The Stranger

Stranger Suggests: An Award-Winning Author, Young Bruce Lee, and Clubbing at the Cottage

Julianne Bell — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 11:42:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week! by Julianne Bell MONDAY 2/16

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart with Living Hour

(MUSIC) The Pains of Being Pure at Heart is one of those indie bands that shaped the soundscape of the late aughts. Their shoegazey, synth-spiked rock blossomed out of New York as the band played shows around the city and shared songs on MySpace (RIP). The Pains—as they're affectionately known—disbanded in 2019 after releasing five albums, but announced a reunion in 2024 to celebrate the 15th anniversary of their debut album with shows across Europe and North America. It's been over 10 years since the group played Seattle, and I can't wait to sing along to every word of "A Teenager in Love," a bouncy track off their self-titled debut fitting for the week after Valentine's Day. Canadian dream pop/fuzzy rock band Living Hour and Portland alt-rock group the Prids round out the lineup. (Vera Project, 7 pm, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

TUESDAY 2/17

Nicola Griffith

(BOOKS) Seattle-based author and self-described “queer cripple with a PhD” Nicola Griffith has received countless honors, including two Washington State Book Awards and six Lambda Literary Awards, and was inducted into MOPOP’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 2024. Her novels Hild, Spear, and Menewood explore the medieval era through a queer perspective, and she also cofounded the #CripLit movement with the late activist Alice Wong. Her latest work, She Is Here, is a new installment in PM Press’s Outspoken Authors series, in which “today’s edgiest fiction writers showcase their most provocative and politically challenging stories.” Griffith’s contribution combines fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and artwork to discuss topics ranging from disability justice to the distinction between love and ownership. (Third Place Books Ravenna, 7 pm, all ages, free) JULIANNE BELL

WEDNESDAY 2/18

History Pub: The Vanguard Generation: African American Artists, 1880-1918

(TALKS) Before the Harlem Renaissance, there was the Vanguard Generation, aka the first wave of Black artists and performers who helped shape American popular culture in the shadow of Jim Crow. Active in the years between the Civil War and World War I, many were the first in their families to be born free (or to attend college), creating art under extraordinary constraints. Drawing from newly uncovered archival documents, scholar Daniel E. Atkinson brings their stories of talent, conflict, and solidarity to life for this unique edition of History Pub. Hosted in partnership with Humanities Washington, this event is a reminder that Black innovation has always been foundational. (Spanish Ballroom, Tacoma, 7 pm, all ages) LANGSTON THOMAS

THURSDAY 2/19

Young Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story

(PERFORMANCE) Keiko Green is a playwright, screenwriter, and performer who splits her time between Seattle and LA, and has written for TV shows like Hulu’s Interior Chinatown and the upcoming Apple TV series Margo’s Got Money Troubles. Last fall, Seattle hosted productions of two of her plays: Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play, a wacky time-traveling comedy set in 1999, and Hells Canyon, a chilling horror thriller. Now, there’s another opportunity to glimpse even more of Green’s impressive range with the Seattle Children’s Theatre premiere of her play Young Dragon, which shows Bruce Lee as an ambitious young man finding his place in the world in Seattle. I’m willing to bet audience members of all ages will be moved by Bruce’s journey to becoming a “flexible, fluid, and flowing master.” Seattle Children’s Theatre recently made the difficult decision to pull a two-week April run of Young Dragon from the Kennedy Center due to the impact of the Trump administration, which makes it even more important to support local productions like this one. (Seattle Children’s Theatre, times vary) JULIANNE BELL

FRIDAY 2/20

Next Exit

(PERFORMANCE) Meet j. chavez, a Seattle theatre maven who won the KCACTF (Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival)’s National Undergraduate Playwriting Award (whew), for their opus how to clean your room (and remember all your trauma). Their new play Next Exit deals passionately, yet sympathetically, with a man named Miguel trapped on a highway (sans car, I think), who is communing with and deriving philosophical companionship from a dead possum called Orlando. Some deer come out, and a Lady In Yellow, and a sinister force that threatens to eat up anyone and anything lingering too long by the sizzling side of I-5. I’m not clear on how this all flows together. But you should indubitably find out. (Annex Theatre, times vary, all ages) ANDREW HAMLIN

SATURDAY 2/21

Club 90s: Heated Rivalry

(PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE) I’m grateful for the spark of euphoria that the low-budget Canadian hockey drama Heated Rivalry has brought to the internet over the last few months. No matter what horrifying apocalyptic shit is happening in the news, NO ONE CAN TAKE THE COTTAGE FROM US. Composer Peter Peter’s soundtrack to the blockbuster show is equally as hot-and-heavy and obsession-worthy, and episodes also include some banger needle drops. At this rave, dance to Wolf Parade’s "I'll Believe in Anything,” and reenact the haunted club scene as Harrison’s cover of t.A.T.u.’s “All the Things She Said” blares. This trendy event aims to let off some collective steam and celebrate queer joy—all this sexual tension has to go somewhere outside of streaming “KISS!” at every Kraken game. (The Showbox, 8:30 pm, 18+) BRI BREY

SUNDAY 2/22

Bitchin Bajas, Geologist

(MUSIC) Don’t be deceived by Chicago trio Bitchin Bajas’ goofy name: They’re one of the world’s headiest groups. Evolving out of neo-krautrockers Cave, BB synthesists Cooper Crain and Dan Quinlivan and saxophonist Rob Frye have been enhancing their melodic chops, creating majestic tracks that would sound righteous filling Europe’s most ornate cathedrals. This past October at Neptune Theatre, they outshone their much more celebrated headliners Stereolab in a set that made me feel as if I were on five hits of Owsley. Animal Collective member Geologist (aka Brian Weitz) just released Can I Get a Pack of Camel Lights?, the follow-up to last year’s arcane, abstracted Americana LP, A Shaw Deal, with Sleepy Doug Shaw. The new hurdy-gurdy-powered album’s a mystical avant-rock trip that I dig more than anything his parent group have done. (Sunset Tavern, 8 pm, 21+) DAVE SEGAL

Stranger Suggests: Wikipedia Rabbit Holes, a Masked Chillwave Band, and a Retelling of Cupid and Psyche

Julianne Bell — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:17:00 -0800

One Really Great Thing to Do Every Day of the Week

by Julianne Bell MONDAY 2/9

Asher Perlman & Tom Toro

(LITERATURE) If you’ve ever found yourself shedding a tear at a comic strip or recoiling with existential dread from a political cartoon, this one’s for you. New Yorker contributors Asher Perlman and Tom Toro are coming to Elliott Bay Book Company to discuss their new cartoon collections, Hi, It’s Me Again and And to Think We Started As a Book Club…. The former from Perlman (also a writer for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) pairs sharp, surreal humor with relatable existential spirals, while Toro’s new release skews wry and whimsical. With both artists exploring everything from anxiety to mortality to modern bureaucracy, expect a dynamic conversation about why life’s strangest moments often make the best punchlines. (Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free with RSVP, all ages) LANGSTON THOMAS

TUESDAY 2/10

Olivia Barton: For Myself and For You Tour

Cry along to Olivia Barton's cathartic music at Barboza on Tuesday, February 10. BLAIRE BEAMER

(MUSIC) It's hard to ignore the similarities between Orlando-born indie folk artist Olivia Barton and folk-rock darling Phoebe Bridgers. Barton's recent track "Dad Song" brings to mind Bridgers' "Kyoto"—both songs allude to complicated relationships with their fathers as Barton laments "God, I'm such a hypocrite, writing this instead of picking up the phone" and Bridgers sings "You called me from a payphone / They still got payphones / It cost a dollar a minute / To tell me you're getting sober." Barton also explores queer love, heartbreak, and anxiety on her third full-length For Myself and For You, which was co-produced by Pinegrove’s Sam Skinner and highlights her songwriting talent and ability to balance delicacy with an emotional punch. Don't miss this show from the singer-songwriter who's toured with Lizzy McAlpine and Madi Diaz; this time, she's headlining with support from confessional Utah artist Rachael Jenkins. (Barboza, 7 pm, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

WEDNESDAY 2/11

Blood Cultures

(MUSIC) They’re an anonymous, experimental indie-pop band who rock out on chillwave in hoods. What more do you need? I’m all about bands wearing disguises, and with the Residents out of commission for the moment (sigh), a quartet that tinks and reverbs and chirps along to videos of themselves (or somebody in hoods) lifting weights, shooting guns, making a mess with Chinese takeout, and turning themselves into scarecrows, just might fill dat gap. That was the gist of their video for the “Set It on Fire” single from their 2021 album LUNO, at least. What they’ll do in concert, I have no idea whatsoever, but it’s got to be conceptual. (Neumos, 7 pm, 21+) ANDREW HAMLIN

THURSDAY 2/12

Depths of Wikipedia

Dive deep into the weirdest corners of Wikipedia with comedian and journalist Annie Rauwerda at the Neptune on Thursday, February 12. IAN SHIFF

(COMEDY) Launched in 2001 as an end-all, be-all online encyclopedia, Wikipedia has fully reached cultural icon status in today’s world—not necessarily for its reliability (s/o misinformation and donation pop-ups), but for the absolutely ridiculous humans who write, edit, and speedrun it ad nauseam. Wildly popular (1.6 million followers and counting) account Depths of Wikipedia bears witness to this chaos, spotlighting the site’s strangest corners. Comedian and journalist Annie Rauwerda, who helms the site, has turned the most absurd Wikipedia gems into a live show that’s part comedy, part podcast, part beautifully deranged PowerPoint presentation, and she’ll kick off the latest tour in Seattle! I have no idea what to expect, but that’s kind of the point. (Neptune Theatre, 7 pm, all ages) LANGSTON THOMAS

