In remarks to guests at his newly opened gallery celebrating the work of legendary photojournalist Harry Benson this week, Wizards and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis mentioned that he’d just read a biography of Enzo Ferrari. “The first thing he did when he designed his car was he ripped off the rearview mirror,” Leonsis gushed. “He said, ‘I don’t care what’s behind us.’”

To be fair to the billionaire, Leonsis was in the habit of declaring his future-focused-ness long before his plan to move the Wizards and the Caps to Virginia fell apart last spring after Democrats in the General Assembly refused to back the proposal championed by private equity vulture-turned-Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. (Youngkin promptly turned his attention to purging voter rolls.) Soon after the Virginia deal imploded, the District announced it would spend $515 million on upgrades to Capital One Arena as part of an agreement that will keep the Wizards and the Caps downtown until at least 2050. Loose Lips reporter Alex Koma points out that several of the mogul’s pettiest demands—including that he be exempted from taxes that benefit D.C.-based sports franchises he does not own—have been weeded out of the final proposal.

One of the ways Leonsis is demonstrating his renewed commitment to the District of Columbia is via the two-story, 10,000-square-foot makeshift gallery in a former hair salon adjacent to the arena that celebrates Benson’s work and its connection to the federal city. 

The Glasgow-born Benson rocketed to fame in his early 30s, when the London Daily Express assigned him to photograph the Beatles in Paris. Benson subsequently accompanied the ascendant Liverpudlians on their first U.S. tour in 1964. On Feb. 11 of that year, the Beatles played their first American concert at the Washington Coliseum—formerly the Uline Arena, and since 2016, a “flagship” REI outdoor recreation store in NoMa. (So it’s not necessarily a love of corporate naming that prompted Leonsis, at a press conference last Monday, to refer to the site as “REI Arena” while waxing on the breadth of Benson’s career.) 

“Harry is, I believe, the world’s most important living photojournalist,” Leonsis said.

Certainly, Benson’s photos of politicians, entertainers, and athletes from Muhammad Ali and Elizabeth Taylor to O.J. attorney Johnny Cochran and U.S Army General “Stormin’” Norman Schwarzkopf made him one of the key figures in how the most powerful people in the second half of the 20th century were perceived. He covered Robert F. Kennedy extensively—he was standing next to the presidential candidate when an assassin shot him dead on June 5, 1968. Unsurprisingly, Benson’s decision to publish his pictures of the tragedy—including one of a terror-stricken Ethel Kennedy attempting to push him away from her just-shot husband—was controversial. 

Leonsis, a longtime collector of Benson’s photographs, called the 94-year-old shutterbug “my best friend” in his remarks earlier this week. The occasion was the opening of the exhibit of about 180 Benson photos from the personal collections of Leonsis and his business partner, Jeffrey Skoll. Portraits of every president since Dwight D. Eisenhower are part of the show, along with photos of Ali, the Beatles, Civil Rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis, and other notable figures. 

“We developed this with an eye for Instagram,” Leonsis said. “Big pictures, small copy.” His audience laughed, but Leonsis wasn’t kidding.

At a separate press conference last Monday attended by Loose Lips, Leonsis couldn’t resist comparing his own makeshift gallery to the more permanent one on the other side of 7th St. NW. 

“I walked through the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery around the corner the other day, and this is nicer,” Leonsis said. “This tells a better story. And so, your move, Smithsonian! Let’s uplift.”

Pressed on the comment moments later, Leonsis said, “the Smithsonian was created to collect, not to tell a story.” He then pivoted to praise Benson’s dedication to his craft. “This man was very close with John Lewis and with Martin Luther King,” Leonsis said. “In Selma, Alabama; in Mississippi, he was tear-gassed, was arrested, beaten. It’s an amazing history when you sit with him and talk to him.” 

It’s clear enough from his “tells a better story” comment that Leonsis was talking about curation, not the quality of the National Portrait Gallery’s holdings. Still, the NPG might take umbrage, given that the 62-year-old institution’s published mission statement is “to tell the story of America by portraying the people who shape the nation’s history, development and culture.” Comparing an exhibition of a single photographer’s work focused on a single city to that of a gallery comprising a variety of such exhibitions is hardly an apples-to-apples scenario. It’s more like apples-to-orchard. 

In fact, the NPG hosted a show of Benson’s work—organized by the Scottish National Portrait Gallery—in 2007. Ironically, then-Washington Post reporter Joel Garreau’s mixed review of that exhibit shares a common element with Leonsis’s far more extemporaneous remarks from 17 years later. Garreau criticized Benson for having frequently staged the scenes captured in his famous photos—a shot of the Beatles having a pillow fight, for example, or another one, 28 years later, of Bill and Hillary Clinton canoodling in a hammock outside the Arkansas governor’s mansion. 

“What you see is an awww-inspiring photo of two people who seem very much in love,” Garreau wrote of that shot of the Clintons. “The viewer, however, might be happier appreciating the image and not reading the wall caption. For there it is revealed that Benson set it up.” He does not dispute Benson’s skill or artistry as a photographer; it’s simply his claim to be a photojournalist that makes Garreau cry foul. “The reason Benson is not well remembered may be that, much of the time, the territory he worked was not so much news, as he might have you believe, but what only can be described as display advertising,” Garreau concluded. 

The review got Garreau a published rebuke from Benson himself, who called it “gratuitously mean-spirited and embarrassing.”

But Garreau did advise visitors to just enjoy the photos and ignore the captions. Or as Leonsis put it 17 years later, “Big pictures, small copy.”

Loose Lips can remember rolling his eyes so hard he nearly popped a blood vessel when the preliminary terms of the District’s deal to keep the Capitals and Wizards in the city became public in early April.

Monumental Sports owner Ted Leonsis asked to not pay taxes that benefit other pro sports teams in D.C., in a very funny bit of sniping at his colleagues with the Nats and Commanders, and he had a whole host of demands about how the city would reshape the Chinatown neighborhood to his liking to keep him at Capital One Arena. No detail was too small in the billionaire sports owner’s wish list—even one specific restaurant’s streetery was targeted for removal simply because Leonsis didn’t like it. 

So LL was relieved, if largely unsurprised, that the city has refused (or convinced Leonsis to abandon) many of his most outlandish requests in the final version of the deal, which Mayor Muriel Bowser officially submitted to the Council for approval on Friday. The full details are still trickling out, but the proposal at least appears to be more advantageous to the District than the one initially advanced in the spring. The city is forking over $515 million to overhaul an arena that is hardly falling down, after all, so this is perhaps the least Leonsis could do.

“There has to be compromise,” Leonsis told reporters Monday morning. “The leagues have to compromise. The city has to compromise. We have to compromise. The only people so far who don’t compromise are the agents. And we can get through it.”

