Good morning, radioland. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted to defund National Public Radio yesterday, although it probably doesn’t matter: The Democratic-led Senate isn’t likely to take up the bill. Shake your fists anyway.

I started reading this Anne Midgette piece—-about a performance of Japan’s NHK Symphony Orchestra at Strathmore—-expecting a big, heaping dose of feel-good. But Midgette thinks hard about cliches re: the universality of music, as well as the strangeness of seeing a Japanese orchestra led by a non-Japanese conductor (Previn, Andre) performing a program of non-Japanese works amid, well, such a tragic week for Japan. Do read.

Earlier this week at the Anacostia Community Museum, Philippa Hughes moderated a panel discussion on arts east of the river. She has a recap on the Pink Line Project blog.

Comments watch: There are some truly amazing negative reactions to our negative reaction to The Strokes‘ new album, Album.

There’s some decent music going on this weekend—-even though a gazillion bands are in one place right now, and it isn’t D.C.—-and the best show is probably Mi Ami at Subterranean A. Hey, we reviewed that band’s latest release, too.