It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new week...and we're feeling good. Go forth and enjoy yourself at events from Cavetown, Mother Mother, and Destroy Boys to a Solid Pink Disco with DJ Trixie Mattel and from the Seattle International Dance Festival to The Stranger's Burger Week.
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MONDAY
FILM
Past EventLikeList
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 slap-dash 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 isThe Stranger's director of video production. I liked Collide-O-Scope long before knowing Wahlund, as its been a Seattle staple for more than 12 years!) A tip: Collide-O-Scope often sells out, so get your tickets sooner than later. STRANGER ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR MEGAN SELING
(Here-After at the Crocodile, Belltown)
TUESDAY
READINGS & TALKS
The Queer Medieval with Nicola Griffith: In Conversation with María Bullón-Fernández Past EventLikeList
It's simple, really: I hear about a Pride Month celebration of queer representation in medieval history, featuring celebrated historical fiction author Nicola Griffith and Seattle University English professor María Bullón-Fernández, and I blurb it. Seriously, if you've ever been curious about attitudes toward queerness hundreds of years ago, here's an opportunity to learn about it without Googling "gay people medieval era Reddit." You'll also hear about how fiction writing can "create belonging and challenge narratives about who belongs in history," and if that doesn't kick-start your summer reading plans (Griffith novel, anyone?), I don't know what will. LC
(Town Hall Seattle, First Hill)
Shane Koyczan Past EventLikeList
If there's such a thing as a spoken-word star, Shane Koyczan fits that description. The Canadian lyricist's performance of his anti-bullying poem "To This Day” has millions of views on YouTube, and his second book, Stickboy, was adapted into an opera by the Vancouver Opera. Koyczan reportedly polished the script for George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road, too—now that's an unexpected crossover. LC
(Triple Door, Downtown)
WEDNESDAY
COMEDY
Leave Your Troubles at The Door RemindLikeList
This interactive comedy show wants to help you feel better about your daily struggles. Aww, thanks, comedy show! Audience members will be prompted to jot down their woes on slips of paper before the performance. Comedians (Quinn Fitzgerald, Delaney Malone, Daegen Asfaha, and Monica Nevi this time around) will then draw them from a box, using the audience's unique problems to create an improvised set. Don't worry, they're not really laughing at your expense—it's more like a rare moment of catharsis, where you'll chuckle at the batsh*ttery of your own life alongside a bunch of strangers. If that sounds like your bag, don't miss it. LC
(Comedy/Bar, Capitol Hill)
FILM
Time (Dis)Oriented: Radical Queer Pasts, Presents, and FuturesRemindLikeList
Northwest Film Forum's Pride Month film series offers a radical selection of queer-centered flicks, carefully curated to ensure a wide range of perspectives and illustrating shifts in understanding across decades. On June 12, nonbinary filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun's A24 film I Saw the TV Glow documents a teen's investigations into an eerie, supernatural TV show, and later in the month, Lizzie Borden's '83 post-punk challenge Born in Flames follows the aftermath of a feminist Black revolutionary's murder. LC
(Northwest Film Forum, Capitol Hill)
THURSDAY
LIVE MUSIC
The DamnedRemindLikeList
UK punk pioneers the Damned's 1977 debut album, Damned Damned Damned, has withstood the test of time with its raucous raw style, biting guitar hooks, and playful sense of humor. When I worked at a record store in college, this album still sold like hotcakes to young punks in tattered leather jackets. Don't miss the band as they embark on their first North American tour in 35 years featuring their '80s lineup of Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies, and Paul Gray. Fellow '70s punk band the Avengers will open. AV
(The Showbox, Downtown)
PERFORMANCE
Sexy Unique PodcastRemindLikeList
As much as I'd like to fashion myself publicly as an intellectual, I'll be honest: I spend a decent chunk of my free time thinking about Vanderpump Rules, Ariana and Katie's new sandwich shop, Stassi Schroeder's knife-like precision, and the cast's fringe characters, like Laura-Leigh and Miami Girl. Luckily for me, shows like Sexy Unique Podcastexist as a reminder that a relaxing dip into the utterly vacuous is actually fine, sometimes. Unlike Rachel Leviss, hosts Lara Marie Schoenhals and Carey O'Donnell can string sentences together without outside assistance, and they'll do it on stage for this live edition of the pod. LC
