The Stranger

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

(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: A Tape-Loving Record Label's Birthday Party, Refreshing Fruit Cups Slathered in Spices, and VOOOOOOTE!

Audrey Vann — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 14:17:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Audrey Vann MONDAY 8/4

Mexican-Style Fruit Cups

(FOOD) In the summer, I tend to have insatiable cravings for all things sour, sweet, salty, and spicy, so I can’t get enough of Mexican-style fruit cups doused with Chamoy and Tajín right now. I first happened upon a vendor selling spears of mango, cucumber, pineapple, and watermelon downtown in Westlake Park, which ignited my obsession. The same day, I purchased a mango on a stick, carved into a flower, and covered with spices at Aquí Mercado by the waterfront. If you’re looking for a similar option, try El Lugar Capitol Hill, which now offers fruit cups as well as Chamoy-coated sour candy (I’m hooked on the watermelon licorice). Antojitos Jalisco on Broadway also offers fruit cups, spicy mangos, mangonadas, and chamoyadas (a frozen mango pop with a cup of Chamoy for dunking). JULIANNE BELL

TUESDAY 8/5

Vote!

See how easy? Just drop it in the box! MS

(CIVIC DUTY) It’s Election Day! Have you voted yet? I’m gonna guess no, given our abysmal primary election voting record. Just 40 percent of registered King County voters participated in last year's Washington State primary election. Sad! Some very vital decisions will be made today, with or without your vote. We’ll narrow down the crowded mayoral candidate field, decide who’ll take on Republican Seattle City Attorney incumbent Ann Davison, and find out who’s ready to make a run at NIMBY-loving Sara Nelson’s City Council seat, to name a few. Ballots must be submitted by 8 p.m. Tuesday night! Read through our endorsements, then find the ballot box near you, and VOTE! MEGAN SELING

WEDNESDAY 8/6

Lady Gaga: The MAYHEM Ball

(MUSIC) Like Gaga’s signature mixed drink, the kalimotxo (red wine topped with Diet Coke and maraschino cherries), her sixth album, MAYHEM, is a freaky blend of rich, jazzy vocals and fizzy pop perfection. When she announced the tour earlier this year, Gaga noted that she opted to keep this one in arenas rather than stadiums: “I wanted to create a different kind of experience—something more intimate—closer, more connected.” However, this show still promises an opulent theatrical experience with designer costumes, Broadway-quality sets, and songs that span her career. If you’re still a Gaga hater who believes she’s a cheap Madonna rip-off, learn your herstory! Madonna pointed out the absurdity of these criticisms, stating: “God forbid a woman takes inspiration.” (Climate Pledge Arena, 8 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN

THURSDAY 8/7

Tala Madani: 'Be Flat'

Tala Madani, ***TBC Untitled, 2024. PHOTO: FREDRIK NILSEN STUDIO; COURTESY OF HENRY ART MUSEUM

(VISUAL ART) Iran-born artist Tala Madani's first solo exhibition in Washington State promises a spicy, funny-yet-critical blend of "mural-like" paintings, animations, and a glimpse of a forthcoming feature-length film. Through projected light and surreal characters (often "naked, bald, middle-aged men"), Madani's slapstick violence drags viewers into dreamlike spaces that disturb and intrigue. The artist is renowned for her provocative, often unsettling explorations of power and vulnerability, tackling everything from bodily fluids to suicide with razor-sharp wit. (Safe to say that Be Flat comes with a big ol' visitor advisory.) See the show before it closes later this month, on August 24. (Henry Art Gallery, free, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

FRIDAY 8/8

CatVideoFest 2025

(FILM) My phone’s storage is constantly full because I have approximately 10,000 hours of footage taken of my giant long-haired tuxedo cat, Whisper. For me, everything that Whisper does is worth documenting, and I know I am not alone because CatVideoFest exists. Each year, crazy cat owners submit their favorite feline footage—spanning animation, music videos, viral classics, and home movies—to be screened in theaters as a part of a giant compilation reel. The best part is that funds are donated to cats in need through partnerships with local cat charities, animal welfare organizations, and shelters. (SIFF Cinema Uptown, times vary) AUDREY VANN

SATURDAY 8/9

Den Fest 2025

(MUSIC) Small, independent music labels are vital in keeping underground music alive and thriving in Seattle. Kay Redden, founder and sole employee of local tape label Den Tapes, is doing the lord’s work, one cassette release at a time. Den Tapes will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a supercharged edition of its annual festival featuring two nights of live music, including grunge trio Wild Powwers, indie-pop outfit Soft Boiled, garage-rock band Teenage Toad, singer-songwriter project Don Piano, and many more. Don’t forget to bring some extra money to buy tapes! (Sunset Tavern, Aug 8–9, 7 pm, 21+) AUDREY VANN

SUNDAY 8/10

Lucy Dacus

(MUSIC) It was the hard launch heard round the lesbian world: Lucy Dacus confirmed her long-rumored relationship with collaborator and boygenius bandmate Julien Baker in an interview with The New Yorker in March. Her newest album, Forever Is a Feeling, finds the introspective singer-songwriter solidly in her lovergirl era, with swoony, intimate queer ballads like “Best Guess” (a surefire new sapphic wedding standard) and “Ankles.” Guests on the album include tourmate Jay Som, as well as Hozier, Bartees Strange, Madison Cunningham, Blake Mills, Baker, and fellow boygenius member Phoebe Bridgers. Remlinger Farms will provide a bucolic background for Dacus’s romantic musings and vulnerable lyrics. (Remlinger Farms, 5 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

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Stranger Suggests: A Cosmic Flick with a Live Soundtrack, Art That Bridges the Gap Between Life and Death, and an Absurd Comedian

Megan Seling — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 13:41:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Megan Seling MONDAY 7/21

'Eddington'

(FILM) Ari Aster has a habit of sending messages before we're ready for them. Hereditary didn't wait for you to adjust to the darkness before it struck a decidedly freaky match. Then, Midsommar spawned a thousand flower crown costumes, but also drove horror films back into the daylight. Eddington is similarly uncomfortable, as some of the first narrative cinema set during the COVID-19 era. Are you ready? The film follows Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal as a sheriff and mayor in small town New Mexico, where in May 2020, a new virus propels a darkly comedic standoff. Aster looked to traditional and revisionist Westerns like My Darling Clementine and Unforgiven to inspire Eddington's style. (Various showtimes at SIFF Cinema Uptown, Regal Meridian, and AMC Pacific Place 11) LINDSAY COSTELLO

TUESDAY 7/22

Koyaanisqatsi: Live with Philip Glass Ensemble

(FILM/MUSIC) If time is a flat circle, Godfrey Reggio’s Koyaanisqatsi is a set of interlinked rings in a magician's grab bag. The rollercoaster tone poem collages the cyclical nature of humanity with soul-stirring time-lapse photography. It was a quick (and surprising) sensation upon its 1983 release, so the cosmic flick, whose title is drawn from a Hopi word meaning “life out of balance," became the first entry in the Qatsi trilogy. Philip Glass's hypnotic score is basically crucial to the Koyaanisqatsi experience, so I'm stoked to witness the Phillip Glass Ensemble and Seattle Symphony perform it live for this concert-slash-screening. (Benaroya Hall, 8 pm, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

WEDNESDAY 7/23

Author Talk: Cassandra Khaw with Katee Robert, ‘The Library at Hellebore’

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(BOOKS) Last year, based on recommendations from the Seattle Public Library and Elliott Bay Book Company, I picked up Bram Stoker Award–winning author Cassandra Khaw’s novella The Salt Grows Heavy, a gothic retelling of The Little Mermaid featuring a murderous, flesh-eating siren and an androgynous plague doctor who join forces to take down a sinister death cult. The book was both eerie and sensual, so I’m excited for their newest release, The Library at Hellebore, a dark academia fantasy tale in which a group of students enrolled at a prestigious boarding school must team up to defend themselves from the cannibalistic faculty. New York Times–bestselling erotic romance author Katee Robert will join Khaw in conversation. (Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

THURSDAY 7/24

Devo

(MUSIC) In the case of Devo, you need not be worried about the questionable stamina of aging rockstars or their stage presence fading with time. The band’s performance of “Uncontrollable Urge” at the SNL50 celebration proved that these new wave legends are continuing their long tradition of goofy stage antics and sounding fucking awesome. Celebrating 50 years of being a band and “cosmically devolving,” as their tour moniker describes it, they’ll perform two nights at the zoo. What a beautiful world. (Woodland Park Zoo, July 23-24, 6 pm, all ages) BRI BREY

FRIDAY 7/25

Kate Berlant

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(COMEDY) You might know comedian, actress, and LA cool girl Kate Berlant from her appearances in movies like Sorry to Bother You and Don’t Worry Darling, her role in Amazon Prime’s A League of Their Own reboot, her Bo Burnham–directed special Cinnamon in the Wind, her frequent collaborations with comedy partner John Early, or her existential wellness podcast Berlant & Novak (formerly Poog) with fellow comic Jacqueline Novak. (She’s booked and busy!) I was lucky enough to catch her critically acclaimed one-woman show KATE in New York and was delighted by her genius portrayal of an exaggeratedly egotistical character version of herself. Get a glimpse of her absurdist style at this stand-up performance at the Neptune. (Neptune Theatre, 6 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

SATURDAY 7/26

‘Spirit House’

Lien Truong, The Crone, 2022. See it at the 'Spirit House' exhibit at Henry Art Gallery beginning July 26. COURTESY OF HENRY ART GALLERY

(VISUAL ART) Taking its name from the small devotional structures that shelter the supernatural around Thailand, this group exhibition asks 33 contemporary Asian American artists to explore how art can bridge the gap between life and death. Through paintings, photography, and sculpture, these works invite you to “commune with your ancestors, reflect on significant memories, and journey through time and space.” I am most excited to see work from California-based artist Kelly Akashi, who creates tender sculptures of hands from glass and stone. (Henry Art Gallery, free) AUDREY VANN

SUNDAY 7/27

Bite of Seattle

(FOOD) Seattle boasts plenty of food and drink festivals year-round, but Bite of Seattle—billed as “Seattle’s original and largest food and beverage showcase” and claiming to draw 355,000 guests each year—is the most well-known gluttonous gathering by far, having been in business since 1982. Look forward to upwards of 300 food vendors, as well as beer and wine gardens, retail vendors, cider tastings, kids’ activities, live cooking demos, and more than 65 musical performers. Artists include punk-infused instrumentalists mega cat, powerhouse vocalist Shaina Shepherd, rock-and-rollers the Moondoggies, rapper Oblé Reed, and “funk juggernaut” Eldridge Gravy & the Court Supreme. (Seattle Center, 10 am–9 pm Friday through Saturday & 10 am–8 pm on Sunday, free, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

Stranger Suggests: A Fish Festival with a Bitchin’ Soundtrack, Fiber Art You’ll Want to Touch, and Pineapple Pizza

Audrey Vann — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:45:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Audrey Vann MONDAY 7/7

Heroines of Resistance: Women as Anti-Fascist Militants

(DISCUSSION) This free feminist discussion group will explore women in history who have played vital roles in fighting fascism. Organized by the long-running socialist feminist activist organization Radical Women, this is not only a powerful way to harness hope and gain inspiration to resist under the current administration, but also an opportunity to meet like-minded people in the community. Reading packets will be available to purchase for $10 at each session. (New Freeway Hall, 6:30 pm) AUDREY VANN

TUESDAY 7/8

Ananas Pizzeria's Ananas Pizza

Pineapple belongs on pizza at Ananas Pizzeria. CHRISTIAN PARROCO

(FOOD) At Ananas, the argument about what does or doesn’t belong on pizza is part of the fun. After all, naming a pizza spot after pineapples is akin to naming your steakhouse Well Done. The menu is concise but mighty, with a handful of pies that all use hand-prepped, premium ingredients, plus salads and “pizza sandwiches” (think cold-cut ingredients in a fresh, folded pizza crust) at lunch. The namesake Ananas Pizza—one of only two pies on the menu with pineapple, in case you were nervous—is made with a 72-hour sourdough crust and fired in a 550-degree oven, with pineapple sliced so thin it almost melts, pickled jalapeños that shake hands with togarashi for spice, salt from the smoked ham and the grated Grana Padano cheese, and a comforting red sauce that has its own point of view. You can taste the technique, the inspiration, and the refusal to cut corners, even if it means having some of the most intensive prep of any pizza spot in the city. Read more about Ananas Pizzaeria and chef Khampaeng Panyathong in the latest installment of Asian Verified! MICHAEL WONG

WEDNESDAY 7/9

Suchitra Mattai: she walked in reverse and found their songs

'Pappy's house,' 2024, by Suchitra Mattai. Photo by Nicolas Lea Bruno. COURTESY OF SEATTLE ASIAN ART MUSEUM

(VISUAL ART) If you're interested in fiber art, you'll want to familiarize yourself with Indo-Caribbean artist Suchitra Mattai, who explores intersections of history, memory, and migration through ultra-tactile textiles and sculptures. Drawing from her ancestors' journey as indentured laborers in Guyana, Mattai navigates violent colonial histories and honors women’s labor legacies with vintage saris, beads, and embroidery. In she walked in reverse and found their songs, Mattai reenvisions her grandparents' home, a focal point in her migration story. The monumental sculptures, weavings, and braiding techniques must be seen to be fully appreciated. (Seattle Asian Art Museum, through July 20) LINDSAY COSTELLO

THURSDAY 7/10

2025 Queer and Trans Film Festival

(FILM) Three Dollar Bill Cinema’s annual film festival is celebrating “30 years of queer cinema and 20 years of trans storytelling” this year with “iconic shorts and features from festivals past, a brand-new lineup of trans-made and trans-led short films, and a spotlight on the brilliant local voices that shaped our scene.” I’m particularly excited to see some of my favorite LGBTQ classics, like Saving Face, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, and Tangerine on the lineup, as well as lesser-known throwbacks like the 2008 teen fantasy musical Were the World Mine (in which a high school boy casts a spell to turn his entire small town gay) and the 2001 transmasc road trip buddy movie By Hook or By Crook (featuring a cameo from Joan Jett!). (Broadway Performance Hall and Erickson Theater, various times) JULIANNE BELL

FRIDAY 7/11

Ballard SeafoodFest

(FOOD/MUSIC) Originally started as a celebration of the neighborhood’s fishing industry in 1974, the Ballard SeafoodFest has expanded over the years to include an alder-smoked salmon barbecue, art exhibits, a craft beer garden, artisan craft vendors, a skateboarding showcase, kids’ activities, and live music. This year’s music lineup features “ugly pop” sibling group Skating Polly, Sarah Tudzin’s self-described “tenderpunk” project Illuminati Hotties, psych rockers Spirit Award, and soulful singer Sir Woman, among many others. Masochists can enroll in the lutefisk eating contest, an annual competition to see who can scarf down the most of the salty, gelatinous fish. (NW Market St and Ballard Ave NW, times vary, free, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

SATURDAY 7/12

Tacoma Pride Block Party 2025

Trixie Mattel is hosting the Tacoma Pride Block Party on July 12. AMY SUSSMAN/GETTY

(PRIDE) Drag superstar, singer-songwriter, businesswoman, TV personality, makeup artist, YouTuber, and real-life Barbie Trixie Mattel is coming to Tacoma this month, in case you didn’t hear. I know everyone is asking: How did this Tacoma Pride party book one of the most in-demand drag queens in the game? Well, they got her the month after Pride, when her schedule is clear. As far as I’m concerned, every month is Pride month, so I won’t mind throwing on something sparkly and trekking down to Tacoma to see Trixie’s DJ set along with local gems like Stacey Starstruck, Pupusa, Fabi, Slutashia, Anita Spritzer, Rowan Ruthless, Amora Namor, and more. (The Mix, 2 pm, 21+) AUDREY VANN

SUNDAY 7/13

Ok Bucko, Wanda Want

(MUSIC) Referred to by musician and writer Eliza McLamb as “a real band’s band,” the Seattle four-piece Ok Bucko cite influences like the Cars and the Breeders and possess an irrepressible DIY punk-rock spirit. Their recent debut EP, A New Way, sizes up the current-day *gestures broadly at everything* and looks it straight in the eye. The opener, “Debt,” tackles the depressingly Sisyphean nature of finances with equal parts cynicism and self-compassion: “Who gets me better than my credit card statement / Who fucks me better than a new pair of shoes / If getting older is just writing checks / Growing up is getting over your debt.” “Window” takes aim at Seattle’s wealth disparity and affordable housing crisis, while “Strangers with Candy” explores the ups and downs of uppers and downers. They’ll headline this show at the Cha Cha Lounge with an opening set by the Los Angeles–based “dyke pop star” and former local Wanda What. (Cha Cha Lounge, 8 pm, free, 21+) JULIANNE BELL

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Driver Era
July 9, WAMU Theater

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July 12, Lumen Field

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Incubus
July 15, Climate Pledge Arena

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Stranger Suggests: Tender and Strange Art, Soft Serve That’ll Make You Scream, and an Anti-Fourth of July Celebration

Audrey Vann — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 11:39:00 -0700

One really good thing to do every day of the week. by Audrey Vann MONDAY 6/30

‘Pride: The Ric Weiland Collection’

(VISUAL ART) If you didn’t know already, Ric Weiland was a software developer and programmer who was hired as the second employee for a little company called Microsoft. Given his early involvement at the tech giant, Weiland was able to retire at the young age of 35 to dedicate his life to philanthropy and LGBTQ advocacy. Sadly, Weiland died at just 53, but his legacy lives on through the $65 million he left to queer rights organizations (such as the Pride Foundation). The MOHAI will honor Pride Month with a small-scale exhibit of photographs, letters, ephemera, and artifacts from Weiland’s estate that reflect his enduring fight for equality. While you’re there, be sure to check out the Collections Spotlight: Denim, which showcases artifacts from the MOHAI collection that tell the history of your ol’ blue jeans. (Museum of History & Industry, through Oct 5, all ages) AUDREY VANN

TUESDAY 7/1

Nina Katchadourian: ‘Origin Stories’

Nina Katchadourian's show 'Origin Stories' is on display through October 26. PHOTO BY DAMIEN GIFFITHS, COURTESY OF NATIONAL NORDIC MUSEUM

(VISUAL ART) In Origin Stories, artist Nina Katchadourian unpacks the quirks, rituals, and memories that shaped her creative world, from family summers in Finland to shipwreck obsessions and childhood games gone existential. Installed across the National Nordic Museum, the show blends humor, nostalgia, and tender strangeness. (For instance, there's a bronze sculpture of a stick-cow in the mix, as well as a six-channel video about her parents’ accents.) Go forth for a reminder that personal history is messy, mythic, and often hiding in plain sight. (National Nordic Museum, through Oct 26, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

WEDNESDAY 7/2

Ballard FC vs. Tacoma Stars

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(SPORTS) USL League Two champions Ballard FC are back this season to defend their title as NW division champs. The team returns to Interbay Stadium this year, bringing them closer to their namesake and adoring fans. Fanfare at the games includes Dick's burgers thrown into the crowd after every goal, half-time shenanigans, and high school bands. Even without all that hullabaloo, I would recommend a game to anyone as cheap, entertaining, family-friendly fun. It doesn't get much more local than being sponsored by Reuben's Brews and having "Up the bridges!" as the team’s main chant. (Interbay Stadium, 7 pm, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

THURSDAY 7/3

Humaira Abid

"Shape of War: First Series - 1 (Story of Rasha and Ahmed, Gaza)," by Humaira Abid, 2025. COURTESY OF GREG KUCERA GALLERY

(VISUAL ART) Each time I walk into the Greg Kucera Gallery, I stumble upon a crowd around Humaira Abid’s wood-carved blouses, oohing and aahing at their delicacy and realism. Through her sculptures and paintings, the Lahore-born, Pakistani American artist depicts ordinary objects like clothing, shoes, purses, and letters in an extraordinary way—by meticulously carving them out of pinewood and often adorning them with exquisite miniature paintings. The pieces don’t just display jaw-dropping craftsmanship, but also share powerful stories related to violence against women, refugees, and displacement. (Opening reception. July 3, 6–8 pm; artist’s talk, July 5, noon, Greg Kucera Gallery, free) AUDREY VANN

FRIDAY 7/4

F#CK the Fourth!

Bring snacks to share!

(COMMUNITY) Predictably, I am not feeling very patriotic this Fourth of July. I think many of us are in the same boat, sneering at American flags and scoffing when we hear “God Bless America.” Well, fear not! There’s an event for you and other skeptics, and it’s one that encourages you to DO SOMETHING on a local level for your community and your country. Take the time to register to vote and help others do the same, write postcards to government officials, create zines, and have a little catharsis with your fellow firework-hating neighbors. Organizers are inviting folks to “hang out among us, your local artists that support trans rights, immigrants, rights to protest, bodily autonomy, and all the good stuff.” Hell yeah, pals. That’s what I call America. (Push/Pull, 1–4 pm, free, all ages) BRI BREY

SATURDAY 7/5

TARBOO

(MUSIC) Back for its second year, TARBOO returns to the Olympic Peninsula on Fourth of July weekend with three days of top quality music at Quilcene Lantern, which has become a hub for live music and community in recent years. The fun kicks off Thursday with an evening show featuring three local artists that's totally free and open to the public, followed by two ticketed days with a stellar lineup. Two of my top Pacific Northwest music-makers headline: Seattleite Chong the Nomad crafts the most danceable beats, and Portland-based Blind Pilot has been one of my favorite indie folk bands for over 15 years. Other standouts include Seattle grunge pop bands Great Grandpa and Mt. Fog, and California-based soulful folk songstress Uwade (she's toured with Fleet Foxes). I recommend grabbing a camping pass and staying onsite at their 53 acres of "rolling farm fields" for maximum granola vibes. (Quilcene Lantern, July 3–5, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

SUNDAY 7/6

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Pastry Project’s Soft Serve Window

(FOOD) The Pastry Project’s soft-serve window is only open for the summer, and it offers three flavors—purple vanilla, chocolate, and twist. While the ice cream is decadent enough to enjoy on its own—no cheap, icy mix here—the true magic is in the toppings. The aforementioned hard shell dip is available in butterscotch, chocolate, and strawberry passionfruit, and you’re gonna definitely want to add their rainbow peanut crunch. That’s housemade honeycomb-esque peanut brittle that has been smashed to bits and mixed with chopped peanuts and rainbow sprinkles. Nut-Blasting Crispy Magic Rainbow Crunch Fuck Yeah is what they should call it. That on a twist cone with the strawberry passionfruit dip tastes like a PB&J turned up to 11. (The Pastry Project, Thurs–Fri, 3–8 pm; Sat–Sun, noon–8 pm) MEGAN SELING

Stranger Suggests: Have the Gayest Pride Week of Your Life!

Megan Seling — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 14:25:00 -0700

One really gay thing to do every day of the week. by Megan Seling WEDNESDAY 6/25

Take a Bite of Pride

(FOOD) This is it. It’s the last few days of Pride Month, but this weekend is a doozy, with dance parties and concerts and parades and drag shows happening all over the city every day for the rest of June. You’re gonna have to carbo-load to get through it all! Thankfully, dozens of local bakeries, bars, and restaurants have packed their menus with LGBTQ-themed treats. A few standouts include: Italian rainbow cookie cannolis at Kelly’s Cannoli, malted milkshake cake at Little Jaye, agua de jamaica tres leches cake at Tres Lecheria, the Purple Reign cocktail with Botanist Gin and butterfly pea flower tea at Shuckers, rainbow cake at Flora Bakehouse, and, the one I’m personally most intrigued by as far as flavors go, the Louder cake at Paper Cake Shop, which consists of chocolate sponge cake, strawberry jam, cereal milk ganache and frosting, candied Trix, and cereal milk gelee. A dollar from every slice sold goes to TWOC Solidarity Network. (Various locations, see a list of LGBTQ-owned restaurants here) MEGAN SELING

THURSDAY 6/26

Perfume Genius

(MUSIC) Filled with fuzzy guitars and poignant piano, Perfume Genius' latest album, Glory, expands and contracts with a flow of emotions. Mike Hadreas, the queer icon and former Seattle resident behind the project, features the talents of his partner, Alan Wyffels, and producer Blake Mills on his seventh full-length. I'm looking forward to seeing this album performed live because, in my head, people dance to it like the girl in Sia's "Chandelier" video. Get there early, the show opens with Gothic-inspired rock artist Storefront Church, who's a friend of Phoebe Bridgers. (Showbox, 8 pm, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

FRIDAY 6/27

Indigiqueer Festival

The annual Indigiqueer Festival returns to Pier 62 Friday, June 27. PHOTO BY ADAM LU COURTESY OF FRIENDS OF WATERFRONT PARK

(PRIDE) Quileute drag artist Hailey Tayathy co-founded the Indigiqueer Festival in 2022 because they felt that "a gay-friendly city named for a Suquamish and Duwamish Chief deserved the big Indigenous Pride event it didn’t have." Taking place at Pier 62 against the backdrop of the Salish Sea, this fest marks the start of Pride weekend with a stacked lineup of performers, including rocking drag queen Holli B. Sinclair, food from traditional Indigenous chef Natoncks Metsu, and a host of art vendors and community workshops. (Pier 62, 1–8 pm, free, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

SATURDAY 6/28

Wildrose Pride 2025

Co-owner Shelley Brothers—not tending bar, just making sure the bar is clear for the go-go dancers. COURTESY OF WILDROSE

(PRIDE) Consider this your semi-regular reminder that there are only 37 surviving lesbian bars in the United States, so it's a rare and special thing to be able to join in amongst the pride revelry at the Wildrose, one of the West Coast's oldest establishments catering to dykes. Their three-day lineup of festivities this year, hosted by Shadae Simone, Briq House, and Amora Namor, includes appearances from DJs Velvet Whisper, Riz, and Yaddy. Plus, look forward to performances by Cherdonna Shinatra, Ruby Mimosa, and the Betsy Olson Band. Wildrose's 2025 Pride celebration honors the late Shelley Brothers, who co-owned the bar for 22 years and "was a driving force behind what this Pride party has become." (Wildrose, June 27–29, 21+) JULIANNE BELL

SUNDAY 6/29

SIFF ‘n’ Stitch: ‘D.E.B.S.’

(FILM) I have a soft spot for the goofy, tropey, splashy, colorful comedies of the early 2000s—think Austin Powers or Charlie’s Angels—but not many of them are explicitly queer. That’s why, after seeing the 2004 action comedy D.E.B.S. for the first time, I immediately wondered where the hell it had been my whole life. The premise is suitably ridiculous: The titular D.E.B.S. (Discipline, Energy, Beauty, Strength) are a group of college-aged women who have been secretly evaluated for their aptitude for espionage via the SAT and recruited into a prestigious training academy for spies. When the squad is assigned to surveil the deadly supervillain Lucy Diamond, promising spy-in-training Amy starts to fall for her. In case you’re not already sold, it also features a banger soundtrack, Devon Aoki with a fake French accent, and Holland Taylor as the school headmaster saying things like, “This isn’t Girl Scouts, it’s espionage!” Better yet, in collaboration with the Capitol Hill fiber arts coffee shop Stitch Cafe, SIFF will leave the lights on so that you can socialize and craft while watching. Bring along your current non-messy work-in-progress (knitting, crocheting, hand-sewing, weaving, and doodling all welcome), and stitch or sketch in bliss while swooning over the sapphic rivals-to-lovers romance. Consider it your cozy oasis if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the crowds, music, and flying candy from the Pride Parade marching down Fourth Avenue. (SIFF Cinema Uptown, noon, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

MONDAY 6/30

‘Pride: The Ric Weiland Collection’

TUESDAY 7/1

Nina Katchadourian: 'Origin Stories'

Nina Katchadourian's show 'Origin Stories' is on display through October 26. PHOTO BY DAMIEN GIFFITHS, COURTESY OF NATIONAL NORDIC MUSEUM

(VISUAL ART) In Origin Stories, artist Nina Katchadourian unpacks the quirks, rituals, and memories that shaped her creative world, from family summers in Finland to shipwreck obsessions and childhood games gone existential. Installed across the National Nordic Museum, the show blends humor, nostalgia, and tender strangeness. (For instance, there's a bronze sculpture of a stick-cow in the mix, as well as a six-channel video about her parents’ accents.) Go forth for a reminder that personal history is messy, mythic, and often hiding in plain sight. (National Nordic Museum, through Oct 26, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

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June 28, Chateau Ste Michelle

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June 29, Pier 62

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Stranger Suggests: Juneteenth Festivals, Queer Joy, and Something Called a Hot Dog Prom

Audrey Vann — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 14:30:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Audrey Vann WEDNESDAY 6/18

Rocking with William Shatner & Neil deGrasse Tyson

(SCIENCE) Beam us up, Scotty. Actor William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk in the Star Trek franchise for over 25 years, and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson are sitting down for a cosmically candid convo, spilling stories "from Earth, space, and their recent Antarctic journey." I had no idea these two were buddies, but it honestly tracks. And, their matching jackets are pretty sweet. I'm curious to hear more about Shatner's experience in space, which he wrote about in his 2022 book, Boldly Go. "I had thought that going into space would be the ultimate catharsis of that connection I had been looking for between all living things," he writes. "I had a different experience, because I discovered that the beauty isn't out there, it's down here." (McCaw Hall, 7:30 pm, all ages) JANEY WONG

THURSDAY 6/19

Juneteenth Festival

(FESTIVAL) On Juneteenth, Africatown Community Land Trust and King County Equity Now are "commemorating the liberation of our ancestors from chattel slavery and collectively envisioning and exploring what future freedom and equity can look like." Death Row Records-signed R&B artist October London, who has won Grammy awards for his work on NXWorries' album and The Color Purple soundtrack, headlines a stacked lineup of acts including local musical theater star Isaiah Banks and 13-year-old South Seattle rapper Skye Dior. Bring your dancing shoes; Southern line dancing group PNW STEPPAZ will lead a "Boots on the Ground Unity Step," where every dancer who joins in will earn a $1 donation for King County Equity Now. Attendees can check out dozens of market and food vendors, panels, and family-friendly activities in Jimi Hendrix Park right next to the Northwest African American Museum. (Jimi Hendrix Park, noon–8 pm, free, all ages; see more Juneteenth events here) SHANNON LUBETICH

FRIDAY 6/20

Wild Powwers, Biblioteka, M.O.S.S.