FRIDAY 2/13

Till We Have Faces

See Taproot Theatre's production of C.S. Lewis's Greek mythology retelling Till We Have Faces, running Tuesday through Saturday until February 21. GIAO NGUYEN

(THEATRE) In one of his letters, C.S. Lewis wrote that he believed that his final novel, Till We Have Faces, was “far and away” his best, “but it has, with critics and the public, been my greatest failure.” So when I saw that Taproot Theatre was premiering an adaptation of the book, I figured it was time to read it. I’m happy to report the critics were wrong. The book is a reinterpretation of the myth of Cupid and Psyche, written from the perspective of Psyche’s older sister. She’s filing a complaint to the gods (relatable). Taproot’s staged production is the first of its kind—a passion project of the theater’s producing artistic director Karen Lund—and it’s only running through this month. (Taproot Theatre, 7:30–10 pm, 16+) HANNAH MURPHY WINTER

SATURDAY 2/14

Valentine's Day Show: Glenn Hendrick with John Bellows, babyboy, and Plastic Wildflowers

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(MUSIC) Disclaimer: My best friend Kirsten is helping organize this event and will be performing, but even if they weren't, I'd still recommend it—it's a night of excellent artists at a cozy, intimate venue, all in support of some truly essential causes. The lineup includes the lush, groovy quintet babyboy, the nostalgic yet lyrically frank Cleveland group Plastic Wildflowers, and the San Juan Island artist and musician Glenn Hendrick, who weaves "heartbreaking lyrics with stripped down hooks to reel you into the apocalypse" and will perform alongside singer-songwriter John Bellows. Merch sales and a raffle will raise funds for Gaza and for supporting Seattle families with legal fees for immigration court. What better way to spend your Valentine's Day than honoring art, love, and community in all of its myriad forms? (The Rabbit Box Theatre, 8 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

SUNDAY 2/15

Cécile McLorin Salvant

(MUSIC) Cécile McLorin Salvant has the most exciting voice in contemporary jazz. It’s not just her pitch-perfect voice, which reaches the heights of Edith Piaf, Ella Fitzgerald, Eartha Kitt, and Kate Bush, but the inventiveness with which she flexes her vocals. On her most recent album, Oh Snap, the three-time Grammy Award winner and MacArthur Fellow croons through a dozen short, intimate original songs (plus an a cappella cover of the Commodores’ “Brick House”) that she never intended to see the light of day. Setting out on a personal creative quest to place spontaneity and joy at the heart of her writing process, Salvant tinkered with home recording programs to craft personal songs inspired by the music that soundtracked her childhood in 1990s Miami, from grunge and pop boy bands to classical and folk music. The result of the album is a delightfully chaotic audio journal that will please fans of traditional jazz as well as genre rule-breakers like Erykah Badu and Solange. (Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN

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Stranger Suggests: A Surreal Queer Western, Nose Poems, and the Next Main Pop Girlie

Julianne Bell — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:55:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Julianne Bell MONDAY 2/2

Rituals of Mine with LabRats & Rose Peak

See Rituals of Mine play her brand of electronic-influenced alt-R&B at Baba Yaga. JEFFREY LATOUR

(MUSIC) Terra Lopez has been making electronic-influenced alt-R&B since 2010—first under the moniker Sister Crayon, then changing the project’s name to Rituals of Mine in 2016. That year was a landmark one for the group, touring with alternative metal band the Deftones and celebrating the re-release of their sophomore album Devoted on a major label, but Lopez was on the verge of a mental health crisis. After processing the trauma of losing her father and best friend in a six-month span, Lopez released her third record—and first solo venture—HYPE NOSTALGIA in 2020. Rituals of Mine has since released a handful of singles, groovy and emotional tracks that have left me wanting more. They're on tour with support from jazz hip-hop fusion group LabRats, who double as the headliner's backing band. (Baba Yaga, 7 pm, 21+) SHANNON LUBETICH

TUESDAY 2/3

Yeobo Cafe and Bar

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(FOOD) Yeobo, will you be our Valentine?? The name "yeobo" is a Korean term of endearment like "honey" or "sweetheart," which is fitting, because I'm extremely smitten with this Capitol Hill coffee shop. In fact, I'm writing this blurb there right now, enjoying a cup of roasted oolong tea while Norah Jones plays in the background. In our recent Complaints Issue, arts editor Emily Nokes begged local businesses to stay open later, whereas I lamented the lack of truly cozy coffee shops in Seattle, and Yeobo might just be the answer to both of our prayers—they even extended their hours to 9-ish pm daily as a direct response to Emily's complaint! They have delicious coffee drinks (I love the burnt honey miso latte), a selection of Friday Afternoon tea, and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails, plus kimchi breakfast sandwiches made with house-made gluten-free English muffins. There's always something fun playing on the TV, like Avatar: The Last Airbender, anime, or Kim's Convenience, and if you want some analog entertainment, they have a community library, puzzle exchange, and board games. This is the inclusive third space that the neighborhood desperately needed. Also, if you have some spare cash, consider donating to their GoFundMe to help them out with critical repairs and unexpected expenses so they can keep the lights on. (2332 E Madison St, 7 am-9ish pm) JULIANNE BELL

WEDNESDAY 2/4

Mark Z. Danielewski

Horror legend Mark Z. Danielewski will appear at Elliott Bay Book Company on Wednesday, February 2. LINDSEY BEST

(LITERATURE) Mark Z. Danielewski is most well known for his debut novel and postmodern horror cult classic House of Leaves, which famously requires active participation (including turning the book upside down at times) from the reader to decipher its multiple nonlinear narratives, cryptic text, and copious footnotes. Reading it feels like a descent into madness and will have you glancing around to make sure no one (or nothing) else is in the room with you. He’s now embarking on tour to promote his longest novel to date, Tom’s Crossing, which came out last October and clocks in at 1,200 pages. It’s a dark, epic Western horror hybrid that required 10 drafts and which Danielewski has said he considers the “pinnacle” of his work. Here’s a chance to catch a living horror legend in the flesh. (Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, all ages, free) JULIANNE BELL

THURSDAY 2/5

aja monet

Experience poet, organizer, and musician aja monet's galvanizing voice at Town Hall Seattle on Thursday, February 5. FANNY CHU

(LITERATURE) Poet, organizer, and musician aja monet is a triple threat who’s in the business of activating rooms. Drawing from a lineage rooted in oratory practice, monet blends spoken word, music, and experience into something that feels more akin to a performance or communal offering than a standard reading. Her latest book, Florida Water, explores love, migration, climate grief, and community with a clarity that reflects, reveals, and unravels in equal measure. A Grammy-nominated spoken word artist and Nuyorican Poets Cafe Grand Slam Champion, monet creates urgent and intimate work. If you plan to attend, you’re in for a treat. Just be sure to stick around for the post-event Q&A hosted by Kiesha B. Free. (Town Hall Seattle, 7:30 pm, all ages) LANGSTON THOMAS

FRIDAY 2/6

Jade: That’s Showbiz Baby! Tour

(MUSIC) I constantly annoy everyone I know by bragging that I was three years early to knowing about Chappell Roan, so I need you to believe me when I say that former Little Mix singer Jade Thirlwall is going to be a main pop girlie within the next couple of years. She’s already big in the UK and steadily gaining popularity stateside. No one else out there is doing it like her—I can't name another artist who dropped a fully art-directed visual album for their solo debut, but that's exactly what she did with That's Showbiz Baby. There are no skips, either. You can hear touches of all the great pop divas, like Gaga, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, and Diana Ross. The opener, “Angel of My Dreams,” about Jade’s ambivalent relationship to fame, is dreamy, celestial pop goodness reminiscent of “Lucky” by Britney Spears. I also love the track “Before You Break My Heart,” which samples a recording of Jade singing the Supremes’ "Stop! In the Name of Love" as a little girl, and which she says is written from the POV of her “younger self, begging me not to forget her and how far we’ve come.” (Paramount Theatre, 8 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

SATURDAY 2/7

Scent Lending Library at Fogue Studios

Follow your nose to the Scent Lending Library. FOGUE STUDIOS

(ART) What does God’s sweat smell like? Or the anoxic cold of Eau De Space? Smell for yourself out at the Scent Lending Library, an olfactory exhibition that arrived at Fogue after its five-month run at Olfactory Art Keller in New York. While determining the base note of divine perspiration may involve a smidge of poetic license, NASA did actually work with chemists in 2008 to recreate the smell of the void (as relayed by space-walking astronauts), and Australian-born documentary filmmaker turned olfactory artist Donna Lipowitz has bottled these distillations for your sniffing pleasure. There are over 100 scents to explore (70 of which are available to check out for two weeks at a time), including delightful nose poems like Old Luggage, Bermuda Triangle, and American Psycho, as well as more classic fare, including the oldest continuously produced perfume, Guerlain's 1889 Jicky. The sensory excursion to the world right under our nose is the perfect antidote to algorithm purgatory. (Fogue Studios and Gallery) AMANDA MANITACH

SUNDAY 2/8

The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo

(FILM) Set in the Chilean desert in the early '80s, director Diego Céspedes’s feature debut follows Lidia, an 11-year-old who was abandoned as a baby and raised by a fiercely loving queer found family. Their ragtag clan is ostracized by their sleepy mining town, blamed for a mysterious plague that is believed to be transmitted by a single gaze when two people fall in love. Lidia sets out to defend her loved ones and determine whether the rumor is true or not. The surreal Western explores AIDS panic, transphobia, violence, revenge, marginalization, and prejudice, mixing folktale vibes with the scrappy tenderness of Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Shoplifters. (Northwest Film Forum, 3 pm and 6:30 pm) JULIANNE BELL

Stranger Suggests: Sparkly Majorettes, a Classic Fairy-Tale Ballet, and an Underwater City Made of Trash

