MONDAY 5/4
(MUSIC) Sheffield’s Cabaret Voltaire reigned as the UK’s most riveting electronic group from 1979 to 1984. Previously, Richard H. Kirk, Stephen Mallinder, and Chris Watson had experimented with tape loops and analog-synth bleeps to give you the creeps. Their early recordings delved into academic minimalist composition and proto-industrial, but also included Velvet Underground and Seeds covers; Mal played bass and Kirk guitar, after all. But in the ’80s, CV really hit their stride, with Red Mecca, 2X45, Fools Game/Gut Level, and The Crackdown, which filtered funk, dub, noir soundtracks, and William Burroughs’s sinister sci-fi worldview into tracks that made you break into the coldest sweat while looking paranoiacally over your shoulder. In the late ’80s and ’90s, though, Cabaret Voltaire transformed into a slick house/techno unit, disappointing some early loyalists. Regardless, given our current technological hellscape, with its chronic surveillance tension, Cabaret Voltaire’s decades-old music sounds visionary. The band is reuniting for one final tour, which is a fantasy come true for US fans, some of whom have been waiting nearly 50 years to see these legends. (Moore Theatre, 8 pm, all ages) DAVE SEGAL
TUESDAY 5/5
(BOOKS) Mark Frost, co-creator of Twin Peaks, is coming to Seattle to discuss his latest novel. Enough said? Or maybe you’d like to know that he’ll also be joined by fellow Twin Peaks writer and producer Harley Peyton? What, a mini reunion for one of the most influential shows in television history isn’t enough for you? Well, Frost will be discussing his new book, The Yankee Sphinx. It’s historical fiction inspired by the diaries of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s adviser, Will Hassett, which traces FDR’s final years of presidency through war, political tension, and his declining health. Honestly, the book itself by any other writer would sound just as compelling. But paired with some behind-the-scenes insights from a mind that helped redefine television? Way cool. (Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free) LANGSTON THOMAS
WEDNESDAY 5/6
(FILM) Not to be confused with the film adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham’s novel starring Bill Murray, Lebanese filmmaker Jocelyne Saab’s 1986 film follows 15-year-old Samar as she wanders around war-torn Beirut, seemingly numb to the destruction. When she comes across a large pink house, Samar tiptoes inside to find the home of an abstract artist who becomes the object of her affection. This film is a visual delight with washed-out colors disrupted by vibrant pinks and reds, reminiscent of Agnes Varda and Eric Rohmer’s ’80s films. The Razor’s Edge was shot on site in Lebanon during active, uninterrupted war, which was no new concept for director Saab; she was one of the few women creating political documentaries about the effects of war across Lebanon, Iran, and Palestine. (The Beacon, 7:30 pm) AUDREY VANN
THURSDAY 5/7
(PERFORMANCE) How Do I Look? is the latest stage show of performance artist Fauxnique (aka Monique Jenkinson), who made waves in 2003 when she was the first cisgender woman to win a drag pageant. With her unique physical language that combines Marina Abramović–style performance art with drag, ballet, feminist philosophy, and stand-up, her work will make you laugh just as much as it’ll make you question your mortality. Fauxnique will tackle the seemingly vain, yet philosophical question “How do I look?” by asking what it means to see and be seen. If you’ve never been to the Lower Queen Anne theater, don’t let its cutting-edge acts scare you away. The theater is incredibly welcoming and suited with comfy seats and a great drink/snack bar, and they have fancy Aesop hand soap in the bathroom (IYKYK). (On the Boards, 8 pm) AUDREY VANN
FRIDAY 5/8
Harmonia Orchestra and Chorus: The Planets
(MUSIC/OUTERSPACE) I am a long-time lover of Gustav Holst’s The Planets, a symphonic journey through space written between 1914 and 1918. My personal favorite is the euphorically triumphant “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity.” My brother, a marching band mainstay, introduced it to me when we were in high school. I found it again when I listened to the sci-fi audio drama Wolf 359 a few years back. “Jupiter” played when—spoiler alert—the crew of this research mission discovered alien life. I shed real tears. Now, the Harmonia Orchestra and Chorus are bringing The Planets in its entirety to Benaroya Hall. They’ll also play two pieces by French composer Lili Boulanger, made at the same time. This performance is guaranteed to be out of this world. (Benaroya Hall, 8 pm, all ages) NATHALIE GRAHAM
SATURDAY 5/9
Eldridge Gravy & the Court Supreme, DJ Marco Collins
(MUSIC) For the last two decades, Seattle’s 12-member funk ensemble Eldridge Gravy & the Court Supreme have never wavered from their benevolent aim to move bodies and raise spirits. With the panache of a PNW Parliament-Funkadelic, boisterously soulful lead singer Eldridge Gravy and his highly adept mates—extra credit to longtime drummer Chris Pollina for the deep-in-the-pocket beats that drive this motherfuckership—conjure an unstoppable energy. They’ve also proven themselves adept at Northern soul (“Into the Sun,” “Exceptional”), Dr. John’s swampy voodoo musique (“Pick You Up”), and a cover of Betty Harris’s New Orleans fonque classic “There’s a Break in the Road.” At the Swedish Club, Eldridge Gravy & the Court Supreme will celebrate 20 years of party-igniting with two sets featuring special guests and cameos by ex-members, go-go dancers, and an opening slot by former KEXP/KNDD DJ Marco Collins. At 11 p.m., an after-party happens at the Emerald City Soul Club’s monthly at Black Lodge. (The Swedish Club, 8 pm, 21+) DAVE SEGAL
SUNDAY 5/10
(VISUAL ART) Lovers of art books (and art that comes in the form of books): arrive rested and ready to immerse in work by more than 85 artists spread across all three floors of Washington Hall. Seattle Art Book Fair, now in its fourth year, was founded by superstar book designers Jayme Yen and Tom Eykemans, and features every flavor of art-book-object you can imagine—hardcovers, softcovers, indie magazines, photocopied zines, risograph ephemera—from local, national, and international makers. And the whole thing is free! In addition to vendors, the fair offers tutorials and author presentations, an art exhibition component, and on-site screen printing and letterpress printing. Last year, I regretted not budgeting enough time for a leisurely perusal, but that didn’t stop me from making out with a huge haul—racing Super Toy Run–style—through the labyrinth of book-lover’s delight. (Washington Hall, times vary) AMANDA MANITACH
