Barbershops have long been a cornerstone of street culture in the US and beyond. Mario Ybarra's artistic practice revolves around that unofficial community centre where the young and the old bond around grooming and gossip. So much so that the founder of the art collective Slanguage operates out of a barber shop in LA's New China Town Barber Shop. For the recently opened exhibition The World As A Stage (runs till 01/01/08), Ybarra has opened a temporary branch of his barber shop, Sweeney Tate, and invited London barbers to participate in a hair cutting competition. Prior to this opportunity to get a new 'do, LA style, Ybarra will discuss his interest in hidden cultural histories. Old fashioned Mayfair barbers are likely to put a new spin on the artist's Mexican-American view of the old shave and cut...

NB: the Sweeney Tate hair-cutting competition will take place on 03/11 (12 - 8pm).

Both Adam Thirlwell and Andrew O'Hagan were nominated by Granta as one of 20 "Best of Young British Novelists" in 2003. And both push the conventional limits of literary genre in their writing. Here the two come to the LR Bookshop to discuss Thirlwell's new novel, Miss Herbert. Described as an "inside-out novel" it features celebrated novelists as its characters. Nabokov, Kafka and Joyce are just a few of them. Flaubert is another. His niece, Juliet Herbert, translated Madame Bovary into English but the translation was lost. And there are no known photographs of Miss Herbert either. In his book Thirlwell follows the history of novelists, a history of loss and mistakes, and reinvents our ideas of style and translation along the way. What is an accurate translation? Who says style can't translate? What, come to think of it, is literary "style"? And there's more up his sleeve including new theories of jet lag and time, as well as smattering of literary games. Miss Herbert is one idiosyncratic novel and this will certainly be one notable event.

Minimalist conceptual art duo Langlands & Bell discuss their practice with Sir John Tusa, of London's University of the Arts. Ben Langlands and Nikki Bell formed an artistic partnership in 1978, and their explorations of the relationship between people and architecture, and reflections on the post 9/11 landscapes of Afghanistan secured them a nomination for the Turner Prize in 2004. Their work spans from monochrome reliefs to new media projects, and full-scale architectural structures such as the recent glass and steel pedestrian bridge, linking Paddington Station with the new Paddington Basin development in London. Probably best known for their BAFTA Interactive award-winning House Of Osama Bin Laden (2003) -- an interactive computer animation of the home of America's most wanted, created when Langlands & Bells were appointed official British war artists for the 2001 Invasion of Afghanistan -- this prolific duo recently won a major commission to create an artwork for the new Richard Rogers designed Heathrow Terminal 5. Langlands & Bell are showing a series of digitally animated abstract poems at Whitechapel. The conversation with these politically and environmentally aware artists promises to be revealing, and should provide an insight into the ethics and aesthetics of this thoughtful duo.

NB: this event is free but you must book via booking form or by calling 020.7522.7888. Langlands & Bell Whitechapel exhibition runs till 07/12.

Since the beginning of cinema, Space has been a popular subject, with countless films attempting to portray the experience of Space travel. Rather than speculate, documentarist David Sington simply decided to ask someone who really knows. In The Shadow Of The Moon gathers together all the surviving astronauts (with the exception of the famously reticent Neil "One small step for man..." Armstrong) of the original 12 who had flown to (and walked on) the moon during the Apollo missions to find out. Now in their 70s, these engaging and humourous "funky granddads" all retain a very boyish and enthusiastic amazement about their experiences, and even wonder that they were "allowed" to go to the moon. And were the moon landings staged in a studio? "Well, then we would have been pretty daft to go back so many times..." Sington was given access to stunning never-before-seen archive footage that is especially overpowering on the big screen when combined with the reminiscences of the astronauts. Most amazing of all, though, is seeing just how basic the technology really was -- the entire NASA computer system during Apollo had less memory than a single mobile phone...

NB: In The Shadow Of The Moon is released in London on 02/11.