Julianne Bell — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 12:20:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Julianne Bell MONDAY 1/26

Lady Windermere's Fan

(FILM) I attended my first Silent Movie Monday last month, and now I am completely obsessed. The film series pays homage to the history of our beloved Paramount Theatre, which opened in 1928, showing silent films accompanied by live musicians on the theater’s original Mighty Wurlitzer (a single organ that’s connected to various pipes and percussion instruments), and serving free, old-fashioned bags of popcorn—it’s truly like stepping into a time machine. For the next Silent Movie Monday, organist Donna Parker will soundtrack Ernst Lubitsch’s 1925 adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan. Set in 1890s London, the film follows an elegant society woman who’s convinced her husband is having an affair. It’s full of drama, scandals, and stunning costumes. Warning: You will likely leave the theater wanting to cut your hair into a 1920s bob. (Paramount Theatre, 7 pm) AUDREY VANN

TUESDAY 1/27

Honorée Fanone Jeffers

See Honorée Fanonne Jeffers at Town Hall Seattle Tuesday, January 27. SYDNEY A. FOSTER

(LITERATURE) National Book Award-nominated fiction writer, poet, and essayist Honorée Fanonne Jeffers spent 15 years researching archives for her critically acclaimed 2020 collection The Age of Phillis, which reimagines the life of revolutionary 18th-century poet Phillis Wheatley. For her next act, she published her 2021 debut novel The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois, an ambitious 816-page intergenerational epic that traces a Black family’s lineage from before the Civil War to the present. Her latest work is her nonfiction debut Misbehaving at the Crossroads, which explores the crossroads—defined by Jeffers as “a location of difficulty and possibility, a boundary between the divine and the human”—in Black American and African cultures. Jeffers will join host Colleen Echohawk, Community Roots Housing CEO and Seattle Arts and Lectures’ Community Curated Series director, for a discussion on this fascinating intersection. (Town Hall Seattle, 7:30 pm) JULIANNE BELL

Cate Le Bon, Frances Chang

(MUSIC) Sometimes you listen to an album, and your first thought is “Well, this is gonna be my whole personality for a while.” Cate Le Bon’s newest, Michelangelo Dying, is one of those. It’s a no-skip record, and one of my favorites, “Is It Worth It? (Happy Birthday),” could be a B-side on Ziggy Stardust. You have two chances to see Madame Le Bon today: first at 11 a.m. at the KEXP In-Studio show (which is free! As long as you’re willing to get there early and snag your spot), and second, at 8 p.m. at the Neptune, with special guest Frances Chang. (Neptune Theatre, 8 pm, all ages) HANNAH MURPHY WINTER

WEDNESDAY 1/28

Stuff You Should Know

(COMEDY) If you’ve ever lost an hour falling down an internet rabbit hole, there’s a good chance Stuff You Should Know contributed to it in some way. Hosted by Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant, the SYSK podcast has spent nearly two decades unpacking the history, science, and cultural weirdness of everything from Ouija boards to Pop-Tarts to Nazis on meth (yes, really). Racking up 2,700+ episodes and billions of downloads across the web, the pod has been the inspiration of many a YouTube deep dive, and now it’s coming to Seattle, live! It’s all that curiosity, joking, and banter delivered directly to a room full of fact-loving nerds, sans the HelloFresh commercials. (Paramount Theatre, 8 pm) LANGSTON THOMAS

THURSDAY 1/29

Ogemdi Ude: MAJOR

(PERFORMANCE) Majorette dance has been a staple of Black girlhood since the 1960s, when it was popularized at HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) in the American South. Dressed in their signature glittery costumes, majorettes dance alongside marching bands and display bold showmanship, glamour, precision, power, and sensuality. In this contemporary performance directed and choreographed by Ogemdi Ude, six Black femmes will pay homage to the majorette dance form, accompanied by composer Lambkin’s score blending “Southern rap, horns, drumlines, and melodic R&B and soul.” Back in September, On the Boards executive director Megan Kiskaddon told Stranger staff writer Nathalie Graham that MAJOR is the show everyone must see in the venue’s 2025–2026 season, explaining, “It’s one of those pieces that anyone would get something out of, because it’s so exuberant.” (On the Boards, 8 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

FRIDAY 1/30

Merlantis, or the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

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(VISUAL ART) What lies beneath the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? An underwater city loosely based on Seattle and built of fallen trash, of course. While “the damaging effects of commodification and rampant capitalism on our planet” sound like heavy themes for troubled times, this exhibition put on by the group True Misschiff promises to handle the subject with campy panache in an attempt to “normalize non-normative approaches to life and gender” through the adventures of characters like Brosiedon, the douchey ruler of the merpeople. Base Camp 2 has recently restructured its exhibition timeline to focus on four big shows a year, which is great news, as the massive old luggage store space lends itself to immersive worlds such as Merlantis promises to be. In addition to ticketed events and cabaret performances (sponsored by the fictional corporation Blissfish), there will be art for sale, a thematic gift shop, and more fishy shenanigans available through March. (Base Camp 2, through Feb 28) AMANDA MANITACH

SATURDAY 1/31

Cinderella

The Pacific Northwest Ballet's production of Cinderella runs through February 8. ANGELA STERLING

(PERFORMANCE) Pacific Northwest Ballet’s production of Cinderella was conceived and choreographed in 1994 by founding artistic director and choreographer Kent Stowell, who sought to emphasize the romantic nature of the fairy tale in contrast to the tragicomic sensibilities of earlier modern productions. The result is an enchanting, swoon-worthy confection filled with dazzling costumes by Tony Award-winning costume designer Martin Pakledinaz and fantastical sets by scenic designer Tony Straiges. Fun facts: The production features over 120 costumes, which required more than a mile of tulle to make, and the trim on Cinderella’s ball gown alone took over 100 hours to create and sew. (McCaw Hall, various times, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

SUNDAY 2/2

The Chronology of Water

Imogen Poots as Lidia in The Chronology of Water. THE FORGE

(FILM) “I remember things in retinal flashes. Without order. Your life doesn’t happen in any kind of order… It’s all a series of fragments and repetitions and pattern formations. Language and water have this in common,” the Oregon-based author Lidia Yuknavitch writes in her 2011 memoir, The Chronology of Water. It follows, then, that director Kristen Stewart’s film adaptation of the book opens without clear exposition. Instead, the camera is submerged, trained upward toward a figure in a red swimsuit. Blood spills onto a shower’s tile floor. The two images—which happen years apart in Lidia’s (Imogen Poots) life—set the tone for a film revealed in fragments of trauma. Read the full review at the Mercury. (SIFF Film Center, 7 pm) LINDSAY COSTELLO

Stranger Suggests: Video Game-Inspired Dream Pop, a Hopeful Play For These Hopeless Times, and a Pistachio Sundae with Black-Currant Sauce

Audrey Vann — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:30:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Audrey Vann MONDAY 1/19

Crushed with Swinging

See Crushed at Baba Yaga on Monday, January 19. BEN RAYNER

(MUSIC) Crushed leans into the video-game aesthetic—titling their debut EP extra life and their more recent full-length no scope—but that doesn't mean they make video game music (aside from a few glitch-pop moments). Singer Bre Morell provides bold, powerful vocals as Shaun Durkan layers beats, samples, and occasionally his own voice to create atmospheric, electronic-influenced dream pop. It's experimental and genre-bending, but still incredibly accessible. The duo met online while sharing their love for '90s alt-radio hits, and they now record out of different cities: Morell is based in Los Angeles and Durkan calls Portland home. Last fall, Paste Magazine named Crushed as "The Best of What’s Next," describing their songs as the perfect combination of "lyrics that come from a place of real despair and struggle and doubt; a trip-hoppy beat, beautiful atmosphere, and simple, lazy guitars; a metamorphic, surging finale." Portland-based artist Swinging opens the show with their experimental and ethereal alt-folk. (Baba Yaga, 8 pm, 21+) SHANNON LUBETICH

TUESDAY 1/20

Publish Your Valentine in The Stranger!

Declare your love in The Stranger's February Issue! MS

(LOVE) Love is in the air! Grocery store shelves are lined with boxes of chocolates, and people on social media are debating whether or not chalky heart-shaped candy actually tastes good. (YES, AND I WILL DIE ON THAT SUGAR MOUNTAIN.) Valentine’s Day is upon us, and we’re filling our February issue with hundreds of your love notes! Just head over to thestranger.com/valentines and spill your heart in 150 characters or less. And new this year: The first 20 people to purchase a one-year subscription to the print edition of The Stranger get a special super-sized valentine! Just buy your subscription here, and then forward your receipt to valentines@thestranger.com using the same email address you used when submitting your valentine message. We'll display your declaration of adoration in larger font with an extra cute design to make it unmissable to your honey bunny/baby poo/sweetie pie. Yay, love! Get them in by January 23 for print, and February 14 for online. MEGAN SELING

WEDNESDAY 1/21

The Heart Sellers

See 'The Heart Sellers' at Seattle Repertory Theater through February 1. SAYED ALAMY

(PERFORMANCE) So, you might not know this, but everything is terrible right now. The federal government and its goons are upending the spirit of America. They’ve tipped over the melting pot and hawked a loogie into the dregs that remain. The American dream is now a polymarket bet that you’ll never win. The new play at the Seattle Repertory Theater, The Heart Sellers, tells the story of the immigrant experience at a time when America was finally opening its doors to people outside northwestern Europe. There is hope in this play, and there is sadness. In it, two women—one from Korea, one from the Philippines—find friendship when they need it most—on Thanksgiving in 1973. The whole play takes place with two characters in one apartment. The Heart Sellers strikes a chord for American immigrants and lets those of us who aren’t strangers in a strange land step inside their shoes (or house slippers) for a spell. Plus, the acting is phenomenal. (Seattle Repertory Theater, 2 & 7:30 pm) NATHALIE GRAHAM

