This month in Seattle, there are plenty of ways to go out and enjoy the beginning of summer. Below, we've rounded up the 110 biggest events that you should know about, including iconic festivals like the Fremont Solstice Fair and Seafair, tons of Pride events, outdoor concert series (at the Woodland Park Zoo, Marymoor Park, and Chateau Ste. Michelle), the opening of the blockbuster Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors exhibit, the grand opening celebration of the new Pike Place MarketFront, the final month of programming at Town Hall before their current building closes for 12 months of renovation, a Michael Che stand-up set, Father's Day events, and what Christopher Frizzelle calls the best musical of all time: Cabaret. Click through the links below for complete details, and, as always, find even more events on our complete Things To Do calendar.
Get all this and more on the free Stranger Things To Do mobile appâavailable now on the App Store and Google Play.
JUNE 1-11
FILM1. Seattle International Film Festival 2017
The 43rd annual Seattle International Film Festival is the largest film festival in the US, with 400 films (spread over 25 days) watched by around 150,000 people. It's impressively grand, and is one of the most exciting and widely-attended arts events Seattle has to offer. See the full schedule, buy tickets, watch trailers, and read Stranger reviews on our complete SIFF 2017 guide.
JUNE 1-18
THEATER & DANCE2. Here Lies Love
David Byrneâs critically adored disco musical about the life and times of Imelda Marcos, disco-obsessed wife of Ferdinand Marcos. She danced by his side (and by Richard Nixonâsâlook it up on YouTube) while his dictatorial ass terrorized the Philippines. Unlike other musicals, you donât have to forgive this one for its melodramatic, sappy songs. The fast numbers are groovy disco bangers and the slow numbers are touching, tropically inflected twee rock/pop. Production-wise, this show will be unlike anything youâve ever seen at the Rep. The installation of mobile dance floors will significantly change the theaterâs seating situation, and the audience will be dancing (according to the demands of the dictator, of course) throughout the show. RICH SMITH
JUNE 1-24
THEATER & DANCE3. Lydia
Octavio Solis's critically acclaimed Lydia is billed as a ghostly, intense, Miller-esque domestic drama about a young maid who cares for and communes with a teenager who wound up in a coma under mysterious circumstances. Many critics seem haunted (in a good way!) by the play's magic, and by the way it refracts Miller's obsession with the American dream through the prisms of seven brilliantly rendered Latino characters. The dean of Yale School of Drama, James Bundy, called it "one of the most important plays of this decade." This is the kind of dark, language-driven material Strawshop always pulls off with aplomb, and may very well be the low-key hit of the spring season. RICH SMITH
JUNE 1-25
QUEER4. 2nd Annual Dine with Pride
During the month before our city's annual Pride Parade in June, Seattle pulls out all the stops with another citywide celebration of the LGBT communityâthrough the vehicle of food. Last year was the very first time that Seattle Pride put on this event, and they're heading into year two with all systems running. In case you missed last year, the premise is simple: Each participating restaurant is asked to put a $15, $25, or $35 special offer on the menu in June in recognition of LGBT pride. Each Dine With Pride restaurant makes a generous donation benefiting the Seattle Pride Parade.
5. Lost Falls
Celebrate the return of Twin Peaks, after more than 25 years off the air, with this food- and performance-based homage to David Lynch, with all the small-town charm and creepy suspense you'll find in his work. They'll investigate the question: "Who killed Chef Nordo Lefesczki?" Enjoy a score by Annastasia Workman, script by Terry Podgorski, direction and menu design by Erin Brindley, and performances by Devin Bannon (on lead vocalsâfun fact: he's a performer, director, and Stranger sales rep), Evan Mosher (trumpet, vocals, sound effects and more), Matt Manges (drums), Dave Pascal (bass), Ryan Higgins, Ayo Tushinde, Opal Peachey, Carol Thompson, Ronnie Hill, and Laura Dux.
JUNE 1-JULY 1
THEATER & DANCE6. The Realistic Joneses
The Realistic Joneses is a precisely-titled realist play about two neighboring couples with the last name Jones, written by playwright Will Eno (whom Charles Isherwood at the New York Times called "a Samuel Beckett for the Jon Stewart generation"). The Realistic Joneses earned a number of accolades and some rave reviews on Broadway in 2014 for its humorous, character-driven take on illness, marital life, and intimacy. This production is presented by New Century Theatre Company and directed by Paul Budraitis.
7. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
ArtsWest presents Stephen Sondheimâs Sweeney Todd, a musical offering murder, cannibalism, and barbershopsâplus songs that are creepy, catchy, quick, and witty.
JUNE 1-SEPTEMBER 15
MUSIC8. Chateau Ste Michelle Summer Concert Series
Every year, Chateau Ste. Michelle lays out a full summer season of music legends and cultural luminaries to grace their beautiful landscape of flowing wine. The June lineup includes the Moody Blues and Santana.
JUNE 2-10
THEATER & DANCE9. Whim W'Him presents Approaching Ecstasy
According to press materials, Approaching Ecstasy "incorporates 40 singers, five instrumentalists, and seven dancers and is inspired by the poems of Constantine Cavafy, who lived as a closeted gay man in Egypt at the end of the 19th century." When the show opened to critical acclaim back in 2012, City Arts' Rachel Gallaher described Whim W'Him artistic director Olivier Wevers's choreography as "passionately driven." Eric Banks and the Esoterics sing the poems in Greek along with music (a throwback to the lyre-accompanied poetry readings of yore) and then read them in English. If great choral music and dance don't do it for you, then go for the poems of Cavafy. In his erotic poetry, he's the loneliest of the lonely boys, and while reading him, you can feel how constrained he was by the homophobia of his time and place. Read "Half an Hour." Read "The Next Table." RICH SMITH
JUNE 2-11
THEATER & DANCE10. Murder for Two
Contemporary musical comedy Murder for Two (with book by Kellen Blair and Joe Kinosian, music by Joe Kinosian, and lyrics by Kellen Blair) is a piano-filled murder mystery that features two actors: one who attempts to solve the murder, and another that plays all the suspects.
11. Pictures at an Exhibition
This Pacific Northwest Ballet program includes Balanchine's 1968 ballet La Source (with music by Leo Delibes, and originally created for renowned French ballerina Violette Verdy), NYCB ballet master and Broadway legend Jerome Robbins' 1979 ballet Opus 19/The Dreamer, and finally, what looks to be the highlight of the production: Alexei Ratmansky's 2014 ballet Pictures at an Exhibition. The music is by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky, inspired by his tour of a memorial exhibition for artist, architect, and designer Viktor Hartmann. Each musical number comments on an individual piece of art by Hartmann, and this production promises to pair the music and dance with geometric images by Russian painter Wassily Kandinksy. At the very least, it's an ambitious attempt to seamlessly merge dance, music, and visual art inside a new piece of choreography (whose history goes back centuries).