It’s not like Monumental won’t get anything out of this deal. The fact that they were able to win so much city money in the first place, even though Bowser was essentially negotiating against herself after Leonsis’ Virginia plans collapsed, is a testament to how deferentially the District still treats its sports teams and associated rich guys. And the city is doing Leonsis and his partners a solid by ensuring he gets the full $515 million that D.C. promised by agreeing to some shuffling of the arena’s ownership—the city will pay $87.5 million to buy Capital One from Monumental and lease it back to the teams, ensuring that the company avoids paying any federal or local taxes on the city’s contribution to improvements. That means the firm won’t have to hand an estimated hundreds of millions in tax payments right back to the city after getting the public money for the renovation, according to District and Monumental officials, who requested anonymity to speak frankly to reporters about the deal’s contents.

“All the money is going into the building, as opposed to paying taxes,” Leonsis said, noting that Monumental plans to invest the money from the sale of the arena into its improvements. “Isn’t that, strategically, the right thing to do?”

Leonsis has, as ever, misjudged how this part of the deal will appear to the public when readers see headlines that the city is helping a billionaire avoid a huge tax bill. “We shouldn’t have to defend it,” Leonsis said, a bit defensively, when pressed on the subject. But the die was cast when the city agreed to the $515 million in spending—it would be a bit silly for the city to commit to this investment only to take back some of the money via its own taxes (or let the feds get a piece). If anything, the city’s ownership of the arena is probably a win for the District, should Monumental change its mind about staying in the city a few decades from now and the government is once again confronted by the prospect of how to redevelop an empty arena in the heart of its downtown.

“This is the deal that was always contemplated,” said Nina Albert, Bowser’s deputy mayor for planning and economic development. “This is the best structure to effectuate that.”

Officials told reporters that they also decided not to move forward with the exemption from taxes benefitting other sports teams after further negotiations, so, as much as it may pain Leonsis, he’ll still be on the hook for money flowing to improvements at Nats Park or a theoretical RFK Stadium deal. Interestingly, the city’s initial term sheet with Monumental called for the consideration of the RFK site for a potential new Wizards practice facility if the city couldn’t find a spot elsewhere and that offer remains on the table, should D.C. ever succeed in gaining control of the land.

Monumental officials say they considered but ultimately abandoned plans to build the facility in the Gallery Place development adjacent to Capital One. (But the company will still expand some of its offices and meal prep functions into the development and lease about 200,000 square feet of space there, which is very good news for its owners: the politically connected MRP Realty, which bought the building for a song earlier this year as its old owners grappled with a bunch of retail vacancies.) 

So that means Monumental is still searching for a way to move the basketball team out of the facility housed in the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Ward 8. The city already paid to build that one, too, and now it’s anyone’s guess where and when Leonsis may ask for more public money to replace the facility that’s less than a decade old.

“We said, rather than try to cram it here, let’s catch our breath, let’s work with the city,” Leonsis said. “Let’s finally ensure there’s another place within the city that we can be able to find and build a world class practice facility, which is very important for the overall health of the franchise, because it’s where the players spend most of their time.”

Mercifully, it seems the District was able to convince Leonsis to drop his desire to move the popular bus stop near the arena at 7th Street NW and H Street NW. Monumental claimed that the stop presented a safety issue as people congregating nearby made things difficult for people arriving for the game. But critics noted that this would inconvenience anyone traveling to the arena by bus and ruin its connectivity with the nearby Metro station.

“Finding a new place to move it to is not that easy, so, right now, there’s no plans to move it,” a District official told reporters. Perhaps Leonsis also realized that the optics of a rich White guy forcing a bunch of mostly non-White bus riders to move away from his shiny, newly renovated building were less than ideal.

Similarly, he’s backed off from his request that the city move the streetery located on 6th Street NW after agreeing to a compromise with its owners, the Japanese restaurants Daikaya and Tonari. “It’s just going to be pushed down the block a little bit,” said Monica Dixon, Monumental’s chief administrative officer, noting the company’s continued concerns about how the small collection of outdoor tables interferes with the arena’s loading dock. Again, it was not exactly the best look for the city to wipe out some of a small business’ profits (without even consulting with the business first) just to appease Leonsis.

The deal is also silent on another Leonsis bugaboo: The buskers playing loud, amplified music on 7th Street outside Monumental’s offices. Company officials said they’re still having conversations about how to address the matter, however, and the Council is currently advancing a bill regarding amplified sound in public spaces that could meet some of his demands. 

That legislation, just like the broader Capital One deal, will need to pass before the year is out or else face major delays. The Council’s two-year legislative calendar resets at the end of the year, and anything still pending before lawmakers must be re-filed. 

Council Chair Phil Mendelson wrote in a statement Monday that he plans to hold a hearing on the Capital One bill and ensure “that the public gets to fully see the transaction,” but that he expects to meet the year-end deadline. After the way the Council eagerly waved through the city’s $515 million initial offer, LL is not holding his breath for any drama during that process.

Azymuth at the Black Cat on Sept. 5
This jazz-funk band formed in 1973, and while bassist Alex Malheiros is the only surviving member of that original trio, the group have continued to make music, with a pair of solid albums in 2020. Two years ago, Malheiros released his first album in more than a decade, and the Azymuth sound—rooted in the ’70s fusion but reverent of Brazil’s long pop legacy before and after—remains intact, and as vital as ever. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. $35–$40. —Pat Padua

BLK ODYSSY at the Atlantis on Sept. 6
To residents of the Texas Capital, BLK ODYSSY is an artist to know. That knowledge should be spread outside Austin City limits. Words like “smooth vibes,” “sultry,” and “utterly intoxicating” are used to describe BLK ODYSSY’s sound, which throws a middle finger to genre boxes, dabbling in soul, hip-hop, and indie rock with touches of funk. Catch him touring with his latest album, 1-800-Fantasy. The show starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Atlantis, 2047 9th St. NW. $35. —Sarah Marloff  

Pillow Queens at Songbyrd on Sept. 7

Whenever a band 1) you like rocking to in your headphones 2) that hails from overseas comes stateside, you do your best to make it to the show. Ireland’s Pillow Queens would be great openers for Julien Baker (playing in D.C. on Sept. 27), Waxahatchee (at Wolf Trap on Sept. 6), or (fellow Dubliners) Fontaines DC (at the 9:30 Club on Oct. 18). Perhaps All Things Go can find a slot for this queer indie four-piece on 2025’s lineup. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Songbyrd, 540 Penn St. NE. $18–$20. —Brandon Wetherbee 

Pretty Bitter and Cherub Tree at Pie Shop on Sept. 8
Two of D.C.’s most fun live bands open for Brooklyn’s riot grrrl-inspired alt-rockers Birthday Girl. Pretty Bitter serve dreamy emo synth-pop (and they say this might be their last show for a minute), while Cherub Tree’s bubblegrunge is fueled by punk sensibilities. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Pie Shop, 1339 H St. NE. $12–$15. —Sarah Marloff  

Distrito Music Fest at Songbyrd on Sept. 14

The talent and artistry pulsing through SIE7E, Tres Minutos, Max Rosado, Soroche, and JChris has made these five local Latin American bands grow in recognition in recent years. Each of them are connected by varied influences that stretch beyond the DMV, which makes boxing them into a single genre largely impossible and it doesn’t begin to do justice to the bands’ repertoire. The raw, pulsating spirit that each act delivers with ease only gets stronger with every show, and I can’t wait to see this energy take over Songbyrd at one of the few local festivals highlighting local Latin American artists. The show starts at 3 p.m. at Songbyrd, 540 Penn St. NE. $38.63. —Heidi Perez-Moreno

