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28
SATURDAY
Before a boy can become a man he must face the trial of the almighty Lungfish. In a ritual as old as time, the young disciple enters a fantastical world of light and flame, plants his feet upon the ground of the sacred cave, and braces himself for the celestial song. Drums beat, guitars drone, and, with a heaving lurch, the immortal beast opens its mouth, singing in fragments of organic imagery and enigmatic mysticism. As the cycle endlessly repeats itself, devouring time and space, the Lungfish melds with its audience to become one being, swaying raptly. The curse of human limitation dictates that most will falter under the strain this ancient challenge places on the mind, body, and soul. Yet those who stand their ground against the relentless sonic assault will emerge from their trancelike state reborn, with a new understanding of the mysteries of the ages. Lungfish plays with Wilderness and Antelope at 9:30 p.m. on the Black Cat’s Mainstage, 1811 14th St. NW. $8. (202) 667-7960. (Matthew Borlik)