JUNE 2-25
THEATER & DANCE12. Barbecue
Lambda Literary Awardâwinning playwright Robert O'Hara offers up two different familiesâone white, one black, both named O'Malleryâstaging an interventions for their respective drug-addicted family members. Up-and-coming director Malika Oyetimein, who managed a wonderful production of O'Hara's Bootycandy two years ago, will likely squeeze every ounce of cringe-inducing comedy from this very strong cast. Also of note: This play kicks off Intiman's 2017 season, which was co-curated by the extremely multitalented Sara Porkalob. RICH SMITH
JUNE 2-27
SPORTS & RECREATION13. Seattle Mariners Games
The MLB team's June home schedule includes games against the Tampa Bay Rays, Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, and Philadelphia Phillies, with special half-price nights and fireworks.
JUNE 3-23
SPORTS & RECREATION14. Seattle Storm Games
The WNBA team's June schedule includes games against the Minnesota Lynx, Atlanta Dream, San Antonio Stars, and Phoenix Mercury, with a special Pride tipoff on June 23.
JUNE 4-21
SPORTS & RECREATION15. Seattle Sounders Games
The MLS team's June home schedule includes games against the Houston Dynamo, Portland Timbers, and Orlando City SC.
JUNE 5
MUSIC16. The Mountain Goats with Holy Sons
Staying true to Goths, the new Mountain Goats album starts like a thumping Nick Cave B-side, twisting through the dark uncertainties of every humanâs timeline. So, much of the same for frontman and lead lyricist John Darnielleâa new overarching concept with each album, yet the same dedication to plumbing the depths of his own character, as well as the character of each phase of his life, which is what makes it so easy to connect to. Thereâs an honest power in writing your life as it is, in pulling from favored themes or specific memorial vignettes, and moving in tandem with these thoughts, creating an album per moment. Darnielle is best at this; each new album bids us to follow and experience these songs-as-chapters with him. From âThe Portuguese Goth Metal Bandsâ: âKeep whatâs precious, drop whatâs not without a second thoughtââand move on. KIM SELLING
JUNE 5-6
MUSIC17. David Lindley with Cindy Lee Berryhill
This bill features two of the most underrated acts in America. David Lindley plunked and falsettoed with Jackson Browne and Warren Zevon. Heâs never lost his baby face, and he can play anything with strings on it. His solo material proves a beguiling blend of surrealism (he got started in the psychedelic band Kaleidoscope), sorrow, and childlike wonder, plus touches of reggae. Blending folk with so-called âanti-folk,â Cindy Lee Berryhill is back with a new album, The Adventurist, her first after losing her husband, Crawdaddy magazine owner/editor Paul S. Williams, a founder of American rock criticism. The music is somber, naturally, but also playful, dryly humorous, rich in harmony and harmonies, including horns, strings, and a washing machine for a drum machine. Jimmy Webb has to be jealous. ANDREW HAMLIN
JUNE 5-11
FOOD & DRINK18. Negroni Week 2017
Every week is a great week for Negronis, but Monday marks this year's official kickoff of every hipster bartender's favorite booze-fueled charity fundraiser, Negroni Week. The model by which charities get money is a little confusingâyour increased Negroni consumption is not directly linked to the amount of money raised, with bars and restaurants instead making a flat donation when they sign upâbut whatever. Anything that encourages weeknight drinking is good in my book, and technically you're encouraging businesses to participate in exchange for an increase in sales. The whole thing is a big Campari marketing ploy, but it raises a not insignificant amount of money for charity, and, again, provides you with a legitimate excuse for showing up to work with a gin hangover on a Tuesday. Trust me, you can only cite distress over the Trump presidency so many times before your boss gets fed up. TOBIAS COUGHLIN-BOGUE
JUNE 6
MUSIC19. Corinne Bailey Rae with Jamila Woods
Jamila Woods made one of my favorite albums of 2016, HEAVN. Intricately arranged and weeping with the weight of its own gifts, each track of that album ripped through topics like police brutality and raising a community as a black woman with grace and fury and light. I canât wait till Woods is the headliner for her next Seattle show. Tonight, sheâs opening for Corinne Bailey Rae, who returned to the public consciousness last year with The Heart Speaks in Whispers, a swirling treasure of Afro-futurist electro-pop and folksy soul that rises above each genre. Her tone is warm, open, and spacious, with promises for more and for better. KIM SELLING
20. David Shields with Claire Dederer
There's enough going on in Seattle's literary scene that not having heard of a specific writer isn't necessarily a flaw or fault. But if you don't know about David Shields, you've got your head in the sand. He's UW's Milliman Distinguished Writer-in-Residence, and, more importantly, a prolific author who has had his hand in a massive number of high-profile projects. He just released a new book about language, reading, perception, and culture called Other People: Takes & Mistakes, a collection of essays divided into the categories "Men," "Women," "Athletes," "Performers," and "Alter Egos." Hear from Shields about this new work, which is certainly full of artistic, philosophical musings and illuminating stories. Shields will be joined by author Claire Dederer (Love and Trouble: A Midlife Reckoning), and our own Christopher Frizzelle will interview him in a post-talk discussion at the Cloud Room.
21. #ShoutYourAbortion presents Dr. Willie Parker with Martha Plimpton and Lindy West
Join the #ShoutYourAbortion campaign to hear directly from an abortion provider, Willie Parker, who discusses his Christianity and commitment to abortion care in his new book Lifeâs Work: A Moral Argument for Choice. He'll be introduced by the brilliant Lindy West, Amelia Bonow of SYA, and Surge Northwest. Afterwards, he'll converse with pro-choice activist/actor Martha Plimpton.
JUNE 7
FILM22. A Tribute to Anjelica Huston
From her debut as a Juliet-like innocent in her father's A Walk with Love and Death to her seductively campy, grotesque stint as the Grand High Witch in The Witches, Anjelica Huston has brought humorous strength and self-assurance to a wide variety of films. SIFF will interview her on her long career before screening the world premiere of her new film Trouble, directed by the Pulitzer-nominated playwright Theresa Rebeck.
23. Solid Ground's Food Truck Taste Off
Presented by Seattle Children's Hospital, the Solid Ground's Food Truck Taste Off will be a good-spirited competition between the city's most well-known and loved food trucks, including Bread and Circuses, the Seattle Biscuit Company, and Street Treats. Each food truck will provide a signature dish, which will be voted on by attendees. The winning truck receives a prize, and and all proceeds from the event go to fund Solid Ground, an organization working to "challenge the root causes of hunger, poverty and injustice." Plus: music, a beer garden, and raffle prizes.
