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October 5
Interesting Women, Interesting Lives BAM Rose Cinemas; Frances Ha at 5:30pm, Desperately Seeking Susan at 7:30pm; $7–$14
Cut out of work early and watch Greta Gerwig shine on the big screen in Noah Baumbach’s seminal New York bildungsroman Frances Ha, then follow it up with some classic laced-up Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan.
The Moth StorySlam The Bell House, Brooklyn; 8pm; $8–$16
In a city of chance encounters and stranger-than-fiction stories, you’re bound to have an anecdote about coincidence. Share your five-minute tale with the Moth’s crowd, then face off against other local storytellers who have been bitten by serendipity.
Pentagram + Electric Citizen + Satan’s Satyrs Saint Vitus, Brooklyn; Oct 5 and 6; 8pm; $25
Metal fans will mosh in rapture when the 45-year-strong rock gods Pentagram deliver a night of their roaring, thrashing hits to Saint Vitus.
Star Trek: The Next Generation–Based Improvisational Comedy DiMenna Center for Classical Music; 9pm; $7
Help the hilarious Redshirts comedy group craft a live musical based on the adventures of Data, Captain Picard and the rest of the TNG crew at this zany night of interactive, experimental improv.
October 6
Lee Roy Reams Salutes His Leading Ladies Feinstein’s/54 Below; 7pm; $35–$75, plus $25 minimum
Lee Roy Reams has been in just about everything, including 42nd St, Sweet Charity and Hello Dolly, and he’s worked with some of the most iconic women of the stage. Reams sings and shares tales about the dames of the Great White Way, including Rita Moreno, Carol Channing and Lauren Bacall at this lovely cabaret night.
The Best American Comics 2015 Strand Book Store; 7pm; $15 or free with book purchase
Meet the singularly creative and totally atypical minds behind some of the year’s best comics and cartoons as Best American Comics anthology editor Bill Kartalopoulos talks shop with the New Yorker’s Roz Chast and other gifted creators.
Unbound: Sara Bareilles with Ben Folds BAM Peter Jay Sharp Building, Brooklyn; 7:30pm; $25
Fans of mid-2000’s alt-girl pop will be delighted by this reading and talk, at which Bareilles will share stories from her career and sign copies of her new book, Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) in Song. Imagine the jealousy your Instagram post of you, Bareilles and Folds will inspire come Wednesday morning.
Stardust Memories Nitehawk Cinema, Brooklyn; 7:30pm; $15
Treat yourself to a burger and some '80s Charlotte Rampling goodness at Nitehawk’s screening of this Woody Allen classic. Before the movie, writer Tom Shone will put Allen’s career in perspective and share details from his new book, Woody Allen: A Retrospective.
Tame Impala Radio City Music Hall; 8pm; $47.50
Just imagine a live, eight-minute-plus set of “Let It Happen” from Tame Impala’s dreamy new album Currents. The Aussie band promises a night of swirling, sensual psych-rock at this much-anticipated gig.
Shipwreck: J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings The Bell House, Brooklyn; 8pm; $12
Anyone who’s seen or read The Lord of the Rings trilogy has had their…ideas about Sam and Frodo. The Bell House gathers some of the city’s proudest fan-fiction writers to share their sickest, strangest and often most hilarious stories of desire fulfilled in Middle-earth, and you get to vote on which storyteller is the best (which may make them the worst).
Running Late with Scott Rogowsky Littlefield, Brooklyn; 9:30pm; $10–$20
The charming comedian and his dad put on yet another uproarious late-night live talk show, with guests including SNL’s Horatio Sanz, truTV’s Impractical Jokers and former host Dale Seever. If you’re not in the mood for corny jokes and a studio audience, then grab a drink at Littlefield and embrace Rogowsky’s high-spirited sardonic show.
Sharon McNight: Alive and Well at the Duplex; 9:30pm; $20, at the door $25, plus two-drink minimum
Get a seat in the back, because the viper-tongued cabaret star takes shots at everyone in visible range, including herself. Watch the powerhouse dominate beloved showtunes standards and make her more conservative audience members squirm at her kooky, raunchy antics.