THURSDAY 1/22

Yarn/Wire, Yiğit Kolat, and Yonatan Ron

(MUSIC) The sound of avant-garde classical ensemble Yarn/Wire is in the name—fuzzy, fibrous threads interwoven with scratchy, metallic chords. Founded in NYC back in 2005, the adventurous piano/percussion quartet pushes the boundaries of contemporary music with their annual Currents project, which serves as an incubator for innovative experimental music. While their music can be unconventional, the pianos maintain a sound within the classical music realm that is accessible to the general public—meaning, yes, you can bring your parents or grandparents to this without fearing their judgment or discomfort. This is the relaxing kind of experimental music, not the chaotic kind. (Meany Hall, 7:30 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN

FRIDAY 1/23

The 2026 Annual Disabled List Comedy Festival

(COMEDY) Now, more than ever, we need to laugh. And this week, the fourth annual Disabled List Comedy Festival is giving us several opportunities to do just that, with five days of stand-up performances and a variety show starring some of the country’s most hilarious comedians. The Disabled List was co-founded by Kayla Brown and Dan Hurwitz (one of The Stranger’s Champions of Comedy in 2024), and this year’s festival features notable headliners including Hayden Kristal (I hope she brings her dog Creatch!), Comrade Tripp, Derek Shen (another Champion of Comedy alum), and Tina Friml, who so perfectly balances comedy and her experiences as a person with cerebral palsy that when Stranger contributor Mindi Lind interviewed Friml in 2024, she wrote, “This magical unicorn has broken through the impenetrable wall between prime time and the disabled experience, delivering lines so smart, so cunning, so potently real that entire universities have spent decades trying to distill these ideas into hundred-page dissertations.” You cannot lose—pick any show from their stellar line-up and go laugh until your tummy hurts. (Jan 22–25, various venues) MEGAN SELING

SATURDAY 1/24

Judy Collins

(MUSIC) After deep-diving into the catalogs of legendary songstresses like Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, and Carole King, I finally found my way to the discography of Judy Collins. I was already aware of her iconic voice, but given the number of her albums in record store dollar bins, I did not expect her exploration of different genres. Her music is not simply straightforward vocal pop, but swims around trad-folk, country, and jazz, incorporating the occasional experimental flourish (such as the ethereal ocean sounds in “Farewell to Tarwathie.”) Collins has released and collaborated on over 50 albums in her lifetime, with additional career successes as an author, filmmaker, social activist, guitar designer, and record label founder. She’s also been gigging for over 50 years, so show up and make this stop in Seattle a memorable one for her. (Jazz Alley, 7:30 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN

SUNDAY 1/25

Devour a Deep Sea Sugar and Salt Ice Cream Sundae at Milk Drunk

Get it before it's gone! COURTESY OF MILK DRUNK

(FOOD & DRINK) Deep Sea Sugar and Salt serves up some of the fattest, most indulgent slices of cake in the PacNW. Milk Drunk sells some of the funnest soft serve sundaes and cones—dipped in and covered with toppings like butterscotch hard shell, Fruity Pebbles, and cinnamon streusel—in the city. Together? Fuck. I knew this collaboration was going to be good, but I did not expect it to be so delicious that I can say with certainty that it will remain on my personal top 10 list of best things I ate in 2026. And it’s only January! A mountain of pistachio and black-currant soft serve is smothered with a tart black currant sauce, rich pistachio butter, and a shortbread crumble that makes all the flavors pop. Because it’s a limited-edition collab—Milk Drunk hosts different sundae chefs every month—Sunday, January 25, is your last chance to try it. Don’t miss out. (Milk Drunk, noon–9 pm) MEGAN SELING

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Stranger Suggests: A Psychosexual NC-17 Sensation, the Beginning of Your Year of Opera, and a Stoic White-Guy Worth Your Time

Julianne Bell — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:00:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Julianne Bell MONDAY 1/12

Collide-O-Scope 16th Anniversary

(FILM) For a whopping 16 years, Collide-O-Scope has been a fixture of Seattle’s underground film and performance scene. It’s an institution that’s evolved alongside our city’s venues and creative spaces, putting in a decade at the (dearly missed) Re-bar, shifting online during the pandemic era, and finding a four-year home at the Crocodile’s recently closed Here-After before landing at its newest venue, the Clock-Out Lounge! For the uninitiated, the 16th-anniversary show is the perfect entry point into the cabaret, the chaos, and the community that have cemented Collide-O-Scope as a resilient part of Seattle nightlife history. (Clock-Out Lounge, 8 pm, 21+) LANGSTON THOMAS

TUESDAY 1/13

Colm Tóibín

(LITERATURE) Celebrated Irish author Colm Tóibín follows in the footsteps of literary giants like Henry James, James Baldwin, and Elizabeth Bishop, writing intensely human stories with unadorned, rhythmic prose. You’re most likely familiar with him through his sixth novel, Brooklyn, a breakout success that was adapted into the Oscar-nominated 2015 film of the same name starring Saoirse Ronan. Brooklyn revolves around young midcentury Irish immigrant Eilis Lace’s struggle to reconcile her past in Ireland with her new life in New York. Tóibín continued the saga with his 2024 sequel, Long Island, which picks up 30 years later as Eilis finds her marriage with her Italian husband Tony in disarray. Join him for this conversation at Town Hall for a glimpse into the mind of what the Boston Globe called “one of the world’s best living literary writers.” (Town Hall Seattle, 7:30 pm) JULIANNE BELL

WEDNESDAY 1/14

Steve Gunn, Jeffrey Silverstein

(MUSIC) It’s understandable if you’ve had your fill of stoic, white-guy guitarists with limited (yet pleasant) vocal ranges. But you should leave a sliver of precious time in your hectic life for Steve Gunn. What he lacks in singing prowess, he makes up for in instrumental expressiveness. Gunn’s a guitarist of rare melodic elegance and deceptive soulfulness, as evidenced by his 2013 breakthrough, Time Off, which found him contending with the legacies of British psych-folk masters such as Michael Chapman and Bert Jansch. Since then, Steve’s kept busy with several collabs (Kim Gordon, Mdou Moctar, Mike Cooper, Natural Information Society, etc.) and solo works, steadily building a fan base, with help via Matador Records’ marketing might. This year, Gunn’s released Daylight Daylight and Music for Writers for the more underground No Quarter and Three Lobed labels. The former thrums with chamber-art-pop splendor; the latter zones out in glowing ambient-drone-fingerpicking space, sans vox. The Triple Door should be a copacetic setting for this music’s understated grandeur. (Triple Door, 7:30 pm, all ages) DAVE SEGAL

THURSDAY 1/15

Fatlesque Fest NW at Triple Door

(PERFORMANCE) Fatlesque Fest NW is back with burlesque that challenges expectations and expands upon what the art form can look like onstage. Rooted in fat liberation and body positivity, the festival showcases performers from across the US, Canada, and the UK, with each night featuring a different cast and its own distinct energy. Headliners Lady Drew Blood and Lady Lola LeStrange anchor the lineup alongside a roster of featured performers serving humor and glamor. Produced by Puckduction, the same team behind Fat Con (also recommended), the fest carries a community- and visibility-first ethos into a bold, high-glam performance space. More than a showcase, Fatlesque Fest NW is a statement that celebrates joy, artistry, and bodies. (Triple Door, 7:30 pm, 18+) LANGSTON THOMAS

FRIDAY 1/16

Monster Rally

(MUSIC) For the past 15 years, Cleveland’s Ted Feighan has created a trove of transportive sound collages as Monster Rally. Envision your mid-century Pan Am touching down for several minutes at a time on a volcanic tiki retreat as imagined by the Loyal Order of Water Buffaloes; a bustling, sand-swept day market bearing bold spices and vibrant fabrics from across the empire; a Los Angeles Chinatown bossa nova jazz joint where the password is an inside joke. Alternately, the great thing about Monster Rally is that most of what your brain conjures when dosed with the sounds, Feighan has already made in visual form—most every release has been coupled with an extraordinary magazine cut-out piece of artwork that matches the escapist, exotically colored sounds he’s made, and his live shows are no different. By trade, a multi-instrumentalist beatmaker in the vein of Dirty Art Club, Teebs, or Madlib on his “Curls” beat shit, Feighan has chosen to open his studio for only the second time to outside vocalists (after his 2015 Foreign Pedestrians collab with Bay Area rapper Jay Stone), and the singles so far have displayed the telltale signs of crossover appeal. (Barboza, 6:30 pm, 21+) TODD HAMM

SATURDAY 1/17

Mourning Sickness: Showgirls

(FILM) What can I say about Paul Verhoeven’s landmark 1995 erotic drama that hasn’t already been said? That I felt like a changed person after watching it for the first time? That it is tacky and absurd to a degree approaching transcendence? That never in my life have I seen anything quite like Gina Gershon flirting with Elizabeth Berkley by talking about eating doggy chow? Whether you love or hate the critically panned movie, I’m willing to bet that you’re probably not indifferent. (I’m solidly in the love camp myself, in case you couldn’t guess.) See the psychosexual NC-17 sensation and its bevy of naked breasts on the big screen—drag queen and self-described “bird-brained bombshell” Monday Mourning will give an introduction to the film, which is part of her “Mourning Sickness” series of camp and cult classics. (Northwest Film Forum, 7:30 pm) JULIANNE BELL

SUNDAY 1/18

Seattle Opera: Daphne

The Seattle Opera presents Daphne at McCaw Hall January 16 and 18. COURTESY OF SEATTLE OPERA