24. New Kids On The Block with Boyz II Men and Paula Abdul
Ah, 1988: The seminal year that brought us Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation, Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, and New Kids on the Block's Hangin' Tough. Twenty-nine years later, Sonic Youth have headlined the Capitol Hill Block Party, Public Enemy are playing second fiddle to Flavor Flav's comedy career, and the re-formed New Kids on the Block are playing KeyArena. Life is weird. DAVID SCHMADER
JUNE 7-JULY 2
THEATER & DANCE25. Welcome to Braggsville
T. Geronimo Johnson's novel Welcome to Braggsville is an award-laden bestseller that Rich Benjamin at The New York Times described as a mixture between "a satirical The Indian Princess, James Nelson Barker's 1808 libretto about Pocahontas" and "a macabre E. T. The Extra-Terrestrial"âand this summer, it's being performed as a stage play presented by Book-It Repertory Theatre. Adapted by Josh Aaseng and Daemond Arrindell; directed by Josh Aaseng. Arrindell is mainly known as a poet, and according to former Stranger theater editor Brendan Kiley, Aaseng "found the skeleton key to Vonnegut's brilliantly tangled bowl of literary spaghetti" while directing Slaughterhouse-Five, and his production of Jesus' Son played "this sad parade of losers with glimmers of human decency." The author of the novel will also stop by in person for a conversation on June 24.
JUNE 8-10
COMMUNITY26. A Drink for Vera 2017
Raise funds and raise your glass at three great Capitol Hill bars (Linda's Tavern, Redwood, and Saint John's) to benefit The Vera Project. There will be a raffle with prizes, plus DJs and live music.
JUNE 8-SEPTEMBER 30
MUSIC27. Marymoor Park Summer Concert Series
The 640-acre Marymoor Park again hosts its annual outdoor concert series, so pack your blankets and wine Nalgenes and head out into a sonic woodland experience. June's lineup includes John Mellencamp and Rebelution.
JUNE 9
MUSIC28. Cascadia Resists: An Acoustic Evening in Support of the ACLU & Planned Parenthood
In an effort to stem the tide of bile coursing forth from this presidential administration, local indie rock legends Death Cab For Cutie will join up with The Decemberists and Sera Cahoone to play an acoustic charity show with proceeds going to the ACLU and Planned Parenthood.
29. Club Ludo
Go buck with international violin sensation Pekka Kuusisto and the Seattle Symphony at Club Ludo, where you pay the price to be a VIP all night long. DJs will be spinning as you drink in the surreal beauty of the Chihuly Boathouse, with hosted bars and cusiine from popular PNW hot spots, the soulful fire of local rockers, and a theremin-centric trance party in the Aquarium Room.
30. Damien Escobar
Escobar was a musical prodigy who saw his talent through to two Emmys with the hiphop-violin duo, Nuttin' But Stringz. After a brief period of depression and homelessness, according to his website, he's back with a new album full of original material. Boundless contains lots of violin music you can bounce to, but there's more lyrical, contemplative moments here than in previous efforts. RICH SMITH
31. Def Leppard, Poison, XXX, Tesla
Relive your best hair days with this quadruple-threat bill of '80s stalwarts Def Leppard, Poison, XXX (an amalgam supergroup of Bret Michaels, Tiocki Rockett, Bobby Dall, and CC DeVille), and Tesla.
JUNE 9-18
THEATER & DANCE32. NW New Works Festival 2017
It's your 34th annual NW New Works Festival, Seattle! This year, 16 contemporary performing arts companies from around the region (Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia) will freakify the stages of On the Boards over the course of two weekends. I guarantee at least two of these ~20-minute pieces will grow into full-length shows that will take this town (and maybe the world) by storm in the coming years. Don't believe meâask zoe | juniper, Sarah Rudinoff, and Tim Smith-Stewart/Jeffrey Azevedo, all of whom developed impressive pieces of work on OtB's summer stage. Lots to love at this iteration, but I'd recommend Vanessa Goodman, PETE (Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble), Petra Zanki: Pleasant Place, Earth and Ceremony's I Want to Hear the Sea, and Waxie Moon. RICH SMITH
JUNE 9-25
THEATER & DANCE33. Seattle International Dance Festival
For 16 days, dancers from around the world (and some local stars) will perform in indoor and outdoor venues. Some events will be free and all-ages. In general, the focus is on innovation and diversity; in a Stranger article from 2013, Melody Datz Hansen observed the festival's "local spotlight" show and commended its wide range of choreography and costume, from "classical moves" made "new and rad" to "upsetting" lurching by a dancer in a potato-penis suit. If your June is shaping up to lack a certain amount of excitement, this might be one way to remedy that.
JUNE 10
FESTIVALS34. Georgetown Carnival
Watch circus performers, acrobats, musicians, and artists of all kinds come together at this multidisciplinary festival that also promises games, food, and strange carnival fun.
35. Future with Guests
Atlanta rapper Future is arguably one of rap's biggest stars, and his voice undoubtedly one of the most ubiquitous. His appeal to both the pop and street sides of mainstream rap music is largely unmatched, thanks in part to local respect gained from grinding on the mixtape circuit, but more notably because of his now-signature use of Auto-Tuneâa studio effect that has already run a full course, rising to fame before overuse killed it off. Future's robotic warbles speak as equally to "the ladies" when crooning over glossy, club-ready beats (see "Turn On the Lights") as they do to people in the streets when rapping about drugs and money over aggressive Southern "trap" bangers (see "Tony Montana," the promotional blurb for which makes sure you know that he "raps under the influence of codeine and promethazine syrup with a fake Cuban accent"). MIKE RAMOS
36. Volunteer Park Pride Festival
This yearâs Pride Fest at Volunteer Park boasts a strong musical lineup, with live sets by Big Dipper, Double Duchess, SassyBlack, Sisters, Prom Queen, Mode Music Studiosâ Nuclear Quartet, and DJ Toya B. Local LGBTQIA folks get all of this, plus a vintage and local crafts bazaar, artist booths, a beer garden, food trucks, and more. DAVE SEGAL
JUNE 10-11
QUEER37. Capitol Hill Pride Festival
Capitol Hill's high-spirited outdoor festival will commemorate the Stonewall Riots of 1969 with a five-block party on Broadway full of music, a doggie drag costume contest, and more fun, but also a rally and march for social justice preceding the The Equality March for Unity and Pride â Seattle that will happen on Sunday. There will also be a "Resistance Candlelight Gathering for Rainbow Chechnya.â
JUNE 12-13
MUSIC38. An Evening with King Crimson
A rare 21st-century appearance by King Crimson means that itâs Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa combined tonight for prog-rock heads. Master guitarist and sole constant presence Robert Fripp has assembled a seven-piece group consisting of three drummer/percussionists: Bill Rieflin, Pat Mastelotto, and Gavin Harrison (sorry, Bill Bruford fans). Mainstays Tony Levin (bass) and Mel Collins (woodwinds) and relative newcomer guitarist/vocalist Jakko Jakszyk fill out the lineup. The plan is roam all over the sprawling Crimson catalog, with tracks from 1969 to 2011 in the set list. Thatâs cool, because nearly every KC phase has momentous tracks in it. Their debut LP, In the Court of the Crimson King, is progâs big bang; it spawned â21st Century Schizoid Man,â a freaky, arty, metallic knockout punch that should be blasted hourly in every government building, forever, to abolish humanityâs folly-laden ways (possibly). Crimson also basically invented math rock, musique-concrĂšte rock, and gamelan-inflected new-wave dance musicâall with mind-bending virtuosity. Go and get your spirits and IQ raised. DAVE SEGAL
JUNE 12-SEPTEMBER 19
FOOD & DRINK39. Bastille Café & Bar Rooftop Dinner Series
Enjoy the warm summer weather (and clear views of the Ballard ship canal, mountains and the sound) at Bastille's twice-weekly rooftop dinner series. There will be 24 Monday and Tuesday evening dinners between June and September, each starting with a rooftop garden tour and featuring a multi-course, family-style meal with wine pairings. The groups are smallâunder 10 guestsâand the food is super local, often harvested directly from the rooftop garden.
JUNE 13
MUSIC40. An Evening with David Archuleta
American Idol competitor David Archuleta became famous at just 16 years of age. He now makes music for himself, rather than for the TV screen, and will perform tracks from his last few albums.
41. The Specials with Guests
Who knew second-wave British ska would have such legs? Here we are, almost four decades out since the Specialsâ 2 Toneâd 1979â1981 heyday, and theyâre still playing big venues in the United Statesâalthough without founding member and key composer Jerry Dammers. The Specialsâ self-titled debut album is an exemplar of punk-infused ska with indelible hooks plus inventive covers of Rufus Thomasâs R&B party jam âDo the Dogâ and Toots Hibbertâs careening âMonkey Man.â Some fans think follow-up More Specials is just as good if not better than the first one, but it has nothing on it as momentous as the gravely skanking 1981 single âGhost Town.â Itâs a moving expression of urban dread and desolation, but shot through with spasms of nearly absurd jauntiness, which tilts the song into genius. âGhost Townâ remains one of the greatest hit singles in any country at any time. Encore! DAVE SEGAL
JUNE 13-14
MUSIC42. Donny McCaslin Group
Saxophonist Donny McCaslin and his band are best known for being featured on David Bowieâs final album, Blackstar, as well as their follow-up Beyond Now, an album they dedicated to Bowie and recorded three months after Bowieâs passing.
JUNE 13-25
THEATER & DANCE43. Cabaret
Cabaret is the best musical of all time, because Kander and Ebb were geniuses and because it neatly solves the problem inherent in musicals (why are these people breaking into song?). Its bawdy, funny, hedonistic songs aren't indulgent for indulgence's sake. What goes on inside the Kit Kat Klub, in Berlin in 1931, is ignorant bliss on amphetamines, a carnival of humanity not aware what's coming their way. In the U.S. of 2017, we seem to be living in the shadow of creeping autocracy, so what better time is there to go see a musical about characters living in the shadows of creeping autocracy? CHRISTOPHER FRIZZELLE
JUNE 14
MUSIC44. Boogarins with Bod
Dinho Almeida (vocals and guitar) and Benke Ferraz (multi-instrumentalist), cofounders of Brazilian psych-rock outfit Boogarins (Portuguese for a kind of jasmine flower), joined forces in 2012. When DJ Chilly interviewed them on KEXP last year, Ferraz recalled that they started writing songs in high school. In 2013, the GoiĂąnia band expanded to a quartet and released their debut, As Plantas Que Curam. By their 2015 follow-up, Manual, they knew better than to mess with their winning formula. Instead of a change in direction, itâs a more confident take on a relaxed style in which samba-esque vocals entwine with luminescent guitars and cool-jazz rhythms, like Fifth Dimension Byrds by way of Syd Barrettâera Pink Floyd. Theyâre one of the best psychedelic acts goingâin Brazil or anywhere. KATHY FENNESSY
45. Sherman Alexie: You Donât Have to Say You Love Me
A dazzling polymath of literary forms, Sherman Alexie's latest book is a heartrending memoir made up of poetry and prose he wrote in response to the death of his mother at the age of 78. The portrait in You Don't Have to Say You Love Me is that of a "beautiful, mercurial, abusive, intelligent, and complicated woman," and of the boy who used literature to fashion his escape. CHRISTOPHER FRIZZELLE
JUNE 14-AUGUST 20
FESTIVALS46. Seafair
Every year, this iconic summer festival that started in 1950 puts on dozens of events throughout Seattle, starting with a kickoff ceremony featuring hydroplanes and a knighting ceremony, and continuing for 10 weeks with events including multiple parades, and cultural celebrations.
JUNE 15
MUSIC47. Cut Copy and Dream Journal
Bright Like Neon Love was a promising record, but it showed audible traces of its bedroom origins. For In Ghost Colours, the now-well-established Cut Copy went to New York to record with DFA producer Tim Goldsworthy, and the result was bigger and brighter. Before recording, the band and producer listened to ELO's Time, the first Eurythmics record, My Bloody Valentine, Spacemen 3, and "a lot of old disco" while making the record, but the record sounds like nothing so much as New Order during their mid-'80s peak. ERIC GRANDY
48. Town Hall Ed and The Seattle Times present #EducationSoWhite
After #JournalismSoWhite comes #EducationSoWhite, an event that aims to discuss and draw attention to the fact that teachers are overwhelmingly white (while their students are not). How can schools change their practices to include more teachers of color? How can teachers become more culturally competent? This talk and panel will begin with a presentation by Town Hall's Community Programs Curator, Kristin Leong, who will speak about Roll Call (a TED-Ed Innovation Project) that aims to connect students and teachers through commonalities. Afterwards, hear from a panel featuring Garfield High School's Jesse Hagopian (a nationally-recognized education activist), UW College of Education's Joy Williamson-Lott (whose research focuses on "the reciprocal relationship between social movementsâparticularly those of the middle twentieth centuryâand institutions of higher education"), Sharonne Navas from the Equity in Education Coalition of Washington, and Seattle World School's Saraswati Noel.
49. Writers & Poets of Washington State: Gary Lilley, Ann Tweedy, Sharma Shields & Erin Pringle
Port Townsend poet Gary Lilley is reason enough to go this reading. His latest book is The Bushmanâs Medicine Show, and it's full of the vivid, cinematic blues-inflected narratives we've come to expect over the course of his woefully undersung career. But the fact that he's sharing the bill with so many other of Washington state's great writers, including Ann Tweety, Sharma Shields (author of the 2016 Washington State Book Award-winning novel The Sasquatch Hunterâs Almanac), and Erin Pringle, makes this event a must-see.
