Fri. Oct. 16 -- KMFDM bring their Teutonic electronic dance machine; you, bring your earplugs. Read my review of their latest album here. With Angelspit, Legion Within and DJ Xian. At Club Nokia, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., downtown 90015; 7pm; $24; www.ticketmaster.com.
Fri. Oct. 16 -- Minutemen grandpa Mike Watt and His Secondmen, featuring Pete Mazich and Jerry Trebotic, jam funky, rocky and econo. At the Redwood Bar & Grill, 316 W. Second St., downtown; (310) 245-0273; 10pm; cheap; www.theredwoodbar.com.
Fri. Oct. 16 -- I wish metal pussies All That Remains would put out an all-instrumental album. “I’ve been burned so bad, but I still play with fire,” sings Cristina Scabbia of Italy’s Lacuna Coil, one of the more credible metal-pop agglomerations, on their very catchy new song “I Won’t Tell You.” At House of Blues, 8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; 8pm; $21; (323) 848-5800; www.ticketmaster.com.
Fri. Oct. 16 -- The Matt Slocum Trio expresses the drummer’s swinging, slightly non-mainstream leanings with exceptional mates Darek Oles (bass) and Josh Nelson (piano). At South Pasadena Music Center and Conservatory, 1509 Mission St., South Pasadena 91030; 8pm; $10; free parking behind; (626) 403-2300; www.southpasadenamusic.com.
Sat. Oct. 17 -- I would not be surprised if The Vinny Golia Electric Ensemble includes some of the supercharged dudes I reviewed recently here. At South Pasadena Music Center and Conservatory, 1509 Mission St., South Pasadena 91030; 8pm; $10; free parking behind; (626) 403-2300; www.southpasadenamusic.com.
Sat. Oct. 17 -- Dottie Grossman & Michael Vlatkovich poeticize and trombonicize on a bill with poets Phil Taggart and Ellen Reich. At Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Blvd., Venice 90291; 7:30pm; $7; (310) 822-3006.
Sat. Oct. 17 -- Veteran journalist Scott Yanow lectures on the swing era of jazz at a secret highly fortified bunker in Burbank. Your interest in jazz history will remain completely confidential! Mail scottyanowjazz@yahoo.com for details; 7pm; $35 admission includes light refreshments.
Sun. Oct. 18 -- American death-metal originators Deicide, motherf*cker. With five other bands including Letum Ascensus, a bunch of extremely hairy local croaking & buzzpicking abstraction wizards. At the Key Club, 9039 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069; doors 6:30pm; $25; 15+; www.keyclub.com; (310) 274-5800.
Sun. Oct. 18 -- Do you have the guts to tackle the Kiss Expo? All-female tribute band Priss? Bruce Kulick? School of Rock? And don’t miss the set by Gothic Killer Clown Fifi LaRue, surely one of our city’s most entertaining and perplexing acts. At LAX Marriott Hotel, 5855 W. Century Blvd., LA 90045; $20 (kids free!); (805) 612-0203; www.lakissexpo2009.com.
Wed. Oct. 21 -- The I caught The Charles Sharp Quartet featuring the multiwindman plus Jeff Schwartz and Anthony Shadduck (two basses) and Andrew Lessman (drums), and was quite impressed by Sharp’s Arab-influenced tunes and the ensemble’s avant interactivity. I’ll review soon. This week they’re part of a three-act bill at Jimmy’s Lounge, 6202 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood 90028; 10pm; $5.
Read Brick’s Picks in LA Weekly here and Don Heckman’s picks here.