Just when winter seems like it will never end, March swoops in with its cherry blossoms and cold-but-sunny days. Whether you want to make up for all the time you've spent huddled under a blanket by spending time outdoors or you want to celebrate all the holidays this month brings (namely, Women's History Month and International Women's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Holi, and Mardi Gras), your options are plentiful. Below, we've compiled the biggest art and comedy shows, concerts, food events, and other great things to do, from Vince Staples to Ronny Chieng, from the Seattle Jewish Film Festival to Taste Washington, and from Moisture Festival to Emerald City Comic Con. If all of that isn't enough, you can also look ahead to the rest of this year's big events, see our list of cheap & easy year-round events, or check out our complete Things To Do calendar.
Found something you like and don't want to forget about it later? Click "Save Event" on any of the linked events below to add it to your own private list.
MARCH 1
FOOD & DRINK1. Pig Day Out
This event celebrates not one but two pig-related occasions: the Lunar New Year and National Pig Dayâa special "Porcine Nexus" that only happens once every 12 years. Rather than just feast on pork (which you can still do via food specials at spots like Honest Biscuits and Pike's Pit Bar-B-Que), you'll be watching pig races, making pig crafts, witnessing the crowning of the 2019 Lunar New Year princess Golden Pearl, drinking in a Pig Pen Beer Garden and SâWinery, and seeing live performances by the Chinese Cultural Dancers.
2. Brasstracks, Kemba, Pell
Brooklyn-based duo Brasstracks make funky, psychedelic jazz/R&B/hiphop that's not afraid of the horn. They call it "future brass," and it's incredibly groovy. Hiphop artists Kemba (also from New York) and Pell will provide opening sets.
3. Robyn
Robyn is back. Thank God. I canât really remember a time before the Swedish electro-pop icon/goddess was in my life, making dancefloors all the more inviting with hits like âDancing on My Ownâ and âCall Your Girlfriend.â And although sheâs definitely kept a low profile over the past couple of years, Robyn has been releasing music with Norwegian electronic music duo Röyksopp and La Bagatelle Magique. Last year saw her return in a big way: She dropped her eighth solo album Honey and now sheâs on tour. Come through and pay your respects with sweat! JASMYNE KEIMIG
MARCH 1-3
FILM4. Nordic Lights Film Festival
This annual film festival celebrates the richness of Nordic culture, featuring films from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and even the Faroe Islands. Highlights of this year's lineup include the opening-night feature Woman at War, Norwegian director Arild Andresen's Handle with Care, Danish director Daniel Borgman's Loving Pia, and Faroe Islands director Sakaris Stórå's Dreams By the Sea.
MARCH 1-9
HOLIDAYS5. Mardi Gras Celebrations
The New Orleans-based holiday (celebrated all over the world) is full of booze, beaded necklaces, parades, rich foods, and more booze before Lent season begins the next day, on Ash Wednesday. Find a full list of ways to celebrate on our Mardi Gras calendar, including the Great Royal Room Mardi Gras Celebration (March 1â5), the Brazilian Carnaval 25th Anniversary! (Sat March 9 at the Crocodile) and Balkan Night Northwest (Sat March 9 at St. Demetrios Church).
MARCH 1-31
PERFORMANCE6. Romeo + Juliet
Shakespeare's most misread play gets a new treatment from ACT artistic director John Langs. For this production, he's casting deaf actor Joshua Castille as Romeo and incorporating ASL into the performance. Gabriella OâFallon will play Juliet. Castille did a fine job starring as Quasimodo in 5th Avenue's recent production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and OâFallon killed it in WET's The Nether, so this show will probably rule. Plus, Stranger Genius Amy Thone is playing the Nurse! It'll be interesting to see this excellent dramatic actor tackle a traditionally comic role. Press materials say the show will be accessible "for Deaf and hearing audiences alike." RICH SMITH
THROUGH MARCH 2
MUSIC7. Billy Bragg
To hear Billy Bragg extol the practical value of socialist principlesâwhich is to say, collective provision as a necessary function of any democratic government worthy of the nameâis invigorating. Songs may not change the world, but they can grease the gears. And unlike so many people making noise about this subject right now, Bragg (armed with an unimprovable East London accent) makes it sound not only like common sense, but like itâs right around the corner if we only pull together. Thereâs no greater asset in an age that invites cynicism. His certitudeâpowered by 30 years of experienceâreally helps ease the disorienting sense that youâre the only sane person left in the fucking world. Which is also what the best pop music has always done. Though you canât really separate the message from the messenger, itâs also worth mentioning that Bragg is one of the most charismatic, entertaining, and hilarious performers on the circuit. Itâs not like thereâs ever been a bad time to see a Billy Bragg show. But at the moment, it feels like thereâs never been a better one. SEAN NELSON
MARCH 2
COMMUNITY8. Lunar New Year Celebration
Welcome the Year of the Pig with traditional lion and dragon dances, other cultural performances, and food at Chinatown's annual Lunar New Year celebration.
9. Washington Beer Open House
For this event, more than 140 Washington breweries will open their doors for a simultaneous open house, which will give local beer lovers a unique opportunity to create their own adventure. Plot an itinerary for a personalized brewery crawl, travel to a few destination breweries youâve always wanted to try, or simply drop into the nearest participating craft brewer in your neighborhood. Each featured brewer will have their own lineup of surprises in store, including samples, tours, souvenirs, rare barrel tastings, savory food pairings, and more. JULIANNE BELL
10. Atmosphere
I have never related so hard to a track upon immediate first listen as Atmosphereâs nasty yet telling âTrim.â Itâs about being one half of a grown-up couple with three kids and seemingly no energy for anything other than lazing on the couch, trying to get it in and make time for each other whenever you can (âFeeling like I miss you, but I'm living with you / Help me take the garbage out so I can try to kiss you / You forgot that it could get so hot inside of a parked car up in the Target parking lotâ). It is well-produced and perfectly delivered, as is most of what you hear from the Minneapolis alt-hiphop duo made up of Slug (raps) and Ant (beats), including their ninth and latest studio outing on Rhymesayers, Mi Vida Local (âJeromeâ is a fucking jam). This tour supports that album.
LEILANI POLK
11. Danity Kane, Dumblonde, Dawn, #All4doras, DJ Indica Jones
Gather your best gals for a night out with chart-topping R&B group Danity Kane, who formed on the MTV reality series Making the Band in the mid-2000s.
12. Joshua Radin, Lissie, Lily Kershaw
Joshua Radin has the monopoly on emotionally resonant indie rock, and will be illustrating the reasons for his success in a set flanked by equally popular Starbucks soundtracker Lissie and guest artist Lily Kershaw.
MARCH 2-3
FILM13. Cat Video Fest 2019
Former Stranger writer Sean Nelson described it best: "A two-day celebration of the internet's greatest (and arguably only) contribution to the cultural life of this planet: short clips of humankind's second-cutest pets being cute as hail. Meee-ow." On Saturday, meet "celeb-kitty Klaus"; on both days, pick up kitty swag from All the Best, PAWS, and Neko Cat Café. The fest benefits PAWS and its programs for homeless pussycats.
MARCH 3
SPORTS & RECREATION14. Allstate Hot Chocolate 15k/5k
Starting and finishing at Seattle Center, this annual race rewards runners with all manner of chocolate delights, including hot chocolate, marshmallows with a hot fudge dipping sauce, and more.
MARCH 3-10
FOOD & DRINK15. Seattle Cocktail Week
This week-long event elevates the movers and (cocktail) shakers of the Seattle bar scene with special libations available at over 60 participating venues, plus a Brazilian Carnival celebration at Capitol Hill rum den Rumba, master classes and seminars for industry pros, pop-up cocktail bars, bar takeovers, competitions, tastings, a booze-soaked bartenderâs brunch, and more. Saturdayâs Cocktail District event at Bell Harbor Conference Center will feature presentations and demonstrations, a retail store, eight tasting areas, and a food truck pier with Uzbek street food from Tabassum, New Orleans soul food from Where Ya At Matt, cheesy toasted sandwiches from the Grilled Cheese Experience, Peruvian sandwiches from Don Luchoâs, Native American fry bread and tacos from Off the Rez, and Asian fusion eats from Crave by Suite J. JULIANNE BELL
MARCH 4
MUSIC16. Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Ladysmith Black Mambazo have a whole bunch of guys singing bass. Thatâs the secret to their success. Okay, Paul Simon âfoundâ them, and thatâs been the secret to their success in what we loosely term âthe West.â By 1986, though, when Ladysmith Black Mambazo recorded and performed with Simon, they already had more than 20 albums in their native South Africa. Now they have more than 50 albums. They never stop touring, and theyâve outlasted the racist apartheid system under which the older members grew up. Theyâre still ambassadors to South African culture. And they make people happyâboldly, unironically, and enthusiastically. I just finished hearing more terrible news about you-know-who, ugh. We need happy like we need fucking food and air right now. Respect. ANDREW HAMLIN
MARCH 5
MUSIC17. Billy Idol & Steve Stevens
Relive the best punk-made-pop of the '80s with Billy Idol and Steve Stevens as they tear through classics like "Dancing With Myself," "White Wedding," "Rebel Yell," "Mony Mony," "Eyes Without A Face," and "Flesh For Fantasy."