(PERFORMANCE) One of my goals for 2026 is to start frequenting the opera—who’s with me? I want to see Seattleites step out of their Blundstones and Patagonias and into their opera gloves, faux furs, and antique opera glasses for an evening of art and glamour. I’ll be kicking off my Year of Opera with Strauss’s underrated masterpiece, Daphne, inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Strauss’s take on the Greek myth tells the story of Daphne, a woman who loves nature but has no interest in human romance, who turns into her favorite laurel tree after mourning the death of her suitor. Not only will this whimsical tale be brought to life on stage by the Seattle Opera, but the Seattle Symphony will join, playing the lush, pastoral score. (McCaw Hall, various times, all ages) AUDREY VANN

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Stranger Suggests: Sundance-Worthy Shorts, Lucy Dacus’s Guitarist, and an Art Show About the End of the World

Shannon Lubetich — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 12:40:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Shannon Lubetich MONDAY 1/5

Take The Stranger’s Sex Survey

(SHAMELESS PROMOTION) There ain’t shit going on in town today. It’s the first Monday of the new year, and it’s grey and drizzly. Everyone is partied out. People are still holding tight to their resolutions to drink less or save more. There is literally no better day to spend 10 minutes of your time taking The Stranger’s annual sex survey! Last year's sex survey results proved very interesting. Fisting/getting fisted fantasies skyrocketed, H.E.R. was by far the music people listened to most when getting busy, and people were only medium-horny for Luigi Mangione. What will we learn about the sex lives of Seattleites this year? There's only one way to find out! Grab a drink, get comfortable, and tell us everything. It’s free, it’s anonymous, and it’s fun! Click here to start. The results will appear in our Love & Sex issue, on stands February 4. MEGAN SELING

TUESDAY 1/6

Tommy Oeffling

(MUSIC) Tommy Oeffling makes meandering, unassuming indie rock out of his bedroom in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that he refers to as a ripoff of his favorite artists, like MJ Lenderman, Mk.gee, and Pavement. His recent lo-fi album Picture of Health tells stories of life as a 20-year-old through echoing vocals and driving guitar. Oeffling's parents gave him a drum kit at the age of four and inspired his current studies to become a teacher—and while he admits that music isn't his main focus, the honesty and musical skill displayed in his slacker rock tunes have earned him a dedicated following. I'm looking forward to hearing him play "Love in the Time of Trump," which is more about daily life and relationships than politics. (Neumos, 7 pm, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

WEDNESDAY 1/7

2025 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour

(FILM) Always wanted to experience Sundance, but aren’t into flying out to Park City to do so? Then the fest’s 2025 Short Film Tour should be at the top of your January events list. Sundance distills its notoriously strong shorts program into a tight, 100-minute theatrical showcase of seven standout films, including two jury award winners, that’ll screen for an 11-day run during the Seattle stop. Presented by Vimeo, the event features fiction, documentary, animation, and more, offering up a holistic snapshot of the trajectory of independent filmmaking. I won't blame you for not wanting to spend time in Utah, but if you call yourself a Seattle cinephile, this one’s hard to skip. (Northwest Film Forum, all ages) LANGSTON THOMAS

THURSDAY 1/8

Dan Webb: Yespalier

New Shoot by Dan Webb, 2025. COURTESY OF GREG KUCERA GALLERY

(VISUAL ART) Dan Webb is a woodcarver—the old-fashioned kind who chips away slowly at a tree, through sap and heart and bark, to draw things out. His melting chairs and busts draped in luxurious fabric-y folds speak to a mastery of the medium, as well as a playful sensibility that coaxes unexpected meaning from a blank block. Despite the trompe l’oeil playfulness, the wood-ness of Webb’s sculptures is always felt; the tree is present. Like Michelangelo’s non finito Prisoners emerging from their stone, Webb’s subjects feel as though they’ve willed themselves into being, emerging from the raw pith of the earth. In Yespalier (a portmanteau of yes and espalier—the ancient horticultural technique in which fruit trees are trained along a frame to direct their growth) Webb has created a body of work that is less planned, more improvisational and sketchy. How does one “sketch” with wood? By starting with a simple square frame and carving inward. The resulting sculptures are delightfully meandering, surreal, and all over the place in the best way. (Greg Kucera Gallery) AMANDA MANITACH

FRIDAY 1/9

Panic Room: Jeju Island Artist Collective

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(VISUAL ART) “What to do when the end of the world arrives?” That’s the theme behind this pseudo-scientific performance project by the Jeju Island Artist Collective. This show runs the full month of January and plays out like a mockumentary, following a group of hyper-rational “nerds” as they navigate the end of the world from inside a hybrid lab/studio/survival pod. While the outside world collapses, the performers obsessively devise systems and inventions to guard against the unknown, revealing the absurdity and vulnerability baked into our reliance on data and control. Created by South Korean immigrant artists Kyung-Jin Kim, Eunsun Choi, and Yeon Jin Kim, Panic Room blends satire, speculative fiction, and performance art into a reflection on how we cope when certainty disappears. The opening reception is January 10, 3–5 p.m. (The Vestibule, Fri–Sat through Jan 31, free) LANGSTON THOMAS

SATURDAY 1/10

Madison Cunningham

(MUSIC) California-based singer-songwriter Madison Cunningham has sung with Mumford & Sons, played guitar for Lucy Dacus, and released a joint album with Andrew Bird called Cunningham Bird that covers the iconic 1973 Buckingham Nicks record. Similar to Bird, Cunningham makes expansive orchestral music with a folk-rock slant. She won the Grammy for Best Folk Album for her 2022 album Revealer, following it up with her fourth full-length this year. Ace plays with the duality of being the strongest and the weakest at the same time, exploring her identity as an eldest daughter and her experience recovering from the end of a relationship to find love again. Check out her impeccable guitar skills in a stripped-down version of the track "Wake"—the album version features Fleet Foxes—and get ready to be transported by her show at a storied cathedral with support from Native American folk artist Ken Pomeroy. (St. Mark's Cathedral, 7:30 pm, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

SUNDAY 1/11

Nueve Lio

(MUSIC) Filipino American rapper Nueve Lio was born in Southern California, spent large parts of his childhood in Japan and Guam as the son of a Navy contractor, and then moved back to Riverside to kick off his musical career. The hip-hop artist comes to Seattle in support of his fourth album HERTURN (released last September), which blends smooth R&B with electronic influences. The video for the lead single "RUN IT BACK" is simultaneously epic and extremely cheesy—it plays with reflections, shadows, slow motion, and includes a cinematic rain scene with a love interest who appears to be some sort of bird-controlling sorceress. (Neumos, 7 pm, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

Stranger Suggests: Headbanging to Sludge Metal, Jumping into Freezing Water, and Eating Too Much Hot and Melty Cheese

Todd Hamm — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Todd Hamm MONDAY 12/29

Rosebay Chalet

(CHEESE) For the second year, Hotel 1000 is going full vintage Swiss-alpine fantasy with the Rosebay Chalet. Once entering through the gingerbread-trimmed facade (made of actual gingerbread) and settling into a faux fur-decked fireside lounge, you might just forget you’re in Downtown Seattle. Festive cocktails aren’t the only treat in store here, as the food menu leans into winter comfort with Beecher’s fondue, giant Bavarian pretzels, and French onion soup. Plus, this year offers build-your-own gingerbread chalets, a shotski, board games, and a chairlift photo op watched over by a (reportedly very handsome, albeit fake) St. Bernard. (Rosebay, through Dec 31) LANGSTON THOMAS

TUESDAY 12/30

Eat Clam Chowder at Taproot Cafe & Bar

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(SOUP) Many may not know this, but I'm a clam chowder fan. I'm also very picky about this hearty form of soup. Clam chowder is often done wrong: Too thick or too thin, potatoes too hard or too soft, not enough clams, or the flavor of clams. Once in a while, however, I discover a place that gets all of these elements right, and that place, right now, is Columbia City's Taproot Cafe & Bar. They serve New England Clam Chowder with hickory bacon, steamed potatoes, and a herb emulsion. The bowl comes with a buttermilk roll and a warm feeling that is just perfect for long and cold nights. Heat must not come from the sun but from a stove operated by a cook who knows the secrets of clam chowder. (Taproot Cafe & Bar, open Tues-Sun) CHARLES MUDEDE

WEDNESDAY 12/31

Mudhoney, Student Nurse

(NEW YEAR’S EVE) Perhaps this is an unpopular opinion, but Mudhoney could have retired after releasing their 1988 debut single “Touch Me I’m Sick” and still achieved god-tier status in Seattle’s—and Earth’s—underground-rock scene. The foursome’s signature song swerved into the Stooges’ Fun House and pinched Iggy’s nipples hard, while vomiting into Scott Asheton’s kickdrum. How do you follow up such a monumental first release? Well, Mudhoney have soldiered on for 37 years with the same creative nucleus of Mark Arm and Steve Turner, putting subtle variations on their thunderous garage- and psych- rock templates, augmented by abundant and astringent guitar FX. One key to their greatness is, they’re masculine, not macho. Another key is, they possess humor and self-awareness; so even though their sound hasn’t changed much, they still don’t obviously repeat themselves. The band’s riffs and melodies still sting with the vitality of musicians a third of their ages, and even their last four albums—delivered at five-year intervals—rip musically, while spanking all the right people lyrically. These gr*nge warhorses are still thoroughbreds. (Neptune Theatre, 8 pm, all ages) DAVE SEGAL

Get plenty more New Year's Eve recommendations on EverOut!