Joyce Moreno at Blues Alley on Sept. 14 and 15
With chestnuts like the surprise club hit “Aldeia de Ogum,” this singer-guitarist has made some of the catchiest music of MPB, the sometimes jazzy pop music that can run from bossa nova to the more eclectic sounds of Tropicalia. She’ll be in town to play the once-lost ’70s album Natureza, and the extended version of her ebullient signature anthem “Feminina.” Moreno plays at 7 and 9:30 p.m. on both days at Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW. $40. —Pat Padua

Kehlani at EagleBank Arena on Sept. 18

Talk about a doubleheader: On Sept. 18, self-described “raging lesbian” singer Kehlani plays EagleBank Arena in Fairfax while queer pop star/celesbian drama magnet Fletcher hits the stage at the Anthem. The Fletcher show is sold out, but tickets are very much still available for Kehlani’s show, perhaps because the artist has been embroiled in personal controversy all summer. Regardless, the queer agenda did not coordinate well on this one. The show starts at 8 p.m. at EagleBank Arena, 4500 Patriot Cir., Fairfax. $35–$129. —Amelia Roth-Dishy

HFStival at Nationals Park on Sept. 21
People of the 1990s, rejoice! I.M.P. is resurrecting the annual D.C. festival formerly run by WHFS in the heyday of alternative rock radio (1990–2006). In homage to HFStival’s roots, this year features Incubus, Bush, Liz Phair (replacing Garbage), Jimmy Eat World, Girl Talk, Violent Femmes, Tonic, Filter, and Lit, headlined by the Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie (great news for those who missed their dual anniversary tour last September). The festival starts at noon at Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol St. SE. $150–$250. —Taylor Ruckle

LEIF at the Pocket on Sept. 23
In our Spring Arts Guide we introduced D.C. to the WRIZZARDS, a Filipino multi-genre collective. LEIF, who makes pop infused with alt rock, is part of that collective. The show starts at 7 p.m at the Pocket, 1506 North Capitol St. NW. $15–$20. —Sarah Marloff

Local H at Pearl Street Warehouse on Sept. 23
Touring behind one of their best LPs in Local H’s 30-plus year career, 2004’s Whatever Happened to PJ Soles?, Scott Lucas and Ryan Harding are lifers that fit on nostalgia bills but don’t attempt to relive the glory days. Instead they just provide excellent albums and stellar live shows that incorporate radio-friendly unit-shifters from the ’90s, introspective ballads from the ’00s, oddly effective covers from the ’10s (Lorde?), and screeds of righteous indignation triggered by right-wing politics in the 2020s. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Pearl Street Warehouse, 33 Pearl St. SW. $25–$40. —Brandon Wetherbee 

Bad Moves at the Black Cat on Sept. 27

We would be remiss not to mention the record release show for the local indie quartet recently described in this very paper as the “purveyors of anthemic guitar pop songs for underdogs.” You can also sample Ocelot Brewing’s latest musical beer collab, this time with Bad Moves and dubbed Outta My Head, a “power hop” IPA with bright, bold hops, malted oats, flaked wheat, and a 6.3 percent ABV. Added bonus: Ekko Astral open. The show starts at 8 p.m. at the Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. $20. —Sarah Marloff  

Outerloop at Pie Shop on Sept. 27
Not to make choices harder for you, but across town from Bad Moves’ record release show, post-punk band Outerloop are celebrating the release of their EP, which WCP critic Dora Segall says “packs a dense and eclectic array of lyrics and instrumental layers.” The show starts at 8 p.m. at Pie Shop, 1339 H St. NE. $15. —Sarah Marloff  

Adeem the Artist at DC9 on Sept. 29

Country music comes in any color you can find on a pride flag—not just the usual red, white, and blue. Nonbinary Knoxville singer-songwriter Adeem the Artist proved it on their albums Cast Iron Pansexual and White Trash Revelry, and they continue to capture the spectrum on their latest LP. Anniversary is another twangy and boldly political collection of songs that renders the culture of the American South in all its manifold hues, both light and dark. The show starts at 8 p.m. at DC9, 1940 9th St. NW. $20. —Taylor Ruckle 

Crush Fund at Comet Ping Pong on Sept. 29

“Unwanted Attention” makes for an easy two-word summary of the perils of trans visibility in 2024. In the hands of New York City queercore trio Crush Fund, it also makes for a raucous punk shout-along (produced by the incomparable Marissa Paternoster of Screaming Females). Likewise, the title of their latest EP, New Fixation, forecasts your relationship with the band, once you see them live—just be cool about it. The show starts at 9 p.m. at Comet Ping Pong, 5037 Connecticut Ave. NW. $15. —Taylor Ruckle 

Infinity Song at Songbyrd on Oct. 1

Infinity Song, a band of four Detroit siblings, will play Songbyrd fresh off their All Things Go debut a few days earlier on Sept. 29. The up-and-coming R&B band got their big break in 2016 when Jeymes Samuel sent a video of the group busking in Central Park to Jay-Z. They later signed with Jiggaman’s label Roc Nation. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Songbyrd, 540 Penn St. NE. $25. —Serena Zets

Chromeo and the Midnight at the Anthem on Oct. 3

It’s been a decade since the Montreal electro-funk duo Chromeo took the dance music scene by storm with “Jealous (I Ain’t with It),” but Dave and Pee are back with a polished yet still funky sound and tackling fraught subjects like relationships in your 40s. Complementing them is the Midnight, a band whose synth-tinged rock instrumentals hearken back to ’80s power ballads that will have you feeling like an action hero. The show starts at 8 p.m. on Oct. 3 at the Anthem, 901 Wharf St. SW. $45–$75. —Dave Nyczepir

Maxwell at Capital One Arena on Oct. 4

In the mid-’90s, Maxwell led the neo-soul charge with his debut, Urban Hang Suite. Nearly 30 years later, the hang continues. This fall, Maxwell headlines the Serenade Tour, his first in two years following 2022’s sold-out 25-date international arena run. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 4  at Capital One Arena, 601 F St. NW. $69.50–$79.50. —Christina Smart

Marcos Valle at the Howard Theatre on Oct. 5

Marcos Valle was a baby-faced composer when he made his 1964 debut. Since then, he’s written some of the most timeless bossa nova standards such as “Summer Samba” and “Crickets Sing for Anamaria.” Now 80, Valle has never stopped performing and growing, and his 2019 album, Sempre, is among his best. The show starts at 8 p.m. at the Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. $35–$50. —Pat Padua

SEB at Songbyrd on Oct. 5

Singles like “seaside_demo” and “last great american summer” might be the breezy mix of acoustics and bongos that got SEB noticed, but his wide-ranging style incorporates elements of P-pop, hip-hop, and proto-funk, among other genres. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Songbyrd, 540 Penn St. NE. $18–$20. —Dave Nyczepir

