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Chinese rock band Second Hand Rose does everything in brash theatrics. The Beijing group’s frontman, Liang Long, usually wears bright red lipstick, long eyelashes, and a modified floral-print army general’s jacket while he sings in operatic tones and squeaky art-rock shouts. In a country where some creative expression can result in a prison sentence, Second Hand Rose sings Chinese lyrics full of innuendo and satire—the group even recorded a song called “Allow Some Artists to Get Rich First,” a subtle allusion to Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping’s statement about China’ economic state: “Let some people get rich first.” Second Hand Rose performs at 8 p.m. at Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. $12–$15. (202) 399-7993. atlasarts.org. (Steve Kiviat)
EAT THIS
Dupont Circle’s new Greek restaurant GRK is now open until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. And this month, on weekend nights from midnight to 2 a.m., you can complement your phonetically spelled yeero with a half-priced Greek ZEOS beer. GRK Fresh Greek, 1140 19th St. NW. (202) 813-3726. grkfresh.com. (Jamie Slater)
OH AND ALSO
Friday: Los Angeles-based Afro-Caribbean musicians Las Cafeteras perform at Artisphere with Miami Latin funk act Elastic Bond and local DJs from the Maracuyeah Collective. 8 p.m. at 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. $15.
Friday: Chicago jazz pianist and NEA Jazz Master Muhal Richard Abrams plays the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater. Read more in our Fall Arts Guide. 7:30 p.m. at 2700 F St. NW. $32.
Friday: National Geographic Emerging Explorer DJ Spooky presents Arctic Rhythms, a new visual and music performance inspired by a Sierra Club-sponsored expedition to the region, at the Grosvenor Auditorium. 7:30 p.m. at 1600 M St. NW. $27–$30.
Saturday: Bloodlust has a certain timeless appeal, especially in Western culture. How many artistic portrayals of a murderous barber who slices his customers’ throats and then bakes them into pies can we as a civilization produce? Plenty, it seems. So while this revival of Sweeney Todd by the Virginia Opera isn’t, despite the company’s name, a true opera (it’s a dyed-in-the-wool musical), the company will beef up the vocals with a bevy of opera and theater talent, including New York City Opera star Stephen Powell in the title role. Read more >>> The musical runs Oct. 11 to 12 at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax. $44-$98.(703) 993-8888. cfa.gmu.edu. (Mike Paarlberg)
Saturday: French vocalist Yelle takes the stage at 9:30 Club with arty dance band Lemonade. Read more in our Fall Arts Guide. 8 p.m. at 815 V St. NW. $25.
Saturday: After four years of dance parties, the Black Cat hosts the final Moon/Bounce Dancing Affair, so come ready to groove to ’90s hip-hop and pop. 10 p.m. at 1811 14th St. NW. $7.
Sunday: Indiana Jones sparked young folks’ interest in archaeology in the 1980s, but decades before Harrison Ford rescued biblical artifacts from Nazis, a budding paleontologist named Wendell Phillips was already embarking on similar adventures. The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery examines one of Phillips’ early journeys to South Arabia (what’s now Yemen) in its new exhibition, “Unearthing Arabia.” Read more >>> The exhibition is on view daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to June 7 at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 1050 Independence Ave. NW. Free. (202) 633-4880. asia.si.edu. (Caroline Jones)
Sunday: London indie-pop act Allo Darlin’ plays Rock & Roll Hotel with Boston-based band Grammar. 8 p.m. at 1353 H St. NE. $14.
Sunday: As part of the Magnificent Intentions Festival, singer-songwriters Margot MacDonald, Olivia Mancini, and Sam McCormally close out the weekend with a performance on the Millennium Stage. 6 p.m. at 2700 F St. NW. Free.
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