Events to Peep for the Month of November

Kick off the month with jokes and laughter when you check out the DC Comedy Jam on Saturday, November 2nd, featuring today's hottest comics including Michael Blackson, DeRay Davis, Red Grant, D.C. Young Fly, Chico Bean and B Simone. 8 and 11:30 p.m. Tickets: $89+. DAR Constitution Hall. 1776 D St NW, Washington, DC 20006. www.dar.org/constitution-hall

Also on Saturday, November 2nd, Cleveland-pianist and soul singer Aaron Abernathy will head underground to Sotto's music hall to bring fans cuts from his latest album release, Epilogue, as well as a catalog worth of grooves from his previous releases, Monologue and Dialogue. 7:30 and 9 p.m. Tickets: $20. Sotto. 1610 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009. For tickets, click here.

The jokes keep coming on Thursday, November 7th, when comedian and actor Bill Bellamy kicks off his four-night set at the DC Improv. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $30. DC Improv. 1140 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036. www.dcimprov.com

On Saturday, November 9th, take in one of the closing performances of "What to Send Up When it Goes Down," a play-pageant-ritual-homegoing celebration in response to the physical and spiritual deaths of Black people as a result of racialized violence. Meant to disrupt the pervasiveness of anti-blackness and acknowledge the resilience of Black people throughout history, this theatrical work uses parody, song, and movement in a series of vignettes to create a space for catharsis, reflection, cleansing and healing. 8 p.m. Tickets: $36. Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. 641 D Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004. www.woollymammoth.net

More poignancy abounds at Baltimore's Center Stage on Sunday, November 10th, with the closing performance of "Thoughts of a Colored Man." The world-premiere play from Keenan Scott II is set over a single day, and is a richly theatrical mosaic that goes beyond the rhythms of the basketball court and the boisterousness of the barbershop to shed brilliant light into the hearts and minds of a community of men searching for their most triumphant selves through blended language, music, and dance. Baltimore Center Stage. 700 N Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21202. www.centerstage.org

The incomparable Lalah Hathaway brings her dynamic vocal gift to the Howard Theatre on Thursday, November 14th, to bless fans with all of her hits from "Baby, Don't Cry" to "Breathe." The Howard Theatre. 620 T Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001. 7:30 and 10 p.m. Tickets: $60. www.thehowardtheatre.com

R&B/Soul singer–songwriter, and producer, Kem, with bless the MGM on Saturday, November 16th, bringing fans a night of slow jams and funky grooves from "Love Calls" to "You're On My Mind." 8 p.m. Tickets: $173+. The Theatre at MGM. 101 MGM National Avenue, Oxon Hill, MD 20745. www.ticketmaster.com

Also on Saturday, November 16th, the one, the only, Chaka Khan, will command the Warner Theater stage bringing over four decades worth of classics from "Sweet Love" to I'm Every Woman" to "Through the Fire" that are sure to make fans move, groove, and fall in love all over again. 8 p.m. Tickets: $72. Warner Theatre. 8 p.m. Tickets: $66 - $173. The Warner Theatre. 513 13th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004. www.warnertheatredc.com

On Tuesday, November 26th, put a little jazz in your weeknight courtesy of The String Queens. With an array of repertoire spanning from the Baroque era to the Jazz Age to today’s Billboard Hot 100 Chart, the Washington DC-based group performs versatile programs that transport audiences through time and a multitude of musical genres. 8 & 10 p.m. Tickets: $22. Blues Alley. 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW Washington, DC 20007. www.bluesalley.com

Close out the month with the one and only Dave Hollister when he hits the City Winery stage on Friday, November 29th, to delight fans with over a decade's worth of grooves from "One Woman Man" to "Take Care of Home" to "Keep on Lovin'." 7 & 10 p.m. Tickets: $38+. City Winery DC. 1350 Okie Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002. www.citywinery.com/washingtond

Restaurant of the Month: It's a party every night at U Street's black-owned Bin 1301 wine bar, where DJ's and live jazz acts hit the intimate bar area nightly giving fans a reason to move and groove while dining on an array of light fare from roasted cauliflower to Asian skirt steak skewers to wild mushroom paninis. Added bonus: Bin 1301 offers a weekend brunch menu til 4 p.m. that includes such classic staples as shrimp & grits, eggs benedict, and, of course, mimosas and bloody Mary's. Cheers.  Bin 1301. 1301 U Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009. bin1301dc.com

Life's short. Be entertained...and have a Happy Thanksgiving!