JUNE 15-17
MUSIC50. Northwest Terror Fest
Gather your wits for Northwest Terror Fest, a three-day exploration of dark, gritty music that will make you scream for mercy. Shows will happen on the Neumos, Barboza, and Highline stages.
JUNE 15-18
MUSIC51. Acoustic Alchemy
In 25 years, Acoustic Alchemy has made critically acclaimed and Grammy-nominated music that has established for them a reputation for being one of the most exciting live bands in the business. Though the membership has rotated through the years, the current band lineup consists of Greg Carmichael on nylon guitar, Miles Gilderdale on steel string acoustic and electric guitars, Fred White on keyboards, and the powerhouse rhythm section of Greg Grainger on drums and his brother, Gary Grainger, on bass.
JUNE 15-JULY 2
THEATER & DANCE52. (Im)pulse
The great and talented and Tony-nominated choreographer Donald Byrd has a knack for translating complex historical texts into visceral dance pieces that help us reckon with the present. Last year's A Rap on Race, a jazzy interpretation of an important conversation between Margaret Mead and James Baldwin, stands out in my memory as a tremendous testimony to that fact. This world premiere sees the mass shooting at Orlando Pulse Nightclub through the lens of the brilliant/brutal David Wojnarowicz, whose Close to the Knives: A Memoir of Disintegration should be on everyone's syllabus, and also playwright Brian Quirk. RICH SMITH
JUNE 16
MUSIC53. 2017 Vans Warped Tour
Vans Warped Tour is back again, with more mid-'00s throwbacks than you could shake a longboard at. Experience true Hot Topic-laced nirvana with headliners sure to deliver a drawn-out bacchanalia of all the emo-punk, pop-punk, post-punk, and regular punk you could ever want. This year's headliners include CKY, GWAR, The Adolescents, Strung Out, Emmure, and The Ataris, with more contemporary artists like Andy Black, American Authors, Dance Gavin Dance, Jule Vera, I Prevail, Neck Deep, New Years Day, Memphis May Fire, War On Women, and many more.
54. Jerry Jeff Walker
Jerry Jeff Walker is the clown prince of the original alt-country, the stuff from the middle of Texas, in the middle of the 1970s. With Guy Clark and the late Townes Van Zandt, Walker was one of the first to tear away from Nashville and lay the foundation for outfits like the Tractor and No Depression. Like his contemporaries, he has never made a single great record: 1973's Viva Terlingua comes closest, an electric campfire hootenanny that distills a haunted, aimless pause in the consciousness of the American overmind. Neil Young's work of that time filled this space with poetry; Walker fills it with beer. This is not necessarily a bad thing. He should be declared a national monument. GRANT COGSWELL
55. Low with Mono
Low have always been the core of the slowcore bands, with their minimal arrangements belying more complexity than most three-minute guitar solos. Their release, Ones and Sixes, is a return to that same combination of subtle arrangements mixed with kinetic, restless energy that has made the Minnesota group so long-lived. KATHLEEN TARRANT
56. Al Franken: Giant of the Senate
Former Saturday Night Live comedian and current junior senator from Minnesota Al Franken has a new book out humbly titled Al Franken: Giant of the Senate. His previous books (many of them skewering right-wing politics) have been bestsellers. Franken has been a vocal and active opponent of Trump, questioning the administration's ties to Russia and pressing for an investigation into his tax returns. Franken is generally busy being a senator and trying to stop the United States from bursting into flames, so take this opportunity to hear about his work (and his new book) firsthand.
JUNE 16-18
FOOD & DRINK57. Washington Brewers' Festival 2017
Admission to the annual Washington Brewers' Festival includes eight four-ounce tasting tokens and a souvenir glass; once inside, you can sample hundreds of beers, taste wine and cider, listen to live music, and purchase food from a variety of food trucks.
58. Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Health & Fitness Expo and Marathon
This three-day celebration of all that is athletic will offer a free expo of fitness goods from over 100 vendors on Friday and Saturday, followed by a Sunday marathon (or half marathon). There will also be a 5K on Saturday. After you've run, wear your new marathon jacket to a concert with Mayer Hawthorne at Seattle Center.
JUNE 17
FESTIVALS59. Block Party at The Station
Beacon Hill is Seattleâs best neighborhood. Itâs changing, yes, but it remains what it has been for decades: an affordable place for Seattleâs diverse working-class, immigrant, and communities of color, complete with beautiful views, the fruit trees of orchards long past, and a âlive and let live ethosâ that encourages everyone to shine. Beacon Hillâs meeting place is the Station, a cafe where the baristas are artists, the artists are activists, the activists are customers, and the customers are neighbors and friends. Today the Station, along with the all-volunteer nonprofit Beacon Arts, is throwing the best neighborhood its best party. Local artists and performers include Nikikita Oliver, Dave B., Guayaba, DoNormaal, Da Qween, Raven Matthews, Taylar Elizza Beth, Massive Monkees, ZELLi, Astro King Phoenix, and many more. Food options include Chamorro, Southern, Filipino, and Jamaican fare. Unlike other so-called neighborhood block parties that bring in profits through corporate sponsorships and admission fees, this oneâs supported by local businesses and is free. See you out there. ANGELA GARBES
60. SRJO with Christian McBride: The Art of the Bass
Tonight, the famous and brilliant bassist Christian McBride leads the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra through the art and to the heart of his instrument, the bass. The program will include music by musicians McBride owes a debt to: Oscar Pettiford, Ray Brown, Jimmy Blanton, and, of course, Charles Mingusâthe greatest jazz bassist to ever breathe the air and walk the surface of this planet. CHARLES MUDEDE
61. Tool
Los Angeles hard rockers Tool have lasted at the top of their scene since their inception in 1990.
62. Seattle Women's Pride Music Festival
Cut loose at the Seattle Lesbian's big annual bash with concerts by the hazy trio Parlor Walls and the melodically inventive band Oracle Room.
JUNE 17-18
FESTIVALS63. Fremont Solstice Fair
Celebrate summer at the Fremont Solstice Fair, an event known primarily for its elaborately painted (and sometimes just wild 'n' free) nude bicyclistsâbut also offering tons of food, crafts, activities, performances, great people-watching, and a beer garden.
64. PrideFest Film Fest Featuring "Milk" with Activist Cleve Jones
Enjoy a series of (mostly) free screenings presented as part of Seattle PrideFest. Theyâll showcase the best movies that local LGBTQ film organization Three Dollar Bill Cinema has shown in the past yearâplus, theyâll host a workshop with Cleve Jones (an activist and author who conceived the legendary NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt) and a screening of the 2008 biopic Milk. David Schmader credited Milkâs success to its âcomfortably unabashed sexualityâ and Sean Pennâs âquietly amazing, simultaneously lived-in and spontaneousâ performance.
JUNE 18
HOLIDAYS65. Father's Day
Check out our complete Father's Day calendar for barbecue cruises, beer festivals, and other events.
