With the majority of the Mason-Dixon Line above us, DC can and should be lumped with other large Southern metropolises. We know it’s getting to be summer when the Republicans start breaking out their seersucker. As almost a two year resident of Washington, the heat of summer has become something I both long for and fear. Luckily, artists and concert promoters have put together a stacked summer schedule to get you through these sticky months.

As always, after the jump are all the upcoming announced shows in DC with tickets still available that we recommend. Expect a separate post for all the Fort Reno shows once the schedule is announced, as well as further updates on new shows. Stay cool.

4/29 – The Dan Band – 9:30

4/30 – Peter Bjorn + John – 9:30

4/30 – The Appleseed Cast – Rock N Roll Hotel

5/1 – Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin – Rock N Roll Hotel

5/1 – Pinback – Black Cat

5/1 – Sweetlife Festival – Merriweather Post Pavilion

Don’t have plans this weekend? Don’t have tickets to Bonnaroo? The perennially packed salad and fro-yo chain is kicking off summer in the Beltway with this reasonably priced day with some unexpected headliners. For just $55, you’d catch The Strokes, Girl Talk, Lupe Fiasco, Crystal Castles, Cold War Kids, Ra Ra Riot, Theophilus London and DC favorites Walk the Moon and U.S. Royalty.

5/3 – Talib Kweli – Black Cat

5/4 – Smoking Popes – Red Palace

5/7 – Les Savy Fav – Black Cat

5/9 – Julia Nunes – Red Palace

It’s still weird to think that Justin Bieber was discovered on YouTube, but that’s just the way things work now. While Julia Nunes isn’t making the big bucks like the Biebster, she has been making waves in the real and virtual communities for the last few years with her sweet and honest ukulele songs. With live sampling and self-harmonizing, Nunes has broken out of the small screen and made a name as a nationally renowned performer.

5/10 – Phosphorescent – Red Palace

5/11 – Echo + the Bunnymen – 9:30

5/12 – The Besnard Lakes – Black Cat

5/13 – Aesop Rock/Kimya Dawson – Rock N Roll Hotel

5/13 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – Red Palace

5/14 – The Reverend Horton Heat – 9:30

5/15 – D.C. Taco Experiment – Rock N Roll Hotel

Brooklyn based The Food Experiments are known for their competitive cooking events with dishes oriented around pork, brunch, burgers, cheese and now tacos. Anyone and everyone are welcome to enter by bringing 300 small bites of anything that can be construed as taco. For more information, visit www.thefoodexperiment.com.

5/15 – Fleet Foxes – D.A.R. Constitution Hall

5/16 – Here We Go Magic – Red Palace

5/17 – The Antlers – Black Cat

5/20 – Gruff Rhys – Red Palace

5/22 – Cave In – Black Cat

5/27+28 – A Prarie Home Companion – Wolf Trap

Garrison Keillor is the man and A Prarie Home Companion is his gift to all of us. If you don’t listen to NPR on the weekends, you may not be familiar with Keillor and his brilliant, syndicated piece of America, and for that, I am sorry. Take this chance to not only listen to some timeless Americana tunes in the beautiful open air of Northen Virginia’s Wolf Trap amphitheater, but also enjoy some new tales from Lake Wobegon, check in with Dusty and Lefty or go for a stroll with Guy Noir, Private Eye.

5/28 – Cloud Cult – Black Cat

6/2 – Against Me! – Black Cat

6/2 – Bill Cosby – Wolf Trap

6/2 – Okkervil River/Titus Andronicus/Future Islands – 9:30

6/3-5 – Capital Jazz Fest – Merriweather Post Pavilion

6/3 – Man Man – Black Cat

6/4 – Stiff Little Fingers – Black Cat

6/4 – Bell X1 – Rock N Roll Hotel

6/6 – Brian Wilson – Wolf Trap

6/9-12 – The Frontier Capitolist Does Bonnaroo – Manchester, TN

I’m going to Bonnaroo and you get to live vicariously through me. You’re going? Email me, let’s get freaky.

6/9 – The Levon Helm Band – Wolf Trap

6/11 – Bright Eyes/M. Ward/Dawes – Wolf Trap

6/11+12 – Phish – Merriweather Post Pavilion

6/12 – The Dodos – 9:30

6/13 – The Decemberists/Best Coast – Merriweather Post Pavilion

6/15 – Katy Perry/Robyn – Merriweather Post Pavilion

6/15 – Elvis Costello and The Imposters – Wolf Trap

6/17 – Architecture in Helsinki – Black Cat

6/18 – Junip – Black Cat

6/20 – Chad VanGaalen – Rock N Roll Hotel

6/24 – David Bazan + Band – Black Cat

Not so many moons ago, David Bazan was known as Pedro The Lion, a songwriter expounding on themes of modern theology and the pitfalls of a “righteous life” at the turn of the millennium. Since, Bazan has become a father, retired the Pedro name, succumbed to and later triumphed over alcoholism and most notably, renounced God. This Black Cat show is part of his national tour in support of his latest album Strange Negotiations, out May 24 on Barsuk Records.

6/25 – Legendary Shack Shakers – Red Palace

6/26 – Earth Wind and Fire – Wolf Trap

7/9 – Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion

7/10 – Bela Fleck and The Original Flecktones – Wolf Trap

7/17 – A Perfect Circle – D.A.R. Constitution Hall

7/23 – Emmylou Harris – Wolf Trap

7/24 – Wiz Khalifa/Big Sean/Curren$y/Big K.R.I.T. – Merriweather Post Pavilion