THE WEEK/CITY PICK

Oct. 6 through Oct. 12

All entries must be submitted by noon Friday.
Fax 953-1394 or e-mail calendar@dmcityview.com.

thursday06

* U.S. Supreme Court Justice Steven Breyer
* 3 p.m.
* Drake University Knapp Center
The Dwight D. Opperman Lecture in Constitutional Law is one of the most prestigious events in legal education in the United States. Since 1988, eight justices of the Supreme Court have delivered the lecture, and that list now includes U.S. Supreme Court Justice Steven Breyer. Appointed in 1994 by President Clinton, Breyer has developed a reputation as a political moderate, a supporter of abortion rights and an advocate of using international law to shape court decisions.

friday07

* William Elliott Whitmore
* 9 p.m.
* Maintenance Shop
William Elliott Whitmore has a voice that Tom Waits would likely kill for. Like an old gospel preacher, Whitmore's vocal cords sound like they've been encrusted with bits of gravel and soaked in whiskey as he stands at his musical pulpit pontificating on themes of sin, death and redemption - his only accompaniment being sparse instrumentation. His Americana music personifies rural life, which is fitting considering the Keokuk-bred singer-songwriter grew up on a horse farm along the banks of the Mississippi River. His live performances have been said to leave audiences in stunned silence. See this Iowan's unique contribution to the musical landscape tonight as he plays the Maintenance Shop in the Iowa State University Memorial Union. Tickets are $7 for students and $9 for the public in advance of the show. Prices increase $1 day of show.

saturday08

*"Pippi Longstocking"
* 2 p.m.
* Des Moines Playhouse
Thwarting the Child Welfare Board and clinging to the hope that her sea-faring pirate father will come to her rescue, Pippi Longstocking turns the small village of Villa Villekula upside down, all the while providing an unforgettable adventure for neighbor friends Tommy and Anneke. See the fiercely independent and vivacious spirit of Pippi come to life as the Des Moines Playhouse's Kate Goldman Theater hosts "Pippi Longstocking" on weekends through Oct. 23. Tickets are $16 for adults, $15 for seniors and $12 for students. Call 277-6261.

sunday09

Alison Krauss and Union Station
7:30 p.m.
Wells Fargo Arena

Alison Krauss is considered one of the top country/bluegrass artists, having brought the genres to a new audience in the '90s when her 1995 album "Now That I've Found You" sold more than one million copies while reaching No. 2 on the country charts and breaking into the pop Top 10. Since Krauss' career got its start in the '90s when she was 16 years old, she has earned 17 Grammy Awards, multiple Country Music Association Awards, International Bluegrass Music Awards and more. She's also known for singing the Golden Globe-nominated song "My Ain True Love" for the film "Cold Mountain," while Union Station member Dan Tyminski sang the Soggy Bottom Boys' hit "Man of Constant Sorrow." Tickets are $37.75-$42.75 and are available through the Wells Fargo Arena Box Office, www.dahlstickets.com or by phone at (866) 55-DAHLS.

monday10

Francis Degnin's "Lessons Learned from the Terri Schiavo Case"
4:10 p.m.
Physics 5, Iowa State University

The proceedings and outcome regarding the case of Terri Schiavo, a brain-dead woman whose husband and parents fought a very public battle over whether or not to remove her feeding tube, will perhaps always be contentious. Regardless, there are lessons to be learned. See Francis Degnin, a philosopher and clinical bioethicist at the University of Northern Iowa, as he presents "Lessons Learned from the Terri Schiavo Case" today, the focus of which is the ethical and legal precedents, what really happened, why a living will might have not made a difference and how to avoid this happening to you.

tuesday11

"Murderball"
7 p.m.
Great Hall, Iowa State
Memorial Union

In advance of a lecture by Mark Zupan, the paralympic rugby athlete featured in "Murderball," at Iowa State on Oct. 18, the film will be screened in the Great Hall of the Iowa State Memorial Union. The documentary is about a group of tough, highly competitive rugby players who just happen to be quadriplegics. In their own version of the full-contact sport, the players smash the hell out of each other in custom-made, gladiator-like wheelchairs, bashing the hell out of handicapped stereotypes in the process. Also, enjoy free pop and popcorn before the film courtesy of the University Disability Committee and Student Union Board Films.

wednesday12

Copeland
6 p.m.
The House of Bricks

If the people who voted in Yahoo's "Who's Next" competition, an attempt to pinpoint the Next Big Thing in music, know more than we do, then perhaps it's time to pay attention to Copeland, an indie rock group that formed in 2000. Garnering an overwhelming 45 percent of the vote, Copeland easily beat out its competition to take the title. Perhaps that's all thanks to the band's emphasis on injecting memorable melodies and insightful lyrics into its pop anthems on albums like the hospital-centric "Beneath Medicine Tree" and Copeland's most recent, "In Motion." See this up-and-coming band perform tonight at the House of Bricks with openers Daphne Loves Derby, The Spill Canvas and Melee. Tickets are $12 in advance through IowaTix.com. CV

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