Sikamor Rooney’s record release party for the new self-titled is at Mercury Lounge; they’re also playing Union Pool on August 30, but tonight they’ll be joined by Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head and The Gay Blades // Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls is playing a solo show in the otherworldly Spiegeltent (watching Devotchka there a few years ago was really a charming experience) // Bark Bark Bark (whose live setup includes members of the Mae-Shi) is playing with Yea Big + Kid Static at Cake Shop, where you can also catch a free, early show with Scott Allbright and his Poor Bailey upstairs at the cafe. 

Amanda Palmer does a one-time (sadly) adult version of Feist’s Sesame Street appearance:

Continued after the jump.

Music and readings courtesy Arthur Magazine, whose “No More Bush”, “the end of a rotten era” celebration at Knitting Factory’s Main Space includes performances from Loren Connors, “freak folk” duo MV & EE and strange-music duo Fifty Foot Women. As rotten as the next four years have the chance of becoming at the hands of either of the two Presidential candidates, the coming end of the last eight definitely call for a cultural gathering! According to Oh My Rockness, Six Organs of Admittance is playing, but I haven’t found that mentioned anywhere else (so far), so he may or may not be. Here’s hoping he is. Update: Six Organs of Admittance was originally scheduled to play, but he won’t be performing tonight.