There is a certain audio-aesthetic appeal to the idea of a band whose lead singer is an eight-year-old. Despite the obvious insurmountable obstacles -- such as the reality of touring with an eight-year-old -- a child-like voice can disarm the most pretentious listeners; lending sincerity to the music that is missing from the tsunami of indie/art rock that heralded the democratization of music. The next best thing? A vocalist who sounds like she's eight with the skills of an indie icon. Many would-be scenesters are still seeking the genuine musical epiphany they had as pre-teens -- locking themselves in their rooms with their very first punk-rock or undie drum 'n' bass record, all pretense aside. Deerhoof delivers something to its audience that is both sincere and (almost) universally accessible -- something that hits us in just that same spot as the "first time we heard (blank)" in our pre-teen bedrooms. Whether it's the super-honest vocals, or the raunchy-yet-catchy strains of the band, Deerhoof strikes that string somewhere in the back of your mind that just resonates -- maybe for weeks while you decide if you even like them or not -- until suddenly you're hooked. Catch them live at ATP's Halloween bash with Liars, Black Lips, Deerhunter and Fuck Buttons.

Pumpkins and spray cobwebs may do for some, but for those wishing to celebrate All Hallow's Eve with a modicum of ethereal, ghoulish flair, and to really explore the mysteries of the afterlife, these 17th Century vaults hosting an Evening Of Phantasmagoria are the perfect subterranean lair to head for. Mistress of Ceremonies is Marina Warner, doyenne of all things magical and mystical, and her talk on the logic of imagination, the value of the soul and spirit in contemporary society, and the oh-so-fine nuances of our psyches that distinguish us from our dearly departed, begins the proceedings. After her introduction, to be discovered lurking in various cavernous corners for your subverted delectation will be magic lantern spectacles, films exploring the light beyond life, and chairs that steal shadows. The intimate event precedes the glorious, gargantuan Feast of the Dead Hendricks Halloween Ball (10pm - 4am), the dress code for which is The Beautiful and the Damned, because who the heck would want to look grim in Hell, eh?

NB: to extend the deathly glee, take tea with The Evil Twins in the basement of Le Gun's Curiosity Shop (run by the art collective who publish the mag Le Gun), 61 Wilton Way E8. Be sure to book ahead via luise@container.me.uk (session times are 03/11 and 04/11 at 2:30pm and 4:40pm).

If the Sunderland hardcore four-piece This Ain't Vegas ever found themselves on a high-rolling table in Nevada they'd probably douse the place in gasoline, punch the dealers and set the whole place alight. They bring an aggression that is seldom found in contemporary punk rock, winding up some brilliant riffs and melodies and delivering them at break-neck speed down a razorblade of jagged rhythms. They sometimes throw themselves into walls, frequently trash the place, but behind the chaotic devil-may-care histrionics are a showboat that floats on the sort of musical complexity that recalls At The Drive-In and probably would engage fans of Death From Above 1979. The last time the media circus got excited about this band it was as a sideshow for another Sunderland discovery, The Futureheads, but their longevity is demonstrated by the fact that their sound is still as boiling hot now -- the last release being The Night Don Benito Saved My Life -- as it was when they first unleashed The Black Lung Captain EP in 2003. The taste of sweat and sound of ringing in your ears never felt so sweet.

Bored of clubbing? Tired of hearing the same old sounds and seeing the same old things? Then you need to recharge your batteries this Friday at the Lucha Britannia's Day Of The Dead Spectacular. One of those rare nights that occasionally crops up and is impossible to categorise, it's definitely a club, that's easy enough, now throw in a wrestling ring, some rubber clad ring girls, several masked Luchadors and you start to realise you're out of your comfort zone. Add in burlesque cabaret, circus performers and the occasional gimp and we know we're definitely not in Fabric anymore Toto. Having spent the year electrifying the Bethnal Green Workingmen's Club with their brutal mix of pantomime ultraviolence and twisted theatre, they're bringing things up a gear and taking over the dungeon-like vaults beneath London Bridge to celebrate the Mexican Dia De Los Muertos. One of the most unique experiences you can currently have clubbing in London, being six feet under is one of the few decent excuses you have for not dressing up and getting involved.