La Luz at the Atlantis on Oct. 6

Ever wish you lived inside a Quentin Tarantino-esque film about 1970s Los Angeles? This surf noir band should be your soundtrack. The show starts at 7 p.m. at the Atlantis, 2047 9th St. NW. $25. —Brandon Wetherbee 

Mass of the Fermenting Dregs at the Howard Theatre on Oct. 9

This Japanese three-piece is shoegazey and proggy, power poppy and lo-fi bedroom poppy, and more styles of music that make them difficult to categorize in the best possible way. If you’re on the fence about the live show, listen to their recently released live album and you’ll be sold. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. $20–$40. —Brandon Wetherbee

The Lemon Twigs at the Atlantis on Oct. 10

The easiest way to describe the Lemon Twigs to someone who has never heard their music is the Beatles meet the Beach Boys (or at least that’s how they were described to me before the owner of 48 Record Bar in Philadelphia put on their vinyl Everything Harmony). That’s a rather reductive explanation though, as the D’Addario brothers are two of the most creative, meticulous songwriters in progressive pop right now, which has me hoping their Merseybeat revival catches on. The show starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Atlantis, 2047 9th St. NW. $25. —Dave Nyczepir

Empress Of at Union Stage on Oct. 10

Honduran American singer Empress Of’s latest album, For Your Consideration, is all about dichotomies: English and Spanish, romantic and transactional, throwback pop and experimental dance. She’s comfortable in all of them. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Union Stage, 740 Water St. SW. $25–$40. —Dave Nyczepir

illuminati hotties at the Black Cat on Oct. 19

Sarah Tudzin’s indie-rock project first wormed its way into my ears and heart with their sad and slow cover of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” Since then, illuminati hotties have fallen on and off my radar, but their latest album, Power, is an indie bop with staying power. Parts of it are reminiscent of Tegan and Sara’s Heartthrob album—the one where they got polished and started writing dance-esque tracks. But other parts of Power wash over you in a wave with its emotional tracks of stripped-down guitar and Tudzin’s haunting voice. The show starts at 8 p.m. at the Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. $20–$25. —Sarah Marloff

Aoife O’Donovan and Bonny Light Horseman at the Kennedy Center on Oct. 22

Continuing along the fall folk road, contemporary troubadour supergroup Bonny Light Horseman are teaming up with singer-songwriter Aoife O’Donovan for a one-night-only performance in the Kennedy Center concert hall, with support from the National Symphony Orchestra. This show is the band’s lone East Coast stop before heading to Europe on a tour supporting their excellent new album, Keep Me on Your Mind/See You Free. The show starts at 8 p.m. at the Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW. kennedy-center.org. $29–$79. —Amelia Roth-Dishy

Daphne Eckman at Pearl Street Warehouse on Oct. 24

The quickest way for me to explain why you should check out Daphne Eckman’s “sad girl indie rock” is this: I saw her perform in a forgettable restaurant on Kent Island over a year ago and her gorgeous voice and indie vibe left such an impact I tracked her down on Instagram and have been a fan ever since. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Pearl Street Warehouse, 33 Pearl St. SW. $15–$35. —Sarah Marloff

Hinds at Union Stage on Oct. 26 

This fascinating (and fun) indie pop project by Carlotta Cosials and Ana Perrote started as a duo, became a quartet, and in late 2022, reverted back to a duo. The loss of their drummer and bassist happened in a time of upheaval; Hinds recently split from their label and their management as well. Clearly the Madrid-based band are familiar with traversing change and their newest album, Viva Hinds, out Sept. 6, reflects their recent journey. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Union Stage, 740 Water St. SW. $25. —Serena Zets

Cyndi Lauper at Capital One Arena on Oct. 27

Hard to believe it’s been more than 40 years since Cyndi Lauper knocked the pop world on its ear with the release of her debut album, She’s So Unusual. This is your last chance to see Lauper live, because the girl who just wanted to have fun is retiring from the road. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Capital One Arena, 601 F St. NW. $59.50–$479. —Christina Smart

The Go! Team at the Black Cat on Nov. 3

Sure, this is a nostalgia tour focused on the band’s 2002 debut, Thunder, Lightning, Strike, but when was the last time you listened to “Ladyflash” or “Everyone’s a VIP to Someone”? These are earworms that will still get you moving. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. $25–$30. —Brandon Wetherbee

NewDad at the Atlantis on Nov. 6

I’ve been waiting with bated breath for this foursome from Northern Ireland to tour the U.S. By far one of my favorite indie bands to emerge in the past few years, NewDad make the kind of sad, gauzy, dream-pop you can get lost in—it’s no wonder NME compared them to the Cure. With its sludgy guitar, their first full-length, Madra, dropped in January and remains one of the best albums of the year. The show starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Atlantis, 2047 9th St. NW. $15. —Sarah Marloff  

FEVER 333 at Union Stage on Nov. 7

The new-look FEVER 333 rounded out their talent with the additions of drummer Thomas Pridgen, who has toured with the Mars Volta and Thundercat, bassist April Kae, whose Instagram cover of Cardi B’s “Up” went viral in 2021, and guitarist Brandon Davis. Expect frontperson Jason Aalon Butler to keep the anti-racist, anti-fascist rapcore band grounded, even as they venture deeper into frenetic protest punk waters with tracks like “$wing.” The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at Union Stage, 740 Water St. SW. $25–$125. —Dave Nyczepir

André 3000 at the Kennedy Center on Nov. 9

André 3000 still raps, including on Killer Mike’s MICHAEL, released in 2023. He’s just not rapping on his own albums. With his solo debut, 2023’s New Blue Sun, André made a jazz album, and traded his vocals for a flute (or several flutes). Now hundreds of thousands of André, OutKast, and hip-hop fans are expanding their sonic horizons. With this show, the rapper-turned-jazz musician will make his Kennedy Center debut. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW. $90.85–$310. —Brandon Wetherbee

Rare Essence & the Junkyard Band at the Howard Theatre on Nov. 10

Two of D.C.’s most acclaimed go-go bands come together over Veterans Day Weekend to celebrate the 114th Anniversary of the Howard Theatre. The show starts at 10 p.m. at the Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. $45–$85. —Sarah Marloff

Ratboys and Palehound at the Atlantis on Nov. 12

If you asked me to build this fall’s most exciting bill from scratch, it wouldn’t take me long to come up with the acts behind two of 2023’s finest albums: The Window by Ratboys and Eye on the Bat by Palehound. With one ticket, you get peak indie alt-country and some of the cleverest singer-songwriter work of recent memory in an intimate setting. It’s no wonder it sold out. The show starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Atlantis, 2047 9th St. NW. Sold out. —Taylor Ruckle

Haley Heynderickx at the 9:30 Club on Nov. 16

The folksy and ever-observant indie darling Haley Heynderickx is in the running for the artist I’ve seen live the most—and for good reason. She puts on a killer show no matter the venue. I’ve seen her perform in a chapel, in front of a dewy, empty field during the noon slot of a music festival, at Miracle Theatre, and the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. Despite how grand (and different) each of these venues were, I don’t think anything will beat seeing her in my favorite D.C. venue this November. The show starts at 6 p.m. at the 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. $25. —Serena Zets

