FRIDAY:

>> There have only been a handful of actors in this world who are genuine badasses. Robert Mitchum. Robert Redford. Robert Loggia. Any of the Roberts, really. And then there's Kris Kristofferson. This is a guy who has hung out with both Sam Peckinpah and Janis Joplin, been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and oh, makes time to kill a few vampires on the weekends. Dude is so virile a gal could probably get pregnant just sharing his water glass. Catch the man in action in a special screening of Vigilante Force at the Library of Congress. Kristofferson plays a Vietnam veteran who's forced to keep fighting upon returning home, thanks to Big Oil's sinister plans for his town. And when Kris Kristofferson decides to fight, you can bet your ass he's gonna bring the pain. And the gratuitous explosions. The film also stars such silver screen luminaries as Jan-Michael Vincent, Victoria Principal and Loni Anderson. At 7 p.m., call 707-5677 to reserve a seat. Free.

Elefant is headlining the Black Cat tonight, so expect the ladies to be out in full force to take in lead singer and resident heartthrob Diego Garcia. The band is touring behind their sophomore album, The Black Magic Show. The big draw for me tonight, however, is the opening bands. Boston's Aberdeen City sound like early (read: good) U2 before the Edge had an endless supply of money and guitar effects pedals. This will be their third trip through D.C. since last October and they get better each time I see them. Austin's Sound Team also is on the bill and riding their own wave of buzz. Their album Movie Monster will be released by Capitol Records on June 8th. $12, 9:30 p.m. (Kyle Gustafson)

SATURDAY:

>> Like to keep your trees small, docile, aesthetically pleasing? Head to the Potomac Bonsai Association Show & Sale at the National Arboretum for all the Japanese wisteria you could ever dream of. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

>> If stumbling around the woods this weekend sounds more like your cup of,
well, wine, head to Symphony Woods in Columbia for their Wine in the Woods event. For $20, you get the best from more than a dozen Maryland wineries. Saturday and Sunday. (Missy Frederick)

>> Woo! We're graduating this weekend! Yeah! Let's get hammered and stagger around the streets of D.C. yelling at passing cars about how awesome it is to be the class of '06! And wake up with killer hangovers and the realization that we probably shouldn't have hooked up with our best friends! Woo!

SUNDAY:

>> We'll be first in line Sunday for the Washington Jewish Music Festival, if only to hear the "What's Up With Jews & Hip Hop" lecture at 1 p.m. Because really. What IS up with Jews and hip hop? Other events throughout the weekend. (Missy Frederick)

>> Here's the origin story on Angels and Airwaves: Back in the heady days that led up to the last presidential election, Tom DeLonge, guitarist of bratty pop-punk outfit Blink 182 met John Kerry. What happened at that meeting is unclear. Either DeLonge proved to be the one person in America susceptible enough to Kerry's charms to have his freakin' mind blown out the back of his skull, or Kerry expended his entire reservoir of built-up charisma on DeLonge, presumably by accident. Whatever the cause, the outcome was that DeLonge decided that he needed to rock out, full on Messiah-style. So with Boxcar Racer David Kennedy, Distiller Ryan Sinn, and Rocket From the Crypter Atom Willard, he put together Angels and Airwaves, a band dedicated to Edgian guitar effects, soaring refrains, and a belief in the world-changing power of anthemic rock that, frankly, borders on the delusional. And yet, "The War" is burning up our iTunes even as we snark, so, who are we to say? With Blackpool Lights at the 9:30 Club. (Jason Linkins)

>> The battle of underrated neighborhoods is fought on the food front this weekend. Maryland can represent with Taste of Wheaton, held this Sunday from 11-5 ($1 samples!). NoVa can try to hold its own with Taste of Arlington, 11-5, which looks a little pricier (the site mentions $25 ticket books?). Don't worry. We're pretty sure Taco Bell doesn't have a booth, so don't get feisty. (Missy Frederick)