Following rave reviews after opening at Glasgow's Oran Mor bar-club venue, Being Norwegian by David Greig transfers to Shunt Vaults, an exciting and electrifying space underneath London Bridge station. Greig's play, directed by Roxana Silbert, is an urban love story about two outsiders who find each other in between their complex and rushed lives. This is the first of four new plays set to open at Shunt over the next four weeks. Presented by Paines Plough, a British new writing company, as part of A Play, A Pie, A Pint, each show will explore a different space, including Shunt's main arena and an office. A new play will open each Wednesday for four performances only. Next week will see a new piece by Che Walker set in Nothing Hill, followed by a debut play by young playwright Sean Buckley, with Rona Munro's dark comedy about two cleaners closing the season. And you can't go wrong with a £10 ticket that includes a show, a bite to eat, a drink and entrance to the Shunt Lounge members bar after the performance. A cool and refreshing idea for an evening out.

NB: A Play, A Pie, A Pint runs from 01/11 till 24/11.

H2O. It's a social molecule and likes to interconnect. Its electrochemical affinities model the political togetherness we will need to muster if we are to beat the rising tides of climate change. Delivered by an academic back in the 1980s, this is a lecture that deftly opens Filter's brilliant new work and immediately sets personal against political and the collective need against an individual drive for glory that could doom us as a species. Three exceptional actors -- Oliver Dimsdale, Ferdy Roberts and Victoria Moseley -- drive a torrent of stories: of the academic's two sons coming to terms with his compromise and with each other; of a New Labour aide fighting for a climate change bill but contemplating personal slow-down through her own pregnancy; and of a free diver making an Icarus-like plunge into watery depths. It's exceptional storytelling, unrelentingly gripping, surprising and funny, with a richness that perhaps only devised work can bring, expertly marshaled by David Farr. But it's made glorious by Filter's live interplay between actor and technology -- Tim Phillips' electric soundscape is complemented by performed sound effects that fluidly shift perspective and plumb the emotion in action. This is not the glossy magazine that Complicite's overwrought techno-theatre is in danger of becoming, this is live, transparent and utterly human. Filter rock. Get down.

NB: Water runs till 03/11.

In a specially commissioned collaboration, experimental electronic sound artist Douglas Benford, in his si-cut.db guise, has been working together with acoustic songsmith Rod Thomas. The phrase "chalk and cheese" comes to mind, with the si-cut.db's renown dub-inflected audio scapes not readily associated with a pop-folk sensibility -- eg Benford is co-Sprawl producer/curator -- but in this case Benford promises to embrace the young busker's simple melodic sense. Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Thomas (a regular on the indie gig scene) is also an accredited London busker. Their unique co-compositions are a mixture of intimate, direct songs and subtle digital veneers; both artists will play solo sets demonstrating their different musical approaches, followed by their performance as a duo. Instigated by Henry Tillman, this is the first intimate Roundhouse event to take place in the Dr Martens Freedm Studio space.

NB: for those that cannot make it catch them both at the ICA on 15/11 (8pm).

The second weekend of The Wire 25 celebration closes with a "Finnish psychedelic free folk" star line-up, the first of two [no.signal] productions for the festival. This will see the return of Lau Nau (aka Laura Naukkarinen of Kiila), Paivansade, Avarus and Herta Lussu Assa (with Jonna Karanka from Kuupuu and Merja Kokkonen from Islaja) alongside partner Antti Tolvi, giving us abstract folk underscored by a mosaic of instruments and Assa's famouly warm, melodic voice. Tomutonttu is the solo project of Jan Anderzen, the leading clown of Fonal's Kemialliset Ystavat. Toy reed streams, mutilated vocals and groovy loops of animal noises are just some of the colours in their rich palette. Pymathon -- a UK debut -- is the "improvised metal" duo of Jaakko Tolvi (Rauhan Orkesteri and Kiila) on drums and Topias Tiheasalo on electric guitar. Reaching for a straightforward execution, it is a lesson in speed and accuracy. Kuupuu is another of the wandering girls involved in Finnish outfits playing partly improvised "spooky boogie" with tapes, loops, toys, casios, effects and voices. This will be her second London show after touring Europe with Animal Collective. A delight of the genre, in a majestic setting where people are invited to take a seat and enjoy.

