Macbook Pro display issues....

Hey everyone...
wow it has been a while since I've been here....

Well this time, I am asking for help...
My santa rosa macbook pro has been having some crazy display issues lately.

It first started when I was checking my my email about a week ago, and my display just completely blanks out, however the weird thing is, the backlight was still functioning as well as the computer itself... (can launch itunes w/ quicksilver and play music )

so when I get home, I hook it up to my external display which thankfully worked... I then found this fix on apple forums on how to fix the built in display
Apple - Support - Discussions - MacBook Pro Blank Screen (Built - in ...

The fix was to delete some boot cache... It did the trick. Problem solved.....?

Then just a couple of days ago, same exact thing happened..... However withing 2 mins, it just came back on. I'm like, ok when school's over I will bring it into apple and see whats up. (I have finals this week)

Then, just a couple of mins ago, I bring my computer out of sleep, and the display is completely dead (no backlight and sleep indicator is solidly lit)
I'm like, I'll just plug in my external monitor and fix it again... Nope, not even my external monitor works now...

When I reboot, the computer turns on with the sleep indicator on and the boot chime sounds, however there is no white screen.... the display just stays off... I've tried clamshell mode...nothing.

Thankfully since the computer is still running (minus display) I was able to use my windows computer to pull my school work off my crippled macbook pro via wireless

Problem #2 - I'm a DJ and I have a gig tomorrow night - I really need my computer for that or I'm screwed

Sorry for the long post (and horrible grammar, I'm just really frantic right now)
Hope someone can help?

EDIT: Well after reading this article it looks like I got a computer with on of the faulty Nvidia 8600mgt's - No display in MacBook Pro - NVIDIA graphics processor failed - Nirlog.com - Technology, Life and other stuff that come along…
apple offers a free repair for that (even if it is out of warranty), however, I have opened up my computer to replace the hard drive, do you think that would affect the free repair deal?

I had the same thing happen to me, with my MBP, and I had also replaced my hard drive.
However, I was able to take the computer to my schools apple tech and have him fix it, as there is not an apple store in the city I'm in. I told him I had replaced the hard drive. He was a bit suprised, as he hadn't noticed. He said that as long as the hard drive wasn't the problem, which it wasn't, the warranty was still valid. Just make sure the hard drive area looks clean, then take it in, and see what happens.

Good Luck!

-ST