THURSDAY 10/30

 

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QUINTRON AND MISS PUSSYCAT

9 p.m., Low Key Arts Building,

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Hot Springs. $10.

 

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Since Quintron and Miss Pussycat’s appearance in Hot Springs last year, the duo’s released a new album, “Too Thirsty for Love,” which features on its cover lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Quintron in vampire teeth, posed next to an elderly African-American woman in a church hat and cradling quite possibly the world’s largest boa constrictor. Also, a straight-to-DVD movie by the director of “Heathers,” set in New Orleans and starring Zooey Deschanel as “Miss Pussy Katz,” almost certainly appropriated a fair amount of the duo’s life story. Oh yeah, Kanye plugged Quintron’s “drum buddy,” an oscillating synthesizer that kicks out analog drum sounds when triggered by light, on his blog. The lore grows, but the sound remains the same, which is to say, different: Quintron specializes in lounge-act-style organ grinding, big 808 beats and hollering, while his wife, Miss Pussycat, offers backing vocals and elaborate sock puppet shows, choreographed to the music. You can get a taste of Pussycat’s puppets on “Trixie and the Treetrunks,” on Vice Magazine’s web TV station. Brooklyn’s Golden Triangle opens. The show is open to all ages. LM.

 

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READY THE JET

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9:30 p.m., Sticky Fingerz.

 

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With cited influences such as “beer, wine, nicotine, grass, bran muffins,” as well as a host of noteworthy bands, the Los Angeles trio Ready the Jet comes to town for the third gig of its four-show “Atmospheric Drag Low-Orbit Mini-Tour 2008.” Little Rock likely made the tour on account of bassist Jeremy Levy, son of Little Rock rabbi Eugene Levy. “New Record Highs,” the band’s most recent release, is loaded with fine vocal arrangements, strong melodies and a loading dose of rhythm section. Songs such as “Liquorama” invoke a fine blended homage to the Ramones and Cheap Trick. Another notable track, “Normandie,” brings a softer dynamic with heartfelt sentiment, but rocks just the same. Music review publication The Big Takeover says, “If anything, RTJ will make you a little wistful for the time when Hüsker Dü and Dino Jr. ruled college airwaves.” With local power trio Kyoto Boom opening, this bill should fit Sticky’s clientele like a well-tailored suit. PP.

 

 

FRIDAY 10/31

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ACAC HALLOWEEN COVER-UP

8 p.m., Vino’s. $6-$7.

 

It’s an annual tradition stretching back the last five years: A diverse slate of local acts tries to not just cover but fully impersonate iconic acts. This year, the featured locals seem particularly well-suited to the groups they’re representing. Das Gift, an experimental three-piece that self-identifies with obscure genres like dark wave (a gloomier version of new wave) and steam punk (a fantasy movement that infuses elements of science fiction into the steam-powered 19th century), takes on Pink Floyd. Organizer Andy Burns reports that Das Gift has hired a string quartet, booked laser lights and plans to bring in a children’s choir, presumably for “Another Brick in the Wall.” If that’s not reason enough to go, perennial participant in the cover-up, Juggernaut Glitch, comes as the Roots; an ad hoc band, made up of members of That Thing That Always Explodes, the Chicklettes and Cinemahurt appear as Bikini Kill; and after regularly drawing comparison to the Clash, the Moving Front lends their aggro bite to the seminal punks’ catalog. The costumed get a dollar off of admission. LM.

 

 

HALLOWEEN WITH THE LIBRAS

10 p.m., White Water Tavern. $5.

 

Last year, our favorite local cover band did a “guilty pleasures” night and played songs by the likes of Foreigner, Backstreet Boys and Phil Collins. In what’s becoming an annual affair, the all-male band — made up of members of the Big Silver, the Boondogs, the Easys, the Greg Spradlin Outfit, Jim Mize and the Germans, Western Meds and more — offers up “ladies night.” Originally that meant the fellas would come in drag, but after some deliberation, they’ve pulled back to simply performing their favorite songs by ladies. Boondogs vocalist Indy Grotto will be on hand to help out along with several other as-yet-unconfirmed local female vocalists. Libras spokesman Jason Weinheimer promises songs from the Bangles, the Pretenders, Linda Ronstadt, ABBA and Fleetwood Mac. He also acknowledges that just about any lady who can sing and knows lyrics will have her chance in the spotlight (or smoky bar lights). LM.

 

 

HALLOWEEN AT DISCOVERY

10 p.m., Discovery. $10.

 

“Anything, within reason, goes at Discovery for Halloween,” reads an online promo for the late nightclub’s forthcoming get-down. Last year, that meant, at least in terms of costumes, elaborate body painting and lots and lots of cleavage. The doors open at 10 p.m., but things, as usual, probably won’t really kick into gear until midnight. Regulars Balance and Michael Shane DJ in the club, while Disco’s lone female DJ, Kecia, spins in the lobby. After the night’s first drag show, sometime after midnight, the costume contest gets underway, with $50 prizes for best overall, best drag, best male, best female and best couple up for grabs. The party rolls on until 5 a.m. LM.

 

 

TOTALLY MICHAEL

1 a.m., Lazer Puzzy. $5.

 

Totally Michael is a one-man band out of Bloomington, but originally from Cabot, who specializes in syrupy sweet dance-anthems about cheerleaders and prom and Winona Ryder. He counts Blink 182 (unironically, it would seem) and Soophie Nun Squad as major influences. His concerts, many of which have been here in house venues that only young folk know how to get to, are all about crowd participation, costumes, wearing short shorts, reverting to childhood and other similarly Soophie-ish wild-out behavior. Two weeks after I Heart Comix released his self-titled debut, Michael says, via MySpace, that this concert serves as his official release party. But, as you’ll note by the start time, it’s really more of a post-party, where li’l ghouls and goblins will likely be dancing until the sun comes up. Three DJs, Sassy Goose, F.A.C.T.S and ICK, help keep it going. LM.

 

 

SATURDAY 11/1

 

THE MOVING FRONT/THE GOOD FEAR/GRAND SERENADE

9 p.m., White Water Tavern. $5.

 

Because it’s a lot of work for a full band to learn a dozen or so of another band’s songs, the Moving Front continues its reign as the Clash on Saturday. The Good Fear, too, come to White Water on the second night of a mini-tour as the egalitarian Six Tom Petties and the Heartbreaker (on Friday, they play Froggy’s in Fayetteville with the Memphis Pencils as the Kinks and Use Curtis as the Beatles). There is no Heartbreaker; the six dudes in the Good Fear plan to each don blonde wigs and represent six different sides of Tom Petty. Their set list, according to lead singer Zach Holland, will stretch across much of Petty’s “Greatest Hits” — “American Girl,” “Breakdown,” “Running Down A Dream,” “Change of Heart.” Rounding out the bill, local pop-rockers Grand Serenade try on a little angst as Nirvana. The costumed get a discount at the door. LM.

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