(MUSIC) I typically roll my eyes all the way back into my head when femme-fronted rock bands are compared to Bikini Kill or Sleater-Kinney, but hear me out, Wild Powwers’ new album, Pop Hits & Total Bummers Vol. 5, legitimately belongs in the same sentence as the riot grrrl and post-riot grrrl bands. Lara Hilgemann and Lupe Flores’s overlapping vocals give the songs a welcome tension that is delightfully released when their vocals join in harmony. They will be joined by fellow garage-rock trio Biblioteka and the self-identified “twangy sludgy country slacker doom pop” band M.O.S.S. (Baba Yaga, 7 pm, 21+) AUDREY VANN

SATURDAY 6/21

Georgetown Pride

(PRIDE) The wonderfully gritty and industrial backdrop of Seattle’s oldest neighborhood will become awash with color as a street fair, parade, and dance parties take over for Georgetown Pride. Start the day off with carnival games, flash tattoos, and a bagel-eating competition at Bloom Bistro, then head to Oxbow Park for a parade at 3 p.m. Bars and businesses will host a variety of evening parties, including Hot Dog Prom 2.0 at Seattle Tavern with DJ Wax Witch and an open mic at Great Notion Brewing. (I also can't get over the event's poster design featuring Georgetown’s iconic hat landmark squeezing mustard and ketchup onto a couple of Cybertrucks above the slogan, "Bigger, Hairier, and Queerer.") (Georgetown, 11 am, free, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

SUNDAY 6/22

Valerie June, Mick Flannery

(MUSIC) The cover for Valerie June’s latest album, Owls, Omens, and Oracles, looks like an Instagram photo from 2011—washed-out filter and all. Coincidentally, the early 2010s is when June first began releasing music. The new album doesn’t just take aesthetic inspiration from her musical beginnings, but returns to her indie roots with a raw, gritty, rock-infused soul sound. What varies from her humble beginnings is the collaborations on the album—Norah Jones and the Blind Boys of Alabama—dream guests for any jazz, blues, or soul artist. She will support the new album alongside Irish folk singer-songwriter Mick Flannery. (The Showbox, 7 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN

MONDAY 6/23

queer joy

(VISUAL ART) Curated by Washington Ensemble Theatre, this "sensory indulgence" at Slip Gallery celebrates Pride with an intriguing question: "What does queer joy feel like, sound like, smell like?" My guess is that it sounds like echoing laughter and freshly baked cookies, but I'm sure this immersive experience is more creative than that. Inspired by quotes and ideas from LGBTQIA* folks in Seattle, queer joy seems purposefully open-ended; the installation "examines the big bold brashness of queerness, and the subtleness that is being a queer person day in and day out." To find out what that means, head to Belltown. (Slip Gallery, daily through July 5, free) LINDSAY COSTELLO

TUESDAY 6/24

Jonathan Richman and Tommy Larkins

(MUSIC) I first came under the spell of Jonathan Richman after seeing a clip from his performance of “Vampire Girl” on the Conan O’Brien show in 1993. Richman croons about intriguing goth girls with an almost child-like spirit, strumming his hollow-body electric guitar with a huge grin while shaking his hips and maintaining intense eye contact with the crowd. The result of this performance should be kind of fucked up, but it’s undeniably charming and refreshingly authentic. This “so wrong it’s right” contradiction is what makes Richman an enduring counter-culture icon and godfather of punk rock. Seriously, his music has influenced a long list of music legends, including Brian Eno, the Sex Pistols, Joan Jett, David Bowie, and Iggy Pop. The modern-day Buddy Holly, striped-shirt icon, Velvet Underground fanboy, man, myth, and legend, Jonathan Richman, is coming to the Tractor Tavern for five shows across four days alongside his trusty sidekick, drummer Tommy Larkins. (Tractor Tavern, times and age-ranges vary) AUDREY VANN

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June 29, Seattle Center

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Stranger Suggests: Serial Killers, Queer Cult Classics, and Zola Jesus's Synth-Pop Magic

Audrey Vann — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 16:00:00 -0700

One Really Good Thing to Do Every Day of the Week

by Audrey Vann WEDNESDAY 6/11

Finn Wolfhard: The Objection! Tour

Wolfhard's Happy Birthday debut came out 6/6 via AWAL. Gep Repasky

(MUSIC) The kids of Stranger Things are a talented bunch: Millie Bobby Brown has her own fashion and beauty lines, Gaten Matarazzo stars in Broadway musicals, and Joe Keery sells out venues with his synthpop project Djo (ok, he's 10 years older than the rest of them). Vancouver, BC-born Finn Wolfhard (who plays Mike Wheeler) also makes music, but it's more of the fuzzy-indie rock variety. Though he's played in other bands for some time, his debut solo album came out last Friday. Give Happy Birthday a spin and get ready to bop along at this show. Chicago trio the Slaps open the night with DIY vibes (check out their KEXP in-studio). (The Crocodile, 8 pm, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

THURSDAY 6/12

Caroline Fraser: Why So Many Crimes Came from the Northwest
(BOOKS) If you’re anything like me and like to unwind at the end of a long day with horrific true crime documentaries whilst rereading the Killing of JonBenét Ramsey Wikipedia page, then consider spending your Thursday evening learning about why so many crimes happen in our neck of the woods. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Caroline Fraser will talk about her new book Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers, which maps the lives of infamous murderers like Ted Bundy, the Green River Killer, the I-5 Killer, the Night Stalker, and the Hillside Strangler. Fraser took her research across the Northwest, looking for evidence that the emissions from lead, copper, and arsenic smelters may have sickened and warped the young minds of these criminals. (The Wyncote NW Forum, 7:30 pm) AUDREY VANN

FRIDAY 6/13

Materialists
(FILM) Who says the rom-com is dead? Not if Celine Song can help it: The writer and director of 2023’s poignant Past Lives is back with her highly anticipated sophomore feature Materialists. Shot on 35mm film, the film stars the world’s most notorious lime fan Dakota Johnson as Lucy, a New York City matchmaker who finds herself torn between wealthy, handsome “unicorn” bachelor Harry (Pedro Pascal) and her equally handsome and charming but penniless ex John (Chris Evans). (We’ve all been there before—am I right, ladies?!?) Interestingly, this marks the third MMF love triangle that Song and her husband (Challengers screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes) have put out in the last two years—are they trying to tell us something? (SIFF Cinema Uptown, 4:30 pm & 7 pm) JULIANNE BELL

Gong, looking cool as hell and like they're about to cast a rune. Layla Burrows SATURDAY 6/14

Cascadence 2025: Gong, Khu.éex, Rachel Flowers, Kathy Moore Super Power
(MUSIC) Formerly known as Seaprog, Cascadence is a showcase for progressive music of many strange stripes. The big headliner this year is Gong, an ensemble who attained underground notoriety in the '60s and '70s by creating some of the most cosmic and whimsical psych-/prog-/jazz-rock in the world. Founders Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth are long gone, as are all original Gongsters, so what we have is a Sun Ra Arkestra/Tangerine Dream situation. But the Gong catalog abounds with astounding compositional feats; no matter who's carrying the group's torch (they're currently fronted by ex-Cardiacs guitarist Kavus Torabi), we're guaranteed a night of sonic dazzlement and surprises. Led by Tlingit bassist/vocalist Preston Singletary, Indigenous musical adventurers Khu.éex' have been weirding up the PNW for a dozen years. Hip enough to have the late Bernie Worrell in their lineup for a spell, Khu.éex' convey Great Native Northwest storytelling over a spacious, jazz-inflected funk of deep emotional heft. (Rainier Arts Center, various times, all ages) DAVE SEGAL

No Kings Seattle: Nationwide Mass Protest Against Trump's Corruption
(ACTIVISM) Whether you call it fascism, tyranny, authoritarianism, or a dictatorship, our current president is acting like he can get away with anything—and it’s a little too reminiscent of King George's lyrics in the musical Hamilton: "I will kill your friends and family to remind you of my love," anyone? Pop culture references aside, our democracy is in crisis, the world is in crisis, and Trump is busy spending millions of dollars on a military weapons parade on June 14th to commemorate the army’s 250th birthday, Flag Day, and his 79th birthday. In protest, hundreds of "No Kings" rallies are being organized nationwide to resist the current administration and its policies. Bring your signs and noisemakers to Cal Anderson at noon for a rally featuring speakers, including US Representative Pramila Jayapal. Then, join the march as it heads out at 1 pm for the Space Needle. (Cal Anderson Park, 12–3 pm) SHANNON LUBETICH

[Ed. Note: There will also be a free Yoga class at Town Hall with Fran Gallo today at 10 a.m., with poses specifically meant to prepare for the march!]

SUNDAY 6/15

Hedwig and the Angry Inch with Musical Guests

(FILM) Adapted from a hit '98 glam rock musical, Hedwig and the Angry Inch follows a genderqueer German singer who lands in the rural Midwest after a botched sex reassignment surgery. John Cameron Mitchell wrote, directed, and starred as Hedwig in the punky, ingenious masterwork of queer cinema. Haven't seen it? This screening (which includes musical performances from Riley Jakubowski and Tony James) is one perfect way to celebrate Pride—even Roger Ebert admitted that it was "strange how the movie seems to be loud, flashy and superficial, yet gives a deeper dimension to its characters." You'll find Hedwig merch in the library, and a "very special edition of Moonlight Karaoke" with curated tracks inspired by Hedwig and Pride. (Here-After, 8 pm, free, 21+) LINDSAY COSTELLO

MONDAY 6/16

Scarecrow in a Garden of Cucumbers

(FILM) If you are a fan of any of the following, then Scarecrow in a Garden of Cucumbers is a must-watch for you: the early films of John Waters, vanilla ice cream cones, ostrich-feather boas, and Buster Keaton-style physical comedy. Robert J. Kaplan (whose only other directorial credit is the pornographic Jaws spoof Gums) directs this long-lost camp masterpiece starring Warhol superstar and transgender icon Holly Woodlawn as she flees her boring Kansas upbringing to make it as an actress in New York City. Along the way, she meets an eccentric cast of characters, including a sailor-mouthed nun, misandrist twin sisters, and a revered lounge singer named Mary Poppins (played by fellow Warhol superstar Tally Brown). I am so pleased to see this film receive a snazzy restoration and a proper theater screening—I predict a Criterion release is on the horizon. (The Beacon, 7 & 7:30 pm) AUDREY VANN

TUESDAY 6/17

Zola Jesus

Worship Jesus (Zola Jesus, not the other one) at a real live church! Vivien Killilea/Getty

(MUSIC) If you’re familiar with the music of synth-pop queen Zola Jesus, then you know that an old church—complete with a gorgeous stained-glass window and arches higher than the heavens—is the ideal venue to see her. She will stop by the Abbey Arts’ newest venue, Woodlawn Hall, where she will perform acoustic skeletons of her experimental discography that spans electronic, industrial, classical, goth, and pop. With her otherworldly vocals reminiscent of Florence Welch, Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Fraser, and Siouxsie Sioux, I foresee her vocals echoing beautifully around the large open space. This show is a must for fans of moody pop angels like Lorde and Ethel Cain. (Woodlawn Hall, 7 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN

Stranger Suggests: Two Dozen Burgers, a Swole Person, and an Art Show that Makes You Turn Off Your Phone

Audrey Vann — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 14:06:00 -0700

One really good thing to do every day of the week. by Audrey Vann WEDNESDAY 6/4

Author Talk: Casey Johnston, ‘A Physical Education’

(BOOKS) In the age of Ozempic and rampant misinformation promoted by the likes of RFK Jr., we are living in a dangerously regressive time when it comes to wellness and body image, but voices like Casey Johnston’s might just be the antidote we need. I’ve followed Johnston, a cultural critic and veteran weightlifter, since she was writing the column “Ask a Swole Person” for the site The Hairpin (RIP), which led me to her “couch-to-barbell” fitness program LIFTOFF and her newsletter She’s a Beast. In her new memoir, A Physical Education, Johnston shares how her weightlifting journey empowered her and helped her to escape the nefarious clutches of diet culture. You don’t need to be a protein-shake-swilling gym rat to be interested in her story, either: As one Vanity Fair writer put it, “This book is about exercise in the way that Friday Night Lights is about football.” Johnston will be joined in conversation by Cat Bohannon, author of Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution. (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, 7 pm, free) JULIANNE BELL

THURSDAY 6/5

Anthony White: Somethin' Somethin’ Opening Reception

"The Limit Does Not Exist," by Anthony White. COURTESY OF GREG KUCERA GALLERY

(VISUAL ART) From the end of May to the end of June, the Greg Kucera Gallery will exhibit the art of Seattle-based queer Black artist and curator Anthony White. Painting with glossy and textural polylactic acid, White crafts unique still lifes and portraits that combine cultural critique, nostalgia, and humor, that aim to disrupt, he explains, “hierarchies of status and wealth by placing seemingly trivial, low-brow accoutrements in palatial and referential environments.” Some of the things you can expect to see in his paintings are Silly String, Flintstones vitamins, Bratz dolls, Smucker’s Uncrustables, and credit card company logos, all in an I Spy-style arrangement. (P.S. Galleries are basically just art museums with no admission, so don’t feel like you have to be Mr. Monopoly to step inside.) (Greg Kucera Gallery, opening reception is 5–8 pm, show hangs Tues–Sat through June 28, free) AUDREY VANN

FRIDAY 6/6

Lobby Sessions: Tres Leches

(MUSIC) Did you know that there is a boutique hotel above the Crocodile (cue Lana Del Rey's "Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd")? The Hotel Crocodile’s intimate Lobby Series is back this week with local trio Tres Leches. If you’re a fan of ’90s punk bands like Babes in Toyland, 7 Year Bitch, the Gits, or the Pixies (at their most chaotic), then you must attend this show. And, considering that the band hasn’t released new music since 2022’s Fósil, it’s very likely they’ll debut some new unreleased material. (Hotel Crocodile, 8 pm, 21+) AUDREY VANN

SATURDAY 6/7

Artists Doing: Nothing

(VISUAL ART) Love this premise: a group of artists across disciplines show up at 9 a.m. and work together on a “festival of performance” that they’ll be putting on at 8 p.m. the same day. Artists will include Jéhan Òsanyìn, Nia-Amina Minor, Alyza DelPan-Monley, and Adrienne Mackey, and the theme is doing nothing, as in: “slow attention, and unplugging from algorithms.” This happening is put on by the Feast, a local theater company that “prizes virtuosic artists working in extremes; pays those artists really well; and builds maximalist, collectivist, welcoming events.” Communications Director Jesse Roth says, “Facebook and Instagram are making money off our attention and supporting fascist policies. People say these platforms are essential for succeeding in the arts, but we don’t think that’s true. We want to divest our time, money, and attention from these algorithms and draw focus back to community: sharing space together, in real life.” Preach! (Actualize Art Space, 8 pm) EMILY NOKES

SUNDAY 6/8

Fiber Fusion Northwest

Celebrate all things fiber at Fiber Fusion Northwest June 7–8! ANDREY ZHURAVLEV/GETTY

(CRAFTS) Whether you are an expert knitter who regularly whips up intricate Fair Isle cardigans or have never touched a needle or crochet hook in your life, this Monroe festival dedicated to fiber arts promises plenty of entertainment. I’m excited to see 2025’s featured sheep breed, the adorable Shetland, but rest assured there will be lots of other fuzzy, fiber-producing animals present, including alpacas, goats, and Angora rabbits. Admire beautiful fiber arts show entries, participate in raffles, check out food and drink vendors, and watch live demos on spinning, weaving, felting, knitting, sheep milking, and more. (Evergreen State Fairgrounds, 9 am–6 pm on June 7; 9 am–5 pm on June 8, free) JULIANNE BELL

MONDAY 6/9

The Stranger's Burger Week

Alpine Diner's Smash Burger. COURTESY OF ALPINE DINER

(FOOD) It's Burger Week! Starting June 9, 25 restaurants around Seattle are offering a limited-edition specialty burger for just $12 (and many of them come with fries!). Galbi Burger's offering is the Ssamjang Twist Galbi Burger with a galbi-marinated patty, grilled garlic, and ssamjang mayo; at Attic Alehouse and Eatery, you can get a burger topped with chili and a fat onion ring. For something a little different, check out Loretta's Northwesterner's Burger Dog. Yup, a hot-dog-shaped burger patty is stuffed into a bun along with bacon pepper relish, secret sauce, mustard, ketchup, onions, pickles, and cheese. The folks at Athenian Seafood Restaurant and Bar in Pike Place Market are skipping the red meat and instead stacking their burger high with blackened salmon and Jack Daniel's green-apple chutney, along with all the usual fixins. Vegetarian? Check out FareStart, Galbi Burger, and Rough & Tumble's offerings. Vegan? Head to Georgetown Liquor Co. for a totally plant-based mushroom and Swiss burger. There's something for everyone who likes food. (See the full list of participants here.) MEGAN SELING

TUESDAY 6/10

Wendy Elisheva Somerson (Wes) with Ijeoma Oluo

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(BOOKS) This conversation will foster a "liberatory model for Jewish healing firmly rooted in Jewish spiritual values," led by Dr. Wendy Elisheva Somerson (Wes), PhD, who has written extensively on Palestinian solidarity and Jewish ritual, and Ijeoma Oluo, who penned the powerful tomes So You Want To Talk About Race, Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America, and Be A Revolution: How Everyday People Are Fighting Oppression and Changing the World — and How You Can, Too. If you're feeling a sense of despair over the genocidal violence of the last year, head to the talk for thoughts on healing and activism opportunities to fight for a free Palestine and "a Jewishness beyond Zionism." (Third Place Books Seward Park, 7 pm, free, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

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June 18, McCaw Hall

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June 29, Seattle Center

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Stranger Suggests: A Donut Marathon, a Poet Who Will Make You Cry, and a Cookbook from a Long-Gone but Still Beloved Bakery

Julianne Bell — Wed, 28 May 2025 15:42:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Julianne Bell WEDNESDAY 5/28

Louis: A Silent Movie with Wynton Marsalis

(FILM/MUSIC) Dan Pritzker's 2010 silent film, Louis, pays homage to jazz icon Louis Armstrong and his life as a young boy in the early 20th century. Filmed in rich sepia tones, the film follows a six-year-old Armstrong as he wanders the streets of New Orleans while yearning for a horn he can’t afford on display in a pawn shop window. As you watch the jazz legend’s story unfold on the big screen, master jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and his 10-piece ensemble will accompany the film with a live score. (Paramount Theatre, 7:30 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN

THURSDAY 5/29

Author Talk: The London Plane Flower & Cookbook

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(FOOD/BOOKS) Seattle collectively mourned when Pioneer Square's lovely, light-filled bakery, restaurant, and grocer the London Plane closed its doors for good at the beginning of 2023. However, its many devotees can now find solace in the fact that the beloved spot's legacy lives on in a new book compiled by Katherine Anderson. Anderson worked with chefs and creatives who were a part of the London Plane to commemorate the shop's "heart and soul, celebrating its community of cooks, bakers, florists, servers, and beloved customers." The book takes readers through a calendar year in the London Plane's life, along with recipes for popular favorites like chicken pot pie, granola, buttermilk biscuit, and bread. At this talk, Katherine will be joined in conversation by London Plane co-owner Yasuaki Saito, the current owner of Saint Bread and Tivoli. (Book Larder, 6:30 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

FRIDAY 5/30

Alison Bechdel

See author Alison Bechdel at Town Hall on May 30. AUTHOR PHOTO BY ELENA SIEBERT

(BOOKS) There are many reasons you might know the name "Alison Bechdel"—she's the legendary cartoonist who wrote the comic Dykes to Watch Out For from 1987 to 2008, and her graphic memoir Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic has graced bookstore endcaps for almost two decades. The multitalented creator "spins together fine-tuned self-critique and sharp comedic reflection" in her autofiction comic novel Spent, which follows a pygmy goat sanctuary owner (conveniently also named Alison Bechdel) who ruminates on all the things you're stressed about, too—climate change, capitalism, and political panic among them. (Town Hall, 7:30 pm, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

SATURDAY 5/31

Mighty-O Tour de Donut

(FOOD/COMMUNITY) As far as motivation to cycle around the city goes, doughnuts are a pretty good one. Hop on your wheels for a self-guided tour with stops at Mighty-O Donuts' locations in Ballard, Greenlake, Capitol Hill, and Denny Triangle, with mini doughnuts available at each outpost. Your ticket gets you a complimentary doughnut and drip coffee at the location of your choice, as well as a Tour de Donut T-shirt to flaunt your bragging rights. (Multiple Mighty-O locations, 9:30 am, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

SUNDAY 6/1

Ocean Vuong with Thanh Tn

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(BOOKS) Ocean Vuong made major waves in the literary world in 2019 with On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, an epistolary novel reflecting on loss, memory, and family; he's also an award-winning poet whose collection Night Sky With Exit Wounds won the T. S. Eliot Prize in 2017. The MacArthur Genius, American Book Award winner, and one-time fast food server will discuss his new book, The Emperor of Gladness, with Vietnamese American journalist Thanh Tn during this visit to Seattle. My tip: Before the event, listen to Vuong's tear-inducing March 2020 interview with journalist and podcaster Krista Tippett, in which he casually says things like "I want to take off the shoes of my voice, so that I can enter a place with care, so that I can do the work I need to," and “When the apocalypse comes, what will you put into the vessel for the future?” (Town Hall, 7:30 pm, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

MONDAY 6/2

Pavements

(FILM/MUSIC) Pavement has always been a band of uneven proportions. Forever on the precipice of the big time, the group never appeared to try hard enough, to want to be understood enough, and their creative output—off-kilter indie rock that sounded both revolutionary and unintentional—was always a little too much. They helped define a decade of independent music, but couldn’t seem to move past fringe notoriety. Part earnest experimenters, actively working against the mainstream, and part saints of slackerdom, to whom fans have built deeply ironic reliquaries, Pavement meant something to many, and everything to some. As Jason Schwartzman says to actors playing the band—in Range Life, the mock biopic that makes up one fourth of Alex Ross Perry’s prismatic new music doc, Pavements—“I know you want to give that 100 percent of that 50 percent you think you might be able to give.” (SIFF Cinema Uptown, various showtimes) DOM SINACOLA

TUESDAY 6/3

Desert Hearts

(FILM) Director Donna Deitch’s landmark 1985 film Desert Hearts is widely known for being the first feature film to present a lesbian romance in a positive light. The sapphic cult classic is set in 1959 and follows the story of Vivian Bell (Helen Shaver), a repressed English professor in her 30s, who comes to stay on a ghost ranch in Reno in order to establish residency and expedite a divorce with her husband. She soon becomes enchanted by the free-spirited Cay Rivvers (Patricia Charbonneau), a younger, tomboyish lesbian sculptor in cowboy boots. The two fall in love but struggle to imagine a future together due to Vivian’s hangups about being with a woman (Alexa, play “Good Luck, Babe”). The movie is astonishingly gorgeous, romantic, intimate, and ascends to a heart-fluttering finale. When I first watched it last spring, I was left nearly speechless and prompted to write the four-word Letterboxd review: “I am very gay.” Whether or not you’ve seen it before, don’t miss this rare chance to catch it on the big screen. (Northwest Film Forum, various showtimes) JULIANNE BELL

Stranger Suggests: A Breakfast for the Bach-Curious, the PNW’s Crunchiest Festival, and a Talk About Rocks

Audrey Vann — Wed, 21 May 2025 14:30:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Audrey Vann WEDNESDAY 5/21

Dean Wareham with Jess Cornelius

(MUSIC) When I read Dean Wareham's memoir Black Postcards in high school, it changed the course of my musical life, turning me onto twee pop originators like Jonathan Richman, the Feelies, and the Dream Syndicate. For that, I am eternally grateful to Wareham and Galaxie 500's three flawless studio albums that have soundtracked many a good cry in my broken-down car. The New Zealand-born heartthrob will take a break from touring with his projects Luna and Dean & Britta for a solo tour supporting his new album, That's the Price of Loving Me. The album is his first collaboration with prolific producer Kramer since Galaxie 500’s This Is Our Music (1990). My fingers are crossed that he'll also play some songs from his debut EP, Anesthesia. Fellow New Zealand-born, LA-based indie rock artist Jess Cornelius will open. (Sunset Tavern, 8 pm, 21+) AUDREY VANN

THURSDAY 5/22

Alison Jean Cole: 'A Rockhound’s Guide to Oregon & Washington'

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(ROCKS) Rock are cool and all, but I'll be honest: I wasn't losing sleep thinking about them until I started following Alison Jean Cole's Instagram account. Cole's enthusiasm for rocks brings up all sorts of questions. What is a thunderegg, really? And have I missed my calling? Should I have been a professional rockhounder, traversing the orangey badlands and desert canyons wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a bolo tie?? I am still wondering these things, and maybe you are, too. If so, head to this talk, where Cole will chat about her new book, A Rockhound’s Guide to Oregon & Washington. The book covers all things rockhounding, including how to read geologic maps, the ethics of rock collecting, and "how to develop your personal tastes in rocks and build a collection." (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, 7 pm, free, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

FRIDAY 5/23

Northwest Folklife Festival

(COMMUNITY) Folklife started in the ’70s, and it shows, in large part because it has somehow escaped the jaws of capitalism to remain a free community festival that’s open and welcoming to all. It's also full of buskers, drum circles, impromptu jam seshes, barefoot dancing, and faded tie-dye. You can explore dozens of stalls selling foods and crafts from around the world, check out workshops and lectures, or just hang out and soak up the atmosphere. It's a very PNW granola vibe, and I love it. (Seattle Center, May 23–26, suggested donation, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

SATURDAY 5/24

Radio Gaza

(MUSIC/ARTS) The bombs are still falling. The children are still dying. And the lives of 14,000 starving babies in Gaza hang in the balance this week alone. Intisaar Jubran, a local musician, has organized an event, Radio Gaza, to raise money for Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, which provides support "for sick and injured children in the Middle East, regardless of their religion and without political affiliation or purpose." The event will include a DJ set by I.S.H., art by Hala Saleh, and music by, of course, Intisaar Jubran, whose voice has the kind of strength and grace that's called for during a time the people of Southern Africa describe as "mfecane." (Mosswood Loft, 7 pm, 21+) CHARLES MUDEDE

SUNDAY 5/25

Bach & Pancakes Extravaganza

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(FOOD/MUSIC) If you haven’t had the pleasure of listening to Bach while eating pancakes, you’re in for a treat. Seattle marimba star Erin Jorgensen has been putting on Bach & Pancakes as low-key solo events around the city for the past 5 or so years. The ones I’ve attended have been lovely and mellow (I cannot claim to be a morning person, but if I was greeted with gentle live marimba melodies and pancakes before noon, it would certainly help). For this Sunday’s iteration, Jorgensen has expanded her special series to include over 20 rotating players and instruments—cello, organ, various strings and woodwinds, and more—for 3 hours of Johann Sebastian Bach (perfect, I’m told, “for Bach lovers and the Bach-curious”). Pancakes will be whipped up by West Seattle’s Locöl Kitchen, and you can drop by any time during the event. Bring a pillow or blanket if you’d like! My intel says: While the pre-sale reservations say “sold out” on the site, they’ll still be accepting walk-ups since people are encouraged to come and go as they please. (Kenyon Hall, 10 am–1 pm, suggested donation, all ages) EMILY NOKES

MONDAY 5/26

Stream SIFF Movies All Day

(FILM) The in-person portion of the Seattle International Film Festival ends May 25, but the fun doesn't have to end! You can still stream some of their selections at home through June 1. And what better way to spend a day off than loading up on snacks, building yourself a couch fort, and watching a marathon of movies? A few films available for streaming that we loved include New Jack Fury, which Stranger editor Hannah Murphy Winter says, "starts with someone getting hit with a dirty 18-inch dildo, and it ends with a dance off, swords, and betrayal"; Cat Town, USA, a sweet documentary about a Florida couple's elderly cat sanctuary; and Under the Volcano, a film about a Ukrainian family who is "stranded in a paradise turned hellscape" after Russia invades Ukraine while they're on vacation. Michael McKinney says it's "grim, visually gorgeous, and timely as ever." Read through our full list of streaming movies here. (Your couch, all ages) MEGAN SELING

TUESDAY 5/27

Susan Dory: Slipstream

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(VISUAL ART) Way back in 2012, Jen Graves (The Stranger) wrote, "Susan Dory's color combinations have always been luscious.... It's as if each painting were a set of open jaws, or many sets of jaws, each vying for space in a fractured horizon. It is an exhilarating break." Since then, Dory's style has evolved even further, with solo shows that offer labyrinths of geometric compositions. The artist envisions "the tension between the visible and the hidden," from the growth and movement patterns of flora and fauna to the support systems in our own lives. Color takes on both personal and collective meanings in Slipstream. (Winston Wächter Fine Art, 10 am–5 pm, free) LINDSAY COSTELLO

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Stranger Suggests: Gay Garlic Bread, the Very Hilarious Nicole Byer, and Gang of Four (with Ted Leo!!!!)

Dave Segal — Wed, 14 May 2025 15:33:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Dave Segal WEDNESDAY 5/14

Momma, Wishy

(MUSIC) School friends Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten started the band Momma in 2015 outside of Los Angeles and have since moved to Brooklyn, added a drummer and bassist, and signed with Polyvinyl after the label cold emailed them. While their early music might've been categorized as ruminative and lo-fi, Momma have really tapped into their power as an indie rock band with the singles from their recently released album Welcome to My Blue Sky. The songs are stuck in my head, and I take every opportunity to scream-sing them in my car. Indianapolis band Wishy opens the show with pop-punk-tinged grooves. (Neumos, 7 pm, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

THURSDAY 5/15

Seattle International Film Festival 2025

(FILM) SIFF will return for its 51st year with the best in international and independent cinema à la mode from across the globe, and you know the drill—the city's most well-recognized hybrid festival, which boasts hundreds of films from 84 countries and regions this year, will present screenings virtually and at SIFF venues citywide. Opening night includes a screening of Four Mothers, which follows a gay Irish novelist tasked with "looking after four aging women when his friends unexpectedly drop their mothers off so that they can go party at Maspalomas Pride." In her review for The Stranger's SIFF package, Julianne Bell writes that the film has, "got plenty of charm, and Fionnula Flanagan speaks volumes with her arresting facial expressions without uttering a single word aloud." I'm seated. (May 15–25, multiple venues, visit siff.net/festival for times and tickets) LINDSAY COSTELLO

FRIDAY 5/16

Nicole Byer

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(COMEDY) Earlier this month, Capitol Hill's Comedy/Bar reopened under new ownership as the Emerald City Comedy Club, and now the Broadway venue has a bigger showroom—from 100 seats to 275!—and a calendar full of high-profile names. Dan Levy, Jay Pharoah, and Kevin Nealon will be there in June, and Tim Meadows and Ron Funches are on the calendar for July. This weekend, the great Nicole Byer will hold court for three nights, and shockingly, some tickets are still available. Most folks—including your kids—know Byer as the quick-witted host of Nailed It!, Netflix's Emmy-nominated amateur baking competition. She's great on it! But her true comedy skills shine when she's not having to stick to family-friendly material. When she can be honest about the frustrations of dating; play "Fuck, Marry, Kill" with Lauren Lapkus; tear down racist Karens; riff on gay orgies; and tell Conan O'Brien that all she's really looking for in life is a guy with a big dick. Would it be weird if I went to Claire's, bought a Best Friends necklace, and gave her the other half this weekend? Don't care. Gonna do it. (Emerald City Comedy Club, May 16–18, multiple showtimes) MEGAN SELING

SATURDAY 5/17

Gays Eating Garlic Bread in the Park

(COMMUNITY/FOOD) Perhaps you were one of the millions of people who became aware of the "Gays Eating Garlic Bread in the Park" sensation after a simple poster advertising it went massively viral on TikTok last year. The joyful gathering, which bid attendees to "BYOGB," ended up drawing hordes of friendly carb-seeking queers. It's back again for a second time this spring, with plenty of beverages and games under a veranda. Go forth and thaw the Seattle freeze, and don't forget to bring your own buttery, allium-laced snacks to share. (Wallingford, 4 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

(And yes, Kendrick Lamar and SZA are also performing tonight at Lumen Field—you can go after the garlic-bread party.)

