When Saturday Night Live announcer and former cast member Darrell Hammond takes the stage at Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse this weekend, he might very well spend his time acting out the presidential election.If you’re hoping to avoid political talk for a night, hope Hammond dumps the characters and starts describing his own life. His 2011 memoir, God, If You’re Not Up Here, I’m Fucked, describes episodes of drug abuse and self harm, not-so-rosy topics that nevertheless influence Hammond’s demeanor and work. In the years since the book came out, Hammond’s returned to Saturday Night Live but encountered another personal setback: being replaced in the role of Colonel Sanders in Kentucky Fried Chicken commercials by Norm Macdonald. Read more >>> Darrell Hammond performs at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday and 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday at Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse, 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington. $32. (703) 486-2345. arlingtondrafthouse.com. (Caroline Jones)
EAT THIS
Chef Matt Baker of the forthcoming restaurant, Gravitas has teamed up with Republic Kolache to make an elote kolache full of fresh corn flavor. Pick some up at Hill Country Barbecue Market from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Prices range from $19.50 to $25.50 for a half dozen. The kolaches can also be found at Zeke’s Coffee and The Public Option. Hill Country Barbecue, 410 7th St. NW. (202) 556-2050. hill-country.republic-kolache.com. (Laura Hayes)
OH AND ALSO
Friday: Ford’s Theatre begins performances of Come From Away, a new musical about residents of a small Canadian town that took in stranded travelers in the aftermath of Sept. 11. 7:30 p.m. at 511 10th St. NW. $18–$64.
Friday: The D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities hosts a weekend-long music festival featuring local artists at the Lincoln Theatre. Tonight’s acts include Margot MacDonald, The Sweater Set, and Bumper Jacksons. 6 p.m. at 1215 U St. NW. Free.
Friday: Head south to Jiffy Lube Live for a lively show from country ensemble The Zac Brown Band. Drake White and the Big Fire opens the show. 7 p.m. at 7800 Cellar Door Drive, Bristow. $30.50–$74.50.
Saturday: As far as origin stories go, New York’s 75 Dollar Bill’s is about as simple as they get: It all started with a box. One day, percussionist Rick Brown saw a wooden box on the sidewalk, wondered what it would sound like, and took it home with him. The box was used in various jams with fellow musicians, but it wasn’t until guitarist Che Chen heard it that 75 Dollar Bill came into fruition. It’s a mesmerizing, drone-y project that combines Chen’s North African-inspired riffs and guitar playing style with Brown’s minimalist percussion. Read more >>> 75 Dollar Bill performs with Ben Bennett and Abstract Human at 4 p.m. at Rhizome DC, 6950 Maple St. NW. $10 suggested donation. rhizomedc.org.(Matt Cohen)
Saturday: The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery opens Red, an exhibition that explores the use of that color in a painting by abstract expressionist artist Mark Rothko and porcelain objects from the Ming Dynasty. 10 a.m. at 1050 Independence Ave. SW. Free.
Saturday: The 1990s return to Wolf Trap’s Filene Center for one night only when Salt-N-Pepa, Tone Loc, All-4-One, and Young MC perform their greatest hits. 7 p.m. at 1551 Trap Road, Vienna. $37–$80.
Sunday: Since 2011, Velvet Lounge’s first-Sunday-of-the-month dance party Tropixxx has been making it tough to wake up for work on Monday morning. This year, the formerly-monthly party has been saved for special occasions, and this weekend’s lineup certainly fills the bill: Brooklyn DJ-producer Rizzla, who reps both groundbreaking label Fade to Mind and queer club collective KUNQ, headlines the mammoth, nine-hour event. The night also features Luny, a moombahton original from Sydney, Australia, Brooklyn’s Vermillion Bird, Bronx pair El Blanco Nino and Bassbear, and D.C. artist Flash Frequency. Read more >>> The show begins at 6 p.m. at Velvet Lounge, 915 V St. NW. Free. (202) 462-3213. velvetloungedc.com. (Chris Kelly)
Sunday: Emerging hip-hop artist Diggy Simmons takes the stage at 9:30 Club for a show hosted by WPGC’s Tony Redz.7 p.m. at 815 V St. NW. $25.
Sunday:Close out your Sunday night at Rock & Roll Hotel with performances by Porches, Japanese Breakfast, and Rivergazer. 8 p.m. at 1353 H St. NE. $15.
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