You’re more than likely familiar with our weekend guide, but there’s still a lot to mark down on ye olde calendrier during the weekdays. Hence this pocket guide! We’ll cover everything from tunes to books to art to…you name it, basically; if it’s virtual, and good, we’re gonna talk about it:
Monday August 3rd
- Kicking things off with tunes, you can catch Nada Surf, Waxahatchee, Best Coast and more via NPR’s WXPN Virtual Musikfest starting at noon ET! (Free!)
- In terms of literary vibes, Politics & Prose will host Morgan Jerkins, who’ll be in conversation about Wandering in Strange Lands: A Daughter of the Great Migration Reclaims Her Roots with Karen Attiah. Live stream starts at 7pm ET, suggested donation of $5+.
- You can also tune into Strand Bookstore’s Zoom live stream in which Finola Austin will be in conversation with Joy Goodwin to celebrate the release of her book, Brontë’s Mistress! Starts at 7pm ET.
- AND Raven Leilani will Luster via Greenlight Bookstore’s Zoom event tonight with Samantha Irby! Starts at 7:30pm ET.
- Into poetry? Head over to Books Are Magic’s transnational poetry reading to celebrate the book launch of Romalyn Ante’s Antiemetic for Homesickness starting at 7pm ET on Zoom!
Tuesday August 4th
- First of all, OBVIOUSLY you’re going to want to catch John Waters in conversation with Jim Jarmusch starting at 7:30pm ET over on Murmrr Theatre’s live stream; tickets are $23 and include a copy of Waters’ new book, Mr. Know-It-All.
- Miss Morgan Jerkins via Politics & Prose’s live stream yesterday? She’s talking Wandering in Strange Lands with Jason Reynolds tonight via Books Are Magic’s Zoom event starting at 7pm ET.
- Politics & Prose, meanwhile, will host Edward Ball in conversation about Life of a Klansman: A Family History in White Supremacy with Ibram X. Kendi starting at 6pm ET; suggested donation of $5+.
- You can also catch This Land Is Our Land: Suketu Mehta in conversation with Salman Rushdie via 92Y’s live streamed event starting at 7pm ET; tickets are $15.
- In tunes land, NPR’s WXPN Virtual Musikfest continues starting at noon ET ft. David Gray, Jen Cloher, Joseph Arthur, Nathaniel Rateliff and more! (Still free!)
- Later, 110% catch Pabllo Vittar and Duda Beat performing as part of SummerStage Anywhere! Free, stream starts at 8pm ET.
- Meanwhile, Phoebe Bridgers is set to go live via KEXP’s YouTube channel starting at 6pm ET…
- …and you’re also not gonna wanna miss Ohmme streamin’ live via BABY TV starting at 8pm ET! Tickets start at $5.
- Plus Kimbra is set to go live via NOONCHORUS starting at 9pm ET! Tickets start at $9.
Wednesday August 5th
- Kick things off bright ‘n early (6am ET, to be exact) with Courtney Barnett and Jen Cloher as part of Milk! Records’ Winter Residency (it’s winter in Australia, mind you); suggested donation of $15!
- Midday, be sure to carve out a little time for Phillips Collection’s weekly guided meditation! Starts at 12:45pm ET.
- Into gaming? Shura will be playing The Last of Us Part II on Twitch at 4pm ET!
- Then tonight at 8pm ET, meanwhile, you should most definitely tune into Hirshhorn’s free artist talk (At Home) On Art and Community: Artist Talk with Aliza Nisenbaum!
- Or if you’re more into TV, you’ll be delighted to hear that Catfish Season 9 premieres on MTV tonight starting at 8pm ET…
- …plus Big Brother Season 22 premieres on CBS at 9pm ET. (Wow, such intellectual stimulation!)
Thursday August 6th
- Starting in tunes territory, Mt. Joy will go live via NOONCHORUS starting at 7:30pm ET! Tickets are $12-$15.
- Meanwhile, Chicano Batman will go live via KEXP’s YouTube channel starting at 6pm ET!
- Or for queer dance vibes, tune into SWAMP Sleaze via Twitch starting at 9pm ET! (You can also go to DC9 IRL if you reserve a table, but streaming is real extra safe and real extra free!)
- More into books? Sarah Maslin Nir will be talking Horse Crazy with Mary Roach over on Books Are Magic’s Zoom tonight starting at 7pm ET.
- Plus most definitely tune into Politics & Prose’s Consent, Power, and the Patriarchy live stream with Michelle Bowdler, Alisson Wood and T Kira Madden starting at 8pm ET; suggested donation of $5+.
- AND Strand Bookstore will host a virtual event on Crowdcast with Ilia Calderon to celebrate the release of her book, My Time To Speak: Reclaiming Ancestry and Confronting Race beginning at 7pm ET.
- For culinary vibes, look no further than Brooklyn Brainery’s virtual dumpling-making class! $20 to participate via Zoom.
- We’ve also got the latest edition of Virtual Phillips After 5 starting at 5:30pm ET; today’s theme is Blues, BBQ & Bourbon, and the program will feature urban harmonicist Frédérick Yonnet and the Band with No Name performing from the #JazzClubQuarantine, followed by a live Blues Harmonica lesson! Plus pick up or have delivered Texas BBQ from Cinder Neighborhood BBQ, and/or sit back while acclaimed DC mixologist Chantal Tseng makes delicious bourbon cocktails from One Eight Distillery, and check out the work of Digital Intersections artist Luca Buvoli! (Free!)
- In Atlas Obscura territory, meanwhile, Tyler Thraser is leading up a $10 poisonous plants class via Zoom, or you can learn how to forage your own dinner via this $25 Zoom class!
- Or if you’re in more of a movie and/or Seth Rogen mood, head on over to HBO Max to catch the premiere of An American Pickle!
Tune in Friday mornings for the weekend compendium, which features virtual AND IRL programming, depending on your pandemic comfort levels. Sign up for our newsletter to breezily stay on top of that here.
