Seattle, WA
The Top 31 Events in Seattle This Week: July 10–16, 2023 – EverOut Seattle
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COMMUNITY
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Seattle’s local primary elections are heating up!!! We’ve got seven city council seats on the ballot, four of them are total free-for-alls, and the results will determine the direction of city politics for the foreseeable future. Kind of a big deal, to be quite honest! Luckily for you, the Washington Bus and The Stranger have joined forces ONCE AGAIN to present Candidate Survivor, a spicy showdown that lets YOU decide that future. Come to Neumos to watch council candidates from all over the city sweat as they pound (vegan) hot wings under intense interrogation, lip sync for their lives, and try to wow you with a talent show—all under the strong, chaotic, and I would even say comfortably sensual direction of our host, Seattle attorney general of drag, Miss Texas 1988. STRANGER EDITOR RICH SMITH
(Neumos, Capitol Hill)
READINGS & TALKS
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In Searching for Savanna: The Murder of One Native American Woman and the Violence Against the Many, Los Angeles-based writer Mona Gable digs into the 2017 disappearance of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, a pregnant 22-year-oldmember of the Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe. (The disappearance and murder of Native American women, due in large part to government inaction and discrimination, is an epidemic so common it has its own acronym. Read about it.) For this talk and live podcast taping, Gable will be joined onstage by Emily Washines, Lucy Smartlowit, Patricia Whitefoot, and Robyn Pebeahsy, hosts of the War Cry podcast, which sheds light on MMIW cases. LC
(Elliott Bay Book Company, Capitol Hill)
COMEDY
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This interactive comedy show wants to help you feel better about your daily struggles. Aww, thanks, comedy show! Audience members will be prompted to jot down their woes on slips of paper before the performance. Comedians will then draw them from a box, using the audience’s unique problems to create an improvised set. Don’t worry, they’re not really laughing at your expense—it’s more like a rare moment of catharsis, where you’ll chuckle at the batshittery of your own life alongside a bunch of strangers. If that sounds like your bag, don’t miss it—you’ll also get to see some of the best local stand-ups, like Imani Denae, Brent Lowrey, and Chris Mejia, strut their stuff at Comedy/Bar, an “intimate, speakeasy-like” new comedy venue in Capitol Hill. LC
(Comedy/Bar, Capitol Hill)
FILM
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This year’s outdoor movie offerings at Marymoor Park are old-school, dog-friendly, Americana FUN, complete with live music and familiar flicks beneath the barely visible stars. (We live in a light-polluted city—can’t have it all.) The much-loved summer film series will continue with the explosive Academy Award house-clearer Everything Everywhere All at Once on July 12. If you somehow haven’t seen it yet, expect a boggling blend of action, sci-fi, and comedy that begins with an unlikely hero—an overworked laundromat owner struggling with her taxes.Snuggle up, bring a picnic, or chow down on bites from the food trucks on site, and enjoy the multiverse. LC
(Marymoor Park, Southeast Redmond)
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Special guests from the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis reservation and Burien killer whale nonprofit Wild Orca will attend this screening of Shane Anderson’s The Lost Salmon, an Emmy-winning doc that follows Anderson on a two-year journey across the Pacific Northwest to document the last wild springers. Stick around after the flick for a historical talk on spring Chinook, samples from Patagonia Provisions, and a raffle for “exclusive gear.” (If fish are your thing, you should head to this fish-tracking talk on Thursday, too.) LC
(Optimism Brewing, Capitol Hill)
LIVE MUSIC
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Haley Blais holds many titles as a singer-songwriter, vlogger, and overall funny person on the internet. On her upcoming album, Wisecrack, Blais shows all of her colors with floaty indie rock tunes infused with sentimentality, quick-witted humor, and shimmery harmonies (give her single “Coolest Fucking Bitch in Town” a listen to see what I mean). If you’re a fan of Faye Webster or Julia Jacklin, you’ll like Haley too, I promise. She will be joined by Georgia-based indie rock gem Girlpuppy and Canadian indie pop artist David Vertesi. AV
(Madame Lou’s at the Crocodile, Belltown)
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The Seattle Symphony will be joined by Makana for an enchanting evening of Hawaiian slack key guitar. Called “the greatest living player” by Esquire, Makana seamlessly blends traditional Hawaiian and contemporary music to show off his haunting Tim Buckley-esque vocals along with masterful fingerwork and range of the symphonic instrument. AV
(Benaroya Hall, Downtown)
FESTIVALS
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If you haven’t stopped by the Wing Luke Museum lately, here’s a (free!) chance. The museum’s all-ages Jamfest will return to the historic Canton and Maynard Alleys, offering up DJ sets and cabaret performances, plus arcade games, mahjong, information booths, and Nolen Lee’s punching pandas. If you work up an appetite, grab takeout from one of the buzzy food hubs in the Chinatown-International District and munch while you enjoy the entertainment—we dig the doughy options at Szechuan Noodle Bowl, which is a mere block away.
