TUESDAY

In your humble little hands you held that issue of Chickfactor. You bought it at a show—maybe Heavenly at Maxwell’s or Unrest at 9:30. You shuffled back to your bedroom, peeled off your zippered sweat shirt, and started reading about all the bands you cared about, the bands small enough that they cared about you. In the privacy of your pathetic world, you were granted this one ecstatic, gushing, lovesick exchange—digesting the insights from bedroom queenies, mopey Scottish boys, bassists with pageboys, and Boys Who Love transcribed by fellow blushers Gail and Pam Chickfactor. It may not have started a revolution or attempted the overthrow of Spin, but it did become the house organ of indie pop. And unlike the pages printed by the hardcoreheads at MRR, Chickfactor was for you. With each seasonal installment, Stephin Merritt perfected his one-sentence reviews, Shawn Belschwender’s cartoons (Pavement Boy, Robert Christgau as Charlie Brown with a vinyl fetish) became dorm wallpaper, and every musician/reader became a fan who wanted to admit his crushes, whether it was cuddling Lou Barlow (me) or making out with Lois Maffeo (me). After a very low-key period, the ‘Factor is back with a new Web site, a CD compilation (finally!), and a series of 10th-anniversary shows. Tonight, they celebrate ultimate fandom with Future Bible Heros (pictured), the Would-Be-Goods, Pipas, and Glo-Worm. And don’t worry: You don’t have to sing all the words to “Honeypot” to get in. The snuggling begins at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29, at the 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. $12. (202) 393-0930. (Jason Cherkis)