Color it ironic that JANEANE GAROFALO had to play large theaters to be heard. One would think that a comic would crave the supposed intimacy of a comedy club stage to "connect" with fans, but after 18 years and a step up to the big stage, Garofalo is truly getting attention. "It's been much nicer than doing a 'Tuesday through' at a comedy club," says the comic and actress, who plays the Orpheum Theatre on Friday. "The thrust of the club is to move food and drinks, seems (a stand-up routine is) almost an after-thought. In a theater space, the show is the main thing. It's nice that me and the (opening) comic, it's just the two of us doing a show and nobody ordering buffalo wings. In clubs, they're not conscious of noise and security. It's kind of like babysitting." But there comes a challenge to being on the big stage, something made doubly demanding considering Garofalo's style. One of the more difficult comic artists to label, Garofalo's acerbic wit and sarcastic tone have made her famous and held her back at the same time. She's done her best stuff on cable TV, whether in the short-lived Ben Stiller show or on Garry Shandling's critically acclaimed The Larry Sanders Show. Her varied movie career has had its share of ups (Reality Bites, The Minus Man) and its downs. She's a tough cookie to cast, for the same reason she's challenged to come across in a larger venue: so much of her charm is her interior quality, her smart (and smart-aleck) material coming more from her head than her mouth or even her physicality. So now, at the age of 37, Garofalo's learning the joy of movement. "Onstage I try very hard to go from side to side," she says. "I have to make a concerted effort now, because I kind of feel like a buffoon. I feel like a motivational speaker. It's incumbent upon you to keep a certain level of, I hate to say this word, energy -- not to stand still in a giant theater." Though she prefers not to discuss her recent sobriety in great detail, she does concede that it gives her a new weapon: patience with her audience. Considering her often lefty viewpoints inspired by everyone from George Carlin to Sandra Bernhardt, Garofalo admits to getting pissed at audiences who just don't "get" her. Now, she knows how to deal with it better and work through her routine with more rhythm. "I'm completely different," she says. "I don't get as angry onstage, I don't put my foot in my mouth, I don't let emotions run me. Alcohol used to have quite a hand in some of my more emotional performances. I think I'm a better communicator now. Before, if the audience wasn't following me, I felt angry and hurt. Now, there's plenty of silly stuff in my stand-up. I don't want to make it seem like I'm doing this show that is two hours of profundity. There's a certain element of, 'Duh?'" Doors open at 7 p.m.; showtime 8 p.m. Tickets are $30.50 and available through Ticketmaster (52205555). -- David Lee Simmons

Randy Travis 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1 Faith Church, 13123 I-10 Service Road, 241-1234 With Nashville as its hub, country music still holds its biggest audience in the Bible Belt. So it's no surprise that traditional Bible Belt values (i.e. "Christian" values) remain such a popular touchstone of country songs. What is surprising is when a contemporary country star espouses their own faith beyond token interview tidbits or performing the occasional gospel song. Superstar Randy Travis has sold more than 20 million albums of popular material, but his new album, Rise and Shine, is his second gospel album in the last two years, following 2000's Inspirational Journey. (Rise and Shine also features six new faith-inspired Travis originals.) Now Travis is backing up his message of faith with a churches-only tour, free to the public. Travis fans should also note that the lanky singer will be doing a meet-and-greet after this show. Tickets are on a first-come, first-serve basis, and are available at the Faith Church office, and also at Family Christian Bookstore in Esplanade Mall. -- Scott Jordan

House of Shock 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday, Oct. 4-5; through Nov. 2 4951 River Road, Jefferson (underneath Huey P. Long bridge), 734-SHOC A decade ago, Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo, Ross Karpelman, and Jay Gracianette grappled with the true definition of horror from an adult standpoint. Too old to trick or treat, this trio decided to terrorize with what has become a nationally recognized assault on the senses. Never for the faint of heart, the House of Shock is just that, a collection of exhibitions and rides all designed to scare the crap out of its visitors. The 17,000 sq. ft. warehouse on the east bank side of the river underneath the Huey P. Long bridge is open throughout the month of October (and then some), complete with such acts as Ozzfest mainstay Reverend B. Dangerous' freak show. This year features the addition of the Dark Ride, a Coney Island-style ride with its own scare tactics. Leave the kids at home for this one ­ seriously. Tickets are $12 at the gate only; combination tickets (including Dark Ride admission) are $15. -- Simmons