SUNDAY 5/18

Juno Birch

(COMEDY) “Oh my goodness me, it’s absolutely stunning...yes, that’s happening. Yessss!” Alien diva drag queen Juno Birch has plans to invade the Neptune Theatre for her Probed Tour. Juno will beam us up for her one-woman comedy set, but I'm crossing my rubber-gloved fingers that she'll also grace us earthlings with her killer Jennifer Coolidge impression, share some gawjus makeup tips, or regale us with tales of her latest Sims adventures. (Neptune Theatre, 8 pm, all ages) JANEY WONG

MONDAY 5/19

Author Talk: Hawa Hassan, 'Setting a Place for Us'

Hawa Hassan will discuss her new essay collection and cookbook at Book Larder on Monday, May 19. AUTHOR PHOTO BY KHADIJA M. FARRAH

(BOOKS/FOOD) Make no mistake: It's never just about the food. James Beard Award-winning author (and former Seattleite) Hawa Hassan, who also wrote the stunning cookbook In Bibi's Kitchen, demonstrates the politics behind the way we cook and eat with her groundbreaking new collection of essays and recipes, which explores "the history of eight countries to understand the impact of geopolitical conflict and its outcomes on cuisine and food systems." Hassan examines countries like Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, El Salvador, Iraq, Lebanon, and Liberia, deconstructing the narrow-minded narratives pushed by mainstream media outlets in favor of nuanced, empathetic stories that show the "strength, resourcefulness, and ingenuity that arise from having to navigate conflict." Along the way, she shares how to make dishes ranging from Salvadoran pupusas con curtido to Liberian ground peanut soup. Hassan will discuss her book with Seattle Times food writer Tan Vinh. (Book Larder, 6:30 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

TUESDAY 5/20

Gang of Four

(MUSIC) Gang of Four's Entertainment! has been the gold standard for leftist post-punk for 46 years, and this show is your final chance to see all 12 of its spiky, sneakily funky songs played by two of the four original members. Vocalist Jon King and drummer Hugo Burnham are retiring the group after completing this year's tour itinerary. In 1981, I was fortunate enough to see GO4's god-tier live action with the original lineup featuring the late guitarist Andy Gill and recently deceased bassist Dave Allen, as they supported their second LP, Solid Gold. As fine as subs Ted Leo and Gail Greenwood (Belly, L7) are on guitar and bass, they likely can't match the OG players' combustible chemistry. Nevertheless, with Entertainment! and a handful of other GO4 faves on the agenda, this farewell gig could be one of the most vital nostalgia wallows of the year. (Neptune Theatre, 8 pm, all ages) DAVE SEGAL

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Seattle’s Prettiest Book Fair, a Newly Restored Queer Arthouse Classic, and the Legendary Nick Cave

Audrey Vann — Wed, 07 May 2025 12:12:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Audrey Vann WEDNESDAY 5/7

Pink Narcissus (New 4K Restoration)

(FILM) Watching James Bidgood's 1971 queer arthouse classic Pink Narcissus is like opening up a gaudy pop-up valentine—it’s an explosion of candy colors, glitter, and idealized romance. The story, which follows the fantasies of a gay male sex worker, isn't as much about the plot as it is about the aesthetics of the whole thing: surreal sets, extravagant costumes, creative lighting, and tender eroticism. If you don't believe me, just take it from John Waters, who once called the movie “as beautiful and timeless as The Wizard of Oz." Don't miss this stunning new 4K restoration at the Crocodile's cozy Here-After theater, programmed by the beloved (and currently closed) Grand Illusion Cinema. (Here-After, 7:30 pm, 21+) AUDREY VANN

THURSDAY 5/8

Brandon Vosika: Self Help

(VISUAL ART) Salvaging book-shaped scrap wood from a previous Factory show, Seattle artist Brandon Vosika carved and painted the blocks into the books he wanted to see in the world. Titles include How to Be a Worm, How to Paint Like Philip Guston, and my favorite: How to Hold a Cigarette and What It Says About You. I enjoy “things that look like other things” themes in art (in baking, too, though I resent that cake show’s shark-jumping gimmickry), and books have always held a special place in the genre—from bookshelves that are actually doors to books that are actually hollow so you can hide maps and money and drugs in them. Vosika’s books (that are actually sculptural paintings) aren’t necessarily attempting to trompe l’œil, but there is a satisfying attention to detail (bookmark ribbons; the heart-shaped lock on the child’s diary) and the medium lends itself well to Vosika’s style: a little bit whimsical and a little bit melancholy. These books seem like they’d be nice to hold. (The Factory, May 8–June 7) EMILY NOKES

FRIDAY 5/9

Dreaming in Analog: In Memory of Charles R. Cross

(MUSIC) When author and music journalist Charles R. Cross died in August, he left a huge hole in the heart of Seattle’s music community. “People think of Charles as a biographer of Seattle legends, but every time he and I got together, all we talked about was all the new bands we loved,” radio DJ Marco Collins told The Stranger last year. “He was a tireless champion of our music scene, old and new.” On Friday, May 9, Cross’s family and friends will keep the beloved author’s commitment to the city’s music scene moving forward with Dreaming in Analog, a celebration of life and fundraiser featuring performances from some of Cross’s favorites—Nancy Wilson, Sir Mix-a-Lot, Chris Ballew, Pete Droge, Mary Lambert, Eva Walker, Molly Sides, Shaina Shepherd, and many more. What’s more, net proceeds from the evening will support the newly established Charles R. Cross Music Writer’s Grant to help fund the next generation of music writers and journalists. For Charley. (The Moore, 7 pm, all ages) MEGAN SELING

SATURDAY 5/10

Seattle Art Book Fair

Seattle Art Book Fair is May 10–11 and it's totally free. COURTESY OF SEATTLE ART BOOK FAIR

(BOOKS/VISUAL ART) There are few things more special and satisfying than a well-designed book. I could hold, look at, read, and think about books (zines, paperbacks, chapbooks, hardcovers, you name it) all day, but art books are a particularly special tier. The Seattle Art Book Fair broadly defines them as books that: “...often combine type, images, and materials in thoughtful ways that push the possibilities of what books can be. They can feature narrative, poetry, photography, and illustration. They can be handmade, offset-printed, letterpressed, photocopied, screen printed, or risographed. Or, they can take some surprising new form and feature an unexpected medium that allows one to experience the world in a wholly new way.” The fair is free and will include an impressive 85-plus exhibitor lineup of artists, designers, and makers, as well as talks, art installations, and workshops. More tactile, thoughtful, well-designed everything, please! (Washington Hall, 11 am–5 pm, free, all ages) EMILY NOKES

SUNDAY 5/11

Rebecca Solnit

Rebecca Solnit reads at Town Hall Sunday, May 11. AUTHOR PHOTO BY TRENT DAVIS BAILEY

(BOOKS) If you've visited a bookstore anytime in recent memory, you've likely spied a copy of Rebecca Solnit's smash-hit essay collection Men Explain Things to Me—or perhaps Recollections of My Non-Existence, or Hope in the Dark, or The Mother of All Questions. The longtime writer and activist is the closest thing to a literary household name we've got right now, and in No Straight Road Takes You There, she delves into themes of climate change, feminism, democracy, hope, and the abuse of power. If you're like "Whew, okay, I don't know if I need more of that at the moment, I'd rather read Ariana Madix's cocktail book," first of all: I get it. But consider this: Solnit has a way of making even the heaviest topics feel expansive rather than crushing. It might be just what you need to survive the next few years. (Town Hall, 7:30 pm, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

MONDAY 5/12

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

(MUSIC) When you think of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ music, words like "joyous," "life-affirming," and "uplifting" might not come to mind; likely because they have album titles like The Firstborn is Dead, Your Funeral...My Trial, and Murder Ballads. However, the long-running post-punk band has done the impossible—they've created an optimistic album which the Guardian has claimed "will make you fall back in love with life." Don't get me wrong, the band's eighteenth album, Wild God, is not straightforward—the songs are narratively complex and lyrically poetic. But the lush strings, choral vocals, and waves of crescendos make for a highly cinematic and emotionally moving listen. Don't miss Cave and company on tour supporting the new album, which I predict will sound really fantastic live. (Paramount Theatre, 8 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN

TUESDAY 5/13

Slowdive, Creepoid

(MUSIC) England's Slowdive began life as one of the most insular and diaphanous groups of shoegaze's first wave. They were archetypal bedroom dreamers, their sound pale and fading into the ether in cascades of shimmering guitars, as Rachel Goswell and Neil Halstead cooed melancholily. Slowdive had gained a devoted cult following, but after 1995's bold, ambient departure, Pygmalion, they took a 19-year hiatus. Reunited and rejuvenated, Slowdive greatly increased their fanbase with 2017's Slowdive and 2023's Everything Is Alive. Their newer music is slightly more robust, but it retains their earlier work's majestic calm. And live, Slowdive crank up the energy levels, belying their rep as supreme chillers. Riding shoegaze's resurgence in popularity, with help from the algorithmic gods, Slowdive have accrued many new fans who weren't even born when the band launched. They must feel seriously vindicated. (Paramount Theatre, 8 pm, all ages) DAVE SEGAL

Stranger Suggests: The Princess of Padam Padam Pop, a Full Day for Book Nerds, and a ’70s Jazz Titan

Audrey Vann — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 12:30:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Audrey Vann WEDNESDAY 4/23

Kelly Goto with Lori Matsukawa and Seattle Kokon Taiko

(BOOKS/MUSIC) Once upon a time, Seattle had a homegrown comic chronicling Japanese American life with a little bit of samurai swagger. From 2012 to 2018, artist Sam Goto drew Seattle Tomodachi (“friend of Seattle”) for the North American Post, capturing stories of immigration, incarceration, and resilience with heart and idiosyncratic humor. His daughter, "global lecturer" and author Kelly Goto, revives his legacy in Seattle Samurai: A Cartoonist’s Perspective of the Japanese American Experience, blending cartoons, family memories, and big feels. Catch her in convo with Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist and local legend Lori Matsukawa, plus a badass drumming session by Seattle Kokon Taiko. (Town Hall, 7:30 pm, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

THURSDAY 4/24

Book Signing: Mamrie Hart, All I Think About Is Food

Mamrie Hart will be signing copies of her new book at Book Larder on Thursday! COURTESY OF WW Norton

(FOOD & DRINK/BOOKS) With her popular YouTube channel, You Deserve a Drink, New York Times bestselling author, comedian, and podcast host Mamrie Hart was a part of the wave of circa 2011 YouTubers that included personalities like Grace Helbig, Tyler Oakley, and Hannah Hart of My Drunk Kitchen. Her chaotic cocktail-making videos combined her bartending job with her flair for the dramatic (not to mention a penchant for puns, sexual innuendo, and pop culture references), and each comes with its own built-in drinking game. Over a decade after the inception of You Deserve a Drink, Hart is back with her third book, All I Think About is Food: A Vegetarian Cookbook That'll Keep the Party Going, a compendium of fun, retro-inspired vegetarian party bites ranging from artichokes Rockefeller to pink pickled eggs. And of course, there are plenty of show-stopping cocktails, like saffron 75s and flaming cherries jubilee martinis. (Book Larder, 6 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

FRIDAY 4/25

Kylie Minogue and Rita Ora

(MUSIC) If you haven't heard about the cultural phenomenon that is Kylie Minogue's "Padam Padam," then I suggest that you catch up on your herstory STAT. During the summer of 2023, the song took the queer community by storm, echoing through Pride parades, clubs, and Sephoras around the globe. The sleeper hit came nearly four decades into her career, evidence of Minogue's superstardom and staying power. The Princess of Pop will return to Seattle for the first time since 2002 to support her two-part album Tension. I am crossing my fingers that she'll also sing some older tracks from her early-aughts nu-disco staple Fever and '80s bubblegum pop debut, Kylie. Oh yeah, and British pop phenom Rita Ora is opening—no big deal! (Climate Pledge Arena, 7:30 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN

SATURDAY 4/26

Seattle Indie Bookstore Day

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(BOOKS) Seattle’s Independent Bookstore Day is more like Seattle’s Independent Bookstore 10 Days, because once again, local lit retailers have banded together to present the Passport Challenge. It’s an invitation for bibliophiles to visit as many participating bookshops as they can between April 26 and May 5 and gather stamps from each location. If you fill your passport with all 29 participating shops, you earn a one-time 25-percent discount to use at every store, valid for a full year. Participants include Charlie’s Queer Books, Elliott Bay Book Company, Fantagraphics, Left Bank, Ada’s Technical Books, Secret Garden Bookshop, Book Larder, Paper Boat Booksellers, Queen Anne Book Company, and literally 20 others. Find the full details—and a helpful map!—at seattlebookstoreday.com. (Various locations) MEGAN SELING

SUNDAY 4/27

Ziwe’s America

(COMEDY) Although Showtime tragically canceled her pink-hued, confrontation-as-comedy show in 2023 after a mere two seasons, Ziwe Fumudoh's button-pressing 2022 interview with Chet Hanks is still the stuff of legend. The snazzy satirist and queen of discomfort has a gift for finding "iconic guests" (Fran Lebowitz, Gloria Steinem, Stacey Abrams) and bringing out cringe-inducing behavior in privileged people (Andrew Yang, Hannibal Buress, Adam Pally, Caroline Calloway). She tends to do it all in Cher Horowitz-chic outfits. What's not to love (or be mildly nervous about)? She'll drop by Seattle to remind us that Earth is in its flop era. (Neptune Theatre, 7:30 pm, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

MONDAY 4/28

Mereba

(MUSIC) If you're waiting around for Solange to release a follow-up to 2019's When I Get Home, resist the urge to send her passive-aggressive Instagram comments that she will never see and instead find yourself some artists with a similar sound and ethos—Alabama-born singer, songwriter, and rapper Mereba is just that. Like Solange, her sound pulls inspiration from neo-soul, jazz, reggae, poetry, and electronic music for profoundly reflective ethereal songs (listen to her track "White Doves" to see what I mean). Don't miss her on tour supporting her latest album, The Breeze Grew A Fire. (The Showbox, 8 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN

TUESDAY 4/29

Gary Bartz

(MUSIC) Look, I hate to be the one to say it, but there will come a day when we will no longer have opportunities to see the jazz titans of the '60s and '70s perform live. So take a moment to appreciate that we exist during a time when you can see legends like Gary Bartz play his alto saxophone for less than $40. Bartz is widely known for his collaborations with household names like Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Art Blakey, and Miles Davis. He is also a trailblazer in preserving and honoring the legacy of Black American music, bringing together Afrocentric themes and avant-garde music on his 1971 album Harlem Bush Music. Don't miss Bartz as he supports his upcoming not-yet-named solo album, produced by Om’Mas Keith (Frank Ocean, Erykah Badu, John Legend). (Jazz Alley, April 29–30, 7:30 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN

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Stranger Suggests: A Rave in Outer Space, Fat and Flour, and Your Favorite Drag Queen's Favorite Things

Audrey Vann — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 14:52:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Audrey Vann WEDNESDAY 4/16

Cherdonna's Favorite Things

(PERFORMANCE) Self-described “movement artist who works in persona,” Stranger Genius Award winner, and beloved Seattle drag-theater icon Cherdonna Shinatra is not one to be slept on. The dancer-slash-comedian-slash-chanteuse took the stage with the Bearded Ladies for last year's Threesome, and 2022's Goodnight Cowboy delved into the myth of Western conquest, heroics, masculinity, and domination. This time around, Cherdonna will bless us with "run-on sentences, story derailments, and surprise audience gifts," so expect to be bombarded with love, generosity, and something a touch more bizarre. (Erickson Theatre Off Broadway, multiple showtimes, through April 20) LINDSAY COSTELLO THURSDAY 4/17

Author Talk: Nicole Rucker, Fat & Flour

See Nicole Rucker at Book Larder Thursday, April 17. Author Photo by Alan Gastelum

(FOOD/BOOKS) You may have spied Los Angeles-based "pastry queen," James Beard semifinalist, and Fat + Flour chef/owner Nicole Rucker's glorious baked goods in your Instagram feed or flipped through her debut cookbook Dappled (a paean to fruity desserts). Now, she's unveiling her follow-up Fat + Flour: The Art of a Simple Bake, which celebrates the alchemical magic that happens when the two title ingredients collide. I, for one, can't wait to recreate treats like lemon meringue chess pie, boozy banana snickerdoodles, and Abuelita milk chocolate brownies in my own home. Rucker also imparts secrets like her signature "Cold Butter Method," a "low-effort technique for melding fat and flour that produces perfect cookies and the tenderest pie dough every time." (Book Larder, 6:30 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

FRIDAY 4/18

Space Is the Place Fest

(MUSIC) Seattle, this is the energy. Back in the day, the Naf warehouse was the go-to for raves/early EDM, as well as a home to the ’90s underground music scene. Space Is the Place Fest is reviving that huge capacity venue to bring you two all-nighters full of music/raving/performance. Astro-jazz legends the Sun Ra Arkestra and lo-fi synth queen the Space Lady will be in town; expect a multimedia spectacle from the Fabulous Downey Brothers, and instrumental noise offerings from Diminished Men. Don’t forget we’re going all night: DJs Donald Glaude, Slantooth, Sherman, Riz Rollins, and Space Otter are bringing the old-school house, drum & bass, and more. Rumor has it there will also be modular synth work, live glass-blowing, some circus action, and “all things cosmic and wild!” (Naf Studios, April 18: 8 pm–4 am; April 19: 8 pm–6 am, 18+) EMILY NOKES

SATURDAY 4/19

The Wedding Banquet

(FILM) Remakes can be the scourge of modern cinema, but that makes the films that actually do something new with old material worth celebrating. The Wedding Banquet is a Seattle-set romantic comedy that does just that. Andrew Ahn takes the broad story of the original Ang Lee film about a fake marriage and gives it a distinctly modern twist. Specifically, it taps into a whole host of deeply felt, though still plenty silly, emotional beats about the families we make for ourselves, the power of community in a world that cares little for people, and the healing properties of a burger from Dick’s after a long night out. Yes, it isn’t shot here as fully as one would hope (instead having neighboring Vancouver stand in for Seattle as many productions do), but it manages to capture the heart of the city all the same. Plus, it co-stars former Seattleite and Academy Award nominee Lily Gladstone, who proves once more she is one of the greatest working performers today, with a scene near the end that steals the whole show. It’s the exact type of film you’ll want to gather all your friends together to go see with a crowd. (SIFF Cinema Uptown, various showtimes) CHASE HUTCHINSON

SUNDAY 4/20

Sakura-Con 2025

Sakura-Con 2025 is April 18–20 at Seattle Convention Center. COURTESY OF SAKURA-CON

(FESTIVAL) Sakura is the Japanese word for cherry blossom, but for a weekend in Seattle every year, it represents one the largest anime conventions in the country. Don't miss cosplay chess, voice actor appearances, a live performance from Japanese alt rock band Hitsujibungaku, and panels on topics ranging from furries to aging in cosplay. Entrance to the three-day con requires a membership through the nonprofit Asia Northwest Cultural Education Association, and grants you access to everything from the manga library to the mahjong room and masquerade ball. I'm in awe of the folks posting their three-day cosplay lineups on socials; I can barely come up with one Halloween costume. (Seattle Convention Center, April 18–20, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

MONDAY 4/21

Ichiko Aoba

(MUSIC) The word "ethereal" tends to be overused when describing music. That said, Ichiko Aoba's music is actually ethereal. The Japanese singer-songwriter finds a sweet spot between folk, jazz, and classical music, employing swirling strings, ocean waves, windchimes, and delicate vocals to tell whimsical, and often fictional stories. She will support her new album Luminescent Creatures, which serves as a sequel to her critically acclaimed 2020 album Windswept Adan. (Moore Theatre, 8 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN

TUESDAY 4/22

Juanita & Juan

(MUSIC) Juanita & Juan is the new project of LA punk pioneers Alice Bag (the Bags) and Kid Congo Powers (the Gun Club, the Cramps, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds). Since the release of their first two singles ("Put Down Your Weapons" and "Aftertaste"), the goal of the project is clear: to harness their shared passions for boundary-pushing music. The project's genre-defying sound, which they define as "loud lounge," cradles anti-fascist lyrics with reverbed guitars and electronic drum beats. They support their debut album, Jungle Cruise, after an opening set from garage rock band Graveyard of the Pacific. (Clock-Out Lounge, 8 pm, 21+) AUDREY VANN

Stranger Suggests: A Wacky Wavy Art Show, Crafting with David Bowie, and Songs That'll Pull Out Your Guts

Megan Seling — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 13:40:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Megan Seling WEDNESDAY 4/9

Hanif Abdurraqib

(BOOKS) I was there last year when, also in April, Hanif Abdurraqib spoke at Town Hall Seattle. He took to the stage wearing a Sue Bird jersey—on the same day it was announced that Bird joined the Seattle Storm ownership group—and passed out flowers to people in the crowd. He read from his then-new release, There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension, which went on to land on the longlist for the 2024 National Book Award for Nonfiction. But the true magic came during the generous Q&A session after his reading. Abdurraqib answered question after question about his process (he prefers to be curious over authoritative), his favorite Janet Jackson album (The Velvet Rope), and his 248 pairs of sneakers. He shared insight for folks just getting started as writers and talked about the importance of collaborating with others, including the young voices he mentors. And then he stuck around to sign hundreds of books, talking to each fan like a friend, far longer than the average author would. When Abdurraqib is in Seattle, all of Seattle should go. (Town Hall, 7:30 pm, all ages) MEGAN SELING

THURSDAY 4/10

Once Was: A Solo Show from KSRA

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Correction: The opening reception at Gallery ERGO is Friday, April 11, not Thursday, as originally posted. We regret the error. Here are some recommendations for your Thursday.

(VISUAL ART) It’s starting to feel like Old Seattle was all just a dream. The longer time marches on, the more my brain believes Bauhaus never really stood tall at the corner of Melrose and Pine, the Lusty Lady’s iconic pink marquee never really flashed punny messages over First Avenue, and the way the Broadway Rite Aid’s fantastic neon sign glowed over my bus stop when catching the number 8 bus off the hill was simply a fever dream brought on by dehydration from staying out too late at rock shows. Thankfully, artist KSRA captures our memories with her new show, Once Was, at Gallery ERGO. Iconic signage—Bush Gardens, the gift shop in the International District, and yes, the Lusty Lady—are recreated at a smaller scale in painstaking detail, but morphed and bent to look like they were pulled from that moment of recollection when the images we know to be true haven’t quite sharpened in our mind’s eye. The show is up through May 4, with an opening reception Friday, April 11. (Gallery ERGO, 5–8 pm, all ages) MEGAN SELING

FRIDAY 4/11

Live Wire with Luke Burbank

(TALK/MUSIC) James Beard Award-winning food writer, chef, and documented bagel enthusiast J. Kenji Lopez-Alt will sit alongside Rick Steves, the hometown hero who's always trying to get outta here, and talented music critic Ann Powers for this edition of Live Wire Radio. The honest and funny conversational show hosted by Luke Burbank will be elevated by a live performance from Pedro the Lion, who former Stranger writer Jas Keimig once described as "big-dick-quasi-emo-indie-rock." (Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

SATURDAY 4/12

Tomo Nakayama, Bryan John Appleby, Tiny Vipers

(MUSIC) On May 2 Tiny Vipers (Jesy Fortino) will release Illusionz Vol. 1 (1997-2004), her first full length album since 2009’s Weak Moments of the Shadows. She’s been prolific since, of course, with several EPs, an instrumental album in 2015, and collaborations with Grouper, the Sight Below, and Balmorhea. But it’s her stark, unapologetic solo material that stabs through my heart like a harpoon, twisting into my guts and releasing all the demons and emotions I tried so hard to bury. (How dare you.) Fortino recorded the songs between 1997 and 2004, and without obvious nods to the times, manages to pulse with that same energy—before 9/11 and after, during Bush and before Obama, when Seattle was still somewhat affordable and artists could still take risks. Each track feels like a time capsule. Sorry in advance for devolving into a blathering mess if she reaches into her archives to play “Dreamer.” (Baba Yaga, 7 pm, 21+) MEGAN SELING

Today is also Record Store Day—check out Dave Segal's recommendations here!

SUNDAY 4/13

SIFF 'n' Stitch: Labyrinth

(FILM/CRAFTS) It's never a bad time to revisit the '86 dark fantasy Labyrinth, which only serves to bolster the theory that David Bowie was a creation pulled straight from Jim Henson's fantastical imagination. Grab your needlecraft projects in honor of Henson's oddball brilliance and Bowie's cinematic mystique—this screening of the flick encourages fiber fun and socializing with a lights-on experience. Rumor has it that a Labyrinth remake is the next project Robert Eggers has coming down the pipeline, so revisiting the original might help prepare you for whatever freakish, puppet-laden twists he's envisioning. Maybe try embroidering one? (SIFF Cinema Uptown, noon, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

MONDAY 4/14

Book Signing with Sarah Ahn of Ahnest Kitchen

Sarah Ahn and Nam Soon Ahn will sign books at Book Larder Monday, April 14. Courtesy of America's Test Kitchen

(BOOKS/FOOD) Mother-daughter duo Nam Soon Ahn and Sarah Ahn have captured the hearts of millions of viewers on Sarah's TikTok account @ahnestkitchen, which offers a sweet, poignant glimpse at their relationship and mutual love of Korean cooking. Their debut cookbook Umma ("mom" in Korean) includes conversations between the two that range from funny to relatable to tear-jerking, plus gems of culinary wisdom gleaned from Nam Soon's decades in the kitchen and recipes fine-tuned by America's Test Kitchen. At this signing, you'll get to meet Sarah and Nam Soon and get your cookbook personalized. (Book Larder, 6 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

TUESDAY 4/15

Tiffany Poon

(MUSIC) Even if you don't consider yourself to be a classical music fan, I encourage you to let Hong Kong-born pianist Tiffany Poon's serene third album, Diaries: Schumann, wash over you. On the album, Poon takes the works of the German Romantic era composer Robert Schumann and applies her own perspective for a wistful solo-piano journey of childhood recollections. She will make her Seattle debut with songs from the album as well as pieces from Haydn, Chopin, Debussy, and Ravel. (Benaroya Hall Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall, 7 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN

Stranger Suggests: Protest the Trump Administration, Bake Bread with a TikTok Star, and Dance Your Shoes Off with Remi Wolf

Megan Seling — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 13:26:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Megan Seling WEDNESDAY 4/2

Seattle Restaurant Week

(FOOD) This biannual event, run by Seattle Good Business Network’s Good Food Economy program, is here to help you break out of your takeout rut and find your new favorite restaurant. Here's how it works: A slew of participating restaurants, bars, cafes, food trucks, caterers, and pop-ups across the greater Seattle area serve up to two special menus for $20, $35, $50, and $65 for lunch and/or dinner, and many offer a "give a meal" option so diners can donate to their in-house community meal programs or to Good Food Kitchens. This spring, there's also an Eat Local First digital passport option—rack up points by checking in with a QR code at designated locations dedicated to serving locally sourced food, then redeem them for restaurant gift cards and earn a chance to win special prizes. See our picks here. (Various locations, through April 12) JULIANNE BELL

THURSDAY 4/3

Truth to Fiction: Sam Now

(FILM) Blending Super 8, home video, and modern-day digital footage, Sam Now follows Seattle documentarian Reed Harkness, his half-brother Sam, and their family over the course of 20 years as they grapple with Sam's mother's sudden disappearance. One Letterboxd reviewer describes the flick as a "one-of-a-kind feat of participatory doc filmmaking," so if you're a fan of other participatory documentaries (Super Size Me, The Act of Killing, Fahrenheit 9/11) you'll likely appreciate this. (Northwest Film Forum, 7 pm) LINDSAY COSTELLO

FRIDAY 4/4

Remi Wolf, Dana and Alden

(MUSIC) Remi Wolf is a firecracker, both live onstage and in her recorded music. Her 2020 EP I'm Allergic To Dogs! exploded onto the scene with cheeky lyrics and boppy beats, and her pop dominance has only grown since. Big Ideas, her second full-length, was released in July of last year and showcases a broad range of genres and influences in her music, from psych rock to R&B. Her live shows call for barefoot dancing in your brightest threads and chunkiest jewelry. (The Paramount, 8 pm, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

SATURDAY 4/5

Defend Democracy, Then Laugh Your Ass Off

See you Saturday. MS

(PROTEST) Earlier this week, as I watched Sen. Cory Booker's record-breaking 25-hour filibuster, I got a weird feeling in my chest. A tingle. A spark. It was a sensation I hadn't felt for several months... it was a tiny glimmer of hope. Booker reminded the hundreds of thousands of Americans who tuned in for his marathon speech that: "The power of the people is greater than people in power." And on Saturday, those words will be echoing across the country as hundreds of cities mobilize for Hands Off!, a National Day of Action. Here in Seattle, the main event is at the Seattle Center from noon–3 p.m., with guest speakers former Gov. Jay Inslee, Rep. Pramilla Jayapal, and Port Commissioner Hamdi Mohamed. What will you be protesting? The tariffs? The illegal deportations? Elon's attempt to buy an election? RKF Jr.'s misinformation that could quite literally get people killed? The administration's complete disregard for national security? There's so much to be mad about! So let's all scream together, like that scene in Midsommar, and then afterward we can soothe our nerves with a good dose of laughter at The Stranger's Champions of Comedy show. (Seattle Center, noon–3 pm, free all ages) MEGAN SELING

SUNDAY 4/6

Arboretum Spring Plant Sale

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(SPRING) Good news, plant people! The Arboretum's annual spring plant sale is back and offers up a selection of perennials, shrubs, and young trees for purchase. Volunteers will be around to answer any questions you have about caring for all your different plant babies. Good news for us non-plant people who might be dragged along by our friends—Azalea Way is covered in gorgeous blooming cherry and dogwood trees, and a perfect way to mark "see the cherry blossoms" off your Seattle spring bucket list. (Washington Park Arboretum, 10 am–2 pm, free, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

MONDAY 4/7

Author Talk & Demo: Lacey Ostermann

Courtesy of Penguin Random House

(BOOKS/FOOD) Self-taught baker and TikTok creator Lacey Ostermann (@_lacebakes_) started a micro-bakery from her London home after picking up bread baking as a pandemic hobby, and has accrued nearly 800k followers who adore her comforting videos and approachable but precise recipes. I'm excited about the dizzying breadth of possibilities from her new book 3 Doughs, 60 Recipes. All you knead (sorry) is three simple master dough recipes—sandwich bread, pizza, and focaccia—to unlock carby delights like bagels, doughnuts, English muffins, burger buns, ciabatta, sandwich rolls, Roman-style pizza, and more. Plus, the book comes with 15 bonus recipes to enhance your baked creations, like homemade butter, hot honey, scallion cream cheese, chimichurri, and stracciatella, and QR codes to video tutorials to help you along the way. Ostermann will drop by Book Larder for an author talk and bread-making demo. (Book Larder, 6:30 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

TUESDAY 4/8

Preston Singletary: Raven Is As Raven Does

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(VISUAL ART) Native American glass artist Preston Singletary, who first learned his signature glassblowing techniques over 30 years ago, will present a new selection of his mystical works, which feature themes of transformation, animal spirits, and shamanism inspired by his Tlingit cultural heritage. Raven Is As Raven Does finds its footing in Singletary's collaboration with bestselling author Garth Stein. The pair retell ancient raven myths: Singletary with bold colors and unexpected forms, Stein with a contemporary perspective. (Traver Gallery, every Tues–Sat, April 5–26, free) LINDSAY COSTELLO

Stranger Suggests: A Krautrock Guitar Hero, a Food Frenzy in Georgetown, and Free Flowers for the First Day of Spring

Dave Segal — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 14:25:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Dave Segal WEDNESDAY 3/19

reBLOOM: A Spring Group Show

(VISUAL ART) Buzzy Ballard gallery Get Nice has decided that spring has sprung, equinox be damned. Their latest group show, reBLOOM, opened on March 8 for the Ballard Art Walk, featuring a bouquet of fresh artworks by over 20 artists. I'm excited to see pieces by Brandon Vosika, whose painting graced the cover of The Stranger's Fall Arts + Performance issue, and Portland-grown painter-illustrator Ryan Bubnis, among many other local and further-flung faves. Can't make it to the gallery? You can peep the seasonal works online, too. (Get Nice Gallery, daily through April 6, 5–9 pm, free, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

THURSDAY 3/20

28th Annual Daffodil Day

(SPRING) Seattle, we did it! We made it through winter! We can't guarantee that you'll see the sun on the first day of spring, but you can pick up a brilliant (free!) daffodil to celebrate. This spring tradition sources daffodils grown within 100 miles of the city by multi-generational family-run farms that have been market fixtures for decades. Even as someone who "doesn't like flowers," there's something about seeing dozens of strangers walking around with bright yellow blooms that puts a smile on my face. (Pike Place Market, 11 am–2 pm, free, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

FRIDAY 3/21

Lit Lounge: The People's Art | A Prose and Poetry Salon

(BOOKS) Columbia City hangout the Station understands that the best way to decompress from a long week is with an event that feels like a bit of a '90s throwback: A prose and poetry reading at a coffee shop. Writer and TEDx orator Jodi-Ann Burey's Lit Lounge pops up each month with readings of published works and pieces in progress. This month, readers include Luther Hughes, author of A Shiver in the Leaves and co-host of The Poet Salon podcast, and E.J. Koh, who was named one of the city's most influential people by Seattle Magazine. I'm excited to hear from formidable poet Anastacia-Reneé, whose funky, feminist collection Side Notes from the Archivist: Poems illuminated Black femme culture through coming-of-age poems set in '80s Philly. (The Station Columbia City, 7 pm, $10, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

SATURDAY 3/22

Georgetown Bites & Sites

Fill your face with food and beer at this weekend's Georgetown Bites & Sites! COURTESY OF GEORGETOWN BREWING CO.