(Wing Luke Museum, Chinatown-International District)
READINGS & TALKS
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During the pandemic, birding became popular, and has stayed that way—it turns out humans love a real-life game of Pokémon. If you feel like stepping up your animal-identifying game, though, I have a humble suggestion for you: Fish. Namely, the fish in the Salish Sea, which boasts 260 species (the jawless hagfish, the weirdo ocean sunfish, and more) to please even the most discerning ichthyophile. Theodore Pietsch, professor emeritus in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at UW, and James Wilder Orr, a fisheries biologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, will drop by Pioneer Square shop Arundel Books to help get you started. The pair’s latest book, A Field Guide to Fishes of the Salish Sea, is a must-have for wannabe fish scouters, so get your fins on a copy—also, publisher Chatwin Books will randomly select one event attendee to receive a year-long membership to the Seattle Aquarium. LC
(Arundel Books, Pioneer Square)
LIVE MUSIC
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Former Stranger contributor Mike Nipper wrote: “They were contemporaries of SoCal punk bands like the Germs and Black Flag, but X’s relevance and influence can still be heard draped across the sounds of the rock underground. I reckon you could say, even as their music is deeply rooted in, well, roots rock, at this point they MIGHT be considered roots rock themselves. And don’t forget they were/are universally loved by the nerdy college kids, punks, AND the goths. I bet it’s safe to say 1970s Exene is prolly still an archetype.” The iconic duo will return to Seattle with a blend of classics and more recent material from their 2020 album, Alphabetland, and my fingers are crossed that they’ll play their 1981 anthem “We’re Desperate.” New wave veterans the English Beat and ’90s ska punks Save Ferris will open. AV
(Marymoor Park, Redmond)
COMEDY
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Japanese American stand-up Fumi Abe will stop by Seattle to “use humor as a rhetorical tool to inform and persuade mass audiences,” according to the show’s promotional materials. That does not make Abe’s set sound like fun at all, so I’ll take a stab at it: Abe is a noted spanking researcher and the host of the Cash Cuties podcast, in which he critiques his friends’ credit card statements, which sounds like a hilarious nightmare. He’s also written for NPR’s Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! and acts up on Twitter sometimes—two attributes of an excellent comedian. His set should serve up more tomfoolery and audience exploration. LC
(Rendezvous, Belltown)
FESTIVALS
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The inaugural edition of Elysian Brewing’s Dust Fest aims to combine the best of beer festivals, concerts, and block parties in one event, and the music lineup is far from an afterthought: The pioneering “freak-folk” singer-songwriter Devendra Banhart headlines, supported by local beatsmith and multi-instrumentalist Chong the Nomad, veteran rapper Sol, and the jazzy outfit i///u. Hop lovers can bliss out with a selection of over 45 local IPAs from Elysian and other local breweries, and those who choose not to drink alcohol can hydrate at the “Odd Watering Hole,” which will serve Elysian’s zero-proof Odd Water Sparkling Hop Water. Other festivities include food truck nosh, hop education from local farmers, a hot dog eating contest, street musicians, live art installations, and more. JB
(Elysian Airport Way Brewery, Industrial District)
FOOD & DRINK
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Stop at a booth in Hing Hay Park to pick up a menu and spin a game show-style wheel to try your luck at winning gift cards and gift certificates, then stroll through Chinatown-International District checking out food specials and retail items at participating local businesses. Last month’s lineup included enticing snacks like Spam musubi at Aloha Plates, caramel flan jelly with coconut milk and coffee at Bubble Tea and Fresh Fruit Juice, chocolate cream horns at Cake House, spiced plum popcorn chicken at Gan Bei, and coco coffee slush with half a pandan waffle at Phin—what more do you need? JB