18. Richard Chiem: King of Joy
Local fiction phenom Richard Chiem is launching his long-awaited novel, King of Joy, from Soft Skull Press. Chiem is one of my favorite writers AND readers in Seattle. His low-key and yet somehow extremely intense performances cast a spell on audiences. His meditative sentences pull you close, and then, right when he has you where he wants you, he shows you the strangest and most heartbreaking and quietly funny things you've ever seen. Women drunk on champagne and lighting a tree on fire. An airplane entering and then exiting the reflective mirror of a puddle. A glowing black chandelier. These are some of the striking scenes and images you'll find as you follow the story of Corvus, a young woman who uses her imagination to cope with the pains of lossâuntil one day she suffers a loss so great she can't escape. RICH SMITH
19. Seattle Arts & Lectures: Dean Baquet and Marty Baron
What a time to be in journalism. Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter and New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet will be speaking with Washington Post editor Marty Baron, who was part of the Boston Globe team that broke the story of the Catholic Churchâs child molestation scandal. What are the biggest dangers facing journalism today? Media consolidation, the death of advertising, or President Pig Butt currently shitting all over the free press and the Oval Office? Perhaps we will find out during their conversation in Seattle. KATIE HERZOG
MARCH 6â10
HOLIDAYS20. International Women's Day Celebrations
While Women's History Month celebrates the accomplishments of womxn throughout history that have been left out of conspicuously left out of most textbooks, International Women's Day honors womxn of the present (and future) in general. Visit our complete International Women's Day calendar for all the ways to mark the occasion, including the premiere of Brave Girl Rising (Fri March 8 at SIFF), the Be Bold Seattle panel (Wed March 6 at Benaroya Hall), and the Agents of Change: 20 Remarkable Jewish Women of Washington State pop-up exhibit (March 7â10 at MOHAI). Plus, check out our list of women-owned restaurants in Seattle.
MARCH 7
FILM21. Kimya Dawson and Clyde Petersen: Performance, Film Screening, and Discussion
Former Stranger critic Jen Graves wrote, âWhen I watched Torrey Pines for the first time all by myself on a private Vimeo link, I actually felt loved. Clyde Petersen's debut feature film, clocking in at a rich hour, is about being a trans kid with a schizophrenic mom, but it's also about being able to survive by making connections.â We agree; itâs an irresistible DIY-animation classic that doesnât need words to beguile. Kimya Dawson and Petersen will kick off the evening with a musical performance.
22. William H. Macy Screening and Q&A
The wonderfully expressive, melancholic William H. Macy will present the 2015 film Stealing Cars, along with producers Rachel Winter and Sean Lydiard. This event will raise money for TheFilmSchool and its programs at homeless shelters and prisons.
23. GeekWire Bash
Get all your geeky gaming kicks out in one place at GeekWire's annual bash. Choose from Virtual Reality, video games, robotics, dodgeball, foosball, pingpong, and Settlers of Catan tournaments, and much more.
24. Action Bronson, Roc Marciano, Meyhem Lauren
Action Bronson's towering concoctions, whether they're meals or songs, only seem over-the-top once he tells you so. The best part of his music isn't necessarily what he says as much as how he says it. You can pick any Bronson song and find some of his favorite references: '80s wrestlers, '90s athletes, his hometown of Queens, New York, and yes, food, all expertly arranged and distorted. JACKSON HATHORN
25. Cherry Glazerr, Palehound
I first encountered Cherry Glazerr during my sophomore year of college. My best friend had to create a portrait of herself for an on-campus job she was applying to. She made a webpage composed of a picture of her with her tongue out and a cheesy sandwich gif, with Cherry Glazerrâs melty, punky, fuzzy âGrilled Cheeseâ playing in the background. It was internet art as fuck. The Los Angeles band just dropped their third album, Stuffed & Ready, which has a darker, angrier sound than past efforts. Theyâve got a chip on their shoulder and are looking for a fightâindulge them. JASMYNE KEIMIG
MARCH 7-28
VISUAL ART26. Ryna Frankel: Hold Me, Touch Me
The title of this show sounds like a dare. Ryna Frankel's soft, emotional sculptures seem to reach out to you, begging you to hold them, touch them. They're very cute. Maybe itâs winter getting me down, but all I want to do when I look at these pieces is become similarly limp, drown myself in fabric, and get in a corner and cuddle. It's a collection of work that understands how you feelâor at least is here to talk it out. CHASE BURNS
MARCH 7-28
VISUAL ART27. sweet, rotten, sweet
The press video for dancer/artist Peggy Piacenza's sweet, rotten, sweet features a bearded Wade Madsen in clown makeup slowly eating cotton candy while apocalyptic doom music blares in the background. So I guess I buy it when Piacenza calls the piece an exploration of "the human struggle to find meaning within an absurd world." This wild video installation will serve as the backdrop for a suite of performances by some of the area's most compelling contemporary dancers, including Madsen, Ezra Dickinson, Kim Lusk, and Amelia Reeber. RICH SMITH
MARCH 7-30
PERFORMANCE28. Caught
I'd count Christopher Chen's Caught as one of the four smartest / powerfulest / provocativest straight plays I saw in 2016. The play is meta-theatrical, but in a meaningful wayâless of a self-flagellating/self-congratulatory annoying ouroboros kind of thing and more of a flower blooming out of another flower kind of thing. It's about Western responses to Chinese dissident art. Sort of. It's also about relative pain. It's also about how the truth is a collaborative fiction, and about how nobody can really know anyone else. Importantly, it's about an hour-and-a-half long, tops. This remount is presented by Intiman and directed by Desdemona Chiang. Go see it. RICH SMITH
29. Dion Zwirner: The Edge of Seeing
Looking at Dion Zwirnerâs paintings is like looking at a breathtaking landscape through a looking glass covered in rainwaterâbeautiful, emotional, and wet. Zwirnerâs abstract approach to documenting the natural world is refreshing and deeply dewy. The colors she uses drip and bleed into one another, marrying horizons, seas, trees, clouds, and earth in a way that almost reminds you of a place youâve been to in a dream. Completely, plausibly realâand wet. JASMYNE KEIMIG
30. Shigeki Tomura: Retrospective
For a lovely glimpse of moments in nature rendered in watercolor, drawing, and drypoint engraving, look no further than Japanese artist Tomura's pieces from the late '80s to recent times.
MARCH 7-APRIL 3
VISUAL ART31. Bette Burgoyne: Drawings
Bette Burgoyneâs drawings are delightfully fungalâthey look like the underside of a mushroom, the living organisms you encounter on dewy hikes through the forest, what grows on chicken pad thai that youâve accidentally left in the fridge for two months... But thereâs also something a bit brain-y about them, like youâre looking at the folds of your own cerebrum. Perhaps thatâs what makes her dingy, soft-hued creations so compellingâitâs the basest, most biological self-recognizing-self. Give your brain what it deserves: a reflection. JASMYNE KEIMIG
OPENING MARCH 7
VISUAL ART32. Excluded, Inside the Lines
Acquaint yourself with the history of discrimination and redlining in our city, from the expulsion of Natives to unfavorable land to the racist banking and real estate practices that prevented people of color from amassing generational wealth.Â
MARCH 8
COMEDY33. Whose Live Anyway
The cast members of the Emmy-winning show Whose Line is it Anyway?âincluding Greg Proops, Joel Murray, Jeff B. Davis, and Bellingham-born Ryan Stilesâwill play their hilarious improv games onstage.
34. 'Captain Marvel' Opening
Carol Danvers, played by Brie Larson, is granted superheroic powers by the extraterrestrial Kree mercenary force and becomes the Earth's best hope when two alien races embroil humans in their war.
