The Stranger

(SWEET, SWEET BRASS) Three reasons to see Rebirth. One: It's a fundraiser for Katrina survivors. Two: It's at the Royal Esquire Club, a historic black-men's organization you haven't been inside before. Three: Rebirth is one of New Orleans's finest musical exports, a rafter-rattling explosion of funk and jazz in the tradition of "second line"—killer brass bands that play for Mardis Gras parades, community processions, and the famous jazz funerals. (The Royal Esquire Club, 5016 Rainier Ave S, www.brownpapertickets.com. 8 pm, $25–$50, 21+.) by Brendan Kiley

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(PARTY) According to Don Leonardo, a handsome scoundrel with a ferocious left hook, "Sean Spits and I will have a fistfight to the death. If he survives, the Spits will play." I hope Sean has been training, because there are few punk pleasures greater than a daytime Spits show on a sunny Saturday. The beer will be astonishingly cheap, the barbecue will be smokin', and Mamma Casserole will be on the decks, so consider your plans made. (Funhouse, 206 Fifth Ave N, 374-8400. 4 pm, $6, 21+.) by Hannah Levin

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(PRO-POT EXTRAVAGANZA) After a spicy land-access battle with the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Hempfest is ready to roll. Today brings day two of the annual festival of music, political activism, hemp-related product peddling, and full compliance with the law. Still, funny smells abound, and a leisurely stroll through Hempfest is the civic duty of all able-bodied potheads and those who love them. (Myrtle Edwards Park, see www.hempfest.org for full schedule of speakers and performers. 10 am–8 pm, free, all ages.) by David Schmader

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(MUSIC) These Montreal-based musicians made one of the best records of 2005, Apologies to the Queen Mary, and nine months later, I still can't stop listening to it. Their discordant chamber pop is embellished with unpredictable, bittersweet flourishes and enchants even the most cynical listeners with vocals both mournful and euphoric—not unlike a 21st-century version of Neutral Milk Hotel. With Frog Eyes. (Showbox, 1426 First Ave, 628-3151. 8 pm, $15 adv/$18 DOS, all ages.) by Hannah Levin

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(BAR HOPPING) The bars along Eastlake Avenue that face I-5 are uniquely relaxed yet enchanting. You'll find friendly staff, easy prices, and comfy booths occupied by punks and pretty girls. Start with soup and a sandwich at Cafe Venus, then slink back into the darker marsBar to wash your day down with an imported beer. Next, swagger south to the Lobo Saloon for a game of pool. End at lovely Lo_Fi where Fourthcity's enduring live-hiphop party ($4) is still going strong two years on. (429–609 Eastlake Ave E, between Harrison and Roy Sts.) by Amy Kate Horn

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(FILM) There is no better way to recover from (if you've already seen it) or avoid (if you'd rather not ruin the trailer) Snakes on a Plane than this quiet, perfectly sweet movie about a girl named Magdalena who lives in a predominantly Latino neighborhood in Los Angeles. Winner of a special jury prize and audience award at Sundance, Quinceañera may not change your life, but it will make you fall in love with the imperfect, naive, adorable teens at the heart of the film. (See Movie Times, page 87, for details.) by Annie Wagner

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(COMEDY MASTERPIECE) Oscar caught up with Sideways, but Alexander Payne first revealed himself as a major American filmmaker devoted to the tiniest elements of American life in 1999's Election. Tracking the havoc left in the wake of gold-plated high-school overachiever Tracy Flick, the film's a work of intricate perfection, featuring career-best performances by Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick, and the sweetest subplot about pubescent lesbianism you'll ever see. (Grand Illusion, 1403 NE 50th St, 523-3935. 7 and 9 pm, $5—$7.50.) by David Schmader

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