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12
MONDAY
I have to suppress a giggle whenever I think of Apocalyptica, the Finnish string quartet that made its name with an album composed entirely of classed-up Metallica covers. First off, “Apocalyptica” sounds similar to “Alcoholica,” the nickname bestowed upon Metallica during the band’s 1985 European tour in honor of the members’ passionate love for the pain-go-bye-bye juice. Second, I like to imagine the awkward mélange of attendees at an Apocalyptica show—the polite golf claps of a typical classical music setting being punctuated by stentorian chants of “Apocalyptica!” Though it has yet to release anything that tops 1996’s Plays Metallica by Four Cellos, the group has done a decent job of developing its own fan base. Some critics might say that expanding your cover-version menu to include Pantera, Sepultura, and Faith No More isn’t really expanding anyone’s horizons. But the band deserves credit—or perhaps blame—for inspiring Metallica to do its own symphonic concert and release, S & M. Apologies in advance to any public-radio heads whose glasses of merlot get spilled by my overly enthusiastic goat-throwing when Apocalyptica plays with Eyes of Fire at 8:30 p.m. at the 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. $15. (202) 397-7328. (David Dunlap Jr.)