Starball

(THEATER) Since you're wasting your summer playing Whack-a-Mole at Seattle Center, how's about herding yourself over to the Pacific Science Center's Smith Planetarium to experience Starball? No, it's not a porn flick featuring an extraterrestrial gang-bang; it's a delightfully peculiar "Jungian astronomy extravaganza" featuring John Kaufmann and Dan Dennis. Through original music, live performance, and a healthy soupçon of eccentricity, this bizarre 75-minute pageant of dreams, stars, and accordion music "connects to the eternal power of the night sky, while endowing it with new meaning," and is sure to charm your quirky-hip sensibilities with its feel-good weirdness. Drop the mallet and go. (Pacific Science Center's Smith Planetarium in Seattle Center, 634-9018, Thurs-Sun at 8 pm, seating between 7 and 7:55 pm, $12. Through Aug 25.) ADRIAN RYAN

Lots More Rock

(MUSIC) Tonight there are two great shows well worth their low cover prices, so pick your battle stations early. The Epoxies (recent duct-taped cover story for Maximumrockandroll) bring their new-wave punk theatrics to the Croc stage, headlining a show that also includes the great rock 'n' roll sounds of the Glory Holes, the Popular Shapes, and the Wolfs. Over at Graceland, it's the Blood Brothers, New Luck Toy, and Golden opening for Rye Coalition. The Brothers were on fire at their last Graceland gig opening for the Locust, proving themselves one of Seattle's most volatile, sex-demented punk acts. (Crocodile Cafe, 2200 Second Ave, 441-5611, $7; Graceland, 109 Eastlake Ave E, 262-0482, $8.) JENNIFER MAERZ

Project 18

(ART) It's actually Project 18 Redux, or Revisited, or The Sequel, if you want to be precise about it. Now why, you may ask, would you want to drive all the way the hell out to Sand Point to see some sculpture? Because last year's Project 18 reached a high-water mark of thoughtfulness and quiet cool. With work by Romson Bustillo, Eddie Hill, Angelena McQuarter, Hahn Rossman, and Katy Stone. (Sand Point Magnuson Park, Building 18. Opening reception Sat Aug 17, 7-11 pm. For information call 522-9589.) EMILY HALL

Hal Foster

(READING) Hal Foster is a co-editor of October magazine and edited a famous collection of essays called The Anti-Aesthetic, which was first published locally by the currently dead or alive Bay Press. He's a very intellectual smartypants, but with a lot of crossover appeal. Also, he's a former Seattleite, if that matters. (Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 322-7030, 7 pm, free.) EMILY HALL

Evolution Tattoo Convention

(INK) Seeing as how at least 93 percent of Stranger staff members have been defiled with some sort of permanent ink (myself included), it should come as no surprise that this rag is one of the Evolution Tattoo Convention's sponsors. But our sponsorship is not the reason for this here blurb. No, there is an honest reason you should go, and that reason is the sheer fact that the inkers slotted to attend the convention are the best in America. Whether you're tattooed or not, go. It really is an art form (plus there's breakdancing!). (August 16-18, Consolidated Works, 500 Boren Ave N, $20.) BRADLEY STEINBACHER

Monday Funday

(MUSIC) Like the big bad brown liquors, good music can unlock a whole reserve of ugly emotions on stage. Watching the frontman for Hint Hint come alive, you can only guess what's going on under that skewed baseball cap of his--definitely some kind of compelling, maniacal manifestation of bilious rage, raw panic, and bodily convulsions that he can flip on the minute his fingers hit the keyboard. His spitting, screaming conniptions drive the tension in this propulsive dance punk act, where jerky rhythms pummel synthesized noise, and both sides refuse submission. Golden Ticket rounds out the bill. (Graceland, 109 Eastlake Ave. E, 262-0482, $4.) JENNIFER MAERZ

Vibrator

(LESBIAN TAKEOVER) The Eagle on Capitol Hill will be wall-to-wall dykes tonight for Sleater-Kinney's CD release party. Usually a haven for gay men, the Eagle gets turned over to the ladies once a month for Vibrator, the brainchild of Lindsay Marsak and DJ El Toro. This month, Vibrator plays host to the ladies of Sleater-Kinney as they release their new album, One Beat. No word on whether the band will be performing, but that won't matter to the throngs of women who will attend for the chance to mingle with Corin Tucker, Janet Weiss, and Carrie Brownstein, the band's lone (and cute as hell) dyke. (Seattle Eagle, 314 E Pike St, 9 pm.) AMY JENNIGES

Girls Can't Swim

(FILM) The dark tension of hormones gone haywire fuels Anne-Sophie Birot's excellent directorial debut, which follows a pair of girls--best friends, for now--who are trapped in their homes and bodies for a particularly grim summer at the seashore. The film brilliantly captures the almost invisible vectors that send teens crashing into and away from one another. (Varsity, 4329 University Way NE, 632-3131.) SEAN NELSON