(COMMUNITY) Known for being Seattle’s oldest neighborhood, industrial-gritty Georgetown has become a culinary destination in its own right, with a high concentration of underrated gems. At this annual spring food walk from the Georgetown Business Associations, you can scoop up offerings from dozens of vendors, including El Sirenito, Lowrider Baking Company, Jellyfish Brewing, Star Brass Lounge, Fran's Chocolates, El Pirata Tortas y Burritos, and more. Plus, this year has been expanded to include retailers and artists, so you can shop in between stuffing your face. (Georgetown, 10:45 am–4 pm, all ages, free to attend, food tickets are $5 each) JULIANNE BELL

SUNDAY 3/23

Your Last Chance to See Keith Haring: A Radiant Legacy

Keith Haring: A Radiant Legacy closes Sunday, March 23. COURTESY OF MOPOP

(VISUAL ART) To some, such as myself, Keith Haring is seen as a part of the hiphop culture that emerged in New York City in the early '80s. He worked with Dondi White, a master and founder of the kind of graffiti you find today in Berlin, Rome, Tokyo, and, yes, Seattle. Indeed, Haring and Dondi did the cover art for Malcolm McLaren’s bizarre but fundamentally hiphop album Duck Rock. For many, this cover introduced Haring, whose work was simple but not simplistic, breezy but cosmically vibrant. And then there’s the cover of McLaren’s Would Ya Like More Scratchin’. Here, we have nothing but Haring. His chalk-drawn figures popping and locking. You can hear the scratching and cutting. You can see New York City when it was the capital of the art world. Haring will always be hiphop to me. (MoPOP, through March 23, 10 am–5 pm, museum admission +$7, all ages) CHARLES MUDEDE

MONDAY 3/24

Karen Finley

See Karen Finley at Elliott Bay Book Company Monday, March 24. MIDGE WATTLES (BOOKS) Bearing an appropriately absurd title, performance artist, poet, musician, and educator Karen Finley's suite of poems COVID Vortex Anxiety Opera Kitty Kaleidoscope Disco brilliantly captures the chaos and surrealism of living through the pandemic: a blend of Zoom dance parties, obsessive hand-washing, strange rituals, coping mechanisms, grief, social upheaval, and political revolution. Finley originally performed this collection as a live show at theaters in New York, garnering favorable comparisons to Beat legends like Allen Ginsberg and Gregory Corso from the Village Voice and earning a New York Times Critic's Pick. Ultimately, she identifies art, language, compassion, and humor as the keys to survival during our tumultuous times—a welcome reminder of our humanity that might serve us well as we navigate the next four years. (Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free, all ages) JULIANNE BELL TUESDAY 3/25

Michael Rother

(MUSIC) As guitar heroes go, Germany's Michael Rother is neither flashy nor interested in virtuosity for its own sake. Rather, his radiantly minimalist attack for the influential bands Kraftwerk, Neu!, and Harmonia and for a 48-year solo run has succeeded through understatement and precision. With Neu!, Rother excelled at both pastoral tranquility and proto-industrial grind, while displaying an uncanny knack for hypnotic riffs. In Harmonia, he deftly placed luminous arcs of fuzz and klang into Dieter Moebius and Hans-Joachim Roedelius's monumental electronic structures. Rother's solo works have skewed toward more pastel tones and majestic melodies, attaining a distinctly northern European stateliness. This tour—which could be your last chance to catch the legend live—will focus on highlights from many phases of Rother's illustrious career. If you care at all about krautrock (a term Rother dislikes, btw), this show is essential. (Neptune Theatre, 7:30 pm, all ages) DAVE SEGAL

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David Grisman
March 25, Moore Theatre

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Tyga
March 26, Moore Theatre

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Stranger Suggests: mxmtoon, Roq La Rue’s Grand Re-Opening, Lemon Boy, Nosferatu with Radiohead

Julianne Bell — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 15:00:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Julianne Bell WEDNESDAY 3/12

mxmtoon
(MUSIC) I recently discovered the Nashville-based singer-songwriter mxmtoon via the adorable video game Dave the Diver, in which the player splits their time between catching seafood and managing a sushi restaurant—and in which mxmtoon, aka Maia, makes a cameo as a pixelated version of herself. It wasn’t long before I found myself enamored of her charmingly confessional lyrics and floaty melodies. Her latest album, liminal space, evokes the relatable feeling of being stuck in an in-between stage of life, with standout songs like “rain” (which explores nostalgia and the difficulty of staying present) and “i hate texas” (a cheeky kiss-off to an ex). (Showbox SoDo, 8 pm, $35-$40, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

THURSDAY 3/13

Coyle’s 10th Anniversary Party

Happy birthday, Coyle's! COURTESY OF COYLE'S

(FOOD & DRINK) Rachael Coyle's charming Greenwood bakery is going all out for its brick-and-mortar's 10th birthday with free mini slices of birthday cake (while supplies last), a photo booth, coloring sheets, temporary tattoos, and likely "an absurd number of decorations." A small business surviving the pandemic and making it to a decade is definitely a milestone worth commemorating, especially these days: As Rachael wrote in an email newsletter, "I’m particularly eager to celebrate ten years because our five-year anniversary (in March of 2020), was marked by the beginning of the pandemic, and our future seemed especially uncertain...I’m grateful for the community that has grown up around the shop: our wonderful staff, vendors, and of course, our fantastic customers. My life is so much richer for having this community and I hope that yours is too." (Coyle’s Bakeshop, 7 am–3 pm, free, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

FRIDAY 3/14

Roq La Rue’s Grand Re-Opening Party

“Bichos Raros (Weird Bugs)” by Femke Hiemstra COURTESY OF ROQ LA RUE

(VISUAL ART) Kirsten Anderson opened Roq La Rue in 1998 in a rundown Belltown storefront that was slated for demolition. It was right around the time pop surrealism was starting to become popular, and it was the place to see artists such as Femke Hiemstra, Todd Schorr, Mark Ryden, and Jim Woodring. Twenty-seven years later, after setting up shop in Capitol Hill, Pioneer Square, and, most recently, Madison Valley, Anderson is returning to her Belltown roots. The newest incarnation of Roq La Rue opens March 14, in a 2,500-square-foot space inside the NW Work Lofts on Denny Way. Anderson’s marking the occasion with three different shows: Spectacle du Petit, a collection of small works from several artists, Unveiled, featuring large-scale work by Beth Cavener, Josie Morway, Carles Gomila, and Jason Puccinelli, as well as Frank Gonzales’s solo show Frequencies. When interviewing Anderson in 2023, to mark the gallery’s 25th anniversary, I asked, “What’s next? Another 25 years?” She chuckled and said, “I’m probably doing this until I die.” Viva Roq la Rue! (Roq La Rue, 6–9 pm, free, all ages) MEGAN SELING

SATURDAY 3/15

Josh Faught: Sanctuary

Sanctuary [detail] by Josh Faught, 2017 Courtesy of the Henry Art Gallery

(VISUAL ART) San Francisco-based multimedia artist Josh Faught’s varied works blend weaving techniques, found objects, and ephemera to contemplate the queer underpinnings of craft lineages and his own history. (If you dug Joey Veltkamp’s 2022 Bellevue Arts Museum exhibition SPIRIT!, this show might appeal.) I’m intrigued by Faught’s cotton-hemp piece Sanctuary, adorned with a button that reads, “Be kind. I have a teenager.” In a press release, the Henry explained the artist “reimagines systems of classification that assign social and cultural value, investigating how collective and individual identities are shaped and examining structures of social support and visibility.” (Henry Art Gallery, Thurs–Sun, sliding scale, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

SUNDAY 3/16

Lemon Boy, Fun Parents, Crybabysitter

(MUSIC) Lemon Boy is the band you listen to when you're pissed off at anything and everyone. Mansplaining? "Guitar Center (Sucks)." The male gaze? "Body Horror." Internalized misogyny? "Sugar Daddy." Insecure assholes projecting their lack of confidence onto you? "Piss Baby." Whatever bullshit you've faced, Yasiman Ahsani and Nicole Giusti have faced it too, and they've channeled that rage into delightfully bratty "fuck you" punk anthems. They even have a metalcore-kissed cover of Britney's "Toxic," which feels especially appropriate after reading Spears's biography. People were terrible to her! All the time! Anyway, this weekend, Lemon Boy will celebrate the arrival of their new drummer with a free show at Cha Cha. It's way cheaper than a therapy session! (Cha Cha, 8 pm, free, 21+) MEGAN SELING

MONDAY 3/17

Kells 42nd Annual St. Patricks Irish Festival

Doors open at 10 am and music starts at noon at Kells on St. Patrick's Day. Courtesy of KELLS

(FOOD & DRINK) Kells' 42nd annual shamrock-festooned celebration kicks off on March 8 and continues with daily revelry through St. Patrick's Day (if you've got the stamina). As usual, Post Alley and First Avenue will be closed to traffic and covered by a large tent to support expanded celebrations, including rugby watch parties and performances by local musicians like the Belfast Bandits, Máirtín Ó Huigin, and U2 tribute band Vertigo Zoo. Don't forget the house-brewed beers and classic Irish dishes—corned beef, anyone? (Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub, 10 am, $20, 21+) SHANNON LUBETICH

TUESDAY 3/18

Nosferatu with Radiohead: A Silents Synced Film

(FILM/MUSIC) Keep the haunted vibes rolling right into March with the bald, spidery, and downright yucky Count Orlok in F.W. Murnau's eerie 1922 classic Nosferatu. Werner Herzog once described it as "the greatest German film," and he should know, right? This screening will be a little different, though—Silents Synched pairs classic silent flicks with "epic rock music." One of the most brazenly millennial things about me is that I love Radiohead, especially their atmospheric aughts-era albums Kid A and Amnesiac. So, I'm actually okay with this. The albums should add mysterious new layers of sonic depth to the 102-year-old film. (Central Cinema, times vary, $12, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

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Stranger Suggests: Joy Oladokun, Emerald City Comic Con, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Here to Pee: A Trans Comedy Protest Tour

Audrey Vann — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 14:00:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Audrey Vann WEDNESDAY 3/5

Joy Oladokun

(MUSIC) Ever since Nashville-based singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun saw Tracy Chapman on TV at age 10, she has been under the spell of the acoustic guitar. Now, she churns out folky R&B, rock, and pop songs about her experiences as a queer woman of color. She will support her critically acclaimed fourth album, Proof of Life, which features guest appearances from Mt. Joy, Manchester Orchestra, Chris Stapleton, Maxo Kream, and Noah Kahan. (The Showbox, 8:30 pm, $28.50-$31, all ages) AUDREY VANN

THURSDAY 3/6

Emerald City Comic Con

Maybe you'll see swordfighting dogs at ECCC! COURTESY EMERALD CITY COMIC CON

(FESTIVAL) It doesn't matter if you're a gamer, sci-fi nerd, anime fan, fantasy fairy, or cosplay artist, Emerald City Comic Con is for you! Don't miss this jam-packed weekend of panels, meet-and-greets, cosplay, comics, fanfic, and screenings. As part of this year’s “Return to Grunge” theme, the con is teaming up with 107.7 the End to throw a Grunge Prom powered by a live cover band. The welcoming con also offers youngling lightsaber training, furry meetups, and panels on topics like “cats in comics” and “warrior women of fiction.” Celebrity guests include everyone's favorite rebel stormtrooper (John Boyega), Adam Savage of Mythbusters fame, queer icon Katy O'Brian from Love Lies Bleeding, and many more. Plus, there’s good news for Firefly fans: six of the show’s actors will make appearances, including the charming Nathan Fillion. (Seattle Convention Center, March 6–9, $35-$440, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

FRIDAY 3/7

Here to Pee: A Trans Comedy Protest Tour

(COMEDY) One of the most powerful ways to deal with a bigot is to laugh directly in their face, so the Here to Pee Tour just makes sense. Queer and trans performers from across the country have come together for this fearless showcase, which has taken the stage in every state that has passed anti-trans bathroom legislation. A portion of proceeds supports regional grassroots queer advocacy, ensuring local communities benefit directly. Resistance can be fun! (Rendezvous, 6:30 pm, $20, 21+) LINDSAY COSTELLO

SATURDAY 3/8

Instant Noodles: 24-Hour Asian American Play Festival

(PERFORMANCE) When over 50 writers, actors, directors, musicians, and designers are randomly paired up to produce plays with brand-new music, set design, props, lights, and costumes, what could go wrong? Well, probably a lot of things. But a lot of things could go right, too. Enter Instant Noodles: 24 Hour Asian American Play Festival, which will showcase the Asian American-led plays resulting from this funky experiment. (Theatre Off Jackson, March 8–9, times vary, $10–$50, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

SUNDAY 3/9

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie will be at Neptune Theatre Sunday, March 9. COURTESY OF Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

(READINGS & TALKS) Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s impact on contemporary literature is difficult to overstate—the Nigerian artist, author, poet, and playwright, who penned the book-length essay “We Should All Be Feminists” and the 2013 novel Americanah, has had her work translated into 55 languages. That sort of massive international readership is rare these days, putting her in the company of Gabriel García Márquez, Haruki Murakami, and Elena Ferrante. Adichie’s latest, Dream Count, follows a Nigerian travel writer in the United States. It was deemed the “major publication milestone of 2025” by The Guardian. (Neptune Theatre, 7:30 pm, $52.50, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

MONDAY 3/10

Collide-O-Scope

(FILM) Collide-O-Scope is the brilliant brain baby of Shane Wahlund and Michael Anderson, two local filmmakers and pop culture know-it-alls who cut, clip, and splice their way through hours and hours of music videos, movies, television shows, old commercials, and other footage to piece together spellbinding video collages. It’s not a slapdash memeification of vintage clips to get an easy laugh from 13-year-old YouTube addicts, Collide-O-Scope is an art form, a thoughtful and smart curation of strange, hilarious, surprising, and at times even touching moments of our history. And I’m not just saying all these nice things because Wahlund is The Stranger’s director of video production. I liked Collide-O-Scope long before knowing Wahlund, as its been a Seattle staple for more than 15 years! They’re at Here-After every second Monday. Follow along on Instagram to get a peek at their monthly themes. (Here-After, 7 pm, $15, 21+) MEGAN SELING

TUESDAY 3/11

A Conversation with Natasha Lyonne

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(READINGS & TALKS) I could watch Natasha Lyonne all day. Come for the gruff bravado and brash ginger wit (Bette Midler meets Joe Pesci?), stay for the surprisingly endearing aura. The actress/producer/director grew up in front of the camera, but Lyonne’s post-sobriety era has been especially generative: After her breakout role as Nicky Nichols in Orange is the New Black (2013–2019), she co-created/starred in the existentially compelling Russian Doll (which debuted in 2019), starred in 2023 film His Three Daughters, and can now be found on the “case-of-the-week” show Poker Face (which also debuted in 2023, damn!). Lyonne will be interviewed by award-winning sci-fi author Ted Chiang (whose writing I appreciate so much I could write a separate Suggests for him; please at least read Stories of Your Life and Others)—their conversation will close out the “Love, Hope, and Other Four Letter Words” series he’s been directing. (Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $31–$76, all ages) EMILY NOKES

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Stranger Suggests: Freakout Weekender, Laura Luna Castillo, Soccer Mommy, No Other Land

Audrey Vann — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 13:45:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Audrey Vann WEDNESDAY 2/26

Translinear Light: The Music of Alice Coltrane

As a longtime admirer of jazz innovator Alice Coltrane, I often sulk at the reality that I will never get to see her perform live (she passed away back in 2007). And, given the mercurial nature of free jazz, I've had to accept that her studio albums and live recordings are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the genius that she offered the mortal world. Thankfully, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane (her son with John Coltrane) is bringing his mother's otherworldly compositions on a brief three-date tour, performing alongside harpist Brandee Younger, pianist Gadi Lehavi, bassist Rashaan Carter, and drummer Elé Howell. I have chills just thinking about hearing the opening bassline to "Journey to Satchidananda" performed live. (Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave, 7:30 pm, $39.50–$79.30, all ages) AUDREY VANN

THURSDAY 2/27

SIFF x NFNR present: Zurawski v Texas

(BOOKS/FILM) Part screening, part live reading, and part fundraiser, this event (planned with the queer-led nonfiction literary arts organization Nonfiction for No Reason) will raise money for the Northwest Abortion Access Fund, which provides help for people seeking healthcare out of state. Sadly, it's more vital than ever to support organizations like NWAAF. The award-winning documentary Zurawski v Texas follows women who, after being denied abortions, banded together to sue the state of Texas; after the screening, the audience will hear from three Seattle writers sharing "nonfiction works on abortion." (SIFF Cinema Uptown, 511 Queen Anne Ave N, 7 pm, $14.50–$19.50) LINDSAY COSTELLO

FRIDAY 2/28

Laura Luna Castillo: Onix y Marmol

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(VISUAL ART) Jack Straw New Media Gallery recommends making an appointment to view Laura Luna Castillo's Onix y Marmol, but the extra step is definitely worth it: the project blends "generative storytelling, immersive installation, algorithmic theatre, and mixed reality cinema" to reflect on the mirage-like town of Onix y Marmol. Castillo uses intriguing virtual techniques like space-mapping sensors to bring her glitchy vision to life. (Jack Straw New Media Gallery, 4261 Roosevelt Way NE, 9 am–5 am, free, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

SATURDAY 3/1

Freakout Weekender

(MUSIC) The folks at Freakout Records and the Crocodile bring you Freakout Weekender, a spectacular weekend mini-fest full of indie royalty and local favorites. Highlights out of the more than a dozen artists include Colombian psychedelic funk trio BALTHVS, instrumental rock project Orions Belte, neo-shoegaze outfit Glixen, and Portland garage rockers Spoon Benders. (The Crocodile, 2505 First Ave, March 1–2, 7 pm, $29.50–$215) AUDREY VANN

SUNDAY 3/2

No Other Land

(FILM) A frontrunner for the Best Documentary Feature award at the 2025 Oscars follows the prolonged forced demolition of Masafer Yatta, a rural West Bank community whose homes Israel wanted for target practice. In No Other Land, Palestinian activist and Masafer Yatta community member Basel Adra documented the destruction for half a decade, building an unlikely alliance with an Israeli journalist along the way. For a glimpse of Adra's documentation practice, check out his Instagram, which shares footage of Israel's destructive practices. (Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave, Feb 28–March 2, $7–$15, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

MONDAY 3/3

Soccer Mommy with Hana Vu

(MUSIC) Nashville-raised singer-songwriter Sophie Allison, better known by her stage name Soccer Mommy, always manages to surprise and impress me with her introspective lyrics paired with irresistible pop hooks. I was introduced to her via her cover of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm On Fire," which enhances the melancholy yearning of the Boss's enduring classic, and last year, I couldn't stop listening to "Shotgun," an unexpectedly romantic ode to the everyday mundanities of a long-term relationship. Her fourth studio album, Evergreen, finds her grappling with the grief of a deep personal loss—though there are still moments of playfulness, like "Abigail," a wistful paean to everyone's favorite violet-maned Stardew Valley love interest. Up-and-coming LA artist Hana Vu will join her as the opener for her Showbox appearance. (The Showbox, 1426 First Ave, 8 pm, $43.50–$48.50, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

TUESDAY 3/4

Seattle Cocktail Week

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(FOOD & DRINK) This spirited weeklong event puts a spotlight on the movers and (cocktail) shakers of the Seattle bar scene with special libations available at participating venues, plus tours, the industry-only Bartender's Circle Summit, and more. Saturday’s Carnival of Cocktails event will feature over 200 spirits to try, plus pop-up cocktail bars, master classes, tastings, food trucks, and other festivities. (Various locations, March 2–9, 21+, see the full lineup at seattlecocktailweek.com) JULIANNE BELL

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Stranger Suggests: Fantasy A Gets a Mattress Screening and Fundraiser, As We Imagined, 2025 HUMP! Part One, Rachel Hope Cleves

Hannah Murphy Winter — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 15:05:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Hannah Murphy Winter WEDNESDAY 2/19

Artist-Led Scent and Sound Bath with Inga and Lilja Birgisdottir, Sin Fang, and Kjartan Holm

(VISUAL ART) There's only one sensible farewell to Faux Flora, the ultra-sensory, scent-forward sculptural exhibition by Sigur Rós frontman Jónsi and his artistic family. And that's a 70-minute "transportive healing journey" led by Sin Fang (of the band Seabear), Kjartan Holm, and sisters Inga and Lilja Birgisdottir of the Fischersund Art and Music Collective. Tickets to the 6 pm experience have sold out, but you can still slap down your yoga mat for the 4 pm session. Each ticket includes an "exclusive Faux Flora gift from the artists." See Faux Flora through Sunday, February 23. (National Nordic Museum, 2655 NW Market St, 4 and 6 pm, $115–$135) LINDSAY COSTELLO

THURSDAY 2/20

Author Talk: Lustful Appetites with Rachel Hope Cleves

(FOOD/BOOKS) Food and sex have always been inextricably linked. Author Rachel Hope Cleves takes a deep dive into that age-old association with her new book Lustful Appetites: An Intimate History of Good Food and Wicked Sex, which explores everything from the invention of Parisian restaurants (which largely served as a site for men to meet with sex workers and mistresses) to the role that women and the LGBTQ community played in developing early gastronomic culture. Cleves will join Greta Hardin of the History of American Food podcast for a conversation about all things culinary and carnal. (Book Larder, 4252 Fremont Ave N, 6:30 pm, $39.50, 16+) JULIANNE BELL

FRIDAY 2/21

Fantasy A Gets a Mattress Screening and Fundraiser

(FILM) You may have seen the fliers created by Fantasy A, aka Seattle's "Autistic Undisputed King of Hustle," plastered all over town—he's become something of a local legend, and his music was covered by The Stranger back in 2015. The creativity continues: Fantasy A's major motion picture stars (who other than?) himself, and charts his challenges as he attempts to become a superstar and acquire a mattress. Fantasy A Gets A Mattress also won the Best Narrative Feature award at the Seattle Black Film Festival. Grab a seat to witness Fantasy's love letter to South Seattle. He'll attend this special fundraising screening, which will help finance his next film. (SIFF Cinema Uptown, 511 Queen Anne Ave N, 7 pm, $18.50) LINDSAY COSTELLO

SATURDAY 2/22

2025 HUMP! Part One

See Jell-O Fantasies in this year's HUMP! festival. COURTESY OF HUMP!

(FILM) The world was very different when Dan Savage introduced an amateur porn film festival to curious Seattleites in 2005. All HUMP! submissions that year were sent to the Stranger offices via mail on VHS tapes, and all evidence was destroyed after the final screening. Now, HUMP! is held twice a year and shown in more than 40 cities around the globe, and they have a growing digital library, so you can HUMP! at home. Still, HUMP! really is best experienced in a theater packed with friends and strangers, where everyone can collectively gasp, laugh, and celebrate the festival's diverse treasure trove of sexual expression. And I do mean diverse: This year's first batch of films apparently features an entry that includes the phrase "polar bear foreskin." (On the Boards, 100 W Roy St, every Fri–Sat at 6:30 pm and 9 pm through March 15, $25–$55, 21+) MEGAN SELING

SUNDAY 2/23

As We Imagined

Sad Zebra by Melissa Monroe. COURTESY OF AMcE

(VISUAL ART) Ricky Allman, a.p. gath, Melissa Monroe, Jesse Reno, and others will explore the "potency and dichotomies of perception, memory, and the imagined" in this group show, which blends compelling painting, photography, and textile elements. I'm especially excited about Bean Gilsdorf's contributions to As We Imagined—I last saw the multimedia artist's hand-dyed cotton collages in 2024, and Gilsdorf's works for this show seem similarly cheeky and colorful. Melissa Monroe's sad zebra is another stunner. (AMcE Creative Arts, 612 19th Ave E, Wed–Sun through March 16, free) LINDSAY COSTELLO

MONDAY 2/24

National Theatre Live: The Importance of Being Earnest

SIFF Film Center will show The Importance of Being Earnest live from the National Theatre in London February 22–24. Marc Brenner

(THEATER) London's National Theatre has a present for you: a filmed version of their latest, queerest production of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. You probably already recognize the leads: Ncuti Gatwa, from Sex Education and Doctor Who; and three-time Olivier Award winner Sharon D. Clarke. The New York Times said that "purists may reach for their smelling salts" at this "fabulous romp," which is all the endorsement we need. It's gay, it's slutty, it laughs at gender and sends it packing. We're in. (SIFF Film Center, 305 Harrison St, multiple showings Feb 22–24, $25.50-$26.50) HANNAH MURPHY WINTER

TUESDAY 2/25

Spend Money at Black-Owned Restaurants

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(FOOD & DRINK) Every February, Black History Month reminds us of the year-round significance of supporting Black-owned businesses and highlighting their contributions to our communities. We've made it easy for you by gathering a number of Black-owned coffee shops, bars, and restaurants, from celebrated chef Kristi Brown's Communion and Lil' Brown Girl to the nationally recognized barbecue destination Lil Red Takeout and Catering and Stranger-staff favorite Pam's Kitchen. For more ideas, check out our Black History Month calendar and our food and drink guide. JULIANNE BELL

Stranger Suggests: Mount Eerie, Smash Putt, Shelley Brothers Celebration of Life, Ta-Nehisi Coates

Hannah Murphy Winter — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:40:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week! by Hannah Murphy Winter WEDNESDAY 2/12

Ric'kisha Taylor: Gleaming

(VISUAL ART) Ric’kisha Taylor’s life has always shimmered, and that radiance carries into her art. Her fascination with “hair accessories, DAX grease, [and] her mother’s glittery debit cards” informs a uniquely opulent and ultra-tactile collage style. In Gleaming, she delves into cultural assimilation and intimacy avoidance through augmented photographic imagery, intricate peyote stitching—a technique honed by Indigenous beaders—and precise sewing methods passed down by Black elders. The results are as dazzling as they are deliberate, evoking pop culture references while remaining layered, expressive, and deeply considered. (Gallery 4Culture, 101 Prefontaine Pl S, Mon–Fri 9 am–5 pm, free, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

THURSDAY 2/13

WITNESS: Nate Gowdy’s Lens on January 6, 2021

2:47:20 PM, 2021, archival pigment print by Nate Gowdy. COURTESY OF SPECTRUM FINE ART

(VISUAL ART) Where was Seattle-based photographer Nate Gowdy on January 6? I'll give you one guess, but it's not because he aimed to rampage the Capitol. Shooting on assignment for Rolling Stone, Gowdy documented the surreal proceedings of the day, capturing militants "marching, kneeling in prayer, posing for group photos, breaking for hotdogs," and more. WITNESS: Nate Gowdy’s Lens on January 6th, 2021 shares Gowdy's stark black-and-white photojournalism of the dystopian chaos. You might be inclined to avoid the feel-bad imagery, but the exhibition challenges viewers to "confront the complexities of identity, power, and the fragility of democratic ideals." It's worth a long look. (Spectrum Fine Art, 1411 34th Ave, every Thurs-Sat through Feb 15, noon–5 pm, free) LINDSAY COSTELLO

FRIDAY 2/14

Mount Eerie

(MUSIC) Mount Eerie is always a treat to see live. Because Phil Elverum's experimental indie rock project is entirely his own, each setlist includes freedom and variation. When I saw him at Fisherman's Village Music Fest in 2021, Elverum asked the audience, "Is there anything you'd like to hear?" and proceeded to play decades-old rarities entirely from memory. For this performance, Elverum will be joined by a backing band to perform songs from his eleventh album, Night Palace, but fear not, I saw the current lineup perform last October and it was still delightfully fluid and improvisational. Arrive in time to catch an opening set from Olympia-based doom metal duo Ragana. (Neptune Theatre, 1303 NE 45th St, 8 pm, $30, all ages) AUDREY VANN

SATURDAY 2/15

Smash Putt

A pre-opening peek of what to expect from Smash Putt. COURTESY OF SMASH PUTT

(VISUAL ART/SPORTS) Seattle's best new date activity just dropped, and it's right on time for Valentine's Day. The limited-run event Smash Putt returns with nine new mini-golf holes built by local makers, designers, and art collectives. Putt through holes with immersive themes like "Year of the Snake," "Summer Sizzle," and "Battleship" while you sip drinks curated by Belltown taproom Just the Tap. As someone who's been underwhelmed by Seattle's mini-golf offerings after experiencing the delights of Urban Putt in San Francisco, I'm excited to check out this promising course that the creators call "pure hootenanny" and "an absurdly good time." (Base Camp Studios 2, 1901 Third Ave, Feb 14–April 12, $15, 21+) SHANNON LUBETICH

SUNDAY 2/16

Shelley Brothers Celebration of Life

Co-owner Shelley Brothers—not tending bar, just making sure the bar is clear for the go-go dancers. Courtesy of Wildrose

(COMMUNITY) Wildrose co-owner Shelley Brothers passed away last week, and the community is turning the heck out for her. She dedicated the last two decades to keeping one of the country’s only lesbian bars alive, and became a local celebrity simply by being herself, unapologetically, in that space. Wildrose called her “a force. An icon. And a protector.” If you want to raise a glass to her where the magic happened—the Go-Go Dancers, the punny drink specials, the Ani DiFranco and Brandi Carlile open mics—the Rose is holding a celebration of life for her on Sunday. Go pay your respects. (Wildrose, 1021 E Pike St, 2–9 pm, free, 21+) HANNAH MURPHY WINTER

MONDAY 2/17

Wild at Heart

(FILM) Starring three of my absolute favorite messy queens (Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern, and Willem Dafoe), David Lynch's lurid melodrama Wild at Heart follows two outcast hotties who flee their hometown to pursue a torrid, surreal romance. What ensues is a sex-fueled road trip fit for a soap opera, which seems like it'd be pretty cool until the grotesquely terrifying Bobby Peru shows up and ruins everything. If you liked last year’s Love Lies Bleeding, you'll dig Wild at Heart's avant-garde ambition and manic intensity. Cue up Cage's rendition of "Love Me Tender" to get in the mood for madness. And it goes without saying, but: RIP, David. (Central Cinema, 1411 21st Ave, Feb 14–19, $12) LINDSAY COSTELLO

TUESDAY 2/18

Seattle Arts & Lectures Presents: A Conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates will be at Benaroya Hall Monday, February 12. GABRIELLA DEMCZUK

(BOOKS/TALK) Sometimes it seems like the name "Ta-Nehisi Coates" has become synonymous with contemporary nonfiction itself. (In the words of Stranger senior staff writer Charles Mudede, "Ta-Nehisi Coates is not perfect." He is not, in Mudede's eyes, a great novelist.) Luckily for us, he's back with another book of essays, his first nonfiction work in almost 10 years. The Message follows Coates to three sites of conflict—Dakar, Senegal, Columbia, South Carolina, and Palestine—to meditate on the destructive historical legacies of book banning, racism, and nationalism. (Benaroya Hall, 200 University St, 7:30 pm, $62–$87) LINDSAY COSTELLO

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February 15, Climate Pledge Arena

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February 17, the Neptune

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Stranger Suggests: Stuart Murdoch, Reggie Watts, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Seattle Hospitality Immigration Fundraiser

Megan Seling — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 15:15:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Megan Seling WEDNESDAY 2/5

Neko Case in Conversation with Cheryl Waters

(MUSIC/BOOKS) If you don't follow PNW-born treasure Neko Case on Instagram, then do yourself a favor and click that "follow" button. She documents her life in rural Vermont with a sincerity and rawness that few famous people display these days. There, you can expect to find a casual snap of her dinner, a blurry photo of her hair, and a trove of pet photos. Because of her delightfully authentic presence and poetic songwriting, I’m not surprised that she has released a memoir. Told in lyrical prose, The Harder I Fight the More I Love You recounts the story of Case's upbringing as a lonely creative child growing up in Tacoma. She will swing through Seattle to chat with KEXP's Cheryl Waters about the new book. (Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave, 7:30 pm, $10–$35 with the option to add-on a book purchase, all ages) AUDREY VANN

THURSDAY 2/6

Li'l Woody’s Burger Month

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(FOOD) The popular local burger joint chain Li'l Woody's has revealed the lineup for its 11th annual Burger Month series, which features four weeks of special burger collaborations dreamed up by some of the city's brightest culinary luminaries. This year's specials include the Cambo-Diaspora Double Cheeseburger (two quarter-pound Royal Ranch grass-fed beef patties marinated in kroeung paste, two slices of American cheese, kroeung aioli, tomato relish, and pickled carrots on a Li'l Woody’s bun) from 2025 James Beard Award semifinalist and Sophon chef Karuna Long (February 4–10); the Don Bronco Burger (a citrus soy garlic-marinated fried bone-in pork chop, fried egg, salsa criolla, and chimichurri aioli on a Li'l Woody’s Bun) from Bad Chancla chef Jose Garzón (February 11–17); the Lago Burger (a quarter-pound Royal Ranch grass-fed beef patty, goat cheese, roasted tomatoes, pomodoro con aglio and balsamic salsa, arugula, shaved red cabbage, pickled red onions, and parsley on a Li'l Woody’s bun) from Cafe Lago chef Lauren Thompson (February 18–24); and the Catahoula Burger (a quarter-pound Royal Ranch grass-fed beef patty, Tillamook white cheddar cheese, red eye barbecue sauce, honey jalapeño slaw, bread-and-butter pickles, and Worcestershire tabasco aioli on a Li'l Woody’s bun) from FlintCreek Cattle Co. chef Eric Donnelly (February 25–March 3). Burger enthusiasts who purchase all four specials will receive a limited edition Li'l Woody's woven market bag, and via their Burger 4 Burger program, Li'l Woody's will donate the same number of burgers sold to an organization of each chef's choice. (Available at all Li'l Woody's locations through March 3) JULIANNE BELL

FRIDAY 2/7

Reggie Watts

(MUSIC/COMEDY) Musician/comedian/actor/memoirist Reggie Watts is not your father's quadruple-threat entertainer—unless your dad's into surrealist humor, inventive beatboxing, and shockingly soulful funk (and parodies thereof). Watts has maintained busy and varied parallel careers in these fields because his talents are as outsized as his Afro. Probably best known to Seattle old-timers as the frontman for popular funk/soul group Maktub, Watts moved to NYC in 2004 and attained virality with hilarious parody tracks “Fuck Shit Stack” and “What About Blowjobs?” Many other incomparable songs (see 2010's Why $#!+ So Crazy?) and stand-up gigs led to Watts earning the bandleader role on The Late Late Show With James Corden in 2014. Watts's musical approach can be summarized by his song title “Pastiche in Lieu of Originality”; but even his self-deprecation is deceptive. Toggling between profundity and absurdity, Watts achieves the miraculous feat of turning spoofs of musical and comedic tropes into works of ridiculous uniqueness. It's hard to predict what Reggie will do onstage at the Showbox, but it will certainly involve rarefied fusions of humor and sonics that would make the late Frank Zappa's mustache twitch in approval. (The Showbox, 1426 First Ave, 8:30 pm, $40–$45, 21+) DAVE SEGAL

SATURDAY 2/8

Stuart Murdoch: Nobody's Empire Book Tour

Stuart Murdoch will read from his new novel at Fremont Abbey Arts Center February 8. AUTHOR PHOTO COURTESY OF HARPER COLLINS

(MUSIC) When it comes to band origin stories, Belle & Sebastian has one of the best: Back in 1994, Stow College students Stuart Murdoch and Stuart David recorded a few demos for a school project with their music professor Alan Rankine (formerly of the Associates). After one of their singles was picked up by the college's record label Electric Honey, the label offered to release their debut album, Tigermilk, which went on to shape the indie pop genre as we know it. Twelve albums and nearly three decades later, Murdoch still fronts the ensemble, bringing their delicate twee sound around the globe. He will stop by the Fremont Abbey to celebrate the release of his debut novel, Nobody's Empire, with a reading, Q&A, and live music. Based on his childhood, the novel digs into the "dark days leading to light and coming of age through music." (Fremont Abbey Arts Center, 4272 Fremont Ave N, 7:30 pm, $31–$61, all ages) AUDREY VANN

SUNDAY 2/9

Seattle Hospitality Immigration Fundraiser

(COMMUNITY) The restaurant industry is feeling especially vulnerable as the Trump administration threatens to implement mass deportations across the country. Last week the New York Times wrote, "In a 2024 data brief, the National Restaurant Association reported that 21 percent of restaurant workers in the United States were immigrants." They add that the Center for Migration Studies estimates that unauthorized workers account for an additional one million employees. It's such a staggering pile of terrifying bullshit, it can be hard to know how to even begin to help those who are most impacted. Well, one thing you can do? Eat. This weekend, more than 100 local restaurants, cafes, bars, and bakeries will come together for a massive fundraiser to support immigrant rights, with businesses all around the Puget Sound region committing to donate at least a portion of their sales to the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. The list of participants is seriously so massive—and growing!—that organizers had to make it into a Google map because they ran out of room to put them all on a flier. Three days, three meals a day, as well as some coffee and treats? You can do some serious snacking for a good cause. (Various locations, Feb 7–9, see the full list of participants here) MEGAN SELING

MONDAY 2/10

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg: New 4K Restoration

(FILM) Greta Gerwig cited The Umbrellas of Cherbourg as one of Barbie's main influences, and it's easy to see why—young Catherine Deneuve could be confused for Barbie any day of the week, and the musical's ultra-colorful set and musical numbers are drenched with the kaleidoscopic feel that Gerwig's 2023 film attempts. I can think of few better ways to celebrate the forthcoming spring than with Jacques Demy's seminal musicals—he largely sidestepped the French New Wave's stylish black-and-white ambiguity in favor of lighthearted color. It should be extra-enchanting in this fresh 4K restoration. (SIFF Cinema Downtown, 2100 Fourth Ave, multiple showtimes Feb 7–13, $14.50–$19.50) LINDSAY COSTELLO

