Thrice the Brinded Cat

A big riffing group from Vancouver, Japandroids make this sort of half garage rock, half At The Drive In post hardcore racket that is so triumphant, punching the air like some coked-up maniac is the only good response.

Basically two guys trying to sound like a five piece, these guys are the perfect band to go nuts to on a Friday night.

Excellent experimental soul and jazz label Wah Wah 45s blow the candles out on their 10th birthday cake tonight with a line up fit for a music loving king. DJ Format and Bonobo lay down some select cuts on the tables while beatboxer de jour Beardyman shows you just what he can do with his mouth. The Apples play live along with some damn fine DJs.

We love Plex because they book off-centre, subversive artists who do something different and don't tow any kind of line. They don't mold themselves to please a crowd, and - in this line up at least - much of the material will be absolutely rinsing. Tonight they celebrate 3 years of existence - by bringing Berlin's heavyweights out in force. It's 2

An amazing one-off spectatcular, experimental Brooklyn indie act Grizzly Bear are teaming up with the London Symphony Orchestra to present songs from their critically acclaimed album 'Veckatimest' as well as works and arrangements by much-touted Rhode Island-baded composer Nico Muhly. The penultimate event in the Barbican's 'Only Connect 09'

The truth is out. On Saturday 31st a herd of killer zombies are going to attack earth, killing everyone. Some are running screaming for the hills, others are counting their beer mat collections. The people who know are getting smashed while they can, celebrating their last night on Earth by being dirty, debauched and decadent (while the Queens of

mulletover return from their sunny adventures in Croatia, Ibiza and erm..Glade with another line-up to make you smile. Heading things up is Lee Burridge - the DJ who began his rise to fame at Fabric with Craig Richards. He's joined in the main room by Simon Baker (Infant Records), Cocoon's MEAT and of course the main man Geddes. Room two is

After a wild 9th birthday with Prosumer and Tama Sumo, Sud Electronic return: the underground party for people with a propensity for excellent beats. When the clock strikes midnight, they welcome you to the basement of The Camp for their Halloween extravaganza - their first for 5 years. Record shop and label Smallville - run by guests Lawrence

Fresh from winning three Metal Hammer awards, Swedish death metal band Amon Amarth are probably the prefect ambassdors fo a Scandinavian metal scene that loves to wear make-up and scream about winged death. Deeply rooted in the traditions of death metal and Viking mythology, they basically make songs about mysteroius warriors chopping peoples'

Bringing the personal to the political, This Much is True takes a deep look into the events surrounding the death of Jean Charles de Menezes. Never before heard testimony from Jean Charles friends and family as well as 'Justince4Jean' campaigners and senior police officers helps gather together a number of questions and takes a moment to consider

In the gathering darkness of Green Park, deep inside a warm yurt, a crowd of cunning listens, giggles in the gloom. Terror awaits you there this Halloween... Snuggled in the sheepskins, sipping hot bloody Maries, warming your claws by the stove, be regaled with ballads and requiems, stories from Angela Carter, Mick Jackson and many new talents

A night of brand new one act plays, based around the theme of love and ranging from comedy to melodrama.

Making ideal use of this cool fringe location, the action of each specifically commissioned play takes place in a hotel room.

Smart, edgy new theatre in this hip venue. How about coffee on the South Bank after?

Yorkshireman Tom Wrigglesworth spins a good yarn about a disaster on a Virgin Train in Open Letter To Richard Branson.

The show, nominated for this year's Edinburgh Comedy Award, is a beautifully crafted tale of Wrigglesworth's heroic mission for justice when spotting a pensioner in tears for being unfairly charged peak prices for a rail ticket.

Involving the world's nastiest jobsworth, his fellow passengers, a a brown paper bag from the on board canteen and a return letter from Richard Branson; this is a feel-good (and true) story of kindness triumphing over evil.

In honour of Guy Fawkes Day, Josie Long will be holding an 'unsung heroes' tribute night in Camden's Black Heart pub.

Dedicated to uncovering obscure facts, unknown gems and remembering unsung heroes; Josie and loads of her favourite funny newcomers will perform short lectures and sketches about their chosen subjects. This is an interactive event and Josie is just as keen for the audience to bring their own facts and tributes as well as the performers.

Cold Cave's particularly dark concoction of Joy Division-esque post-punk and New Order-style electronica is only trumped by the fact that the lead singer used to be in American Nightmare (or Give Up The Ghost if you prefer).

Yes, that brutal beat-down hardcore band you used to smash up your room to in sixth form.

Viz magazine is literally one of the greatest things to have been invented ever! With the always entertaining letters pages, Top Tips, spoof adverts and, of course, a whole range of brilliant characters - from the long-running Roger Mellie, the Fat Slags and Sid the Sexist to one-offs like the Vibrating Bum-Faced Goats - Viz is the undisputed king of puerility.

Founded by Chris Donald in 1979 and initially run out of his Newcastle bedroom, Viz peaked in the 1980s, selling over 1 million copies of each issue. Today it's still as wonderful as ever and it's great to see the Cartoon Museum celebrating this inimitable institution in style.

