Throughout the ’80s, Philadelphia gore-punk had a best friend in Paul Bearer. As the frontman of the Serial Killers, the lyricist/singer was a loud, shticky cross between Lou Reed and Don Rickles. Bearer’s between-song patter was cuttingly ribald and smart and his silly stage physicality (ask him about wrestling in spaghetti) unparalleled. A bad junk habit drove him from Philly in 1993, but he got clean during his exile in Virginia and Ohio and discovered his talent as an author and memoirist. He plied that trade in Skywriting at Night, a transgressive, Kathy Acker-like work wisely riddled with ill will and antisocial amorality. (Apparently, he got friendly with diabolical author/musician Nick Cave, who told Bearer that he found his writing “raw and unflinching.”) On Saturday, Bearer will read at Dobbs, sharing the stage with Blessed Muthas and the one-night-only reunion of Carnival of Shame. On Sunday, Bearer sells his evil puppet-like “Carney Critters” and chats up the minions at East Coast Ghost’s apparel PunkTrunk show at Tattooed Mom.

Sat., Dec. 15, 8 p.m., $9.99, Legendary Dobbs, 304 South St., 215-501-7288, dobbsphilly.com.