TUESDAY 2/11

I Need Love: The Story Of Romance in Rap

Illustrations by Jordan Kay

(MUSIC) In our brand new issue—the first in our return to monthly distribution, by the way—Charles Mudede and Professor Daudi Abe sat down with some of their favorite hiphop songs to explore the genre's history of love, lust, and longing. The playlist—which you can listen to on Spotify here—features songs from every decade, starting in the '80s with "Hey There, Home Boys" by Man Parrish from 1985 all the way up to "Woman" by Doja Cat from 2021. There's also some 2Pac, Missy Elliott, A Tribe Called Quest, Salt-N-Pepa, LL Cool J, and more. (Related: DID YOU KNOW LL'S MIDDLE NAME IS TODD????) On Tuesday, the duo will annotate this list onstage at the Clock-Out Lounge with help from DJ Vitamin D and Taylar Elizza Beth. If you've ever watched one of Mudede's videos on The Stranger's Instagram, then you know what kind of treat you're in for. It'll be a dance party, it'll be a celebration of love and hiphop and love in hiphop, and it'll be the best goddamn Tuesday night you have had in a long time. (Clock-Out Lounge, 4864 Beacon Ave S, 8 pm, $12–$15, 21+) MEGAN SELING

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Stranger Suggests: YellaCatt, Fremont Soupocalypse, the Gits Record Release Party

Megan Seling — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 12:58:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Megan Seling WEDNESDAY 1/29

Red Curtains for the Red Cross: A Benefit for L.A. Wildfire Relief in Memory of Our Favorite Boy Scout

(FILM) Sure, David Lynch's misty, autumnal masterwork Twin Peaks is the quintessential Pacific Northwest noir, but much of his filmography centered Los Angeles. In Mulholland Drive, a wholesome, perky Naomi Watts lands in Hollywood with dreams of becoming a star before meeting a strange woman with amnesia. In Lost Highway, a Los Angeles saxophonist and his wife receive creepy VHS tapes, and things spiral into a neo-noir web of murder and deceit. Even Eraserhead's alienating landscape was inspired by Lynch's time living in La-la-land. In other words, this screening makes perfect sense—show up to see one of Lynch's "most ethereal works" and support the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles, which is working to provide disaster relief for those affected by the LA fires. "This will also be the last time you'll get to see one of [Lynch's] works in our current space, surrounded by the cinema's iconic red curtains; our very own Red Room for more than 50 years," the Grand Illusion states. (Grand Illusion, 1403 NE 50th St, 9:45 pm, $5 minimum donation) LINDSAY COSTELLO

THURSDAY 1/30

YellaCatt, Avery Cochrane, and Chelle

(MUSIC) When she isn't on stage performing electropop bops under her pseudonym YellaCatt, Seattle-based renaissance woman Daniella White is a usui reiki master, sound healer, floral arranger, painter, and headdress designer. All of her creative and spiritual endeavors shine through in her music and performance style with ethereal electronics, opulent costumes, and empowering lyrics. Sonically, YellaCatt is sort of like the PNW's response to Kylie Minogue—danceable, sexy, and timeless. She will perform recent singles like "Dreaming Sky," "ABRACADABRA," and "Orgasmic Matrix" after opening sets from fellow pop queens Avery Cochrane and Chelle. (High Dive, 513 N 36th Ave, 7:30 pm, $13–$17, 21+) AUDREY VANN

FRIDAY 1/31

5th Annual Fremont Soupocalypse

(FOOD & DRINK) There's nothing like a steaming bowl of something hot, brothy, and restorative to bolster your spirits and ward off the chill of winter. Luckily, Fremont restaurants have risen to the occasion with a "neighborhood winter soup walk" called Fremont Soupocalypse, allowing diners to get their soup fix and support local businesses, during their slowest months of the year to boot. Amble through the neighborhood and enjoy dine-in and takeout specials from Fremont Mischief, Shawn O’Donnell’s, El Camino, SWeL, Triangle Spirits, Esters Enoteca, Paseo, Kaosamai, Red Star Taco Bar, Soul, Frelard Tamales, Pecado Bueno, the George & Dragon, Dreamland, Local Tide, and the Barrel Thief between January 30 and February 2. You'll collect a stamp on your "soupassport" for each soup destination—if you collect eight or more, you can redeem them at Mischief before February 12 for a free tasting, shot glasses, and a grab bag of local treats. (Various locations, daily Jan 30-Feb 2, see the full lineup at here) JULIANNE BELL

SATURDAY 2/1

The Gits Seattle Record Release Party

(MUSIC) Once upon a time, I was shopping at a Portland record store when I asked the man working behind the counter if they had any records by the Gits. The man got right up into my face—his breath stale with cigarettes—and shouted, "No, you're going to have to GITS it somewhere else!" So, when I saw that Sub Pop was reissuing the Seattle punk band's hard-to-find 1992 album, Frenching the Bully, released just a year before vocalist Mia Zapata was murdered, I was deeply relieved knowing that Gits fans would no longer be bullied by that comic book villain-of-a-man. This weekend, the Vera Project will celebrate the reissue with a screening of the new short film The Gits Live at RKCNDY followed by a vinyl signing from the band’s surviving members. Plus, the Vera will host an art exhibit of paintings by Zapata. KEXP will host a 21+ version of the same event at 8 pm with a bar on site. (Vera Project, 305 Harrison St, 4 pm and 8 pm, free, all ages at 4 pm, 21+ at 8 pm) AUDREY VANN

SUNDAY 2/2

Dawn Cerny: Portmeirion

Dawn Cerny, Kleenex Side-table for Simone Weil, 2024. DAWN CERNY

(VISUAL ART) I've been a fan of Dawn Cerny ever since I wrote about her pandemic-era mobile exhibition Weeping Willow Folding Chair back in 2021. "There’s suspense in suspension," I wrote at the time. "This tension is constant in our lives; we are all learning to balance, endlessly." This still feels true of life and of Cerny's work—the Seattle artist’s abstract sculptures feel theatrical yet humble, wavering within terrains of artifice and earnestness with subtly funny undertones. Exhibit A? The coupon tucked to the side of a recent wall sculpture. (Frye Art Museum, 704 Terry Ave, Wed–Sun through June 22, by donation) LINDSAY COSTELLO

MONDAY 2/3

Psychedelic Salon with April Pride

From left: April Pride, Rachel Demy, and Tim Keck. See them discuss psychedelics at Town Hall Monday, February 3. COURTESY OF TOWN HALL

(TALKS) Town Hall's new series, Psychedelic Salon, is a monthly panel that intends to explore how psychedelics such as psilocybin, ketamine, and MDMA "are reshaping the mental health landscape." Seeing as how the only experience many Americans have with ketamine therapy is watching that scene of Adrianna from Real Housewives of Miami getting high as a kite and then uncontrollably bawling her eyes out and screaming for her dead dad in what looked like a med-spa, it's probably a good conversation to have! (Just me?) For the first installment, host April Pride will talk to Stranger founder Tim Keck and artist and photographer Rachel Demy about "the role of psychedelics in Seattle’s countercultural movements and how they influence artistic expression." It should be a fascinating conversation, even for an uncool, stone-cold-sober person like me. (Town Hall Seattle, 1119 Eighth Ave, 7:30 pm, $10–$35 sliding scale, all ages) MEGAN SELING

TUESDAY 2/4

The Sleeping Beauty

Stylist Harly Ellis with an organza silk costume for The Sleeping Beauty. They made 18 identical pieces, and it took one person four months just to carefully hem them all. BILLIE WINTER

(DANCE) I recently attended a production of The Nutcracker and found myself seated next to a small child in a tutu who spent the entire runtime coughing and hacking like it was her personal performance. Even so, it was difficult not to be in awe of the scenery, the music, and the ballet dancers on stage. I was dazzled, damn it! Let this be a reminder that art has the power to overcome all obstacles or whatever. And here's another performance that I can promise will dazzle you, too. Pacific Northwest Ballet's "historically informed re-imagining" of The Sleeping Beauty includes scenic design by Tlingit glass artist Preston Singletary (who we interviewed here) and costumes by Paul Tazewell (Hamilton, West Side Story, PNB’s Swan Lake). (We got a sneak peek here.) It's inspired by the Pacific Northwest, so I hope Aurora is wearing Gore-Tex. (McCall Hall, 321 Mercer St, multiple performances Jan 31–Feb 9, $53–$235, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

Stranger Suggests: Ikechukwu Ufomadu, Damien Jurado & Gathered in Song, the Disabled List 3rd Annual Comedy Festival, 2024 Sundance Film Festival Indigenous Film Tour

Audrey Vann — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 14:00:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Audrey Vann WEDNESDAY 1/22

Amusements by Ikechukwu Ufomadu

(COMEDY) I feel like whatever the 2025 equivalent of a "hipster" is when I espouse my love for alt comedy, but voices like Joe Pera, Connor O'Malley, Jo Firestone, Jacqueline Novak, Kate Berlant, and John Early really do keep me alive. I'm excited to count Ikechukwu Ufomadu, deemed the “gentleman-scholar of alt-comedy” (New York Magazine), among my new favorites. Armed with books, a cup of tea, and a slideshow, the Ziwe writer's absurdist one-man show Amusements defies genre and makes some astute observations. ("I understand many of you are 'here' tonight," he notices.) (Here-After, 2505 First Ave, 7 pm, $19.99, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

THURSDAY 1/23

Damien Jurado & Gathered in Song Play I Break Chairs

(MUSIC) Acclaimed Seattle-born singer-songwriter Damien Jurado will bring his melodic and shapeshifting indie-folk back home for a two-night stint. He will honor his fourth album, I Break Chairs, by playing it in its entirety. Released back in 2002, the album leans into moody indie rock and contains more electric guitar solos than you might anticipate from this indie folk favorite. Local indie rocker Byland will open both nights. (Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Ave NW, 7:30 pm, $30, 21+) AUDREY VANN

FRIDAY 1/24

The Disabled List 3rd Annual Comedy Festival

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(COMEDY) Kayla Brown and Dan Hurwitz, creators of the mockumentary This is Spinal Injury, presented the first-ever disability-focused comedy festival in the Pacific Northwest in 2023, and it's returning for another round of guffaws this year at the Northwest Film Forum. The Disabled List Comedy Festival will showcase filmed sketches and live stand-up by local funny folks with disabilities, including John O'Donnell, Gibran Saleem, and Deaf queer activist Hayden Kristal, plus some to-be-announced special guests. See the full festival lineup here. (Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave, 7:30 pm, free–$25, 18+) LINDSAY COSTELLO

SATURDAY 1/25

Fremont Bridge Night Market

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(COMMUNITY) Make like a troll and head under the Fremont Bridge for the first night market of the year. This month's theme is "winter feast," and a partnership with Mobile Food Rodeo means you can expect additional food trucks alongside the usual dozens of local vendors selling handmade crafts and vintage goods. It's been particularly chilly recently, but you'll be able to warm up under patio heaters and enjoy some hot frybread from Off the Rez. (701 N Northlake Way, noon–6 pm, free, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

SUNDAY 1/26

Tim Heidecker: Slipping Away Tour

(COMEDY) EverOut Arts Calendar Editor Lindsay Costello writes: "Tim Heidecker, the legendary weirdo behind Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! and On Cinema at the Cinema, is nothing if not polarizing—Vice describes his work as ‘failure-centric’—but if you ‘get’ him, you're probably a huge fan." Heidecker will return to Seattle with his distinctive brand of absurdist meta-humor and original music to support his '70s country-rock-inspired album, Slipping Away. Don't miss an opening set from former SNL comedian Kyle Mooney, who is one of my favorite cast members of the last decade (watch him ride with "the guy from Soul" if you need a wholesome belly laugh.) (Neptune Theatre, 1303 NE 45th, 8 pm, $39.50, all ages) AUDREY VANN

MONDAY 1/27

2024 Sundance Film Festival Indigenous Film Tour

(FILM) For those with no interest in visiting Park City, Utah, first of all: I understand. Secondly, you don't have to! Sundance Institute's 2024 Indigenous Film Tour brings eight short films by Indigenous directors (four from the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, three from the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, and one short film from the 2005 Sundance Film Festival) straight to Northwest Film Forum. The curated selection is a solid opportunity to engage with new work by Native directors like Erica Tremblay, Taika Waititi, Sterlin Harjo, and personal favorite Sky Hopinka, who blends English and Indigenous dialects like Chinuk Wawa in his ground-quaking works. (Northwest Film Festival, 1515 12th Ave, multiple showtimes, $7–$14) LINDSAY COSTELLO

TUESDAY 1/28

Renee Bracey Sherman with Angela Garbes

(BOOKS) Yes, the fact that we still have to advocate for abortion rights in 2025 is devastating beyond measure. But this is the country we live in—one in which a wave of backward policy has stripped millions of reproductive healthcare. The least we can do is get on board with writers like Renee Bracey Sherman, who are doing their best to fight for the future of reproductive healthcare access. Sherman will discuss her new book, Liberating Abortion: Claiming Our History, Sharing Our Stories, and Building the Reproductive Future We Deserve, with Angela Garbes, former Stranger writer and author of Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change. (Third Place Books Seward Park, 5041 Wilson Ave S, free, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

Stranger Suggests: Farewell to 1403, Alan Sparhawk, MLK Day 2025, Arooj Aftab, and Paul Budraitis: I Love That For You

Audrey Vann — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 13:45:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Audrey Vann WEDNESDAY 1/15

Farewell to 1403

(FILM) The historic, volunteer-run Grand Illusion Cinema is bidding farewell to its current location. When the lease ends in February, the theater will close its doors at 1403 Northeast 50th Street and relocate, potentially staying within the U District. That means this month's screenings are your last chance to catch a flick in the beloved space. Drop by for a mix of classics and cult flicks throughout January, like Carl Dreyer's Vampyr, Ghost in the Shell, Harold and Maude, Cinema Paradiso, and the anti-patriarchal jubilee Daisies. The pick for Wednesday, January 15, is John Frankenheimer's Seconds in 16mm. (Grand Illusion, 1403 NE 50th St, 7:30 pm, $9–$12) LINDSAY COSTELLO

THURSDAY 1/16

Rush Paul Budraitis - I Love That For You

Paul Budraitis's show 'I Love That For You' opens Thursday, January 16, at On the Boards. Sebastian Pollin

(PERFORMANCE) On the Boards is one of the best venues in the city for experimental and intriguing performance art. But it has one problem: Its programming is too good. Month after month, show after show, the venue sells out weeks, sometimes months in advance, leaving anyone not in the know—or in the habit of planning ahead—shit out of luck. Thankfully, On the Boards also offers rush tickets, and rumor has it they almost never have to turn people away. Just show up one hour before showtime to put your name on the rush list and grab a drink at the lobby bar, Fubar. They'll do their best to fit everyone in just before the show. Give it a go this week as On the Boards presents the West Coast premiere of I Love That For You, the newest solo performance from former Seattleite Paul Budraitis (who you old-school local theater folks might remember from the Annex Theatre and the Degenerate Art Ensemble days). (On the Boards, 100 W Roy St, multiple performances Jan 16–19) MEGAN SELING

FRIDAY 1/17

Alan Sparhawk’s The White Roses Tour

(MUSIC) Seattle-born multi-instrumentalist Alan Sparhawk is best known as half of the genre-defining slowcore band Low. After the tragic passing of his bandmate and wife, Mimi Parker, Sparhawk found it difficult to revisit the classic instruments and sound that Low was known for. “The tools I used before no longer work,” he tells the Guardian. “I’m trying to use my voice, but I don’t want to hear my voice, so I needed to find another voice.” The resulting solo album, White Roses, My God, is drastically different from Low's serene, dream-like indie rock. The album’s sonic departure employs electronic instruments, heavy voice modulation, and hip-hop beats, but fans will still recognize Sparhawk’s simple yet profound lyrics. He will support the album alongside experimental vocalist/musician Circuit des Yeux. (The Crocodile, 2505 First Ave, 6 pm, $25, all ages) AUDREY VANN

SATURDAY 1/18

2025 Lunar New Year Fair

Wing Luke's annual Lunar New Year Fair is Saturday, January 18. COURTESY OF WING LUKE MUSEUM

(COMMUNITY) Slither into the Year of the Snake at Wing Luke Museum’s annual Lunar New Year Fair, which starts outside the front doors with remarks from local speakers and lion dance performances from Mak Fai Kung Fu Dragon and Lion Dance Association. Grab a timed entry ticket to access indoor activities, including calligraphy lessons, a zodiac scavenger hunt, storytime sessions, community booths, and arts and crafts tables. Don't miss the newest addition to the KidPLACE Gallery, New Year’s All Year Round: Food, Family, and Fun, where you can learn more about Lunar New Year cultural traditions. See several more Lunar New Year events on our EverOut calendar here. (Wing Luke Museum, 719 S King St, 10 am–3 pm, free–$17, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

SUNDAY 1/19

Bánh Tét Making Workshop

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(FOOD & DRINK) Greet the Year of the Snake (thought to be a time of wisdom, intuition, creativity, transformation, and spiritual growth) by learning how to create the traditional Lunar New Year dish bánh tét, a delicious savory glutinous rice cake stuffed with mung beans and pork and wrapped in a banana leaf. Local chefs Yenvy Pham of Phở Bắc and Trinh Nguyen of Ba Sa and artist Quynh Nguyen from Pink and Posey will guide you through the process. (Little Saigon Creative, 1227 S Weller St, Suite A, 9:30 am–4:30 pm, $35) JULIANNE BELL

MONDAY 1/20

Seattle MLK, Jr. Coalition MLK Day 2025

(COMMUNITY) The Seattle MLK, Jr. Coalition’s 42nd annual region-wide Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration includes an opportunity fair, workshops, a rally, and a march. MLK Day coincides with Inauguration Day this year, and as our country faces the upsetting reality of another Trump administration, the theme of the day is appropriately “We Rise Against Project 2025." Come together to learn about pathways forward and raise your voices against injustice. See several more MLK Day events on our EverOut calendar here. (Garfield High School, 400 23rd Ave, 8:30 am–3 pm, free, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

TUESDAY 1/21

Arooj Aftab: Night Reign Tour

(MUSIC) The Urdu language in singer/composer Arooj Aftab's vocal cords is a thing of solemn beauty. While most Westerners don't know Urdu from Sinhalese, they should be able to grasp the ineffable emotions conveyed by Aftab's golden pipes (she also sings in English). Her music exists in that exalted nexus among minimalism, chamber jazz, and the devotional songs that harpist/keyboardist Alice Coltrane spent the last few decades of her life performing. Aftab was the first ever Pakistani artist to win a Grammy (Best Global Music Performance for "Mohabbat," of which Barack Obama's a fan); it was a rare non-cringe award bestowed by that flawed organization. On 2023's Love in Exile, pianist Vijay Iyer and bassist Shahzad Ismaily create sparse, avant-jazz backdrops over which Aftab emotes with gorgeous gravity, as the trio wrings maximal beauty from barest essentials. Last year's Night Reign features yet more lean, lustrous fusions of Pakistani folk and jazz, as Aftab collaborates with Gyan Riley, Moor Mother, and Elvis Costello, and other greats. Together, they capture a sublime, nocturnal luminescence. (The Crocodile, 2505 First Ave, 7 pm, $35, all ages) DAVE SEGAL

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Stranger Suggests: Tinsley, STÖR Closing Reception, La Galette des Rois 2025, Mourning Sickness, and Dry January

Audrey Vann — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 14:23:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Audrey Vann WEDNESDAY 1/8

Potentially Ill-Advised: Films About Assassinating Your Political Leaders

(FILM) A certain blisteringly hot Italian man would approve of the Beacon's latest film series, which asks, "What would happen if we spoke truth to power with gun in hand?" The Beacon punctuates Potentially Ill-Advised: Films About Assassinating Your Political Leaders with some delightfully acerbic quotes, like "The moment of assassination is the moment when power and the ignorance of power come together, with Death as validator" (Thomas Pynchon) and "The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination" (Voltaire). Let it be known that I'm not endorsing anything here. But, like, you should probably go see these films for cinema's sake, right? I recommend snagging seats to the first one on the docket—Rainer Werner Fassbinder's awesome, anarchic satire The Third Generation. (The Beacon, 4405 Rainier Ave S, daily through Jan 25, $12.50) LINDSAY COSTELLO

THURSDAY 1/9

Tinsley

(MUSIC) Seattle-based singer-songwriter Tinsley takes the best parts of 1980s and 2010s pop music and squashes them together for pure pop perfection. Her 2023 EP, Love Songs, is a dreamy, beachy, synthy effort in the vein of Taylor Swift's 1989. She will celebrate the release of her debut self-titled album alongside like-minded local artists Lovely Colours, Midnight High, and Waltzerr. (Neumos, 925 E Pike St, 9 pm, $15–$18, all ages) AUDREY VANN

FRIDAY 1/10

STÖR Closing Reception

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(VISUAL ART) If you haven't yet wandered through STÖR, the art exhibit designed to look like a very familiar blue and yellow big-box home furnishings and meatball store, run directly to Base Camp Studios 2 and catch it before it closes this Friday. Artists Mary Anne Carter and Lilia Deering have curated a selection of fantastic local art and displayed it throughout the space to make it feel like you are shopping for flat-packed necessities for your college dorm room. You will want to buy everything. But this stuff isn't laminated particle board held together by wooden dowels and cam lock nuts. There are sculptural vases by Brandon Vosika and Nhi Vo, butter dishes by Whatever Factory, chairs by Shiloh Davies and Olivia Montoya, and functional wall art including clocks, mirrors, and light switch plates by Manic Pixie Dream Squirrel, San Dodie Studio, and Karl Cassel. (You can shop online, too!) As part of the closing festivities, Doll Parts Collective will present a "sustainable fashion show" featuring nearly a dozen local designers, including Jennifer McNeely, Debi Boyette, and Doll Parts owners Becky Bacsik-Booker and Alyssa Christine. (Base Camp Studios 2, 1901 Third Ave, 6–9 pm, $15 suggested donation) MEGAN SELING

SATURDAY 1/11

La Galette des Rois 2025

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(FOOD & DRINK) Tuck into flaky golden galettes provided by La Parisienne French Bakery at this celebration of the Epiphany co-hosted by the Alliance Française de Seattle, the Union des Français à l’Etranger, and French Ciders & Spirits. Per tradition, a trinket (fève) will be hidden in each galette, and the lucky one to find it will be crowned king or queen for the day, thus fulfilling your Princess Diaries-fueled fantasy of finding out you're secret royalty (or is that just me?). Just don't chip your tooth. You'll also get the opportunity to glug plenty of crisp French cider and/or soft drinks. (La Parisienne French Bakery, 2507 Fourth Ave, 5:30 pm, $5–$20, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

SUNDAY 1/12

Mourning Sickness Presents: Showgirls - The Annual Showing

(FILM/COMEDY) Seattle showgirl Monday Mourning will dust off her "Versayce" for her annual screening of Showgirls, so don your campiest eleganza and show up to celebrate all things Nomi Malone. You probably already know the plot of the film, but if not, prepare to thrill your eyeballs with the glitzy underbelly of Las Vegas clubs courtesy of Paul Verhoeven, aka the guy who made Robocop. The screening promises gaggy entertainment that'll have you looking camp right in the eye. (Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave, 7 pm, $13–$18) LINDSAY COSTELLO

MONDAY 1/13

Dry January

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(FOOD & DRINK) Looking to decrease your alcohol consumption for January? Whether you're going dry, damp, or "sober-curious," we've compiled a handy list of places to find non-alcoholic beverages around Seattle so you can quench your thirst. First starters, just because you're not drinking doesn't mean you suddenly lose the desire for a fun little drink, and Cheeky & Dry, the 100% non-alcoholic bottle shop in Phinney Ridge—the first of its kind in Seattle—was founded with that principle in mind. Married couple Kirstin and Yura Vracko conceived the idea for the shop when both of them were searching for upscale, non-alcoholic alternatives. The shelves are stocked with eye-catching canned mocktails, zero-proof spirits, CBD sparkling water, non-alcoholic wine, syrups, bitters, and more, and you can even sample products. See more Dry January recommendations here! JULIANNE BELL

TUESDAY 1/14

Diving the Great Barrier Reef: National Geographic Live

(TALK) It's January. The week's forecast predicts clouds, showers, and highs in the 40s. Do yourself a favor: Learn about coral polyps. No, seriously—Australia's Great Barrier Reef is one of our planet's finest and most colorful masterpieces. BUT IT'S IN TROUBLE! Climate change is bleaching the landscape, but there is "still plenty to see and plenty to save," argues divemaster, marine biologist, virtual reality filmmaker, and Very Cool Person Dr. Erika Woolsey. Personally, I'd like to save these delightful clownfish. Dr. Woolsey will share about the "most bizarre, colorful species that live in these underwater jungles," and if that doesn't fight off your doldrums, what will? (Benaroya Hall, 200 University St, Jan 12–14, $27–$55, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

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Rorschach Test
January 18, El Corazon (21+)

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Seattle Bach Fest
January 12, 3pm, St. Marks

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The Stranger’s Cookie Countdown: Day 27

Lindsay Costello — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 15:10:00 -0800

We're counting down to 2025 by sharing some of our favorite cookies on Slog every day in December! by Lindsay Costello Gochujang Caramel Cookies

Beyond Kimchee Recipe

If you asked me to rattle off a list of typical cookie ingredients, "gochujang" might be, like, the 5,375th in line. But when I clicked across this Beyond Kimchee recipe recently, I was intrigued. The fermented red chili paste, a key ingredient in one of my fave Korean comfort foods, has an interesting depth of flavor that I imagined could cut sweetness and add complexity to a cookie. After making them recently, the result was a treat that felt funky and oddly familiar, like a spicy chocolate moment with a mellow savory twist.

Korean cook and author Holly Ford’s “adaptation” of Eric Kim’s New York Times recipe is nearly identical—she simply advises using a hand-held or stand mixer instead of hand-mixing the dough, and a few other small tweaks. (A sneaky way, perhaps, to share a recipe with readers who don’t have a New York Times subscription. I support it.) Armed with a tub of O’Food gochujang, I got to work.

The caramel paste—a mix of softened butter, brown sugar, and gochujang—was a parade on the tongue. I had to stop myself from devouring the brilliant orange blend of zingy sweetness by the spoonful. After prepping and chilling the dough, it was time to stir in the paste, which proved trickier than expected.

“Moving in long circular strokes, swirl the gochujang mixture into the cookie dough so you have streaks of orange-red rippled throughout the beige. Be sure not to overmix at this stage, as you want wide, distinct strips of gochujang,” Kim’s recipe advises. Ford echoes this guidance: “Use a stiff spatula to gently swirl the caramel into a marbling pattern in the dough, ensuring you maintain a visible color contrast.”

The caramel paste, pre-cookie. LINDSAY COSTELLO

I was desperate to maintain the chunky swirls of gochujang paste that looked so beautiful in the recipe’s photos, but chilled, slightly stiffened dough is stubborn. My attempts to create a consistent “marbling pattern” (with a stiff spatula!) left the dough orange in some places. In others, the caramel wouldn’t integrate at all.

I pressed onward and plopped the dough onto two lined baking sheets, where I was hit with another surprise. Kim’s recipe suggests ¼ cup-sized cookies, while Ford opts for three-tablespoon scoops. Frankly, either measurement seemed gigantic. I went with the latter and generously spaced the dough, forming 11 rounds across two baking sheets. The cookies spread considerably—perhaps due to the short 15-minute chill—and emerged from the oven nearly the size of my hand.

I was excited about the hints of caramelization and color that I’d achieved, and the cookie consistency lined up with what I love in a snickerdoodle: a slightly crispy edge with a chewy interior. These are spiced sugar cookies with a subtle kick—I didn’t notice the gochujang coming through until the end of each bite. Even then, it’s muted.

Next time, I’d experiment with increasing the amount of gochujang in the caramel paste for a more pronounced heat and flavor. Still, these cookies were a complex delight. If you’re into spicy-sweet combos, warming winter recipes, or you’re just looking for a treat that’ll start party conversations, they’re worth a bite.

We're counting down to 2025 by sharing some of our favorite cookies on Slog every day in December! Because life is hard, and sugar helps. Will things get weird? Maybe! There may have been a small fire during the first photo shoot! But hopefully, you'll also discover some new favorite treats to enjoy this season. Track our daily recommendations here! 🍪

Stranger Suggests: Kimya Dawson, Thunderpussy, David Benoit Christmas Tribute to Charlie Brown, the Dina Martina Christmas Show, the Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show

Megan Seling — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 13:40:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week! by Megan Seling WEDNESDAY 12/18

A Very Die Hard Christmas

(PERFORMANCE) My expectations were very high the first time I saw A Very Die Hard Christmas at the Seattle Public Theater. Like, blow-the-roof-off-the-top-of-Nakatomi-Plaza-with-a-shitload-of-C-4 big. Watching the 1988 action movie is my dearest Christmas tradition—I have seen it hundreds of times, and I am delighted to report that this locally produced musical interpretation of Die Hard, written by Jeff Shell and the Habit and directed by Mark Siano, was beyond my wildest imagination. It has everything! Fist toes! A white tank top decaying at a hilariously unrealistic pace! I felt like I was watching all the best parts of the movie—with all my favorite lines appropriately exaggerated in the same way I hear them in my head—with 160 of my closest, most Die Hard-obsessed best friends. Ellis’s big cocaine-fueled musical number is worth the price of admission alone. That said, all the shows are sold out. But Christmas is a time for miracles! The theater is offering $20 rush tickets to all performances through December 22. Just show up an hour before showtime, get your name on the rush list, and they'll do their best to squeeze you in. I promise it's worth the hassle. (Seattle Public Theater, 7312 W Green Lake Dr N, multiple performances through Dec 22) MEGAN SELING

THURSDAY 12/19

Kimya Dawson with Blotto the Clown and Crazy Harold

(MUSIC) Kimya Dawson's sound as a solo artist and as a member of the DIY punk duo Moldy Peaches ranges from indie folk to noise, but the common thread is that her work always makes you feel like the main character in a movie. As a teenager, I walked down the halls of my high school with the Moldy Peaches' "Lucky Number Nine" blaring through my earbuds. I pictured myself as the leading outcast from my favorite TV shows and films (Ghost World, Freaks and Geeks, My So-Called Life) and romanticized my sadness to make it feel more manageable. I wandered around my neighborhood listening to Dawson's solo track "I Like Giants" and gazed at the stars, putting the size of my body in perspective ("All girls feel too big sometimes regardless of their size," she coos). The PNW legend will return to the stage with special guests, clown wrestlers Blotto the Clown and Crazy Harold (unclear how they'll fit into the show, but I can't wait to see.) Local art rockers Scott Yoder and Mold Mom will open. (Neumos, 925 E Pike St, 7 pm, $20, all ages) AUDREY VANN

FRIDAY 12/20

Thunderpussy: The Breast Is Yet to Come Tour

(MUSIC) Stanger contributor Nathalie Graham writes: "Thunderpussy almost didn’t make it. The future looked bright for the band when they released their debut full-length Thunderpussy in 2018. They earned critical acclaim for their riff-filled brand of ’70s-inspired rock, got featured in Rolling Stone as Mike McCready’s 'favorite new band,' and ended the year signing to a major label, Republic Records’s subsidiary Stardog. In the years that followed, though, things took a turn. It wasn’t clear whether the band would ever release a second record, let alone exist. But, after years full of heartbreak, loss, and uncomfortable but necessary metamorphosis, Thunderpussy are back, and they’re stronger than ever." The quartet's hometown show, the last date of their December West Coast tour, will feature tracks off their celebrated 2024 full-length West. Don't miss an opening set from British rockers James and the Cold Gun, whose name is derived from my favorite Kate Bush song. (The Crocodile, 2505 First Ave, 6 pm, $30, 21+) AUDREY VANN

SATURDAY 12/21

David Benoit Christmas Tribute to Charlie Brown feat. Courtney Fortune

(MUSIC) When the winter blues cover the windows of my mind in heaps of snow, there is one thing that can shovel me out: Vince Guaraldi's score to A Charlie Brown Christmas. Similar to the way a string of Christmas lights can transform a cold, dark city street into a twinkling cinematic setting, the opening piano chords of "O Tannenbaum" can instantly uncover the fruits of the season; evoking flannel PJs and hot cocoa with big squishy marshmallows. When I hear the children's choir coo "Christmas Time Is Here," it truly makes me believe that there is "beauty everywhere." Guaraldi died nearly 50 years ago, but there are plenty of saints carrying on his legacy. Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist David Benoit, who is best known as the musical director of 2015’s Peanuts Movie, will return to Jazz Alley with vocalist Courtney Fortune for a tribute to Guaraldi's beloved score. (Jazz Alley, 2033 Sixth Ave, multiple performances Dec 19–22, $55.50, all ages) AUDREY VANN

SUNDAY 12/22

Oh, Canada

(FILM) Say what you will about Paul Schrader (and there's, uh, a lot to say—I'm a diehard fan of this Twitter account that tracks the cinema auteur's batshit Facebook posts), but the dude knows how to tell a story in an unflinching, precise, and maybe even transcendental style. If you saw Schrader's god-tier film First Reformed, you're already familiar with his austere brand of spiritualism. Hopefully, Oh, Canada continues the thread. The film follows Richard Gere as Leonard Fife, an aging leftist filmmaker who dodged Vietnam service by fleeing to Canada decades earlier. When his former student (Michael Imperioli) sits him down for an interview, Fife shares myth-busting stories of his younger self (Jacob Elordi) and his wife/artistic partner (Uma Thurman). I'd be seated for the cast alone, but Schrader's direction makes this one a solid bet. (Grand Illusion, 1403 NE 50th St, multiple showtimes through Dec 22, $9–$12) LINDSAY COSTELLO

MONDAY 12/23

The Dina Martina Christmas Show

See Dina Martina's surreal Christmas comedy show through December 24. DAVID BELISLE

(PERFORMANCE) Seattle's own "Second Lady of Entertainment" will return to the stage in December with some Christmassy razzle-dazzle. Alongside Stranger Genius Award-winning composer and musician Chris Jeffries, Dina Martina will deliver the surreal comedy and festive tunes for which she's been known and loved for over 25 years. Buckle in for a holiday fever dream: Martina's show was described by former Stranger editor Chase Burns as "cozy but disorienting," and John Waters calls her act "some new kind of twisted art." (ACT Theatre, 700 Union St, multiple performances through Dec 24, $46–$60) LINDSAY COSTELLO

TUESDAY 12/24

The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show

See Jinkx and BenDeLaCreme's dragstavaganza December 21–24. Jacob Ritts

(PERFORMANCE) Jinkx Monsoon, the "internationally tolerated Jewish narcoleptic drag queen," and BenDeLaCreme, the sugary sweet RuPaul's Drag Race icon, will bring their unique blend of bubbly effervescence and quirky realness to the stage for this holiday dragstravaganza. The pair plan to maximize their joint sleigh and share why they're the true queens of Christmas cheer, which already seems undebatable. The show will return to town after a wildly successful run last year; expect brand-new songs and a healthy dash of spectacle, plus "adult themes and language." (Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave, multiple performances Dec 21–24, $30–$295, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

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The Stranger’s Cookie Countdown: Day 17

Lindsay Costello — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 14:36:00 -0800

We're counting down to 2025 by sharing some of our favorite cookies on Slog every day in December! by Lindsay Costello Gingerbread People

Post Punk Kitchen

Post Punk Kitchen’s vegan gingerbread recipe might seem an unlikely candidate for a “classic” designation, but it tastes traditional—the kind of gingerbread you’d expect from a passed-down recipe.

