You can dine at a chic D.C. eatery with that special someone pretty much any night. But the chance to swoon to romantic falsetto harmonies, soak in suave choreography, and maybe chuckle at old-school fashion as you will at the Valentine’s Soul Jam with the Stylistics, Dramatics, and Harold Melvin’s Bluenotes, is a rare opportunity. So when the Stylistics hit the high notes on “You Make Me Feel Brand New” or take dramatic pauses on “Stop, Look, Listen to Your Heart,” all while performing coordinated hand gestures and footwork, it should feel much more special than drugstore chocolate or a fancy “upscale American” meal. Read more >>> The Stylistics perform with the Dramatics, the Manhattans, and Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes at 8 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall, 1776 D St. NW. $47–$125. (202) 628-1776. dar.org. (Steve Kiviat)

EAT THIS

If you’re not so keen on Champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries for Valentine’s Day, there’s always smoked head cheese and chicken livers. A number of restaurants are offering anti-Valentine’s Day specials including “date-ender” offal dishes at Bar Pilar and a “Girls Gone Garlic” meal for groups at Carmine’s with salad, pastas, Prosecco, and a “Titanic” dessert with five scoops of ice cream on a flourless chocolate torte. Read more on Young & Hungry. (Jessica Sidman)

OH AND ALSO

Friday: The DC Arts Center opens its new exhibition, “DIS/SATISFACTION,” the first show featuring work by this year’s members of its Sparkplug artist collective. 7 p.m. at 2438 18th St. NW. Free.

Friday: Afro-Caribbean musician Aurelio performs music inspired by the Garifuna rhythms of Central America at Artisphere. 8 p.m. at 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. $18.

Friday: Local bands Tereu Tereu, Hemlines, Jack on Fire (with a special guest vocalist, City Paper‘s Christina Cauterucci), Crimson Wave, and Jail Solidarity perform a benefit show to raise money for Casa Ruby’s new shelter for homeless LGBTQ youth at St. Stephen’s Church. Find more details on Facebook. 7 p.m. at 1525 Newton St. NW. $10.

Friday and Saturday: Bluegrass cover band Love Canon celebrates Valentine’s Day by transforming some of the best love songs of the ’80s into joyful, folk-tinged anthems at Gypsy Sally’s. 9 p.m. at 3401 K St. NW. $15–$35.

Saturday: Delilah may have been the O.G. wicked seductress in the Judeo-Christian tradition, but the New Testament, not to be outdone by the Old, upped the ante with a belly dance and a beheading in the form of Salomé, a spoiled rotten brat who gets whatever she wants from daddy, including the heads of martyrs. OK, so maybe the belly dance wasn’t in the Bible, but who can blame Oscar Wilde for spicing up the Gospel tale in his theatrical treatment? Once Richard Strauss adapted it into an opera, we got the now-iconic, can’t-be-unseen image of Salomé smooching John the Baptist’s severed head, as well as the modern-day version of her dance, known as the striptease. Read more >>> The performance begins at 8 p.m. at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax. (703) 993-8888. cfa.gmu.edu. (Mike Paarlberg)

Saturday: Local folk duo the Sweater Set host a Valentine’s Day celebration at the Fridge featuring sweet snacks, a Valentine-making station, and plenty of live music from both the Sweater Set and Ballad’ve. 7:30 p.m. at 516 1/2 8th St. SE. $15–$18.

Saturday: Keep the amorous feelings flowing at the Hamilton, where a variety of local musicians, including Julia Nixon, Laura Tsagarris, and Justin Jones, will perform love songs written by the Beatles. 8:30 p.m. at 600 14th St. NW. $25–$35.

Sunday: The New York Herald ran from 1835 to 1924, and at its height, had a readership of about 84,000. Though the paper is now forgotten by everyone but journalism nerds, the Newseum will pay tribute to the publication and to President Abraham Lincoln in its new exhibition, “President Lincoln Is Dead: The New York Herald Reports the Assassination.” Visitors can view all the coverage from that day on a timeline, illuminating the president’s fate piece by piece. Read more >>> The exhibition is on view daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. $13.95–$22.95. (202) 292-6100. newseum.org. (Morgan Hines)

Sunday: Queens-based rock vocalist Juan Waters closes out the weekend with a show at Comet Ping Pong with D.C. bands the Sea Life and Nice Breeze. 9 p.m. at 5037 Connecticut Ave. NW. $12.

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