Charlatans UK

(MUSIC) The latest album from Charlatans UK, Wonderland, finds the band exploring a new faux-funk sound while leaving behind the band's trademark Hammond organ howl. That's not to say that the Hammond has gone missing; nowadays it doesn't blare so much as it shakes its ass in the background. Frontman Tim Burgess' adolescent whine is now a falsetto holler--he's clearly having fun testing its limits--while his side stint as a DJ comes through in the mix. Expect a fine set showcasing a rich 11-year career. (Showbox, 1426 First Ave, 628-4880, $15/$17.) KATHLEEN WILSON

Jalopy

(DANCE/THEATER) Using multiple rooms (including the basement) in Richard Hugo House, Jalopy uses dance and dialogue to tell the tale of seven passengers on a long drive, as both the car and their relationships start to fall apart. Dance troupe glassbones always incorporates odd props and original music into their work; this show also features a film of a bunch of people romping around a barn and a field of pumpkins. Jalopy will be a an assertive mix of dance and storytelling, using movement to explore the mind as much as the body. (Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 726-1879, Fri-Sun, 8 pm, $14. Through Jan 26.) BRET FETZER

The Great Uncle Jimmy

(FILM) This is the latest work-in-progress (number 60!) from the infamous Karl Krogstad, Seattle's most colorfully self-promoting independent experimental filmmaker, which is saying something (without actually saying anything). As with his other films, Jimmy involves a great deal of local talent--including Burton Curtis, Calen Kerr, and Imogen Love--and is not uninterested in the physical form of beautiful women. I haven't seen it yet, but if it's Krogstad (and it is), it's always worth looking at. (911 Media Arts Center, 117 Yale Ave N, 682-6552, 7:30 & 9:30 pm, $8/$10.) SEAN NELSON

SATURDAY JAN 19

DJs' Used Records

(SALE) There are a fistful of great hiphop shows happening this weekend: see the Up & Coming section. In between the shows, though, you should maximize your leisure time at "Vinyl Shakedown," where the Northwest's top DJs--Suspence, Kid Hops, Soul1, Lord Chillum, and many more--will be selling their used vinyl. They've already scoured the Northwest's many record shops to build their excellent record collections. Now they're bringing it back to the people. (Cut Kulture Gallery, 2018 First Ave, 374-8753, 12-6 pm.) BRIAN GOEDDE

BAM as Built

(ART) Photographer John Stamets has carved out a strange and interesting niche for himself: documentation of the creation (and sometimes destruction) of major cultural architecture. Rather than demystifying the architecture, his work deepens it, illuminating the creation of space over time; some say his EMP-in-progress images are more beautiful than the finished product, giving new visual life to the term "inner beauty." Here, he's showing 45 of the 500 large-format photographs of the new Bellevue Art Museum (designed by architecture darling Stephen Holl) during its construction, along with images of other public buildings. (Bellevue Art Museum, 510 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, 425-519-0770. Through March 10. Note! From Jan 17-20, in honor of the new building's first anniversary, museum admission is free.) EMILY HALL

MONDAY JAN 21

Black Hawk Down

(FILM) Speaking of not actually saying anything, this controversial war film is the new effort from Ridley Scott, an artist who has made a career out of not saying a damn thing, ever, except, "Look how pretty this shiny sidewalk is." The movie tells the story of the ill-fated 1993 American military intervention in Mogadishu, Somalia, and apparently makes a point of offering no context, political or social, for the conflict. Hell, network news coverage could've done that! (See Movie Times.) SEAN NELSON

Mates of State

(MUSIC) This here section of the paper being the place where we "suggest" you go see this and that and whatever, I am hereby suggesting that you go see Mates of State at the Crocodile this Tuesday. Why? Because MoS is amazing--some of the prettiest, tightest, most inspiring music you'll see--and although I have no real proof to back this claim up (unless you've heard them before, that is), you should at least take my word for it because... what else are you gonna do on a Tuesday night? (Crocodile, 2200 Second Ave, 441-5611, $7.) BRADLEY STEINBACHER

Ralph Nader

(READING) There's simply no one better at pinpointing and articulating the elusive yet pervasive hold that corporations wield over our lives. It's not surprising that Nader has a laser-sharp grasp on the issue--he's been tirelessly focused on checking corporate power since single-handedly inventing the consumer rights movement in the mid-1960s! His stump speech has grown angrier and angrier over the years, yet he manages to maintain a startling sense of optimism. I guess he's in Seattle promoting his new book, Crashing the Party: How to Tell the Truth and Still Run For President, so he can sell enough copies to run again. (Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, 366-3333, 5:30 pm, free.) JOSH FEIT