Thursday, Oct. 1
MPTV Community Cinema: The 1930s’ Civilian Conservation Corps @ Discovery World, 6 p.m.
TheCivilian Conservation Corps, one of the boldest and most effective ofall the New Deal programs, put men to work throughout the toughesttimes of the Great Depression, utilizing their labor to safeguard andenhance our national parks and other natural resources. Screeningtonight at Discovery World as part of Milwaukee Public Television’sCommunity Cinema series, this documentary chronicles the successes ofthe program and its contributions to modern environmentalism.
Friday, Oct. 2
Stephen Lynch @ The Pabst Theater, 8 p.m.
The 2009 WMSE Food Slam @ The Eisner Museum of Advertising & Design, 6 p.m.
Featuringfood and drink from 25 local restaurants, 91.7 WMSE’s annual Food Slamreturns to the Eisner Museum this year, giving local foodies theopportunity to sample the creations of some of the city’s finestestablishments, including Beans & Barley, Twisted Fork and NanakusaJapanese Restaurant. The food may be the main attraction, but the nightalso includes a silent auction, music provided by WMSE radio jocks TomWanderer and Shopkeeper Ken and, of course, the Eisner Museum itself.All proceeds benefit the college radio station.
The Itals w/ Eric Blowtorch and the Welders @ The Miramar Theatre, 9 p.m.
Thoughthey were eclipsed by more commercially successful reggae vocal trios,The Itals released some of the finest roots music of the late ’70s andearly ’80s, wowing listeners with a run of passionate singles (mostnotably “In a Dis Ya Time”) that led up to their 1981 debutfull-length, Brutal Out Deh. Lineup changes and the emergence ofdancehall had sidelined the group by the ’90s, but they continue totour behind new material like this year’s Let Dem Talk. That album isas close to a full reunion as The Itals have seen in a long time, withleader Keith Porter joined by original Ital Ronnie Davis and familiarface David Isaacs, who first joined The Itals in 1987.
The Second City Touring Company @ Turner Hall Ballroom, 8 p.m.
TheTurner Hall Ballroom tonight welcomes current members of Chicago’sstoried Second City improv/comedy troupe, an institution that claimsalums like Bill Murray, Chris Farley, Steve Carell, Amy Sedaris, TinaFey and Stephen Colbert. Of course, those comedians only became famousyears after graduating from The Second City, and the troupe’s currentplayers don’t pack much in the way of star power. But The Second Cityhas a long history of grooming future “Saturday Night Live” castmembers and character actors, so don’t be too surprised if years lateryou spot some of the cast you saw tonight on TV.
Saturday, Oct. 3
David Cross @ The Riverside Theater, 8 p.m.
Stand-upcomedian David Cross is probably best known for his participation intwo beloved cult television shows, as the co-host of HBO’s sketchcomedy program “Mr. Show” and as the hopelessly deluded Tobias Funke onFox’s criminally canceled “Arrested Development.” But Cross hasbranched out in recent years, guesting on like-minded shows like “Timand Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” and “Aqua Teen Hunger Force,”unapologetically taking roles in ultra-commercial feature films likeAlvin & The Chipmunks and, most recently, writing a book ofhumorous essays, I Drink for a Reason. Cross’ stand-up material smartlyjuxtaposes ruminations on politics and pop culture with blue routinesabout feces and phalluses.
Jim Jefferies @ Turner Hall Ballroom, 9 p.m.
Angryand brash, but with a genuine sense of humility, Australian stand-upJim Jefferies made a name for himself in England, and now seems poisedto invade the states. On the heels of a one-hour comedy special forHBO, Jefferies has embarked on an American tour, currently sweepingthrough the Midwest, in a further bid to get his name out there. ExpectJefferies to lend his distinctive, cynical voice to well-worn topicslike sex and religion at tonight’s Turner Hall Ballroom show.
Saturday, Oct. 3
The Saltshakers w/ The Nice Outfit and Elusive Parallelograms @ BBC, 10 p.m.