My friend Rose is a prolific baker, churning out frankly astonishing treats for the fundraisers and gigs she organizes in Portland. When she recommended this recipe to me, she advised the following: “I deviate from script by making them into stained glass cookies, cutting out circles, and melting hard candy into the gaps while they bake.” Melting hard candy into dough gaps sounded almost comically overwhelming to my non-Rose experience level, but I was keen to try the base recipe.

Lindsay Costello

The foundation of this recipe is pretty simple. Nondairy milk (I used soy) is the only distinctly “vegan” ingredient here. Beyond that, Post Punk Kitchen’s Isa Chandra Moskowitz relies on baking soda and powder for leavening and oil to replace butter. (By the way, she calls for canola, but the avocado oil I had on hand worked just fine.)

One strategy seemed to work in my favor here: I decided to follow all the instructions. Correctly. Like, I made the dough, and then I chilled it for one hour. Then I baked the dough for the amount of time the recipe suggested. Then I made the decorative icing and let it “set” for 30 minutes. During that time, the cookies cooled, leaving them ready to decorate. Revolutionary, I know.

Lindsay Costello Lindsay Costello

Speaking of decoration, this recipe includes guidance for making colorful decorative icings with natural ingredients. After accidentally spending $52 on spices—ground ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg (“I’ll have these forever now,” I rationalized)—I wasn’t about to spring for “dragonfruit powder.” Instead, I improvised with what I had: butterfly pea flower powder from a summer party and matcha from my fridge, which yielded lovely, slightly muted purple and green hues without that plasticky, “I am highly processed” food coloring look.

I can count on one finger the number of times I’ve piped decorations on a cookie, so I’m pretty pleased with how cute these gingerbread girlies came out. (Yes, they are all women. Fight me.) My cat also sniffed one and wasn’t immediately disgusted, which is always a victory.

The cat's name is Spaghetti! Lindsay Costello

Once the cookies were cooled and decorated, I tested them out on another human being—my partner Jeremy. “If I were at a Christmas party, I would compulsively eat some of these, enjoy them, and go about my business,” he said.

Translation: These taste exactly like gingerbread cookies. Not overly “vegan” or health-conscious; not cakey; not too hard or too soft. Firm, yet chewy. The spice level is pleasant, and the lemon-vanilla decorative icing puts bright, zesty pep in each cookie’s step. My advice? Bake these if you want to bake gingerbread cookies, even if you’re not quite ready to attempt a stained glass technique.

Stranger Suggests: Betty Wetter's Blue Xmas, A Massive Seance, Green Lake Pathway of Lights, Emmett Montgomery's Sugar Plum Gary, Eggnog

Megan Seling — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 15:30:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Megan Seling WEDNESDAY 12/11

You're Wrong About and American Hysteria present A MASSIVE SEANCE

(PERFORMANCE) Host Sarah Marshall's incisive hit podcast You're Wrong About challenges audience beliefs and illuminates forgotten history. (How much do you really know about the Tonya Harding scandal?) The podcast tackles everything from the Enron collapse to serial killers, and it was named the Podcast of the Year at the 2022 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards. Marshall will join forces with American Hysteria host Chelsey Weber-Smith for this live show, which will offer up comedy, witchy rock and roll by a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, and a massive séance to shake off the 365-day hex that was 2024. (Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave, 8 pm, $31.50-$36, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

THURSDAY 12/12

Next Fest NW: Total Chaos

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(PERFORMANCE) Spotlighting up-and-coming choreographers in Seattle, Velocity's experimental new works festival, Next Fest NW, continues celebrating contemporary movement art this year. Inspired by this year's theme of "TOTAL CHAOS," artistic movers and shakers will "investigate cacophony" in a series of forward-thinking new pieces. I love mess! I'm excited to see Hannah Krafcik and Emily Jones on this year's lineup—the duo's experimental performance was one of my favorites at the 2021 Time-Based Arts Festival. (12th Avenue Arts, 1620 12th Ave, multiple performances Dec 12–14, $20–$50) LINDSAY COSTELLO

FRIDAY 12/13

Clock-Out Lounge Presents: Betty Wetter's Blue Xmas

(PERFORMANCE) Grab yourself a slice of Stevie’s Famous pizza, and pull up a chair for my favorite Christmas show so far this year. Seattle’s own Betty Wetter returns to Clock-Out Lounge for the second holiday season in a row with a brand new Blue Xmas drag show. The show only runs for two weekends, so I went to last Saturday’s performance. That night I learned three important things: 1) It’s possible to make a life-sized game of Operation. 2) The creators of Dr. Pepper tried to convince people to drink the soda hot in the winter. 3) Betty Wetter can SING. Between the Delilah mashup you never knew you needed and the Weezer performance with a breakaway Christmas sweater, this is the best two hours I’ve spent in a room full of queer found family in a long time. There are two shows left this season—one on Friday, December 13, and a “masks encouraged” matinee on Sunday, December 15. Tickets are still available, don’t miss it. (Clock-Out Lounge, 4864 Beacon Ave S, $30–$150, 21+) HANNAH MURPHY WINTER

SATURDAY 12/14

Green Lake Pathway of Lights

(COMMUNITY) Grab your gloves, earmuffs, and maybe a rain jacket; this annual illuminated stroll around Green Lake happens rain or shine. The holiday spirit will be in the air as you walk along a path lit by thousands of candles, enjoy complimentary refreshments, and turn your ear to holiday music performed by local schools and community groups on three stages. (Fingers crossed that the weather cooperates so we can see some magnificently lit hot air balloons.) The event is free, but be a good neighbor and bring a non-perishable food donation for local food bank FamilyWorks. (Green Lake Park, 7201 East Green Lake Dr N, 4:30 pm, free, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

SUNDAY 12/15

Emmett Montgomery's Sugar Plum Gary

(PERFORMANCE) Christmas is full of mysteries. How does Santa visit every child in just one night? What makes Rudolph fly? And who the fuck is Sugar Plum Gary?? He may not be a household name (yet), but Sugar Plum Gary is a bearded, red-pajama-wearing self-proclaimed "Santanist" looking to spread "twisted holiday glee" far and wide. What does that mean exactly? Well, much like Montgomery's other comedy shows, the bi-weekly Joketellers Union at Clock-Out and the monthly-ish Friendship Dungeon at Comedy/Bar, you never really know. Montgomery's brain is a maze of creative wonders, with stories, jokes, and characters all getting a turn to shine—the results are always unpredictable, hilarious, and surprisingly tender. (Annex Theatre, 1100 E Pike St, multiple performances through Dec 24, sliding scale starting at $15, livestream tickets available for all shows, all ages) MEGAN SELING

MONDAY 12/16

Holiday Afternoon Tea

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(FOOD & DRINK) No matter how old you are, nothing will stoke your sense of holiday spirit quite like a proper afternoon tea with tiers upon tiers of dainty treats. Dress up in your flounciest ensemble and hoist your pinky firmly in the air as you sip tea and snack on sweet and savory bites like ras el hanout curried egg salad on Flora Bakehouse milk bread, gingerbread scones, butternut squash and Rogue blue cheese quiches, and pear cranberry hand pies. Vegan, gluten-free, and kid options are available, so everyone can partake in the festive fun. (Cafe Flora, multiple times through Dec 20, $25–$55, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

TUESDAY 12/17

Drink Eggnog

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(FOOD & DRINK) Whether you love it or hate it, it's likely you have strong feelings regarding eggnog. The rich, sweet holiday drink takes many forms, but usually contains some combination of milk, cream, sugar, egg yolks, whipped egg whites, and optional booze. It's only here for a limited time, so to help you make the most of 'nog season, we've gathered a selection of options around town—including variations with espresso, ube, oat milk, and various types of alcohol. (The "eggnog riot" at Baker's, for example, includes Urupan rum, Lustau Oloroso sherry, and Pierre Ferrand 1840 cognac for a truly heady, aromatic blend.) See the full list here! JULIANNE BELL

Stranger Suggests: Magnuson Series Turkey Trot, Seattle's Tribute to The Last Waltz, Golden Eighties, Cyndi Lauper, The Stranger's Holiday Drink Week 2024

Audrey Vann — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 13:30:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Audrey Vann WEDNESDAY 11/27

4th Annual Amateur Night ft: Dead Bars, Redshift, and Your Mother Should Know

(MUSIC) Dead Bars started 10 years ago as a reliable melodic punk project with songs about parties, seeing shows at the Funhouse, etc. But over the years, they've become more complex and introspective, with their knack for melodies taking a starring role. They're a must-hear for fans of the Menzingers, Iron Chic, and Sincere Engineer (who they opened for last month at Madame Lou's, btw—it was rad). They're the perfect band to host an annual Thanksgiving pre-funk, too, because their songs sound best live and loud and when a room full of fans are singing along at the top of their lungs like a happy, sweaty, maybe slightly drunk family of fans who refuse to let punk die. Plus, on their 2023 EP, they have a song about dying in a sinkhole. Whether it's figurative or literal doesn't matter. It's relatable either way. Sing it with me: "I'M GONNA DIE IN A SINKHOLE / I'M GONNA DIIIIIE!" Happy Thanksgiving. (Sunset Tavern, 5433 Ballard Ave NW, 8 pm, $12, 21+) MEGAN SELING

THURSDAY 11/28

Magnuson Series Turkey Trot

(COMMUNITY) If waking up early on a holiday and moving your body appeals to you, Magnuson Park is the place to be. This year's Turkey Trot offers a kids’ dash at 9:15 am, followed by a 5K, 10K, and 15K at 9:30 am. You can walk, run, or channel a turkey in a leisurely trot! This year's featured charity is Teen Feed, and any non-perishable food item donations will go to the University Food Bank. Lean into the theme by dressing like a turkey or maybe a hangry dinner guest chasing down those tasty birds. (Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way NE, 9 am, $30-$40, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

FRIDAY 11/29

Golden Eighties

(FILM) The last Chantal Akerman film I recommended was Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai Du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, the three-and-a-half hour, avant-garde, fiercely feminist drama that was awarded the number one slot on Sight & Sound's 2022 critics' poll of the greatest films of all time. (It conquered both Vertigo and Citizen Kane for the first time in 60 years, and was the only film directed by a woman to ever reach a top 10 position in the poll.) This is not that. In fact, I am surprised this film exists at all. It's a musical set in a shopping mall that explores the relationships between retail employees, coffee hawkers, and hairdressers. Akerman reportedly described Golden Eighties as a "postmodern cross between women’s cinema, Jewish literature, and musicals." Yes, I'll be seated. (The Beacon, 4405 Rainier Ave S, various showtimes through Dec 3, $12.50) LINDSAY COSTELLO

SATURDAY 11/30

Seattle's Tribute to The Last Waltz

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(MUSIC) For 10 years now, Seattle’s Last Waltz Tribute has reserved the last Saturday of November, paying homage to the Band’s renowned Martin Scorsese-directed final concert film. Local musicians run through their versions of the famous setlist, and it’s never not a great time. In fact, it’s the perfect night out for anyone needing to entertain multiple generations of family visiting for the Thanksgiving weekend. Your dad can’t scream about politics if he’s too busy dancin’ to “Mystery Train”! This year’s performers include King Youngblood’s lead guitar shredder Cameron Lavi-Jones and Annie Jantzer, whose voice gave me goosebumps when I saw her sing “It Makes No Difference” at 2022’s event. (Neptune Theatre, 1303 NE 45th St, 8 pm, $25, all ages) MEGAN SELING

SUNDAY 12/1

Cyndi Lauper: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour

(MUSIC) It seems like every legacy artist is billing their tour as a "farewell" these days. It's difficult to decipher which are marketing ploys and which are truly their last (Elton John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour included 330 shows across five years). Considering that Cyndi Lauper hasn’t performed in Seattle since 2018, I'm willing to bet that this Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell tour is the real kind. Don't miss your (potential) last chance to see the new wave icon perform her classic hits like "True Colors," "Time After Time," "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," and countless others. Personally, I am hoping to hear the uncredited theme song for Pee-wee's Playhouse, in which Lauper sings about Puppetland in her best Betty Boop impersonation. (Climate Pledge Arena, 305 Harrison St, 8 pm, $34-$194, all ages) AUDREY VANN

MONDAY 12/2

The Stranger's Holiday Drink Week 2024

The Alpine Diner's Slope Side Mule, available during Holiday Drink Week. COURTESY OF ALPINE DINER

(FOOD & DRINK) 'Tis the season for warming wintry libations, from mulled wine to spiked cocoa. Ready to get your nog on? The Stranger has you covered with our Holiday Drink Week, a new annual tradition that debuted last year. And the best part? They’re only 12 BUCKS! For one week only, you'll find a variety of exclusive holiday-themed drink specials at participating bars and restaurants around town. Why not round up some friends, bundle up in your coziest attire, and head out on a self-guided booze tour? One thing's for certain: these won't be your ordinary cups of cheer. (Various locations, through Dec 8, see the full list of participants here) JULIANNE BELL

TUESDAY 12/3

Author Talk: Hsiao-Ching Chou and Meilee Chou Riddle, Feasts of Good Fortune

(FOOD/BOOKS) As the former food editor of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the former chair of the James Beard Foundation’s cookbook committee, Hsiao-Ching Chou boasts some seriously impressive food-writing chops. In her debut cookbook Chinese Soul Food and its follow-up Vegetarian Chinese Soul Food, Chou provided accessible guides to making soul-soothing, belly-warming comfort food like noodle soup, green onion pancakes, and potstickers. Now, the award-winning writer and cooking instructor is back with Feasts of Good Fortune, an ode to sumptuous holiday meals co-written with her 17-year-old daughter Meilee Riddle. The book explores tuan yuan (the act of coming together) with 75 recipes designed for occasions like Lunar New Year, Thanksgiving, and more. The two will join KUOW reporter Ruby DeLuna for a conversation about the joys of cooking together. (Book Larder, 4252 Fremont Ave N, 6:30 pm, $31.70 which includes a copy of Feasts of Good Fortune) JULIANNE BELL

Give the People What They Want

Audrey Vann — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0800

You deserve better ideas than beard oil and novelty chip clips. by Audrey Vann

If you, like us, are sick of reading uninspired, disturbingly gendered gift guides full of Amazon products, we’re proud to present you with a thoughtfully curated and locally focused list of whimsical gift ideas that range in price and effort. After all, you deserve better ideas than beard oil and novelty chip clips. We’ll turn you into a champion gift-giver in no time.

For the Bookworm in Your Life

Customized Book Bundles

In Iceland, books are the most popular Christmas gift. The holiday season is preceded by an annual book flood of new releases, and they’re exchanged between friends and family on Christmas Eve, often followed by a nighttime reading session that’s complemented by hot cocoa—a tradition I think we’d do well to adopt! If you want to channel some of that magic, try seeking out customized book recs for your recipients. The good people at the Seattle Public Library will happily provide a list of bespoke recommendations via their online Your Next Five Books program, and, of course, your local booksellers at shops like Elliott Bay Book Company and Charlie’s Queer Books can always point you in the right direction. I’m also a fan of the LGBTQ+-owned, Wisconsin-based bookstore A Room of One’s Own Books, which will curate a sweet “queer qare package” with books and other surprises based on a questionnaire about your giftee. Prices range from $45 to $1,000. JULIANNE BELL

A New York Review Books Subscription

Last year, I received an NYRB Classics Book Club subscription for Christmas, and it improved my entire year. If you’re unfamiliar with NYRB—the publishing division of the New York Review of Books—imagine the book version of the Criterion Collection, known for reprinting obscure, classic, and international titles with vibrant impressionistic artwork. With this annual subscription, your beloved book lover will receive one book per month. My favorites have been the metaphysical fiction novel The Skin of Dreams by French writer Raymond Queneau and the creative nonfiction collection The Unforgivable and Other Writings by Italian essayist Cristina Campo. AUDREY VANN

Children’s Books That Are Delightful for Adults, Too

If you’ve purchased any children’s books in the 21st century, you’re likely familiar with Carson Ellis. Still, we’d be remiss not to recommend her books. The illustrator’s naturalistic, folk-inspired, and richly detailed aesthetic falls in harmony with the Pacific Northwest landscape. In The Shortest Day, Ellis illustrates a poetic reflection on the winter solstice, which sounds like a lovely holiday gift to me. (BTW, while you’re shopping for kids’ books, pick up a copy of Ellis’s new illustrated memoir, One Week in January, for yourself—it revisits her experiences living in a Portland warehouse in the early 2000s, during which time she met future husband/Decemberists frontman/Wildwood writer Colin Meloy.)

And if you haven’t explored the enchanted realm of Phoebe Wahl’s children’s books, allow me to serve as your tiny mouse tour guide. (In alignment with Wahl’s aesthetic, I wear a strawberry for a hat and live beneath a mushroom cap.) I go hard for Wahl—the Bellingham-based illustrator’s book Little Witch Hazel offers body-posi folklore with a heroine who rides an owl and doesn’t shave her legs. If you are interested in haunted tree stumps, streamside fairies, and moments of exceptional vulnerability, you have found your new favorite person. Little Witch Hazel is a flawless book—I’ve even gifted it to adult friends—but Wahl’s other picture books, like Sonya’s Chickens and The Blue House, are treasures too, gently grappling with themes of gentrification and pet death. Ask about availability at Secret Garden Books in Ballard. LINDSAY COSTELLO

For Your Happily Overcaffeinated Loved One

Boon Boona Coffee

Boon Boona Coffee is a Black-owned coffee roaster that brings the unique flavors and community-minded traditions of East Africa to Seattle. In addition to making incredible coffee, they’re dedicated to supporting ethical sourcing, women growers, and underserved African coffee-growing regions. This summer, I bought a bag of their seasonal roast that listed strawberries as a tasting note on the label. To my delight, the roast tasted sweet but was also jammy and fresh with the earthy notes of strawberry seeds. I highly recommend buying the coffee addict(s) in your life a bag of Boon Boona beans or, better yet, one of their sample boxes or monthly coffee subscriptions. They also offer bags of green unroasted beans for coffee snobs who want to try their hand at the roasting process. AV

For the Gift-Giver Who Has No Money but Plenty of Time and Patience teresa grasseschi

Hand-Harvested Sea Salt

Did you know that you can harvest sea salt in your kitchen with a few buckets of fresh seawater and coffee filters? Many tutorials exist online; the gist of the process involves filtering and boiling the water until salt crystals form. Then, dehydrate the salty sludge in your oven until it turns into beautiful, fresh sea salt. Blend the salt with herbs or citrus zest to make it extra special! However, if you don’t have the desire to wade in the ocean collecting salt water with a bucket, you can simply gift a jar of locally harvested salt from San Juan Island Sea Salt, available in interesting flavors like truffle and bull kelp. AV

For Your Grandparents teresa grasseschi

A Christmas Ornament from Old World Christmas

One of my favorite things about Washington is that we are home to the country’s premier brand of Christmas ornaments (I promise it’s cooler than it sounds). Spokane-based elves Old World Christmas have produced magical, hand-painted blown glass ornaments since 1979. The best part is: They make ornaments of everything. With over 2,100 different ornaments, they have a wide variety of pets, foods, and pop culture icons to choose from. Looking for a Morton salt canister ornament? No problem. Need a pregnant snowman? They have that, too. What about Grandpa’s favorite recliner? Old World Christmas has you covered. Last year, I gifted my grandmother with a hot air balloon ornament to commemorate our voyage on the whimsical aircraft. AV

For the Fiber Arts Freak

Money for Yarn, aka the Power of Choice

Besides knowing the difference between knitting and crochet, the greatest gift you can give a fiber arts lover is enabling their hobby. Most of the knitters and crocheters I know (myself included) overspend on yarn, so they’d probably love a gift certificate to a well-stocked LYS (local yarn store) like the Tea Cozy Yarn Shop, Fiber Gallery, Acorn Street Shop, or Stitches. Cute notions like scissors or stitch markers are also always welcome, since they likely lose theirs all the time. For a fun day or weekend trip, treat them to a shopping spree at the sheep-to-skein producer Spincycle Yarns in Bellingham, yarn shops the Lamb & Kid and La Mercerie on Bainbridge Island, witchy Ritual Dyes in Portland, or yarn store/speakeasy Skein & Tipple on Whidbey Island. JB

For the Glassware Collector teresa grasseschi

A Chic Bottle of Booze or NA Spirit

Does your loved one have cupboards full of dainty little cups? I’m talking about champagne flutes, tiny cordial goblets, and grappa glasses. Listen to me: Don’t buy them any more vintage glassware! Instead, give them some reasons to use what they already have. The PNW is lucky to have countless distilleries, cideries, and bottle shops that peddle liquid gold. Gift them a bottle of flavorful hard cider from Finnriver or Twin Island Cider, both of which brew using local ingredients. Or watch their jaw drop as they unwrap a bottle of luxurious amaro from the Seattle-based, women-owned and -operated distillery Fast Penny Spirits. If they aren’t into the hard stuff, stop by alcohol-free bottle shop Cheeky & Dry for a chic bottle of NA spirits. No matter what drink your loved one is cheers-ing with this holiday season, you won’t go wrong with a jar of Luxardo cherries, available at several local grocery shops, including DeLaurenti and Metropolitan Market. AV

For the Wine Drinker

A Wine Subscription from a Local Bottle Shop

Want to impress your friend who has a Vivino account and is always talking about how much they love “glou-glou?” Sign them up for a wine club subscription from a hip spot like Left Bank in South Park, or La Dive, Otherworld, or Wide Eyed Wines on Capitol Hill. If they’re a bibliophile to boot, get them a curated wine and book pairing from Drink Books, which closed its Phinney storefront but still sells its combos online. JB

For the Tea Lover teresa grasseschi

Geek-Themed Tea from Friday Afternoon Tea

Loose-leaf aficionados will adore anything from Friday Afternoon Tea, a geek-themed tea shop in Wallingford. Owner Friday Elliott has lexical-gustatory synesthesia, which means she experiences words and concepts as flavors and uses this gift to craft specific blends inspired by sources ranging from Studio Ghibli films to The Lord of the Rings and Stardew Valley. For true indulgence, you can even book a custom tea blending appointment to create the brew of your recipient’s dreams. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable, if you have any questions. JB

For the Person You Love So Much, No Object Will Suffice

The Melograno in Scented Terracotta at Liten Apothecary

For the last decade, I’ve lovingly referred to it as “The Pomegranate”—an elusive piece I promised myself I’d buy someday if I’m ever wealthy. So far, that plan hasn’t worked out for me. But that doesn’t mean you’re not wealthy, or at least willing to shell out $75 for a scented terracotta fruit made by an 800-year-old Italian apothecary company. (Santa Maria Novella products were first crafted by Dominican friars in 1221.) This is the chicest object ever created. Here’s why: The Pomegranate’s key features include a bergamot top, pomegranate (obviously) middle, and oakmoss base, and these notes coalesce into a spicy olfactory family. It also comes with a little plate, so your pomegranate has something to rest on. Santa Maria Novella explains that this fruit is “a universe that unfolds into unique and distinctive sensory nuances.” I am confident that your gift recipient requires more sensory nuance in their life. You can find the Pomegranate, which is more officially titled the “Melograno in Scented Terracotta,” at Liten Apothecary in Fremont. Plus, I have another (budget-friendly!) scent suggestion for you: Papier d’Arménie, which I’ve been purchasing for $5–$7 a pop for years. These little booklets of flammable scented paper have been in production in France since 1885, and they slide perfectly into a stocking. LC

teresa grasseschi

A Tintype from Red Room Tintype

Unlike a typical photograph, a tintype is printed on a metal plate, which means it can last for 100+ years. This is particularly romantic if you’re in search of a gift that symbolizes everlasting devotion to a loved one. Last year, I took my friend Sophia to Red Room Tintype on Queen Anne to have our friendship memorialized forever, and I was awestruck by the ghostly, elegant result. Tintypes run around $150–$200. If you’re on a tight budget, consider creating your own similarly charming gift, like a Victorian-style shadow silhouette. All you need is black paper, scissors, creative lighting, and maybe a gilded frame from the thrift store. Make one of your friend’s pet—they will cry. AV

For the Hygge-Loving Fashion Enthusiast

Socks. Really, Really Nice Socks.

Hear me out—I know socks are often decried as a boring, overly practical present, but I think that’s reductive, especially when you can get socks as cozy and luxurious as the ones offered by the indie brand Le Bon Shoppe, which are available at boutiques like Butter Home on Capitol Hill, MILLIE on Queen Anne, and Pipe & Row in Fremont. Their thick, cushy “cloud socks” are my favorite, but styles like the sporty “girlfriend” and “boyfriend” crew socks and the stretchy ribbed “her socks” are just as timeless and stylish. For a more affordable sock option, I love the playful pairs sold at H Mart and Daiso. Alternatively, the Sock Monster in Wallingford has just about every variation you can think of, from tame to statement-making and from ankle socks to thigh-highs (including wide-calf and plus-size options). JB

For Those Who Hate Overconsumption and Capitalism

Donate!

There’s an abundance of worthy local, national, and international causes to give your money to. For your consideration, we’re recommending: the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and Anera, which are providing urgent humanitarian relief in Palestine and Lebanon; Connecting Humanity, which supplies eSIMs (virtual SIM cards) to Gaza residents; the Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project, which works to bridge the financial gap in access to abortion and emergency contraceptives; and the Lavender Rights Project, a Seattle-based organization that empowers the Black intersex and gender-diverse community through intersectional legal and social services. Give a donation in your loved one’s name, or consider setting aside 10%–25% of your gift-buying budget to donate this year. AV

Gifts That Keep on Giving

A Membership to a Local Art Organization

Does your giftee love art? Gift a membership to the Seattle Art Museum, which gets them unlimited free admission for an entire year, along with other perks. If they’re a cinema buff, look into memberships at their local theater—such as SIFF or Grand Illusion (who are facing a costly move in 2025). You could also make a pledge to KEXP to get the music lover in your life a snazzy T-shirt or mug. Or, if your significant other has said, “We should go hiking more,” buy them a Discover Pass. If they’re a history buff, sign them up to support their local PBS station so they can obsessively binge Antiques Roadshow (okay, maybe I’m projecting). AV

One More Thing to Consider teresa grasseschi

Homemade Wrapping

I’m gonna get on my soapbox here: I don’t want to see any more wasteful and, frankly, ugly gift wrap from Target. Head to your nearest creative reuse store to find charming vintage paper, fabric, ribbons, stickers, and stamps. You’ll be surprised by what you can find. Last year, for under $20, I sourced various velvet ribbons, tiny bells, and butcher paper from Seattle ReCreative to wrap my holiday gifts—most of which I can reuse this year. They have two locations, in Georgetown and Greenwood. This practice saves on waste and money, and your friends and family will be impressed by your Martha Stewart-esque skills. AV

Stranger Suggests: Julefest, Seattle International Butoh Festival, Meow Brow, United Indians Native Art Market, BEAT

Dave Segal — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 12:28:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Dave Segal WEDNESDAY 11/20

Following Space Community Opening

(VISUAL ART) Celebrate the opening of Seattle Art Museum's latest two-person exhibition, Following Space: Thaddeus Mosley & Alexander Calder, for free at this gathering. Curator Catharina Manchanda will offer a 15-minute overview of the exhibition, and pianist/composer Victor Noriega will add a touch of class with layered, complex compositions. Docents will lead tours of the show to provide additional context, and cocktails and snacks will be available for purchase. (Seattle Art Museum, 1300 First Ave, 6–9 pm, free) LINDSAY COSTELLO

THURSDAY 11/21

Beautiful Freaks, Mikey Moo, and Chinese American Bear

(MUSIC) Chinese American Bear are riding the massive wave of popularity enjoyed by Asian pop over the last decade. The married Seattle duo of Anne Tong and Bryce Barsten create instantly enjoyable dance music with melodies that urgently seek to brighten your day. On CAB's 2022 self-titled debut album, the fusion of Chinese pop (and occasional Mandarin lyrics) with Western beats and instrumentation is as smooth as noodles, and the production positively gleams. The record's most popular tune, "Love Bus," has a deceptive funkiness even as it spirals skyward with diaphanous euphoria. On this year's superior follow-up on Moshi Moshi Records, Wah!!!, CAB continue to construct their adorable sonic confections into an indestructible fortress of escapism in which—given the oncoming Project 2025 shitstorm—we'll need to take refuge from time to time. On the new album, everything sounds punchier, more vivid, and ready for prime time. If Chinese American Bear aren't tickling large festival crowds by next year, I'll slowly shake my head in disbelief. With Beautiful Freaks and Mikey Moo as part of Cloudbreak Music Festival. (Neumos, 925 E Pike St, 7 pm, $10, all ages) DAVE SEGAL

FRIDAY 11/22

Julefest: A Nordic Holiday Celebration

Æbleskiver!!!!!!!!! NICK KLEIN

(COMMUNITY) The National Nordic Museum’s annual Julefest is a weekend filled with holiday celebrations, including music, dancing, and winter fare from northern Europe. Modeled after a traditional Christmas market, it includes photos with Santa, wares from dozens of local artisans, and tasty Scandinavian snacks like æbleskiver for when you need to warm up your insides. New this year, the market will open on Friday evening for the 21-and-up crowd with festive drinks in the Valhalla Beer Hall and giving adults first dibs on goodies from vendors like Hygge Chocolates and Sky River Mead. (National Nordic Museum, 2655 NW Market St, Fri-Sun, $5-$20, Fri is 21+, Sat-Sun is all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

SATURDAY 11/23

Seattle International Butoh Festival 2024

(PERFORMANCE) At this recurring festival presented by the Seattle-based organization DAIPANbutoh Collective, attendees can feast their eyes on the fascinating art of butoh, a contemporary form of Japanese performance inspired by ghosts, anguish, rapture, and the grotesque. (If that sounds incredibly cool to you, that's because it is.) Guest artists Mari Osanai (from Japan) and Eugenia Vargas (from Mexico) will lead workshops, and dancer-activist Tebby Ramasike's unique work will be shared via video. (Yaw Theater, 6520 Fifth Ave S, Nov 22–24, $20-$225, free and sliding scale) LINDSAY COSTELLO

SUNDAY 11/24

United Indians Native Art Market

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(COMMUNITY) Put your money where your land acknowledgment is and support the Indigenous community at this curated market and exhibition featuring goods from local Native artists. The market runs for a weekend in November and December, so there's ample opportunity to choose from a wide range of gifts, including clothing, jewelry, art prints, woodworks, and instruments. Already finished with your holiday shopping? That's fine—these high-quality creations will be in style all year round, and you’ve earned a little something for yourself, don’t you think? You can also visit the online gift shop, which supports the mission of United Indians of All Tribes Foundation. (Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center, 5011 Bernie Whitebear Way, Nov 23–24 and Dec 21–22, free, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

MONDAY 11/25

Meow Brow

Alexis Trice, 'A Good Cry.' See it as part of the Meow Brow show at Gallery ERGO through December 9. COURTESY OF GALLERY ERGO

(VISUAL ART) When life gives you lemons in the form of a worst-case-scenario presidential election, make lemonade by attending a cat-themed art show. Look, I can't promise this exhibition will cure your existential dread. I can, however, promise that Gallery ERGO has curated an "insanely good lineup" of artists, all of whom have worked their magic on "birch cat head-shaped panels." Plus, 10% of all proceeds from the show will be donated to a local animal shelter. There's still hope for humanity, you know. (Gallery ERGO, 1501 Pike Pl Ste 314, through Dec 9, free, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

TUESDAY 11/26

BEAT

(MUSIC) Most folks—including this writer—consider UK prog-rock legends King Crimson's peak to span from 1969 to 1974. However, the three sporadically brilliant albums that master guitarist/leader Robert Fripp and a different crew cut in the first half of the 1980s have their champions, too—KC guitarist Adrian Belew and bassist Tony Levin among them. Now, those two badasses, plus guitar maestro Steve Vai (who's assuming the Fripp role) and Tool drummer Danny Carey, have formed the virtuosic group BEAT in order to play songs from Discipline, Beat, and Three of a Perfect Pair. These records combine art rock, new wave, disco, and a Westernized strain of gamelan into eventful and complex compositions that sound little like "21st Century Schizoid Man" or "Starless." Eighties tracks such as "Elephant Talk," "Thela Hun Ginjeet," and "Sleepless" even got dance floors moving—something that first-phase Crimson never really did. The BEAT repertoire also includes some glistening ballads, serene ambient pieces, and contorted art rock. If you can handle Belew's David Byrne-alike vocals, you're in for a powerful treat. (Moore Theatre, 1932 2nd Ave, 8 pm, $75.50 and up, all ages) DAVE SEGAL

Heaven Scent

Lindsay Costello — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0800

See Fischersund: Faux Flora at the National Nordic Museum through January 26, 2025. by Lindsay Costello

If an ethereal falsetto singing in an invented language wafted into your ears sometime over the last three decades, chances are good that it was Jónsi’s. But the Icelandic singer and multi-instrumentalist behind the post-rock band Sigur Rós is also invested in another immersive, ephemeral medium: He creates perfume with his sisters Lilja, Inga, and Sigurrós Birgisdóttir as Fischersund, an art collective based in Reykjavík.