(Barboza, Capitol Hill)
FRIDAY
LIVE MUSIC
Babehoven with Stephen SteinbrinkRemindLikeList
Regardless if you recognize the gift of Maya Bon's songwriting, it's undeniable that Babehoven are blissful ballers live. When we saw them with Indigo De Souza in December, they threatened to steal the show, as they enveloped the crowd in warm melody. Ryan Albert played guitar with vigor, whipping his axe like a hula hoop, while their touring bassist Cole Brossus appeared comically opposite, unmoving in a black turtleneck. Now based out of Hudson, New York, Bon used to once call the PNW home, and local indie label Good Cheer released Bon's 2018 EP, Sleep. Mercury music critic Ben Salmon saw the potential therein, writing: "Maya Bon knows her way around a beautiful melody. Several of them, actually... Babehoven's potential is sky high." Last month's brand new Water's Here in You builds on their debut full-length, 2022's Light Moving Time, proving Babehoven is only getting better. This tour of North America offers the chance to see them headline dates in support of the new album. PORTLAND MERCURY ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR SUZETTE SMITH
(Barboza, Capitol Hill)
PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE
Solid Pink Disco with DJ Trixie MattelRemindLikeList
On Wednesdays we wear pink...but we also wear pink to Trixie's disco parties, where mother herself DJs the house down boots for Pride. Listen, Trix may have grown up using an outhouse, but this performance tilts toward her more glamorous side, and yes, all guests are asked to adhere to a strict pink dress code in honor of the gay world's It Girl. LC
(Showbox SoDo, SoDo)
SATURDAY
COMEDY
The Disabled List Presents: Live ComedyRemindLikeList
Kayla Brown and Dan Hurwitz, creators of the "award-eligible" mockumentary This is Spinal Injury, return to host this bimonthly showcase of local funny folks with disabilities. The jokester troupe has been performing in and around Seattle since 2018, with a rotating cast each time—for this edition, stand-ups Laura Lyons, Michael Bellevue, and Gretta Gimp will show off their laugh-inducing skills. LC
(Northwest Film Forum, Capitol Hill)
FOOD & DRINK
Spring into Summer with Lucky Envelope BrewingRemindLikeList
The Juneuary gloom seems to be behind us, so toast to sunny skies with five summery new brews from Lucky Envelope, including a lager, a hefeweizen, a watermelon, and more. You'll get to be among the first to try the new offerings on tap and purchase some four-packs to take home.
(Lucky Envelope Brewing, West Woodland)
LIVE MUSIC
Drew McDowall (of Coil)RemindLikeList
Best known for either his time with Psychic TV or as a member of Coil during the '90s, Drew McDowell has populated his career with impressive collaborations, working with composers like Caterina Barbieri and Halcyon Veil label-owner Eric Burton, AKA Rabit. He's only playing a handful of shows in the US to support his latest release A Thread, Silvered and Trembling, so this one should be looked upon as a rare treat. PORTLAND MERCURY ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR SUZETTE SMITH
(Vera Project, Uptown)
Parliament Funkadelic feat. George ClintonRemindLikeList
Musical innovator and rainbow-haired legend George Clinton will ignite Remlinger Farms with help from his pioneering psychedelic-funk collective Parliament-Funkadelic. Prepare for the show by revisiting their seminal albums Maggot Brain, One Nation Under Funk, and Mothership Connection. This is reportedly Clinton's last tour, so it's not to be missed! Plus, New Orleans funk band Dumpstaphunk will open. Free your mind...and your ass will follow! AV
(Remlinger Farms, Carnation)
PERFORMANCE
Dungeons and Drag Queens Pride EditionRemindLikeList
Hear ye, hear ye, theydies and gentlethem: Described as "fantasy and hilarity on a magical journey" by the South Seattle Emerald, drag queens of the bard, druid, and paladin variety will play the legendary tabletop game of monsters and mayhem in this recurring show. Dungeons and Drag Queens has been making waves from the West Coast to NYC, and it's what the high-fantasy fashion queens deserve. Mysterious Dungeon Master Paul Curry will lead the way through the "rollicking, frolicking" improvisational fantasy drag comedy show, which will celebrate Pride this time around. LC
