The Stranger Suggests
January 11 - January 18
Jared Diamond
(READING) Jared Diamond is the wildly popular science writer whose fat tome Guns, Germs, and Steel spent years on the best-seller lists. When he last spoke at Town Hall, the line wrapped around the block and 100 people (including me) didn't get in. I'll hustle this time. Diamond's talk will draw from his most-recent book, Collapse, about environmental contributions to the collapse of societies throughout history, from the Easter Islanders to the Norse settlers in Greenland. (Town Hall Seattle, 1119 Eighth Ave, 652-4255. 5:30 and 8 pm, $5 at the door.) ANNIE WAGNER
Scion Installation Art Tour
(HIPHOP ART) Those who are into skateboards will instantly recognize the name Jeremy Fish. I know nothing about skateboards, so the name means nothing to me. But I do know a lot about hiphop, which is why I recognize the name Ramm:Ell:Zee—the legendary NYC rapper, artist, and b-boy theorist whose work joins that of the aforementioned Fish, Ricky Powell, and many others in the Scion Installation Art Tour. (Roq La Rue Gallery, 2312 Second Ave, 374-8977. Opening reception 6–10 pm, free.) CHARLES MUDEDE
The Last Huffer
(LAST-EVER GAS HUFFER SHOW) Remember when we finally convinced our parents to let us go to a concert by ourselves and we chose Gas Huffer because Jon wore their badass T-shirts during gym and we loved the band, which was poppy enough to adore and subversive enough to be cool, and we lost our naive little minds and decided that rock 'n' roll was about the best thing ever? Yeah, me too. (Crocodile, 2200 Second Ave, 441-5611. 9 pm, $8, 21+.) BRENDAN KILEY
Fascinator
(CLUB NIGHT) The geniuses that bring you Comeback and Lick transform Vito's Madison Grill into a thumping paradise of rhythm, booze, and sexual promise featuring an eclectic mélange of A-list club DJs, no cover, and drink specials all night! Nobody is rushing to label the event "queer"—it's for "whomever likes to dance and get drunk for real cheap"—but... you know. (Vito's, 927 Ninth Ave, 682-2695. 8 pm–2 am, no cover, 21+.) ADRIAN RYAN
'Dirty Dancing'
(STAGED READING) Ian Bell's perennially popular Brown Derby Series takes on "a screenplay that will drive you Swayze!" If jokes like that make you want to die, stay far away from Re-bar's three-night run of Dirty Dancing, the surreally stupid '80s-meets-the-'50s dance flick reborn here as a trampoline for Bell and company's aggressive camp. Star Andrew Tasakos will undoubtedly illuminate shades of Baby that Jennifer Grey never dreamed of. (Re-bar, 1114 Howell St, 233-9873. 8 pm, $10 at the door, 21+. Through Wed Jan 18.) DAVID SCHMADER
'Zizek!'
(DOCUMENTARY) You will never understand the shit that philosopher Slavoj Zizek is on. But after a few minutes of watching this documentary by Astra Taylor, you'll completely understand why he's famous and has so many admirers all over the world. Zizek is a very funny man. He knows how to crack up his audiences and the few readers who can penetrate his difficult books. Most philosophers laugh with their minds; Zizek laughs with his belly. (Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave, 267-5380. 7:15 and 9 pm, $8/$5 members.) CHARLES MUDEDE
Pop Smear Test
(MUSIC COMPETITION) The most convenient, and funniest, source of samples is the human corpus. That's the concept that catalyzes Seattle School's Pop Smear Test: Get opposing electronic musicians to sample myriad body sounds from audience members and then manipulate said emissions with high-tech gear to form a new track—in five minutes. The judges determine the winner of each round through their own involuntary bodily responses, which are monitored by nurses. Tonight's contestants are local electronic players/producers Obelus and ndCv. (Chop Suey, 1325 E Madison St, 324-8000. 8 pm, $5, 21+.) DAVE SEGAL
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