THURSDAY 1/1

Polar Bear Plunge

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(BRRRRR) For generations, people around the world have been marking the start of each new year with a startlingly cold polar plunge. The tradition is celebrated in Canada, the Netherlands, England, Scotland—basically anywhere with ice-cold bodies of water and brave souls. Here in Seattle, amateurs and seasoned dunkers alike are invited to ring in 2026 with the annual Polar Bear Plunge on January 1 at Matthews Beach Park. Lifeguards will be on duty, and since there are hundreds of participants all rushing into the water at the same time, it’s a lot harder to wuss out. But if you want to up your chances of spotting seals or an orca or two, check out New Year’s polar plunge events with local groups, including Puget Sound Plungers and Coldwater Collective, who host plunges year-round at Alki, Golden Gardens, Redondo Beach, and more. As an experienced plunger, my advice to you is this: Wear a warm hat, and don’t be afraid to scream, laugh, swear, or cry through the first 30 seconds or so. It really does make a big difference. (Matthews Beach Park, noon, all ages, free) MEGAN SELING

FRIDAY 1/2

Welcome to Paradise: ¡Viva Puerto Rico Libre!

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(VISUAL ART) Part art exhibition, part act of resistance, Welcome to Paradise: ¡Viva Puerto Rico Libre! transforms tourism into protest and collective memory into defiance. Curated by Seattle-based Boricua artist Jo Cosme, the show expands on her solo work by featuring over 30 native Boricua artists from across the archipelago to confront colonialism, disaster capitalism, and displacement. Running through January, the exhibition is accompanied by La residencia: no me dejan quedarme aquí, a series of screenings, walk-throughs, and discussions exploring Puerto Rico’s history and ongoing fight for self-determination. (Office of Arts & Culture, various dates through Jan 10, all ages, free) LANGSTON THOMAS

SATURDAY 1/3

High on Fire, King Woman

(MUSIC) Consistency, as a critique of art, may connote poorly, but in a medium like metal, which requires an artist to retain an ungodly amount of thunderous energy to remain true and relevant, long-term consistency is rare. To see a High on Fire show—guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike inevitably bare-chested and imposing, bassist Jeff Matz gray-beardly purveying low-end sludge, and smashing new drummer Coady Willis (who happens to be the same Coady Willis of legendary Northwest outfits the Murder City Devils, Big Business, and occasionally the Melvins)—is to affirm heavy music as the lifeblood of eternal youth. The power trio’s ninth album, 2024’s Cometh the Storm, the first with Willis on kit, carries the same level of fire Pike and co. originally got high on, sounding nothing like you might expect from a group that has earned every right to have gone hoarse and nappy by now. That angle aside, the band still stands in 2025 as a torch-bearer of crunchy sludge metal, continuing to frolic in trippy metal pastures when similar bands of the era like Mastodon sadly could not. (Showbox, 7 pm, all ages) TODD HAMM

SUNDAY 1/4

Catch up on Frieren

(ANIME) Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End starts where most adventure stories end. The demon lord is defeated, the hero’s party disbands, and time moves on. The story follows Frieren, an elf mage who is over one thousand years old, as she reckons with what that victory cost her. How does an immortal process grief when everyone she loves ages and dies? What does a 10-year journey mean when it is only a fraction of your life? Frieren is a quiet, devastating meditation on memory, regret, and learning too late how much people mattered. If anime usually turns you off, trust me: The superb world-building, animation, and storytelling put Frieren in the rare company of must-watch anime like Ghost in the Shell or Akira. The English dub is also shockingly excellent, and I say that as someone who hates dubs. Catch up before season two premieres January 16. Bring tissues. “Frieren, you should treasure the encounters you have. Death isn't the only goodbye in this life.” (Streaming on Netflix and available to rent at Scarecrow Video) CHRISTIAN PARROCO

Stranger Suggests: Lord of the Rings Weed Pairings, a Comedian Who Speaks Truth to Power, and TRAINS!

Julianne Bell — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 12:28:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Julianne Bell MONDAY 12/22

Sippin Santa

(FOOD & DRINK) This holiday-tiki-themed pop-up (a spinoff of Miracle on 2nd at nearby Rob Roy) returns to Belltown with a curated list of cocktails served in seasonal vessels. From classic drinks like a Jungle Bird served in a Santa-hat-wearing pelican mug to inventive originals like the "Frost Bite" (tequila, sage, pineapple, lime, cranberry syrup, and spiced cranberry bitters in a Santa shark cup), the menu has fun options that will warm the ice-cold heart in even the Scroogiest of us. New for 2025: the "Designated Sledder," a zero-proof option made with lime, coconut, pineapple, pandan syrup, and tonic water. The bar’s soundtrack of remixed holiday tunes and classics matches its decor, where stockings and lights have been hung with care and everything that could be covered in wrapping paper is. (Navy Strength, through Dec 25, 21+) SHANNON LUBETICH

TUESDAY 12/23

The 29th Annual Model Train Festival

(TRAINS) If you think model trains are boring, this is the perfect event to broaden your horizons. The Model Train Festival returns to the Washington State History Museum with a vast array of meticulously crafted layouts from railroad clubs across the region. Visitors can marvel at miniature steam engines, downsized Western Washington landscapes, and even the museum’s own massive permanent layout, which is apparently the largest in the state. Train operators are on hand to answer questions, and the auditorium is screening train-themed flicks throughout the festival. (Washington State History Museum, Tacoma, through Jan 1, all ages) LANGSTON THOMAS

WEDNESDAY 12/24

Lady Vengeance

(FILM) This bloody 2005 South Korean thriller, the third and final installment in director Park Chan-wook’s Vengeance trilogy, made the short list for my personal favorites of 2025 and has unexpectedly become my new favorite feel-good holiday movie. It tells the story of Lee Geum-ja (Lee Young-ae), a female prisoner who was framed for the kidnapping and murder of a five-year-old schoolboy. While in prison, she performs remorse and spiritual conversion to curry favor with the public, but as soon as she’s out, she is hell-bent on revenge. The film juxtaposes the potential for ugliness and sweetness in humanity to great effect, culminating in a surprisingly poignant conclusion in the snow that would be perfect to watch on Christmas Eve. It will also make you really want a polka dot dress, a leather trench coat, and blood-red eyeshadow. (Be warned that this movie contains some hard-to-watch scenes of sexual violence and child abuse, so proceed with caution. For a less violent Christmas Eve viewing alternative, may I suggest The Umbrellas of Cherbourg?) (Streaming free on Tubi, Pluto TV, and Kanopy, and also available to rent at Scarecrow Video) JULIANNE BELL

THURSDAY 12/25

Watch Lord of the Rings and Get High

(CHRISTMAS) I’m a Seattle transplant celebrating my tenth holiday season away from family. But even without family, you are never really alone when you have a fellowship and some pipe weed to ring in the holiday. That’s why my Christmas Day suggestion is simple: Get high and watch The Lord of the Rings trilogy straight through. True LOTRians know this means the extended editions. (I can’t believe how many people have never seen the Funeral of Theodred.) If you are committing to a full journey through Middle-earth, strain choice matters. Fellowship is cozy, hopeful, and Shire-heavy, so start with something relaxing and euphoric like Space Queen. By The Two Towers, the plot thickens and demands focus, making Jack Herer the ideal companion. Return of the King is epic battles and emotional payoff, and Gelato 33 keeps things euphoric and grounded, and will prep you for a good cry all the way to the shores of Valinor. CHRISTIAN PAROCCO

FRIDAY 12/26

The Jinkx & Dela Holiday Show

(PERFORMANCE) After eight years of extravagant holiday shows from drag queen icon besties Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme, I think it’s time to ask: Is this just The Nutcracker now? Do we still need The Nutcracker? In this theatrical tradition, the pair interview sentient snacks before being kidnapped and held for ransom by holiday traditions. Imagine if that lay on the shoulders of a junior high drama department. Well, it’s not a canon work yet; it changes every year. Don’t miss the singing-dancing sweetness of these two very different queens serving Christmas—because I’ll be telling your kids this is The Nutcracker. (Moore Theatre, various showtimes through Dec 28, all ages) SUZETTE SMITH

SATURDAY 12/27

Eat Dumplings at Korochka Tavern

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(FOOD & DRINK) This little nook of a bar is easy to miss—a tiny storefront on 45th, tucked between Tres Lecheria and the Stop N Shop. But on a cold, wintry day, it’ll cure whatever’s ailing your soul. Their Eastern European menu is small, but I’ll tell you what to do anyway: at the very least, order the pickle plate and the vareniki (there are meat, vegetarian, and vegan options). If you’re still hungry, it’s time for Piroshki. And in the meantime, their cocktail menu is worth every moment of your time. We’ve emphatically recommended the Bonfire before, but we’ll do it again. And they house-make beet-infused vodka for their take on a lemon drop—the Lenin Drop. Once you’ve finished your food, and you realize that you’re not ready to leave the warm red light of the bar, it’s time for the Honey Cake. And when you leave, you’ll notice that you barely feel the winter chill through the padding of dumplings, good hospitality, and the beet vodka. (Korochka Tavern, open Tues-Sun [closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day], 21+) HANNAH MURPHY WINTER

SUNDAY 12/28

Roy Wood Jr.

