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14

THURSDAY

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The New York Times Magazine recently heralded Hellen van Meene’s photographs of Japanese girls with a seven-page spread subtitled “The many faces of innocence.” The pics (in the lurid post-Internet sense of the word) offer a tired roll call only a fetish creep or racist could love: pouty faces, forlorn faces, school girls looking pouty and forlorn, Hello Kitty everywhere. Japanese girls are always packaged this way. Thank goodness Melt-Banana’s Yasuko O is around to stiletto the stereotype. The singer is the T1000 of hardcore mike freaks. She will slay you. Her super-speed raps, full command of Rollins aerobics, and ability to ride her band’s lightning will leave you paralyzed and prepped for the type of audio surgery Melt-Banana performs so well—which is basically akin to having your heart vacuumed out through your ears. Behold the death of cute when Melt-Banana plays with An Albatross at 8:30 p.m. on the Black Cat’s Mainstage, 1811 14th St. NW. $12. (202) 667-7960. (Jason Cherkis)