(Hing Hay Park, Chinatown-International District)
LIVE MUSIC
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Each summer, Seattlietes sprawl across local parks to hear masterful chamber musicians play their instruments in the open air. For this week’s kickoff concert, nearly a dozen musicians from the Chamber Music Society will take to Waterfront Park with classical works from 19th-century composers Luigi Boccherini and Johannes Brahms. AV
(Various locations)
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Written before (side A) and after (side B) the birth of her first child, La Luz frontwoman Shana Cleveland’s third solo release, Manzanita, is considerably more personal than her Afrofuturist-fueled second album, Night of the Worm Moon. Inspired by her life in the California wilderness, Cleveland has described the album as a “supernatural love album” that examines her own relationship to the insect world, ghosts, and evil spirits. Also unlike her two previous albums, Manzanita employs lush Lee Hazelwood-esque production that’s heavy with strings, synths, and eerie percussion. I can’t wait to hear what these songs sound like live! Be sure to catch an opening set from singer-songwriter Will Sprott (who also happens to be Cleveland’s partner). AV
(Madame Lou’s at the Crocodile, Belltown)
FILM
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John Waters’s mother of a cult classic, Serial Mom, follows a picture-perfect housewife who may or may not be a psycho killer. Forget about the PTA meetings and soccer games, because this is a much more solid choice for a freaky Sunday—in celebration of doting demented mothers everywhere, scream queen Monday Mourning will dust off her jewels and add her signature wit to the derangement. LC
(Northwest Film Forum, Capitol Hill)
LIVE MUSIC
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On his latest album, Reset, Panda Bear (the solo project of Animal Collective frontman Noah Lennox) teamed up with producer/former Spaceman 3 keyboardist Peter Kember (aka Sonic Boom) for a retro-futuristic kaleidoscope of sound. The duo utilizes an expected range of electronic instruments as well as some unexpected Beach Boys-esque harmonies that Pitchfork called “the most pleasurable release” of both Lennox and Kember’s careers. They will support the album alongside LA-based experimental artist Maral. AV
(Neptune Theatre, University District)
COMEDY
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Pint-sized beef lover and queen of vulgarity Ali Wong will pop by Seattle, bringing with her a slick roster of jokes about feminism, anal sex, motherhood, and the horrors of shitting at work. At least, that’s what her previous specials have touched on—she’s since obtained an “unconventional” divorce, been Emmy nommed, and toughened up on crime in Birds of Prey. Despite all of her fancy-pants status and success, we’re betting that this show will still toe the controversially nasty line that Wong knows best. LC
(McCaw Hall, Uptown, Wednesday-Sunday)
FESTIVALS
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Northwest Tune-Up will transform downtown Bellingham into a peak-PNW oasis that celebrates all things bikes, beer, and music. After a long day of exploring the world-class mountain bike singletracks and competing in (or spectating) bike races, wind down with some live music and local brews. Highlights from the musical lineup include synthy indie rock outfit STRFKR, EDM project the Crystal Method, R&B gem Mereba, alt-country artist Rayland Baxter, and folk troubadour Shana Cleveland (of La Luz). Plus, there will be plenty of product vendors, family-friendly activities, and food trucks. AV
(Waterfront Waypoint Park, Bellingham, Friday-Sunday)
FILM
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You’ve likely already seen your fair share of cheeky, smartly-costumed Wes Anderson ensemble comedies. You probably want to see this one, too. Sure, Anderson’s style is becoming a little more than formulaic, but it’s because the formula works—a formalist approach, careful aesthetics, and a pop of color in the form of Jeff Goldblum always make sense. In Asteroid City, the itinerary of a space cadet convention (“organized to bring together students and parents from across the country for fellowship and scholarly competition”) takes a nose dive when world-changing events rock a ’50s-era desert town. (Is it aliens?) LC