Fischersund: Faux Flora, the collective’s first exhibition, arrives at Seattle’s National Nordic Museum on the heels of FLÓÐ, Jónsi’s scented exhibition hosted by the museum in 2023. This show feels entirely distinct, though. Faux Flora envelops the viewer—or experiencer, rather—in a multisensory display of the chapters of human life through the lens of imagined plants, which are paired with scent blends and soundscapes.

Ahead of the exhibit’s opening, I spoke with Jónsi, Lilja, Inga, and National Nordic Museum chief curator Leslie Anderson about scent blending, botanical treatises, the climate crisis, and their favorite Icelandic plants.

“The world we’re living in—it’s sometimes so bleak. I think it’s important to make some magic.” JIM BENNETT PHOTO BAKERY FOR NATIONAL NORDIC MUSEUM

Faux Flora is the first exhibition by Fischersund as a collective. What sparked your family’s interest in perfumery? How did that practice evolve into multimedia art?

Jónsi: I started perfuming around 15 years ago.

Inga Birgisdóttir: He was always showing us his creations, and we were amazed, but he was never happy with anything. Finally, we kind of bullied him into releasing one scent!

Lilja Birgisdóttir: We’re all artists—musicians, perfumers, visual artists, photographers—so it was always a dream for us to create something bigger together. [Jónsi] had this house in downtown Reykjavík where he’d had his private studio, making music and perfumes. Then he moved his studio to LA, so it was empty. So we painted the walls black, put some art on the walls, had music playing, and that was about it. That’s how [our perfumery] started.

Did each of you have specific roles in the creation of Faux Flora, or was it more of a collaborative process?

Jónsi: This is all collaborative, but we have our own strengths.

I’m curious how the sculptural, scented, graphic, and photographic elements in Faux Flora are brought together. What can someone expect when they walk into the museum space?

Inga: The exhibition shares the life cycle of a flowering plant: germination, growth, flowering, seed formation, and seed dispersal. We are kind of…

Jónsi: Mirroring.

Inga: Yeah, mirroring that process in human life: birth, growth, adolescence, adulthood, and death. The flowers are categorized in these five different chapters throughout the exhibition.

Lilja: You can expect to see some video works, hand-colored photographs, sculptures, music, and deconstructed scents. Each flower has its own scent and soundscape.

Leslie Anderson: To situate this idea within the context of art history and natural science, [we were] thinking about this exhibition in relation to botanical treatises. These had so many different functions, but they were really a way to describe the natural world. Faux Flora is a clever response to that type of text, which would bear beautiful illustrations by artists but also contain descriptions of plants and communicate the experience of being with that example of plant life to anyone in the world. In this case, Fischersund takes it so much further because you can smell the plants. You can hear them in their environment.

A visitor gets a big whiff of the Fischersund: Faux Flora exhibit. JIM BENNETT PHOTO BAKERY FOR NATIONAL NORDIC MUSEUM

Faux Flora was inspired by the 500 native plant species in Iceland, but the show invents new plant species. How does that process of invention work?

Jónsi: Icelandic plant life was a starting point, but it evolved from our imagination, our emotions, our memories.

Do any of you have a favorite Icelandic native plant?

Jónsi: Fífa is very cool. [Eriophorum angustifolium, common cottongrass.]

Inga: I also like Arctic root [Rhodiola rosea], which is like a super-plant. It’s really good for you, good for your memory. It smells really sweet.

Lilja: Chervil [Anthriscus cerefolium]—an Icelandic plant with a licorice scent. We have it in our teas and in the perfume.

Jónsi: We use a lot of Icelandic pine in our perfumes, too.

“When you use your eyes, you’re so used to being critical. But there’s something about music and scent that goes past those walls.” JIM BENNETT PHOTO BAKERY FOR NATIONAL NORDIC MUSEUM

Curating a show with scent elements sounds like a unique challenge. Leslie, I’m curious how you integrate scent into a public space.

Leslie: There are lengthy conversations that we have to have on staff—concerns about our HVAC system, ensuring that the scent is impactful and soliciting the response that artists want, but with nothing dispersed in the atmosphere that could compromise other objects in the museum. It takes a lot of creative problem-solving to determine how we can ensure that the viewer is understanding the work in its entirety through their nose, while still operating within museum professional practices.

Scent in exhibitions is a way to elicit an emotional response, to evoke memory. I think that museums need to encourage people to spend time thinking deeply about and responding to works of art. That is an important artistic strategy here. It’s not too dissimilar from Bernini’s 17th-century fusions of the visual—painting, sculpture, architecture—to convey important points, or, in the 19th century, Wagner’s idea of a “total work of art,” or Gesamtkunstwerk. This is a human translation of these ideas wedded with forward-thinking artistic practices to get a full, emotional, physical response from the viewer.

It seems like scent is having a moment in contemporary art. I know FLÓÐ was a huge success; there was a 12.5% increase in museum membership during that time. What’s drawing artists and visitors toward scent as a medium and an experience?

Leslie: Coming out of the pandemic, [viewers were] searching for experiences that transported them. We’re more cognizant of how we spend our time, and we want these moments to be very impactful. I also saw FLÓÐ as a very social exhibition. People spent hours by themselves in the space, but they also appreciated it in groups and talked about it. It allows viewers to experience and share in a way that they weren’t able to in lockdown.

"In the exhibition, the flowers themselves are hinting at what you’re smelling." JIM BENNETT PHOTO BAKERY FOR NATIONAL NORDIC MUSEUM

I know seaweed was harvested from the Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans for FLÓÐ, Jónsi. Are there any anchor or primary scents in Faux Flora?

Jónsi: We were mostly excited about the five different stages. It is different from FLÓÐ, which centered on one scent—this is varied.

Lilja: For our “birth” scent, we were thinking about what scents we connect with that period—breast milk, skin, clean clothes. It’s nuanced because we are mirroring the human lifespan—like in childhood, you have the scent of grass-stained pants and candy. In the exhibition, the flowers themselves are hinting at what you’re smelling.

On the Fischersund website, I noticed how poetically scent is written about—like No. 23 Fragrance, which is rooted in Jónsi’s memories of working by the harbor with his father. That connection between scent and storytelling seems powerful. It’s cool to hear that you’re blending scents that are both unexpected and familiar, like grass and skin.

Lilja: Scent is a universal language. Grass smells the same anywhere in the world, you know? That’s the beautiful thing about smell…

Jónsi: It’s a connector.

See Fischersund: Faux Flora at the National Nordic Museum through January 26, 2025. JIM BENNETT PHOTO BAKERY FOR NATIONAL NORDIC MUSEUM

Does this work feel connected to climate change? I’m thinking about plants growing and dying and disappearing. I’m thinking about the ephemerality of our memories. Scent, as you just said, is a universal language—and the state of the climate is a universal crisis. Does that feel resonant?

Inga: Yes—we’re dealing with that every day. That’s our reality right now. Some of these memories or shared experiences that we are working with are disappearing, too.

Lilja: For example, we took old books and distilled them into a scent. It was interesting talking to young people about it, [for whom] everything happens on their screens. They didn’t have these connections, and their homes weren’t filled with books. That’s also something that’s changing—physical versus digital.

Leslie: Scent is such an effective tool in conjuring memories. In FLÓÐ, some of the visitor responses that I felt were most powerful were those that reflected on rising flood waters and the climate crisis. But other people talked about how the scents brought them back to their youth in Norway. The show was interpreted differently by every single person. To your question on climate change and the extinction of plant life, I think that this exhibition follows along with botanical treatises and taxonomies, but it’s for the Anthropocene era. It’s memorializing, even though these are “faux” flora. It memorializes plants that we will lose because of human impact.

The process of imagining new plant species makes me think of your practice of singing in your invented Hopelandic language, Jónsi. What feels important about imagining something new in your work?

Jónsi: I think doing something new and exploring is important to all of us.

Inga: And of course, the world we’re living in—it’s sometimes so bleak. I think it’s important to make some magic.

You have scented concerts planned with Sin Fang and Kjartan Holm as opening receptions for Faux Flora. Do you see any similarities or differences between the perfumery process and the music-making process?

Jónsi: They’re linked. Making music is very… musical. [laughs] But perfume is [more of] a silent process.

Inga: Both are very layered. These layers make it juicy.

Jónsi: Both are invisible and abstract but still resonate in some way with everybody. So it’s kind of amazing. It’s magic.

Lilja: Yeah, it is magic. When you use your eyes, you’re so used to being critical. But there’s something about music and scent that goes past those walls. You either like a smell or you hate a smell. It’s the same in music.

Fischersund: Faux Flora will be installed at the National Nordic Museum through January 26, 2025.

Stranger Suggests: Secret SIFF Staff Benefit Screening!, Babe Fest 2, World Toilet Day, STÖR, Matty Matheson

Megan Seling — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 14:57:00 -0800

One really great thing to do every day of the week by Megan Seling WEDNESDAY 11/13

Secret SIFF Staff Benefit Screening!

(FILM/FUNDRAISER) Days after getting our souls ripped out and stomped on by more than 75 million Americans on November 5, SIFF had to break even more bad news: SIFF Cinema Egyptian will be closed for the foreseeable future due to a “significant pipe leak.” It happened Tuesday evening. I blame Trump for this, somehow. This sucks for moviegoers, of course, but it’s an even bigger blow to the workers whose future employment has been put into upheaval. Tonight, SIFF supporters have organized a super secret screening and fundraiser at Northwest Film Forum to raise funds for the staffers impacted by the closure. What movie? It’s a surprise! They promise it is “VERY good.” It’s free, but hopefully, you can kick at least a few bucks into the SIFF Cinema Workers Union Fundraiser on GoFundMe. And if you show your proof of donation at the concession stand, you get a free small popcorn! (Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave, 7 pm, free) MEGAN SELING

THURSDAY 11/14

The Blood Brothers

(MUSIC) Like any fan of Seattle hardcore band the Blood Brothers, I have found myself at a show, pressed up against a wall of people, shouting the wrong lyrics to their songs. For instance, on their hit "USA NAILS," there's a hook where you think you're singing a cheer-style "one, one, and two!" but the lyrics are actually: "These pigs locked me up to see what color I'd rot into!" When I sat down to talk to Johnny Whitney, who fronts the band with fellow singer/screamer/guttural whisperer Jordan Blilie, he noted that plenty of lyrics websites list incorrect verses for Blood Brothers songs. "It's hilarious how wrong some of them are," Whitney said. "The lyrics on Spotify are not even close to what I'm actually saying. Just buy the fucking CD, and look it up. Come on, people." Read the full interview here. (The Showbox, 1426 First Ave, Nov 14-15, 8 pm, Thurs is all ages, Fri is 21+) SUZETTE SMITH

FRIDAY 11/15

Babe Fest 2

[Correction: Babe Fest 2 is Saturday, November 16. We regret the error.]

(PARTY) During a time that feels both politically glum and literally glum outside, join your fellow babes to let loose in a sparkly sea of positive energy. DJ Wax Witch (the mastermind behind Seattle's girl-powered DJ series Babe Night) will host the second annual Babe Fest, featuring a therapeutic blend of '90s pop, Y2K dance, and Euro house bops. Fellow spinderellas SofiiaK, Abbie, Reverend Dollars, and Ten Billion Jules will join the fun in addition to live sets from friendship-focused bands Who Is She? and THEM (full disclosure: my sister is in this band, but I’d think they’re great even without blood relation, I promise!). Proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to Rain City Rock Camp, a local nonprofit that empowers creativity in femmes and gender-nonconforming individuals through music with sliding-scale rock camps and education. (Baba Yaga, 124 S Washington St, 7 pm, $15-$20, 21+) AUDREY VANN

SATURDAY 11/16

World Toilet Day

World Toilet Day is Saturday, November 16. (THERE ARE TOILET GAMES!) Hiroshi Higuchi/Getty

(COMMUNITY) In honor of the United Nations' World Toilet Day on November 19, the Gates Discovery Center invites toilet users of all stripes for a day of activities and exhibits highlighting the importance of the porcelain throne. You can make your own "pooparium," a terrarium filled with biosolid compost, or stop by the water bar to see if you can taste the difference between tap, bottled, and filtered water. I think even the most stoic of us won't be able to resist giggling while playing poop-into-toilet-themed corn hole—and who doesn't need a laugh right now? (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center, 11 am-3 pm, free, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

SUNDAY 11/17

STÖR

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(VISUAL ART) If you assume STÖR is a parody of a certain meatball-serving Swedish mega-retailer, you'd be right—but it's more than that, too. The labyrinthine Base Camp Studios project was imagined as an "immersive rebrand of how we experience, consume, and purchase art." That means you can explore and shop the STÖR space while contemplating the confluence of commerce and artistic production. Mary Anne Carter, Lilia Deering, and over 25 other participating artists have outfitted the installation with "surreal reinterpretations" of mass-produced home goods and decor. (Base Camp Studios, 1901 Third Ave, through Jan 10, $15 suggested donation) LINDSAY COSTELLO

MONDAY 11/18

Katie Gavin

(MUSIC) As a devoted stan of queer indie pop icons, Gayotic podcasters, and self-proclaimed "greatest band in the world" MUNA, I've enjoyed watching member Katie Gavin step into her solo side project. She cites Alanis Morissette, Fiona Apple, Ani DiFranco, Tracy Chapman, Tori Amos, and Sarah McLachlan as influences on her debut album What a Relief, which was largely written on acoustic guitar over the course of seven years, and their raw honesty shines through on nostalgic '90s-tinged singles like "Aftertaste" (a sweet, woozy ode to the vulnerability of a nascent crush) and "Casual Drug Use" (a compassionate affirmation in the face of substance abuse issues, penned in the wake of a breakup in 2016). (Neumos, 925 E Pike St, 7 pm, $39-$45, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

TUESDAY 11/19

Matty Matheson

See Matty Matheson at Town Hall Seattle Tuesday, November 19. COURTESY OF PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE

(FOOD/BOOKS) You might already know the boisterous, tattooed, foul-mouthed Canadian chef Matty Matheson for his role as handyman Neil Fak on FX's The Bear (which he also executive produces) or for his joyfully chaotic cooking channel on YouTube. His latest cookbook Soups, Salads, Sandwiches involves all three of the holy comfort food triad, with recipes like crab congee, "Everyone's Mom's Macaroni and Tuna Salad," and Cubanos. Best of all, the book's commentary stays true to his signature raucous, jovial voice. He'll chat with Little Fat Boy food writer and photographer Frankie Gaw about the release. (Town Hall Seattle, 1119 Eighth Ave, 7:30 pm, $7-$139, all ages) JULIANNE BELL

Stranger Suggests: The Seven Stages of Grief

Megan Seling — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 13:33:00 -0800

One Really Great Way to Cope Every Day of the Week by Megan Seling WEDNESDAY 11/6

Drink Sad Girl Shots and Eat Cheese at Situ Tacos

(SHOCK) In a state of post-election shock? Me, too. Lean into the overwhelm with a bracing gulp of el Jimador tequila and a salty cube of Tillamook cheese—otherwise known as the Sad Girl Shot. Situ Tacos owner Lupe Flores claims this combination got her through the pandemic, and it’s likely an ideal salve for our current despondent situation, too. I generally try not to suggest alcohol as an antidote to despair—as wine writer Marissa A. Ross wrote in the wake of Anthony Bourdain’s death, “Drink to celebrate life, not to deal with loss”—but the Sad Girl Shot is just too perfect an invention. Plus, Situ Tacos is also hosting Floaters, an exhibition of artist Devin Liston’s bubbly, surreal, Dali-esque paintings of everyday objects like billiard balls, in their glitzy gold back bar Tilda’s Lounge tonight. Instead of doom-scrolling, go feast your eyes on art and knock back a few drinks, and if you’d prefer to abstain from booze, you can always skip the shots and opt for a tub of Situ’s divine queso. Best of all, 25 percent of the night’s proceeds will go to the Lebanese Red Cross, so you’ll be fighting nihilism by supporting a worthy cause. Sad girls por vida! (Situ Tacos, 5239 Ballard Ave NW, Sad Girl Shots are $6, chips and queso are $10) JULIANNE BELL

THURSDAY 11/7

Go to Another World with SIFF’s Cinema Italian Style Film Festival

(DENIAL) What’s America? You don’t live there. In fact, you’ve never even heard of the United States. You live in a bubble. Your days are steeped in simplicity and unbroken serenity, untouched by the ever-looming threat of Christofascism and student loan repayment. Your life is bliss. And what you have heard of are the sun-dappled olive groves of Italy. Consider snagging a seat at one of SIFF's chic Cinema Italian Style screenings, particularly if you’re into guised critiques of the bourgeoisie. Or amp up the distraction factor at Art of Studio Ghibli, which celebrates the legendary Japanese animation studio’s poetic, intelligent approach to nature and the more-than-human world. (Thanks, Miyazaki—you’re giving us a reason to live right now.) Sean Baker’s Anora, which follows a sex worker who marries a Russian oligarch, might feel a little too “real world-y” at the moment, but his clear-eyed approach and lush visuals are always a draw. (See full film listings on EverOut) LINDSAY COSTELLO

FRIDAY 11/8

Break Shit

<a href="https://file13records.bandcamp.com/album/hamburgers-ep">Hamburgers - EP by Atom & His Package</a>

(ANGER) Ever since I saw Bob Trevino Likes It at SIFF this year, I’ve wanted to visit a “rage room,” especially as a woman who, like the main character in the film, has always been taught to be kind and polite, never violent. Lucky for us, we have our own version up in Lake City that invites you to smash glasses, sledgehammer a toilet, and more. We recommend emptying your mind and listening to this absurd little song while you do it. If you’re not into destruction, you can punch out your anger at Cappy’s Boxing Gym in Central District or Seattle Boxing Gym in Interbay (they both offer your first class free!). And if you’d rather drink a beer while throwing sharp objects, there’s always axe throwing in Capitol Hill and White Center. (Rage Industry, 13333 Lake City Way NE, sessions start at $40) SHANNON LUBETICH

SATURDAY 11/9

Have You Tried Being Less of an Asshole?

Even the grafitti can be nicer. MS

(BARGAINING) DO BETTER. It’s the directive that has echoed through social media comments for years as the quick quip that critics post anytime anyone does anything that even mildly rocks their delicate sensibilities. It usually (understandably) is met with eye rolls. But… have you tried it? Have you actually tried to do better? Maybe if we’re all the best versions of ourselves, we can cancel out some of the 72 million selfish bigots who voted for the racist rapist and preserve some goodwill in this world. Lead with kindness. Have patience. Smile at dogs. Randomly text your pals and tell them that they’re the most gorgeous and hilarious beings on the planet. Offer to bring a meal to a sick friend or rake up leaves for an elderly neighbor. Hold open a door, pay for someone’s coffee, and don’t laugh when a tourist falls off their rented scooter. Be everything those 72 million (and counting!) motherfuckers are too selfish to be. Fake it ‘til you make it—or uncontrollably collapse into a crying, shaking heap of blood, guts, and flesh on the floor—baby! MEGAN SELING

SUNDAY 11/10

Live That “Two Benadryl and a Lifetime Movie” Life

(DEPRESSION) Several years ago, I heard about “Two Benadryl and a Lifetime Movie” on the C-Word podcast and never forgot it. The depression cocktail has since become the remedy I give to myself and my loved ones who are experiencing insurmountable amounts of sadness. While it doesn’t necessarily need to be those little pink pills and Lifetime’s Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas (although it’s a great combination, TBH), pick any mind-numbing film or television show and pair it with an indulgent (but safe) amount of sleep-inducing potion. Other variations include two cups of chamomile tea and an Adam Sandler movie, two hits of weed and a Martha Stewart Living marathon, or two bowls of ice cream and an old season of Project Runway. Personally, I will be taking two melatonin and watching Lifetime’s adaptation of Flowers in the Attic before drifting into a sweet slumber (or dissociative oblivion, we’ll see). AUDREY VANN

MONDAY 11/11

Go for a Long Walk and Discover Who You Are Now

You don't even have to go up hills if you don't want to. MS

(TESTING) This is my cure-all for when I feel out of control and need to take back my agency because it’s simple, and you set all the parameters. You control when you walk, how fast you walk, how long you walk, and how many steep inclines you choose to brave or creatively avoid. You can break out into a run or sit down on a wet park bench in the morning drizzle to absorb the book, podcast, or music you’re listening to. Counting steps is nice if you’re into goal setting, but so is leaving your phone at home and soaking in the quiet. Let disinhibition lead you. Screw the clock. Fuck obligations. Clear your schedule and just go. Walking is one of the simplest ways to connect with your autonomy and the human spirit, whatever that means to you. Turn home when your legs ache, and when you get that restless, sick feeling, get your ass off the couch and go walk again. VIVIAN MCCALL

TUESDAY 11/12

Prepare for Battle

Shout Your Abortion mural on Capitol Hill. MS

(ACCEPTANCE) This is here. It’s real. Donald Trump will be the 47th President of the United States. A lot of bad shit is going to happen, so we need to donate and fight and organize. Don’t get complacent in our blue state. I know a lot of you out there will legitimately be fine, but don’t let your privilege get in the way of seeing that many, many others will not. Donate to the ACLU. Donate to abortion funds in Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Donate to the National Immigrant Justice Center. Do whatever Pramila Jayapal tells you to do. Organize a friend group to attend this talk at Town Hall on Thursday about taking collective action and building civic community. Join a mutual aid group (like Super Familia, South & East King County, and Homies Helping Homies). Give food to a community fridge. Volunteer. Foster dogs. Do literally anything to give back to your community. Tell people you love them, and mean it. It’s time to show the fuck up, Seattle. SHANNON LUBETICH

Stranger Suggests: White Center Halloweentown Block Party, Seattle Catrinas Festival, Gouge Away, the Art of Studio Ghibli, and VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

Lindsay Costello — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 13:55:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Lindsay Costello WEDNESDAY 10/30

Seattle 48 Hour Horror Film Project

(FILM) You might already be familiar with the Seattle 48 Hour Horror Film Project, a fast-paced, pressure-cooker film series featuring dozens of short films created by Seattle talent over 48 short hours. (Filmmakers must "draw a genre from a hat and incorporate specific elements such as a character, prop, and line of dialogue into their films," so the results feel improvisational and invigorated.) This spine-tingling spin on the project invites participants to create horror flicks in two short days. I'm anticipating the results to be a little more funny than terrifying, but who knows? There might be some truly twisted greatness in the mix. (SIFF Cinema Uptown, 511 Queen Anne Ave N, through Oct 31, $13.50–$17.50) LINDSAY COSTELLO

THURSDAY 10/31

White Center Halloweentown Block Party

(HALLOWEEN) White Center gets serious about Halloween with a 10-hour-long celebration where kids can "trunk-or-treat" from decked-out lowriders along 16th Avenue SW (4–8 pm) and enjoy carnival games, crafts, and themed food and drink. As the sun goes down, the live entertainment starts up with wrestling matches, drag performances, and tunes from local bands and DJs. Plus, this is the time to pull out all the stops with your costume—the winner of the neighborhood-wide costume contest will be crowned at midnight at Southgate Roller Rink and gifted two box suite tickets to a Kraken game. (White Center's Business Core, 16th Ave SW between SW Roxbury St and SW 100th St, 4 pm–2 am, free, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

Find more Halloween recommendations in EverOut's Halloween Guide!

FRIDAY 11/1

Seattle Catrinas Festival 2024

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A post shared by Seattle Catrinas Festival (@seattlecatrinasfestival)

(COMMUNITY) This four-day community Día de los Muertos celebration is centered around catrinas, elegant skeletal characters associated with the Day of the Dead. The festival honors the memory of departed loved ones with a giant altar, photo and graphic art exhibitions, face painting, and a street market full of traditional food. You can interact with live catrinas, play a game of Lotería, and get your photo taken with professionally decorated giant skulls and mojigangas, or giant puppets. In the evenings, grab a seat for entertainment, such as folk dance performances, a live catrinas procession, and a mariachi concert. (Town Hall Seattle, 1119 Eighth Ave, Oct 31–Nov 3, $45, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH

SATURDAY 11/2

Gouge Away

(MUSIC) With the election just days away, you're likely feeling the urge to scream, to shout, to thrash your body around in an effort to release some of the unrelenting tension that's crushing your brain, your heart, your soul. Get thee to the Vera Project Saturday night for Gouge Away, a band that captures the musical catharsis of Perfect Pussy and the political unrest of anyone who’s paying attention and not an asshole. “No Release,” from their new album Deep Sage, will feel especially potent leading up to the election. Vocalist Christina Michelle cries out, “Feeling nauseous, no release / Getting breathless, it's hard to think / Can't control it, it's in the blood” over pummeling drumming and guitar riffs that are faster than your racing pulse. The anxiety is a little sneaker in “Idealized.” Wirey guitars wrap themselves around driving percussion like a snake coiling around its prey’s chest as it tries to squeeze out the last heartbeat while Michelle chants “No apology means no apology!” over and over again. Phew, that’s dramatic. I might need a nap. After I release my demons at Vera, of course. (Vera Project, 305 Harrison St, 7 pm, $21.33, all ages) MEGAN SELING

SUNDAY 11/3

Brandon Vosika: Vases to Hold My Tears

See Brandon Vosika's exhibit Vases to Hold My Tears through November 4. COURTESY OF GALLERY ERGO

(VISUAL ART) Brandon Vosika, whose piece "Painting for the Artists and the Lovers" recently graced the cover of The Stranger's Fall Arts + Performance guide, is one of our favorite local artists. His new exhibition, Vases to Hold My Tears, reflects on the preciousness and cruelty of life. "There are so many tragedies right now, I can hardly contain them," he explained in an artist statement. The selection of new paintings and sculptures includes the layered, mysterious "Death" in acrylic and pastel. (Gallery ERGO, 1501 Pike Pl Ste 314, through Nov 4, 5–8 pm, free) LINDSAY COSTELLO

MONDAY 11/4

The Art of Studio Ghibli

(FILM) Over the last 40 years, Studio Ghibli has become legendary for its lush visuals, emotional and affecting storytelling, and poetic, intelligent approach to nature and the more-than-human world. One of its central figures is (duh) cofounder Hayao Miyazaki, who has made some of the studio's most revered flicks (Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Kiki's Delivery Service among them). He's also the most endearingly idiosyncratic director, like, maybe ever, and has announced, then broken, his retirement a total of four times. Never change, Miyazaki!! Anyway, if you're a Ghibli fan, you probably know all of this and are already jazzed for this film series, which celebrates all things Studio Ghibli with screenings of Ponyo, Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, The Secret World of Arrietty, and many other crowd faves. (SIFF Cinema Downtown, 2100 Fourth Ave, Nov 1–14, $14.50–$19.50) LINDSAY COSTELLO

TUESDAY 11/5

VOTE! Then Come Party with The Stranger!

Feeling nervous? Feeling weird? Feeling a little tense? Vote! Brian Scagnelli

(CIVIC DUTY) The most important election since the last one is upon us, and the choice between voting for Vice President Kamala Harris and the worst American in recent memory is only one of the extremely consequential decisions you will have to make on this hell ballot. As ever, you’ll find all the arguments we marshaled in support of our endorsements here. If you don’t have time to read all of our bratty hectoring, then just jump straight to the Cheat Sheet. Rip open that ballot and select your favorite pen—any color will do!—and fill in the bubbles we tell you to fill in. Then slide the ballot into its funny little Hot Pocket sleeve, stuff the whole thing into the envelope, and then drop it in the mail by November 1—no need for a stamp. You can also slide your ballot into a nearby drop box no later than Tuesday, November 5 at 8 pm. Afterward, come to our FREE election party at the Crocodile to watch the national and local returns with hosts Miss Texas 1988 and Stranger editor Hannah Murphy Winter and music by DJ Larry Mizell, Jr. and DJ Riz Rollins! There will be games, prizes, dancing, and maybe some screaming and crying. (The Crocodile, 2505 First Ave, 4 pm–midnight, free, 21+) STRANGER ELECTION CONTROL BOARD

Scarecrow’s 2024 Psychotronic Challenge: Day 30

Lindsay Costello — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 11:45:00 -0700

"Digging up the past one coffin at a tomb time." by Lindsay Costello

30. EXHUMATION POINT: Digging up the past one coffin at a tomb time.

Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things

Welp, bury me, I'm dead.

Not really, but yeesh. I'll cut to the chase: Bob Clark's 1972 film Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things might fit the "exhumation" theme for today's challenge, but it also has some of the worst acting I've witnessed. It manages to be very annoying, too, as though an early '70s improv troupe dressed as Scooby-Doo characters decided to test out Satanic rituals. The first hour of CSPWDT is a string of constant one-liners that refuse to land. The film's lo-fi aesthetics and underground college project feel would be forgivable if it weren't so damn boring—it's a zombie film that takes forever to come to life.

That said, you might consider throwing this film on and skipping to the last 20 minutes. It has a few charms, especially if one considers that CSPWDT was released amid a dramatic evolution in zombie filmmaking. (George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead arrived only four years before this film.) The eerie backwater Florida setting is a fun one, complete with a misty swamp graveyard, and in the film's third act, a proliferation of undead freaks spills from every inch of the screen. CSPWDT's best shot is its final one, though, and not just because it meant the film was ending. A horde of zombies board a docked dinghy as the lights of Miami’s night skyline gleam in the distance.

The most interesting aspect of this flick is its director, Bob Clark, whose filmography could be described as "unhinged," or, at the very least, "eclectic." CSPWDT was one of his first features, and he'd later go on to direct Porky's, A Christmas Story, and Baby Geniuses. It's cinematic whiplash.

Strangest part? Clark's cult classic horror Black Christmas was released just two years after the muddled mess that is CSPWDT. Black Christmas is legitimately terrifying and even popularized a persistent horror trope—a homicidal maniac's phone calls come from inside a sorority house. It's one of my favorites at this time of year.

My advice? Forget about this movie. Go watch Black Christmas.

The Stranger is participating in Scarecrow Video’s Psychotronic Challenge all month long! Every October, Scarecrow puts together a list of cinematic themes and invites folks to follow along and watch a horror, sci-fi, or fantasy flick that meets the criteria. This year, Stranger staffers are joining the fun and we’re sharing our daily recommendations here on Slog! Read more about Scarecrow’s 2024 challenge—and get the watch list—here. And you can track our daily recommendations here! 💀

Scarecrow’s 2024 Psychotronic Challenge: Day 26

Lindsay Costello — Sat, 26 Oct 2024 10:00:00 -0700

"Boogie down with some soundtrack-heavy giallo." by Lindsay Costello

26. DANZA MACABRA: Boogie down with some soundtrack-heavy giallo.

Inferno

If you've been following along with our psychotronic film reviews this month, you might've read my reflections on The Beyond, in which I revealed myself to be a Fulci girlie. (I'm more intrigued by the underdog director's inventive gore than Dario Argento's glossy, but sometimes thin narrative structures.)

There's still so much to celebrate about Argento's work, though. The giallo giant's surreal, atmospheric art-house style is echoed by modern auteurs like Nicolas Winding Refn and Panos Cosmatos. I'd speculate that Argento's proclivity for prog-rock scores inspired John Carpenter's beloved synth-heavy soundtracks, too.

Wedged between Argento's celebrated flicks Suspiria and Tenebrae is the 1980 entry Inferno, an undersung middle child of his filmography. It's an eerie, somewhat inscrutable little slice of folklore. When poet Rose Elliot finds an alchemist's book in an Upper West Side antique shop, she learns that three malevolent sisters rule the world, one of whom might be in her midst. Rose, her brother, and their various associates are then stalked by cloaked killers. Keyboardist-composer Keith Emerson's tense score isn't Goblin-level god tier, but it gels perfectly with the creepy proceedings. (Emerson's pretty freaky in his own right—he's known for stabbing his keyboard with knives to hold powerful notes.)

Beyond that framework, Inferno largely coasts on vibes. Expect late-night libraries, braless women, fractured glass, rabid cat gangs, and a guy who gets murked by a bunch of rats. (That's one of Inferno's best scenes, by the way. “The rats are eating me alive!” a character hollers, overcome by hordes of the little suckers in the middle of Central Park. A hot dog vendor wanders over and butchers the rest of his body. New Yawk, am I right?)

And sure, Inferno relies heavily on aesthetics, but there are some visionary aspects of the film, too. Early on, Rose explores the cellar of her shadowy apartment building and stumbles across an old ballroom that's completely flooded. After dropping her keys in the murky water, Rose dives into the ballroom, where she's nudged by a rotted corpse floating among Victorian flourishes and antique chandeliers.