Takingcues from ’60s garage-rock bands like The Kinks and The Stooges as wellas ’70s punk bands with an ear for bubblegum hooks, like The Ramonesand The Buzzcocks, Milwaukee’s Saltshakers play power-pop at its mostsimple and direct. Tonight the group celebrates the release of itslatest album, Lights Out, which borrows not only from the aestheticsof ’60s garage rock, but also the subject matter. Most every song isabout love and young relationships in flux. Admission to tonight’s showincludes a copy of the album.
Cheap Rick @ Liquor Sweets, 10 p.m.
Duringthe early ’70s, years before they were signed to a label, Cheap Trickplayed Milwaukee so often that they were considered a local band.Little wonder that Milwaukeearea tribute acts have found their ownaudiences. The newest, Cheap Rick, features a pair of veteran areamusicians, guitarist Michael Brandenburg (Beatallica) and drummer RobMcCuen (Plasticland), plus vocalist Chris Allen and bassist JasonHagberg. The band rummages through 30 years of Cheap Trick material inthe course of a night.
Sunday, Oct. 4
Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions @ The Pabst Theater, 8 p.m.
Ina recent interview, Hope Sandoval let it drop that her long-dormant’90s band Mazzy Star hasn’t actually broken up, and is slowly workingon new material. It was a bit like learning Jeff Mangum is putting thefinishing touches on a new Neutral Milk Hotel album. Given Sandoval’snotorious inertia, fans shouldn’t expect anything new from Mazzy Starsoon; it took the singer eight years just to release a follow-up to herfirst solo album. Her new record with My Bloody Valentine vet ColmO’Ciosoig, Through the Devil Softly, picks up nicely where Mazzy Starleft off, with a set of druggy, dreamlike tunes that hide and conservetheir melodies like they’re precious commodities not to be doled outfrivolously.
UFO w/ Tom Fuller Band @ Shank Hall, 8 p.m.
Thegroup’s best-known memberguitarist Michael Schenker, also ofScorpionsmay no longer be on board, but the seminal British hard-rockinstitution UFO, a band often cited as one of the forefathers of heavymetal, has carried on, touring, re-releasing their classic albums, andrecording some new ones that have energized old fans. This year theycelebrated their 40th year with a new album, their 20th, The Visitor,which eschews heavy-metal riffing in favor of scorching, bluesy hardrock.
Monday, Oct. 5 
Colbie Caillat w/ Howie Day and Trevor Hall @ Pabst Theater, 7 p.m.
Thedaughter of Fleetwood Mac producer Ken Caillat, clean-scrubbed adultalternative it-girl Colbie Caillat offers a fluffy alternative for“Grey’s Anatomy” viewers who find Norah Jones too heavy and Jason Mraztoo dark. Caillat’slatest serving of Splenda-sweetened, decaf coffeehouse pop is thisyear’s Breakthrough, which she brewed with an army of producers andsongwriters, including “American Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi. Caillatshares tonight’s bill with sensitive songwriter types Howie Day andTrevor Hall.
Wednesday, Oct. 7
Michael Bowen @ Boswell Book Co., 7 p.m.
SayingMichael Bowen is a local mystery writer doesn’t quite do justice tojust how local his books are. His latest novel, Service Dress Blues, isnot only set in Milwaukee, but also includes many of the city’slandmarks in pivotal scenes, from Juneau Park to the Safe House and, inthe gripping climax, Miller Park. Tonight Bowen, who is also a partnerat Foley & Lardner, celebrates the release of the book with anappearance at Boswell Book Co., bringing with him a pair of localactors to do the reading for him: John Kishline and Deb Clifton.
Realicide w/ xALLxFORxTHISx and Stagediver @ The Borg Ward Collective, 7 p.m.
Touringin support of Resisting the Viral Self, their first complete studioalbum after a plethora of live bootlegs and scattered other recordings,the Cincinnati ensemble Realicide re-envisions hardcore for the 21stcentury, pairing it with caustic, industrial electroclash. Relyingprimarily on a Korg ES1 filled with pre-programmed digital hardcorebeats, screeching vocalists Robert Inhuman and Jim Swill outline theiraggressive punk ideals and sociopolitical agendas over a blend ofhardcore gabber and digital explosions.