35. Jungle, Houses
At the Showbox, the hook-laden British dance-pop group Jungle will bless their dedicated fan base with more exotic-hypnotic soul than this city is used to. The smooth and lean athleticism of their enjoyable 2014 eponymous debut combines Massive Attackâs warped perceptions, DâAngeloâs seduction, and Hot Chipâs dance-floor charm to keep your heart full and legs limber to jogger-friendly tempos. The common thread is a retro-UK-groove that keeps the songs moving to motivational, ecstatic heights, while inlayed textures and stylistic treatments keep them interesting and moving forward. Catch the fever. TRAVIS RITTER
36. Matoma
Young Norwegian electronica producer, DJ, and pianist Matoma will bring the groove-heavy bass back to Seattle on his newest tour.
MARCH 8-14
FILM37. Animation Show of Shows 2019
Celebrate the art of animation at the 20th Annual Animation Show of Shows, a six-day-long event that will feature 15 international shorts.
THROUGH MARCH 9
PERFORMANCE38. The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs
Contemporary opera probably isn't the most intuitive delivery system for the life story of the CEO of the world's largest tech company, but in some ways it kinda makes sense. Jobs was a major mythical figure for geeks, a reportedly tyrannical boss who basically wore a costume all the time, and a literary enthusiast! Regardless, the opera, which was written by Mason Bates and librettist Mark Campbell, has been getting great reviews since its premiere in Santa Fe last year, thanks largely to its state-of-the-art, "visually stunning" projection sequences. RICH SMITH
MARCH 9
FILM39. Science Fiction and Fantasy Short Film Festival
SIFF and MoPOP bring you the somewhat less pronounceable acronym SFFSFF. The mini-fest is composed of nearly two dozen new sci-fi and fantasy short films judged by a nationally assembled jury.
40. Bourbon & Bacon Fest
Itâs no secret that the smoky, fatty flavor of bacon holds a near-primal appeal, and itâs only magnified when paired with the caramelly, butterscotch-tinged notes of bourbon. At this event, you can sample plenty of crispy, pork-studded dishes from Puget Sound vendors like Pecos Pit, Honest Biscuits, and Uli's Famous Sausage alongside bourbons and other brown liquors from all over the country. Proceeds benefit Treehouse, a local nonprofit that provides academic resources and support for children in foster care.
This event has been canceled
41. Look Up Fest: Underwater
For a long evening of "high strangeness," this paranormal mini music festival and art exhibition will feature local psychedelic dream and electro pop bands, plenty of beer on tap, and multimedia art displays inspired by aquatic paranormal encounters, with lighting installations by Blazinspace.
42. Umphrey's McGee, Ghost-Note
Umphreyâs McGee purvey a heady, percussive-fleshed synthesis of jazz, funk, electro, metal, prog, and rock informed by both classic and modern influences, and salted with reggae, yacht-rock, pop, and blues. They also have a way of genre-jumping from one song to the next, or multiple times within the same song, while still remaining tight and focused. These guys donât âjam,â but practice calculated improvisation, with pre-determined key changes and a series of hand gestures and signals they employ while on stage to communicate their next move. This is the sort of band thatâs as likely to play covers of Talking Heads or Radiohead as King Crimson or Frank Zappa in a two-set show (they also do cover mash-ups), and though theyâre 11 LPs deepâthe latest is itâs not usâyou must experience the Chicago sextet live to appreciate their full awe factor. LEILANI POLK
43. Batsheva Dance Company: Venezuela
The world-renowned dance company, based in Tel Aviv, presents director Ohad Naharin's Venezuela, a meditation in two parts on "the dialogue and conflict between movement and the content it represents." See why the troupe is considered one of the most cutting-edge on the planet.
44. Give Up the Ghost
There comes a time of night when the mind turns to ghosts. Itâs approximately 10 p.m., the hour when you let in the unknown, and shades reveal themselves, and possibilities open. Give Up the Ghost is a new late-night storytelling event at Queen City that Iâm curating (every second Saturday of the month) where a nonfiction writer, fiction writer, poet, journalist, or artist tells a ghost story. Marchâs guest is Charles Mudede, the filmmaker, philosopher, and writer for The Stranger for more than 20 years. CHRISTOPHER FRIZZELLE
MARCH 9-10
MUSIC45. Noname, Elton.
Noname artfully blends rap, R&B, and jazz in a clever and engaging way. The poet-turned-rapper, who reps Chicago and is associated with Chance the Rapper, steals the spotlight on whatever song sheâs on. Her voice is effervescent (when I close my eyes and think of it right now, I just taste the strongest, bubbliest of soda), and her cadence is quick. Debut album Room 25 is a document of her move from the Windy City to Los Angeles, a mellow meditation on growing up and into yourself. JASMYNE KEIMIG
MARCH 9-APRIL 10
VISUAL ART46. Patrick Moriarty: Deep Artwork
In his youth, Minnesotan punk rocker Moriarty designed posters from such groups as Curtiss A, the Mekons, Soul Asylum, the Replacements, and many others. After moving to Seattle, he became an art director for Fantagraphics and then filled the same role at Comics Journal. He's been a GAP Award recipient, been featured on the Sundance channel, and snagged a Golden Toonie.
THROUGH MARCH 10
PERFORMANCE47. American Junkie
In his book American Junkie, Seattle memoirist Tom Hansen presented his no-bullshit, matter-of-fact account of heroin addiction, self-destruction, and eventual recovery in the 1990s. According to press materials, Jane Jones and Kevin McKeon's adaptation of his story for the stage will be "a ride through Seattleâs music scene during the grunge era." No doubt Hansen's story will also resonate with people living through the current ravages of the opioid crisis. RICH SMITH
MARCH 10
FOOD & DRINK48. Samin Nosrat
If youâve watched the four-part docu-series Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat on Netflix (and if you haven't, what are you waiting for?), youâre already familiar with the charms of delightful chef and food writer Samin Nosrat, who eats her way through Italy, Japan, Mexico, and California with effusive joie de vivre. Her breakthrough James Beard Award-winning cookbook of the same name schools readers in how to master all four elements of good cooking, and is riddled with adorable hand-drawn illustrations throughout. At this talk in conversation with the Seattle Timesâ Bethany Jean Clement (a one-time food writer for The Stranger), sheâll explain her food philosophy and revelations gleaned from her time working at the legendary Chez Panisse. JULIANNE BELL
49. James Blake
An ambient R&B-fused electronic artist from England whoâs broken into the mainstream in the past few years via collabs with big name artists like Kendrick Lamar (âELEMENTâ off DAMN.), Vince Staples (âStop Trying to Be Godâ and âWar Readyâ included), and BeyoncĂ© (he wrote the lyrics and sang on Lemonadeâs âForwardâ), among many others. His fourth and latest, this yearâs Assume Form, features his delicately velvety, finely-spun falsetto both solo and soulfully paired with guests that include Scott, Andre 3000, and Moses Sumney. LEILANI POLK
50. Sunmi
Solo electro-pop artist and rising chart star Sunmi will hit Seattle on her first world tour, with tracks like major hits "Gashina" and "Siren" on her set list.