Competition: we have two pairs of tickets to give away to the event for two people picked at random who can tell us the name of the violin experimentalist who played with Lau Nau at Avanto Festival 06.

Rodney Graham
Rodney Graham's latest exhibition at Lisson Gallery takes its title from a recent series of texturally doughy abstract canvases currently on display at the gallery. Part homage, part parody of a mixture of modernist styles including Cubism, Surrealism, and Dadaism, the classically framed paintings appear both sincere and ironic. Two works in the series, Possible Abstraction Pair I (2007), are a couple of near duplicate abstract works on wood that splice together the fractured facets of Picasso and Braque with the bulbous doodlings of Francis Picabia and Jean Arp. Indeed, the idea for the work came from a cartoon Graham found in a 1950s magazine that depicted two men standing in front of two almost identical caricatures of abstract paintings, made almost 40 years apart, by the fictional hybridised artist "Picado". One man says to the other, "If you ask me, his earlier paintings were much better." Graham's visual and art historical punning opens onto all sorts of questions about originality and authorship, the fundamental myths of the modernist era. As intellectually rigorous as Graham is, you don't necessarily have to be a connoisseur to enjoy this show -- anyone with a sense of humour and a penchant for the absurd will be tickled.

Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla
For this show Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla have developed a group of works that explore figures of speech and the political power of such articulations. Settlements Sentiments (Figures of Speech), 2007, are two foam and white plaster sculptures made from splintered shards that surround and cover subterranean tunnels, seeming to recall, or maybe predict, some accident or explosion, evoking a Virilio-esque vision of the world as always teetering on the brink of disaster. Within the tunnels lie singers that perform in operatic style speeches from recent history, by figures such as Martin Luther King, George Bush and Saddam Hussein. Another work, Internal Combustion (Eye of the Needle), 2007, is a video that literally enacts the ancient figure of speech by framing a Bactrian camel whose humps have been squeezed through a tractor tyre. The animal stands at a gas station in Tehran amongst more modern modes of transport. The black-gold implications need hardly be stated. Language has always created definitions and drawn battle lines in the sand but this exhibition attempts to remap these boundaries by offering language as an affirmative alternative to war.

NB: both shows run till 17/11.

The beautifully long-haired and bearded Devendra Banhart is in London. Touring Europe after releasing his new album Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon this summer, he will be bringing his distinctive voice to the Forum. Banhart imparts tales of Chinese children, long-haired children and other bizarre musings to a soundtrack of lilting psych folk tones. Following his critically acclaimed 2005 Cripple Crow album, the new material has been described as "his most straightforward". Sung in both Spanish and English (he grew up in Caracas and California) this new record drifts through blues, pared down guitar, upbeat folk tunes with plenty of reverb and '60s style rock with tracks like "Saved" blending the sound of The Doors and Brazillian Tropicalia with his unique vocals. Banhart sits at the top table of America's new folk family alongside Iron & Wine, Cat Power, CocoRosie and Joanna Newsom, whose brother Pete plays in Banhart's band. If you haven't had the pleasure yet then this is the time, and don't be surprised if you fall in love with it all.