Lupe Fiasco at the Howard Theatre on Nov. 16

Stalwart Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco has already released one of the year’s best hip-hop records. Samurai is clad in choruses hard as armor and wields verses like shining steel blades. With an understated, jazzy aesthetic and a 30-minute run time, it’s the most succinct artistic statement of his 24-year career. Oh, and it’s also a narrative concept album about Amy Winehouse reimagined as a battle rapper. The show starts at 8 p.m. at the Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. $45–$85. —Taylor Ruckle

Godspeed You! Black Emperor at the 9:30 Club on Nov. 19

The elders of instrumental post-rock are back with their new album and a tour to support it. As always, their shows promise to be beautiful and utterly hypnotic. The show starts at 7 p.m. at the 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. $40. —Alan Zilberman

Sun June at DC9 on Nov. 20

This twangy indie band from Austin made one of the best albums of 2023, and when I saw them last year at this same venue, my “I think this might be love” ratcheted up to “I’m so in love.” If it was possible to wear out a record on Apple Music, I would’ve broken Bad Dream Jaguar with the number of times I flipped it over. The show starts at 8 p.m. at DC9, 1940 9th St. NW. $18–$22. —Sarah Marloff 

Mariah Carey at Capital One Arena on Dec. 1

If you’re a fan of whistle notes (and really, who isn’t?), the self-proclaimed Queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey, will start spreading holiday cheer early in the season with a performance at Capital One on Dec. 1. The show starts at 8 p.m. on Dec. 1 at Capital One Arena, 601 F St. NW. $59.95–$580. —Christina Smart

Micky Dolenz at the Birchmere on Dec. 12

Cheer up, sleepy Jean. The last surviving Monkee, Micky Dolenz, is touring. With Songs & Stories, Dolenz will reminisce and sing about life as a member of the Prefab Four. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria. $75. —Christina Smart

Check out more of our 2024 Fall Arts Guide here.

I can’t stop the rain, but I can get you caught up on the latest arts news in the District—from major tour announcements from Kendrick Lamar and Jimmie Allen to new museums and celebrations of local artists. Check back weekly for future Monday Arts Roundups.

I Think I’m Old Enough to Understand Now: Shortly after Kendrick Lamar dropped his long-awaited, double-length album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers on Friday, May 13, his upcoming tour was announced. The Pulitzer-winning rapper will headline D.C.’s Capital One Arena on Aug. 4, 2022 and tickets will go on sale on May 20. His cousin Baby Keem will open. In the days since the 18-track album’s release, Lamar has been both praised and admonished by trans and queer listeners for his controversial track “Auntie Diaries,” in which he raps about two of his family members coming out as trans. Some trans fans have applauded Lamar for addressing transphobia and singing about the realities trans people still face today; others have noted, “You can show growth and development without using a slur and blatant misgendering”… and deadnaming. Both sides make good points, let’s keep the conversation going.

Another One: Carrie Underwood’s Denim and Rhinestones Tour will also make a stop at Capital One Arena—but not until Feb. 15, 2023. Yes, we’re already looking at next year. Perhaps even more exciting, however: Jimmie Allen, the first Black solo performer to win New Male Artist of the Year at the 2021 Academy of Country Music Awards, will join Underwood on tour. Tickets go on sale on May 20 at 10 a.m. Underwood is currently working a Vegas residency, but her new album, for which the tour is named after, will drop on June 10.

Let There Be (More) Free Art: What began with two married art collectors in New York will become a new art museum in Southwest D.C. Don and Mera Rubell began their art collection in the mid-1960s; that collection has since ballooned into a multi-generational family project. In 1993, they launched the Rubell Family Collection/Contemporary Arts Foundation, and in 2019 the Rubell Museum opened in Miami. The second such Rubell Museum now has its sights set on the District. The museum, which will house paintings, sculptures, photographs, videos, and site-specific work by American and international artists, will take up residence at the former site of Cardozo Elementary and Randall Junior High School, historically Black public schools that operated from 1906 to 1978. (Marvin Gaye graduated from Randall in 1954.) The Rubell Museum DC is scheduled to open on Oct. 29 and will be free to all D.C. residents.

In addition to art, the site will also be connected to a new 492-unit apartment building, which promises 20 percent of the units will be dedicated to affordable housing. Local architecture firm Beyer Blinder Belle is the design architect for the museum and the apartment building. (Disclosure: This writer’s wife works for Beyer Blinder Belle, but she is not connected to this project.)

Musical Chairs: Anita Antenucci has been named chair-elect of Shakespeare Theatre Company’s board. Antenucci, who will take the reins from Michael R. Klein on Aug. 1, has been involved with STC since 2007 as a trustee and executive committee member. A senior managing director and member of the board of directors at Houlihan Lokey, an investment banking company, she’s been named one of the 2022 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market Mergers and Acquisitions. According to STC’s announcement, one of Antenucci’s biggest contributions to the theater was leadership of its Defense of the Arts initiative, which collected corporate contributions from defense industry businesses. Yeah. “She has always been core to the most active Trustee leadership,” Executive Director Chris Jennings said in the release. “Anita led an initiative to engage and foster young professionals, helping to cultivate the next generation of Patrons and Trustees for the arts. Passionate and driven, I know Anita will accept the challenges of this position with strength and grace.”

Klein, a corporate and securities lawyer who’s described by STC’s Artistic Director Simon Godwin as a “radiant, kind, and visionary leader,” has chaired the theater’s board for the past 14 years. 

Open the Southeast Streets: For the first time since D.C. began hosting Open Streets along Georgia Avenue NW, the event, which closes streets to car traffic and invites walkers, bikers, strollers, and more to explore local businesses and get outside, is coming to Anacostia. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, residents will be milling around MLK Avenue SE between Good Hope Road and Morris Road, connecting with neighbors, open spaces and more. 

That’s a Wrap: Last year, the Phillips Collection celebrated its centennial with numerous exhibits, specially curated installations, and more. The final of three commissioned works by D.C.-based artists intended to celebrate the museum’s 100th anniversary will be unveiled on June 18. New Beginning, the installation by local artist Wesley Clark, is site specific and will be found at the Phillips’ satellite campus at Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus in Southeast. Clark’s piece uses geometric forms to consider how creative spaces can generate new ideas. Like Nekisha Durrett and Victor Ekpuk’s commissions, this piece will also look to both the past and the future. “These many individual decisions reflect the various changes that are occurring in Southeast D.C.,” Clark says in the Phillips’ press release. “The increase in health and family services and the investment in community beautification. Collectively, these changes can lead to a unified renaissance taking place East of the River. The work mirrors the ability for the community to exercise transformative and creative change, defining its direction forward.” Before the final unveiling, the three commissioned artists will take part in a June 2 panel discussion on their work. 