66. TajMo: The Taj Mahal & Keb' Mo' Band
We can sit here all day and talk about what an institution Taj Mahal is, be it the piĂšce de rĂ©sistance of Indian architecture or the icon of American blues. But we donât have all day, and this isnât an architecture column, so letâs just talk about the song âQueen Bee,â written by the latter. Possibly the loveliest, breeziest, and flat-out prettiest love song in his whole oeuvre, âQueen Beeâ encapsulates everything wonderful about Taj Mahal: his matter-of-fact lyricism, his unaffectedly nostalgic guitar work, and his rich, amber-hued voice. If youâve never heard this song before, I am confident in saying you havenât lived a full life. I have no idea if he still performs it live (it first emerged on an album from 1997), but for âQueen Bee,â I will always save a place on Heavenâs Best Mixtape for Taj Mahal. KYLE FLECK
JUNE 19-20
MUSIC67. Pharoah Sanders with William Henderson
Pharoah Sanders is a tenor saxophonist who began his career in the second half of the 1960s making the kind music that many people find hard to listen to, free jazz, because they canât distinguish it from noise. But as the brother got older, he got cooler and smoother and more trad. The music he plays these days is music to the ears, and his work with William Henderson, a pianist who sounds like his fingertips are made of diamonds, has resulted in some really great and often meditative albums. Two I highly recommend are: A Prayer Before Dawn and Moon Child. Listen to those works, and you'll see why missing this show is not a good idea. CHARLES MUDEDE
JUNE 20
MUSIC68. Maxwell, Common, Ledisi
After 2016's The King and Queen of Hearts World Tour with Mary J. Blige, R&B icon Maxwell is back in town to perform tracks off of his latest album blackSUMMERS'night along with hits and deep cuts from his long-standing career, with guests Common and Ledisi.
69. Eddie Izzard: Believe Me
Eddie Izzard earned himself a reputation as one of England's contemporary comedic geniuses largely by using his stand-up sets to rigorously interrogate life's great mysteries. How could anyone ever forget his philosophical treatise on the question of whether one would rather eat cake or die? In his new memoir, Believe Me, he uses his considerable intelligence and sharp wit to tell the story of his own life, "from the streets of London to West End theaters, to Wembley Arena, Madison Square Garden and the Hollywood Bowl." RICH SMITH
JUNE 20-AUGUST 20
MUSIC70. ZooTunes
ZooTunes is a 30-plus-year Seattle tradition that brings big-name artists to the North Meadow of the Woodland Park Zoo. Kids are welcome, and can play in the Seattle Gymnastics Academy play area, but, if youâre attending without kids, there are also two beer gardens. June's schedule includes Seu Jorge Presents: The Life Aquatic, A Tribute to David Bowie, Ziggy Marley, and Seattle Symphony Presents The Music of John Williams.
JUNE 21
MUSIC71. Forms: The Gaslamp Killer & Mad Zach
The Gaslamp Killerâs rise from wildly eclectic underground DJ and producer to galvanizing fixture at large EDM festivals has been a surprising but welcome development. The LA-based selector is a distinctively manic presence behind the decks. He gives sporadic running commentary on the cuts heâs spinning while busting extravagant interpretative moves to their exciting sounds. An epicurean vinyl hound (peep his Crate Diggers episode on YouTube) whoâs championed by Britainâs esteemed Finders Keepers crew, GLK is the rare jock who can combine super-geeky knowledge of psych rock, world/library music, funk, hiphop, drum ânâ bass, etc. with crowd-stoking theatrics. You will leave his sets enlightened and sweaty. DAVE SEGAL
72. STYX, REO Speedwagon, Don Felder
I have no use for Styx. Their overblown stadium nerf-rock for poodleheaded fules was anathema to me during the band's heyday and life's too short to revisit them for a revision. However, hearing "Lorelei" by chance in the old Cha Cha in 2006 stunned me into appreciation for a song I'd probably heard and quickly clicked off on the radio dozens of times. But I had an epiphany that night. Styx wowed me with the way "Lorelei" builds anticipation with those plinky Phil Glass for Dummies synths and then accelerates into that damnably catchy, uproarious chorus, finally zooming into the stratosphere with the realization that you've found the person with whom you want to live forever. DAVE SEGAL
73. Life After Death: Norm Stamper and Marti Jonjak on the Reverberations of Violent Crime
Stranger reporter Ana Sofia Knauf writes, "On January 27, 2013, James Anderson walked into the Central District's Twilight Exit and shot two people: his 24-year-old girlfriend and bouncer Greg McCormick. Both of them survived. Anderson was later fatally shot by a police officer. Stranger contributor Marti Jonjak was at the club the night of the shooting. She and a friend sat next to the woman at the bar and later found themselves crouching next to her when Anderson came into the bar with a gun. Since then, Jonjak has chronicled the shooting through conversations with witnesses in a column for McSweeney's, with illustrations from Seattle artist Kelly Bjork." Stranger editor Eli Sanders described the series as "fascinating and important." At this event, hear from Jonjak, who will read selections from the column. She will be joined by author and former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper, who will share his book, To Protect and Serve: How to Fix Americaâs Police and Breaking Rank: A Top Copâs ExposĂ© of the Dark Side of American Policing.
JUNE 22
COMEDY74. Arj Barker
You might remember Arj Barker as the idiotic pawnshop broker on Flight of the Conchords or from his appearance in Doug Benson's Super High Meânow he's bringing his stand-up routine to Seattle. The Guardian writes that Barker has "an endlessly active comic imagination," and his comedy "goes down so easily it's entirely possible to miss the skill and artistry of it all."
75. Jurassic 5
The name of hiphop ensemble Jurassic 5 probably began as a sort of joke, a wink at their throwback tendencies and shameless golden-era nostalgia. That theyâve now been around for over 20 years makes the crew genuinely Mesozoic in the history of rap, a fact they are unashamed to remind you on any number of their trash-talking posse cuts. After the abrupt breakup of the group eight years ago following their disappointing fourth album, Feedback, founding members Chali 2Na, Marc 7, Zaakir, Akil, and DJ Nu-Mark took a break, took stock, and are now selling out shows on their âreunion tour,â which tonight lands them at the Showbox. Like E40, their commitment to the grind is unflagging; also like 40, their style tends to date itself as soon as the MCs open their mouths. Which is sort of the point: Theyâre the self-appointed torchbearers of the golden age, contemporary shit be damned. KYLE FLECK
76. Resisting Trump's Shock Doctrine: An Evening with Naomi Klein
Naomi Klein (best known for her book The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, as well as This Changes Everything, a bookâand a documentaryâabout why climate change requires us to give up our free-market ideals and organize a new way of living) will share her latest work, No Is Not Enough: Resisting Trump's Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need. The brilliant Junot DĂaz described the book as "a courageous coruscating counter-spell against the hegemonic nightmare that, if left unchecked, will devour us all.â
77. Dragapalooza
Dragapalooza is described as "equal parts rock concert, variety show, and musical theater," and will feature local and not-at-all-local stars you'll recognize from (at the very least) RuPaul's Drag Race, including Sharon Needles, Trixie Mattel, Robbie Turner, and Derrick Barry. They'll sing with a live band led by Grammy-nominated producer Chris Cox.
