22

MONDAY

I might have enjoyed A Mighty Wind even more had it been just a concert film. Because it was the creation of (more or less) improvising actors—and actors are by nature a particularly self-involved lot—the story focused more on the characters and their specific quirks than on folk music in general. Thus, many richly deserving targets were left unscathed and unsatirized. But the musical acts are so perfectly realized and evocative that the songs provide an excellent sense of folk-music history—good, bad, and turtlenecked. Mitch & Mickey combine the earnest artistry of Ian & Sylvia with the cheesy pop of Friend & Lover. The Folksmen are a Kingston Trio sing-along gone horribly wrong. And the New Main Street Singers are a more colorful Up With People. Lift your heart and sing—and see if Parker Posey shows—when the Wind blows in live at 10 p.m. (see City List for other dates) at the 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. $40. (703) 218-6500. (Dave Nuttycombe)