(SIFF Cinema Uptown, Uptown, Monday-Thursday)
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If you’ve seen past HUMP! lineups, you know entries to our amateur porn festival can span from silly and playful to hardcore kink. Well, this one’s for you, kinksters! For HUMP! Hardcore we’ve selected the dirtiest, most intense, and most shocking HUMP! entries from the past 18 years and starting today, you can watch them all in the comfort of your very own sex dungeon designed to look like a doctor’s office. There will be latex, there will be spit-roasting, there will be… fish? We weren’t lyin’ when we said shit gets a little kinky. STRANGER CULTURE EDITOR MEGAN SELING (Streaming, Wednesday-Sunday)
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SIFF Cinema Egyptian will bring Wong Kar-wai’s sensual visuals and pitch-perfect soundtracks back to the screen for this series, which will present eight of the director’s classics in 4K restorations and 35mm, as well as a director’s cut of The Hand. We’re stoked for the screenings of In the Mood for Love this week; set in ’60s Hong Kong, the film follows a lonely married journalist and a similarly isolated woman. When the two realize that their respective partners are cheating on them, they form an intimate bond and wrestle with the allure of a sordid affair. It’s sooo juicy, but also bleak, but also dizzyingly glamorous. A must-see, if you haven’t! Christopher Doyle’s vivid cinematography helped cement In the Mood for Love as a major stylistic influence on the last 20 years of film—you might recognize a certain scene reinterpreted in Everything Everywhere All At Once. LC
(SIFF Cinema Egyptian, Capitol Hill, Monday-Friday)
FOOD & DRINK
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Originally started as a celebration of the neighborhood’s fishing industry in 1974, this festival has expanded over the years to include a salmon barbecue dinner, a crab shack, a beer garden replete with local craft brews, food and artisan craft vendors, a skateboarding competition, and live music from amazing local bands. This year’s killer lineup includes “rock ‘n’ roll twins” the Black Tones, dreamy indie rockers La Fonda, the garage band Linda From Work, soulful singer-songwriter Shaina Shepherd, the funk group Eldridge Gravy & The Court Supreme, and way more. Gluttons for punishment can enroll in the lutefisk eating contest, an annual competition to see who can scarf the most of the salty, gelatinous fish. JB
(Ballard Ave NW, Ballard, Friday-Sunday)
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Hamburglars, it’s your time to shine. For one week only, participating restaurants all over the city will be creating original, specialty burgers for only $10. Plot your own personalized burger adventure and try as many as you like. You won’t get a trophy or anything, but you will have bragging rights among your fellow burger lovers and one very satisfied stomach. For maximum success, we recommend wearing something with an elastic waistband—oh, and don’t forget to tip the kitchen staff and servers. (Various locations, Monday-Sunday)
LIVE MUSIC
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Over the last five years, original vinyl copies of the Cowboy Junkies’ The Trinity Sessions have skyrocketed in price. Along with late ’80s rock (or dare I say adult contemporary) bands like R.E.M., their records have gone from a blessed dollar bin find to a never-in-stock favorite that’ll cost you upwards of 30-50 bucks. This tells me that people are finally catching on! The band’s sound is blissfully light and breezy with Americana roots and dreamy, whispery vocals (à la Mazzy Star and Yo La Tengo). The quartet will return to Seattle with tracks from their new album, Such Ferocious Beauty, which strays from their original sound with darker lyrics and experimental song structure (but I bet they’ll play some of the old stuff too). AV
