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MON
SEP 24, 2007

Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem, and Gossip all put on spectacular live shows with overwrought theatrics, muscular disco grooves, and a punk-blues explosion, respectively. James Murphy and Beth Ditto are especially powerful, the former leading his band like a post-punk James Brown and the latter belting out songs with overwhelming soul. This should be one of the best shows of the fall. (Bank of America Arena, 3870 Montlake Blvd NE, www.ticketmaster.com. 7:30 pm, $39.50, all ages.) ERIC GRANDY by Eric Grandy

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His first book, 1996's awesome story collection Drown, was written in a hybrid of English and Spanish, set in the Dominican Republic and New Jersey, and began with two guys kicking the shit out of a boy whose face had been eaten off by a pig. Now, at last, years late, Díaz's second book has been published. Michiko Kakutani calls The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao "so original it can only be described as Mario Vargas Llosa meets Star Trek meets David Foster Wallace meets Kanye West." (Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main St, 624-6600. 7:30 pm, free.) by Christopher Frizzelle

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Also Suggested Today: Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem, Gossip Junot Díaz

TUE
SEP 25, 2007

Originally released in 1985, Gus Van Sant's directorial debut features the least conflicted homosexual protagonist in cinema history. Based on Walt Curtis's autobiographical novel of the same name, Mala Noche follows a young Portland man's sweetly obsessive love for a teenage Mexican immigrant. Shot in tough black and white, it's ravishingly amoral, bracingly original, and back on the screen in a new 35 mm print. (Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave, 329-2629. 7 and 9:15 pm, $8.50.) by David Schmader

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WED
SEP 26, 2007

In 2007, Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker was asked, on The Colbert Report, to explain how the brain works in five words. He answered: "Brain cells fire in patterns." That's perfect Pinker—clever, concise, and correct. His most famous book, The Language Instinct, is about apes, anatomy, semantics, anthropology, and why deaf babies babble with their hands the same way hearing children do with their voices. His new book, The Stuff of Thought, concerns cognitive evolution and cussing. Whatever he talks about, it's going to be fascinating. (Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave, 652-4255. 7:30 pm, $5.) by Brendan Kiley

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THU
SEP 27, 2007

The author of No Logo has a new book that names the latest stage of capital—The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. Her point is this: In recent years, capital has absorbed major disasters into its profit-making logic. The tsunami of 2004, Hurricane Katrina, Iraq, 9/11—all have offered fresh (and spectacular) opportunities for the extraction of surplus value. With this turn in her thinking, the Marxism of Klein meets the Marxism of Mike Davis. (Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave, 652-4255. 7:30 pm, $5.) by Charles Mudede

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FRI
SEP 28, 2007

What do you mean you haven't seen the Whore Moans yet? Motherfucker, don't you listen to anything I say? They're fantastic—tight, soulful, danceable punk rock played with fervor and swagger. Plus tonight's show is free! But it's also a benefit to raise some cash for a new PA at the Blue Moon, so bring a few bucks to donate. With A Gun That Shoots Knives, the Hopscotch Boys, and Red Rapture. (Blue Moon Tavern, 712 NE 45th St, 675-9116. 9 pm, free, 21+.) by Megan Seling

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SAT
SEP 29, 2007

Numbers, Intelligence, Partman Parthorse, Flexions

Four bands, zero filler. The highlight is Numbers, from San Francisco, who play slow-churning, sun-soaked synthedelic pop and have a new album, Now You Are This, on Kill Rock Stars. But the local support is just as impressive, from the sneering postpunk spite of Partman Parthorse to the lo-fi fuzz assault of the Intelligence to the no-wave death dub of Flexions, featuring the outré guitar skills of Devin Welch (of Blood Brothers/Chromatics/Shoplifting renown). All killer. (Sunset Tavern, 5433 Ballard Ave NW, 784-4880. 9 pm, $8, 21+.) by Eric Grandy

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Pittsburgh artist Michelle Fried has been locked inside Crawl Space for a week making art, and tonight she opens the doors. Her video, sculpture, and sound work reinvents her own biography from ages 8 to 18, using such cultural landmarks as DJ Tanner, Kurt Cobain, Marshall Applewhite, and Igrid Bayer (Escambia High School's Homecoming Queen). It's the first-ever "Studio Intensive Residency Exhibition" at the gallery. (Crawl Space Gallery, 504 E Denny Way #1, 201-2441. 6–9 pm, free.) by Jen Graves

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Also Suggested Today: Numbers, Intelligence, Partman Parthorse, Flexions 'Tantrums'

SUN
SEP 30, 2007

When young artists are out of school, new to town, or just all worked up and don't know where to go, they go to SOIL to get connected. It's time again for the venerable artist collective's annual auction, this year with work by Deb Baxter, Dawn Cerny, Mark Dombrosky, Yuki Nakamura, Katy Stone, and Jennifer Zwick—and if these names mean nothing to you, then you really have to go. (Greg Kucera Gallery, 212 Third Ave S, 624-0770. Silent auction begins at 3:30 pm, live auction at 5 pm, $10.) by Jen Graves

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