To be perfectly honest, I don’t remember much about 2019. My Instagram tells me that I, and many of us, thought it was a rough year—little did our pre-pandemic selves know. Now, after two years of staying home, mask wearing, social distancing, and outside-only hangs, 2019 is the before-times, when going to the grocery store or a concert didn’t mean assessing whether you might get incredibly ill or accidentally infect someone else with the ‘rona. Finally, and with fingers crossed, it seems the worst of the pandemic has passed and we’re optimistically hoping for a summer that looks a lot like 2019. See what I mean with some recent arts-related headlines and news stories you shouldn’t miss.

Jazzed About It: Speaking of the “before times,” the National Gallery of Art’s Jazz in the Garden series returns this month after two years of interruptions. The beloved event, a longtime staple of summer in D.C., was canceled in 2020 and last year’s attempt at four Jazz in the Garden concerts with limited capacity was plagued with bad weather (three of the four shows were canceled due to rain). NGA announced the event’s return on April 29. Shows are scheduled for every Friday from May 20 through July 22. Performers include acclaimed Afro-Cuban percussionist Pedrito Martinez, Grammy nominatee Daniel Ho, and National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Delfeayo Marsalis. Jazz violinist Nataly Merezhuk kicks off the series on May 20. As always, the event is free, but registration is now required.

68 Percent Chance of Beat Drops: Sunday night, Northeast D.C. got an unexpected—and for many, unwelcome—concert. EDM festival Project Glow Fest wrapped up last night at RFK Stadium on East Capitol Street NE, but due to weather conditions, the beats and thumps of DJs were heard miles away. As Fox 5 DC’s meteorologist Matthew Cappucci explains, D.C.’s skies were experiencing an inversion, or an increase in temperature with height. When that happens, the sky’s upper warm layer bounces sound back down to the lower cool layer. Last night, that meant rave music could be heard more than four miles from RFK. —Ella Feldman

On the Fringe: Capital Fringe Festival also returns this summer after a two-year hiatus. Fringe, which began in 2006 with the hopes of giving performing artists a space to connect with “adventurous audiences” and celebrate “democracy and art for everyone,” has found a new home in an unlikely neighborhood. Taking place within Georgetown Park’s empty storefronts and former Washington Sports Club space, this year’s festival continues to “challenge perceptions, shake up the hierarchy, be brave and unafraid, and serve as a launching pad for unseasoned and established artists,” and runs for two weekends in July (14-17 and 21-24), according to Fringe’s press release and Facebook page. 2022’s lineup brings together 250 comics, cabaret performers, and theater—musical and not—artists who will reflect on the current happenings from climate crisis to cloning, Covid, and more. 

“There has been so much change over the past two years, so the Fringe Festival returning is nothing short of a miracle,” Julianne Brienza, founding director of Capital Fringe, said in the press release. “This year’s artists are bringing stories to Georgetown that reflect what we are experiencing on the planet right now, and just silly stuff that will hopefully make the audiences feel good.”

Mallapalooza: Pharrell Williams is making the National Mall cool again. After a two-year hiatus, his music festival Something in the Water makes its comeback this summer. Instead of taking place in Virginia Beach, the three-day event is coming to our backyard. Williams moved the festival from his hometown after a Virginia Beach police officer shot and killed his cousin last year. In a letter to city manager Patrick Duhaney, Williams described a “toxic energy that changed the narrative several times around the homicide of my cousin, Donovan Lynch.” Taking place between June 17 and 19—yes, that’s Juneteenth weekend—Something in the Water boasts a lineup that bursts at the seams with kingpins of culture. Chloe x Halle, Pusha T, and Tyler, the Creator are among the festival’s biggest names. Per the event’s promotional poster, ticket-holders can also look forward to “some people we can’t announce.” If we say Beyoncé’s name three times in the mirror, maybe she’ll appear? —Ella Feldman

On the Cheap: From Wednesday, May 4, through Tuesday, May 10, Live Nation is running its Concert Week, where participating venues and bands across the U.S. will offer $25 tickets—taxes and fees included—to upcoming shows. For DMV residents, that means Capital One Arena and Fairfax’s EagleBank Arena with artists The Who, (May 23), Maverick City Music (June 16), Cheer Live (July 16), Diljit Dosanjh (July 19), New Kids on the Block (July 23), Swedish House Mafia (Aug. 11), Roxy Music (Sept. 9), and Los Angeles Azules (Nov. 27). Hurry though—while the deal runs all week, it’s really a “while supplies last” situation. After all, you can’t get any tickets to a sold out show. 

A Grant of Mammoth Proportions: For the first time ever, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company will offer a dedicated commissioning program, dubbed the Weissberg Commissions. Named and honoring late philanthropist and theater lover Marvin Weissberg, who frequently attended Woolly productions, the program will run for three years with the intention of providing working artists with the funds to complete new full-length plays, test out ideas, or finish incomplete works. The Weissberg Foundation worked with Woolly in 2018 via its Fund for Diversity in Theater, which helped prepare the local playhouse’s hunt for a new artistic director and managing director through an  equity and inclusion lens. The work commissioned will either come from D.C.-born or -based artists, and/or non-local artists if their works feature a connection to the D.C. area. All works will share the theater’s vision for a socially just world. 

“I am thrilled to launch Woolly’s first formal commissioning program,” Sonia Fernandez, Woolly’s director of new work, said in the press release. “That this program aligns with our values of creating work that centers racial justice and addresses themes that directly impact this community makes it that much more meaningful.”

This post has been updated with new information from the NHL and the Maryland and American University men’s basketball teams.

On Wednesday, the Howard University men’s basketball program became the latest local team to cancel or postpone activities due a surge of positive COVID-19 cases. In a press release, the athletics department announced that all men’s basketball activities have been paused “due to positive COVID-19 test results among the program’s ‘Tier 1’ personnel, consisting of student-athletes, coaches, medical staff, equipment staff, game day operators, and officials.”

The school added that the team will remain in quarantine and will not return to basketball activities until cleared, meaning that scheduled games against Yale on Dec. 23 and Hampton University on Dec. 30 have been canceled. Howard did not specify how many team members have tested positive or how many of them are athletes. A team spokesperson declined to disclose that information to City Paper.

As the country nears the two-year mark of the pandemic, rising COVID-19 cases and the omicron variant have forced sports teams to reschedule or cancel games, reminiscent of the outbreaks that happened throughout 2020. Howard canceled the 2020-21 men’s basketball season after only five games.

The Washington Capitals game scheduled for Dec. 22 against the Philadelphia Flyers was also postponed after the Caps pulled two players from their morning skate because of positive coronavirus test results. Washington already had three other players in COVID-19 protocols. The NHL also announced earlier this week that it would pause all activities from Dec. 23 through Dec. 25 with games scheduled to resume no earlier than Dec. 28. Because of the postponements, NHL players will no longer participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, scheduled to take place in February.

“Unfortunately, given the profound disruption to the NHL’s regular-season schedule caused by recent COVID-related events—50 games already have been postponed through Dec. 23—Olympic participation is no longer feasible,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “We certainly acknowledge and appreciate the efforts made by the International Olympic Committee, the International Ice Hockey Federation and the Beijing Organizing Committee to host NHL Players but current circumstances have made it impossible for us to proceed despite everyone’s best efforts. We look forward to Olympic participation in 2026.”

