I didn't know anything about what this weekend's three-day benefit for The Octopuses Garden Art Alliance was about until I read Niz's article in yesterday's OWH (here). It certainly sounds like a worthy cause. It's also one of the best benefit line-ups I've seen in Omaha. The breakdown:

All three nights are at The Waiting Room. Admission is $7 per night, and the shows start at 9, except for Sunday's mega-show, which starts at 8.

That alone should be enough to fill your weekend music needs, but there are some other quality shows going on as well. Tonight Slowdown Jr. is hosting a free show featuring Thunderpower!!!, Spring Gun and Dan McCarthy. Starts at 9.

Saturday night, Slowdown Jr. hosts The Third Men along with Ideal Cleaners and The Pendrakes. $5, 9 p.m., while over at O'Leaver's it's Race For Titles with Actors & Actresses. $5, 9:30 p.m. Reports of O'Leaver's musical demise have been exaggerated. The smelliest bar in Omaha is hosting five shows this month. The schedule is here. I, for one, couldn't be happier.

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