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The Kooks play at the Barrymore Sunday. -

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Throw down!

If your idea of a good time is watching people beat each other up, you're going to want to head to the Alliant Energy Center on Friday night for the next Madtown Throwdown.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. at Exhibition Hall and the punches and kicks start flying at 7:30 p.m.

The mixed martial arts competition, which started in August 2004, is held four times a year in Madison. The most recent on July 25 featured 11 fights.

Madtown Throwdown shows have featured 32 fighters who later were on worldwide pay-per-view TV, including six who have participated in UFC, the highest level.

Tickets range from $25 for general admission to $100 for ringside.

For details, go to www.madtownthrowdown.com

Book it!

Madison is a big book town, but never more so than in October, when every section of the bookstore is represented at the five-day, all free Wisconsin Book Festival. From famous names (Judy Blume, Tom Perrotta) to yet-to-be-discovered local authors, from early-afternoon readings to late-night gatherings, it's a literary Lollapalooza.

The festival runs from Wednesday, Oct. 15 to Sunday, Oct. 19, and just take a look at what's going on that first night: Judy Blume giving the keynote address at the Wisconsin Union Theater; "Stuff White People Like" author Christian Lander at Borders West; a salute to Asian-American Wisconsin writers Mai Zong Vue and Leslie Bow at Taste of Asia; a symposium on the future of the short story at Avol's Bookstore; a look at the past and future of public libraries in Madison at Madison Public Library; and much more.

For a full schedule, visit www.wisconsinbookfestival.com.

Not so Broken Social Scene

It's sort of ironic that the Canadian musical collective Broken Social Scene has its name, because the 19-member group is the hub of an even larger cast of musicians that's very strong. Feist, Metric, Stars, the Weakerthans, the Dears -- the list of acts that have some connection to BSS reads like a Who's Who of Canadian indie rock.

The Broken Social Scene name has become something of a franchise, with co-founder Brendan Canning's new solo album titled "Broken Social Scene Presents Brendan Canning." The group will bring its baroque pop to the Wisconsin Union Theater, 800 Langdon St. at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11. Tickets are $23 through the Union box office at 262-2201 or www.uniontheater.wisc.edu.

Madison goes to the teens in two plays opening

A new children's drama and a coming-of-age play open this weekend at Overture and the Bartell Theatre respectively.

"Looking Glass Land," written by American Players Theatre actor James DeVita, premieres in the Playhouse Theatre at the Overture Center. Children's Theatre of Madison kicks off "The Dream Season" on Saturday, Oct. 11 with a re-telling of the Alice and Wonderland story. It's designed for children older than 6, teens and adults. The play runs Friday through Sunday until Oct. 26. See www.ctmtheater.org for more information.

Madison Theatre Guild will open their second play of the season, Neil Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs" at the Bartell Theatre on Mifflin Street. The first in a coming-of-age trilogy (with "Biloxi Blues" and "Broadway Bound," which MTG plans to produce in coming seasons), "Brighton Beach Memoirs" centers around 15-year-old Eugene Jerome, growing up in the 1930s.

"Brighton Beach Memoirs" will run weekends through Oct. 25. Tickets cost $15; find out more at www.madisontheatreguild.org.

Bring on the Bach

Enjoy an evening (or an afternoon) of Bach, Corelli and Handel with the Madison Bach Musicians this weekend.

The 14-piece baroque chamber orchestra is composed of period strings, winds, and harpsichord. Artistic director Trevor Stephenson will lead two concerts, at 8 p.m. Oct. 11 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12.

Stephenson will give a talk about the composers, selections and period instruments 45 minutes before the start of each program, held at Grace Episcopal Church, 116 W. Washington Ave.

Tickets are available at the door for $25 general admission, $20 for students and seniors ($5 off if purchased in advance). Pick up tickets at Avol's Books, Farley's House of Pianos, Madison Music, Orange Tree Imports or Ward Brodt music store. Call 238-6092 or visit www.madisonbachmusicians.org.

Kook

Ah, British pop-rockers The Kooks. They're so cute, ya just want to pick 'em up and ruffle their scruffy, hook-filled heads. "She Moves in Her Own Way" was their big hit, but the rest of their 2006 album "Inside Out/Outside In" and this year's "Konk" show they've got plenty of catchy tunes left in them.

They'll play the Barrymore Theatre, 2090 Atwood Ave. at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9. Tickets are $20 at the door, and Athens, Ga., rockers The Whigs will give you yet another chance to see one of the best live bands around in person.

Dance for Life

New dance pieces will benefit breast cancer research in a performance on Saturday by Dance Wisconsin.

"Dance for Life," showcasing excerpts from Swan Lake and a variety of new pieces by local choreographers, will benefit the Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation.

One piece, "Run for Life," choreographed by Danielle Dickert Fuhrmann, is set to music by Melissa Etheridge and is dedicated to breast cancer survivors.

Led by artistic director Jo Jean Retrum (whose daughter, Jorene Leonard, choreographed a new piece called "Mercy" for the company), this evening of dance will feature both professional and student dancers.

"Dance for Life" begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11 at the Mitby Theater, 3550 Anderson St., at MATC. For tickets, call 221-4535.