THURSDAY 2/8
What’s Your Pleasure?
(SEX WORKSHOP) For most people, it’s hard enough to admit to themselves that they want to be bound, gagged, spanked, whipped, pinched, pierced, shocked, or generally ordered around as a sexual activity–or that they want to do these things to someone else. The problem of telling someone else about these desires can seem insurmountable. If you’re in this bind (so to speak), Mistress Matisse will help you figure out how to talk about (and how to listen to) your fantasies and take them from dreams into flesh–your flesh. A grounded and approachable professional dominatrix, Mistress Matisse has been presenting workshops in BDSM (Bondage, Domination, Sado-Masochism) in Seattle and across the country, and is sure to provide a mix of down-to-earth advice and out-of-this-world sensations. BRET FETZER
Consolidated Works, 410 Terry Ave N, 860-5245, 8 pm, $20.
Rick Moody
(READINGS) I suggest you go and hear Rick Moody read. I say this despite the fact that when I saw him read three years ago, it turned out to be one of those events where the sound of the author’s voice fails utterly to match the voice I had already created for him in my head, and the dissonance left me distracted and disappointed. But Moody is an extremely personable guy, not at all reflective of the darkness behind some of his extraordinary writing. His newest short-story collection, Demonology, traverses this darkness with moments of brilliance, being ambitious without sacrificing its readability. TRACI VOGEL
Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free advance tickets
available.
FRIDAY 2/9
Nederlands Dans Theatre
(DANCE) Europe kicks America’s butt when it comes to supporting the arts, so it’s no surprise that there are few companies in the U.S. with the historical richness of groups like Nederlands Dans Theatre, formed in 1959 by 18 dancers who’d split off from Het Nederlands Ballet (Ballet of the Netherlands). Since then, NDT has grown increasingly experimental, particularly under the past 20 years of guidance from artistic director Jirí Kylián, who has just stepped down to concentrate on choreography. NDT will be presenting several of Kylián’s pieces on this tour; go see why the Gazette, Montreal called NDT “the best selection of dancers in the world.” BRET FETZER
Paramount Theatre, Ninth and Pine, 292-ARTS, Fri-Sat 8, Sat-Sun at 2, $26.50-$46.50.
One weekend only.
Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure
(FILM) Unconvincing replicas are always happier than reasonable facsimiles. This is why everybody loves Pee-Wee Herman: He never attempted to become a convincing character–the holes and inconsistencies in his persona were always decorative. Indeed, we should have welcomed his masturbatory excess as one more facet of a poorly held-together whole. Fortunately, we now have the chance to do so, as the Olympia Film Society, in conjunction with a special Valentine’s Day screening of Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, hosts a Pee-Wee Look-Alike Contest. I would hazard a guess that the more unconvincing the replica, the better your chances. First prize: a poor interpretation of Pee-Wee’s beloved bike. JAMIE HOOK
Capitol Theater, 206 E Fifth Ave, Olympia, 754-6670 or www.olywa.net/ofs.
See Movie Times for details.
SATURDAY 2/10
Carrie Akre
(LIVE MUSIC) Seattle seems to be divided into two camps–those who loved Goodness and those too hip to admit they ever paid attention. Whether you appreciated her former band or not, Carrie Akre is proving to be one of Seattle’s most enduring and surprising local talents. Her solo album, Home, released last year, shows that Akre is far more than a one-trick rock ‘n’ roll pony–it reveals a multidimensional artist unafraid to show off her softer side. Whether that’s a result of maturity, newfound confidence, or boredom with straightforward rock is anyone’s guess, but it’s your loss if you write her off. BARBARA MITCHELL
Sit & Spin, 2219 Fourth Ave, 441-9484, 9 pm, $8.
21 Dog Years: Doing Time @ Amazon.com
(SOLO SHOW) Mike Daisey is a large, belligerent man. Blunt, headstrong words tend to come tumbling out of his mouth while his wide, expressive face contorts into any number of amazed, hostile, buoyant, or melancholy expressions. As he’s demonstrated in his previous solo shows (Wasting Your Breath and I Miss the Cold War), and as part of the ensemble Up in Your Grill, Daisey observes absurdity with an appraising eye, presenting what he’s gleaned with hot fervor or chilly scorn. He spent almost two years in the bowels of Amazon.com, and now, starting the very day his non-disclosure agreement expires, he has returned to tell the tale. Anyone looking for a taste of what’s to come can watch a short movie on his website at www.mikedaisey.com. BRET FETZER
Speakeasy Backroom, 2304 Second Ave, 444-4336, Fri-Sat at 8, $10. Through
March 3.
