Is pre-post-rock a thing? Because, if it is, D.C. instrumental champs Tone have got it down. The band began in 1991, well before the Explosions In The Sky-style soundtrack-rock that rose to fame in the late ’90s and early aughts. Twenty years in, Tone has now played shows with many of the bands it predated. A strange honor, no doubt. Tonight, celebrate two decades of wordless, sonic exploration at 9 p.m. at the Black Cat. With Savage Republic and Caspian. $15. (Ryan Little)
MUSIC
It’s a pretty ridiculous music weekend. Some picks:
Friday: The Haters headline at Pyramid Atlantic for Sonic Circuits, and their performance involves an amplified suitcase (also with Les Rhinocéros, Valentina Vuksic, Miguel A. Garcia, Elena Aitzkoa, Infant Factory, and Rind; 8:30 p.m.; $12). You can work out your chillwave schadenfreude at Rock & Roll Hotel, where Neon Indian and Com Truise are sharing a bill (10 p.m.; sold out). After all these years, Darkest Hour is still channeling melodic Swedish death metal; see the local quintet do it tonight at DC9 (6 p.m.; $10).Lupe Fiasco and Wale are at Merriweather, and Marcus J. Moore says this: “Lupe Fiasco has been noticeably quiet since he called President Obama a terrorist. Meanwhile, DMV native Wale made noise with his recent mixtapeThe Eleven One Eleven Theory…Given the lineup, this show promises to be anything but subtle.” That one’s at 5:30 p.m.; tickets $36-$60.
Saturday: Legendary post-punkers The Raincoats perform at Comet Ping Pong on the occasion of their Odyshape reissue; 10:30 p.m. and $10. As part of Sonic Circuits, Anthony Pirog of local duo Janel + Anthony is directing a performance of Terry Riley’s important minimalist work In C, featuring a ton of cool experimental musicians (free at 5 p.m. at Veterans Plaza in Silver Spring). Mos Def and Talib Kweli are at The Fillmore; 8 p.m. And there’s a great We Are Family benefit at La Casa in Mount Pleasant featuring Tereu Tereu, noon:30, and Imperial China; 7 p.m. and $5-$10 donation.
Sunday: Local skuzz monsters The Shirks are at the Black Cat (8 p.m.; $10).
FESTIVALS
H Street Festival on Saturday has a pretty good music lineup. Also, I’ll be hanging out at the City Paper booth from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Say hi!
THEATER
According to WCP”s critics, there is a lot of good stuff on stages right now, including: The Boy Detective Fails! The Heir Apparent! The Habit of Art! Much Ado About Nothing, riot grrrl edition! Stop Kiss! See them all this weekend and I’ll give you a prize.