MARCH 12
MUSIC51. Nils Frahm
Classically trained German composer/producer Nils Frahm has risen to rarefied heights for a minimalist electronic musician. Getting booked to play the Moore without the use of vocals and catchy choruses ainât easy. Itâs a testament to Frahmâs sheer craftiness that heâs parlayed highbrow compositionsâalbeit melodically attractive compositionsâinto expensive-ticket gigs in large venues. Using a diverse array of keyboards and effects, he combines melancholy tunefulness with patiently building dynamics in a manner that pleases both regular folks and academics. Dude also has a manic, percussive track called âToilet Brushesâ that you need to stream posthaste. DAVE SEGAL
MARCH 13
MUSIC52. Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets
Fact: Pink Floyd is one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Seriously, theyâve lyrically plundered the depths of the human condition, experimented with sounds and textures and technology well before many of their era peers, and remained relevant more than five decades after their inception. Nick Mason was the drummer for the entirety of Pink Floydâs tenure, both before and after the split of Roger Waters and David Gilmour. (He remained with the latter.) He formed his current Saucerful of Secrets project last spring with longtime Floyd/Gilmour bassist Guy Pratt, Spandau Balletâs Gary Kemp (guitar, vocals), Blockheads guitarist Lee Harris, and producer/composer Dom Beken (keyboards). Their repertoire includes cuts from (IMO) the Floydâs most intriguing embryonic period (1967-1972âPiper at the Gates of Dawn through Meddle). On the supergroupâs first-ever North American tour, expect to hear such gems as the heart-tugging âFearless,â the sweetly meandering âFat Old Sun,â and early tripped-out âInterstellar Overdriveâ among so many other worthy deep cuts. Because really, everything prior to Dark Side of the Moon is a deep cut. Havenât seen the expansive âEchoesâ on previous setlists despite it being one of Masonâs few co-writing credits. Probably because itâs 23 minutes long. Nonetheless, one can hope⊠LEILANI POLK
53. An Evening with Katya
Finally, it's happening! After bravely postponing this show to seek mental-health care, RuPaul's Drag Race star Katya Zamolodchikova is back in the public spotlight and ready to perform her brilliantly honest Help Me I'm Dying. Her vibe is a mix of Archie McPhee and a hot Russian substitute teacher. Her show will be funny and morbid. May the devil bless this Lynchian-inspired MILF, and may she live a long and prosperous life. CHASE BURNS
MARCH 13-17
PERFORMANCE54. Skeleton Flower
Skeleton Flower got canceled due to the snowstorms, but, lucky for you all, it has been rescheduled! Now you won't have to miss out on Degenerate Art Ensemble's multidisciplinary, multidimensional performance inspired by Haruko Crow Nishimura's past traumas and her mother's arranged marriage. This new project has many tentacles (there's a full album in the works), but the performance aspect reimagines several fairy talesâincluding "Fitcher's Bird," "The Wild Swans," and "The Red Shoes"âand incorporates characters from previous DAE shows. All the protagonists are women who put their creative desires to action to overcome great opposition. RICH SMITH
MARCH 14
FOOD & DRINK55. Pi Day
Celebrate everyone's favorite mathematical constant by engulfing some flaky pastry-topped desserts. Need ideas? Try Pi(e) Day: A Pie Raffle to benefit The Vera Project, Pi (Day) Contest at The Works, Preserve & Gather's 3rd Annual Pi Day Bake-Off, and Pi Day Pie Eating Contest in Occidental Square.
56. Tori Kelly
Stripped-down songwriter Tori Kelly will return to Seattle on her North American tour with tracks from her latest acoustic album.
57. The Big Queer Talent Show
Delight in drag, poetry, and comedy by an all-trans cast led by RuPaul's Drag Race star Gia Gunn and discuss the needs of queer youth. The first 50 patrons aged 24 and under will be welcomed to a meet-and-greet with Gunn.
58. Amber Tamblyn: Coming of Age in a Time of Rage and Revolution
In her new memoir, Era of Ignition, Tamblyn traces the recent history of her own artistic and political development, beginning with the struggles she faced as a female filmmaker in the early aughts, and finishing with her decision to co-found Time's Up, an anti-harassment movement. In addition to being a fine actor and filmmaker, Tamblyn is also a good novelist and poet. (Read her poem "Epilogue" if you don't believe me. There is only one semi-bad line it, but otherwise it's very affecting.) She writes with the passion of an activist and the skill of a rhetorician, and not without a healthy dose of humor. Her writing talents and intelligence should keep this Town Hall event lively and challenging, especially for those who don't get why people are so mad about gender discrimination and racial inequities. RICH SMITH
MARCH 14-17
GEEK & GAMING59. Emerald City Comic Con
Geeks across fandoms save their most inventive cosplay for the biggest local comic event of the year, Emerald City Comic Con. The four-day event is filled to the brim with panels, meetups, special events, fun parties, and tons and tons of guests hanging out in the artist alley. This year, don't miss the chance to meet Black Panther World of Wakanda's Afua Richardson, Agents of Realm's Mildred Louis, and Star Wars's Katie Cook. See our Emerald City Comic Con calendar for a full list of events.
MARCH 14-30
FESTIVALS60. La Conner Daffodil Festival
The fifth annual La Conner Daffodil Festival (not to be confused with the Pierce Country Daffodil Festival) welcomes spring with all sorts of fun events, including a pie and ice cream social (March 14), the Dandy Daffodil Tweed Ride (March 16), a youth jazz concert (March 23), a time capsule opening at the Skagit County Historical Museum (March 28), and the Skagit Farm to Pint Fest (March 30).
61. Ms. Pak-Man: Mazed and Confused
Ms. Pak-Man is a bright yellow disaster portrayed by local comedy hero Scott Shoemaker (Ian Bell's Brown Derby Series and Homo for the Holidays), and she'll be back in voracious form for another adventure.
MARCH 14-APRIL 7
PERFORMANCE62. Moisture Festival
Moisture Festival is devoted to the variety of performers Seattle has fostered over the years, from circus acts to comedians, burlesque dancers to musicians, and jugglers to tap dancers. VariĂ©tĂ©Â is the main, recurring event, with a rotating lineup, and there are also matinĂ©e and rather racier late-night versions. The bawdy Libertease Cabaret is for adults only and features burlesque dancers and scantily clothed aerial performers. There are also workshops, talks, and special opening and closing nights. New guest artists this year include French clowning duo Viktor Levillon and Alexis De Bouvere, comedian Mike Wood, and juggler Anne KuÌpper. If you love circus acrobatics, clowning, comedy, and/or sexy dance, you owe it to yourself to go.Â
MARCH 14-MAY 5
PERFORMANCE63. Balloonacy
I donât have children, so I canât say if babies will like Balloonacy, one of the cutest pieces of theater made for young children in recent years. But I once saw Balloonacy at Minneapolisâs Childrenâs Theatre Company stoned out of my mind, and WOW, is it one of the most magical things to ever be created for the stage. Itâs a wordless, situational comedy about an old man who lives alone and is trying to celebrate his birthday when suddenly, red balloons bust into his apartment to tease and tickle him. Itâs basically an allegory for socialism, but for kids. CHASE BURNS
MARCH 14-MAY 12
PERFORMANCE64. Jitterbug Perfume
Tom Robbins's famous novel about magical beets, immortality, scents, and the scrambling of spacetime will get the Nordo dinner-theater treatment.
MARCH 15
MUSIC65. Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Flor, Grizfolk
Andrew McMahon (of Something Corporate and Jackâs Mannequin fame) will come to Seattle with his chart-topping solo work.
66. An Evening with Burt Bacharach
Legendary composer, performer, and godfather of pop Burt Bacharach will share his decades of experience with an evening of jazz and classic chamber pop.
67. Starbucks Hot Java Cool Jazz
In case you didn't already know, the Seattle area has some absolutely dynamite high school jazz bands. Hear several of them tonight, thanks to a support partnership between Starbucks and STG. Edmonds-Woodway, Garfield, Mountlake Terrace, Shorewood, Bellevue, Newport, and Roosevelt high schools have all played in the past, and a few of them will return to perform and raise money for their music programs.
68. Hugo Literary Series: The Metamorphosis
Hugo House's literary series asks writers and performers to create brand new material based on classic works of literature. Fiction writer Benjamin Percy (author of The Dark Net, and a man with the deepest voice in literature), novelist and essayist Vanessa Hua (author of A River of Stars, which made several Top 10 lists last year), and local poet Keetje Kuipers will riff on Kafka's novella about a young salesman who wakes up one morning and discovers that he has transformed into a giant insect. I'm crossing my fingers for a long, literary rant from Percy about how much bosses suck, or an essay from Hua defending the sister for abandoning her giant insect brother and essentially reclaiming her time. But even if none of that happens, we'll still have sci-fi R&B songwriter SassyBlack around to perform new, Kafka-inspired music, which will undoubtedly rule. RICH SMITH
MARCH 15-17
FILM69. ByDesign Festival
As Charles Mudede has written, "One of the richest institutional collaborations in this city is that between the ByDesign Festival and Northwest Film Forum. Here, two arts that are very similar, film and architecture (both are capital intensive), meet in the theater." This year, AIA Seattle's initiative Design in Public will collaborate with the two institutions to show films, host workshops, and stage performances. Highlights include Pablo Pivetta's film Endless Letterpress (with the director in attendance), workshops in "typography and moving image," and the performance piece 100 Year Plan by Bailey Hizakawa and Scotty Wagner.Â
MARCH 15-24
PERFORMANCE70. Director's Choice
Pacific Northwest Ballet's artistic director Peter Boal will give us what we've been waiting for all year: a compelling collection of contemporary ballets that push boundaries and make the form feel alive again. This year, he's presenting world premieres from American choreographers Robyn Mineko Williams and Matthew Neenan, plus Justin Peck's In the Countenance of Kings. My prediction is the new pieces will be romantic, abstract, and slightly nostalgic. Then Peck's piece, enlivened with Sufjan Stevens's swirling, sylvan score, will pull us out of the past and ready us for a newly dawning spring. RICH SMITH
MARCH 15-APRIL 28
PERFORMANCE71. A Doll's House, Part 2
Nora, in Henrik Ibsenâs A Doll House, is arguably one of most famous female roles in 19th-century theatre. Every leading ingĂ©nue has had her turn playing the "little lark"âeven Seattleâs Cherdonna Shinatra recently took on the role. But the ending of the play is famously up for interpretation, and Tony Award-nominee Lucas Hnathâs cheekily-titled A Doll's House, Part 2 takes on the challenge of picking up where Ibsen concludes. Itâs funny, smart, and maybe the best old play to come out of the 2010s. CHASE BURNS
MARCH 16
FOOD & DRINK72. Night Tide Soiree: Samish
Venture out to Taylor Shellfish Farms to experience a night tide. With the moon "shining sulkily," just as in Lewis Carroll's "The Walrus and the Carpenter," you can traipse along the briny beach illuminated by the glow of lanterns to handpick your oysters. Then choose your own adventure: Learn to shuck your haul yourself or let one of the seasoned shellfish pros handle it, before proceeding to gulp your finds down with wine or beer around a crackling fire.