The scene delivers an entrancing mix of claustrophobia and dramatic gelled lighting design. It's chic—Argento always is. It's also difficult to escape.

Stranger Suggests: The Psychic, Girlschool, Rock Lottery XIII, Seattle Restaurant Week, Maggie Rogers

Audrey Vann — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 14:00:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week by Audrey Vann WEDNESDAY 10/23

The Psychic

(FILM) In my recent review of Lucio Fulci's The Beyond for The Stranger's Psychotronic Film Challenge, I shared an admittedly hot take: If you think you want to see an Argento flick, what you're actually looking for is Fulci. No shade to Argento—he's a master of style and atmosphere. (He might've even invented bisexual lighting by accident.) But Lucio Fulci delivered giallo at its best: His films are typically psychological, stylish, and, most importantly, brutal. The Psychic is another Fulci great, but it feels like a departure for the gorehound giallo director—it's an understated, slow-burn murder mystery, framed around strange premonitions and seven musical notes. (The Beacon, 4405 Rainier Ave S, 8:30 pm, $12.50) LINDSAY COSTELLO

THURSDAY 10/24

Double Feature: Bride of Frankenstein and Young Frankenstein

(FILM/MUSIC) As a Mary Shelley stan, each of the Frankenstein film adaptations has disappointed me—the original text contains darkness and depth that the films have never captured (we shall see if Guillermo del Toro delivers with his upcoming adaptation). However, I'm willing to admit that as standalone films, Bride of Frankenstein and Young Frankenstein are the best entries in the monster saga. Despite being filmed nearly 40 years apart, both movies reinvent the mad scientist story while not taking themselves too seriously. Get into the Halloween spirit this week as the Seattle Symphony plays the original Bride of Frankenstein score by Franz Waxman. For the second act, the orchestra will take a break while the audience howls at Mel Brooks' 1974 comedy classic Young Frankenstein. (Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., 7:30 pm, $36-$100) AUDREY VANN

FRIDAY 10/25

Girlschool: Final North American Tour

(MUSIC) Let's face it—with Cherie Currie going full MAGA, it's unlikely that the Runaways will ever reunite. So, we must relish in the opportunity to see Britain's own trailblazing all-female hard rock band, Girlschool. Founding members Kim McAuliffe and Denise Dufort will lead the current lineup in classics like "Race the Devil" and "Please Don't Touch" for their final North American tour. New Orleans hard rockers Lillian Axe and heavy metal outfit Alcatrazz will open. (Substation, 645 NW 45th St, 7 pm, $40, 21+) AUDREY VANN

SATURDAY 10/26

Boy, Howdy! Bakeshop Hallow’s Eve Pop-Up

(FOOD) Wouldst thou like to live deliciously? Then stop by Boy, Howdy!'s Halloween-themed pop-up (likely their last pop-up of the year) at the cozy Ghost Note Coffee for a series of blood-curdling bakes, including "Autumn Leaves" (a toasted oat cake with herb-roasted apples and whipped crème fraîche), "Cauldron Smoke" (a chocolate olive oil cake with torched pumpkin marshmallows, spiced pepita crumbles, and black cocoa buttercream), "Harvest Moon" (brown butter spice cake with carrot marmalade, cream cheese mousse, and maple buttercream), and cookies (triple ginger molasses and bourbon vanilla pecan shortbread). (Ghost Note Coffee, 1623 Bellevue Ave, noon-4 pm) JULIANNE BELL

SUNDAY 10/27

Rock Lottery XIII

(MUSIC) The Rock Lottery might just be the most fun idea to ever exist in the history of music collaboration. Twenty musicians will gather at 9 am Sunday morning and get split into four new bands of five. From there, they go off to establish a band name, write and rehearse a batch of new songs, and even create merch. Just 12 hours later, at the Vera Project, the four new bands will perform their day's work for a live audience. The results are always fun, sometimes funny, and surprisingly good despite all the new groups having just one afternoon to make everything come together without any prior collaboration or planning. What makes Rock Lottery work so well is the participating artists, and this year's installment boasts an especially talent lineup, including Chris Martin of Kinski, Ben Verellen of Helms Alee, Bree McKenna of Tacocat and Childbirth, Nicholas Tazza of Algernon Cadwallader, Shaina Shepherd of Bearaxe, and so many more. It's a once-in-a-lifetime concert, you don't want ot miss it. (Vera Project, 305 Harrison St, 8 pm, $35.02, all ages) MEGAN SELING

MONDAY 10/28

Seattle Restaurant Week

Try Rondo Japanese Kitchen during Seattle Restaurant Week! Meg van Huygen named it one of the best restaurants in the Seattle area in 2024. Muhammad Ali

(FOOD) Gourmands across Seattle rejoice over this twice-yearly event, which gives diners the opportunity to try curated menus for $20, $35, $50, and $65 at dozens of restaurants. It’s an excellent opportunity to branch out of your usual rotation of tried-and-true favorites and cross some destinations off your culinary bucket list. Notable participants include Secret Fort, Bad Chancla, Rondo Japanese Kitchen, Nirmal's, Plum Bistro, and a Lady Grey Cake pop-up at the Pastry Project. Round up some friends to join you, and don't forget to tip your server generously. (Multiple locations through Nov 9, $20-$65, see a full list of locations at srweek.org) JULIANNE BELL

TUESDAY 10/29

Maggie Rogers: The Don't Forget Me Tour

(MUSIC) With her current status as an indie pop superstar, it might surprise you that Maggie Rogers was formerly a banjo player and folk music enthusiast. Her latest album, Don't Forget Me, leans into polished, radio-friendly pop while allowing rays of her trad-music-loving past to peek through on tracks like "So Sick of Dreaming" and "All the Same." She will be joined by the R&B/pop artist Ryan Beatty, who is touring with his critically acclaimed third album, Calico. (Climate Pledge Arena, 305 Harrison St, 7:30 pm, tickets started at $24 at press time, all ages) AUDREY VANN

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Scarecrow’s 2024 Psychotronic Challenge: Day 23

Lindsay Costello — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 10:00:00 -0700

Log one that takes place in a swamp or a bog. by Lindsay Costello

23. FOR PEAT’S SAKE: Log one that takes place in a swamp or a bog.

The Return of Swamp Thing

As government contractors slog through a shady swamp in search of moonshiners, one of them gets snatched up by a gross gloopy guy while taking a whizz. The gape-mouthed, Moo-Deng-esque creature toys with his human prey, but then, Swamp Thing shows up and absolutely beats ass.

Thus begins The Return of Swamp Thing, one of the most precious gifts ever put to celluloid. Going in, I knew next to nothing of Swamp Thing's lore, and largely chose this film due to its exceptionally fun poster. I watched it for the first time last night, and thank the bog gods I did.

Heather Locklear plays Abbie Arcane, a beautiful vegetarian who practices transcendental meditation and yammers to her flowers. Abbie travels to Florida to visit her evil, anti-aging quack of a stepfather, Dr. Anton Arcane, who is stationed in a cyber lair curiously close to a swamp. Turns out he experiments with gene splicing, creating a monstrous army from unfortunate humans and swamp animals. (Ostensibly, the gross gloopy guy is one of these human-swamp hybrids.)

Aside from the fact that Swamp Thing is an obvious "hear me out," he's also a scientist. Alec Holland was transformed into a bog beast after dealings with Dr. Arcane and his cronies years earlier, and now stalks the swamps, addressing Arcane's ongoing violence and foolishness with his fists.

When Dr. Arcane decides that Abbie is the next target for his experiments, she attempts to escape, and is rescued—then re-captured—then re-rescued—by Swamp Thing, who at one point oozes through Dr. Arcane’s bathtub faucet and reanimates himself with an electric green dazzle.

Frankly, the plot isn't super important. You get the gist: Swamp Thing is awesome and kinda hot, Dr. Arcane is a nutjob, Abbie and Swamp Thing belong together, etc. But The Return of Swamp Thing's most unexpected delights are two youngsters, introduced as they pore over porn mags in a trailer park. The gross gloopy guy tries to get 'em, but Swamp Thing saves the day again.

One kid in particular, a portly little redhead with a heart of gold, is perhaps history's finest child actor, delivering quotes like "Yeah, I think that green dude's good," and "Wow, Swamp Thing's kickin' some butt." Hard to argue with that.

The Stranger is participating in Scarecrow Video’s Psychotronic Challenge all month long! Every October, Scarecrow puts together a list of cinematic themes and invites folks to follow along and watch a horror, sci-fi, or fantasy flick that meets the criteria. This year, Stranger staffers are joining the fun and we’re sharing our daily recommendations here on Slog! Read more about Scarecrow’s 2024 challenge—and get the watch list—here. And you can track our daily recommendations here! 💀

Scarecrow’s 2024 Psychotronic Challenge: Day 22

Lindsay Costello — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 14:00:00 -0700

"Wrap your tentacles around a 'weird fiction' tale." by Lindsay Costello

22. CTHULHU’S COHORT: Wrap your tentacles around a “weird fiction” tale.

Annihilation

Anyone within a 100-mile radius of a bookstore has heard of Jeff VanderMeer's blockbuster Southern Reach series by now, but if you haven't read the first entry, Annihilation, you might not know that it has a Lovecraftian penchant for the cosmic and unexplainable.

Love him or "meh" him, director Alex Garland (Men, Ex Machina, Civil War) picks gutsy projects. The 2018 film adaptation of Annihilation is a solid example of this. It follows a group of women scientists who embark on an implied suicide mission into Area X, aka St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge in Florida, where "the Shimmer" has created freakish mutations in surrounding flora and fauna. St. Marks is in the panhandle, a stressful little slice of Florida, even without mysterious scientific anomalies.

Natalie Portman stars as biologist Lena, while Jennifer Jason Leigh is the intense, intellectual Dr. Ventress. (Not only does Annihilation pass the Bechdel test with flying colors, it's also one of the only films I've seen that almost passes the reverse Bechdel test: Men have very little screen time and don't frequently speak to each other.)

All of the women on the mission have been previously traumatized. Addiction, cancer, and death are aspects of their stories. These experiences have subtle impacts on how they respond to the Shimmer's eerie, DNA-distorting power. As the group ventures further into the marshland, they encounter murderous mutant creatures and begin to notice unsettling changes in themselves.

The film's crescendo is staged in a lighthouse, where Lena is forced to confront her faceless, shimmering doppelganger. The scene becomes a complex dance of choice: She must either transcend her shadow self, or dissolve into the Shimmer permanently. Lovecraft would likely have her choose the latter. Annihilation's end is far more interesting.

The Stranger is participating in Scarecrow Video’s Psychotronic Challenge all month long! Every October, Scarecrow puts together a list of cinematic themes and invites folks to follow along and watch a horror, sci-fi, or fantasy flick that meets the criteria. This year, Stranger staffers are joining the fun and we’re sharing our daily recommendations here on Slog! Read more about Scarecrow’s 2024 challenge—and get the watch list—here. And you can track our daily recommendations here! 💀

Scarecrow’s 2024 Psychotronic Challenge: Day 20

Lindsay Costello — Sun, 20 Oct 2024 10:00:00 -0700

"Watch a saucy spell caster do her damnedest." by Lindsay Costello

20. WITCH, PLEASE!: Watch a saucy spell caster do her damnedest.

Häxan

Danish director Benjamin Christensen’s ghoulish essay film, Häxan, is the definition of a tough sell. It's over 100 years old and silent, save for a hypnotic score performed by the Czech Film Orchestra in the Criterion edition. But Christensen's witches' brew of demonology and medieval superstition is also utterly singular, and kind of funny, too. Should you throw it on in the background at a Halloween party? Yes. Should you attempt to sit down and watch the entire 105-minute film without distraction? Also yes.

Häxan ("the witch" in Swedish) explores the notion that accused medieval sorceresses may have been struggling with mental disorders. Christensen theorizes that compulsions like sleepwalking, pyromania, and kleptomania might've been to blame for the behavior of women who were labeled as witches and killed. Does it veer slightly into "FeMaLeS are cRaZy" territory? I don't know, maybe. But Christensen also argues that medieval "witches" were often poor, older women without adequate social support, and that torture played a central role in confessions. All of that seems likely.

Overall, we're better off with Christensen's funky, horror-tinged, quasi-feminist reading of misogyny in the world. This film is bananas. Miniatures and creepy props (including a functioning "mechanical representation of hell," shrouded in red smoke) illustrate a realm in which witches kiss butts, rub on special ointments, and prep meals made of babies. Christensen's also got jokes—his cross-eyed, tongue-wagging devil is hardly scary. Torture, grave robbing, piss-throwing, ecstatic dance, disgusting little troll-beasts, and steaming cauldrons are all represented here. What more could we ask for, really?

Perhaps most importantly, Häxan taught me that "slut" means "the end" in Swedish. Blessed be.

The Stranger is participating in Scarecrow Video’s Psychotronic Challenge all month long! Every October, Scarecrow puts together a list of cinematic themes and invites folks to follow along and watch a horror, sci-fi, or fantasy flick that meets the criteria. This year, Stranger staffers are joining the fun and we’re sharing our daily recommendations here on Slog! Read more about Scarecrow’s 2024 challenge—and get the watch list—here. And you can track our daily recommendations here! 💀

Stranger Suggests: Shannon and the Clams, "Rapper’s Delight” Annotated, Unwound, Paris, Texas: New 4K Restoration, the Disabled List

Audrey Vann — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 15:13:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Audrey Vann WEDNESDAY 10/16

Shannon and the Clams

(MUSIC) Led by powerhouse vocalist Shannon Shaw, beloved garage rock band Shannon and the Clams are back with a new album, The Moon Is in the Wrong Place⁠—produced by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys. Blossoming out of tragedy, the album reckons with the grief that followed after Shaw's fiance was killed in a car accident just weeks before their wedding. “We all felt the urgency of making something that reckoned with this meteor that smashed into our planet,” keyboardist Will Sprott said in a press statement. “This is the most focused record we’ve ever done, as far as everything coming from a singular traumatic event.” The band will play tracks from the albums alongside Americana ensemble the Deslondes. (Neptune Theatre, 1303 NE 45th St, 8 pm, $35, all ages) AUDREY VANN

THURSDAY 10/17

Unwound: New Plastic Ideas 30th Anniversary

(MUSIC) Back in 2015, VICE wrote, "Unwound will never reunite so get over it.” Well, the mag can eat its words because the Olympia, Washington-born post-hardcore quartet defied all odds when they reunited in 2022 after a two-decade hiatus. The band will return to town to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their second album, New Plastic Ideas, which was recorded right here in Seattle. Bassist Jared Warren (of Karp, the Melvins, and Big Business) will fill the shoes of founding member Vern Rumsey, who passed away in 2020. (The Showbox, 1426 First Ave, $40-$45, 8 pm, 21+) AUDREY VANN

FRIDAY 10/18

"Rapper’s Delight” Annotated

(MUSIC/HISTORY) History will be made on Friday, October 18, when Charles Mudede and hiphop professor Daudi Abe perform their Stranger piece "Anatomy of a Song: The Sugarhill Gang’s 'Rapper’s Delight' (1979)" live! Onstage! At Clock-Out Lounge! The world has never seen a performance like this before! As they wrote in our latest Art + Performance issue, "Rapper's Delight" made hiphop accessible to the world. It's the track "that made it possible for Dr. Dre and Jay-Z to be billionaires, Snoop and Martha Stewart’s world-famous friendship not only achievable but profitable, and a bad breakdancer at the Olympics go viral." At the show, Mudede and Abe will interject the tune with their annotations and expand on the song's place in history while also exploring some of the samples featured in the song and the tracks that followed in "Rapper's Delights" footsteps. Special guest DJ Vitamin D will provide the soundtrack. It will be a hiphop show, it will be a history lecture, and it will be a dance party—you don't want to miss it. (Clock-Out Lounge, 4864 Beacon Ave S, 9 pm, $10, 21+) MEGAN SELING

SATURDAY 10/19

The Disabled List

(COMEDY) Kayla Brown and Dan "Undisputable Genius of Comedy" Hurwitz, creators of the "award-eligible" mockumentary This is Spinal Injury, return to host this bimonthly showcase of local funny folks with disabilities, which recently hit a bigger stage at Bumbershoot. The jokester troupe has been performing in and around Seattle since 2018, with a rotating cast each time. This month's installment features Laura Lyons, Michael Bellevue, Ryan Padilla, and Forest Ember. (Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave, 7 pm, $7-$14) LINDSAY COSTELLO

SUNDAY 10/20

Paris, Texas: New 4K Restoration

(FILM) Paris, Texas is my favorite film of all time, and my second and third are True Stories and 3 Women, both of which could arguably exist in Paris, Texas's universe. A disheveled Travis (Harry Dean Stanton) meanders out of the matte desert, where he's reunited with his eight-year-old son, Hunter, and his billboard-designing brother in the neon canyons of Los Angeles. He tries on different roles: He imagines becoming the "rich father," accomplishing nothing but to chase after his son's affection. A road trip then guides Hunter and Travis back to the root of their trauma. The result is a neo-Western that feels spiritually in tune with Twin Peaks, Repo Man, and—hear me out—the myth of Odysseus. It also did more to promote pink fuzzy sweaters than the entirety of Barbie's endless press campaign. By the way, I'd typically balk at a 127-minute runtime, but Wim Wenders' ultra-deliberate filmmaking (and Robby Müller's choreography) demands a slow read. Certain shots linger long after the credits roll. (SIFF Cinema Downtown, 2100 Fourth Ave, multiple showtimes through Oct 24, $14.50-$19.50) LINDSAY COSTELLO

MONDAY 10/21

Author Talk: Caroline Choe, Banchan

Caroline Choe will discuss her book 'Banchan' at in Seattle on October 21 and 22. Courtesy of Chronicle Books

(FOOD/BOOKS) Far more than just simple snacks, banchan (the delicious shared side dishes that complement Korean meals) can represent a host's hospitality and generosity. As musician and writer Michelle Zauner wrote of her late mother in her memoir Crying at H Mart: "She remembered which banchan side dish you emptied first so the next time you were over it'd be set with a heaping double portion." New York City-based chef, artist, teacher, and writer Caroline Choe puts these bites in the spotlight with her first-of-its-kind cookbook Banchan, which offers both traditional and modern recipes for everything from smoky gochujang chicken salad to hobakjeon (zucchini pancakes). On Tuesday, Choe will also be at Book Larder in Fremont to talk with chef Rachel Yang of Joule and Revel. (Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Ave, Oct 21 at 7 pm, free; Book Larder, 4245 Fremont Ave N, Oct 22 at 6:30 pm, $31.65 for a ticket and a copy of Banchan, $5.75 for just a ticket) JULIANNE BELL

TUESDAY 10/22

Tejiendo Historias | Weaving Stories

'Bordado Comunitario [Community Embroidery],' by Fulgencio Lazo, 2024. COURTESY OF ArtX Contemporary

(VISUAL ART) Fulgencio Lazo's second solo exhibition at ArtX Contemporary continues to showcase the artist's ultra-vibrant, visually complex style, informed by his cultural identity as a member of Mexico’s Indigenous Zapotec people and his hometown of Oaxaca. As an artist, Lazo is integral to the fabric of Seattle's Latine cultural scene—he's participated in Day of the Dead celebrations at the Seattle Art Museum and the Tacoma Art Museum. Head to this exhibition to familiarize yourself with a local legend. (ArtX Contemporary, 512 First Ave S, Tues-Sun through Nov 16, free, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

Scarecrow’s 2024 Psychotronic Challenge: Day 15

Lindsay Costello — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 11:04:00 -0700

"…If the gatekeeper permits." by Lindsay Costello

15. YOU TOO, SHALL PASS: …If the gatekeeper permits.

The Beyond

At the risk of a hot take, here's something I've realized after many Halloweens spent watching giallo films: If you think you want to see an Argento flick, what you're actually looking for is Fulci.

No shade to Argento—he's a master of style and atmosphere. (He might've even invented bisexual lighting by accident.) But Lucio Fulci delivered giallo at its best: His films are psychological, stylish, and, most importantly, brutal. Fulci told killer stories that aren't mired in misogyny or aesthetics, and he did it all with a fraction of Argento's budget and audience. Fulci's practical effects were grotesque and imaginative. (If melting faces or eyeball-chewing spiders aren't your thing, steer clear of his 1981 film The Beyond.)

The film shrieks to life with an old-timey, sepia-tinted crucifixion scene and grows gnarlier from there. When chill New Yorker Liza inherits an old New Orleans hotel (cool), she's startled to discover that it's a gateway to hell (not cool). Don't poke the portal, by the way: The hotel's maintenance workers fall off the roof and have their eyeballs gouged out by reanimated corpses.

Liza's neighbor Emily, a luminous and seemingly not-entirely-human blind woman, might be the only character who understands the hotel's past. With her German Shepherd service dog Dicky by her side, Emily plays a haunting piano motif that complements Fabio Frizzi's eerie, atmospheric synth soundscapes. (Word of warning: In the hell-realm of The Beyond, even the dog can't be trusted.)

Then, in a scene so drawn-out it's almost laughable, a man is paralyzed and has his face—eyes included—devoured by a swarm of spiders. Yeah, there's a lot of "eye stuff" in this film. Fulci might've been making a statement about vision and blindness and witnessing evil, but The Beyond is so drenched in a surreal, dreamy Southern haze that its deeper meaning doesn't need to be named. It washes over you. The Beyond is a somatic experience; it's a film that chills your bones while making you sweat.

I won’t spoil the ending entirely, but it drives my point home. Imagine spending eternity trapped in a painting of Hell—not the real thing, but close enough. A gateway to nothing. A bleak, gray wasteland that stretches endlessly in every direction. That's true terror.

The Stranger is participating in Scarecrow Video’s Psychotronic Challenge all month long! Every October, Scarecrow puts together a list of cinematic themes and invites folks to follow along and watch a horror, sci-fi, or fantasy flick that meets the criteria. This year, Stranger staffers are joining the fun and we’re sharing our daily recommendations here on Slog! Read more about Scarecrow’s 2024 challenge—and get the watch list—here. And you can track our daily recommendations here! 💀

Scarecrow’s 2024 Psychotronic Challenge: Day 13

Lindsay Costello — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 10:00:00 -0700

"…As long as it isn’t a Part 1." by Lindsay Costello

13. ALL THINGS BEING SEQUEL: …As long as it isn’t a Part 1.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2

One thing to know about me going into this review is that I largely agree with this tweet, which, unsurprisingly, had people frothing at the mouth.

Not only for horror but maybe one of the five best American films ever made, yeah https://t.co/7QQ6t2lyno
— Brandon Streussnig (@BrndnStrssng) October 10, 2024

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is the perfect New Hollywood film. It's moody, atmospheric, lo-fi, anti-establishment, and thoroughly imaginative, wrenching the slasher genre from its hiding place in the dark of night and shoving it into the bright Texas sunshine. Gas stations, chickens, pick-up trucks, and the entire state of Texas have been freaky since the day this film was released in 1974. Its detached grittiness coaxed the rise of found-footage horror decades later, and Sally Hardesty's maniacal laughter revealed the psychological toll on the final girl for the first time, a theme that's repeated with Halloween's Laurie Strode, Scream's Sidney Prescott, and countless other slasher survivors.

I would posit that only Alien has had a wider cultural impact on horror, but Ridley Scott actually cited TCM as an influence on his film.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre's sequel, however, is something completely different. And by "completely different" I mean that Tobe Hooper directed a black comedy, and it's awesome.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 opens with two high schoolers prank-calling a radio station as they cruise down a rural highway, soon to be slaughtered by Leatherface. The murder is overheard (and recorded) by local disc jockey Stretch. Former Texas Ranger Lefty (Dennis Hopper!) gets involved when he catches wind of the recording. Turns out he's got skin in the game—he's the uncle of Sally and Frank Hardesty, two of Leatherface's previous targets.

When Stretch plays the recording on her radio show to drum up public response, she accidentally summons Leatherface and his psychotic, hippie-adjacent relative Chop-Top, who had a metal plate grafted onto his skull during the Vietnam War. The pair show up at the radio station to kill her, a protracted scene in which Chop-Top hollers the film's most important line: "Lick my plate, you dog dick!"

The central thrust of TCM 2 is that Leatherface is horny now. He illustrates this by positioning a chainsaw dangerously close to Stretch's (jeanshorted, thankfully) vulva. Against a soundtrack of Oingo Boingo, Concrete Blonde, and the Cramps' "Goo Goo Muck," Stretch is forced to use her sweet Texan charm to fend off Leatherface's chainsaw, which is exactly as awkward and gross as it sounds. It also only works for so long. Soon, Stretch tumbles down a slide into the Sawyer clan's subterranean hell dungeon, where she has other psycho-killers (like silent, hammer-wielding Grandpa) to contend with.

There are surprisingly few kills in this sequel, but lots to love. It had roughly 39 times the budget of the original (TCM filmed for around $120,000; TCM 2 for $4.7 million), so the sets are far out, and the gore is squelchy. Hooper also crafts something pretty unusual in the slasher horror genre: The sequel is funny and bizarre, of course, but balances that weirdness with more of his relentless, imaginative gnarliness. If you're keen to check in on Leatherface without quite the isolated brutality of the original, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is a prime cut.

Stranger Suggests: Clairo, Keith Haring: A Radiant Legacy, Text Me Back! Live Podcast Taping, Jubilee, 2024 Indigenous Peoples’ Day Citywide Celebration

Megan Seling — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 15:02:00 -0700

One really great thing to do every day of the week. by Megan Seling WEDNESDAY 10/9

André 3000: New Blue Sun Live In Concert

(MUSIC) In November of last year, André 3000 surprised fans with his first new music in 17 years—but it wasn't what we anticipated. The OutKast rapper released a full-length album entirely of flute music. New Blue Sun is an odyssey of spiritual jazz and electronic ambient sounds that could perfectly soundtrack an Octavia Butler novel. Featuring instruments like mycelial electronics, plants, shakuhachi, and sintir, the album is equal parts acoustic and electronic with multiple types of flutes played by André himself. Joined on stage by album collaborators Carlos Niño, Surya Botofasina, Nate Mercereau, and Deantoni Parks, the ensemble will present an immersive concert that enchants audiences with improvisational "sensory grandeur." (Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St, 8 pm, $54.50-$144.50, 8 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN

THURSDAY 10/10

Clairo

(MUSIC) On her third album, Charm, Gen Z sensation Clairo trades the synthy bedroom pop that turned her into a viral star for elegant tunes inspired by '70s soft rock. The resulting body of work is tender and dreamy, evoking the sullen nostalgia of looking through your childhood bedroom—an old diary, a drawer of charmed friendship bracelets, a portable CD player. There’s no better time than the beginning of autumn to relish in the cozy and hushed tunes of Clairo, especially with an opening set from South African singer-songwriter Alice Phoebe Lou. (Paramount Theatre, Oct 10-11, 8 pm, $75.50, all ages) AUDREY VANN

FRIDAY 10/11

Blown Away: Gemma Hollister, Morgan Peterson, and Karen Willenbrink-Johnsen

Who Doesn't Love a Bad Idea by Morgan Peterson, blown, carved, fused glass, silver, and mirror. COURTESY OF TRAVER GALLERY

(VISUAL ART/TV) If you're anything like me, you spent a significant portion of the pandemic lockdown watching Netflix's Blown Away, in which glassblowers competed for an illustrious residency at the Corning Museum of Glass. (As a one-time Pilchuck Glass School workshop participant, I'm rooting for these crazy kids.) Traver Gallery and Chihuly Garden and Glass have teamed up to present this exhibition, which features works by Blown Away episode winners Gemma Hollister and Karen Willenbrink-Johnson and series winner Morgan Peterson. Willenbrink-Johnson creates naturalistic forms, while Hollister’s works "offer a critique of modern capitalism," and Peterson's cameo portraits of Seattle drag legends "highlight ideals of feminine beauty." (Traver Gallery, 110 Union St #200, through Oct 27, free, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

SATURDAY 10/12

Jubilee

See Jubilee at McCaw Hall October 12-25. COURTESY OF SEATTLE OPERA

(PERFORMANCE/MUSIC) This world premiere opera reveals the story of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, whose earliest members came together to alter the post-Civil War musical landscape. With over 40 African American spirituals that were "originally conceived, written, and performed by enslaved peoples," the new work by lauded director Tazewell Thompson chronicles the group's early tours, where they persevered despite violence and even performed for Queen Victoria. Expect something both triumphant and harrowing—Jubilee's 13 performers capture the Fisk Jubilee Singers' struggles and joys. (McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St, multiple performances Oct 12-25, $35-$215, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

SUNDAY 10/13

Keith Haring: A Radiant Legacy

Keith Haring: A Radiant Legacy opens at MoPOP Friday, October 11. Courtesy of Allan Tannenbaum via MoPOP

(VISUAL ART) To some, such as myself, Keith Haring is seen as a part of the hiphop culture that emerged in New York City in the early ‘80s. He worked with Dondi White, a master and founder of the kind of graffiti you find today in Berlin, Rome, Tokyo, and, yes, Seattle. Indeed, Haring and Dondi did the cover art for Malcolm McLaren’s bizarre but fundamentally hiphop album Duck Rock. For many, this cover introduced Haring, whose work was simple but not simplistic, breezy but cosmically vibrant. And then there’s the cover of McLaren’s Would Ya Like More Scratchin’. Here, we have nothing but Haring. His chalk-drawn figures popping and locking. You can hear the scratching and cutting. You can see New York City when it was the capital of the art world. Haring will always be hiphop to me. (MoPOP, 325 Fifth Ave N, Oct 12-March 23, 2025, $7 plus museum admission) CHARLES MUDEDE

MONDAY 10/14

2024 Indigenous Peoples’ Day Citywide Celebration

(COMMUNITY) There are events scattered all across the city for Indigenous Peoples' Day. The day starts at 9:30 am at Pier 62 Waterfront Park, where folks are invited to bring their drums and their tribal flags and join the march along the waterfront to King Street Station, where there will be a rally and round dance for peace at 1:30 pm. Elsewhere around the city, you can see Khu.éex' (featuring A+P star and renowned glass artist Preston Singletary) perform at Westlake Park at 11 am and join the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center for dancing, dinner, and bingo at 5 pm. See all the day's details here. Unrelated: Remember that time in 2015 when Mayor Harrell, a city council member at the time, wanted to proclaim "Italian-American Heritage" Month on Indigenous Peoples' Day??? And now he's mayor! What a ride. (See more Indigenous Peoples' Day events here) MEGAN SELING

TUESDAY 10/15

Text Me Back! An Election Preview & Live Podcast Taping

Friends forever: Meagan Hatcher-Mays (left) and Lindy West. MEGAN FARMER

(PODCASTS) If you don't already know (which also means you don't read every word published in The Stranger, and how dare you), Lindy West and her BFF Meagan Hatcher-Mays have a weekly podcast called Text Me Back. The two have been best friends since high school and each episode feels like you're listening in on their hilarious, relatable phone conversations. They touch on everything from current headlines and political news to adolescent inside jokes and weird pockets of pop culture from the '80s and '90s. It's smart and, at times, delightfully irreverent, and it's a lovely reminder to call your best friends sometime. Or, even better, bring them to this week's live Text Me Back taping, where West and Hatcher-Mays will take "a light-hearted look at what's at stake in November" with some special surprise guests. It will likely be the exact dose of levity we need to stay afloat in our current hellscape. (Seattle Public Library - Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave, 6 pm, free with RSVP, all ages) MEGAN SELING

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Scarecrow’s 2024 Psychotronic Challenge: Day 8

Lindsay Costello — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 12:11:00 -0700

"Is there a swimming pool in your plot? Take a dip, mind the drip." by Lindsay Costello

8. POOL PARTY: Is there a swimming pool in your plot? Take a dip, mind the drip.

Infinity Pool

It’s easy to see director and noted nepo man Brandon Cronenberg embedded within the plot of his own film. In Infinity Pool, Alexander Skarsgård plays a bankrolled but blocked creative who coasts at a ritzy resort in search of inspiration. All hell breaks loose after a fatal accident and a run-in with a hedonistic freak played by Mia Goth.

In fact, Infinity Pool could confidently be renamed It’s Rich People’s Fault: The Movie. (And for the record, I agree with this sentiment.) I wasn't anticipating its darkly comedic—and at times grotesque—reckoning with whiteness and exploitation. Everyone fucking sucks here. Resort visitors “find themselves"—or at least trip out and attempt catharsis—at the expense of working-class people in a fictional country, then buy convenient loopholes to wiggle out of the messes they've made. This dynamic works in the film's favor; not-so-subtle subtexts of othering and alienation are found amid its more utterly gruesome, shocking scenes. It's Cronenberg’s 2020 film Possessor with a lot more narrative direction.

I waited patiently through Infinity Pool's 118-minute runtime for an actual swimming pool to show up, and it never did, so in an interesting twist of events, it doesn’t technically fit into this challenge's "pool party" category. However, if floating in some gloopy science goo that replicates DNA for government-mandated retributive murder purposes counts as a “pool,” this film fits the bill! Watch if you like unidentified psychedelics, Francis Bacon’s Figure with Meat, waving guns around, and/or Mia Goth’s Peppa Pig-esque accent.

The Stranger is participating in Scarecrow Video’s Psychotronic Challenge all month long! Every October, Scarecrow puts together a list of cinematic themes and invites folks to follow along and watch a horror, sci-fi, or fantasy flick that meets the criteria. This year, Stranger staffers are joining the fun and we’re going to share our daily recommendations here on Slog! Read more about Scarecrow’s 2024 challenge—and get the watch list—here. And you can track our daily recommendations here! 💀