WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2

HOCKEY—Coming fresh off a championship season, the Winterhawks have struggled of late to flaunt Portland's dominance. But I'm going to assume the Hawks hate Spokane as much as the rest of us hate Spokane, and that the old magic will spark anew tonight. So go watch the Spokane Chiefs be humiliated in this hockey match-up. DVH
Rose Garden (ugh, fine, Moda Center, 1 Center Court, 7 pm, $14.75-$55

LITERARY BARHOP—Books 'n' booze are two great local passions, and LitHop PDX brings them together into one irresistible package: A bunch of bars within stumbling distance are taken over by publishers and reading series, like Tin House Books and the Bad Blood poetry series, followed by an afterparty at the Eagles Lodge. AH
Various bars on SE Hawthorne between 42nd & 50th, 7-10 pm, afterparty at the Eagles Lodge, 4904 SE Hawthorne, 10 pm-midnight, FREE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3

MUSIC—I may have waited a decade to see her, but last year's Fiona Apple concert is in my top 10 live music moments of all time. Amazingly, she's back, and with her old tourmate, serial collaborator, and producer Blake Mills, to boot. Let's relive 2012, shall we? MS
Newmark Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway, 8 pm, $58.50, all ages

MUSIC—Aaron Chapman, frontman of Nurses, has a voice that's always drawing outside the lines of tonal perfection. It lends an air of winsome carelessness to the Portland psych-pop duo's otherwise meticulous sound, and it's a blast to hear live. But this is your last shot for the year. The group's working on a new album, and has sworn off shows through December.
w/PWRHAUS, John Gentner; Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, 8:30 pm, $10

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4

HAUNTING—How do you feel about peeing your pants? For those that don't mind a little fright-induced leakage, FrightTown is an annual must. With tons of spooks, three hugely elaborate walkthroughs, and truckloads of gore, it's a Halloween screamfest. Baron Von Goolo's Museum of Horrors is always a delight (and scary as eff), plus there's a new HP Lovecraft-themed haunted attraction! CF
Memorial Coliseum, 300 Winning Way, Fri-Sat 7-11 pm, Sun 7-10 pm, through Nov 1, $20, see frighttown.com for complete schedule

MUSIC—God bless the Pet Shop Boys. From "Surburbia" to "Left to My Own Devices" to "Love Comes Quickly" to "It's a Sin" to "Domino Dancing" to a goddamn track they share with Elvis Presley and Willie Nelson ("Always on My Mind"), Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have been entirely awesome since—good god—1981. Shit, I forgot about "West End Girls"! That one's awesome too! EH
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, 7:30 pm, $42.50-107, all ages

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5

VIDEOGAMES—The one and only Portland Retro Gaming Expo returns this weekend, offering a dealer floor crammed with the weirdest and rarest old videogames, a 20,000-square-foot "supercade" stocked with classic arcade games, the Tetris World Championships, No Pun Intendo stand-up comedy, a gaming-centric Geek Trivia, and more. If you've ever thought fondly of anything pixilated, go. EH
Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE MLK, Sat 10 am-midnight, Sun 10:30 am-5 pm $15-25

MUSIC—A few weeks ago, Laura Veirs released a stunning new record in the form of the potent, adventurous Warp and Weft, and tonight she concludes her US tour with a homecoming show at Ye Olde Doug Fir. With some songwriters, you can clearly see the gap between their art and their craft—but with Veirs, they're one and the same. NL
w/Karl Blau; Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, 9 pm, $13-15

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6

CHILI/MUSIC—There are only two things true Americans love: hard-rockin' bands and delicious chili! It's the funnest event of the fall, the Portland Mercury's Chili Jamboree! Five fantastic kick-ass country bands (including Lucero) team up with our city's best chefs, who will be cooking up their best chili to see who takes home the coveted Chili Jam belt buckle! WSH
Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 2 pm-close, $20-30 (see portlandmercury.com for details)

READING—To coincide with the 10th anniversary of Elliott Smith's death, biographer William Todd Shultz just released Torment Saint: The Life of Elliott Smith, which draws from interviews with friends, family, and bandmates of one of the greatest musicians ever to come out of Portland. AH
Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, 7:30 pm, FREE

MONDAY, OCTOBER 7

MUSIC—Mark Lanegan just put out an album of cover songs that complement his soulful, weary voice. The former Screaming Trees frontman's Imitations has songs by Nancy and Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, and Nick Cave, among others, and he runs them through his grizzled grumblebox, which should make for an evening perfectly suited to whiskey drinking and hand-holding in the dark. CF
w/Sean Wheeler and Zander Schloss; Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, 8:30 pm, $20-25

DESIGN WEEK KICKOFF—The two-year-old Design Week Portland casts a wide net: From graphic designers to leather manufacturers, architects, and filmmakers, it's a celebration of the whole swirling cocktail that is local design. The event spans the week, but at tonight's launch party, all those disciplines will party under one roof. MS
The Plant, 939 SE Alder, 7 pm, $10 (includes two drink tickets)

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8

MUSIC—Each taking turns on drums and guitar, the married couple of Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent are Shovels and Rope, and their American music has twang, kick, heart, and soul. Don't worry about what's folk, country, rock 'n' roll, or blues—the Charleston, South Carolina duo give it to you all at the same time. NL
w/Denver; Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell, 8:30 pm, $15-17

LECTURE—It's been years since Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses sent him into hiding, courtesy of a fatwa. More recently, he's been on the gossip pages thanks to a very public divorce. Either way, the guy's had a bigger, better life than you. He's written a memoir about it all, Joseph Anton, and he's going to share it tonight. DCT
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, 7:30 pm, $125 & up (for a season subscription, you can try for single tickets the day of the show)