73. Daymé Arocena
Cuban star Daymé Arocena is a quintuple threat as a singer, composer, arranger, choir director, and band leader. She'll show off her charismatic presence with an evening of Afro-Cuban jazz and neo-soul.
74. HYMN: Sarah Brightman in Concert
English stage and screen luminary Sarah Brightman's long resumĂ© includes work as a multi-lingual classical crossover soprano, actress, musician, songwriter, conductor, and dancer. Her world tour, "HYMN: Sarah Brightman In Concert," will hit Seattle among its 125 shows across five continents.  Â
75. Metric, Zoé, July Talk
Metric may not be the most popular act to emerge from Canada's storied Broken Social Sceneâthat would probably be unlikely iPod darling Feistâbut they're certainly the most winningly poppy and polished. One of their past albums, Fantasies, is another fine collection of impeccably catchy, synth-tinged rock songs, kicked off by the truly killer single "Help I'm Alive," in which frontwoman Emily Haines sings about her heart "beating like a hammer," like some divine echo of the Breeders. Haines's voice is as alluring as it is authoritative, and her veteran band's arrangements are airtight. For big, glossy, whip-smart pop rock, you can't do much better. Best of all, Haines onstage is like a bag of Pop Rocks washed down with soda pop: sweet but dangerously combustive. ERIC GRANDY
76. MONSTER JAM Stadium Series
After a 20-year hiatus, the action-packed motorsports show Monster Jam will return to Seattle. Ooh and ahh as 14 trucks fly and flip through the air.
77. Spun and Twisted: 2019 Henry Gala and Dance Party
Raise money for bold programming at the museum with dinner and cocktails, plus a dance party afterwards.
MARCH 16-17
HOLIDAYS78 St. Patrick's Day Celebrations
More than just a time to drink beer and wear all your green articles of clothing at once, St. Patrick's Day celebrates the rich history of Irish culture. Check out our complete St. Patrick's Day calendar for a full list of events, including the Lucky EDM party (Sat March 16 at the Tacoma Dome), the St. Patrick's Day Dash (Sun March 17 at Seattle Center), and Irish Week.
79. Public Huge Book Sale
If you're in the market for some new reading material and you don't want to spend a ton of cash, don't miss your chance to shop for over 100,000 titles spanning multiple genres for as little as a buck this annual sale hosted by Friends of the Seattle Public Library.Â
MARCH 16-23
HOLIDAYS80. Holi Celebrations
The spring festival Holiâalso known as the "festival of colors"âis a Hindu tradition that marks not only the turn of the season but also the triumph of good over evil, and a time to mend broken ties. Celebrations often involve throwing powdered colors, or "gulal," to symbolize the renewal of spring. Find all the ways to celebrate on our complete Holi calendar, including parties at Nectar (Sat March 16) and the Phinney Center (Sat March 23).Â
MARCH 16-DECEMBER 1
VISUAL ART81. Gentleman Warrior: Art of the Samurai
This exhibition means to correct the misconception that samurai did little but make war. Twenty pieces from SAM's collection and two suits of armor reveal the warriors' refinement. In these works, see them take part in tea ceremonies, Noh theater, and Buddhist activities.
MARCH 17
MUSIC82. Better Oblivion Community Center, Christian Lee Hutson, Sloppy Jane
Recent indie star Phoebe Bridgers has teamed up with industry veteran Conor Oberst to form Better Oblivion Community Center, an alt-rock project that aims to bring back some enigma to the scene. Their self-titled first album was just released on Dead Oceans.
83. DDT
DDT will return to this continent on their History of Sound tour, which seeks to feature each subgenre phase of the band's long history, including their forays into industrial, R&B, and hard rock.
MARCH 18
FOOD & DRINK84. Author Talk: Vietnamese Food Any Day by Andrea Nguyen
On her fourth visit to the Book Larder, James Beard Award-winning author and Vietnamese food expert Andrea Nguyen will discuss her new book Vietnamese Food Any Day, which explains how to prepare Vietnamese flavors at home using ingredients you can procure easily at any mainstream supermarket, with recipes for dishes like honey-glazed pork riblets, chile garlic chicken wings, and no-church Vietnamese coffee ice cream.
85. Graveyard, Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats
It seems sometimes that the market for hard rock in America has become so twisted and corroded that in order for a solid amp-worship outfit to get an album out, they need to masquerade as a heavy-metal band. I'm talking about bands like Uncle Acid, and, of course, Graveyard. Graveyard are signed to Nuclear Blast, for no particular reason other than they happen to be Swedish and vaguely sound like Black Sabbath. In 1977 they would have been radio darlingsâtheir riffs are catchy as well as skull-crushing, and their soulful vocal lines hide disaffected and paranoid political sentiments. More simply: Graveyard kick ass. JOSEPH SCHAFER
MARCH 18-19
COMEDY86. Aziz Ansari: Road to Nowhere
The Emmy-winning star and creator of Master of None and expert dork-rogue portrayer on Parks and Rec will swing by Seattle for his new tour.
MARCH 19
MUSIC87. Deafheaven, Baroness, Zeal & Ardor
Deafheavenâs melding of shoegazeâs wall-of-sound with black-metalâs machine-gun tempos proved to be a surprise crossover hit with their intensely melodic sophomore album Sunbather, much to the ire of kvlt-metal bros. Their darker, grittier follow-up, New Bermuda, felt like an attempt to appeal to their initial audience, but their latest record, Ordinary Corrupt Human Love, finds the pendulum swinging back into more melodic territory. BRIAN COOK
88. Isaac Mizrahi: I&ME
Iconic fashion designer and television personality Isaac Mizrahi will show off his cabaret skills in this collage performance of songs, stories, and skits that will tell the tales of his life in vivid color.
89. San Francisco Symphony with Michael Tilson Thomas
MTT is one of America's most renowned music directors. During his 24-year-long stewardship of the San Francisco Symphony, he was known as the man who made a home for contemporary symphonic music out west, championing American music over the old European repertory. (Though he and SFO are known for their Mahler, too.) On his trip to Seattle, the famed conductor will breathe new life into Beethoven's Eroica Symphony, one of the composer's most celebrated, emotionally complex, and consequential pieces of music. MTT will also conduct his own composition, Agnegram. RICH SMITH
90. West Coast High 2019 with Cypress Hill and Hollywood Undead
South Gate vets Cypress Hill, last seen in these parts as a supporting act in Snoop's Mount Kushmore, will return for a stop on their West Coast High tour with rowdy Los Angeles group Hollywood Undead.
91. Frans de Waal: Mama's Last Hug
The brilliant Dutch American ethologist and author Frans de Waal has unveiled some of the mysteries of primate (including human) behavior and psychology in books such as Our Inner Ape: The Best And Worst Of Human Nature and Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? The title of his latest tome refers to a video of a dying chimpanzee named Mama hugging her human biologist friend. From this image, de Waal delves into non-human species' emotional lives.
