The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

12 things to do in the D.C. area the weekend of Jan. 5-7

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January 4, 2018 at 9:45 a.m. EST
Elvis and Kittie Glitter host the annual Elvis' Birthday Fight Club — a night of interactive performance art, burlesque and all-around hilarity — at GALA Hispanic Theatre. (Stereo Vision Photography)

Friday, Jan. 5

Elvis' Birthday Fight Club at GALA Hispanic Theatre: The surreal “fight club” features no-holds-barred brawls so comical and choreographed they would put the WWE to shame. This year's matchups are a secret, but previous bouts have included Vladimir Putin vs. a unicorn, Martha Stewart vs. the Swedish Chef, and Redskins owner Daniel Snyder vs. a Native American. The King himself and burlesque star Trixie Glitter provide commentary on the action. In between rounds, there are burlesque performances, audience trivia contests and other surprises. Through Saturday. 7 and 9:30 p.m. $25-$35.

Super MAGFest at National Harbor: “MAGFest” is short for “Music and Gaming Festival,” and games are what you’ll find at the Gaylord around the clock, all weekend: 200 arcade and pinball machines (all set for free play, of course), video-game tournaments and tabletop games ranging from Dungeons & Dragons to the newest indie creations. Take a break at panel discussions and video-game film screenings, watch live video-game-inspired improv comedy and theater, or learn how to be a circus performer. Through Sunday. Times vary. $20-$85.

NSO in Your Neighborhood: This National Symphony Orchestra initiative frees symphonic music from stuffy, pricey concert halls and brings string quartets, chamber ensembles and other groups to new audiences at churches, bars, museums and other venues throughout Brookland and Penn Quarter. See what happens when NSO violinist Glenn Donnellan meets local progressive hip-hop emcee Christylez Bacon at Smith Public Trust on Friday night, or bring the family to an “instrument petting zoo” before performances at the National Portrait Gallery on Saturday. Through Monday. Free.

Kevin Saunderson at Flash: Kevin Saunderson is one of the most important names in the history of techno. Back in the 1980s, he was one of three Detroit schoolmates — along with the legendary Derrick May and Juan Atkins — who fused Kraftwerk's robotic synthesizers to Motown's funk and soul. With decades of DJing and producing under his belt, Saunderson's sets should be on every EDM-lover's bucket list. 8 p.m. $8-$15.

Chloe opens near the Navy Yard: Chef Haidar Karoum came to Washington's attention with his cooking at Proof, Estadio and Doi Moi, a trio of restaurants owned by the late Mark Kuller. After more than a year out of the kitchen, Karoum is set to open Chloe, a dining room near the Navy Yard that will showcase South Asian, Spanish and Mediterranean cuisines. Open at 5 p.m. Entrees $13 to $26.

Saturday, Jan. 6

Bier Baron Cask Festival: To celebrate its seventh anniversary, the Bier Baron bar is hosting what it hopes will become an annual festival of cask ales from across the country. (Cask ale is a traditional style in which the beer undergoes a secondary fermentation in a serving vessel, adding natural carbonation.) National participants include some of the buzziest names in craft beer — Toppling Goliath, SingleCut and Interboro — while 3 Stars, Adroit Theory and Mad Fox are among those representing the Washington area. Admission includes a five-ounce sample of at least 21 beers and a souvenir tasting glass. 2 to 8 p.m., or as long as beer is in the casks. $25.

'88: Hachi Hachi' at Dance Place: A drumbeat powers “88: Hachi Hachi,” a theatrical performance from Portland-based Unit Souzou that blends drama, Japanese folk dance and a style of drumming called taiko. This show is personal: It’s a duet  between Unit Souzou’s co-directors and husband-and-wife team, Michelle Fujii and Toru Watanabe, delving into their personal histories and cultural upbringings. It’s also about what it means to exist as a  couple — dancing to each other’s rhythms. Through Sunday. $15-$30.

JMU Championship Watch Party at Port City Brewing: While much of college football's attention has turned to Monday night in Atlanta, a section of Virginia fans will focus on Frisco, Tex., where the James Madison University Dukes are trying to win a second-straight FCS Championship. Standing in their way is North Dakota State University, which won the FCS title every year from 2011 to 2015. Port City Brewing — founded by JMU alumni Bill Butcher — is hosting a viewing party with a projection screen, food trucks and drink specials, plus the chance to try its brand-new dopplebock lager. Kickoff is at noon. 11:30 a.m. Free admission; beers and food priced individually.

Sleeping Standing Up release at DC Brau: If you need a beer to get you through cold weather, you can always turn to an English barley wine, a strong, malty style developed for sipping on winter nights. DC Brau is releasing its first English barley wine in 16-ounces this weekend: Sleeping Standing Up is a big 10-percent alcohol by volume beast aged in One Eight Rye Whiskey barrels for three months, which the brewery describes as having an aroma of toffee and flavors of marmalade and fruitcake. It's the first release in what Brau is calling the Dock Sale series: limited-release beers that will only be available at the brewery. There are only 60 cases of four-packs, so you might want to get to Bladensburg Road early. Noon to 9 p.m. Free admission; beers priced individually.

Hot in Herre at the 9:30 Club: For almost six years, the 2000s-themed dance party Hot in Herre has been selling out the 9:30 Club, and folks who remember when “Get Ur Freak On” was a radio hit wind up dancing next to people who were barely in kindergarten in Missy Elliott's heyday. Expect to hear music by the likes of Ludacris, LCD Soundsystem Britney and Justin. 9 p.m. $16.

Sunday, Jan. 7

Junkyard Band at U Street Music Hall: Having gotten its start and its name in the early 1980s making music with buckets, cans and other improvised instruments, Junkyard Band is one of the few go-go bands to take the area’s signature sound beyond the Beltway, with the 1986 hit “Sardines” pushing it into the national spotlight. With the second installment of the Go-Go Returns series at U Street Music Hall — the first featured Rare Essence in its first U Street show in 10 years — Junkyard takes the stage just across the river from its Southeast Washington origins. 7 p.m. $15.

Robin Bell with Boat Burning at the 9:30 Club: D.C.-based artist and filmmaker Robin Bell has chosen light as his protest medium — projecting such messages as “Pay Trump Bribes Here” and “We Are All Responsible to Stand Up and End White Supremacy” on the Trump International Hotel and the Newseum. In a rare pre­announced showing, Bell, who has been doing projections since the early 2000s, is joining the experimental guitar collective Boat Burning at the 9:30 Club for a musical experience. 8 p.m. $25.

— Fritz Hahn, Adele Chapin and Briana Younger

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