Sure, he strays from time to time—up to Baltimore to write and produce The Wire, or down to New Orleans to do the same for Treme—but eventually, George Pelecanos always returns to D.C. in his fiction. In last summer’s novel The Cut, Pelecanos sets a tale of crime and vengeance as grisly as he’s ever written against the backdrop of a gentrifying District. The word “hipster” never actually appears, but the book’s hero, Iraq war veteran-turned-private eye Spero Lucas, is a sort of antidote to the myopic little twits who have moved into town lately, and who spend most of the book blissfully ignorant of the darker business going on around them. (Yes, Lucas rides his bike around town, too, but he’s not wearing tweed when he does it.) Tonight, Pelecanos chats about and signs the book near the epicenter of the development that’s cropped up in the District—and into his novels—in the last decade. Pelecanos discusses his book at 7:30 p.m. at Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW. Free. busboysandpoets.com. (202) 387-7638. (Mike Madden)

MUSIC

Dueling post-rock bands! Scotland’s Mogwai specializes in the morose and the dramatic; Battles‘ take on the genre is winking, acrobatic, and unafraid to be silly; and both bands occasionally indulge in sci-fi imagery. Mogwai performs with Balam Acab at 7 p.m. at 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. Sold out. Battles performs with Imperial China at 8 p.m. at Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. $15.

FOOD

The Bombay Club is giving diners a culinary tour of India this month with special three-course menus highlighting cuisine from different parts of the country. This week, chef Nilesh Singhviwill feature dishes from Rajasthani, the largest state in India. The region, located in the northwest corner of the country, encompasses most of the Great Indian Desert where water and fresh produce is scarce. As a result, people of the region had to prepare food that could last for several days. Dried fruits and nuts, spices, and yogurt are common in the cuisine. In the next two weeks, The Bombay Club will also feature cuisine from Mughlai in Northern India and Hyderabadi, the “City of Pearls.” The menu is priced at $52 per person or $78 with wine pairings. The Bombay Club, 815 Connecticut Ave. NW. (202) 659-3727. (Jessica Sidman)

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