A Post business columnist and an independent music non-profit have joined the chorus questioning Live Nation's proposal for a Silver Spring music hall. Last Friday, Steven Pearlstein wrote that while I.M.P. boss Seth Hurwitz has fought against competition for his 9:30 Club before, and his alternative proposal to Live Nation is in his own best interest, "he's put forward a financial proposal attractive enough that county officials cannot ignore it." Under their non-binding letter of......

England's "Britpop" movement in the mid-1990s has proven to be one of the most enduring music trends of recent memory. Checking the local club listings will reveal all sorts of dance nights aligning themselves with "Cool Britannia," Creation Records and the like. Not many of the bands from that time are still together and making music though. The two stewards of the movement, Blur and Oasis, continue to release records now and then, although......

It's rare that any of the well-read political blogs based here in Washington take on issues that fit within DCist's mandate to stick mainly to local issues, but when they do, boy howdy, they can really make a mess of things for themselves. The American Prospect's Ezra Klein has already issued a mea culpa for a post he put up late last night on his personal blog, which wondered why there aren't more amenities for......

>> Peabody Award-winning broadcaster Michael Lasser will be at the Phillips Collection tonight to give a lecture called "Songs from The Time of American Impressionism" -- think Irving Berlin and the like. The event, which is free with a $12 admission to the museum, coincides with regular Thursday later hours (until 8:30 p.m.) and the upcoming end date of the American Impressionism exhibit (Sept. 16), so consider this your reminder to check it out.......

Five years ago, Carol Trawick began funding the highest paying art competition in the area at the time. The Trawick Prize, held at Creative Partners, was open to artists working in all media, with the high cash prizes often won by new media artists working in video, digital technologies and installation. Encouraged by Fraser Gallery owner Catriona Fraser, Trawick began a similar competition open only to painters three years ago: the Bethesda Painting Award. The......

Baseball’s amateur draft hasn’t quite established the same caché as the NFL, with All Day Draft Coverage, mock “war rooms” and the like. This is partially because baseball’s deep player development system delays the impact of most draftees and partly because baseball’s draft has twenty bazillion rounds. Even without a media circus, though, the 2007 Draft looms large for the Nats and their plans for future development. Many of their decisions over the past few......

We are fully aware that pizza is a very contentious issue here in D.C., what with all the wood-fired homegrown options, upscale regional inspirations, and the occasional pie that's been specially designated Napoletana. We’ve certainly had more than our share of the stuff from celebrated area ovens such as 2 Amys, Pizzeria Paradiso, and the like, but lately we've found ourselves craving a simple pizza-by-the-slice unencumbered by framed certificates or toppings exotica. We recently found......

Mayor-Elect Adrian Fenty’s most celebrated quality is his rigor for getting the small things done. Ward 4 supporters tell tales of the Councilman as Blackberry-brandishing musketeer, sweeping in to remedy urgent street repairs and the like. By contrast, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams’ supporters have always heralded his ability to dream big. Details be damned, he’s the guy with the grand vision: a growing, vibrant city; attractive to businesses and middle class residents, and with enough......

In what could be described as either the rebirth of Fear Factor or Anthony Bourdain's dream come true, TasteDC.com -- that hard-hearted harbinger of haggis -- has organized the 1st Annual Unique and Unusual Food and Wine Festival. Scheduled for Wednesday, October 25 at the Women's National Democratic Club in Dupont Circle's Whittemore House, the festival will spotlight both rare ingredients and seldom seen animal parts that will make you moan with delight or squirm......

Last night DCist ventured north to Charm City for a three band lineup made in blogger heaven. L.A.'s Cold War Kids, Denmark's Figurines and Minnesota's Tapes 'n Tapes brought the music that all the indie kids have been gushing about to a great little club called Fletcher's. The review in 20 words or less: Cold Ware Kids were really, really good. Figurines were not. Tapes 'n Tapes pretty much rocked. Fletcher's is a tiny (probably......

