Doing anything the second week of November? How do you feel about ukulele? If you’re with me so far, then you might want to check out Stephens Auditorium in Ames on Nov. 17, because that’s when the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain comes to play. Tickets to the event are $29-$35 for adults, $20 for ISU students and $18 for folks 18 and under. For more information, check out www.center.iastate.edu.

In related news, Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain is actually a thing.

We’ll start things off at House of Bricks, where Thursday, Oct. 24, is Songwriter Night. This edition features B. John Burns, Howard Freerksen, Jean-Marie Salem-Hartsuck and Kelly Howerton. Music starts at 8 p.m. with no cover, so bring your tipping pants and give the musicians a little something.

The Hull Avenue Tavern has The Vinyl Vagabonds on Friday, Oct, 25, starting at 9 p.m. No cover.

Also on Friday, Oct. 25, DG’s Tap House in Ames is playing host to “The All-Iowa Noise Insurgency Presents: A Nightmare Before Halloween.” Get all the ambient and noise acts you could possibly ask for, starting at 6 p.m. The lineup includes Bob Bucko Jr., Distant Trains, Stratum, Luxrl, Curt Oren, ARU, Moultrigger, Paul Hertz and Kamrar. There’s no cover, and costumes are strongly encouraged.

Wooly’s has your reggae fix covered with Public Property and Come Unity on Saturday, Oct. 26. The show kicks off at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 and are available through www.woolysdm.com or at the door.

Also on Saturday the 26th, Bill Koncar is rocking out, polka-style, down at Hessen Haus from 6-10 p.m. No cover. Bring your own lederhosen.

Then on Sunday, Oct. 27, the Des Moines Area Community Orchestra presents its fall concert, featuring Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E Minor with violinist Andrew Sords. The performance takes place at 2 p.m. in Drake University’s Sheslow Auditorium. For more information, check out www.desmoinescommunityorchestra.org.

Also on Oct. 27, Gas Lamp has alt-country act American Babies, starting at 8 p.m. That one is $7 at the door.

Wooly’s has Soulfly performing on Monday, Oct. 28. That show is all-ages and the doors open at 6 p.m. Admission is $18, and tickets are available at www.woolysdm.com. Havok, Green Death, Absolute Power and Before 13 Ends also perform.

On Tuesday, Oct. 29, Java Joes is hosting its local songwriter’s night. Event gets started at 8 p.m. and is all-ages.

Wells Fargo Arena will be hopping on Wednesday, Oct. 30, as Macklemore and Ryan Lewis come to town. That all-ages jamberoo gets started at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range $34.50-$45 and are available through Dahl’s outlets, as well as at the Wells Fargo box office.

Finally, also on Wednesday, Oct. 30, the Sound Notes Pick o’ the Week: Vaudeville Mews has Austin, Texas, indie folk outfit Wild Child performing at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $10 and can be had at the door or over at www.vaudevillemews.com. Des Moines’ own Ryne Doughty opens. Mahalo. CV