Picks

The East Village Twilight Hunt

Meet the ghosts of the East Village and learn about those who roamed the neighborhood before it began its slow, ongoing transformation into a series of Starbucks stands. This tour takes you to the haunts of the artists, musicians and neighborhood bosses that once ruled here, from Charlie Parker to Led Zeppelin to Allen Ginsberg to Andy Warhol. Call for meeting place, 212-726-1529, 6:30, $15.

THURSDAY June 24

Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. Benefit

Looking like any other old storefront along 7th Ave. at first, a closer inspection of the signage outside the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. reveals that the name doesn't lie-they're offering everything from capes and masks to oxygen gum, invisibility lessons and "help with your nemesis problem." In reality, those signs disguise the secret lair of 826NYC, a non-profit tutoring center for kids, sponsored by the McSweeney's crowd. Tonight's benefit features music by David Byrne and readings by Robert Coover, Dave Eggers, Elissa Schappell, Rick Moody and others. Hosted by New York Press alumnus, Jonathan Ames. The Old First Reformed Church, 729 Carroll St. (7th Ave.), Park Slope, 718-499-9884, 8, $25.

Adrian Hibbs

Piano, B-3, Rhodes, clav: Organ-grinder Adrian Hibbs grinds them all. Catch him tonight and every Thursday at Greenpoint's Mark Bar, one of the neighborhood's better-kept secrets. Hibbs' long sets swing from Latin jazz to blues to a funk pocket so deep it'll make your face scrunch up in a "Who farted?" expression. Organ fetishists near a G train, rejoice. 1025 Manhattan Ave. (betw. Freeman & Green Sts.), 718-349-2340, 10, free.

FRIDAY June 25

Home Movies at Rooftop Films

This annual series has been bringing together breezy rooftop and movie screenings for eight years running. Combine the 19 shorts onscreen tonight (including Can't Get to Heaven: My Mom & My Ant-Filled Knees, The Times I Smoked Pot, I Promise Africa, Girl Shoots Two Boys Brawling and Pickle), their reflective themes and the view from Gowanus' Old American Can Factory, and you pretty much have the recipe for a mellow Brooklyn night that might just beat the heat-for a few hours, at least. Roof of the Old American Can Factory, 232 3rd St. (3rd Ave.), Park Slope, 718-417-7362, 8:30 (live music), 9 (films), $7.

Riddle of the Sphinx

First they fill it with teepees and sphinxes, then they bring in bands like Lightning Bolt and add kaleidoscopes and hieroglyphics. Just when you thought it couldn't get any weirder, Rhode Island collective Dearraindrop turns Deitch Projects' cavernous garage space into a "fucked-up summer wonderland" complete with nearly every medium considered art these days: painting, sculpture, sound, drawing, dioramas and video. It's guaranteed to induce some sort of disorienting, traumatic flashback. Deitch Projects, 18 Wooster St. (betw. Grand & Canal Sts.), 212-343-7300, 6, free.

SATURDAY June 26

Bunny Brains & Haunted Pussy

Rooftop party Rape & Cry returns, just in time for the sweltering heat of late July. Thankfully, they're offering seductive and strange entertainment and $1 Yuenglings in addition to unbearable humidity. Bunnybrains will serve up their legendary slow sonic sludge and Haunted Pussy's coven of scary opera girls offers something described as "mystery noise rock." The list of sweaty delights continues with members of art metal ensemble Acqui combining to form Not Here, and undefinable power trio Thank You for Not Screaming. The Lower East Side will rise to new depths on this night. Rape & Cry, 63 Pitt St., #5F (betw. Rivington & Delancey Sts.), 7, $5 sugg don.

Color Me Queer

With all the man-scaping, Queer Eyeing and other media-bolstered stereotypes of gay stylishness, you have to wonder when you see some of those pasty, rainbow flag-clad tourists during NYC Pride Week. Color Me Queer, sponsored by the South Asian Lesbian and Gay Association (SALGA), ALP (Audre Lorde Project) and Restless Produxns, however, has been quietly turning out one of the most diverse parties around. Show your pride, whatever it may involve, to your choice of hiphop, bhangra, soul, Bollywood and house while taking in a crowd that you don't usually see at the Roxy or Fire Island-there's plenty of time for that the next day at the parade. The Frying Pan, Pier 63, 23rd St. (12th Ave.), 212-358-5132, 9, $10-$20, $10 st.

SUNDAY June 27

Pridefest 2004

You know what would be funny? If a group of Irish Roman Catholics wanted to march during the Gay & Lesbian parade and the GLAD people, or whoever was putting on the event, denied them a permit. Maybe once rejected, the Irish could stage a counter march and shout, "We're here, with green beer, get used to it." Since that's not gonna happen, just show up and breathe in