WEDNESDAY 5/7
Pink Narcissus (New 4K Restoration)
(FILM) Watching James Bidgood's 1971 queer arthouse classic Pink Narcissus is like opening up a gaudy pop-up valentine—it’s an explosion of candy colors, glitter, and idealized romance. The story, which follows the fantasies of a gay male sex worker, isn't as much about the plot as it is about the aesthetics of the whole thing: surreal sets, extravagant costumes, creative lighting, and tender eroticism. If you don't believe me, just take it from John Waters, who once called the movie “as beautiful and timeless as The Wizard of Oz." Don't miss this stunning new 4K restoration at the Crocodile's cozy Here-After theater, programmed by the beloved (and currently closed) Grand Illusion Cinema. (Here-After, 7:30 pm, 21+) AUDREY VANN
THURSDAY 5/8
(VISUAL ART) Salvaging book-shaped scrap wood from a previous Factory show, Seattle artist Brandon Vosika carved and painted the blocks into the books he wanted to see in the world. Titles include How to Be a Worm, How to Paint Like Philip Guston, and my favorite: How to Hold a Cigarette and What It Says About You. I enjoy “things that look like other things” themes in art (in baking, too, though I resent that cake show’s shark-jumping gimmickry), and books have always held a special place in the genre—from bookshelves that are actually doors to books that are actually hollow so you can hide maps and money and drugs in them. Vosika’s books (that are actually sculptural paintings) aren’t necessarily attempting to trompe l’œil, but there is a satisfying attention to detail (bookmark ribbons; the heart-shaped lock on the child’s diary) and the medium lends itself well to Vosika’s style: a little bit whimsical and a little bit melancholy. These books seem like they’d be nice to hold. (The Factory, May 8–June 7) EMILY NOKES
FRIDAY 5/9
Dreaming in Analog: In Memory of Charles R. Cross
(MUSIC) When author and music journalist Charles R. Cross died in August, he left a huge hole in the heart of Seattle’s music community. “People think of Charles as a biographer of Seattle legends, but every time he and I got together, all we talked about was all the new bands we loved,” radio DJ Marco Collins told The Stranger last year. “He was a tireless champion of our music scene, old and new.” On Friday, May 9, Cross’s family and friends will keep the beloved author’s commitment to the city’s music scene moving forward with Dreaming in Analog, a celebration of life and fundraiser featuring performances from some of Cross’s favorites—Nancy Wilson, Sir Mix-a-Lot, Chris Ballew, Pete Droge, Mary Lambert, Eva Walker, Molly Sides, Shaina Shepherd, and many more. What’s more, net proceeds from the evening will support the newly established Charles R. Cross Music Writer’s Grant to help fund the next generation of music writers and journalists. For Charley. (The Moore, 7 pm, all ages) MEGAN SELING
SATURDAY 5/10
(BOOKS/VISUAL ART) There are few things more special and satisfying than a well-designed book. I could hold, look at, read, and think about books (zines, paperbacks, chapbooks, hardcovers, you name it) all day, but art books are a particularly special tier. The Seattle Art Book Fair broadly defines them as books that: “...often combine type, images, and materials in thoughtful ways that push the possibilities of what books can be. They can feature narrative, poetry, photography, and illustration. They can be handmade, offset-printed, letterpressed, photocopied, screen printed, or risographed. Or, they can take some surprising new form and feature an unexpected medium that allows one to experience the world in a wholly new way.” The fair is free and will include an impressive 85-plus exhibitor lineup of artists, designers, and makers, as well as talks, art installations, and workshops. More tactile, thoughtful, well-designed everything, please! (Washington Hall, 11 am–5 pm, free, all ages) EMILY NOKES
SUNDAY 5/11
(BOOKS) If you've visited a bookstore anytime in recent memory, you've likely spied a copy of Rebecca Solnit's smash-hit essay collection Men Explain Things to Me—or perhaps Recollections of My Non-Existence, or Hope in the Dark, or The Mother of All Questions. The longtime writer and activist is the closest thing to a literary household name we've got right now, and in No Straight Road Takes You There, she delves into themes of climate change, feminism, democracy, hope, and the abuse of power. If you're like "Whew, okay, I don't know if I need more of that at the moment, I'd rather read Ariana Madix's cocktail book," first of all: I get it. But consider this: Solnit has a way of making even the heaviest topics feel expansive rather than crushing. It might be just what you need to survive the next few years. (Town Hall, 7:30 pm, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO
MONDAY 5/12
(MUSIC) When you think of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ music, words like "joyous," "life-affirming," and "uplifting" might not come to mind; likely because they have album titles like The Firstborn is Dead, Your Funeral...My Trial, and Murder Ballads. However, the long-running post-punk band has done the impossible—they've created an optimistic album which the Guardian has claimed "will make you fall back in love with life." Don't get me wrong, the band's eighteenth album, Wild God, is not straightforward—the songs are narratively complex and lyrically poetic. But the lush strings, choral vocals, and waves of crescendos make for a highly cinematic and emotionally moving listen. Don't miss Cave and company on tour supporting the new album, which I predict will sound really fantastic live. (Paramount Theatre, 8 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN
TUESDAY 5/13
(MUSIC) England's Slowdive began life as one of the most insular and diaphanous groups of shoegaze's first wave. They were archetypal bedroom dreamers, their sound pale and fading into the ether in cascades of shimmering guitars, as Rachel Goswell and Neil Halstead cooed melancholily. Slowdive had gained a devoted cult following, but after 1995's bold, ambient departure, Pygmalion, they took a 19-year hiatus. Reunited and rejuvenated, Slowdive greatly increased their fanbase with 2017's Slowdive and 2023's Everything Is Alive. Their newer music is slightly more robust, but it retains their earlier work's majestic calm. And live, Slowdive crank up the energy levels, belying their rep as supreme chillers. Riding shoegaze's resurgence in popularity, with help from the algorithmic gods, Slowdive have accrued many new fans who weren't even born when the band launched. They must feel seriously vindicated. (Paramount Theatre, 8 pm, all ages) DAVE SEGAL
