Whassup: Halloween Prep Edition

Junot Diaz reads at BookCourt (via npr.org).

It's mid-October, folks, so you should all be purchasing the necessaries for your replacement ref costumes and/or figuring out which slutty thing you would like to be for one night. Amidst all the scary-mask browsing and candy stockpiling, though, there is still fun that must be had. Welcome to Whassup: Halloween Prep Edition.

* Thursday, Oct. 18-Saturday, Oct. 20: CMJ Shows; Brooklyn Bowl, Knitting Factory, etc.: CMJ is upon us, which means the opportunities to hear short sets by weird bands with bad audio are nearly endless. Brokelyn has a handy round-up of free CMJ shows, because what -- are you gonna pay for that stuff? Various times, FREE.

* Saturday, Oct. 20: Shucktoberfest, Bierkraft: To welcome the fall, the chiery folks down at Bierkraft will be shucking fresh, local oysters for you, paired with beer-snob pleasing casks. Plus, as always, you can hear the disturbing shouts from sports fans at 200 Fifth across the street. 12pm-11pm. 

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Whassup: Fall Ain't Half Shitty Edition

via chicagotribune.com

It seems like just yesterday I was bitching about the summer heat. And, yet, could this be fall already? Honestly, it's my favorite season to bitch slightly less about. Won't you complain a little less obnoxiously about the weather with me? Welcome to Whassup: Fall Ain't Half Shitty Edition: 

* Thursday, Oct. 11: Teacher Night, Community Bookstore: Teachers are awesome. Thanks to them, we learn so much: mostly, never to be a teacher because of how grossly underpaid they are. Life lessons! Anyway, to help ameliorate (probably learned that word from a teacher!) Slope-area educators' financial issues, Community Bookstore is offering 30% off on any book in the store to the chalk-besmeared masses. Then, like I know you do, you teachers can go and get hammered. 7pm.

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FiPS Presents "Rocktober": A Round-Up Of Musical Acts To Catch in BK This Month

via guitober.com

Say it with me folks..."Rocktober!" It's the most fun month because of A) candy, B) slutty cat/nurse/devil/anything costumes, and C) "Rocktober" is the only good phrase radio DJs ever invented. This Rocktober, FiPS would like to ensure that you rock(tober) out sufficiently, so we've provided a massive list of tons of shows that will rock all over so many Brooklyn faces this month. The most loved/hated venue, The Barclays Center, gives us the large arena shows, while the smaller, neighborhood spots still remain un-engulfed. Therefore we're treated to an amazing range of musical possibilities here in the Slope. This also happens to be CMJ month, so make this the most musical 31 days of your Park Slope existence -- check out the options by venue and 'hood. 

** PARK SLOPE/GOWANUS **

BELL HOUSE:

 * Friday, Oct. 5: Los Straitjackets, Bell House: The Lucha Libre-bemasked instrumental rockers  keep things pretty energetic and interesting for being lyricless. Songs come packed with surf-rock licks and other quotes from rock's teenage years, propulsive drums, and weird mugging from behind those weird masks. 8pm, $15.

* Saturday, Oct. 13: Dig Deeper w/Green Berets, Bell House: The Dig Deeper series scours record stacks for old-school crooners and showmen/women, flies them to Park Slope, and sets them loose to pleasures your ears. This time out, Chicago soul group the Green Berets, limited in their heyday due to the Vietnam draft, play only their second NYC show ever. It's a rare-vinyl lover's wet dream. 9pm, $20.

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Whassup: Death of a Bird Edition

via funnyjunk.com

As I write this, Mitt Romney appears to be defeating both President Obama and Big Bird (or so a cursory glance at Twitter would have me believe). Well, then. Should this post hit the Internets tomorrow amidst a new, Romney-led world, please tell my economic future I loved it. While we mourn together, let's soothe the pain with alcohol and music (and etc.) Welcome to Whassup: Death of a Bird Edition: 

* Thursday, Oct. 4: Barack Party, Frank's: Hey, why not? You wanna soothe the sting of all the #mittzings? Call a swing state, and tell them how plutocrats make for bad public policy. Or, whatever your pitch is. At least, that way, you can say you tried on election night. 5:30pm-9pm, FREE.

* Thursday, Oct. 4-Sunday, Oct. 7: Americana Pie, Littlefield: It's a whole big festival of bluegrass, country, and folk -- more evidence that all we Brooklyn transplants miss home. Starting times vary between 7:30 and 8:30, $10 per night. 

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Jimmy Kimmel Live is Coming to BAM!

Jimmy Kimmel Live, also known as "Our Favorite Place to Watch Celebrities Read Mean Tweets About Themselves," is coming to BAM this fall for a 5-day engagement! Here are the deets, via Iota:

"JKL is broadcasting from the Brooklyn Academy of Music October 29th – November 2nd.  If you want tickets, you must fill out a ticket request on this website AND send Guillermo a personal email telling him WHY you should be a part of our studio audience in Brooklyn, NY.  Email Guillermo at: TickleMeGuillermo@yahoo.com  Please include your name contact info in the email.  Be creative, specific and enthusiastic.  Only real fans need apply."

Better get a head start on those Jimmy Kimmel love letters, ppl!