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WED
MAR 7, 2007

Doomed to be eclipsed by 2002's Tony Award—winning musical and the forthcoming movie musical starring John Travolta, 1988's original Hairspray is nevertheless a stone-cold classic—a meticulously executed comic fantasia and the best work of art John Waters has produced. Tonight kicks off a five-night run of the film at the charming Central Cinema, and if you aren't lucky enough to have tickets to tonight's totally sold-out This American Life Live! show at the Paramount, you should console yourself with the magic of Hairspray. (Central Cinema, 1411 21st Ave, 686-MOVIE. 7 and 9:30 pm, $5, late show 21+.) by David Schmader

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Cologne at the Henry, Leipzig at the Frye, Tacoma Art Museum's Northwest Biennial: These art shows have everybody talking about what it takes to make a scene, and whether we have what it takes. Now, members of ArtRod, Crawl Space, Punch, SOIL, and the Department of Safety will have their say on the role of artist collectives in the region. Judging from nascent comments made by Crawl Space members on an In/Visible podcast last month, you can expect not just cheerleading but healthy skepticism and maybe even productive debate. These aren't shrinking violets, thank god. (Henry Art Gallery, 15th Ave NE and NE 41st St, 543-2280. 7 pm, $5.) by Jen Graves

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Also Suggested Today: 'Hairspray''Make Your Own Scene'

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THU
MAR 8, 2007

Though Mikhail Kalatazov's The Cranes Are Flying is not as good as I Am Cuba, his masterpiece—and, for me, the greatest film ever made—it is an outstanding work of cinema. As with I am Cuba, Cranes is a feast for the eyes, a feast of experimental edits, architectural photography, dazzling angles, close-ups of beautiful faces, and long tracking shots of the masses. Though the story is ordinary enough (the love of two young Soviets is brought to an end by World War II), not one moment in the film lacks the excitement of a person telling the most original story ever imagined. (SIFF Cinema at McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St, 464-5830, www.seattlefilm.org. 9 pm, $9.) by Charles Mudede

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"The Earth's smartest DJ" might not be saying much—DJs are generally known for their technique, not their intellect—but DJ /rupture (AKA Jace Clayton) is a true scholar. His rumblings on www.negrophonic.com mash geopolitics with literary criticism with adventurous musicology, and his DJ mixes are every bit as jumbled and deep—fusing global pop, hiphop, and speaker-blowing breaks. Local co-conspirator Filastine explores similar postworld territory. With Jessika Kenney and Eyvind Kang providing voice and viola. (CHAC, 1621 12th Ave, 388-0569. 9:30 pm, $7, 21+.) by Eric Grandy

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Also Suggested Today: 'The Cranes Are Flying'DJ /rupture, Filastine

FRI
MAR 9, 2007

Apparently the "Seattle Notables" party celebrates some photography exhibit and you're supposed to come dressed like a person from McLeod's list of local (read: third-rate) celebrities. I'm not saying that I'm insulted I didn't make the cut (even though the Sonics' Squatch and Christopher "Already-Too-Big-For-His-Britches" Frizzelle did). I'm just saying I don't even care. It's just a dumb popularity contest. Whatever. (McLeod Residence, 2209 Second Ave, 441-3314. 8 pm, $15.) by Brendan Kiley

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SAT
MAR 10, 2007

Although something else is going to be on everyone's mind, Stranger art critic Jen Graves, independent art critic Matthew Kangas, and Seattle P-I art critic Regina Hackett have promised to stay on topic. The topic: the Northwest Biennial currently up at Tacoma Art Museum. What does this show tell us about what art's heavy hitters are thinking about? What does it tell us about biennials? And exactly how long did it take Alex Schweder to cast his entire bathroom in packing peanuts and spit? (Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, 253-272-4258. 3 pm, free with $7.50 museum admission.) by Christopher Frizzelle

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SUN
MAR 11, 2007

Jean Renoir's swirling, hard-headed humanist farce about the decadence of the French haute bourgeoisie has been magnificently restored—just in time for obit writers to punish themselves for abusing the term "Altmanesque." This precise cross section of society is like a slice of cake, every layer more delicious than the last. Robert Altman said it himself: "The Rules of the Game taught me the rules of the game." (Varsity, 4329 University Way NE, 781-5755. See Movie Times for details.) by Annie Wagner

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MON
MAR 12, 2007

We should be willing to suffer through whatever solo-career flab Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone (basically, the Zombies) put us through just to hear them play a few scraps of Odessey and Oracle—it's hard to explain how goddamned good that record is. It was released in 1968. Its opening song is a letter to a girlfriend in prison. It has organs and flutes and electrifying harmonies. It sounds like a rose smells—nostalgic and complicated, sweet but not cloying. Their earth-moving days are 30 years behind them, but I can't help wanting to see bodies that house the genius. (The Triple Door, 216 Union St, 838-4333. 7:30 pm, $30 adv/$32 DOS, all ages.) by Brendan Kiley

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TUE
MAR 13, 2007

Word from our "guy" down in Pioneer Square is that eight balls are currently at a premium. But if anyone's gonna level the field, it's Clipse—the pair of Virginia Beach brothers who rode around shining with last year's coke-rap chronicle Hell Hath No Fury. The album is a hustler's-eye view of the financial rewards and ethical anxieties of dealing powder in the inner city, set to the Neptunes' sinister, swerving soundtrack. Word is that Clipse rise above the hype as performers. With Cool Nutz, Dime Def, and J-Mar. (Chop Suey, 1325 E Madison St, 324-8000. 8 pm, $18, 21+.) by Jonathan Zwickel

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