October 7
The Edible Oktoberfest Brooklyn Brewery; 6pm; $45
Oktoberfest isn’t just for basic beer fans. Hardcore foodies will be mesmerized by this sit-down Bavarian feast prepared by Astor Center executive chef Emily Peterson and pierogi artisan Casey Barber. Just take our advice when it comes to sauerkraut and bratwurst: Pace yourself so you still have room for the apple strudel.
“Comics and the Jews” Center for Jewish History; 6:30pm; $10, $7 students, members and seniors
Superman, Spider-Man, the X-Men and many more of your favorite superheroes were created by Jewish artists and writers in New York City’s pre- and post-war years. Learn about how Jewish creators have influenced the mammoth comic book industry and bid on an original comic book created by Rich Buckler, Jerry Ordway, Joe Staton, Roy Thomas and Ellen Weiss.
SciCafe: Seeing Bats; American Museum of Natural History; 7pm; free with R.S.V.P.
Finally, A happy hour that doesn’t actively annihilate your brain cells. Learn about your favorite winged mammals from experts while indulging in delicious cocktails at this informative and fun museum night.
FanBros Presents the Crossplay Cosplay Contest Latitude; 8pm; $10, if you wear a costume $5
Break Comic Con and industry standards and dress up as your favorite character, regardless of race or gender. Meet other gender-swapped Justice Leaguers or progressive Avengers at this awesome bash for the coolest cosplayers in town.
Technofeminism Bossa Nova Civic Club, Brooklyn; 10pm; free
The ladies of Discwoman have been shutting it down all summer with performances by fast and ferocious female DJs. Party all night in Bossa Nova’s tropical refuge to solid beats by Fiasco, Wim Pendragon and resident DJs Beta Librae and Umfang.
So Far Gone: Drake Night Baby’s All Right, Brooklyn; 11:30pm; $5–$10
Get ready for the best you’ve ever had as DJ Dirty South Joe and others play Drake hits all night in Baby’s All Right’s backroom.
October 8
New York Comic Con Jacob K. Javits Convention Center; 10am; $40 per day
It begins. The country’s biggest comics and sci-fi convention arrives for its 10th weekend of panels, cosplay, shopping and signings. Whether you’ve spent the past few months with a hot glue gun and a cape or you’re just down to get an autograph from your favorite artist, make sure you’re in line early for four full days of fan worship.
Caitlin Doughty: Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory Strand Book Store, 7pm; free with book purchase or $15 Stand gift card
How does our culture deal with death? Join writer and mortician Caitlin Doughty as she reads from her experiences on the afterlife and signs copies of her new paperback, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory.
BenDeLaCreme’s Cosmos Laurie Beechman Theatre at the West Bank Cafe; 7pm; $22–$40 plus $20 minimum
The Rupaul’s Drag Race underdog dusts off all her favorite mink stoles and kitten heels for a positively perky night of drinks, songs and high camp.
The Muppet Vault: Geeky Stuff! DiMenna Center for Classical Music; 7pm; $10
Remember when Christopher Reeves and Lynda Carter partied with the Muppets? Relive some of the felt superstars’ greatest geek encounters at this joyous celebration of New York Comic Con and ABC’s The Muppets.
Ricky Martin Madison Square Garden; 7:30pm; $30.50–$130.50
Admit it: You’re going to scream like it’s 1999 when the Puerto Rican pop superstar walks onstage. Martin is set to croon, shake and salsa through his greatest hits and new love songs from his latest album A Quien Quiera Escuchar ("To Those Who Want to Listen"), so catch up on his sentimental new tunes before the dramatic night at the Garden.
Inside Joke: An Unexpected Night of Standup Comedy Performed by Ophira Eisenberg (at 36 weeks) Union Hall, Brooklyn; 8:30pm; $10, at the door $12
The fantastically droll Ask Me Another host delivers a bracingly honest standup set about her fast-developing pregnancy and distaste for New York moms at this one-time-only special.
MS MR + Jack Garratt + VÉRITÉ Terminal 5; 8pm; $29.50, at the door $31
MS MR has been on a fast rise since they were featured in Game of Thrones advertisements a few years back. Technicolor-haired Lizzy Plapinger and Max Hershenow bring their emotive rock and commanding vocals to a game Thursday night crowd at Terminal 5.