Last Saturday DCist checked out one of the newest Ethiopian restaurants to open in D.C., Queen of Sheba. You may remember from this September City Paper story that the restaurant found their efforts to obtain a liquor license thwarted by Shiloh Baptist Church, which operates a child care center next door to the new restaurant and is located directly across the street. The church has also moved to block the license of Vegetate, located a......

Reacting quickly to news that the D.C. City Council had passed a smoking ban, Mayor Anthony Williams released a statement late this afternoon noting that he supports protections for the health of workers but opposes a comprehensive smoking ban in bars, restaurants, and nightclubs. He stated: I support stronger health protections for workers in the District. Therefore, I am willing to support a smoking ban in most workplaces, including banks, educational facilities, health care facilities,......

Late last week marked the grand opening of Fantom Comics, purveyor of comic books, graphic novels, figurines and the like. The small boutique is located in the commercial development above the Tenleytown-AU Metro stop (map), alongside Best Buy and The Container Store. With the opening, Tenleytown will now become an attractive destination for Washington geeks, who can hit Best Buy for all their computer and videogaming needs, pick up some X-Men figurines at Fantom Comics,......

We know, we know, we'll get it out of the way first -- we cover Borf too much, Borf sucks, he's a tagger without talent, we're "crackers" for even writing about him, etc, etc, etc. Believe us, we've heard it all. Over and over. And over. But since we seem to have become the clearinghouse for all things Borf, we felt a responsibility to post this email from a loyal reader who tipped us off......

We reported last week on the rumored shake ups at the Corcoran -- and tomorrow, news hungry D.C. art watchers will, hopefully, get some answers to questions on the troubled museum's future. The Corcoran's Board of Trustees met today, and the decisions made in that meeting will be announced to the public tomorrow at 9 a.m. What's more notable is who will be announcing the decisions to the public. Museum President David Levy will be......

When dealing with terrorism, national security, top secret intelligence officers and the like, Washington, D.C., is typically the setting for high-stakes drama. But the folks over at Fox, with their hit show "24" seem to ignore us. They're fixated on Los Angeles as the nexus of all things terror. Granted, in real life, LAX has been targeted by terrorists, but last night when "24" characters were talking about someone or something being shot or blown......

We hope you all had a good Thanksgiving. The weather today should be sunny with temperatures in the low 50s. UDC Gave Free Housing to Athletes: Who knew that that the University of the District of Columbia's official mascot was the Firebirds? We certainly didn't. The W.Times continues to follow the basketball scandal at UDC, which has forced the university to cut its basketball program. The NCAA violations? Housing student athletes for free. From Suitland......

Remember the craziness when Krispy Kreme in Dupont Circle first opened in August? Free doughnuts, massive promotions, signs in Dupont's metrorail station barring KK's treats from the system, and the like? Well Krispy Kreme isn't doing so hot after being the it company a few years back. According to the AP, via the NY Times, the North Carolina-based doughnut emporium took a bit of a tumble in the stock market after a report of a......

High Security for Inauguration. The first presidential inauguration since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks will see unprecedented security upgrades, the Post reports. While there will be the traditional Pennsylvania Avenue processional and post-parade balls, there could be 4,000 combat troops on duty on Jan. 20 and many undercover cops who will "work the crowds." From the Post: Plans call for sturdier barriers and more checkpoints and metal detectors along the parade route than in......

Have used batteries, motor oil, old televisions, chemistry sets and the like that you want to get rid of? Please don't use the Anacostia River as a dumping ground. But do take advantage of D.C.'s free disposal service. The District's annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection is coming up in two weekends on Saturday, Oct. 24, and District officials are starting to spread the word. Check out what can be disposed of (including asbestos tiles and......

It seems that folks over at IndeBleu, the soon-to-be-open Indian-French fusion restaurant in Gallery Place, are putting the finishing touches on their restaurant operation, putting out an all points bulletin via the Post's Tom Sietsema that they're looking for a friendly wait staff, that, as the general manager says, will make diners feel "important and cared for and wonderful." And it should be a tip-top operation once the place serves its first fusion dishes in......