MARCH 20
MUSIC92. Dave Mason & Steve Cropper
Whoa. Tonight weâre getting treated to a double dose of rock ânâ roll heavies playing together: Steve Cropper, the guitarist of the famous Stax Records house band Booker T. & the M.G.âs, and Dave Mason, the Traffic and Blind Faith guitarist who also released a string of killer early-â70s hits. This show oughta be a good sing-along time, as the set list looks like a mix of both fellersâ radio hits, including âGreen Onionsâ and âTime Is Tightâ by Cropper, and âFeelinâ Alrightâ and âOnly You Know and I Knowâ by Mason. MIKE NIPPER
93. Foals, Bear Hands, Kiev
Oxford, England, five-piece Foals make a self-sharpening indie calculus of rock music. As a singular image, Foals' sound is an aircraft-carrier-sized flying machine made out of razors that produces snowflakes. It's piloted by painter Chuck Close, and each snowflake jettisoned is different from the next. Inside this floating fortress of cold steel is a clockwork maze of automated razors, ice shavers, and blades. Gears of cutlery spin in logarithmic rotations, forming snowflakes by the million. TRENT MOORMAN
94. Low, EMA
Low started out with almost nothing at all. Early songs often had one delicately plucked riff with haiku-or-less lyrics. They skittered forward into one of the creepiest, most menacing bands in the world, scarier in their simplicity and quietness than any death metal. Lowâs two Mormon leaders often seem steeped in transgression, redemption, even blood atonement (that LDS precept that certain unspeakably vile perpetrators cannot be redeemed by Jesus, only by the sinnerâs blood on the ground). And theyâre fun people, too! Just donât ask about the blood atonement. ANDREW HAMLIN
MARCH 21
COMEDY95. Tiffany Haddish: #SheReady Tour
Recently seen in Night School and The Oath, Tiffany Haddish might not always appear in movies as good as Girls Trip, but she's still a contender for supreme funny person. See her live.
96. Fatoumata Diawara
Honey-throated Malian singer-songwriter Fatoumata Diawara released her debut album, Fatou, in 2012, and has gone on to receive rave reviews across the UK and Europe for her smooth, wistful vocals and powerful yet understated stage presence.
97. State Champs
Albany pop-punks State Champs will bring their fervor to the downtown stage.
98. The Moth Seattle GrandSLAM
This is the megaslam edition of the Moth, in which winners of previous storySLAMs will battle for the title of GrandSLAM Story Champion. Hear inspiring, embarrassing, enlightening, sometimes enraging stories and take home the Moth's new book Occasional Magic: True Stories About Defying The Impossible (included in the ticket).
MARCH 21-24
COMEDY99. Intersections Festival
Improv comedy queens Natasha Ransom, Jekeva Phillips, and Kinzie Shaw are organizing a festival for performers who identify as LGBTQ+, are of color, and/or have disabilities. Phillips asks: âSeattle is a diverse city. Why are we only seeing the same faces and hearing the same voices?â Rejoice in representation and see burlesque, improv, theater, dance, and music acts, plus a party.
MARCH 21-MAY 16
FILM100. British Comedy Classics
The finest British comedies of the â40s and â50sâGreen for Danger, The Man in the White Suite, The Lavender Hill Mobâhave aged marvelously well, thanks to understated, funny scripts and endlessly watchable professionals like Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood, Audrey Hepburn, and Peter Sellers. Catch a vintage treasure every Thursday at the museum.
MARCH 22
FILM101. 'Us' Opening
We live in strange times. If we all went back to 2012 or 2013 and told those watching the Key & Peele show that Jordan Peele would end up, at the end of the decade, not only writing and directing a blockbuster horror film, Get Out, but also hosting a reboot of Twilight Zone, and, damn, also directing a second horror film called Us, they would have said: âNigga, you crazy.â CHARLES MUDEDE
102. Brewology
What if your sixth-grade museum field trip grew up to be the boozy evening of your dreams? Such is the premise behind this geeked-out craft beer fest, where youâre invited to imbibe as many four-ounce samples as you can handle from breweries and cideries and learn the science behind your favorite beverages. Talk to the brewmasters to get the scoop on their processes, take a toasty trip through the Science Center, and participate in hoppy hands-on activities and demonstrations that would make Bill Nye proud. JULIANNE BELL
103. 18th Annual More Music at the Moore
More Music features young musicians collaborating and playing in a variety of styles, after mentorships from music industry folk, production and promotional support, and local musicians. Past music directors for this group have included Sheila E., Robert Glasper, Meshell Ndegeocello, Daniel Bernard Roumain, and Michael Shrieve.
104. Bad Bunny
Many could not wait for the boom-ch-boom-chk reggaetĂłn summer of 2004 to end (cf. âGasolinaâ). Not me. The Puerto Ricanâborn genreâs rich history of pan-Caribbean cultural borrowing (the âreggaeâ is no accident, thanks to Boricuas picking up Jamaican radio broadcasts) and deft micro-changes in snare drums deserve more credit for musical innovation than reggaetĂłn ever got after the sound broke in the mainland mainstream. A decade and a half later, young Puerto Ricans like Bad Bunny are still innovatingâin this case borrowing trap to give the islandâs trademark sound a fresh, youthful energy. GREG SCRUGGS
105. Galactic, Erica Falls
New Orleans instrumental ensemble Galactic have been pushing out jazz and funk infused with the sonic flavors of their hometown for over two decades, as fueled by the skins-pounding prowess of Stanton Moore and the sax-and-harmonica-howling of Ben Ellman. The trick to their longevity seems to be inviting guests to help them execute a particular vision: 2007âs From the Corner to the Block found them collabing with alt-hiphop artists Boots Riley and Chali 2na; in Ya-Ka-May, they paid tribute to their cityâs diverse influences, from bounce to R&B, with Big Freedia and Trombone Shorty, among others; Carnivale Electricos continued this idea, but with a full conceptual Mardi Gras rendering and guest appearances by Ivan Neville, Mystikal, and David Shaw; and 2015âs Into the Deep featured artists theyâve made connections with over the past 20 years, ranging from soul queen Mavis Staples to greasy Southern backwoods rocker, JJ Grey. LEILANI POLK
MARCH 22-23
COMMUNITY106. The Center for Wooden Boats Grand Opening
The Center for Wooden Boats, a haven for paddling enthusiasts of all ages, will celebrate their new facility in South Lake Union with a grand-opening party. Your kids can decorate their own toy boats or paddles while you can learn all about traditional boat building. Then, go on a scavenger hunt (all ages welcome) to collect stamps for the chance to win a prize; ride on all sorts of boats; tour a collection of classic wooden yachts; or watch the carving of a traditional Native American canoe.
107. Seattle Jewish Film Festival
This annual film festival explores and celebrates global Jewish and Israeli life, history, complexity, culture, and filmmaking. It showcases international, independent, and award-winning Jewish-themed and Israeli cinema, and the audience votes on their favorites. Most of the films are shown in March; in April, the fest migrates to the Eastside. This year's VIP guest is Jamie Bernstein, author and daughter of the famous composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein (West Side Story, Candide). Special events will include a performance by Garfield High School Jazz Combo, the Sunday Klezmer Brunch & Sports Film, and the Sephardic Spotlight.
108. Maren Morris, Cassadee Pope
Listen, not everyone has a soft spot for massively overproduced basically, technically country pop around these here parts, and I don't know if I do either. But I do know that Maren Morris' "'80s Mercedes" is the kind of hit you'll claim to hate for a year before realizing that, in fact, you secretly loved it all along. You can just picture that mega chorus floating on the breeze as you wander through Seattle with the sun hanging late in the spring sky. Unless it's raining. Either way, good luck getting that thing out of your head any time soon. SEAN NELSON
MARCH 22-APRIL 7
FOOD & DRINK109. Plate of Nations
Every year, Plate of Nations presents a two-week-long opportunity to avail ourselves of the rich and varied cuisines of Rainier Valley, with shareable plates priced at $20 and $30. This year, 14 restaurants are participating, with Mexican, Chinese, Vietnamese, Peruvian, Mexican, Mediterranean, Ethiopian, and more represented in the mix. Highlights include Szechuan food from Little Chengdu, smoky Peruvian charcoal-roasted rotisserie chicken from Big Chickie, inimitable tacos from Tacos Chukis, and Ethiopian food from Cafe Ibex. Angela Garbes once wrote about this event: "If youâve never been to Cafe Ibex... youâre missing out on some of the best food in town. South Seattle is where itâs at. Catch up." JULIANNE BELL
MARCH 22-APRIL 19
PERFORMANCE110. Marie, Dancing Still: A New Musical
The brand-new Stephen Flaherty/Lynn Ahrens musical about a dancer in Degas's Impressionist masterpiece delves into the backstory of ballerinas at the Paris Opera Ballet. Five-time Tony winner Susan Stroman will direct.