Last year Kate Mosse's archaeological mystery, Labyrinth, won that most coveted of prizes, "Richard & Judy's Best Read", at the British Book Awards. As usual, this automatically propelled it to bestseller status and sales soon topped a million copies. Now Mosse has a new book, Sepulchre, appropriately released this Hallowe'en. Like its predecessor, this is the double-stranded story of two heroines whose adventures near Carcassonne in France intertwine. One protagonist discovers an old sepulchre in 1891 which draws her into a mystery of ghosts, murder and an unusually powerful set of tarot cards. More than a century later the other stays in a beautiful hotel and becomes enmeshed in its history, particularly the horrific events that happened one Hallowe'en night long ago... Mosse comes to Foyles to discuss her fiction with another bestselling female historical novelist, Tracy Chevalier. The latter's most recent book, Burning Bright, was inspired by the poetry of William Blake, who was also a religious visionary and a mystic. Originally scheduled to take place on the fateful 7th July 2005, this event with two giantesses of fiction is bound to be popular with the bookworms, so get there early.

NB: this event is free but you must email events@foyles.co.uk to reserve a ticket.

One could perceive Matthew Williamson's clothes as lightweight, floral blooms being the mainstay of his collections. But that would be to underestimate the creative nous and talent of a man who in 10 years went from nowhere to being the head of a powerful label with a flagship store in Mayfair, creative director at Pucci and first port of call for actresses and celebrities (including Kiera Knightley, Jade Jagger and the failed alliterate Sienna Miller) walking the red carpet. The full story was not quite the meteoric ascent from nowhere that the Design Museum might suggest, for as well as being part of a fearsome year at Central St Martins that included Hussein Chalayan and Antonio Berardi, his skills had already been recognised and employed by both Marni and Monsoon before he set up his own business with his partner Joseph Velosa. The Design Museum retrospective is noteworthy for an in-depth analysis of Williamson's influences straight from the horse's mouth, for this show is his own curatorial enterprise. He will be talking to Colin McDowell, contributor for the Sunday Times Style magazine and chair of the Costume Society of Great Britain.

NB: Matthew Williamson: 10 Years In Fashion runs at the Design Museum till 31/01/08.

Entering the gallery space at Paradise Row, you immediately find yourself amongst some pretty disparate elements of human existence: a signature orgy of violence, albeit more baroque than the Japanese samurai/manga violence-by-design seen in much of Diann Bauer's previous work; a fragmented city; and an almost primordial anti-surface that reflects the lot atop details of its own investigations into conflict between order and discord. On the first surface, a huge curved panel that wraps around half the space, a great battle is depicted, of which only traces are revealed -- the hooves of an escaping horse, the melodramatic death mask of a punkish Adonis as his thorax is penetrated by some unidentified bit of geometry -- seemingly narrated by the creeping entrails of some inky trope reanimated from an earlier work and overseeing the slaughter. The second panel, a complementary curvature of black Perspex marked with geometric and organic masses, is separated from the first by a dangling series of architectural exploits. Hovering between two worlds, these bear some similarity to an exploded shed, although perhaps less exploding than becoming something else entirely. A powerful array of beings-in-transit, Bauer's new work is the next phase of growing pains attached to the violent struggle from one form to the next.

NB: runs till 18/11.

It's the simplicity as opposed to the inherent strangeness of John Stezaker's photo collage placements that lingers in the mind. Taking in this particular troupe of human hybrids you wonder if there might be a room somewhere full of cut-and-shut individuals who didn't make the grade, such is the specificity of their arrangement. Where previous thespian portraits have been interrupted by shards of incongruous filmic action or natural world imagery fashioned as masks, in the latest Marriage series sections of surgically spliced couples have been fused together. Constructed from Hollywood promo photos these images span several decades of filmmaking. The cast of early cinematic heroes and golden era artists features rugged chaps and soft-focus dames curiously conjoined nostril to nostril or cleaved in two as if reflected back from a violent hall of mirrors. Stezaker may appear to have brutally butchered perceived notions of glamour, gender and identity but the real purpose of his alterations is to alert us to the many unconscious aesthetic alliances we forge with promotional material day after day.

NB: runs till 21/12.

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