(COMEDY) Now more than ever, we need comedians who speak truth to power (with caustic wit, of course), because the MSM have proved themselves to be entirely too complicit in downplaying and normalizing 47’s world-class corruption and enshittifcation of America. Thankfully, Roy Wood Jr. is on the case. He’s shown his heady mettle as a correspondent on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show With Trevor Noah and as host of CNN’s Have I Got News for You. His jabs and uppercuts from the left have caused deep bruises on many deserving mofos. As MC of the 2023 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Wood hilariously roasted Dems, Repubs, and the media in a tight 25 minutes. And his takes on race are among the most sizzling in the business, including this one: “But if we get rid of the Confederate flag, how am I gonna know who the dangerous white people are?” Beyond those topics, Wood has funny thoughts about relationships, fatherhood, white allies, the travails of grocery shopping, and the ramifications of getting a BBL, among other things. (Neptune Theatre, 7 pm, all ages) DAVE SEGAL

Stranger Suggests: Seattle's Favorite Holiday Light Display, One of Hip-Hop’s Old-Soul Success Stories, and a True Hockey Rivalry

Julianne Bell — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 13:25:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Julianne Bell MONDAY 12/15

Vengeance Is Mine

(FILM) The late German-American filmmaker Michael Roemer is primarily known for his landmark films Nothing But a Man (1964) and The Plot Against Harry (1971), but his lesser-known family drama Vengeance Is Mine (1984) could give them a run for their money. On a trip to her family home in Rhode Island, where she hopes to get closure from her traumatic childhood, Jo (Brooke Adams) befriends neighbor Donna (Trish Van Devere) and finds herself ensnared in another domestic conflict altogether. Criterion Collection writes, “Bringing vérité naturalism to a seemingly melodramatic premise, Roemer crafts a miracle of novelistic psychological insight that, as it unspools, reveals ever-greater depths of human understanding.” (The Beacon, various times, through Dec 17) JULIANNE BELL

TUESDAY 12/16

Earl Sweatshirt, Liv.e, Zeloopers, Cletus Strap

(MUSIC) Earl Sweatshirt has been trying to turn the volume down for years. Once a teenage rap prodigy who found cult fame with, and brotherhood in, “the potty mouth posse” Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, Earl Sweatshirt now stands at age 31 as one of hip-hop’s old-soul success stories. Having just welcomed his second child and given up booze (and ramped up weed), he confidently told The New York Times’ Popcast this summer that his life is “fuckin’ normal, finally.” The recorded discography of Sweatshirt, born Thebe Neruda Kgositsile, documents the life journey of someone who once helped define, then survived to outgrow, a generation of youthful nihilism. But more than a post-nihilist victory lap, his new album, Live Laugh Love, is a bombastic celebration of passion. Gone are the days where each line was an avalanche of syllables that tumbled across the page like a chorus of cracking double-jointed knuckles; today, Sweatshirt raps with a blunted calm that sounds well-earned, but what remains is the vivid imagery and referential depth you have to rewind (gladly) to fully appreciate, proving he’s still one of the best to ever do it. (Showbox SoDo, 8 pm, all ages) TODD HAMM

WEDNESDAY 12/17

Bait Shop Holiday Light Show

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(HOLIDAY) Everyone’s favorite Capitol Hill dive bar is back with its annual holiday light show! Bait Shop always goes whole hog with holiday decorations, and its epic musical light show illuminates every hour on the hour(ish). The staff manually flips the light switches, so be sure to tap into the holiday spirit and tip them extra for their hard work. We love the bar’s seasonal bevvies and details like the decked-out bathrooms, dick-covered wrapping paper, and tiny Santa hats on every animal. (Bait Shop, 4 pm-2 am daily, 21+, free) SHANNON LUBETICH

THURSDAY 12/18

In Tandem: A Trio of Duets

(PERFORMANCE) This evening of performances treats audiences to three different duets, each springing from long-term creative collaborations and exhibiting different choreographic styles. First up is the US premiere of Fable, a work from Bebe Miller with Angie Hauser and Darrell Jones that promises to explore “findings from a 25-year perspective on the contexts of art making through the body over a lifetime, exposing the collision of their internal processes as dance artists, friends, and citizens.” Next, Maurya Kerr, artistic director of the Bay Area-based company tinypistol, will present comet, whom I love, a “duet full of rapture, orbit, intimacy, fury, and presence.” Rachael Lincoln and Leslie Seiters will cap off the night with Fast Craft: Still Unlike Diving, a “study in pause, friction, and the beautiful collapse of certainty” 25 years in the making. (On the Boards, 8 pm, through Dec 20, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

FRIDAY 12/19

Jay Som, Sea Lemon

(MUSIC) Melina Mae Cortez Duterte, better known by her stage name Jay Som, dubs her brand of dreamy, intimate DIY bedroom pop “headphone music,” citing influences as disparate as Carly Rae Jepsen, Phil Elverum, and Alanis Morissette. She’s opened for musicians like Mitski and Japanese Breakfast, and contributed a song to the 2024 film I Saw the TV Glow. After a six-year break from solo music, during which she meticulously trained her technical skills, she’s released her latest album, Belong, which showcases her growth and leans into pop-punk territory with guest vocals from Hayley Williams of Paramore and Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World. Don’t miss an opening set from local artist Natalie Lew of Sea Lemon, who takes inspiration from the eerie beauty of the ocean and describes her vibe as “Costco Cocteau Twins.” (Neumos, 8 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

SATURDAY 12/20

The Game Show

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(VISUAL ART) What happens when art plays by its own rules? Or makes up new ones entirely? The Game Show is a two-weekend exhibition exploring this concept and the space between where games become art and art becomes play. Curated from an open call for work back in October, thirty artists now present whimsical, interactive, and delightfully odd projects, including dancers with bubble wrap, octopus roleplay, cardboard hotels built by mathematicians, projections that speak through walls, and, my personal favorite, a claw machine. Inspired by 20th-century philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein’s idea that rules shift as we play, the show invites visitors to experiment, question, and engage through chance, movement, strategy, and mischief. (Vestibule, through Dec 21, free) LANGSTON THOMAS

SUNDAY 12/21

Seattle Torrent vs. Boston Fleet

Seattle Torrent forward Julia Gosling (#88) and captain Hilary Knight (#21) make a play for the puck in the team's first game on Friday, November 21. BILLIE WINTER

(SPORTS) A lot of energy has been poured into developing a rivalry between the Seattle Torrent and the Vancouver Goldeneyes. I get it. Both clubs made their PWHL debut this year, and the cities are just a few hours apart, making it easy for fans to follow the teams on the road. I’m all for anything that drums up more excitement about women’s hockey. But I say the true Torrent rivals are the Boston Fleet, aka the team that put our Captain Hilary Knight up for grabs during the expansion draft (thanks, dummies!), and was formerly home to our GM, Meghan Turner. Other one-time Mass-holes on the Torrent roster include Alternate Captain Emily Brown, forward Lexie Adzija, and forward Hannah Bilka, who has a goal and two assists in three games. Hopefully, at Sunday’s matinee game, the Torrent can show the Fleet the error of their ways. (Climate Pledge Arena, 2 pm, all ages) MEGAN SELING

Stranger Suggests: A Campy Christmas Movie Night, a Band for Fans of Kate Bush, and a Weirdo Art Party in Georgetown

Julianne Bell — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 12:00:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Julianne Bell MONDAY 12/8

Collide-O-Scope Xmess: Final Show Hosted by Shane Wahlund and Michael Anderson

(FILM) We’ve reached the end of an era, and it's time to take the strangest sleigh ride you’ll ever embark on. Collide-O-Scope is back with an all-new Xmess spectacular: a deliriously demented collage of vintage holiday oddities, freaky film scraps, and found-footage delights, all stitched together by hosts Shane Wahlund and Michael Anderson. This year’s show is especially poignant, as it’s the final Collide-O at Here-After—the beloved Crocodile venue closing its doors along with Madame Lou’s. Be sure to show up and support the campy thrills, deep-cut ephemera, and big laughs that make Collide-O so special. Plus, enter for some special prize drawings to send you off with a sugar-plum sparkle. (Here-After, 8 pm, 21+) LANGSTON THOMAS

TUESDAY 12/9

Bye Bye Love

(FILM) This lost gem of Japanese independent cinema came out in 1974 and was rediscovered in a film lab warehouse in 2018, leading to its restoration and distribution in America for the first time in 50 years. Evoking the doomed atmosphere of Gregg Araki and the stylish surrealism of Jean-Luc Godard, director Isao Fujisawa’s sole feature film introduces us to Utamaro, a nihilistic vagabond who crosses paths with the beautiful genderfluid shoplifter Giko. Before long, the star-crossed pair must go on the lam for murder and embark on a summer trek through Japan. In short, it’s a queer crime road-trip movie with a Japanese take on French New Wave—what more could you possibly ask for? (The Beacon, various showtimes, through Dec 11) JULIANNE BELL

WEDNESDAY 12/10

The Stranger's Holiday Drink Week 2025

Drinks from left: The Dandy of King Street Crossing's Port Moody, the Runaway's Chocolate Peppermint Martini, and Big Mario's Spiced Cranberry Orange Mule. COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE BARS

(FOOD & DRINK) Ready to get your nog on? The Stranger’s Holiday Drink Week is back, serving up a citywide lineup of festive libations that put mulled wine and spiked hot chocolate to shame. Once again, every limited-edition beverage is just $12 as participating bars and restaurants roll out exclusive holiday-themed cocktails ranging from cozy classics to creative “cups of cheer” you will not find on a normal menu. Round up your band of merry fools and bundle up in your warmest gear to embark on this year’s self-guided winter bar crawl. (Full list of participants here, through Dec 14) LANGSTON THOMAS

THURSDAY 12/11

Mt Fog, Von Wildenhaus, Power Strip

(MUSIC) Seattle-born trio Mt Fog uses minimalist electronic sounds and ethereal vocals as a magic wand to “evoke magical spaces, real and imagined.” Their 2024 album, ultraviolet heart machine, gained critical praise due to its whimsical marrying of Björk-style growls with sparkly ’80s synths. Now, the band is back with a new song, “Look Inside,” which they will debut at this single release show along with a snazzy new music video directed by artist Sean Downey with illustrations by Dena Zilber. This show is a must for fans of Cocteau Twins, the Sugarcubes, Kate Bush, Sinéad O’Connor, and Siouxsie & the Banshees. Don’t miss opening sets from cinematic indie-pop outfit Von Wildenhaus and improvisational ambient project Power Strip. (Sunset Tavern, 8 pm, 21+) AUDREY VANN

