By Julie Lawrence Special to OnMilwaukee.com Published Oct 23, 2007 at 7:56 AM

Brent and I took a week off from the Local Music Podcast, but now we're back just in time for Halloween party weekend. This town takes it All Hallows Eve pretty seriously, so there is no shortage of things to do, people to see and music to listen to in the coming week.

Saturday, Oct. 27 looks very good to head to Borg Ward, Milwaukee's newest art collective located on 8th Street and National Avenue, for an evening with Chicago indie pop band Saturday Looks Good to Me and Milwaukee's Testas Rosa and Madison's The Box Social. The Box Social finally put an end it to EPism and released its debut LP, "Get Going," earlier this year.

Over in Riverwest that same night, Linneman's hosts a full house with a CD release party for The Candliers and partners in performance, The Trusty Knife. Five bucks gets you the goods.

Friday, Oct. 26 marks the triumphant return of a well-known Milwaukee band back to the gigging scene. After a year-long hiatus, the 12-year-old Mississippi Cactus is back for a night at the Up and Under Pub on Brady Street. Brent and I play a little something off "Frank and Irene's 1937" to remind you what these dudes are all about, should you have forgotten in their absence. You can also catch the band on WMSE's Local Live show at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 23.

The hip hop party is definitely at Stonefly Brewing Company this Saturday night, as Uni-Fy presents an evening with Def Harmonic, the Rusty P's, Element of Black Elephant, Hundred Strong (UK), Haz Solo, The Rhythm Lab and Mr. Fantastic (UK). It's a costume party, of course, so wear something creative and get in for $5, otherwise be lame and dish out $10.

Julie Lawrence Special to OnMilwaukee.com

OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.

As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”