Tuesday, October 13th:

• GLAMA Acoustic Slow Jam

  7 pm to 8:00 PM, Kalamazoo Public Library, 315 S Rose St. – FREE! - We invite you to join the Great Lakes Acoustic Music Association for a fun jam based on simple chord progressions and slow to medium tempo tunes. All acoustic stringed instruments welcome! Basic jamming tips are included.

• Melissa Etheridge

  7:30pm, State Theatre. 404 S. Burdick St. - $45 - $125 - A billion stars out in an endless sky, and I won’t be alone, won’t be alone, won’t be alone tonight…. That resolute yearning, that longing for connection, for contact, for touch… These are the core forces powering Melissa Etheridge’s cherished songs throughout her singular career. But as the rousing chorus of “I Won’t Be Alone Tonight,” the opening song of her album. This is ME, it holds some new meaning, new context. This is ME comes in a very active stretch for Etheridge, even by her seemingly tireless standards. In addition to her steady touring, both with her band and as a solo act, she did a week stint in the role of St. Jimmy in American Idiot on Broadway in 2011, continued her noted activism speaking to the United Nations on LGBT rights as human rights, sang her own “Uprising of Love” and John Lennon’s “Imagine” as part of this year’s New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square and performed at the opening ceremonies of the WorldPride week in Toronto.

• Beer Tasting with Alex Mantakounis, owner of Tempo Vino Winery

  6:30 PM to 7:30 PM, Shakespeare's Pub, 241 E Kalamazoo Ave. – FREE! - Alex Mantakounis, owner of Tempo Vino Winery, is not only an expert at wine, he is also an accomplished homebrewer and the president of KLOB (Kalamazoo Libation Organization of Brewers). Join Alex as he guides tasters through a series of different styles of beer, and explains the different flavors, textures, and notes they should expect.Registration required, call 553-7879.

Wednesday, October 14th:

• ZooBoo (through October 30^th)

  Wed. - Fri. 5 - 8 pm; Sat. & Sun. 1 - 8 pm, Binder Park Zoo, 7400 Division Dr. - $ - The Great ZooBoo is just around the corner and is better than ever! This year’s Great ZooBoo offers tons of excitement, animals, and nightly entertainment. Start planning for the perfect Halloween costume and wind your way through a dedicated trick-or-treat trail! Once your little goblins and ghosts have trick-or-treated, stay a little longer and enjoy the great fall atmosphere and nightly entertainment , storytellers and lots more! Hop aboard the Binda Conservation Carousel, Hay Ride or Z.O.& O. ZooBoo Express, all at your own pace. Don’t miss the Booville Carnival! There’s so much to see and do at ZooBoo! Visit ZooBoo this year and be entertained! For more information visit our website at www.binderparkzoo.org

Friday, October 16th:

• Mersey Beatles

  8 pm to 11:45 PM, State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick - $27 - $49 - John Lennon’s sister, Julia Baird, said of the band, There are a lot of Beatles tribute bands from all over the world, and I’ve seen them all, but The Mersey Beatles are the best I’ve heard.Steven Howard, Mark Bloor & Brian Ambrose were at secondary School together in Liverpool. David Howard and Steven Howard are cousins. Tony Cook, another friend from Liverpool, is the 5th Mersey Beatle. His keyboard skills make the hits of the later years come to life. Together they capture the Beatles sound 100% live.

• Kalamazoo Wings Home Opener

  7 pm to 9:30 PM, Wings Event Center, 3600 Vanrick Drive - $10 and up - The K-Wings will kick off the season against the Fort Wayne Komets. The K-Wings have teamed up with Bell’s Brewery for a home opener pregame party that will feature the WMU drumline and dance team, live bands and DJs around the stadium, and a Bell’s cowbell giveaway. It will also serve as the official unveiling of the $1.6 million renovation project at Wings Event Center.