THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21

MUSIC--The Sun City Girls have been consistently crafting experimental punk and improv since I was a fetus, have more releases than I have years, and could clearly teach us all a thing or two. Toss in another welcomed once-through with Six Organs of Admittance, and you've got yourself what we affectionately like to call a "no-brainer." ZP
Ash Street, 225 SW Ash, 226-0430, 8:30 pm, $12

SEMI-SECRET MUSIC--Sleater-Kinney announce club shows! Sleater-Kinney announce club shows! The "greatest rock band in America" are working on a fancy new record (their first, reportedly, for a fancy new label), and they want to test drive some new material--which means YOU get a shot to see them in considerably more intimate digs. Tonight it's Doug Fir for the 21+, and all ages tomorrow at Nocturnal. ZP
Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside, 9 pm, $10

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22

POH-HOP 9--Today marks the proper kick-off of the ninth-annual Portland Hiphop summit, POH-Hop. This year's festival, dubbed "Politics as Usual," has expanded its scope to include two days worth of free informational panels--beginning with today's installments, "Completing a Quality Project From Beginning to End," and "Live Hip-Hop Performance Booking." Oh, and then there's the music: tonight at Ash St, tomorrow at Berbati's. ZP
Free panels on Fri-Sat, 5-8 pm, Blazer Boys & Girls Club, 5250 NE MLK Blvd; performance at Ash Street, 8 pm, $10; tomorrow at Berbati's, more info at www.pohhop.com

SYMPHONY--The neo-classical music ensemble Third Angle presents Animated Rhythm, a postmodern maelstrom of rare animations from Looney Tunes' Carl Stalling and Portland animator Phil Guzzo, all accompanied by epic instrumental scores. They'll also transform the theme song from The Simpsons into a fantastic tapestry of popular symphonic quotations. EJ
Whitsell Auditorium, 1219 SW Park, 221-1156, Fri-Sat 7:30 pm, $15-20

LIVING DEAD--Everyone loves zombies these days, even theater companies. To reach out to a slightly older demographic, Northwest Children's Theater presents its first late-night show: a staged adaptation of George Romero's seminal gore-fest Night of the Living Dead. JWS
NW Cultural Center, 1819 NW Everett, 222-4880, Fri-Sat, 10 pm, $12-15

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23

MUSIC--If you missed the sweet-voiced, delicately arranged pop music of The Blow during the TBA festival, here's another chance, and you don't even need a pass this time. Celebrate the release of this one-woman dynamo's new EP, Poor Aim: Love Songs with some of States Rights Recs' favorite kids. MS
Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, 9:30 pm, $5

HALLOWEEN--Γ‰is right around the proverbial corner. Get ready for it with the premiere of Haunters, a documentary about creepy haunted houses and the even creepier people who make them. Plus, local favorites Point Line Plane did the soundtrack, and they'll be playing the after-party! The best part: like delicious trick or treat candy from questionable strangers, it's all free! EH
Hollywood Theater, 4122 NE Sandy, 7:30 pm, after-party directions available at screening, FREE

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24

HORROR/SEX--Halloween and karaoke have two very important things in common: they're both extremely sexy, and they're both extremely scary. That's why Stark Raving Theatre is bringing them together at last for their fundraiser Horror on Hawthorne, a debaucherous evening of costumed karaoke competitions, people auctions, kissing booths, and booze. Get your freak on. JWS
Sabala's Mt. Tabor, 4811 SE Hawthorne, 232-7072, 7 pm - late, $12-15

HAUNTED CABARET--Gear up for spook season with the Cherry Tarts and their vaudeville performance of seductive, creepy undead choreographed dance. That's right, choreographed. Not your usual half-assed PDX "cabaret" scene. Think big. Think theatrics, costumes, masks, and dentists wielding hacksaws. MS
Bossanova, 722 E Burnside, 9 pm, $7

MONDAY, OCTOBER 25

COMEDY--All month the severely titled Portland Comedy Challenge Amateur Stand Up Comedy Competition has been raging, culminating tonight in the final rounds. Catch some of Portland's best comics as they sling jokes, battle hecklers, and fight to the bloody end for the grand prize of $500. JWS
Boiler Room, 228 NW Davis, 9 pm

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26

RAT IN A CAGE--Sure, you might not be going for the reason he wants you to, but come on--can you honestly resist a poetry reading by former rock deity/current Blinking With Fists author Billy Corgan? The answer: No. No you cannot. Hell, he probably won't even take offense if you bring along your old copy of Pisces Iscariot. But please, for safety's sake, just don't ask him to sign any Zwan records. ZP
Powell's Books, 3723 Hawthorne Blvd, 7:30 pm, free

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27

MUSIC--Don't be fooled by the cheesy name. Holly Golightly plays sultry, bluesy soul-filled guitar music that is the stuff Tarantino movie soundtracks are made of. Her vocals, slowly sung and unpolished, make the perfectly dirty sound of her music all that much dirtier. Like good dirty. KS
w/Mr. Airplane Man, The Jolenes; Berbati's, 10 SW 3rd, 9:30 pm, $10