(McCaw Hall, Uptown)
SHOPPING
Seattle Record Store CrawlRemindLikeList
Stretch your fingers for some crate-digging, hop on the Record Store Crawl bus, and hunt through various local stores to pick up discounted vinyl. Tickets also include a kick-off concert from indie rocker Joe P, free goodies (including a tote bag and a mystery LP), and chances to win giveaways like autographed items, merch, limited edition LPs, box sets, and more. AV
(Various locations)
SUNDAY
LIVE MUSIC
Cavetown, Mother Mother, and Destroy BoysRemindLikeList
What were you doing at age 25? English singer-songwriter, record producer, and YouTuber Cavetown has already released five studio albums with a masterful blend of indie rock, indie pop, and bedroom pop enriched by their mellow use of ukulele. Expect to hear songs from their 2022 album, Worm Food, which features collaborations with Pierce the Veil, Beabadoobee, and Chloe Moriondo. Don't miss opening sets from Canadian indie rock band Mother Mother and punk quartet Destroy Boys. AV
(Woodland Park Zoo, Phinney Ridge)
Songs Of Black Folk 2024RemindLikeList
This Juneteenth concert celebrates African American spirituals and their evolution into contemporary genres like gospel, jazz, R&B, and hip-hop. Performers include R&B artist John Stoddart, powerhouse soprano Brandie Sutton, gospel singer-songwriter Crystal Renee Aikin, mezzo-soprano star Zhanea June, and more. Music will also ring out from a 40-person choir and a 50-piece orchestra conducted by renowned bandleader Ramón Bryant Braxton. AV
(Paramount Theatre, Downtown)
SHOPPING
REVIVAL Juneteenth Market Pop-UpRemindLikeList
The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle and Arte Noir are hosting REVIVAL, a Juneteenth pop-up market with music from KEXP’s DJ Riz, food vendors, community organizations, and tons of goods from Black businesses. We're willing to bet you'll drop some dollars on JAMIL, a vintage clothing vendor "for the renaissance woman"; R. Burnett, whose gorgeous (and affordable) craft-made wooden watches have been featured in British GQ and the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art; and Black Origin Plants, who can help bring some new greenery into your home. SL
(Midtown Square, Central District)
MULTI-DAY
COMEDY
Leah RudickRemindLikeList
Tinseltown-based actor, comedian, and fry enthusiast Leah Rudick will swing by Seattle to share her troubling time management hacks and thirst for horse boys. She's a viral hit on TikTok and Instagram, which seems to be a requirement for comics these days; nonetheless, I think Rudick might be the real deal, based primarily on our mutual predilection for "hard-hitting abortion jokes." LC
(Here-After at the Crocodile, Belltown, Friday-Saturday)
FILM
Drop Dead GorgeousRemindLikeList
It's time for Mount Rose, Minnesota's annual teen beauty pageant, and Amber Atkins (played by the incomparable Kirsten Dunst) is poised to steal the show. But a series of weird incidents and tragic "accidents" turn the event into a darkly hilarious bloodbath. The mockumentary boasts a killer cast including Brittany Murphy (RIP), Denise Richards, Allison Janney, and Amy Adams.LC
(Central Cinema, Central District, Monday-Wednesday)
Everyone Is Guilty: Patricia Highsmith AdaptationsRemindLikeList
“I am not a whor*...that’s just an expression. I’m an artist who paints with blood," Patricia Highsmith once said. You might be tempted to be like, "Well, okay then," and move on with your life, but here's another idea: You should sink into the essence of Highsmith's bloodiness with this round-up of some of the best cinematic interpretations of her work. Lesbian romance Carol is curiously not on the docket, but never fear: Purple Noon, The American Friend, sociopathic romp The Talented Mr. Ripley, and tennis thriller Strangers on a Train (Challengers fans, that one's for you) more than make up for it.LC
(The Beacon, Columbia City, Tuesday & Sunday)
I Saw the TV Glow RemindLikeList
Nonbinary filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun's first feature-length flick, We're All Going to the World's Fair, was a creepy foray into the world of online horror gaming, following one teenager's descent into an increasingly unsettling fantasy. It stirred up positive reviews at Sundance, and solidified Schoenbrun as a director to watch. Lo and behold, Schoenbrun landed an A24 flick withI Saw the TV Glow,which documents a teen's investigations into an eerie, supernatural TV show. Fans of online wormholes and creepypasta shouldn't miss it. LC