SUNDAY 2/11
Get Out of the Way
(CIVIC DUTY) Here’s some promising news for humankind: The city of Seattle is currently pleading with people to get out of the way of ambulances and other emergency vehicles through its “Move Right for Sirens and Lights” campaign. Where the hell are you headed that’s so important? Pottery Barn isn’t going anywhere, and nobody’s asking you to yield to “that jackass in the green Range Rover on his goddamn cell phone”–but “this damn lady over here who’s just got to get to the hospital in such a hurry for her blood transfusion” might be taking it too far. We’re not usually into public service announcements, but really. JASON PAGANO
MONDAY 2/12
Mare Blocker
(ART) How far can you push a book and still have it be a book? This is the territory of those who make artists’ books, and Mare Blocker is one of the best. Blocker, who collaborated years ago with novelist Katherine Dunn on a limited-edition circus book, is showing some of her new work at Wessel & Lieberman. It includes a randy interpretation of a pop-up book, a fortune-telling game in a teacup, and a strange book of proverbs that includes such counterintuitive wisdom as “The cut worm forgives the plow.” Her illustrations are reminiscent of Maira Kalman’s work, but the combination of text and book/vehicle is solely Blocker’s own. It’s a quiet little exhibit that speaks volumes. EMILY HALL
Wessel & Lieberman Booksellers, 208 First Ave S, 682-3545. Through March 31.
TUESDAY 2/13
Composer Spotlight
(LECTURE) When composer Janice Giteck and poet Judith Roche worked with the girls at Snoqualmie’s correctional facility Echo Glen Children’s Center, they transformed the stories, hopes, and dreams they heard into a musical theater piece including song, rap, and instrumental music. Respectful act of artistic generosity or parasitic feasting upon a younger generation? Given the beauty and modesty of Giteck and Roche’s work, I’m betting the former; but draw your own conclusions after listening to the two discuss the process behind their new work Navigating the Light (which will be premiered in April). BRUCE REID
Jack Straw Productions, 4261 Roosevelt Way NE, 634-0919, 7:30 pm, free.
WEDNESDAY 2/14
Valentine Killers
(LIVE MUSIC) It’s St. Valentine’s Day and you want to take your sweetie somewhere special, but where? What location could possibly capture all the sights, sounds, and smells of romance? Why, your friendly neighborhood tavern the Comet, of course! Tonight’s entertainment includes a free keg of Rainier while it lasts, and high-energy rock performances by the Blow Up and the kick-ass Valentine Killers. What better way to proclaim your undying love than kissing your special one to the groovy punk-rock beat while dodging a flying pitcher of beer? DAN PAULUS
Comet Tavern, 922 E Pike St, 323-9853, 9:30 pm, free.
Almost Elvis
(FILMS) As a young lad, I knew I was experiencing a profound moment in life when, during a school assembly, an Asian dwarf Elvis impersonator performed “In the Ghetto.” Revel in the spectacle of Elvis impersonation with a screening of the documentaries Almost Elvis: Elvis Impersonators and Their Quest for the Crown by Olympia filmmaker John Pagent, and El Rey de Rock ‘n’ Roll, about the one and only EL VEZ!!! With dazzling live showmanship filled with pop-culture camp, social commentary, and songs like “That’s Alright, Mamacita,” El Vez stands alone in a sea of tired pork chop sideburns and white jump suits. Tonight’s screening also includes a performance by Elvis impersonation champion Steve Sogura, and a Q&A with Pagent. NICOLAE WHITE
JBL Theater at EMP, 369-5483, 7 & 9 pm, $7.50.
Fantagraphics Van
(AUCTION) In a shameless attempt to line their ink-stained pockets with yet more money, the folks at Fantagraphics are trying to get you, dear reader, to bid on their broken-down, rust-encrusted company van. But wait–this is no ordinary van: It’s an “art object” illustrated by such Fantagraphics luminaries as R. Crumb, Dan Clowes, Jaime Hernandez, and Peter Bagge. During the opening of a 1992 exhibition at CoCA, a number of artists–bored and most likely slightly drunk–decided to use the company van (a 1985 GMC Vandura) as a canvas. The result showcases famous comics characters such as Hernandez’s “Hopey,” Jim Woodring’s froggy “Pulque,” and Roberta Gregory’s “Bitchy Bitch.” This van, which no longer runs, can be yours if you bid high enough on eBay.com between now and February 28, and if you can pay the towing expenses. Good luck! TRACI VOGEL
For more photos, see www.fantagraphics.com.