FRIDAY 12/12

Peter Ferguson + John Brophy + Jean Labourdette

Peter Ferguson's "The Elopement of Our Beloved Comrades" will be at Roq La Rue through January 11. COURTESY OF ROQ LA RUE

(VISUAL ART) Three solo shows under one roof at Roq La Rue offer paintings of the jaw-dropping ilk. Each artist wields the paintbrush like a Dutch master, and each delves headlong into the realm of dark fairy tale with their unique twist. Montreal-based Peter Ferguson (described as “Norman Rockwell meets H.P. Lovecraft”) offers luminous (yet somehow dim) visions of sepia-drunk cityscapes and other scenes frozen in time that send the mind spiraling in search of a story. Jean Labourdette’s hyperrealistic miniatures of birds, skulls, and other ephemera are often only two or three inches in size, encased in vintage hinged gilt wood casings or antique reliquaries. John Brophy’s oil paintings of characters seem to glow from within: The shimmer of gathered fabrics, reflecting pools of satin, gloss of grass, and threads of delicate pointelle lace will have you hopelessly, luxuriously lost in the details. (Roq La Rue, 6-9 pm, through Jan 11) AMANDA MANITACH

SATURDAY 12/13

Equinox Studios: 19th Annual Very Open House

(PARTY) For nearly two decades, Equinox Studios in Georgetown has been a hub for arts. Sited in a World War II-era factory, the complex oozes that Georgetown gearhead grit and realness and is home to over 150 artists, from dancers and ceramicists to blacksmiths and painters (such as the brilliant Beth Gehan and Mary Ann Peters). We know that Georgetown loves to throw a good party, and this December iteration of the Georgetown Art Attack will be one for the books, as it syncs up with the Equinox open house (the annual event usually draws 6-8k visitors). Festivities this year include a pop-up Native Art Market, a host of food trucks, and artist-made fire pits scattered through the block. Live music starts at 4 p.m. with nance!, Flesh Produce, the Noble Manes, Bandski, Sirens of Serpentine Bellydancers, Night Owl, Town Forest, and Lil Lebowsxi. And since it’s Georgetown, of course there will also be a renegade marching band on the premises. (Equinox Studios, 3 pm–late) AMANDA MANITACH

SUNDAY 12/14

Antibalas, Midpak

(MUSIC) Fela Kuti and Tony Allen may be dead, but their pioneering Afrobeat legacy powers on with more voltage than ever in the 2020s. One of these revolutionary Nigerian musicians’ most skillful disciples, NYC’s Antibalas, have been fanning Fela and Tony’s artistic flames with unmatched fluency and funkiness for a quarter century. The intricate, interlocking polyrhythms, the triumphant horn charts, and the liberatory political lyrics build into perpetual-motion machines that make you think, against all logic, a more just world is possible. Following the departure of long-running singer Duke Amayo after 2020’s Fu Chronicles, Antibalas have returned with the all-instrumental album, Hourglass, which harks back to the group’s first principles, but with greater subtlety. It’s fairly certain that Fela and Tony would bust moves in approval. Opening will be Seattle quartet Midpak, whose serpentine and explosive funk laces African, Latin, and psychedelic elements into potent, party-starting jams. (Hidden Hall, 8 pm, 21+) DAVE SEGAL

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Stranger Suggests: A Singer-Songwriter Obsessed with Weddings, One Half of 'Las Culturistas,' and a Holiday Pop-Up Bar that Doesn’t Suck

Julianne Bell — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 13:30:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Julianne Bell MONDAY 12/1

Anna of the North

(MUSIC) Oslo-based pop singer Anna of the North knows a little something about finding joy in long, dark winters. The artist has been in the music game for a while, from having her 2015 debut single "Sway" remixed by the Chainsmokers to opening for Kygo's European tour and providing guest vocals for tracks on Tyler, the Creator's 2017 album Flower Boy. She's had two songs featured in the To All the Boys Netflix film series; her catchy track "Dream Girl" was also in an iPad commercial, and the 2017 single "Lovers" found new life on TikTok more recently. Her latest music has drifted toward danceable soul-inspired synthpop, promising a ridiculously fun live show. The singer has teased on social media that this could be her last US tour, so don't miss out. (Neumos, 7 pm, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

TUESDAY 12/2

A John Waters Christmas

(COMEDY) John Waters is an icon—a pencil-thin moustache, dark sunglasses, a transgressive catalog of films, and an overall dedication to filth. But, on his string of novelty singles on Sub Pop Records (“Jingle Bells” / “It's a Punk Rock Christmas” and "John Waters Covers Little Cindy 'Happy Birthday Jesus'” / “A Pig Latin Visit from St. Nicholas”), Waters has an outlet to transform into new characters and direct himself à la Cindy Sherman. On “Happy Birthday Jesus,” Waters morphs into a little Christian girl from the South speaking directly to Jesus on Christmas night. On his cover of the Singing Dogs’ “Jingle Bells,” he splits into a pack of barking dogs, scaring away unwanted carolers and guests who have overstayed their welcome. I caught up with the legendary filmmaker, actor, writer, and artist ahead of his annual Christmas tour to discuss his upcoming stop in Seattle, his own Christmas traditions, and why he doesn’t want your stupid fruitcake. Gather around the electric chair, children, because the man with the bag has landed! Read the interview here! (The Neptune, 8 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN

WEDNESDAY 12/3

Jens Lekman, Jordan Patterson

(MUSIC) I fell in love with Swedish musician Jens Lekman’s music the very first time I heard “You Are the Light (by Which I Travel Into This and That)” on KEXP as a teen and soon graduated to listening to a burned CD of his 2004 debut album When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog on repeat, becoming fixated on his melodramatic yearning and witty storytelling. The hopeless romantic has since fulfilled the prophecy he set for himself in the early track “If You Ever Need a Stranger (To Sing at Your Wedding),” in which he volunteered himself as a wedding singer: “You think it’s funny / My obsession with the holy matrimony / But I’m just so amazed to witness true love.” Since then, he’s performed at countless weddings, and his seventh album, Songs for Other People’s Weddings, is a narrative concept album inspired by his experience, accompanied by a tie-in novel by author David Levithan. (Neumos, 7 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

THURSDAY 12/4

Megha Majumdar

See author Megha Majumadar at Elliott Bay Book Company Thursday.

(BOOKS) Kolkata-born author Megha Majumdar’s incendiary 2020 debut novel A Burning, which follows the story of an Indian woman who witnesses a terrorist attack on a train, became a New York Times bestseller and was longlisted for the National Book Award that year. Set in the near future of Kolkata, Majumdar’s sophomore novel A Guardian and a Thief tells the intertwining stories of Ma, whose purse containing crucial immigration documents is stolen just before her family’s move to America, and Boomba, the thief who is driven to crime out of his desperation to support his own family. Majumdar will drop by Elliott Bay to discuss her work with local writer Kim Fu, author of Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century. (Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free) JULIANNE BELL

FRIDAY 12/5

Immortal Technique, w/Poison Pen & DJ Static, True II Form, Premium Smoke, DJ Indica Jones

(MUSIC) Felipe Andres Coronel, the Peruvian-bred, Harlem-hardened MC better known as Immortal Technique, is not touring in support of a new album—in fact, the rapper hasn’t released a full-length in roughly 15 years—however, his return to the stage does seem born of the same call to action that led him to release venomous underground-rap classics like Revolutionary Vol. 1 and 2 during the younger Bush presidency. During that time, Tech established himself as the militant mouthpiece of conscious rap, harvesting the revolutionary ethos of bands like Rage Against the Machine and Public Enemy, and cramming it through the meat grinder of the era’s energized battle-rap scene. In more recent years, he has done work counseling prison inmates (of which he was once one), and mentoring young writers, as well as partnering with a nonprofit group to help build an orphanage in Afghanistan. The man walks the walk, and for obvious reasons, there may not be a more appropriate and cathartic time to see an Immortal Technique show that will likely be peppered with political diatribes. We fully recommend you go get an earful. (Nectar Lounge, 8 pm, 21+) TODD HAMM

SATURDAY 12/6

Matt Rogers: Christmas in December

(COMEDY) [Mariah Carey voice] “It’s tiiiime!” Mimi might be the holiday’s reigning queen, but comedian and actor Matt Rogers, cohost of your pop-culture-savvy queer friend’s favorite podcast Las Culturistas, has undoubtedly earned the title of “Pop Prince of Christmas” with his musical comedy TV special and album Have You Heard of Christmas? The hysterical romp features appearances from friends like Bowen Yang and MUNA and is the perfect antidote to Christmas fatigue with its joyfully irreverent take on Yuletide cheer. At his live performance at the Neptune, Rogers will perform songs like “God’s Up to His Tricks!” (in which he calls God a “stupid bitch”), “Lube for the Sleigh,” and “The Hottest Female Up in Whoville.” (Neptune Theatre, 8 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

SUNDAY 12/7

Miracle on 2nd

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(FOOD & DRINK) In 2014, New York bar owner Greg Boehm temporarily transformed his space into a kitschy Christmas wonderland replete with gewgaws and tchotchkes galore. Now, the pop-up has expanded to more than 100 locations all over the world and returns to Belltown’s Rob Roy. Beverages are housed in tacky-tastic vessels, bedecked with fanciful garnishes like peppers and dried pineapple, and christened with cheeky, pop- culture-referencing names like the “Bad Santa,” the “Yippie Ki Yay Mother F****r” (their asterisks, not ours), and the “You’ll Shoot Your Rye Out.” (Rob Roy, 4 pm–2 am, through December 25) JULIANNE BELL

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