MONDAY 4/13
Author Talk: Ifrah F. Ahmed, Soomaaliya
(FOOD) Somali-born chef, writer, recipe developer, and artist Ifrah F. Ahmed came to Seattle as a child in 1996. She and her family quickly became enmeshed in the local Somali community, and food was one of the biggest ways they connected to their culture. Today, Ahmed works to preserve these traditions and pass them on to future generations via her writing and her pop-up MILK & MYRRH, which has sold out in Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York. In her debut cookbook, Soomaaliya: Food, Memory, and Migration, she highlights Somali chefs, restaurateurs, herders, agricultural workers, and entrepreneurs from all over the world, accompanied by gorgeous photography and recipes for staples like xawaash (a spice blend) and bur (sweet fried beignets). Ahmed will discuss the book with local author and former Stranger writer Angela Garbes. (Book Larder, 6:30 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL
TUESDAY 4/14
Joe Rudko: Meditations in an Emergency
(VISUAL ART) Joe Rudko—best known for his meticulous, hand-cut photo collage pieces that starburst, splay, and weave—has turned to a medium that seemingly could not be farther from those X-Acto-made bouquets. In his new solo at Winston Wächter, oil pastel takes the stage. It’s thick and primal and emotional: color studies caked on paper, a riot of cream and smear aching to articulate through the shattered language of lines. That shattering creates patterns at times reminiscent of past work, but it doesn’t fully bridge the two—and that’s okay, because the break feels febrile and fresh. When rearranged and pieced back together, the broken fragments form cryptic half-hieroglyphs full of longing, perhaps only fully legible to the artist, but potent enough to seep like low-grade fever to the viewer. (Winston Wächter Fine Art) AMANDA MANITACH
WEDNESDAY 4/15
(MUSIC) Excuse me while I get on my soapbox for a moment: I am confused and concerned why Throwing Muses’ 1991 song “Honeychain” is not more well-known. Not only should it be the band’s number one hit, but it should be known as one of the best songs of the ’90s. Its infectious riff deserves “Smoke on the Water” level fame. It should be played on classic rock radio. It should be on video game soundtracks and in those greeting cards that sing when you open them. (Please help me educate the masses.) The band was started by stepsisters Kristin Hersh and Tanya Donelly (the Breeders, Belly) while both were still in high school, and quickly became known for their dreamlike lyrics and unusual song structure. In 1991, Donelly left the band to start Belly, and the band has lived on ever since through Hersh with drummer David Narcizo and bassist Bernard Georges. The trio will return to Seattle to support their new album, Moonlight Concessions, which Hersh has described as a return to the band’s original sound, which predates their 1986 self-titled album. (Crocodile, 8 pm, 21+) AUDREY VANN
THURSDAY 4/16
Brandon Bye with Lisa van Dam-Bates and Nate Gowdy
(BOOKS) We must first wonder at the fact that it has taken so long for a book of this kind, a book about Seattle’s graffiti culture, to make an appearance and some waves. But as the old saying goes, better late than never. Brandon Bye’s More Paint contains photographs of tags and throw-ups taken by Bye between 2023 and 2025, the years when Seattle’s former mayor, Bruce Harrell, was in the middle of his doomed war against one of the defining urban activities: graffiti. Bye’s images also capture a city that’s rapidly expanding. In the space of two years, Seattle added nearly 36,000 new residents and now has an estimated population of 816,000. Graffiti, however, is not an indication of increasing economic stress (which is truly the case for homelessness), but of the refusal to surrender urban spaces to the logic and determination of those who own and accumulate capital. (Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free) CHARLES MUDEDE
FRIDAY 4/17
(MUSIC) Devin the Dude will always hold a special place in the hearts of the legions of millennial teenagers who count sparking a pop can weed pipe in their basement and watching their best friend work out the whammy bar intro to “Doobie Ashtray” as an indelible part of their childhood development. Emerging from the 1990s Houston rap scene, Dude, born Devin Charles Copeland, struck a perfect chord between West Coast G-funk swing and breezy Southern soul. His relatable blue-collar rhymes played directly into the stoner-rap craze of the moment, and his change-of-pace rap-singing proved to be an irresistible feature for artists from Scarface to Dr. Dre. Indeed, Copeland’s music has provided many high times and life lessons, and, haters move on, his most recent album, 2021’s Soulful Distance, is not to be slept on. The same goes for opener (and local weed rap royalty) Jarv Dee, who has had a moment of late with some breakout dance tracks. (Nectar Lounge, 8 pm, 21+) TODD HAMM
SATURDAY 4/18
(MEOW) Let’s face it, we live in a dog’s world. They are allowed in our parks, our stores, our restaurants, our gyms. They even have their own order at Starbucks. This can be alienating if you are more feline-inclined. What about the cats? There is a place for us, too. It is Pop Cats, the cat convention. There, you can revel in all things kitty. You can learn how to craft a wand toy, or cover yourself in temporary cat tattoos. You can dress up like a cat. You can even bring your cat. If you don’t have a cat, you can adopt one at the con. It’ll be a real who’s who of the Seattle cat world. And maybe you’ll even meet Mr. Right there. After all, Seattle and Portland have the highest percentage of single men with cats out of the most populous US cities. (Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, times vary, all ages) NATHALIE GRAHAM
SUNDAY 4/19
(SPORTS/CRAFTS) I’ll admit my main motivation in going to a baseball game is eating hot dogs, but throw in fiber arts and I’ll be there in a heartbeat. That’s exactly what this Mariners event promises: Knitters, crocheters, embroiderers, and stitchers of all stripes are invited to come make some progress on their WIPs (works in progress) while cheering for Big Dumper et al. Better yet, there will be a small fiber vendor fair on the rooftop boardwalk, so you can browse and buy more yarn you definitely don’t need, and ticket holders will receive a kit with everything you need to make your very own tiny Mariners Moose. I am normally indifferent to the Ms mascot, but I feel intensely maternal toward his cute little crocheted likeness. (T-Mobile Park, 1:10 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL
