All other string instruments should step aside for the banjo’s moment. Thanks to the success of banjo-heavy groups, twang is making its way into the ears of listeners who, a few years ago, might have thought the banjo only belonged at a state fair 70 miles east of Nowhere, Miss. Benefiting from this excess of string-band riches are smaller acts like Chatham County Line, a North Carolina–based bluegrass group. Don’t walk into the band’s Birchmere show tonight expecting overall-clad guys in boots and straw hats—-theirs is a new kind of bluegrass. Read more >>> Chatham County Line performs at 7:30 p.m. at The Birchmere, 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria. $22.50. (703) 549-7500. birchmere.com. (Caroline Jones)
EAT THIS
The 14,000-square-foot foodie wonderland that is Bryan Voltaggio’s Range is finally here. The market-style restaurant and retail spot is complete with a charcuterie station, raw bar, rotisserie, bakery, wood-fired hearth, candy counter, coffee bar, and more. Range butchers whole animals on-site, so you’ll find a lot of alternative cuts of meat like shoulders, legs, and offal. Other highlights include a kimchi linguini with uni and bay scallops, pizzas made by acclaimed pizzaiolo Edan MacQuaid, and cocktails from former Think Food Group head bartender Owen Thomson. Range, 5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW. (202) 803-8020. voltrange.com. (Jessica Sidman)
OH AND ALSO
If weird, experimental comedy is your idea of a good time, lo0k no further than Wonderland Ballroom tonight. Local “alt” comedian Adam Friedland is hosting Funny Moms, a blend of bizarre scenes and sketches, featuring local comics Jamel Johnson, Michael Foody, and Sarah Armour, among others. For more details, check the Facebook page. 9 p.m. at Wonderland Ballroom, 1101 Kenyon St. NW. Free.
Nine local musicians bring a dose of seasonal cheer t0 the Millennium Stage this evening as part of Listen Local First’s Holiday Spectacular. 6 p.m. at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, 2700 F St. NW. Free.
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