Drinking, Verse

-- A Hendrick's-sponsored bartender battle goes down at Central Square's Green Street tonight. Twenty bucks gets you four gin-based drinks and the opportunity to witness the birth of some new cocktails. Recipes for the latter will be presented as limericks by the five finalists. 280 Green St., Cambridge, 7 pm. $20. (CF)

Metal

-- If you see blood raining over Mansfield this afternoon, do not panic. A metal showcase featuring Slipknot, Bostonist favorites Mastodon, Disturbed, Dragonforce, Underoath, and others will be summoning the dark forces beginning at the unmetal hour of 2:00pm. ComcastTweeterCenterGreatWoods, Mansfield, 2:00pm.

Noise

-- Boston's Intransitive records presents a showcase of noise music. Headliner Hair Police will demonstrate that 45 minutes of constant electronic feedback will still piss off your friends after all these years. Playing with Heathen Shame, Red Horse, & Puritan Agenda. Middle East Upstairs, 472 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, 8:00pm. $8.

Burlesque

-- With Boston's wealth of burlesque, you need a pretty good reason to catch a troupe from out of town. NYC's Pinchbottom Burlesque might offer one: The group performs a hybrid of theater and burlesque, in which every show has a theme and every theme has a plot and a few characters. Boston boosters, don't feel bad: Co-founder Nasty Canasta is a native. The Beehive, 541 Tremont St., South End, 9:00pm. Free.

Nights Out

-- Mayor Menino and police commissioner Ed Davis host Boston's citywide National Night Out at the Franklin Park Zoo. If you can bear the depressing conditions of animal captivity, admission to the zoo is free, as are the hot dogs and sodas. The event features booths encouraging reading, good citizenship, and shopping. Franklin Park Zoo, Dorchester, 5:00pm-8:00pm. Free.

C. Fernsebner contributed to this post.