Weekend Warrior, August 26 – 28

The Dude is a man who abides upon simple pleasures – bowling, White Russians, and a carpet that really ties the rug together. But if there’s one thing he doesn’t abide by (other than nihilists and Walter’s shomer Shabbos rants) it’s CANCER. And that’s why The Dude Hates Cancer has produced its annual charity campaign of the Eastern Pennsylvania branch of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society since 2000. Its main focus may be bowling, but it also enjoys throwing concert parties for the good cause. The group will be setting the tone this year with a benefit concert at the M Room tonight, followed by the big blowout tomorrow night at Johnny Brenda’s. Tonight’s party kicks off with the smash mouth rock of the Gerunds (fronted by Dag Nasty’s Peter Cortner), the psychedelic post-punk of the Silence Kit, and the emotive lo-fi vibes of the Phoenix Veil. Our buddy Jenny Du “Gooder” will also raffle off a basket of goodies to raise some more cash for The Dude that includes a pair of tix to our Anniversary Bash on Friday, October 7 at Kung Fu Necktie (we’ll release more details about the rad bands performing soon). And tomorrow night’s show kicks into high gear with the experimental pop quartet Orbit to Leslie, led by Grimace Federation’s Chris Wood. Thrown in Raph Cutrufello’s Yer Bird Records-signed folk collective, Hezekiah Jones; TDHC mainstay, the Doublewides; and the soulful folk of Chris Kaspar, and cancer doesn’t stand a chance. M Room, 15 W. Girard Ave., 8pm, $10, 21+; Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+

OK, now Saturday is going to be a night of party-hopping because we really can’t resist the FREE Vice Magazine/Vitamin Water Uncapped Live showcase featuring psychedelic garage-pop trio Reading Rainbow with their badass riffs and gorgeous harmonies, the intoxicating baritone vocals and ingenious wordplay of the Homophones, and the grunge-y sonic blasts of Cat Vet. To top it off, it will be in the legendary Sigma Sound Studios where, as the Homophones pointed out, “Bowie did mountains of cocaine there and wrote songs with Luther Vandross!” Just RSVP HERE to reserve your spot. Sigma Sound Studios, 212 N. 12th St., 8pm, FREE w/RSVP, 21+

Other things to do to avoid Hurricane Irene this weekend…

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Brown Recluse, Arc In Round, Royal Shoals SAT Faux Slang Record Release Party w/Nothing, SUN Break It Up

North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) FRI Blessed Muthas, SAT Crills Wilson and Kettle Pot Black

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Young Historians, Desoto Jones, Gates

M Room (15 W. Girard Ave.) FRI The Dude Hates Cancer Benefit w/The Silence Kit, The Gerunds, Phoenix Veil

Tritone (1508 South St.) FRI Goodnight Lights and The Tea Club, SAT Lust2Love and Gina from The Gang Age, SUN I Am Not The Universe and Muffin Man

The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) FRI The Noid, The Ray Gradys, Scareho

The Blockley (3801 Chestnut St.) FRI Beanie Sigel, Peedi Crackk, SUN Reef the Lost Cauze and Voss

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) SUN The Hype End of Summer Bash

The Legendary Dobbs (304 South St.) FRI Laughing Forest, SAT The Fetals and Beyond The Lies

Triumph Brewery (117 Chestnut St.) FRI Bam!, SAT West Philadelphia Orchestra

PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12th St. Philadelphia) FRI Chiptune Showcase, SAT Buffalo Stance, Chandeliers, Tia & Tamara

JR’s Bar (2327 S. Croskey St.) FRI Cop Problems, Changes, Snake Road, SAT Radiation City, Dizzy Dearest, Gracie

The Barbary (951 N. Frankford St.) SUN Snake Road

Little Bar (736 S. 8th St.) FRI The Tweeds

The Station (1550 McKean St.) FRI John the Conqueror, Levee Drivers

Aktion Gallery (535 South St.) FRI Rise of Because

Philadelphia Magic Gardens (1020 South St.) SAT Whitewater Pass

Strange Brew Coffee (1321 S. 2nd St.) FRI Mike Malloy

40th Street (University of Penn) SAT Kyo Daiko

Neighborhood Bike Works (508 S. 5th St.) FRI Arches, Best Friends, Maradona, Tooth Decay, Andrew Conley, Keith Yetter

Pi Lam (3914 Spruce St.) SUN Congenital Death