TGIF: We Can't Wait for Halloween Either, with Franki Doll and the Broken Toys, Dammit Janet, the HorrorPops and DJ Shadow

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Today, the big SoCal comic book show that isn't in San Diego-the Long Beach Comic Con-settles in at the convention center, with a performance that evening by Franki Doll and the Broken Toys.

Our featured Locals Only artist this week, Franki Doll is clearly all about the frenetic exhibitionism and general crazed behavior. We have no problem with that, seeing as she has spoken in interviews about stage personae being different from the loving mom of two she is elsewhere in life. More should know how to balance out those impulses and still go nuts.

Should you want to try for something relatively calmer-if no less showy-there's Dammit Janet at Alex's Bar-and as you likely can guess from the group name, it is indeed a tribute to the Rocky Horror Picture Show. If it seems counter intuitive to be recommending this, well, it IS the season, and also this might be your last chance to enjoy this without the images of the Glee cast finally turning everything about it into family friendly entertainment. What would Richard O'Brien (the original Riff Raff and Rocky Horror creator) have thought of his eventual fate when he was growing up in New Zealand?

On Saturday, Tiger Army are playing at the Grove of Anaheim, a perfect excuse to avoid all eight million other tribute bands this weekend. The psychobilly trio from up North have pretty much become their own tradition over the years. Now making their third straight holiday appearance at the Grove, they appear with Jack Grisham and Throw Rag on the first of a two night stand. Two to one says you'll be seeing a lot of folks with their kids at the show because Nick 13 seems to know how to make it work for everyone old and young.

Sunday is, well, Halloween. So among all the other possible options, there's seeing the MuerTones opening for HorrorPops at the Glass House in Pomona. One of our featured artists in this week's music section, the MuerTones are another one of the surf rock bands that you can't enough of. After all, any surf band that cites Reverend Horton Heat as an inspiration clearly has the right idea about life in general.

If something a little calmer is needed-or at least something you can take your kids to without having to worry about them asking questions about lingerie and bondage--the Pacific Symphony is doing a Halloween concert up at the Cerritos Center in the mid-afternoon. That means plenty of time for the trick and treating later. Costumes are encouraged and the song selections will be drawn from movies like Harry Potter and Pirates of the Carribean, so it won't be hard to figure out the best approach.

Monday brings a shift from theatrical spookiness to something a little darker with the appearance of DJ Shadow at the House of Blues in Anaheim. If the turntable/DJ legend's profile has been more restrained of late, his own ear for the gothic-not goth-has remained consistent. While his new album won't be out until next year, it seems apt that DJ Shadow is doing a tour the same year Massive Attack's come back to unsettle everyone again. And clearly he just loves getting out there still.