Promotional Photo

Caravan of Thieves at the FTC (see Friday)

THURSDAY OCTOBER 29

The Elephant Never Forgets Bridgeport
Now that Cirque de Soleil has become the gold standard, apparently every circus production has to have a storyline. A spectacle of colorful clowns, death-defying acrobats, parading elephants, airborne motorcyclists, rubber-limbed contortionists, leaping tigers and red paint-splattered PETA protestors making children cry isn't enough anymore. So, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey is basing its show Over the Top around a plot about a ringmaster and a clown who compete for control of a magical top hat that has the power to bring their imaginations to life. The circus is taking the show to the Arena at Harbor Yard for four days, and we are grateful Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey never skips over P.T.'s hometown no matter how derelict it becomes. Arena at Harbor Yard, 600 Main St., Bridgeport. Thu., 7:30 p.m.; Fri., 10:30 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.; Sat., 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.; Sun., 1 & 5 p.m. $15-$90. (203) 345-2400, www.ringling.com.

 
Europe Ruthless
For the Halloween edition of its Thursday night cult classics series, the Avon Theatre is presenting a double feature of two of the goriest horror films ever to creep out of Europe. The first is Lucio Fulci's Zombie (1979), a walking-dead invasion movie known for a scene where a character's eye is gouged out with a splintered piece of wood. The second is Dario Argento's Demons (1985), the tale of a haunted movie theater in which a woman's head explodes, leaving an orifice spewing pus. Both were well circulated in the "video nasties" trend that caused a moral panic in the Margaret Thatcher-era U.K., and both are worthy of their reputations. Avon Theatre Film Center, 272 Bedford St., Stamford. 9 p.m. $10; $7 for students. (203) 967-3660, www.avontheatre.org.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 30

The Caravan is On its Way
Caravan of Thieves, one of the area's latest musical successes, is rolling back into Fairfield for what it's calling a Two-Night Halloween Freak-a-Thon. Co-lead singer/songwriter Fuzz Sangiovanni tells us the band has been touring non-stop since its February CD release at the Fairfield Theatre Company's StageOne. Having held multi-night residencies at venues in Virginia, Ohio, California, Wisconsin, Illinois and New York, these now-bona fide gypsies are bringing their theatrical and poppy gypsy jazz/rock back to where they started. We've heard whispers of a performance of "Thriller" and of local celebrity guests like Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth. (The Thieves cover a Talking Heads song, and Fuzz plays with the Tom Tom Club.) The audience is encouraged to come costumed, preferably like one of the creeps in their songs. Check out the album Bouquet for ideas. Opening tonight is the Guggenheim Grotto, and tomorrow hockey rockers The Zambonis play a rare unplugged set. Fairfield Theatre Company, StageOne, 70 Sanford St., Fairfield. Fri. & Sat. 7:30 p.m. $17. (203) 259-1036, www.fairfieldtheatre.org.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 31

Rock 'N Roll Royalty
Like the FTC, Two Boots of Bridgeport is hosting a costumed Halloween party with a local favorite. King for a Day includes musicians who've played with Deep Banana Blackout, Melvin Sparks, James Brown and the Tom Tom Club. You're right to expect greatness from the Southern-style blues rock jam band. As he made evident at this summer's Gathering of the Vibes, lead guitarist Randy Funke can really tear it up. Tonight's show comes with a double reward for dressing up: reduced admission and prizes for the best costumes. Our suggestion: turn to the Boots' pizza menu for ideas — Tony Clifton, The Dude, Larry Tate. Two Boots of Bridgeport, 281 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport. 8:30 p.m. $10; $7 with costume. (203) 331-1366, www.twobootsbridgeport.com.

