WEDNESDAY 5/21
Dean Wareham with Jess Cornelius
(MUSIC) When I read Dean Wareham's memoir Black Postcards in high school, it changed the course of my musical life, turning me onto twee pop originators like Jonathan Richman, the Feelies, and the Dream Syndicate. For that, I am eternally grateful to Wareham and Galaxie 500's three flawless studio albums that have soundtracked many a good cry in my broken-down car. The New Zealand-born heartthrob will take a break from touring with his projects Luna and Dean & Britta for a solo tour supporting his new album, That's the Price of Loving Me. The album is his first collaboration with prolific producer Kramer since Galaxie 500’s This Is Our Music (1990). My fingers are crossed that he'll also play some songs from his debut EP, Anesthesia. Fellow New Zealand-born, LA-based indie rock artist Jess Cornelius will open. (Sunset Tavern, 8 pm, 21+) AUDREY VANN
THURSDAY 5/22
Alison Jean Cole: 'A Rockhound’s Guide to Oregon & Washington'
(ROCKS) Rock are cool and all, but I'll be honest: I wasn't losing sleep thinking about them until I started following Alison Jean Cole's Instagram account. Cole's enthusiasm for rocks brings up all sorts of questions. What is a thunderegg, really? And have I missed my calling? Should I have been a professional rockhounder, traversing the orangey badlands and desert canyons wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a bolo tie?? I am still wondering these things, and maybe you are, too. If so, head to this talk, where Cole will chat about her new book, A Rockhound’s Guide to Oregon & Washington. The book covers all things rockhounding, including how to read geologic maps, the ethics of rock collecting, and "how to develop your personal tastes in rocks and build a collection." (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, 7 pm, free, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO
FRIDAY 5/23
(COMMUNITY) Folklife started in the ’70s, and it shows, in large part because it has somehow escaped the jaws of capitalism to remain a free community festival that’s open and welcoming to all. It's also full of buskers, drum circles, impromptu jam seshes, barefoot dancing, and faded tie-dye. You can explore dozens of stalls selling foods and crafts from around the world, check out workshops and lectures, or just hang out and soak up the atmosphere. It's a very PNW granola vibe, and I love it. (Seattle Center, May 23–26, suggested donation, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH
SATURDAY 5/24
(MUSIC/ARTS) The bombs are still falling. The children are still dying. And the lives of 14,000 starving babies in Gaza hang in the balance this week alone. Intisaar Jubran, a local musician, has organized an event, Radio Gaza, to raise money for Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, which provides support "for sick and injured children in the Middle East, regardless of their religion and without political affiliation or purpose." The event will include a DJ set by I.S.H., art by Hala Saleh, and music by, of course, Intisaar Jubran, whose voice has the kind of strength and grace that's called for during a time the people of Southern Africa describe as "mfecane." (Mosswood Loft, 7 pm, 21+) CHARLES MUDEDE
SUNDAY 5/25
(FOOD/MUSIC) If you haven’t had the pleasure of listening to Bach while eating pancakes, you’re in for a treat. Seattle marimba star Erin Jorgensen has been putting on Bach & Pancakes as low-key solo events around the city for the past 5 or so years. The ones I’ve attended have been lovely and mellow (I cannot claim to be a morning person, but if I was greeted with gentle live marimba melodies and pancakes before noon, it would certainly help). For this Sunday’s iteration, Jorgensen has expanded her special series to include over 20 rotating players and instruments—cello, organ, various strings and woodwinds, and more—for 3 hours of Johann Sebastian Bach (perfect, I’m told, “for Bach lovers and the Bach-curious”). Pancakes will be whipped up by West Seattle’s Locöl Kitchen, and you can drop by any time during the event. Bring a pillow or blanket if you’d like! My intel says: While the pre-sale reservations say “sold out” on the site, they’ll still be accepting walk-ups since people are encouraged to come and go as they please. (Kenyon Hall, 10 am–1 pm, suggested donation, all ages) EMILY NOKES
MONDAY 5/26
(FILM) The in-person portion of the Seattle International Film Festival ends May 25, but the fun doesn't have to end! You can still stream some of their selections at home through June 1. And what better way to spend a day off than loading up on snacks, building yourself a couch fort, and watching a marathon of movies? A few films available for streaming that we loved include New Jack Fury, which Stranger editor Hannah Murphy Winter says, "starts with someone getting hit with a dirty 18-inch dildo, and it ends with a dance off, swords, and betrayal"; Cat Town, USA, a sweet documentary about a Florida couple's elderly cat sanctuary; and Under the Volcano, a film about a Ukrainian family who is "stranded in a paradise turned hellscape" after Russia invades Ukraine while they're on vacation. Michael McKinney says it's "grim, visually gorgeous, and timely as ever." Read through our full list of streaming movies here. (Your couch, all ages) MEGAN SELING
TUESDAY 5/27
(VISUAL ART) Way back in 2012, Jen Graves (The Stranger) wrote, "Susan Dory's color combinations have always been luscious.... It's as if each painting were a set of open jaws, or many sets of jaws, each vying for space in a fractured horizon. It is an exhilarating break." Since then, Dory's style has evolved even further, with solo shows that offer labyrinths of geometric compositions. The artist envisions "the tension between the visible and the hidden," from the growth and movement patterns of flora and fauna to the support systems in our own lives. Color takes on both personal and collective meanings in Slipstream. (Winston Wächter Fine Art, 10 am–5 pm, free) LINDSAY COSTELLO
Prizefight!
Win tickets to rad upcoming events!*
Jimmy Carr
May 27, 9:30 pm, Moore Theatre
Contest ends May 23 at 10 am
