounge. $3-$8. +21.
• DJ Dk. Cafe Saint Ex.
• NoiseHouse, BLOODSHOT, HeeBeeGeeBees, Jeremy Steinhaus, Machines of Living Death, Anil Rock, Copper Rose & Bone, Julie O., Fat Roberta, Princess of Controversy, C.O.M.P., Mother Courage, The Very Small, Mambo Sauce, Zip The Uncanny, Vmasta & Cortez, Glasgow Tunnel, The FiF. Artomatic.

Sunday

• Blues Jam with the Idle Americans. Bangkok Blues. Call for price.
• Jay Reatard, TV Smith. Black Cat. $12. All ages.
• The Scare, Energy, Fallen From The Sky, Ante Up, Debaser. Velvet Lounge. $8. +18.
• St. Croix Virgin Islands Reggae Tour 2009 w/ Batch, Ras Attitude, Empress Ima, Jah Empress. IOTA Club & Cafe. $12. +21.
• Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Only Men Aloud! Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. Free.
• Triple Staccs, Mzery Loves Company, Mary Battiata & LITTLE PINK, RC Rex & the Progressionals, SAW Showcase, Seth Barna, House of Echo, Rob Wolcott, Dark Electric Showcase II, Sesshin No-Fi, Sarah Fridrich. Artomatic.

"A Capitol Fourth" 2007 photo by boboroshi, Creative Commons Attribution License.