The Washington Football Team has had 26 players, seven coaches, and several staff members land on the COVID-19 reserve list over the past two weeks, and the team started newly acquired journeyman quarterback Garrett Gilbert in its 27-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday night. That game was pushed back two days from its regular schedule because of the positive COVID-19 cases. Washington announced yesterday that weekly media availabilities with head coach Ron Rivera and players will be virtual for the remainder of the season.

In response to the spike in cases, Mayor Muriel Bowser issued an order that states a proof of vaccination will be required for anyone over the age of 12 for restaurants, bars, indoor entertainment venues, and indoor exercise and recreational establishments, among other places starting Jan. 15, 2022. That includes Capital One Arena, home of the Wizards, Capitals, and the Georgetown men’s basketball team. Earlier this week, the Big East Conference canceled the Georgetown at Providence game due to COVID-19 issues in the Georgetown program. The Hoyas forfeited the game and will be assigned a loss in the conference standings. Additionally, Maryland men’s basketball canceled its Dec. 28 game against Loyola University Maryland due to COVID-19 cases within Loyola’s program and American University did the same with its game against Siena on Dec. 28 due to health and safety protocols within the American program.

The outbreaks are affecting local high school athletics, as well. Prince George’s County Public Schools will conduct virtual learning until Jan. 14, Howard County will not play sports until Jan. 15 at the earliest, and Montgomery County Public Schools canceled all athletic contests from Dec. 23 to Jan. 2.

According to the MCPS statement, all team activities must be paused for 14 days if a team has three or more active positive COVID-19 cases. The 14 days begins from the last exposure. Winter sports at many high schools had only begun last month.

The timing of legal sports betting’s arrival in the District could hardly have been worse. It landed just as the sports world went into a months-long hibernation, and only now is it starting to approach normalcy. Perhaps nothing signifies that more than the opening of the William Hill Sportsbook at Capital One Arena this week, a first-of-its-kind structure that permanently marries sports and gambling in America in a way we’ve never seen.

Sprawled over two stories and 18,000 square feet, the venue can pack as many as 764 people into its various bars, betting spaces, and lounge areas. There are 100 televisions tuned to the various sports networks, along with betting screens behind the counters where you can place live bets. There are also kiosks, if that’s more your speed, with more set to be installed along the 300 and 400 levels of the arena.

With a lower floor centered around a sweeping, slightly rounded staircase that twirls up to the space above, the venue feels “of Vegas” in the way that so much of Vegas itself feels vaguely of Italy, or at least of the Americanized flourishes of Roman architecture. 

The space, which is being leased to William Hill on a 10-year deal, will also feature a menu from local chef Nick Stefanelli, who rose to prominence with his Italian restaurant Masseria, which earned a Michelin star in 2016. According to Stefanelli, the floor plan looks a little different than originally envisioned, as the extra time allowed them to adjust and make better use of the square footage available.

Depending on the event, ticketed fans will be able to move to and from the arena and the sportsbook, on the 200 level near the elevator bank that faces F Street NW. Monumental Sports & Entertainment has reached an agreement with the NBA for Wizards games, starting with this Saturday’s first-round home playoff game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Monumental is hoping to do the same with the NHL before the next season begins in the fall, but do not have an agreement in place yet. Other events, like college basketball games, will depend on the governing bodies of each sport.

The 5G service within Capital One Arena has also been expanded as part of this arrangement, which is crucial for in-game betting. Monumental hopes fans will largely use their phones to place those bets, rather than leaving their seats. That upgraded infrastructure will help support the increase in fans using bandwidth.

One other change from last fall’s opening—Caesars acquired William Hill last month, in an approximately $4 billion deal. That meant Caesars CEO Tom Reeg was the one following Monumental CEO Ted Leonsis at the dais Wednesday morning, though all the branding in and around the venue still carries the William Hill name and logo, aside from a No. 21 Wizards and Capitals jersey on display with “CAESARS” on the name plate.

Even amid the pandemic, as businesses across the city and country were shuttering—and even as their own, original timeline of trying to get the restaurant component open by the NFL season became clearly unrealistic—Monumental took a leap of faith by opening a spartan, pop-up sportsbook in the Capital One Arena lobby last August.

Leonsis gave credit to Monumental President of Business Operations and CCO Jim Van Stone for its success: “He’s the crazy one who came to me and said … ‘I guarantee it will work.’”

The modest setup with seven windows and 14 kiosks took in more than one million bets in seven months, from almost 350,000 people. The publicly reported sports betting numbers back up the continued popularity of William Hill’s platform against the citywide GambetDC app operated by the DC Lottery, despite the extra effort bettors have had to make to travel to Capital One Arena to place bets, rather than just using their phones anywhere in the District. The amount wagered through William Hill has remained roughly triple that wagered through GambetDC since last fall.

That number only figures to rise with the addition of the brick and mortar space. And while, in a vacuum, that’s good for the tax base (as Leonsis touted Wednesday), only 10 percent of revenues from William Hill’s operations actually go to city coffers, per D.C.’s sports betting laws. Compare that to roughly 50 percent of gross gaming revenue from GambetDC. The DC Lottery missed a deadline for an early May audit that will provide more information about how this nascent industry is shaping up, and it is yet to be seen if they will deliver information before next year’s budget is finalized this summer.

Despite the delay in opening, the in-arena sportsbook is still the first of its kind here in America, and could serve as the template for other teams across the country looking to integrate the in-person sports betting experience as fans return to venues this summer.

Leonsis has been at the forefront of the push to both legalize and monetize sports betting in America, ever since the Supreme Court agreed to hear the challenge to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in May 2018. It’s only fitting, then, that three years later, Leonsis’ arena is the first one taking that next step into the unknown.

“Here in Washington D.C., we wanted to be innovators,” said Leonsis. “We really wanted to lead the way in taking the stigma out of gambling.”

Leonsis pointed, as he has often in the past, to the massive, existing illegal betting market in America, and the financial benefits in bringing it all above board.

“I just view this as a natural extension of what was happening, but to do it in a more modern, in-the-sunlight, transparent way,” he said.

Whatever the additional tax boon, one thing the new sportsbook will do is make even more use of a building that already sees three million fans across 230-some events a year. Open Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to midnight, Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to midnight, the sportsbook serves as another destination not just to accompany the existing calendar, but to fill the other 135 days in between.

“This building is pretty much dark during the day, but now it will come alive 10 o’clock to midnight,” Van Stone said.

For his part, Stefanelli will cater his menu more to the sports crowd, with the ability to shift and accommodate, depending on the event. But the sheer scale of this venture will be an entirely different challenge. Unlike the teams that call Capital One Arena home, the new sportsbook won’t exactly get a soft preseason to see how things will run on a gameday. Their first test comes Saturday, during a heated NBA playoff game.

“If 600 people walk in the door, that’s a lot of margaritas you have to pour,” said Stefanelli.

Leonsis, perhaps unsurprisingly, is already thinking bigger.