To round off their celebratory 'Roll of Honour' event, Classic Rock Magazine welcomes the legendary Ginger Baker to the stage of the Jazz Cafe. A true master of his art, Baker was one of the three members of Cream with Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton, and went on to play for Blind Faith and The Jeff Beck Group.

A brand new, never performed piece by Leo Tolstoy. Which is to say, he wrote the short story in 1889, and always hoped it would be adapted with live music, but never saw the dream realised. Here's hoping he's looking down on the Gate at this bold English language adaptation. With live music!

Why the music? Well, The Kreutzer Symphony is all about Beethoven. Specifically, it concerns a train passenger who admits to his fellow passengers that he's committed a vile crime while under the influence of the maestro's music.

If you doubted that people these days are really and truly fascinated by the concept of the ritual, then may we suggest you hang about in Hoxton tonight.

Standpoint Gallery, Hoxton Square and Bedroom Bar are all being taken over by a host of contemporary artists doing all sorts of performance and video-related jiggery-pokery. Hoxton won't know what has hit it!

This night of madness is followed by a thematicaly linked exhibition in Standpoint Gallery.

Hyponik's flagship night kicks off at the reinvigorated T Bar - a diversion from their usual house and techno policy which ventures into the realms of BASS.

Tonight spans the recent development of the sound - from garage, 2-step and first generation dubstep to future bass and grimey business.

Future step pioneer Reso joins dubstep founding father Hatcha and Dublime promoter Downshifter in shaking you to the floor.

The second exhibition at Charlie Smith London, the new gallery set up by the people behind the ever-brilliant art fair The Future Can Wait.

Featuring work by the increasingly impressive Gordon Cheung and the bafflingly entertaining performance artist Mark McGowan (you know, the dude who eats corgis and stuff) Future or Ruin looks at notions of destruction, power, war and politics.

Slow Dazzle is the elegant and apt title for contemporary artist Roger Kelly's first major solo show in London since 2002.

Moving away from the large-scale landscape paintings with which he made his name, Kelly presents works comprised of collaged and manipulated photographic images.

Perspective is all awry in these densely detailed images.

Tickets for 7th November veritably leapt off the shelves for the Swedish House Mafia gig in Brixton Academy, but luckily the trio have announced another date the night before.

Steve Angello, Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso touch down for the very first time in London's best big venue - the legendary Brixton Academy.

The Swedes are evidently one of the world's most in demand dance outfits - get your tickets now for Friday 6th.

Border Community team up with We Fear Silence for another Corsica Studios jam.

James Holden's label has become renowned for the quality of its releases and DJs - Nathan Fake calls it home - and tonight showcases a load of artists from the stable including Wesley Matsell and Luke Abbot.

Bridget Riley's second exhibition at Timothy Taylor Gallery features a selection of new paintings, wall-based works and gouaches.

Bridget Riley is the leading exponent of Op Art, a movement that exploits the fallibility of human vision to create illusions of colour, form and movement.

Her works from the 1950s and '60s, which are often painstakingly produced, manipulated graphic patterns to trick the mind and the eye. Sensations of dizziness, lurching movement, and even mild nausea may all be felt after prolonged viewing.

Far more delicate than your regular tearjerker, Heartbreak Soup is the story of Cuddy and the power of a child's imagination. Born a pale shade of blue with a congenital heart defect, he longs to be pink and energetic like the other children who play and run and jump without getting out of breath.
 
Brilliant performances with a weighty and poignant script, this show was a hit at the Edinburgh Festival last year and is back in London for what promises to be an emotional weekend.

What would you rather do - read Paradise Lost or listen to Milton Jones reel off hilarious gag after hilarious gag? Well in our case, it's the latter. Of all the esteemed Miltons past and present, Milton Jones is our favourite.

He is a master of the one-liner; be it silly, clever or punny. He also loves daft costumes and bizarre props. Thinking about it, Jones actually has rather a lot in common with John Milton. If you haven't seen him already, check him out - he is one of the few comedians that can make an hour of short gags fly by.

Rabid is London's winter techno festival: a 12 hour, 5 room hoe-down organised by five of London's best underground promoters; Lost Souls, Ketoloco, Trailer Trash and DJ Mag.

Flexing their influential promoting muscles they've secured a ball-busting line up featuring all manner of top international DJ talent. Umek, Matthias Tanzmann, Paul Ritch, Andre Kraml and Silversurfer join London stalwarts Hannah Holland, Mikki Most, FB Julian and plenty more at the cavernous SeOne in London bridge.

An afterparty for the smashing Rabid Festival - where five underground promoters throw down their best beats at a secret warehouse location.

Tonight the Lost Souls residents smash out their heads down brand of early morning techno with Birmingham's first lady of beats Rebekah. Her skills are exemplary.

Leading lights in the new wave of the British heavy metal movement of the early '80s, Barnsley-formed rockers Saxon tasted success in their early years, notching up four top 20 singles and albums and touring far and wide with the likes of Mötorhead and Iron Maiden.

Taking a trip down memory lane tonight at Koko, support comes from Anvil, another bunch of old school metallers who have finally made it after 30 years to trying.