MARCH 23
COMEDY111. Maria Bamford
When Lindy West worked at The Stranger, she wrote: "No one delivers an 'Uhhhhhhhhhh' quite like Maria Bamford, and nobody has ever done impressions of phlegmy fathers and mall-walking bitchez in such a perfect and dark and exhilaratingly bizarre way. She is possibly a genius." Still true!
112. Uncanny Comedy Festival Presents Hannibal Buress
As Dave Segal has written, "As famous for his acting credits for Broad City, The Eric Andre Show, Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, Daddy's Home, and other funny films and television shows as he is for accusing fellow comedian/actor Bill Cosby of rape, Buress is a masterly storyteller whose anecdotes keep accruing layers of hilarity as they go." Buress will appear with Jeff Dye, Jubal Fresh, and Jessimae Peluso.
113. 20th Annual Washington Cask Beer Festival
Lester Black calls cask ale "the most underappreciated beer style in Seattle,"Â noting that its "mellow carbonation, smooth flavor, and not-quite-cold serving temperature perfectly complement never-ending rainy days." Try it for yourself at this festival featuring cask-conditioned beers from over 40 different Washington breweries.
114. Monster Energy Supercross
This competitive off-road motorcycle race is one of 17 major Supercross events in North America. Watch daredevil athletes skid around tight corners, zoom down straightaways, and perform triple jumps and fancy tricks.
MARCH 23-24
MUSIC115. Citizen Cope, G. Love & Special Sauce
Long-time touring musician and student of Americana musical traditions, Citizen Cope will treat his fans to an intimate evening of his latest work with a support set by G. Love & Special Sauce.
MARCH 23-AUGUST 3
VISUAL ART116. yÉhawÌ
Mark the opening of a new arts space in Seattle by attending the opening exhibition, yÉhawÌ, curated by Tracy Rector (Choctaw/Seminole), Asia Tail (Cherokee Nation), and Satpreet Kahlon and featuring 200 pieces by indigenous artists working in all sorts of media.
MARCH 24
FOOD & DRINK117. Northwest Women Stars of Food & Wine
This annual reception gathers tastemaking women chefs, winemakers, and sommeliers of the Pacific Northwest (and their fans) in the Columbia Tower for a night of bites and drinks. The lineup this year includes Monica Dimas, chef and owner of Neon Taco, Westman's Bagel and Coffee, and Little Neon Taco; chef and âhummus mavenâ Kristi Brown, owner of That Brown Girl Cooks!; chef Nicole Matson of How to Cook a Wolf; Tana Mielke, chef and owner of Omega Ouzeri; Emme Collins, chef and owner of Alcove Dining Room, and many more. Besides food, there are also exclusive tastings from sommeliers, wine, beer, cider, spirits, and a sparkling wine bar. The event raises funds for the SOS Clinic, a free urgent care clinic in Walla Walla serving uninsured migrant workers.
118. One OK Rock, Waterparks, Stand Atlantic
Fusion rockers One OK Rock meld emo, rock, and metal into a loud and surging live act performed in both English and Japanese. They'll be joined by additional guests on their North American 2019 Tour.
119. Becoming: An Intimate Conversation with Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama is touring the country in support of her memoir, Becoming, which focuses on different aspects of her life, like being a mother, her time in the White House, her role as a public-health figure, and âhow she found her voice.â I bought this book for my mom for Christmasâshe refers to the former first lady as her âbest friendâ and she snatched up tickets to this event as soon as they became available. Thereâs no doubt that Michelle will drop cute facts about her relationship with Barack, tell a few candid details about what itâs like to be at the top, and wear something completely and utterly stunning. JASMYNE KEIMIG
120. Seven Things I've Learned: An Evening with Ira Glass
The creator of This American Life, Ira Glass, not only hosts his own blockbuster radio show and podcast, but heâs also produced film and television, danced with a famed ballerina company, DJed with our own DJ Dan Savage, and influenced an entire generation of current storytellers and radio producers. If thereâs a podcast you love, chances are, Ira Glass has had some kind of influence on it, and heâll be talking about both his life and his work when he brings his latest act to Tacoma. KATIE HERZOG
121. Big Climb Seattle
Do some squats in preparation for this annual climb, where thousands of participants hike up the Columbia Tower's 69 flights of stairs (1,311 steps). Proceeds benefit blood cancer research.
MARCH 24-26
READINGS & TALKS122. National Geographic Live â Capturing the Impossible
Bryan Smith takes risks to obtain the footage he wants, whether he's ice-climbing Niagara Falls or hang-gliding in the Canadian Rockies. Hear him speak about his adventurous career.
MARCH 25
MUSIC123. Kodak Black, YNW Melly, 147CalBoy, Sniper Gang
Low-key clever Southern rapper Kodak Black has been most talked about for both inspiring Cardi B's massive hit "Bodak Yellow," and for the time he served for sexual battery in 2016. He's back on tour now promoting his latest album, Heartbreak Kodak, which explores his softer R&B side.
124. Vince Staples, JPEGMAFIA, Channel Tres
In the past two years alone, Long Beachâs Vince Staples has released his second full-length record and collaborated with some of the biggest names in music, from Gorillaz to Kendrick Lamar. No matter what album you find Staplesâs verses on, his perspectives and critiques of the United States, pop culture, and rap music itself are sharp, quick-witted, and ferocious. ANNA KAPLAN
125. Carolyn Forché: What You Have Heard Is True
If you have read one thing by Carolyn Forché, you have read "The Colonel," a contemporary masterpiece of a poem about a dinner she had with a Salvadoran colonel as the country was spiraling into a civil war. This new memoir takes as its title the opening line of that poem, which famously ends with the colonel dumping a bag of human ears on the table and dismissing the entire concept of human rights. "Some / of the ears on the floor caught this scrap of his voice. Some of the / ears on the floor were pressed to the ground," she writes. With What You Have Heard Is True, this early practitioner of the so-called "poetry of witness" school tells the full story of her trip to El Salvador, sparing no detail. RICH SMITH
126. Siri Hustvedt: Memories of the Future
This new novel by the Man Booker-winning Siri Hustvedt (The Blazing World) is about a Minnesotan woman who moves to New York City in the 1970s and becomes entangled with Lucy, her elusive and weird next-door neighbor. This narrative is interwoven with that of the protagonist as a 60-something, and with the protagonist's own novel about two teenage sleuths. In play are themes of gender, memory, childhood, history, and storytelling.
127. Steve Wozniak
The cofounder of Apple and inventor of the first universal remote will speak on his life.
MARCH 26
MUSIC128. Cass McCombs, Sam Evian
Oh, Cass. What is your deal, bud? Curse my eternal pragmatism, but man-as-enigma is not really my thing. So Cassâs lifetime of veiled yet present, hooded yet en plein air, trapped in a foreign prison of his own making yet open cataMcCombsing through this, our broken world, only appeals to me in the sense that you know how much effort he really undertook to unleash his last nine albums. His 2016 release, Mangy Love, is sweet, though. Filled with small-potatoes politics elevated by universal clichĂ©s that are then twisted by his trademark tongue-in-cheek je ne sais quoi, the LP exists as another diary entry weâll never be able to truly translate. And, after all this time, isnât that exactly what we wanted from him? Simply the same, only different. KIM SELLING
129. Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers, Mercy Union, Control Top
Laura Jane Grace has erupted into the public consciousness as Americaâs first proud and truly excellent trans hard rocker. The rub is that for all the acclaim sheâs received for her societal trailblazing, she might deserve as many (or more!) accolades for her songwriting as singer/guitarist in punk outfit Against Me! Her verbose, descriptive lyrics carry both the scalpel wit of Joe Strummer and the engorged heart of Bruce Springsteen, accompanied by all the firepower of Metallicaâs 1986 backline. JOSEPH SCHAFER
130. Sally Wen Mao: Oculus
As the title suggests, Sally Wen Mao investigates the acts of seeing and being seen in Oculus (Graywolf Press, 2019), her second book of poetry. In the New Yorker, Dan Chiasson called Oculus a "strange and morally succinct" book, and described her poems as "rangy, protean, contradictory." Sounds like faint praise, but with this book, Mao's using all those toolsâwhich can be delightful and kinetic in poetryâto complicate the pristine pictures of life that fill our social media feeds. RICH SMITH
MARCH 26-27
MUSIC131. Built to Spill, OruĂŁ, The French Tips
For 25 years now, the Boise-bred band led by Doug Martsch has defined the moral and musical centerâas well as many of the peaksâof NW rock. Their shows are master classes and, depending on what they play, emotional journeys back to the origin of your connection to this kind of music. And when I say âyourâ I mean âmine.â Yes, they sometimes draw a big, ungainly crowd of yahoos, but guess what: From their very first Seattle show at the OK Hotel to the tackiest biergarten in Festival Hell USA, they are still your beloved Built To Spill if you know how to listen. SEAN NELSON
MARCH 26-31
PERFORMANCE132. Cats!