JUNE 22-25
MUSIC78. Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band
Poncho Sanchez, whose band won a Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album in 2000, is one of the foremost, if not the biggest, percussionists in Latin jazz right now. He will perform with his air-tight band, drawing from a decades-long repertoire.
JUNE 23
COMEDY79. Michael Che
Stand-up comedian, actor, and writer Michael Che is best known for his gig as co-anchor on Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update." Come for political commentary, social/interpersonal observations, and some dark humor.
80. Trans* Pride Seattle 2017
The Trans* Pride March will assemble at Cal Anderson Park and will be immediately followed by a celebration back at the park, featuring speakers like Kris Hayashi of the Transgender Law Center and performers.
JUNE 23-24
MUSIC81. Paradiso Festival
Paradiso is the PNW's premier festival of WUB-WUB-WUB, colloquially known as brostep, also called EDM, which is short for "electronic dance music" (you're welcome, grandpa). Big name headliners like Tiesto, Yellow Claw, Zeds Dead, and Seven Lions will grace the stage, along with 57 other acclaimed DJs and producers. Glow sticks will be wielded. Hearts broken. Vape pens smoked.
JUNE 24
ART82. Party in the Park
Kick it with artists, chefs, and Sir Mix-A-Lot in the imposing yet relaxing Olympic Sculpture Park to mark its 10th birthday. In addition to hiphop, soul by Grace Love, and DJing by KEXP's Michele Myers, you can drink your way through artist-designed pop-up lounges and eat fancy snacks and desserts.
83. Cathedrals XVII: Sara Watkins & Langhorne Slim
"Imagine if a young Bob Dylanâwith the face of a young Tom Waitsâhad been more preoccupied with 'the ladies' than social change, and you'll get the picture. The beauty of Langhorne Slim is his ability to make old-school music seem vividly contemporary with an appeal that defies genre." Thus wrote former Stranger contributor Ma'Chell Duma Lavassar about the headliner of the 17th entry in the Cathedrals music series, in which a diverse array of musicians and artists perform stripped-down versions of their work within the bowels of the great St. Mark's Cathedral.
84. Pain in the Grass 2017
KISW's Pain in the Grass takes over the badlands (Auburn) for an all-day nostalgia-thrash fest, featuring acts like Korn, Stone Sour, Babymetal, The Pretty Reckless, YelaWolf, Radkey, Islander, and more.
85. Roger Waters
Legendary Pink Floyd member Roger Waters will unleash his solo immersive sensory experience tour project entitled "Us + Them."
JUNE 24-25
ART86. Urban Craft Uprising
"Seattleâs largest indie craft show" boasts a very large number of vendorsâ150 or moreâselling toys, clothing, jewelry, food, clothes, crafts, etc., etc., etc. It's a boon for small business owners and their customers alike. Just be prepared for crowds: These markets can easily draw 12,000 indie shoppers.
87. Says You! presents Two Live Tapings
Before Town Hall closes for renovations, say (a temporary) goodbye to the Great Hall ceremoniously and with lighthearted word games. NPR stars will come to Seattle for a live taping of their enormously popular parlor game, Says You!âgrab your tickets fast, because this one will almost certainly sell out.
JUNE 24 & 28
SPORTS & RECREATION88. Seattle Reign FC Games
The professional women's soccer team's June home schedule includes games against Kansas City (on Pride Night) and the Chicago Red Stars.
JUNE 25
FOOD & DRINK89. Seattle Lamb Jam
Everyone knows that pork belly has been a thing for way too long now, but what about lamb? It doesn't get enough credit, does it? Everyone knows it's DELICIOUS, but it also has a rep for being hard to prepare. That's what makes the Seattle Lamb Jam all the more fun. This year, the festival brings together six Seattle BBQ chefs to compete for the title of Lamb Jam BBQ Masterâa royal title indeed. Besides lamb in many different tasty dishes, there will also be local breweries, winemakers, distilleries and live music from Rain City Ramblers. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the University District Food Bank.
90. Pride Parade
Show the queer and allied community's Indivisibilityâthis year's themeâat Seattle's 43rd Annual Pride Parade. Watch out for the Dykes on Bikes! Stay tuned for other participants.
91. Seattle PrideFest 2017
PrideFest is the largest free Pride festival in North America, now in its tenth year. Featuring performances on three different stages from local and international touring acts like Mary Lambert, this year's fest also has family-friendly activities and a "Queer Geeks & Gamers" zone.
JUNE 27
READINGS & TALKS92. Arundhati Roy
Almost exactly 20 years after the first time she came to read in Seattle for The God of Small Things, an extraordinary and haunting novel about desire and betrayal within the context of India's caste system, the author and activist returns with her much-anticipated second novel, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, which Booklist calls "an entrancing, imaginative, wrenching epic." CHRISTOPHER FRIZZELLE
93. Charles Johnson in Conversation with Garth Stein
National Book Award-winner Charles Johnson (Middle Passage) will speak about his new book of meditations on the written word, The Way of the Writer, in conversation with Garth Stein (The Art of Racing in the Rain, A Sudden Light).
JUNE 27-28
MUSIC94. Buster Williams Quartet
Possibly best known for playing bass in Herbie Hancock's crew, Buster Williams is a prolific artist who has also played, recorded, and collaborated with jazz icons like Art Blakey, Betty Carter, Chet Baker, Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, Larry Coryell, McCoy Tyner, Miles Davis, Sarah Vaughan, Sonny Rollins, Count Basie, and many, many more. His two-night set will celebrate his own 75th birthday by playing a full show with his quartet.
JUNE 28
MUSIC95. Ryan Adams
Such songs are often most telling when characterized by hard thought, booze, and the acceptance of personal inadequacy. Which is just the kind of country Adams manages to pull off. His voice is thick with experience, but bright with youth. His live shows exude a drunkenness--he's always drunk at them--but more than that they reveal him to be energetic and reckless, if slightly stunned by the immediacy of his own experience; as though he is awakening with every revelation to nausea, but carried by grace and an indefatigable desire for love and meaning. JEFF DEROCHE
96. Sub Pop in the Great Hall
The indie label that shepherded the sounds of Nirvana, Mudhoney, Fleet Foxes, Shabazz Palaces, and Sleater-Kinney into our speakers, and that runs the coolest shop in the SeaTac Airport by far, will help send off Town Hall as it closes for renovations. At this concert, hear new talent from the label.
