Your Ante/Anti-Thanksgiving Fun Binge

It's the last weekend before this November holiday, Thanksgiving, for which you're expected do horrible things like eat cranberries and pretend to enjoy watching hours of teevee footage of oversized balloons being stuffed in between buildings in New York City. Probably best to cram as much actual fun into this weekend as possible. Lucky for you there's David Rees, Cornel West, and the French Kicks, right here in DC this weekend.

Friday:

• Jammy cult-figures Umphrey's McGee will be playing ("improvising," as they call it) at the 9: 30 Club for two days starting tonight. Prices vary; 8 PM. [ 9: 30 Club ]

• More of that recent Clintons: Redux you've been hearing so much about at Politics & Prose, as Vernon Jordan takes the stage to promote his new book Make It Plain. [ Politics & Prose ]

• See the poppy post-punk French Kicks at the Black Cat. They're quite good! $15; 9 PM. [ Black Cat ]

• The National Museum of American History opens today after a two-year makeover. [ Washington Post ]

• Your favorite Bill Maher participant Cornel West will be at Busboys and Poets this evening. 6: 30 PM.  [ Busboys and Poets ]

Saturday:

• British hip-hop forefather Slick Rick is playing Constitution Hall. Prices vary; 7: 30 PM. [ Washington Post ]

• The Baltimore-based indie rockers of the Oranges Band are playing the Red and the Black. [ The Red and the Black ]

• Tonic Restaurant is celebrating its fifth birthday by inviting guests to wear pigtails and plaid, like five year olds. There will be no less than 60ish members of Congress at this thing at any given time. [ Tonic ]

Sunday:

•  Get Your War On author David Rees will be at Busboys and Poets. He will tell you everything you need to know about the war on terror, in forty-five minutes, using fun pictures! This is exactly the way it was explained to your President, George. Free; 6 PM. [ Busboys and Poets ]