I think Cats is built into our cultural DNA. We know what it is. Itâs a musical about cats, and itâs also the gayest thing ever made. Actors in full-body spandex suits belt Andrew Lloyd Webberâs hits while also dancing to T.S. Eliotâs cat poetry. Itâs ridiculous, and I can think of nothing funnierâor Waiting for Guffman-esqueâthan witnessing a terrible (but committed) rural community theater production of this musical. Seattleâs upcoming production, however, features a very good professional cast and is directed by the famous Trevor Nunn, so youâll have to settle for something incredible. CHASE BURNS
MARCH 27
READINGS & TALKS133. Preet Bharara
In 2017, Preet Bharara defied Attorney General Jeff Sessions's request for all Obama-era-appointed district attorneys to resign and was subsequently fired. Before that, he was best known for prosecuting significant corruption cases and financial crimes, as well as cases involving gang violence, arms trafficking, and civil rights violations. Now, Bharara is a distinguished scholar in residence at NYU School of Law. Hearing from him about his high-profile career should be fascinating.
MARCH 27-29
MUSIC134. Lettuce
Boston-brewed funk-jazz faves Lettuce celebrated 27 years in 2018. More impressive than their longevity, however, is the fact that the septet still features the core five of its original 1992 lineup, held down by the tight dual work of guitarists Eric Krasno and Adam âShmeeansâ Smirnoff, ramped up by rhythm-section monsters bassist Erick Coomes and drummer/percussionist Adam Deitch, and a horn section driven by sax-juggling extraordinaire Ryan Zoidis. 2016's Mt. Crushmore EP might be seven songs short, but it hits hard with dark shades of psychedelic soul, stealthy, chugging grooves, and 1970s-era Tower of Powerâinspired brass arrangements that add an urgent quality to the instrumental propulsion. These dudes are pros, no doubt about that. LEILANI POLK
MARCH 28
MUSIC135. Bombino
When Bombino (born Omara Moctar) debuted his desert blues, he was immediately labeled as the Jimi Hendrix of Niger. Several international tours and a fourth full-length (Deran) later, he still lives up to the accolade. In fact, Moctar has also garnered the title âSultan of Shredâ by the New York Times and âWorldâs Best Guitaristâ by Noisey. Similar to Maliâs Songhoy Blues and stories from the North African area, Bombinoâs Deran (meaning âbest wishesâ) soulfully addresses his familyâs diaspora to Algeria during the Tuareg Rebellion, political persecution, and concern for the Tuareg people. ZACH FRIMMEL
136. Brothers Osborne, Devon Gilfillian
Country duo Brothers Osborne, who won "Vocal Duo of the Year" at the 2018 CMA Awards for the third year in a row, will bring their down-home twang to town.
137. Cory Doctorow: Radicalized
Doctorow is a science fiction author and blogger who has contributed in varying degrees to Wired, Boing Boing, Popular Science, the Boston Globe, and elsewhere. His latest book, Radicalized, is a collection of four novellas about plausible, near-future visions of America.
MARCH 28-31
FOOD & DRINK138. Taste Washington
As part of Washington Wine Month, immerse yourself in four days of pure oenophilia with this behemoth event billing itself as "the nation's largest single-region wine and food" event, which unites over 225 Washington wineries, 65 top restaurants, and a number of acclaimed local and national chefs.
MARCH 29
MUSIC139. Quinn XCII, Ashe, Christian French
By traversing the genre boundaries of R&B, electronica, pop, and hiphop, vocalist Quinn XCII takes his listeners straight to a high-energy, club-ready sound, with his ability to sample a little bit from everywhere to create his own unique place in the scene.
140. Remix
SAM Remix is a recurring and ever-changing art party that includes performances, tours, and dancing, all inspired by their current special exhibit. This time, you can explore Jeffrey Gibson's Like a Hammer, which opened February 28.
MARCH 29-30
PERFORMANCE141. A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
Years ago, the theater critic of The Stranger at the time, Brendan Kiley, wrote, "Critics talk about hiphop theater and hiphop dance-theater, but artists like Abraham are making that critical frame obsolete, demonstrating that hiphop is an influence, not a cage." Abraham and his dancers have returned with new choreography, all created in the last two years, including a solo work by Abraham called INDY; Meditation: A Silent Prayer, with a voice-over by Carrie Mae Weems and art by Titus Kaphar; a "club beat"-filled piece called Drive; and a duet from Dearest Home.
THROUGH MARCH 30
VISUAL ART142. Drie Chapek: In the Quiet
If there are gods, I think they may be hiding inside Drie Chapekâs paintings. There's an energy at the center of them. Corners of the works are recognizableâmaybe a pomegranate or some bonesâbut then they open up to an epiphany. They summon the unknown. If you've ever been turned off by abstract paintings, visit these. They'll make you feel things. JASMYNE KEIMIG
MARCH 30
COMEDY143. Adam Conover: Mind Parasites Live!
A CollegeHumor web series-turned-half hour truTV show, Adam Ruins Everything finds comedian/writer Conover taking common and pervasive societal misconceptions about certain topics (the economy, breastfeeding, football, et. al), and debunking them using critical thinking to explain where and when the misconception started, why it is what it is today, and whatâs wrong with it. It is engrossing, fourth-wall-style entertaining, and at times, unpleasantly eye-opening, depending on whether you have a stake in the topic heâs discussing. (Hence the showâs title.) Live, Conover has a more straightforward delivery, and on his current Mind Parasites tour, he combines psychology, zoology, and biology with stand-up to discuss parasites that can âcontrol the minds of their hosts, and how that relates to American society and the forces in your life that are trying to control your mind.â LEILANI POLK
144. Ronny Chieng
Ronny Chieng, a featured contributor to The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and an internationally performing stand-up comic, has had a great year: He appeared in the hit romance Crazy Rich Asians, and his new series Ronny Chieng: International Student dropped on Comedy Central. With his air of cynicism leavened with sweetness, it's no wonder he's gotten popular, and he seems to sell out shows like the dickens.
145. Georgetown Bites
Known for being Seattleâs oldest neighborhood, gritty, industrial Georgetown is quietly becoming a culinary destination, with a high concentration of underrated under-the-radar gems. At this annual spring food walk, you can scoop up offerings from a variety of vendors in the area.
146. Artist Trust Annual Benefit Art Auction
Support Washington artists and enjoy music by KEXP's DJ Sharlese, live performances, art, and more.
147. Venice is Sinking Masquerade Ball 2019
The Seattle Design Center's annual masquerade ball inspired by the Venetian palaces along the Grand Canal is straight-up majestic, featuring a variety of circus acts, musicians, and actors working tirelessly to set a dreamy mood. In addition to taking in performances, you can try your hand at (faux) gambling in the Salotto dei Giochi Classici room, feast on decadent confections in the Marie Antoinette dessert room, enter a costume contest (prepare your powdered wigs), and more.
MAY 30-31
FOOD & DRINK148. Vegfest
This festival dedicated to all things herbivorous will feature vegetarian food samples, chef demonstrations, nutrition information, free health screenings, books and cookbooks, and a kids' section with clowns and games.
149. Believe: The Music of Cher
The consistently chart-topping pop goddess Cher is a force to be reckoned with. We'd all be wise to turn to her music (or even her emoji-fluent Twitter account) for a glimmer of hope in these bleak times. If you don't know where to start, allow the Seattle Men's Chorus to take you on a journey of hits. Drag queen Chad Michaels, whose Cher impersonations and lip-syncing abilities got her very far in the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, will guest-star.Â
MAY 30-OCTOBER
VISUAL ART150. Translations: An Exploration of Glass by Northwest Carvers and Weavers
This glassworks show features pieces made in the museum's Hot Shop by family members of "three of the Pillars of the Evergreen Longhouse"âMary Ellen Hillaire (Lummi), Gerald Miller (Skokomish), and Hazel Pete (Chehalis)âwith the aid of Dan and Raya Friday. Old Weaving and carving treasures from the families' collections are juxtaposed with the new glass interpretations of baskets, sculptures, and bentwood boxes.
