THURSDAY, October 2

MUSIC--Time to bust out the peroxide and eyeliner, 'cause The Briefs are back. The skinny men with skinny ties and wide appeal will be delivering pogo a go go for all ages tonight. "Grownups": don't linger too long at My Father's Place or you'll miss Portland's own explosive time machine, The Minds, and that'd be a crime. LC
w/The Shocks; Meow Meow, 527 SE Pine, 230-2111, 9 pm, $7, all ages

GRAPHIC NOVEL GET-DOWN--Some of Portland's finest graphic novelists crawl out from behind their art desks to rally around the release of the second and final book in Ezra Claytan Daniels' haunting evolution-themed series The Changers. Nathan Beaty, David Hahn, and tons more'll be signing their books, plus food, drink, and a magician! Who knew these obsessive doodlers could have so much fun? JWS
Backspace Gallery, 115 NW 5th, 248-2900, 4 pm-midnight, FREE

FRIDAY, October 3

MUSIC--Denton, Texas is a hellhole, so it's only fitting that slag-slingin' devils The Riverboat Gamblers hail from there, and while they're at it, hail Satan as well. And The Catheters? Well, you'd be coughing up blood and hemorrhaging out the eyes if you could sing like that. LC
w/Lopez, The Electric Eye; Ash Street Saloon 225 SW Ash, 226-0430, 9 pm, $7

NWEAMO--Anther acronymic event for nerds! The NW Electro-Acoustic Music Festival includes over ten international electronic artists, a wireless Internet-driven interactive sound war, and a midi-controlling dance suit! So bring your laptop and geek out, battle cats! MS
Disjecta, 116 NE Russell, 335-6979, Friday & Saturday, 8 pm, $7-10/night or $12-17/entire weekend

SATURDAY, October 4

HIP TO THE HOP--Old Skool silky: that about sums it up for the two-man crew of Dres and Mister Lawnge known as Black Sheep. And though they've never quite matched 1991's A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing for pure entertainment, they still put on one of the smoothest, most approachable live hiphop shows around. JWS
w/Cleveland Steamers, DJ Aero, Madgesdiq, Libretto, DJ Sneakers; Berbati's, 231 SW Ankeny, 248-4579, 9 pm, $10

EXTREEEEEEME!--Action sport punks rejoice! Here's a prime opportunity to see all yer heroes in one spot. It's Tony Hawk's Boom Boom Huckjam Tour, featuring high-flyin' skateboard faves such as Bucky Lasek, Bob Burnquist (and Tony Hawk). Then there's vert BMX action starring Matt Hoffman, Dennis McCoy and others, and why not throw in some Moto X riders such as Carey Hart and Clifford "The Flyin' Hawaiian" Adoptante. All this PLUS music and the appropriately named "Loop of Death" (as seen on Jackass). WSH
Rose Garden, 797-9619, pre-show 6:30 pm, starts at 7 pm, $25-75

SUNDAY, October 5

MUSIC--If you're tired of these whiny little mealy-mouth punks who are like, "Oh, I got dumped, waaahh!" Then get up for the shakedown with Strike Anywhere--a fantastic hardcore punk band who actually writes songs about things that matter. JS
w/Bouncing Souls, Tsunami Bomb; Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, 225-0047, 7 pm, $12

KICKASS SOCCER--Who will be in the Women's World Cup semifinals? Will it be Team USA and my girlfriend, Mia Hamm; will it be the heavily favored, seemingly indestructible German team? Or will the wily Chinese team finally exact its revenge for their bitter defeat four years ago? Find out tonight. PB
PGE Park, 1844 SW Morrison, Game 1 at 4:30 pm, Game 2 will follow, 224-4400, $20-65

MONDAY, October 6

DARKNESS--Revel in the soupy, pitch black of Turbonegro, the kings of Scandinavian death punk. They've organized the leathery swarms of cockroaches/devotees into "Turbojugend Chapters," which is creepy for one nanosecond. But tonight, you must join them, or death shall come! MS
w/Poison Idea, Amulet; Aladdin, 3017 SE Milwaukie, 233-1994, 8 pm, $13-$15

TUESDAY, October 7

MUSIC--Freestyling like a champ and chomping at the bit to break loose, Def Jukie C-Rayz Walz is notorious for his monster, bust-through-the-roof, energy-overload live shows. Give it up, y'all. JS
w/Cool Nutz, Libretto; Aladdin, 3017 SE Milwaukie, 233-1994, 9 pm, $16-18

WEDNESDAY, October 8

POLITICAL COMMENTARY--Former Texan politician Jim Hightower is a self-described "kick-ass populist." A whirlwind of irreverence, smarts, and wit, Hightower puts the "haw" back in YE-HAW! The author of Thieves in High Places, speaks tonight for a Portland Alliance fundraiser. PB
PSU Ballroom (Smith Memorial Union), 1825 SW Broadway, 239-4991, 7 pm, $10-20

DJS--You've got the choice between two slamming DJs to wiggle to tonight. DJ Vadim challenges oppression while spinning abstract hiphop; DJ Quest tears up the turntables on Bomb Hiphop's Return of the DJ Tour, with DJ T-Rock, Shortfuse, Dave Paul, and a bunch more. KS
Vadim at Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, 9 pm, $8, Quest at Berbati's, 231 SW Ankeny, 248-4579, 9 pm, $10-12