(Northwest Film Forum, Capitol Hill, Wednesday-Sunday)
The Merylthon - A Weekend-Long Marathon of Meryl StreepRemindLikeList
If you haven't visited the Grand Cinema, the only nonprofit cinema between Seattle and Olympia, make this week the time you give it a spin—they're currently in the middle of a massive capital campaign, aiming to raise funds to purchase Tacoma's Merlino Arts Center. What's a theater in need of dough to do? Host a Meryl Streep marathon, of course. Three packed days of Streep screenings will include extra goodies like drag queen hosts, a costume contest, a "Merylthon museum," and special appearances by a cardboard Meryl. Who knows—maybe there will be actual people named Meryl there, too. It's reason enough to make the drive. LC
(Grand Cinema, Tacoma, Friday-Sunday)
Prestige SleazeRemindLikeList
Nothing says "Hollywood" like a good psychosexual thriller, and the '80s and '90s-era cinema seemed to have an innate understanding of this—you've probably already been titillated byBasic Instinct and Fatal Attraction.SIFF Cinema Egyptian's latest series gets a little freaky with shivery greats like Bound, Body Heat, and personal fave The Hunger, which follows Catherine Deneuve as a ravenous vamp torn between two extraordinary hotties, played by David Bowie and Susan Sarandon. (I'd have a hard time choosing, too.) LC
(SIFF Cinema Egyptian, Capitol Hill, Monday-Saturday)
Ryuichi Sakamoto: OpusRemindLikeList
Ryuichi Sakamoto, Oscar-winning composer, unparalleled style icon, and one of the three melodic geniuses behind the Tokyo electronic outfit Yellow Magic Orchestra, passed away last year after a battle with cancer. (Chances are good that you've heard YMO's arty electro-pop tunes, but if not, throw this on before continuing.) Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus is Sakamoto's swan song—as a parting gift in 2022, he curated, sequenced, and performed a piano concert that "wordlessly narrates his life through his wide-ranging oeuvre." You'll hear selections from his pop icon days in YMO, his scores created for Bernardo Bertolucci, and his reflective final album. LC
(SIFF Film Center, Uptown, Friday-Sunday)
FOOD & DRINK
The Stranger's Burger Week 2024RemindLikeList
Hamburglars, it's your time to shine. For one week only, participating restaurants all over the city will be creating original, specialty burgers for only $12. Plot your own personalized burger adventure and try as many as you like. You won't get a trophy or anything, but you will have bragging rights among your fellow burger lovers and one very satisfied stomach. For maximum success, we recommend wearing something with an elastic waistband. Plus, don't forget to tip the kitchen staff and servers, take lots of photos, and post on social media using #strangerburgerweek.
(Various locations, Monday-Sunday)
PERFORMANCE
Clyde'sRemindLikeList
As a Pulitzer Prize winner and 2007 MacArthur genius, Lynn Nottage often centers working-class people in her storytelling—her 2015 play Sweat centered small-town Pennsylvania factory workers facing job insecurity, racism, and class disparities. This time around, she had me at "play about a sandwich." Nottage's Clyde'sfollows a team of formerly incarcerated kitchen staff who navigate life after lock-up while on a "quest to create the perfect sandwich," so I hope you brought napkins. Check out this interpretation of the play for a funky cross between The Bear and Abbott Elementary. LC
(ArtsWest, Junction, Thursday-Sunday)
GUNKED!RemindLikeList
I grew up a mere 1.9 miles away from Universal Studios Florida, so every day after school, I could practically hear the screams as innocent children were drenched with green goo (it was actually a mix of vanilla pudding, applesauce, food coloring, oatmeal, and baby shampoo) on Slime Time Live.Modern history has cemented slime as a crucial aspect of any child's upbringing, from the Double Dare goos of yore to whatever the hell this is. Directed by Tootie Spangles, GUNKED! conjures some millennial childhood charm, imagining a late-'80s, neon-tinged competition series on the eve of its high-energy launch. Bring a towel. LC
(Annex Theatre, Capitol Hill, Thursday-Saturday)
RemindLikeList
We can hear the cackling from down the street. The Pacific Northwest's premiere "internationally tolerated Jewish narcoleptic drag queen" Jinkx Monsoon will cast a campy spell and bring more of the weirdo dramatics for which she's known and loved on the concert tour Together Again, Again!, which sees the two-time RuPaul's Drag Race winner flex her musical chops alongside "musical prodigy" Major Scales. Water off a duck's back!LC
