The Stranger

(ART) Artist Jesse Paul Miller has spattered the wall of Wall of Sound with a barrage of spontaneous drawings, rudimentary contemporary cave-painting images burned on driftwood, collages and conglomerations—including a tiny neon pile of sticky price tags—and drippy "action" paintings made on records while they spin. There are those who believe that music is only music until it's recorded, at which point it becomes a recording; Miller's concentrated output is live. (Wall of Sound, 315 E Pine St, 441-9880. 11 am—7 pm Mon—Sat, noon—6 Sun, free.) by Jen Graves

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(ART TALK) What's happening in Portland? Is what's happening in Portland better than what's happening here? Can our art beat up their art? Tonight, curator Stephanie Snyder talks to a bunch of Portland artists about their work, including Kevin Abell, Dana Dart-McLean, Alex Felton, Jessica Jackson Hutchins, Kristan Kennedy, MK Guth, and Storm Tharp. (Henry Art Gallery, 15th Ave NE and NE 41st St, 543-2280. 7 pm, $5 general, $3 members, free for students.) by Christopher Frizzelle

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(JAZZ) In our current cultural climate, the word "civilized" is not popular. But the word does have a meaning and use. For example, the rapper Method Man is not civilized, whereas the Canadian jazz pianist Oscar Peterson certainly is civilized. The difference is this: Oscar Peterson's art is the product of long study, years of practice, a lifetime of labor. He is a total master, and the piano obeys all of his musical commands. Method Man does not have the depth, the tradition, the grounding of Peterson. (Dimitriou's Jazz Alley, 2033 Sixth Ave, 441-9729. 7:30 pm, $80.50—$95.50.) by Charles Mudede

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(MUSIC/ZINERY) Edited by Lucy Morehouse, Seattle-based zine Ong Ong illuminates the eccentricities of culture on the margins. Charmingly handmade in old-school zine style, Ong Ong champions outsider artists with earnestness and insight. And it has great taste in music, too. Tonight, eight bands—including Na, Ear Venom, and the Vonneguts—will be engaging in an "open collaboration." (Artworks, 619 Western Ave #4 6 pm, $5, all ages.) by Dave Segal

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(CONFLICT OF INTEREST) If you don't want to spend your whole weekend at Bumbershoot, I'd go today. (Megan Seling would go tomorrow; see Monday.) The truth is I have to go today, as I'm interviewing two of my favorite writers, George Saunders and Mary Gaitskill, at Bagley Wright Theater at 3:00 p.m. But there are plenty other reasons to go today, including writers Charles D'Ambrosio (Alki Room, 5:00 p.m.) and Gary Shteyngart (Alki Room, 6:30 p.m.), and music acts the New Pornographers (Mainstage, 1:00 p.m.), Mates of State (Backyard, 7:15 p.m.), and Kanye West (Mainstage, 9:30 p.m.). (Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St, www.thestranger.com/bumbershoot. $30.) by Christopher Frizzelle

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(MUSIC) You might think it's cool to rebel against the masses and skip Bumbershoot altogether, but you really should stop being such a bitter douche bag. Today's music lineup is pretty stellar. Not only are Steve Miller Band and A Tribe Called Quest playing on the Mainstage, but locals Speaker Speaker, Kane Hodder, the Invisible Eyes, and Rocky Votolato put a nice little cherry on the already sweet sundae. Seriously. Go. (Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St, www.thestranger.com/bumbershoot. $30.) by Megan Seling

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(CROWD PLEASER) Tracking a dysfunctional-to-the-last-person family on a cross-country road trip, Little Miss Sunshine is as contrived as a knock-knock joke. But underneath all the contrivance glows a sweet, warm, fucked-up comedy you'll be happy to see. The saviors are the actors—Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, and breakout indie starlet Abigail Breslin—who light up this frequently predictable parade with tiny moments of inspired, idiosyncratic brilliance. (See Movie Times, p. 80, for details.) by David Schmader

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