“At first I thought it was too big, and now I think it’s too small,” he said. “We have a lot of space in the building. We’ll see how it works.”

If the restaurant component ends up being enough of a success to warrant an expansion, it won’t come without a personal sacrifice for Van Stone.

“On the third floor, directly above, is actually my office and our sales center,” he laughed. 

But that would be a problem he’d welcome.

“We don’t ever want to have to be in a position where we have to turn people away,” he said.

It started with ghosts at first. Ninety minutes before the puck dropped in the first Washington Capitals home game in more than a year played in front of fans at Capital One Arena, the production crew began testing the pumped-in crowd noise that has become ubiquitous in NHL broadcasts. But as the 2,100 fans began to arrive, real sounds slowly replaced the artificial ones.

“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” Capitals radio play-by-play announcer John Walton told City Paper as he took in the scene. “Two thousand fans is going to feel like a million.”

Fans in red Alex Ovechkin jerseys filtered down the aisles, the tallboys of Bud Light recognizable but the face masks and hand sanitizer stations new. A timidity hung over the arena, an eagerness to get back to “normal,” tempered with the understanding that this was anything but.

Yet as the player introductions started, the pregame hype videos played and the bass began to thump, the awkwardness melted away. Fans screamed the word “red” along with Bob McDonald as he sang the national anthem, just like they always do. They booed both the opposing team and the referees as they took the ice, just like they always do. They cheered as their favorite players were introduced on the jumbotron, just like they always do. This was, after all, only a hockey game.

Except that it wasn’t. Against the backdrop of a global pandemic during which more than 570,000 Americans died and millions more paused their lives, the return of fans to Capital One Arena on Tuesday was not just a hockey game.

“It’s pretty emotional. I just walked in and almost teared up when I saw the ice for the first time,” season ticket-holder Mahesh Prasad told City Paper. “It’s been a long 419 days, but I’m glad to finally be home.”

Home. It’s a word that was repeated over and over throughout the night, in videos welcoming fans back to the arena and in conversations overheard on the concourse and outside on F Street NW. By the time Capitals forward Daniel Sprong scored just 1:29 into the game to give Washington the 1-0 lead they would hold for its duration; by the time 6-foot-9 defenseman Zdeno Chara dropped his gloves to fight late in the second period; and by the time rookie goaltender Vitek Vanecek recorded the 18-save shutout that lifted Washington back into first place in the East Division, the 90-percent empty arena felt as full of cathartic joy and enthusiasm as any home could.

“It’s better hockey. It’s really nice to have [fans] back,” Vanecek told reporters after the game.

“It felt like your first NHL game all over again. There’s no words to describe what it feels like to have the fans back in the rink. They’re our support system,” echoed winger Tom Wilson.

Of course, the Capitals, this city, and the nation all still have a long way to go. With seven games remaining in the regular season, Washington is clinging to a single-point lead in the standings. And nearly 14 months into this pandemic, vaccines are becoming more widely available but vulnerable populations around the world continue to be adversely impacted. There is still far too much hanging in the balance to allow naivety and foolishness to cloud our judgement or cause us to declare premature victory.

Yet for one nondescript Tuesday night inside a mostly-empty arena in Northwest D.C., it felt like maybe, just maybe, we were closer to home than we’d been in a long time.

Monica Dixon, the president and chief administrative officer of external affairs at Monumental Sports & Entertainment, figured the organization’s attempt to host fans at Capital One Arena this season was over. The D.C. government did not grant a waiver to allow the indoor arena to host fans like it did for Nationals Park and Audi Field, both outdoor venues, in mid-March. On April 5, Mayor Muriel Bowser did not include information on MSE’s waiver during her media briefing as Dixon had expected.

In response, Ted Leonsis, the company’s chief executive, wrote a letter expressing his disappointment.

“The issue really was that if we didn’t receive the waiver April 5, the next opportunity we would have is May 5 and our last game was two weeks later,” Dixon tells City Paper. “So we were really disappointed that we would not be able to have fans in for the end of the season. And that ignited a pretty intense amount of conversation over the next four days.”

Eventually, the city granted Capital One Arena a waiver on April 9, allowing it to host fans at 10 percent capacity (or 2,100 individuals per game) for Washington Wizards and Capitals games with strict pandemic-related guidelines in place. Fans will be allowed in the stadium starting tonight when the Wizards play the Golden State Warriors, and the Capitals will compete in front of their fans starting on Tuesday, April 27.

The last time Capital One Arena had fans in the arena was March 10, 2020 when the Wizards beat the New York Knicks, 122-115. Dixon says that MSE will apply for a waiver to raise the capacity limit to 25 percent for the NBA and NHL playoffs. The Caps lead the NHL’s East Division, while the Wizards are in contention for the NBA play-in tournament after winning five straight games.

“It was a lot of planning for multiple scenarios so that we could be ready no matter what came at us,” Dixon says. “And what we learned is that we were going to have to wait until the transmission rate got to a level that there was comfort on the part of the D.C. health department. And we’re so excited that we’ve gotten to this place right now, when both our teams are doing so well and really moving toward the playoffs. So even though it’s been a very long process, I think it couldn’t have happened at a better time for us.”

Several major policy changes have been implemented for fans who plan to attend a game at Capital One Arena this season. All individuals age 2 and older will be required to wear a face mask at all times except when actively eating or drinking. Gaiters, face masks with valves or vents, costume masks, and bandanas are not acceptable face coverings. All tickets will be electronic, and fans will enter the arena in one of four designated entrances. Wandering between the floors will not be allowed. Bags will not be permitted, except “wallet-size clutches no larger than 4.5″ x 6.5″, medical bags, and parenting bags” no larger than 14″ x 14″ x 6″. (Bag policies at sports stadiums, including Nationals Park, have proven to be extremely unpopular among fans.)

“That’s a big change,” Dixon says about the bag policy. “But you know, again, it just goes back to our No. 1 priority, to eliminate congregation coming into the building, exiting the building, and anywhere when fans are not in their seats.”

Not all of the usual food options will be available but all concessions stands that are open will offer the same pre-packaged options, regardless of the level. Limited food and beverage options will be available from roving vendors who will only be completing cashless transactions. Alcohol sales at the concession stands will be cut off at the end of the second quarter for Wizards games and midway through the second period for Capitals games, in accordance to the waiver rules, while roaming vendors will continue to sell alcohol until the start of the fourth quarter of Wizards games and at the start of the third period of Capitals games.

Dixon says MSE’s goal is to be at 100 percent capacity for next season, but for now, players like Wizards star Bradley Beal are looking forward to having more than just cardboard cutouts in their home arena.

“We go from not having fans at all to we’ll have some in the building. It’ll be an adjustment. We’ll probably be a little jittery or excited,” Beal said after the team’s 119-107 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 19. “But that’s what we’ve been looking forward to … It’s good to be able to see faces besides these cardboard cutouts. I’m definitely happy and excited about it. We get our fans back. We experience that on the road with a lot of teams with their fans, so it’ll be good to be able to have some home-court advantage.”