(Seattle Repertory Theatre, Uptown, Wednesday-Sunday)
Seattle International Dance Festival 2024RemindLikeList
Talented hoofers from Chicago, NYC, and farther-flung locales like Poland, South Korea, and India will converge on Seattle for another celebration of collaborative contemporary dance. For the festival's 19th year, nine packed days of performance will include new dance works by international and local companies. Peep the best of the homegrown dance scene at Spotlight on Seattle on June 11, or check out one of the several exploratory Inter|National Series Weekend performances. LC
(Broadway Performance Hall, Capitol Hill, Monday-Sunday)
2024 Strawberry JamRemindLikeList
Offering local directors the spotlight (and the opportunity to hone their craft), this three-week arts festival, which aims to create an experimental forum and public workshop for theater vets and drama newbies alike, will kick off its third year of programming. SJAM24 bills itself as the "largest professional arts event of its kind on Capitol Hill," with directors Leah Adco*ck-Starr, Greg Carter, and Christie Zhao presenting their distinctive takes on four theatrical works this year. LC
(12th Avenue Arts, Capitol Hill, Thursday-Saturday)
VISUAL ART
Elizabeth Malaska: All Be Your MirrorRemindLikeList
Elizabeth Malaska was one of my key inspirations during art school—her moody figures, fearless use of patterning, and not-so-subtle responses to power dynamics and the Western painting canon completely captured my gaze. As the winner of the 2022 Betty Bowen Award, Malaska's work will be celebrated in this solo exhibition. Malaska's paintings will continue to offer swift comebacks to historical genres and motifs, like the reclining nude, with "challenging and introspective" compositions that feel entirely new. LC
(Seattle Art Museum, Downtown, Wednesday–Sunday; closing)
Embodiment Exhibition RemindLikeList
For better or worse, none of us can escape the experience of living in a body. AMcE digs into it in their latest group exhibition, which thinks carefully about embodiment through a series of pensive, dreamy works. Artists Alfred Harris, Rachel Maxi, Vander McClain, Megan Prince, Cara Tomlinson, and others all share their unique perspectives in Embodiment—I'm especially responsive to Orlovski's earth-toned body part collages and Brooks Shane Salzwedel's tiny box paintings. LC
(AMcE Creative Arts, Miller Park, Monday-Sunday)
MAD STUDIORemindLikeList
As former Stranger staff writer Jas Keimig wrote back in 2022, "To be an arts writer in Seattle is to be continually in awe of the site-specific works dreamed up by artists-in-residence at MadArt Studio." Sadly, MadArt's final exhibition is upon us, and the group show will pay tribute to the organization's 15-year legacy. All past MadArt artists were invited to "propose works that referenced, extended, or resonated with their original MadArt creations," leading to a whopping 51-piece showcase that incorporated lesser-visited areas of the MadArt space, like the mezzanine office and the kitchen. It's a fitting final tribute to MadArt's immersive art ethos. LC
(MadArt, South Lake Union, Monday-Sunday)
See Through: Nadia Ahmed and Shannon HobbsRemindLikeList
Nadia Ahmed and Shannon Hobbs's exhibition See Through feels uniquely delicate, relying on soft, luminous wax to reflect on the inherent fleetingness of relationships. The concept of "ephemerality" is mentioned pretty often in artist statements, but Ahmed and Hobbs seem to take a refreshing look at the idea, considering how impermanence can feel weighty and structured. "How much do you give or take in a relationship?" they ask the audience. Show up to feel seen. LC
(The Vestibule, Ballard, Thursday–Saturday)
旅する猫たちの原画展: The Travel Cats By Mari IchimasuRemindLikeList
The Seattle Japanese Garden is already a tranquil sanctuary and a solid place to refill your creative cup, but do you know what would make it even better? Original watercolor paintings of cats wearing backpacks. Japan-born, Seattle-based artist Mari Ichimasu will present her signature series, Fur Coats and Backpacks; The Travel Cats,during the garden's lushest season. Visitors can participate in a "commemorative original stamp rally" and are welcome to bring their sketchbooks to draw inspiration from the on-the-go kitties. LC
(Seattle Japanese Garden, Madison Park, Tuesday–Sunday)
