Friday 28
HAUNTED WALK III The haunted-attractions business ain't got nothin' on the Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp, which hosts its own annual walking tour through narrow streets and shady lanes tarted up in pulse-quickening Halloween finery. With so much contacting of the Great Beyond taking place on the premises at all times, it logically follows that your chances of running into something genuinely paranormal are significantly higher than in the average church basement. This year's walk welcomes the participation of the Lake Helen Boy Scout Troop 590, whose "Village of the Damned" subdisplay sounds scary enough to make a Brownie soil her leggings. And isn't that the real reason for the season? (7 p.m.-11 p.m. at Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp; also Saturday, Oct. 29; $10; 386-228-2880; www.visitcassadaga.com)
Sunday 30
DREAMING IN AMERICA Orlando loves Lucero, and if you needed further proof of our city's passion for the twangy troubadours, witness how many people will turn out to see the band … on a movie screen. Park Ave CDs and DMAC are teaming up to present Dreaming in America, a film that documents the band in their on-the-road glory. We're loving this revived trend of making good movies about good bands, and though Lucero may not be the most popular band in the world, they seem to be the most popular band in Orlando. (7:30 pm at DMAC; free passes available at both locations of Park Ave CDs; 407-992-1200)
STARS Though it's a financially extravagant pursuit, we enjoy watching opening acts steal the spotlight from highly touted headliners at big-venue gigs. Much as Rilo Kiley outfoxed Coldplay, Stars will outshine Death Cab for Cutie. These bills are similar, pairing a sprightly band that attaches barbed relationship insights to its hooks with an act that's become too broadly earnest to communicate recognizable intimacy. Although Stars boasts two stellar vocalists, Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan, the Montreal-based band's smart, tart lines ("I'm not sorry there's nothing to save") and deceptively dreamy melodies often seem to emerge ventriloquist-style from Morrissey's mouth. We were so curious about this phenomenon that we called Campbell, oblivious to the fact that it was Canadian Thanksgiving at the time. "I've listened to a lot more Smiths than is probably healthy," he explained from his parents' countryside cottage. "Other than my family and the people I love, I think the Smiths were the most important thing in my life. They saved my life on many occasions." Stars named its 2004 album Set Yourself on Fire, and Campbell's philosophical explanation of the title reveals the fuel for its stage-searing sets. "It means to bring new passion and vitality to anything you do," he says. "It means making yourself vulnerable and letting people see you burn. When you're most near death, whether it's literal death or the death of your childhood, you're incredibly powerful." Artists who simulate emotional immolation to write better love songs tend to be hard acts to follow. (with Death Cab for Cutie; 7 p.m. at Hard Rock Live (also 7 p.m. Monday); $22; 407-351-5483)
Monday 31
Wednesday 2
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR A glance at its debut-season lineup indicates that Impact Theatricals Inc. is going to be a pretty mainstream theater company: After Jesus Christ Superstar, there's The Lion in Winter, Master Class and Aida. So where's the appeal to us "edgy" types? Well, there's the delicious irony of knowing that, exactly one year ago, Superstar's Judas, Ward Ferguson, was emerging from a meat locker every night as Eddie in Theatre Downtown's The Rocky Horror Show meaning that he's eking out a cottage industry of playing disillusioned, doomed sidekicks who fall out of their masters' favor. And it could be interesting to see how a slight delay and venue change (Superstar was originally slated to open a few weeks ago at The Plaza Theatre) has allowed Impact to make some promised improvements in its presentation. Letting Jesus survive, we're assured, is NOT one of the alterations, though we hold out hope that somebody has seen fit to outfit Judas with a sweet ride. Because if you ask us, that's what the show has always needed. (8 p.m. at Orlando Repertory Theatre; through Nov. 19; $12-$25; 407-896-7365)
BENEVENTO/RUSSO DUO We can't figure out if they're psychedelic freaks, punk freaks or post-jazz freaks, but one thing's for sure, we love these two freaks. Thudding drums and droning funk organ get all swirled up in a distorted jam that's super-way-out, and these two guys define what it means to flail purposefully through a song. Although it pains us to have to share a band this awesome with all the hippies who love 'em, it's a small price to pay to witness such lovely freakishness. (9 p.m. at The Social; $13-$15; 407-246-1419)
Contributors: Jason Ferguson, Michael Alan Goldberg, Andrew Miller and Steve Schneider
music@orlandoweekly.com