 
Danbury Death Trip
And lastly, the Heirloom Arts Theatre up in Danbury is offering costumed attendants half off admission to see such fiendishly named bands as Ghostie, a Danbury electro duo, and florida = DEATH (pictured), a New Haven noise rock band, at its Bride of Zombie Stomp Halloween Party. Other local bands on the bill include experimental ensemble the Field Recordings, thrashy hardcore band the After Dinner Formal and neo-hip-hop outfit Neon Leather Drip. If you believe Halloween is supposed to be weird and wonderful, this is your spot. Heirloom Arts Theatre, 155 Main St., Danbury. 7 p.m. $10; $5 with a costume. www.heirloomarts.org.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 1

Cloudy Judgement
When we heard Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett was being released as a 3D animated film, with a new plot about a boy inventing food weather, it sounded like a shitty idea to us. If our memories of the book are correct, food weather was something that simply happened. It was never an ADHD sci-fi-invention-type deal. Grandpa sat the kids down on his knee for a story about the time it rained meatballs and buttered pancakes. The drawings were intricate and the story was fucking awesome, and somehow it's more magical that way. It makes us wonder what Barrett was thinking when she offered it up to Hollywood. Tonight, we can ask her at a special screening of the film on the Maritime Aquarium's IMAX screen. She'll be on hand to discuss and sign the book. Here's hoping the sci-fi subplot doesn't cheapen one of our favorite childhood books. The Maritime Aquarium, 10 N. Water St., Norwalk. 1 p.m. signing; 2 p.m. screening. Film runs through Nov. 19. $11.50; $10.50 seniors, $9.50 children. (203) 852-0700, www.maritimeaquarium.org.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 2

Herb Alpert and Other Delights
There was a when Herb Alpert was the sexiest bastard playing the trumpet. On the covers of many of his '60s albums, the dark and mysterious-looking jazz musician was being straddled by a beautiful woman, and each LP featured at least one tune done in slow, sensual striptease style. Alpert and his backing band, the Tijuana Brass, filled the radio with a spicy repertoire of American standards, new hits and distinctly Mexican numbers, and his TV appearances made the ladies gush. Though looks may diminish with age, talent doesn't (despite what we've learned from David Bowie), and Alpert is still touring with his wife of 35 years, Lani Hall. Today, they're steaming up the Ridgefield Playhouse. Ridgefield Playhouse, 80 East Ridge Rd., Ridgefield. 8 p.m. $50. (203) 438-5795, www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org.

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 3

Dude, Where's My Drumbeat?
The Subdudes are not one of those bands who are going to set the world on fire or make music critics spill their loads — and they don't want to be. They just want to truck across the country, serenading audiences with their sturdy mixture of folk, soul, R&B and New Orleans rhythm. They've been doing that since 1987 (with a hiatus from 1996 to 2002). The band is unique in that it has no drummer; vocalist Steve Amedee shakes the tambourine to provide percussion. (You know, like Veronica in the Archies.) But you don't need any stinking drums when you have the kind of keen melodies and souring harmonies the Subdudes have. Fairfield Theatre Company, StageOne, 70 Sanford St., Fairfield. Tue. & Wed. 7:30 p.m. $57. (203) 259-1036, www.fairfieldtheatre.org.

WENDESDAY NOVEMBER 4

Yes, He Could
In the world of politics, David Plouffe is known for two things: kicking ass and kicking ass hard. Plouffe was the campaign manager for Barack Obama's presidential bid, both in the primary and general election. Plouffe, who had a lengthy career with Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin and the DNC, ran one of the most sensational campaigns in modern history, keeping internal drama out of the news, raising a record-setting sum of contributions, owning the Internet and motivating Americans with hope in the age of fear. He took a first-term U.S. senator from Illinois with funny-sounding name and liberal voting record and sailed him past political juggernauts Hillary Clinton and John McCain. Plouffe is signing copies of his book, The Audacity to Win, and speaking at Fairfield University's Open Visions Forum tonight. After that, he's going to go out and kick some more ass. Barone Campus Center, Fairfield University, 1073 N. Benson Rd., Fairfield. 8 p.m. $15. (203) 254-4010, www.fairfield.edu/arts/ov.