Picks
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 3
One of the last living bluegrass masters, Peter Rowan, is probably best known for his time spent playing in the Jerry Garcia-led supergroup Old & In the Way, turning on generations of Deadheads, and writing a few classics like "Panama Red" and "Free Mexican Airforce" in the process. But his most compelling work began with a trip to Jamaica in the early 90s, where he seamlessly fused his signature sound and mystical Buddhist vibe with roots reggae music, forming the Crucial Reggae band that he's toured with off and on since. This time out he's playing with longtime conspirator Tony Rice and his band, whose style ranges from traditional bluegrass to acoustic jazz fusion, so expect a little of everything. B.B. King Blues Club, 237 W. 42nd St. (betw. 7th & 8th Aves.), 212-997-4144; 8, $20, $18 adv.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 4
SPACE WEAPONS: GOOD FOR US OR BAD?
Um, bad? Yeah, we're gonna go with bad, but we're open to other ideas. And who better to present them than tonight's lecturer, Dr. Richard L. Garwin, IBM Fellow Emeritus, National Medal of Science recipient, Enrico Fermi Award recipient and longtime resident of the ice planet Hoth? Polytechnic University, 5 MetroTech Center (Jay St.), Brooklyn, res. req. 718-260-4016; 4, free.
MOSE ALLISON
Mose Allison grew up in cotton country-Tallahatchie County, MS-listening to Tampa Red, Memphis Minnie, Big Bill Broonzy, "the people who preceded Muddy Waters and B.B. King," as he put it in an interview. In New York, he played with Zoot Sims and Gerry Mulligan, then scored royalties when the Who tapped his "Young Man Blues" on their album Live at Leeds. At Iridium Room for this stint ending Sunday, with his Panama hat and a limber trio, the paragon of jazzy blues piano and understated singing's fan base extends from Willie Dixon to John Mayall, Al Kooper, Pete Townshend and Bonnie Raitt. Join it. 1650 B'way (51st St.), 212-582-2121; 8 & 10, $27.50-$32.50.
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 5
THE SLIP
Of all the unimaginative music categories for a band to have thrust upon them, "jam band" must be one of the worst. Unfortunately, it's almost unavoidable if your band travels the country and plays the occasional festival to a college-age audience. Luckily for the Slip, a dynamic Boston-based (don't hate) trio which has toured relentlessly for the past seven years, people still have ears. This year has seen the band spin through the Northeast (as avant-folk collective Surprise Me, Mr. Davis) and more recently hone a sharp balance of exploratory jazz and psych-rock, integrating a powerful new sound that's lighting heads up and leaving plenty of smiling faces at every show. The Slip touches down for two shows this weekend-a long-overdue evening at Tonic tonight, and Mercury Lounge on Saturday. 107 Norfolk St. (betw. Delancey & Rivington Sts.), 212-358-7501; 8:30, $16, $14 adv.
KARATE
Karate's use of jazz chords in an indie-rock context is like french fries dipped in a chocolate shake, or the nip of brandy you pour into your bowl of cereal in the morning: things that you aren't sure will go well together until you actually experience it. Geoff Farina, Karate's vocalist and guitar player, studied music at Berklee College of Music, as have the other members of the band. Their music usually runs at a mellow pace and allows for a combination of amazing technical proficiency and ear-pleasing jazz hooks to develop. As a vocalist, Farina's delivery is sincere albeit a little whiny at times (emo nation might show up in force for the show), but the end result is Wendy's frosty-smooth. Northsix, 66 N. 6th St. (betw. Wythe & Kent Aves.), Williamsburg, 718-599-5103; 9, $10.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 6
KNICKS HOME OPENER
This summer, we saw Knicks GM and Pistons legend, Isiah Thomas, outside a burger joint on Amsterdam Ave., posing for some photos with two ignorant waitresses, apparently from Detroit. When Isaiah softly remarked upon his favorite restaurant back in the Motor City, one bimbo said to the other, "Hey, he used to live in Detroit too!" Here's to a season of such success that soon, every waitress in New York will have forgotten about Isiah's past as the greatest player to ever lace up in Auburn Hills, and know him solely for the miraculous turnaround he will surely bring to our beloved Knickerbockers. Tonight, New York takes on the lowly Celtics, who, while no one was looking, managed to sign the best early-90s lottery pick to come out of Huntington Station, NY: Tom Gugliotta. Madison Square Garden, 2 Penn Plaza (32nd St.), 212-465-MSG1; 7:30, $10-$285.50.
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 7
NYC MARATHON
For all the five boroughs, for the love of sports, for the groupies. That's right, just put on one of those post-race foil capes today, walk around the Upper West Side and bask in the affection of strangers. It's easy; you don't need to be Kenyan. You don't even need to have run! Just find one of those capes or wrap yourself in Reynolds wrap, and feel the love from little kids wanting to shake your hand, and big girls wanting to shake their asses. All for you, marathon man. For info on marathon course, times and prime viewing locations, visit www.ingnycmarathon.org.
MONDAY NOVEMBER 8
ON THE WATERFRONT
Marlon Brando is Terry Malloy, an embattled former prizefighter in this eight-Oscar-winner, the title of which is derived from the place director Elia Kazan was standing when it occurred to him to ruin the careers and lives of suspected communist Hollywood figures by testifying in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee. Malloy could've been a contender, could've had class, could've been somebody, but he gets mixed up in sticky mob business, and in turn, gives what is often considered the greatest performance in the history of American cinema. After hitting one of today's showings at Film Forum, come back to us for Matt Zoller Seitz's looksee at this American classic, p. 25. 209 W. Houston St. (betw. Varick St. & 6th Ave.), 212-727-8110; call for times, 9:40, $10.
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 9
MODEST MOUSE
We will always remember fondly the time that singer Isaac Brock got angry with someone for throwing something at the stage and in his drunken state went into the crowd and punched the alleged perpetrator. Now that they are semi-famous and getting MTV and radio play, they've probably lost that drunken edge, and since they'll be playing at Radio City Music Hall, we doubt there will be any punching. Unless you punch yourself for dropping almost 35 bucks on a ticket. 1260 6th Ave. (betw. 50th & 51st Sts.), 212-247-4777; 8, $34.50.
FREE ALLERGY SCANS
Boston has the Mad Russian. We've got Dr. Doug. Whether it's a structured nutritional cleanse or a natural diet to deal with whatever ails you, Dr. Doug is the man to see in these parts. With the flu season fast approaching, this afternoon you can see the doc for a food-allergy scan in Whole Foods Supermarket in Chelsea. Using something he calls Nutritional Response Testing, a form of kinesiology or "muscle testing," Dr. Doug susses out if any common foods create a delayed immune response in your body. And no worries, he won't ask you to cough, or even cough up any money for his trouble. 250 7th Ave. (24th St), 212-924-5969; 11-2, free.
SAM FLAX STORE OPENING
Sure, they sell office supplies. But don't mistake Sam Flax for just another Staples competitor. Instead, this 80-year-old Chelsea mainstay specializes in merchandise that only compulsively organized people like us truly appreciate. Stepping up to compete with wider-reaching chains like the Container Store, Sam Flax is offering customers a chance to win a $2500 office makeover-home offices count, too! Just stop by the new Midtown location, fill out an entry card and start dreaming of ergonomic chairs, electric-green paper clips and brightly patterned notebooks with elastic page markers that will make you the envy of your similarly compulsive pals. There are also $100 gift certificates for 10 runners-up, which is enough to make you the talk of the water cooler. Sam Flax, 900 3rd Ave. (betw. 54th & 55th Sts.), 212-813-6666; 9-7, free.