Aug. 25 – Sept. 1

Thurs/Aug 25
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! EEEEEEEEEEEE! EEEEEEEEEEE! Hey, did you know the Backstreet Boysare still around? Me either! I wish the New Kids on the Block were still around too. Hangin' tough! Regardless, the Backstreet Boys are waaaay better than 'N Sync; they at least had that one song I liked . . . um, oh! “I Want It That Way”! (I had to look it up.) Anyhoo, following Nick Carter's either bruising up Paris Hilton or getting arrested for DUI in Huntington Beach (I haven't the faintest idea which is Nick and which is his brother Aaron, although my nemesis MaryReilly now informs me Nick is the one who beat up Paris and he is fat, and his little brother Aaron is the one who was two-timing LindsayLohan and Hilary Duffand is not fat. So now that that's out of the way . . . aren't there four other dudes in the band too? Including (be still!) The Dangerous One? 7:30 p.m. $25-$65. All ages. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, 8808 Irvine Center Dr., Irvine, (949) 855-8095.

Fri
Guest itemist Mary Reilly sez: the New Pornographers are hands-down the best thing to come from Canada since Rick Moranis. Not only does the supergroup (featuring indie sweethearts A.C. Newman and Destroyer) play incredible Stay-Puft pop songs (a touch of Bowie here, a little '90s Brit-pop there) but they are cute too, in that way only thirtysomething Canadian men can be. Not appearing: sometimes band member Neko Case, whom I also love. For more on this, see Lowery's rant in Music. 8 p.m. $15. All ages. Galaxy Concert Theatre, 3503 S. Harbor Blvd., Santa Ana, (714) 957-0600.

Sat
Some guy keeps inviting me to the Great White show tonight. But I want to liiiiiive! 6:30 p.m. $22. 21+. La Hacienda, 501 S. Brookhurst St., Anaheim, (714) 778-6800.

Sun
Ladies and gentlemen, don't be thinking you'll be allowed to sit for even one minute at James Brown at the Grove of Anaheim. Get on up! (Get on up.) Get up, uh get on up. If you don't end up with a heart attack (and the godfather of soul doesn't either), you're pretty much guaranteed to lose four pounds. Go ahead and skip your yoga class this week. With Braille. 8 p.m. $68. All ages. The Grove of Anaheim, 2200 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim, (714) 712-2700; www.thegroveofanaheim.com.

Mon
Our Lady Queen of Angels Churchinvites us to get the guidance we need to become an all-around better person. But since we're already practically perfect in every way, we figure Becoming the Best Version of Yourself is more a program for you. 7:30 p.m. Our Lady Queen of Angels Church, 2046 Mar Vista Dr., Newport Beach, (949) 644-0200.

Tues
The Graphic Novels Reading Group discusses Batman/Superman—Public Enemies by Jeph Loeb. Then the group discusses Titties: Does Anyone Know What They Feel Like? 7 p.m. Barnes N Noble, 7777 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 897-8781.

Wed
How are your nails looking this evening? Your brows? Your complexion? Don't you think you should do something about that?

Thurs/Sept 1
If you go to the Irvine Improv to have your heart gently warmed by Bob Saget from Full House and America's Funniest Home Videos,you are going to be the unhappiest Christian. Saget's both raw and raunchy and has spent the past decade trying to live down his mortifyingly street-credless stint on that sappy, pappy, crappy, um, crap. However, his raunch does know one limit: he refuses to discuss the Olsen Twins in anything resembling priapic terms, and has been known to go Mr. Ice on interviewers who try. 8:30 p.m. $20. 18+. Irvine Improv, 71 Fortune Dr., Ste. 841, Irvine, (949) 854-5455.