DJ Shadow 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4 House of Blues, 225 Decatur St., 529-BLUE Josh Davis, aka DJ Shadow, was a bona fide record geek throughout his childhood in the San Francisco suburbs, scouring bargain bins and collecting vinyl like it was his job. Eventually, it was. Latching on to the turntable when hip-hop made its way to the mainstream, he started his own record label (Solesides, now known as Quannum Projects) in his college town of Davis, Calif. Shadow released his debut full-length EndtroducingŠ on London's famous Mo'Wax label in 1996. Since then, he's achieved mogul status in the industry, sticking a hand in projects involving artists as popular and diverse as Thom Yorke (Radiohead), Dr. Octagon, and Mo'Wax trip-hop group U.N.K.L.E. Shadow released The Private Press in June to astronomical acclaim. On this instant classic, Shadow offers a heady melange, weaving beats, textures and vocals from an astonishing range of styles into seamless sonic collages that sound more like brilliant original songs than mere sampled-and-spun dance mixes. Tickets $25. -- Cristina Diettinger

Motorway CD-release party 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4 The Parish at House of Blues, 225 Decatur St., 529-BLUE Motorway's name fits its career path of late. The New Orleans rockers have been doing some hardscrabble touring with Better Than Ezra and Cowboy Mouth, and it shows in the airtight grooves of their new self-titled sophomore CD, the most impressive local rock album of the year to date. With production assistance from Ezra's Tom Drummond, and Ethan Allen (who's worked with Throwing Muses and Tricky, among others), Motorway sounds like a stellar major-label effort, with waves of shimmering guitar and haunting echo effects on vocalist Pete Winkler's vocals making tracks like "Peace of Mind" sound like vintage R.E.M. and the Replacements. The band's got a knack for melodic guitar parts and insistent hooks, and an earnestness that's refreshing in today's rage-and-sarcasm-dominated rock world. And even if the band's catchy three-minute songs are generally throwbacks to '60s-era Kinks, Motorway's heartfelt original songwriting and arranging show they aren't trading on nostalgia. Admission $8. -- Jordan

Fright Fest 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6; through Oct. 27 Jazzland Theme Park, I-10 at I-510, 253-8100 Jazzland already had its scare of the year when the gates almost closed this summer, but with Six Flags' takeover comes yet another shocker: Fright Fest, a kid-friendly celebration of Halloween. Favoring the three G's ­ ghouls, ghosts and goblins ­ Fright Fest converts Jazzland into a haunted theme park with "possessed" thrill rides as well as Frightorium 2, billed as the "most frightening haunted house in the region." (Obviously, they've never been to Anne Rice's house.) Zambora shocks people with her transformation from woman to beast. (Obviously, they've never been to Roy Haylock's house.) And then there's the Haunted Kids' Carnival, featuring a trick-or-treat trail, the Hay Maze and a "Monster Mash" show for kids. Jazzland admission $32 adults, $25 for kids under 4-feet tall, free for children 2 and under. -- Simmons

Tony Chachere's Louisiana Swamp Fest 11 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5; 8:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6 Audubon Zoo, 6500 Magazine St., 581-4629 Except for the unfortunate omission of hometown hero Bruce Daigrepont, the line-up for Swamp Fest's first weekend is stellar and diverse, ranging from top zydeco acts Keith Frank and Rosie Ledet to Cajun supergroup BeauSoleil to south Louisiana rockers the Bluerunners. Don't miss one of the newest faces on the scene on Sunday: Amanda Shaw. The 11-year-old fiddling prodigy tore up the Kid's Tent stage at this year's Jazz Fest, and earlier this summer she turned heads by climbing up on stage with Cyndi Lauper in the New Orleans Arena. The two-weekend festival (which concludes Oct. 12-13) is now in its 18th year, featuring continuous music, craft exhibits and sales, and food booths. Free with zoo admission ($9 for adults and $4.75 for kids). Call 581-4629 or visit www.auduboninstitute.org for more information. -- Michael Tisserand