(Neptune Theatre, University District, Friday-Saturday)
PERFORMANCE
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Throw on your old-timey feathered caps and get thee to a nunnery—or maybe just head outdoors for Greenstage’s always-free Shakespeare in the Park, which returns for its 35th season this year. They’ll offer up productions of the Bard’s familiar tragedy Romeo and Juliet and historical drama Henry VI Part One, plus a rotating “Backyard Bard” series of one-hour shows, including forbidden love folktale Cymbeline, at parks across Seattle. The season ends on August 12, so peep their calendar for exact times and locations of their performances. LC
(Various locations, Thursday–Sunday)
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Everyone’s favorite glam rock musical follows a genderqueer East German singer who lands in the rural Midwest after a botched sex reassignment surgery. The four-time Tony-winning production blends rock concert sensibilities with cabaret and stand-up comedy to tell the story of showboat Hedwig Robinson’s dramatic search for love and fame. If you’re somehow not familiar with the glitzy tale, expect a blend of Bowie-like androgyny and Iggy Pop aesthetics. LC
(ArtsWest, Junction, Wednesday–Sunday)
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Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived: Henry VIII’s six wives really went through it, but their stories are far more complex than the violence he inflicted on them. Fans of the sexed-up Showtime series The Tudors should dig this musical adaptation of their stories (and the king’s villainy)—the production transforms his unlucky wifeys into corseted, badass pop icons. It’s truly what Anne Boleyn’s headless legacy deserves. Six “totally rules,” according to the New York Times; the musical also won a Tony for best original score. LC
(Paramount Theatre, Downtown, Wednesday-Sunday)
VISUAL ART
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Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo’s debut solo museum exhibition Soul of Black Folks honors the complexity of “Black subjectivity, Black joy, and the Black gaze” through raw, vivid finger-painted portraits. (We love the texture of Bella Sontez (2019).) Inspired by artists like Kerry James Marshall and Kehinde Wiley, and drawing conceptual inspiration from W.E.B. Du Bois’s 1903 work The Souls of Black Folk, Boafo investigates “double consciousness” through renderings of Black figures facing modern forms of systemic oppression, pandemic anxieties, and media commodification. LC
(Seattle Art Museum, Downtown, Thursday-Sunday; closing)
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In the recent Art and Performance guide (which is in print, and available all over the city), Jas Keimig described the concept of the installation FLÓÐ (Flood) at the National Nordic Museum as “meditating on climate change.” That’s certainly how one can read it, but my experience of the work, which is by Icelandic artist and musician Jónsi and occupies a huge space in the museum, recalled less the inevitable underwater Anthropocene world with its sad sea sounds and scent of seaweed, and more Seattle in the middle of winter. Though we have left those short and beautifully bleak days, they can still be found here, in the heart of the Nordic Museum. The strip of flickering light above, the mist, the coldness of it all. One with proper Pacific Northwest blood feels very much at home here. STRANGER SENIOR WRITER CHARLES MUDEDE
(National Nordic Museum, Ballard, Tuesday-Sunday)
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Icelandic sculptor Steinunn Þórarinsdóttir’s pensive, androgynous sculptures reflect on the universality of the human experience—gaze into their blank eyes and you might catch a glimpse of yourself. In Wayfinders, Þórarinsdóttir has designed a site-specific installation that greets museum visitors and “guides their path” through the space with 13 life-sized works and a selection of watercolors. The figures represent life stages and periods of transience and resettlement, reflecting on the Nordic American experience but also embodying a sense of ambiguity. LC
(National Nordic Museum, Ballard, Saturday-Sunday; opening)