97. !!! with Master Bedroom Music
Sure, !!! are an entertaining live entity whether in a club or on an outdoor festival stage or in your buddyâs basement. Yes, their sinewy, sleek funk and disco jams and freaky frontman Nic Offerâs wry exhortations have been getting folks moving since the late â90s. True, they have a new album called As If that keeps the party vibes efficiently flowing, with some of their nastiest bass lines yet. DAVE SEGAL
JUNE 29
FOOD & DRINK98. Pike Place MarketFront Grand Opening Celebration
You've been hearing all the hubbub about our most famous market's upcoming expansion for months now, and with good reasonâit's the first major expansion that the market has seen in 40 years. Soon you'll be able to experience it for yourself. Pike Place Market will celebrate the opening of its MarketFront expansion with local bands, food and a "passport activity" designed to help guests explore the new space. New businesses include Old Stove Brewing Co., Little Fish, Honest Biscuits and indi chocolate.
99. Terracotta Warriors After Hours
Head to the Pacific Science Center for an after-hours, 21+-only special viewing of the Terracotta Warriors, celebrating the Qin Dynastyâs Guards for Eternity. Enjoy a signature cocktail, play some traditional Chinese games and listen to traditional Chinese music.
100. Animal Collective, Eyvind Kang, Jessika Kenney
There was that stretch of the â00s where you could expect something new from Animal Collective every year, and you knew it was going to be an invigorating reinvention of their alien electro-collage pop. From the cathartic drones of Here Comes the Indian to the cut-and-paste folkisms of Sung Tongs to the robotic baroque of Feels to the Beach Boys melodies and club-banging beats of their breakthrough album Merriweather Post Pavilion, Animal Collectiveâs playful constructions and fearless transformations were a perfect soundtrack to a new century where all the rules regarding music were in flux. But the frontier doesnât seem so limitless in this decade. Animal Collectiveâs recent output, including last yearâs Painting With, feels less like a zeitgeist and more like candy-tripping while listening to childrenâs music. But maybe thatâs the point. BRIAN COOK
101. Ijeoma and Ahamefule Oluo in Conversation
Spend an evening with the extremely talented Oluo siblings, trumpeter Ahamefule (of the Stranger Genius Award-winning Industrial Revelation) and writer/activist/editor Ijeoma, who runs the Establishment (both of them have also contributed to The Stranger; Ijeoma practically broke our website with her piece on Rachel Dolezal). The two of them are so cool, we're not sure if the soon-to-be renovated Town Hall can handle their combined charisma. Learn about their career paths, activism, and artistry.
JUNE 29-JULY 2
MUSIC102. Sergio Mendes
Probable father of all Brazilians, Sergio Mendes has been incalculably influential on pop, jazz, and samba genres as a producer, composer, keyboardist, and vocalist. Enjoy his worldly presence as Mendes breaks out his five-decade-spanning album catalog and really throws around his old school Rio swing.
103. Kate Wallich + The YC and Madboots Dance: Split Bill
A little bit of intriguing "process as product" work here from Dance Church deacons Kate Wallich + The YC. Her troupe and NYC's all-male / totes gay MADBOOTS DANCE will each premiere a new work in Seattle "in dialogue" with one another. As both companies tour the country, each of the pieces will grow and change and adapt to their surroundings until the following year, when a new take on the old premieres will get some play back in the home country. I predict some mighty fine dancing about the toxic nature of restrictive gender norms! RICH SMITH
JUNE 30
ART104. Hot Tramp, I Love You So
This cathartic party will celebrate the opening of the new exhibit David Bowie: Starman, which will assemble 65 prints by the beloved alien's personal photographer, Mick Rock. Meet Rock and ask him your questions during the Q&A, watch the documentary about him (SHOT! The Psycho-Spiritual Mantra of Rock), dance to music by "All Era Scum Pop" Great Spiders, get a spacey new look at the Bowie Salon, witness a fashion walk-off, and more.
105. Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors Opening Day
Interest in Kusamaâs work has been high in recent years, due in part to high-profile exhibitions at the Tate, the Whitney, and other major international institutions. When Infinity Mirrors opened at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, DC, in February 2017, it drew more than 32,500 visitors in a weekâthe museumâs greatest attendance for those dates in decades. The showâs next stop is Seattle Art Museum, and anticipation is already running high in the city that hosted her first US exhibition 60 years ago. The playful accessibility of Kusamaâs work, paired with its genuine expression of cosmic wonder, has made her one of the most successful and iconic contemporary artists in the world. Infinity Mirrors promises to be a blockbuster exhibition for SAM and one of the must-see experiences of the summer. EMILY POTHAST
106. Beer Camp on Tour Seattle
Hop on over to Gas Works Park, where Beer Camp on Tour will be offering what they promise is a lineup of hundreds of craft brewers from across the country, plus live music and food truck fare.
107. A Live Presentation of 2001: A Space Odyssey
If you see Seattle Symphony perform Mahler's 5th and György Ligeti's "Requiem" earlier in the month (which you totally should!), you'll be prepared for this live scoring of Kubrick's sci-fi masterpiece. Ligeti's "Atmospheres" (which features "Requiem") is all over the score, as is Johann Strauss II's iconic "Blue Danube Waltz" and Richard Strauss's (no relation) "Also sprach Zarathustra." Pop a pot lozenge and enjoy, or else get high on the pure audio/visual power of this cosmic symphonic spectacle. RICH SMITH
108. Brad Paisley with Dustin Lynch, Chase Bryant, and Lindsay Ell
Top40 country hunk Brad Paisley will take over White River for a night of Americana hits and opening support from Dustin Lynch, Chase Bryant, and Lindsay Ell.
109. The "Ground Finale"
A whole goddamn year without Town Hall?! At least they aren't going without a sweet, free good-bye party before the building closes for a year of major renovation. As a temporary-farewell gift, Town Hall is throwing a free concert starting with slam poetry by world champion Buddy Wakefield, a performance by the Northwest Tap Connection, the best of Ignite Seattle open submission public speaking society, music by the cover band the Nines, and finally a Great Hall poem reading and champagne toast. Don't stop celebrating, because you'll cry.
JUNE 30-JULY 3
THEATER & DANCE110. Camptacular!
Drag burlesque duo Kitten 'n' Lou bring a (wet, hot, American) summer theater treat to Seattle with Camptacular! This performance will be a contemporary dance, drag, and burlesque Bomb Pop featuring Stranger Genius Award winner Cherdonna, contemporary dancer Markeith Wiley, ever-rising star Waxie Moon, and special guest Jeez Loueez, who, according to my extensive YouTube video searches, blends twerk and burlesque to great effect. Go. You'll be a happy camper. RICH SMITH
Get all this and more on the free Stranger Things To Do mobile appâavailable now on the App Store and Google Play.
