WEDNESDAY 3/5
(MUSIC) Ever since Nashville-based singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun saw Tracy Chapman on TV at age 10, she has been under the spell of the acoustic guitar. Now, she churns out folky R&B, rock, and pop songs about her experiences as a queer woman of color. She will support her critically acclaimed fourth album, Proof of Life, which features guest appearances from Mt. Joy, Manchester Orchestra, Chris Stapleton, Maxo Kream, and Noah Kahan. (The Showbox, 8:30 pm, $28.50-$31, all ages) AUDREY VANN
THURSDAY 3/6
(FESTIVAL) It doesn't matter if you're a gamer, sci-fi nerd, anime fan, fantasy fairy, or cosplay artist, Emerald City Comic Con is for you! Don't miss this jam-packed weekend of panels, meet-and-greets, cosplay, comics, fanfic, and screenings. As part of this year’s “Return to Grunge” theme, the con is teaming up with 107.7 the End to throw a Grunge Prom powered by a live cover band. The welcoming con also offers youngling lightsaber training, furry meetups, and panels on topics like “cats in comics” and “warrior women of fiction.” Celebrity guests include everyone's favorite rebel stormtrooper (John Boyega), Adam Savage of Mythbusters fame, queer icon Katy O'Brian from Love Lies Bleeding, and many more. Plus, there’s good news for Firefly fans: six of the show’s actors will make appearances, including the charming Nathan Fillion. (Seattle Convention Center, March 6–9, $35-$440, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH
FRIDAY 3/7
Here to Pee: A Trans Comedy Protest Tour
(COMEDY) One of the most powerful ways to deal with a bigot is to laugh directly in their face, so the Here to Pee Tour just makes sense. Queer and trans performers from across the country have come together for this fearless showcase, which has taken the stage in every state that has passed anti-trans bathroom legislation. A portion of proceeds supports regional grassroots queer advocacy, ensuring local communities benefit directly. Resistance can be fun! (Rendezvous, 6:30 pm, $20, 21+) LINDSAY COSTELLO
SATURDAY 3/8
Instant Noodles: 24-Hour Asian American Play Festival
(PERFORMANCE) When over 50 writers, actors, directors, musicians, and designers are randomly paired up to produce plays with brand-new music, set design, props, lights, and costumes, what could go wrong? Well, probably a lot of things. But a lot of things could go right, too. Enter Instant Noodles: 24 Hour Asian American Play Festival, which will showcase the Asian American-led plays resulting from this funky experiment. (Theatre Off Jackson, March 8–9, times vary, $10–$50, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO
SUNDAY 3/9
(READINGS & TALKS) Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s impact on contemporary literature is difficult to overstate—the Nigerian artist, author, poet, and playwright, who penned the book-length essay “We Should All Be Feminists” and the 2013 novel Americanah, has had her work translated into 55 languages. That sort of massive international readership is rare these days, putting her in the company of Gabriel García Márquez, Haruki Murakami, and Elena Ferrante. Adichie’s latest, Dream Count, follows a Nigerian travel writer in the United States. It was deemed the “major publication milestone of 2025” by The Guardian. (Neptune Theatre, 7:30 pm, $52.50, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO
MONDAY 3/10
(FILM) Collide-O-Scope is the brilliant brain baby of Shane Wahlund and Michael Anderson, two local filmmakers and pop culture know-it-alls who cut, clip, and splice their way through hours and hours of music videos, movies, television shows, old commercials, and other footage to piece together spellbinding video collages. It’s not a slapdash memeification of vintage clips to get an easy laugh from 13-year-old YouTube addicts, Collide-O-Scope is an art form, a thoughtful and smart curation of strange, hilarious, surprising, and at times even touching moments of our history. And I’m not just saying all these nice things because Wahlund is The Stranger’s director of video production. I liked Collide-O-Scope long before knowing Wahlund, as its been a Seattle staple for more than 15 years! They’re at Here-After every second Monday. Follow along on Instagram to get a peek at their monthly themes. (Here-After, 7 pm, $15, 21+) MEGAN SELING
TUESDAY 3/11
A Conversation with Natasha Lyonne
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(READINGS & TALKS) I could watch Natasha Lyonne all day. Come for the gruff bravado and brash ginger wit (Bette Midler meets Joe Pesci?), stay for the surprisingly endearing aura. The actress/producer/director grew up in front of the camera, but Lyonne’s post-sobriety era has been especially generative: After her breakout role as Nicky Nichols in Orange is the New Black (2013–2019), she co-created/starred in the existentially compelling Russian Doll (which debuted in 2019), starred in 2023 film His Three Daughters, and can now be found on the “case-of-the-week” show Poker Face (which also debuted in 2023, damn!). Lyonne will be interviewed by award-winning sci-fi author Ted Chiang (whose writing I appreciate so much I could write a separate Suggests for him; please at least read Stories of Your Life and Others)—their conversation will close out the “Love, Hope, and Other Four Letter Words” series he’s been directing. (Benaroya Hall, 7:30 pm, $31–$76, all ages) EMILY NOKES
Prizefight!
Win tickets to rad upcoming events!*
Neriah
March 15, Barboza
Contest ends March 12 at 10 am
HWASA
March 11, Moore Theatre
Contest ends March 9 at 10 am
Aziz Ansari
March 14, Paramount Theatre
Contest Ends March 12 at 10 am
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