MONDAY 9/15
Peter Ames Carlin with Claire Dederer
(BOOKS/MUSIC) For much of my life, I, perhaps like you, did not “get” Bruce Springsteen. Then one day I ate an edible and watched a video of him running around the stage in his little jeans, and everything changed. Suddenly, I heard the Tom Waits growl in his voice, the Ronettes influence in his hooks, and the unabashed vulnerability in his songwriting. Now I’m the type of person who is genuinely excited to read an entire book about the making of his 1975 album, Born to Run. Music journalist and biographer Peter Ames Carlin will be joined by essayist Claire Dederer (maybe you’ve read her book Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma?) to discuss his new book, Tonight in Jungleland: The Making of Born to Run. The book chronicles the making of the saxophone-filled classic album through a treasure trove of untold stories. (Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free, all ages) AUDREY VANN
TUESDAY 9/16
(FILM) Sabrina Carpenter’s “Taste” music video, in which she and Jenna Ortega attempt to murder each other over a mostly inconsequential man before deciding to ditch him and make out instead, owes its kitschy, catty theatrics to the 1992 cult classic Death Becomes Her. Director Robert Zemeckis’s campy dark comedy follows the shallow actress Madeline Ashton (Meryl Streep) and jilted writer Helen Sharp (Goldie Hawn), who compete for the plastic surgeon Ernest Menville (Bruce Willis) and become obsessed with attaining eternal youth. The film has enjoyed a resurgence as of late, thanks in part to the “Taste” video and a Tony Award–winning musical adaptation. Keep your eyes peeled for Isabella Rossellini, looking the hottest anyone has ever looked in her scene-stealing role as the immortal socialite Lisle Von Rhuman. (Here-After, 7:30 pm, 21+) JULIANNE BELL
WEDNESDAY 9/17
Suns Out Ones Out: A Queer Sick Pay Fund Fundraiser
(DRAG) Queers get sick too, you know. But not all queer performers can afford to take time off, which is why this party/fundraiser is such an important Seattle staple! Last year’s Suns Out, Ones Out raised a whopping $81k for the Queer Sick Pay Fund (qSPF), helping cover sick pay for more than 30 performers. This year, Drama Tops and Betty Wetter are back with an even hotter lineup, plus some big news to share about qSPF’s future. Expect high-energy sets from ATM, Juno Men, Londyn Bradshaw, and Moscato, plus lots of chances to tip generously and support a grassroots effort that helps sustain the LGBTQ+ community. (Clock-Out Lounge, 8:30 pm, 21+) LANGSTON THOMAS
THURSDAY 9/18
(VISUAL ART) Z.Z. Wei’s oil paintings kind of look like a Grant Wood painting with the lights turned down, a Dalí painting with the removal of surrealist figures, or a snapshot from a fever dream. The Beijing-born artist paints seemingly mundane landscapes like country roads, train stations, factories, and farms, but adds a subtle, dreamlike warp. To me, Wei’s paintings evoke the Eastern Washington landscape that I remember seeing out the window as a child while visiting my grandparents, with the wobble of a rain-soaked car window. Whatever their associations with the desert dirt and expansive skies are, everyone can see some of their memories in Wei’s unique interpretations of American landscapes. (Patricia Rovzar Gallery, free) AUDREY VANN
FRIDAY 9/19
(MUSIC) Chicago fosters smart, wiry post-punk bands like Ivy League colleges breed corrupt lawmakers. Another case in point: FACS, who’ve been grinding since 2017. Formed from the remains of the solid Kranky Records group Disappears, FACS—drummer Noah Leger, guitarist Brian Case, and bassist Jonathan van Herik—converted me into a fan with a devastating set at 2018’s Capitol Hill Block Party. In a Slog review of that performance, I wrote, “Their brutal, rust-belt rock songs are stripped down and ready for conflict, chronically on the verge of exploding; that they don’t just adds to the music’s potency.” Seven years later, FACS are touring behind the new Wish Defense LP (the last record engineered by the late Steve Albini), which finds the band burrowing deeper into their dub roots and writing songs that are more vertical and vortical than linear and driving. The sound will still ripple your veins, though, and these dudes are merciless onstage, so come on and feel the klang. (Baba Yaga, 8 pm, 21+) DAVE SEGAL
SATURDAY 9/20
(PARTY) Help keep the Vera Project’s programming accessible to all by grabbing a ticket to their annual Generator fundraiser, or as they call it, their “punk rock house party and variety show gala.” RuPaul’s Drag Race star Irene the Alien hosts an evening of entertainment, drinks, food, crafts, and more. I can’t wait to hear live music from Chicago-based indie rock band Ratboys and stand-up from comedian and Mystery Science Theater 3000 host Jonah Ray. The rebellious quirk continues with a performance by local noise rock band Sleevies in the literal bathroom, a garage sale presented by cryptid Ratsquatch, and a print-you-own-merch station hosted by Vera’s screen printing committee. (Vera Project, 6 pm, 21+) SHANNON LUBETICH
SUNDAY 9/21
Woven in Wool: Resilience in Coast Salish Weaving
(VISUAL ART) In collaboration with the Coast Salish Wool Weaving Center, the Burke will display both contemporary and historical woven wool creations, including blankets, tunics, hoods, and skirts. This exhibit is a must for any fiber arts enthusiast who wants to see the seasonal cycle of weaving, from the gathering of materials to the natural dyeing process and the weaving of intricate designs. The collection’s emphasis on “resilience” not only points to the physical longevity of the materials, but also to the historical perseverance of the Coast Salish weaving traditions. (Burke Museum, Tues–Sun through August 30, 2026) AUDREY VANN
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Aly & AJSeptember 26, Paramount Theatre
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