THURSDAY, July 25

BROTHEL--Haven't you ever wondered what really goes on in those brothels in Nevada? This lady Alexa Albert wondered that as well, so she hung out there for six years, and then wrote a book about it. See her read. KD
Powell's on Hawthorne, 3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd, 7:30, free

DJs--Are you potty-trained? Are you sure? Good; then sharpen up those pencils for the ancient hiphop history lesson being conducted by the Fantastic Four, which covers old school and pre-school! If you're incontinent, well, consider laminating your PeeChee folder. MS
Madame Butterfly, 425 SW Stark, 525-0033, 9:30 pm, free

MUSIC--The Building Press is releasing their new CD, so what better time to get acquainted with their music? Doomy, complicated, and precise instrumentals build into rock explosions that no music fan could dislike. If you have taste, or would like to pretend that you have taste, see this show. KS
w/Dutch Flat, Science of Yabra; Berbati's Pan, 231 SW Ankeny, 248-4579, 9 pm, $5

FRIDAY, July 26

MUSIC--Aereogramme sound like a battle between wicked cyborgs and the lily-spirited hero they've enslaved. You'll feel like a kitten at a tennis match as they grapple between grating metal and luminous appeal. Don't skip the openers, Seldom, whose hapless pop sounds disguise untold depth. MS
Blackbird, 3728 NE Sandy, 282-9949, 9 pm, $7

MOVIE--While Nicholas Cage's career may currently be in the crapper, don't miss his earlier performance in the cult classic, Red Rock West. Part of the late-night Summer Movie Megathon, RRW is a funny, noirish thriller in which a drifter (Cage) gets mistaken for a hit man--that is until the real hit man (Dennis Hopper) shows up! Tons of fun, and yes, tons of beer. WSH
Guild Theater, 829 SW 9th, 221-1156, bar opens at 10:30, show at 11, $5

SATURDAY, July 27

MUSIC--If you're looking for chaos, look for The Spits. At the recent Dirtnap records showcase in Seattle, they stole the show with their super-catchy, Banana Splits-on-PCP new wave/punk and stage antics, featuring a fluid-spurting head brandished by the drummer, and an enormous bunny-man that jumped into the crowd with firecrackers strapped to his crotch. HH w/The Briefs, Antiworld, and Low Rollers; Meow Meow, 527 SE Pine, 230-2111, 9 pm, $7

DOGS AND MOVIES--If you're like me, you like dogs more than most people. Here is an opportunity to meet a bunch of other, weirdo dog people: Canines (well-behaved, of course) are invited to attend movies with their owners this week. You and your dog can watch these special dog movies together. Sounds weird, but it just might work. KD
Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton, 238-8899, 2 pm, $3

SUNDAY, July 28

COMICS--Brilliantly understated, patiently paced, and drawn with the skill of a man who knows the world, Adrian Tomine is only one of the best comic artists/authors in the frigging universe. He's promoting Summer Blonde, a collection of his Optic Nerve comics, which are awesome. JS
Reading Frenzy, 921 SW Oak, 274-1449, 4 pm, free

NOIZ PUNCKZ--Everybody compares Hair Police to early Pussy Galore. Normally, I would shy away from such frothing, hyperbolic, yellow journalism--but these four Kentucky boys make such a scary, bloody mess of unhinged, sexy-and-spazzy punk trash, you'll wanna flush your Ritalin down the sink and throw your peed-in panties at the stage! JS w/Neon Hunk, Mammal; Blackbird, 3728 NE Sandy, 282-9949, 9:30 pm, $5

MONDAY, July 29

ROCK--Drunken troubadour Drew Isleib has made the rounds from Jersey to Boston to Denver and now back to Jersey, all the while sharpening his teeth as a top-notch singer-songwriter. Tonight, Isleib takes a night off his current "couch tour," where he hijacks someone's sofa for a night of depressingly intimate tunes and performs adjacent to a well-stocked bar. For this evening, drinking is not just suggested, it's mandatory. CM
w/Pseudo Six, Earlimart, Radar Brothers; Blackbird, 3728 NE Sandy, 282-9949, 9 pm, free

TUESDAY, July 30

MUSIC--Nate Denver is one of the brilliant members of the best hardcore band in the world, Total Shutdown. So what's Nate Denver's Neck, you may ask? Well, it's the part of his body between his head and his chest. It's also the name of his solo project, which is, unlike Total Shutdown, quirky, emotive, and totally heartwarming. KD
Disjecta, 116 NE Russell, 8 pm, $5

WEDNESDAY, July 31

SMOOTH OPERATOR--While she might not have gone from "Coast to coast/LA to Chicago," Tara Jane O'Neil, aka indie rock's Sade, is rumored to have crossed the map from Lousiville to Portland. Purportedly residing here in Stumptown, O'Neil is a real "smooth operator," with her elegant voice and gentle stage presence. I would write more, but I'm all out of Sade references. CM w/Town and Country, Mines; Blackbird, 3728 NE Sandy, 282-9949, 9 pm, $7