Oct. 30-Nov. 5 | Live: Girl Talk, Dr. Cyclops, Get Freaky 2008, Monorchist, Metallica & Eagles of Death Metal 

Thursday 10.30
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GIRL TALK
nRep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., recently said in a recent House Subcommittee on Telecommunications meeting, “Maybe mash-ups are transformative new art that expands the listener’s experience and doesn’t compete with what an artist has made available on iTunes or at a CD store,” arguing the case for artists like Greg Gillis, aka Girl Talk, whose unconventional approach to music on the surface seems like a simple case of copyright infringement. As Doyle sees it, however, Gillis’ craft is no different than Paul McCartney ripping off a Chuck Berry bass line and incorporating it in a Beatles song. Sure, Gillis draws on myriad samples to create his impressive electronic collages, but he splices and dices in such a way to create something unique. Everything is derivative of something—it’s how we re-imagine concepts that make the art meaningful. Don’t buy it? Well, might as well enjoy Girl Talk’s live bacchanalia before those cease-and-desist orders (potentially) start rolling in. In the Venue, 219 S. 600 West, 7 p.m. All-ages. Tickets: 24Tix.com

Friday 10.31
nDR. CYCLOPS ULTIMATE HALLOWEEN BASH
nWith so many events vying for your attention on Halloween, it’s tempting just to blow them all off and curl up at home with a VHS copy of Stephen King’s Cat’s Eye. But if you really want to uphold the holiday’s original spooky spirit, Dr. Cyclops’ annual showcase is a safe bet. Sidestepping the “let’s all dress as strippers” party trend, the event highlights local groups that walk on the dark side—DieMonsterDie, Devil’s Cuntry, The Hellfire Villainy, and Devilock whose run as Salt Lake City’s premier Misfits tribute band is apparently coming to a close tonight. If that weren’t enough, the good doctor plans to hand out free copies of DieMonsterDie’s LP to the first 100 guests. Wicked. Oh, and if you still want to dress like a sexy cop or sexy mustard, bring it. The costume judges will decide whether that’s imaginative enough to win. Bar Deluxe, 666 S. State, 9 p.m.

GET FREAKY 2008
nSurely V2 Events could have come up with a better name than Get Freaky to promote its Halloween extravaganza, like say, shouting to the rafters the first-ever Salt Lake City live performance by MSTRKRFT?! Rising from the ashes of beloved electro-rockers Death From Above 1979 (R.I.P.) and electro-poppers Girlsareshort, MSTRKRFT is a Toronto-based duo responsible for some of the tightest remixes in recent memory, taking a blowtorch to Andre 3000, Justice, The Kills, and others. Tonight’s two-room dance party will also feature performances by Felix Cartal, Craig Robin, Drew Latta, Tragikk & Dragon, DJ Myze, Breakbeat Mafia, Julliette, Jackal & Hyde, Deekline & Wizard, Adam F., and Krafty Kuts with DJ Dynamite. Ticket prices are rising daily, so jump online today if you plan to attend. Great Saltair, 12408 W. Saltair Dr., 6 p.m. All-ages. Tickets: 24Tix.com

• Also Friday: Ted Dancin, The Wolfs (Urban Lounge); Halloween Block Party (Hotel, Bliss, Lumpy’s Downtown); Martin Sexton (The Depot); Monkeygrinder Annual Halloween Party (Velour); Clumsy Lovers (Spur Bar, Park City); Halloween Trails Party (Harry O’s, Park City); Great White (Teazers, Ogden)

Saturday 11.1
nMONORCHIST BENEFIT
n“If we were runners, we would have run a marathon,” says Kourtney Farnsworth of her band Monorchist’s recent decision to join the fight against cancer. Rather than lace up their sneakers and invite a slew of potential knee injuries, the local rockers opted to raise awareness with We Can’t Save America. The first in a planned two-part series of EPs, WCSA features more of Monorchist’s ragged punk slathered in attitude with a capital A. Listeners might detect an extra trace of fury in Farnsworth’s voice, her snarl calling out breast cancer which recently stole the life of the band’s friend Juel. More than a platform for catharsis, Monorchist’s show tonight will benefit the Huntsman Cancer Institute’s scientific war on the disease. Mo’s Bar & Grill, 358 S. West Temple, 8 p.m. All-ages.

• Also Saturday: Senses Fail (In the Venue); Electric Six, Local H (Bar Deluxe); Band of Annuals, The Devil Whale, Puddle Mountain Ramblers (Urban Lounge); Koffin Kats (Burt’s Tiki Lounge)

Monday 11.3
nMETALLICA
nClocking in at 8:32 minutes, Metallica’s “The Day That Never Comes” could easily pass as “The Song That Never Ends,” though as with the decades-old “Master of Puppets,” the track maintains a heart-racing intensity from start to finish. In fact, Death Magnetic in its entirety offers longtime Metallica fans a glimmer of hope that the group has sufficiently buried their crybaby days documented in Some Kind of Monster with epic songs that almost help us forget St. Anger. The only snag—apparently some consumers think the album is too loud and bogged down in bombastic production value and have chosen to download the version recorded for Guitar Hero. So, first they rock, then they don’t, now they rock too hard. Hopefully the next LP will achieve the perfect balance between soft and metal. EnergySolutions Arena, 301 W. South Temple, 7 p.m. All-ages. Tickets: 325-SEAT (with Down and The Sword)

• Also Monday: Copeland (Avalon); UVote Concert: Phantom Planet (Olpin Ballroom, U of U)

Tuesday 11.4
nEmmure (Avalon); King Khan & BBQ Show (Urban Lounge); Great American Taxi (Star Bar, Park City)

Wednesday 11.5
n EAGLES OF DEATH METAL
nThe Eagles of Death Metal put on one hell of a show—just ask insecure Axl Rose, who fired the band from a Guns N’ Roses tour opening slot after one performance years ago. Fronted by the ever-sleeveless pomade-addict Jesse Hughes, the Palm Desert-based rockers play up rock clichés with tongue-in-cheek aplomb and their crowds are always game to respond accordingly. Usually backed on drums by Queens of the Stone Age singer/guitarist Josh Homme—who didn’t appear at EoDM’s 2007 show at The Depot—Hughes employs an exaggerated falsetto to relay tales mostly about sexy women and the pursuit thereof. It’s good, not-so-clean fun. When Hughes shouts, “I want you so hard,” for at least that moment, the feeling is mutual. The group’s latest release, Heart On, is another soundtrack to irreverance. So let the good times roll. The Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 10 p.m. Tickets: 24Tix.com

• Also Wednesday: Denison Witmer, Sea Finch, Emme Packer (New Song Underground); Devin the Dude (Bar Deluxe); Sound & Shape (Burt’s Tiki Lounge); Ludo, The Higher (Avalon); Groundation (Star Bar, Park City)

Coming Up
nCrooked Fingers, Port O’ Brien (Urban Lounge, Nov. 6); Joshua James (Kilby Court, Nov. 7); Cedric Gervais (Harry O’s, Nov. 7); Marnie Stern (Kilby Court, Nov. 8); Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks (Urban Lounge, Nov.8); Henry Rollins Spoken Word (Murray Theater, Nov. 10); Café Tacuba (Karamba, Nov. 10); Rise Against (Great Saltair, Nov. 11); Dragonforce (Great Saltair, Nov. 13); Tracy Lawrence (The Westerner, Nov. 14); Donna the Buffalo (Bar Deluxe, Nov. 14); Portugal the Man (Studio 600, Nov. 15); Of Montreal (Murray Theater, Nov. 17)