MUSIC: Brooklyn art project, Japanther, who run "the gamut from performance art to punk rock and back again," headline the late show at the Hemlock tonight, along with guests Pharmacy. (9:30 p.m., Hemlock Tavern, 1131 Polk Street

VARIETY: The Hubba Hubba Revue hits Cobb's tonight with a 3-Ring Ruckus, featuring Pole Acrobatics, Dare-Devils, Burlesque, Contortionists, and Belly-Dancers. (8 p.m., Cobb's Comedy Club, 915 Columbus Avenue)

FILM: Frameline presents a screening of Joe and Belle, a quirky black comedy by writer/director/star Veronica Kedar, about a pair of women who meet when one decides to attempt suicide in the other's bathtub, set in Tel Aviv during the shelling of the town of Sderotmeet. (9:30 p.m., Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th Street)

FILM: 3rd Eye Fest presents Pudhupettai, an Indian Tamil gangster film, which follows "the unlikely rise of Kokki Kumar (Dhanush) from petty criminal to powerful gang lord in the Pudhupettai slums of Chennai" and has been compared to City of God and Amores Perros. (7:20 p.m., Roxie Theater, 3117 16th Street)

MUSIC: Flavorpill notes that the Hemlock has put together a stellar Guitar-Driven Showcase tonight, featuring Myles Boisen Group (abstract blues, of Clubfoot Orchestra fame), Ava Mendoza (early country and blues-inspired), and Lisa Mezzacappa's Bait & Switch ("a garage jazz band with a no-holds-barred delightfulness"). (9 p.m., Hemlock Tavern, 1131 Polk Street)

VARIETY: Red Curtain Variety Show presents an evening of "the wittiest of wit, the silliest of silly, and a guy who can stack up 7 chairs and do a handstand on them," featuring aerial performances, "poplocking manipulation," clowns, dance, and puppetry. (7:30 p.m., CELLspace, 2050 Bryant Street)

MUSIC: Barn Owl, who SFist Erick described as having a "melodic brand of loud, space filling, melodic stonerish metal that the untrained ear may not even consider metal," are at the Elbo Room tonight, along with another local fave, Sean Smith, who "conjures fire and sweat, dew and ash through his medium-the guitar," along with guests 3 Leafs. (9 p.m., Elbo Room, 647 Valencia)

ART: Artist George Pfau will be giving a slideshow lecture entitled Zombies Identified, in which he'll explore the zombie lexicon in film, visual art and pop culture. He'll also look at the "stigmas surrounding zombie-ness" and propose "a new approach." Followed by a Q&A with Pfau and guest panelist Branon Coluccio of VIZ Productions. (7 p.m., Unspeakable Projects, 735 Tehama Street)

VARIETY: At the monthly Beat the Gong Talent Show, contestants are encouraged to showcase their zaniest of talents, such as singing, dancing, basket-weaving, hula-hooping, you name it, and you just might win some cash. Also featuring special performances by a line-up of local drag faves. Tonight's show benefits AIDS Emergency Fund. (Trigger, 2348 Market Street)

ART: It's the 50th Sketch Tuesday event, featuring live art-making by a huge line-up of seasoned, local artists, which will be for sale for cheap at the show. DJ Pre-K will be spinning tunes and tonight's film projection will be Tuff Taco by Ferris Plock and Jim Dirshberger.

6 to 10 p.m. // 111 Minna Gallery (111 Minna St) // free

VARIETY: The monthly Les Folies Champagne is having a Pre-Holiday Shebang, featuring music by Kitten on the Keys, burlesque by Mischevious Maidens, magic Ash K. the Pretty Good, tunes by DJ Blaise, a sexy Santa booth, and champagne specials all night long.

8 to 11 p.m. // The Bubble Lounge (714 Montgomery St) // free

LITERARY: In What Technology Wants, author Kevin Kelly argues that technology is an extension of life -- an acceleration of the mind -- and discusses how we can best steer technologies into their best roles and capture their gifts.

7:30 p.m. // The Booksmith (1644 Haight St) // free

VARIETY: The Devil-Ettes and The Mini Skirt Mob pay tribute to the great 60’s variety shows like Laugh-In, Shindig, and Hullabaloo in the action-packed Go Go Spectacular. Special guests The Barbary Coasters and Deke Dickerson’s All Star Frat Band will also perform.

7 p.m. // Brava Theatre (2781 24th St) // $25-35 (advance tickets available until 2 p.m. today)

LIT: It's another installment of Writers With Drinks, the monthly event that combines erotica with literature, stand-up comedy with science fiction and poetry with essays to raise money for local charities. This month's proceeds will go to EL/LA Program Para Trans Latinas. The line-up includes Javier Grillo-Marxuach (The Middleman TV series), Mary Robinette Kowal (Scenting The Dark And Other Stories), Kat Richardson (Greywalker), Naomi Quiñonez (Invocation L.A.: Urban Multicultural Poetry), and S. Bear Bergman (Butch Is A Noun).

7 p.m. // The Make-Out Room (3225 22nd St) // $3-5 sliding scale

GALA: AIGA San Francisco presents Hung up, its annual fall gala. This year, AIGA celebrates the art of skateboarding and has invited its members to contribute custom skate decks, which will be auctioned off at the end of the night. The event also features a live art component and a raffle with prizes including posters, restaurant vouchers, magazine subscriptions, and a copy of Adobe CS4.

6:30 to 9:30 p.m. // Galleria, SF Design Center (101 Henry Adams St) // $15-25

ART: Curator and instructor Sheila Braufman will explore the intensely personal undercurrents in Maurice Sendak's work through visual presentations and a discussion in Unraveling the Mystery of Sendak. The class will include a guided tour of the There's a Mystery There: Sendak on Sendak exhibit.

6:30 to 7:45 p.m. // Contemporary Jewish Museum (736 Mission St) // $25-35

VARIETY: Trauma Flintstone hosts Little Minsky's Burlesque/Variety Show, "a mischievous mix of showgirls, drag, ukuleles, clownish cavorting, comedic cabaret and stylish striptease," which happens every second Thursday of the month.

9 p.m. to 2 a.m. // Club Deluxe (1511 Haight St) // $5, 21+