Jimi Hendrix Tribute 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5 Contemporary Arts Center, 900 Camp St., 528-3805 Jimi Hendrix's trailblazing guitar work remains immortal, but it also overshadows his significant talents as a songwriter and composer. (Look no further than legendary arranger Gil Evans' 1974 tribute album to Hendrix for proof.) The Contemporary Arts Center's (CAC) Art for Art' Sake tribute to Hendrix aims to shine a spotlight on this side of Hendrix, by letting an all-star lineup of New Orleans musicians interpret Hendrix's songs. There are a couple of bona fide guitar heroes on the bill -- notably longtime Dr. John sideman Renard Poche and Woodenhead rocker Jimmy Robinson -- but the draw of this show is the lure of the unexpected. The contemporary jazzmen of Astral Project will take a turn, as will Dirty Dozen trumpeter Gregory Davis' handpicked brass band ensemble. Brassy rockers Mulebone and Bonerama are a logical bridge between New Orleans and Hendrix, and Little Queenie could sing the daylights out of Hendrix ballads like "Little Wing" or "Castles Made of Sand." Admission $30 (includes CAC membership); free for CAC members. -- Jordan

Tokyo String Quartet 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7 Dixon Hall, Tulane University The Friends of Music kicks off its 48th season of making classical music accessible to everyone with the Tokyo String Quartet. Not exactly short in the tooth, either, the Tokyo String Quartet is 30 years old and has performed before nationally televised audiences from Sesame Street to CBS Sunday Morning. The group is best known for playing on "The Paganini Quartet," a group of well-known Stradivarius instruments named after the famous virtuoso who played them during the 19th century. For this program, the Quarter will offer Schubert's String Quartet in E-flat major, D. 87; Janacek's String Quartet No. 1, "Kreutzer"; and Beethoven's String Quartet in C-sharp minor, Op. 131. Tickets are $18 general admission, $10 students with ID, free for Tulane students with ID. -- Simmons

Otra 10:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7 The Blue Nile, 532 Frenchmen St., 948-2583 New Orleans has seen the sprouting of many different Latin bands, each with its own unique sound, and bass player Sam Price has played with the likes of Latin mainstays such as Fredy Omar. Now Price is leading his very own "Afro-Cuban Jazz and Grooves" group called Otra. Drawing upon an array of different periods and styles of Latin music, such as mambo, cha-cha-cha, and boogaloo, Otra plays standards from the Latin and Cuban songbooks for a unique sound of their own. This is also your chance to see Otra members and jazz saxophonists Rebecca Barry and/or Brent Rose performing outside their usual milieu. Also featuring veteran New Orleans Cuban percussionist Pupi Menez and Rob Block on the piano, this seven-piece orchestra, which also includes drums, trumpet and percussion, will take you on a listening tour of the world of Latin music every Monday night. No cover. -- Manny Lander

New Orleans and the West Indies -- paintings by Paul Ninas Through October LeMieux Galleries, 332 Julia St., 522-5988 He was one of those legendary New Orleans bohemians, a painter who learned his craft in Vienna in the 1920s, a nomad who lived in Paris, Florence and the West Indies before finally making his home in the French Quarter in the 1930s. His name was Paul Ninas, and by the time he died in 1964 he was known as the "Dean of New Orleans Modernists." He influenced generations of area artists and his works have been collected by major museums including the Whitney Museum of Modern Art in New York, as well as the New Orleans Museum of Art and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. Now a previously unseen body of paintings and drawings of New Orleans and the West Indies can be seen at LeMieux, starting Saturday, Oct. 5, just in time for Art for Art's Sake. -- D. Eric Bookhardt