Yes, yes, Seafair is this weekend, but if you are a parent of a gradeschooler, or a nerd, or both, then there is a much more important event. Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince is playing at the Pacific Science Center IMAX.
RECOMMENDED 14/48: The World's Quickest Theatre Festival @ On the Boards. 14/48 has become a twice-yearly staple of Seattle theatre: dozens of actors, directors, and writers get together to throw together the best 10-minute plays they can pull off in 24 hours. The first weekend opens tonight with two showings of the first seven plays, based on themes divvied out to playwrights last night; tomorrow, there's a whole new set of plays--in total, 14 original plays in 48 hours. The festival runs for two weekends at OtB, with a new set of directors, writers, actors, and musicians next weekend. (100 W. Roy St. Fri. & Sat., 8 & 10:30 p.m. Tix $18-$35.)
"Safeco Sunset" by justinkraemer , from our Flickr pool
More than one reviewer has found a Thoreauvian echo in Lyanda Lynn Haupt's Crow Planet: Essential Wisdom from the Urban Wilderness--besides crows' antic intelligence (studies indicate crows may have as much smarts as apes), Haupt has had living deliberately on her mind for some time.
LO-TECHNO: Mr. Quintron ranks as one of the oddest and most original acts currently touring the US. An electric organ player from New Orleans, he's notable as an inventor of various Rube Goldberg-esque musical devices, including the "Drum Buddy," an optical theremin-based drum synthesizer that looks like the famous Burroughs-Gysin "Dream Machine." Quintron performs with his wife, Miss Pussycat.
We don't listen to the "radio" but we do know of Thom Hartmann from his analysis of the rise of corporate culture, which is good reading. His Threshold: The Crisis of Western Culture, though, got us all stirred up with nowhere to go. (Check out the excerpt on sociopathic CEOs on HuffPo.)
PSYCHEDELIC INDIE POP: Starlight Mints are back at the Croc with a new album, Change Remains. Keyboardist Marian Love Nunez says, "Three appears to be the magic number for Starlight Mints, as far as years between album releases is concerned. Somehow, though, it seems just like yesterday we were begging for just a bit more time to wrap up Drowaton. I guess running a music venue, raising five children and working on multitudes of media projects, including writing ballads for pretty boy bands, will make time go a bit faster." So will meth, if we're making lists.
"Seattle Sunrise" by David Hogan (Cap'n Surly), from our Flickr pool
"Midnight at Blakely Harbor, Bainbridge Island" by Garret Veley (Mantis of Destiny), from our Flickr pool
Following up on their announcement that Seattle would be one of the nine cities on the 20th anniversary of Doolittle tour, the Pixies will be playing the Paramount November 12 and 13. Both nights are all ages shows with general admission on the floor and reserved seating in the balcony. Tickets are a woof-inducing $58 not including fees and go on sale August 1 (that's this Saturday) at 10 a.m.
CHANNELING BARBRA STREISAND: If you love everything Neil Diamond, Bette Midler, or Barbra Streisand, you are in for a treat. The vocally gifted illusionist Edwards Twins, Anthony and Eddie Edwards (no joke), are in Seattle for a limited time to sing their asses off and impersonate many of the greats. People raves: "The Edwards Twins in many ways are better than watching the real thing." If you don't believe it, you will now. Seating can be hard to come by, so get there early. As a perk, on Tuesdays there's a two-for-one dinner special. Not bad! 6:30 p.m. dinner, 8:30 p.m. show // Julia's on Broadway, 300 Broadway East // Tickets: $25-35
When you talk great sci-fi movies of the 1960s, a few titles--Planet of the Apes, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Fantastic Voyage--spring immediately to mind. But the Grand Illusion plays host to one of the era's most overlooked gems for much of this week.
THE ONE THAT MAKES YA FEEL ALRIGHT: We don't need to notify you that today is Crue Fest 2. Undoubtedly you are already on your way to White River, wearing your finest American flag halter top and blasting "Girls, Girls, Girls." We know you are very excited for Motley Crue (set to play Dr. Feelgood in its entirety), along with Godsmack, Drowning Pool, Theory of a Deadman, and Charm City Devils, especially if they all collaborate on a live performance of the Crue's new single "White Trash Circus." Yes, it is a rawk dream come true, and yes, the only thing better than tonight's show is the upcoming Poison and Def Leppard doubleheader. 5 p.m. // White River Amphitheatre // 40601 Auburn Enumclaw Rd SE, Auburn WA // $16.50-$95
"Does anyone really want that?" by Philip LaRose, from our Flickr pool
Leaving Belltown early in the afternoon, heading for CHBP, Seattlest was surprised to find that Fourth Avenue had been transformed into a sort of military corridor, complete with traffic cones, bleachers and hundreds of those canvas armchairs with cup-holders. Right, the Torchlight Parade! That's tonight, isn't it? But what were all those poor shlubs doing, sitting in those chairs, soft drink in hand, waiting, with the infinite patience of the out-of-towner, for the first float, the first drill team and the first convertible (topped by an oversize princess), not to materialize for five, six, seven hours?
Fans of thoughtful, melodic and occasionally melodramatic rock, fear not. There is a place for you at Capitol Hill Block Party as well! With the third and final part of our "Better Know a CHBP Band" series, we present Hey Marseilles, Fences, and The Lonely Forest. The last three bands of our local spotlight are among some of your best bets for heartfelt tunes that may or may not tug at your heartstrings. Regardless of what musical choices you make on the ground, with 45 acts to choose from, you’re bound to find something that will please your ears.
If we've learned one thing about our past experiences at Capitol Hill Block Parties, it is that the bands that endear themselves to the gathered masses the most are ones that get the Partyers to move. (Flashback to Girl Talk's 2008 CHBP performance.) Next up in our "Better Know a CHBP Band" series, we present New Faces and The Pica Beats. Though there are major differences between the tempos these bands employ, expect dominant rhythms, and considerable movement around both sets.
RECOMMENDED The Elephant Man @ Strawberry Theatre Workshop. "Not knowing much about the play, we went because we saw the cast included David Pichette, MJ Sieber, and Alexandra Tavares, who consistently bring a snap, crackle, and pop (respectively) to whatever they're in. The show is an hour and forty minutes with no intermission--the audience last night was glued to the stage the whole time." [Read our review.] (Fri. & Sat., 8:30 p.m. 1524 Harvard Ave. $10-$54.36.)
Artattack Theatre Ensemble has been producing work since 2001, but it's only now that they've finally secured a permanent home: the VoxBox, a little 30-seat theatre at 12th & Pike. Officially, their first performance in their new home was , opening this weekend (tix $10-$14; see below), the company returns to their roots with the character-driven, serio-comic story of an agoraphobic struggling with a vindictive ex-husband and a deeply disappointed burglar.
A new show of work by Nicoletta Ceccoli and Eric Fortune opens tonight at Roq la Rue. Ceccoli, an Italian artist, is showing works from her series "Beauties and Beasts," that twist childhood imagery borrowed from fairy tales, religion, and legends, into metamorphosing images of growing up and losing innocence. American Eric Fortune's mini-show, "Daughters of Our Nature," features sexy nymphets and whatnot.
While we are no doubt excited for the biggest draws of the CHBP, we’re most excited to see some of our local favorites. Over the coming day and a half, we’ll post some words we’ve exchanged with the bands to ensure you get to know them all just a little bit better before you are faced with making choices about the three stages when you’re on the ground. First up, we present Seattlest’s favorite purveyors of rich Americana melodies, The Maldives and The Moondoggies.
BLOCK PARTY: Yep, it's this weekend. Jesus Lizard, Sonic Youth, yadda, yadda, yadda. It's a big deal, go watch a concert in the street. Changes to the layout of the party are being hyped as solving the extended misery problem that virtually everyone who's ever been to the Block Party over the last couple years has complained about, so please some let us know if you can actually move once you're on the inside. Fri. doors 3 p.m., Sat. doors 1 p.m. // Capitol Hill Block Party // 12th Ave. & E. Pike St. // tix $23 per day, $42 for both
"Grillin' skewers @ the Bite of Seattle" by nikonicon , from our Flickr pool
JAZZY: Guitar phenom John Pizzarelli and his wife, the chanteuse Jessica Molaskey, are setting up shop tonight at Jazz Alley for four days. John has carried on the tradition of his legendary father Bucky Pizzarelli, and as duo, he and his wife move fluidly from jazz to pop to torch, exploring the depths of the good old proverbial "American Songbook."
"Horseplay 47/365" by dc.roake, from the Seattlest Flickr Pool
With our warm-again, not-again weather this summer it is hard to imagine that it is time to start thinking about The Fair. The Puyallup is offering online deals including the all-you-can-ride Dizzy Pass, but most parents would have to take off work to take advantage of that. There is an opening weekend special which includes admission and seven rides for $20 (you have to click on "Continue" and then "Ticket Packages" to find it), but as every parent knows, seven rides is just a good start. A standard sheet of 20 tickets is $15, with each ride taking a few tickets.
August 8, New Belgium Brewing's Tour de Fat rolls through Seattle with a stop at Gasworks Park. The tour celebrates "all things bicycle," and one of its annual traditions is that someone will actually sign over their car at the event as a sign of his or her commitment to commute by bicycle. In exchange, this year the car-less bicyclist will receive a custom-made bike from Black Sheep Bikes. So here's your chance--the tour still needs a Seattle participant! To enter, visit their Facebook page and submit an essay or video explaining your desire to be car free. Time's running out, so jump on it ASAP.
Hitch up your Gumby trousers and polish those silly walks, as John Cleese is coming to town. Best known for his work in Monty Python [adjusts glasses] Cleese also co-wrote and starred in Fawlty Towers, which is the funniest sitcom ever. The ticket presale for his November 3 show at the Moore begins tomorrow at 10 am. This will be the ticket link--the promo code is "dance". Tickets are $45-55.
FISH-SICLE FRENZY: It's hawt. And the zoo's Humboldt penguins need a cool treat, so they're getting 5-gallon “fishsicles,” a block of ice with small fish, such as herring and smelt. We're told the penguins are from what's known as a "desert" but apparently it doesn't get that hot there. So iced-up fish bits it is. Swing by at 3:30 this afternoon to catch the fish-sicle action.
Oh hi, what's that? We can't hear you over all the drinks and merriment going on at the Lookout (757 Bellevue Ave E) right now. Join us for Seattlest Happy Hour on the patio till 8 p.m. with $4 wells, $3 microbrews, and $4 wine. It's too nice of a day to not be drinking outdoors!
A family emergency affecting one of the stars of the new musical has led 5th Avenue Theatre to cancel the first two previews this Thurs. and Fri. If you have tickets for one of those performances, you can reschedule by calling the box office at (206) 625-1900. The musical, an adaptation of the 2002 Steven Spielberg film of the same title, is debuting here in Seattle.
Writer, monologist, and playwright Mike Daisey, recently profiled by Seattlest, is returning to town next month with a new monologue called The Last Cargo Cult (Richard Hugo House, Aug. 7-22, tix $20). The work is based on Daisey's real-life experiences on two islands. The one, Tanna, is home to one of the world's last surviving cargo cults, the John Frum Movement. The other, Manhattan, is...well, you can see where this is going. Think of The Gods Must Be Crazy meets Wall Street.
LOVE SEATTLEST? Of course you do! Why else would you be reading this? And if you love Seattlest, you must love liquor and Seattlest writers, and you should therefore attend Seattlest Happy Hour at The Lookout. We'll brook no counterarguments. 5-8 p.m. // The Lookout // 757 Bellevue Ave. E // drink specials: $4 wells, $3 microbrews, and $4 wine
We don't have a caption for this photo better than Mohini's: "this guy is truly a seattle character. for 2 years i've seen him on the bus and at his stop, making newspaper origami cranes, and handing them out to people around him. i've always wanted a paper crane, but i was either too far away from him or too shy to ask for one. this time when he got on the bus, i was seated directly across from him & i was dying from excitement ... i knew i was going to get a paper crane! and i did :)" Thanks for sharing!
Just a reminder that tomorrow is the latest installation of Seattlest Happy Hour. From 5-8 p.m. we'll be taking in a lovely summer Tuesday on The Lookout's outdoor patio while enjoying their happy hour specials: $4 wells, $3 microbrews, and $4 wine. Join us at the intersection of Bellevue, Bellevue, and Bellevue, but leave your guns at home (or at least don't leave them in the bathroom). Added bonus: the day after tomorrow happens to be our birthday, so we expect all of you to be on hand to buy us drinks. AS GOD INTENDED. See you tomorrow!
The wonderful thing about attending even a student production of Steven Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, like the one playing Wednesday-Saturday at ArtsWest in West Seattle (tix), is that you know the singing will be better than in the movie version.
WALKING ON THE MOON: The Northwest Film Forum keeps on 69ing with their screenings this week of Downhill Racer and Camille 2000. As a lovely coincidence, 1969 was also the year that Neil Armstrong did his giant leap for mankind. As such, the NWFF is well within their purview to show footage of the moon landing tonight as part of their 69 film series. A screening of the original television broadcast starts at 7 p.m., followed by a montage of major NASA events leading up to and including the landing, stitched together love by local filmmaker and sound artist Joe Milutis. 7 p.m. // Northwest Film Forum // 1515 12th Ave. // $9
It's been over a decade since The Big Lebowski first graced the big screen. Lauded as the first cult movie of the Internet age, the film has brought out a dedicated and undying following over the last few years. This has culminated with the touring, annual Lebowski Fest. The fest brings together Achievers from far and wide to celebrate bowling, White Russians, and everything else Lebowski. Seattlest chatted with (Co-)Founding Dude Will Russell, who was responsible for the first Lebowski Fest in Louisville in October 2002.
"The Wind Signs Its Name in the Snow" by Grundlepuck, from our Flickr pool.
"Day 193/365 - The Fry Guy has seen better days" by tonyjcase , from our Flickr pool
ONE WEEKEND ONLY ARC Dance: Summer Dance at the Center @ Seattle Rep. Stunning contemporary ballet by the best local dance company you've never heard of. (Fri. & Sat., 8 p.m. Leo K. Theatre @ Seattle Rep. Tix $15-$25.)
Making music together since the turn of the millennium, Portland’s The Decemberists are one of the Pacific Northwest's most dynamic musical acts. Among other accomplishments, the band has established themselves as strong storytellers who artfully blend disparate elements of folk, rock, and country. The band’s often weird and winding narratives parallel the kudos picked up by the band along the way, including participation in a one-on-one shred-fest against Stephen Colbert (and his pinch guitarist Peter Frampton), among many other more traditional honors. This evening, the band will be playing in Redmond for the first time and are looking forward to exploring the sonic expanses through a live performance that may or may not include their cover of a local legend. We were album to catch up with guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Chris Funk on the eve of tonight's Marymoor Park show.
Not that plenty of gray hairs won't like ARC's "Summer Dance at the Center" (8 p.m tonight and tomorrow at the Leo K. at Seattle Rep; tix $15-$25) fine, but let's face it: Ballet as an art form is a consumable cultural commodity. Like Shakespeare, it's something a number of people go see because they want to be cultured, and just as theatres do Shakespeare constantly to meet that demand, ballets cater to an older moneyed crowd (as well as princess-loving little girls) by trotting out the pretty Balanchine pieces with their tiaras and tutus on a regular enough basis to ensure that they don't scare off subscribers.
MARYMOOR IT UP: Crazy hot concerts at Marymoor this weekend! Tonight, hyper-literate prog-indie Portland kids the Decemberists with Andrew Bird and Blind Pilot; Saturday and Sunday, Death Cab with Ra Ra Riot and the New Pornographers. 6 p.m. doors all days // Concerts at Marymoor // 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Parkway // tix $35
We've been fawning over this photograph all week. It is just about the cutest thing that ever emigrated from distant Cutonia. Thanks for sharing, Erik!
Design geeks, jot a note on your Helvetica fonted calendar: If you didn't make the weeklong run of Objectified at the Northwest Film Forum--its last showing is at 7 p.m. tonight--you'll have another chance come August. The NWFF just announced that Gary Hustwit's documentary on how everyday items around us came to be will return for one more weekend in August. There'll be two showings a night the 14th-16th.
Turns out the stripped-down, de-logo-fied Starbucks up on 15th isn't quite the oh-so-original take on a neighborhood cafe that Starbucks intended. Linda Derschang, the owner of Smith, right next door, has sent an enraged letter over to the Stranger.
Wired is having a contest to see who can make the coolest stuff from Starbucks packaging, and leading by example is Wired photographer Dan Winters who created the Tie Fighter below from a coffee box and some cup holders. It is something to behold.
DARK: Samuel Ligon, writer and editor of the Spokane lit mag Willow Springs, comes to town tonight to discuss his new collection of short stories. In Drift and Swerve, Ligon runs his characters through the gamut of contemporary American personal hells: drugs, abuse, sexual longing, spiritual emptiness. As is often the case, it's the book's black humor and the author's cutting prose that keep it from being a cruel slog-fest of a read. Ligon appears with Sam A.J. Rathburn and Amy Schrader, two recent Willow Springs contributors, who will also read from their work.
"Elliott Bay Cafe" by seadevi, from the Seattlest Flickr Pool
Once again, the third week of the month is a-comin', and that means Seattlest Happy Hour. Next Tuesday (the 21st) from 5-8 p.m. we'll be at The Lookout for their sweet outdoor patio. Join us at the erstwhile Artemis at Bellevue, Bellevue, and Bellevue with the following happy hour specials (4-7 p.m.): $4 wells, $3 Microbrews, and $4 wine. There's also food on the menu, and trust us when we say that it's okay to be tempted by the white wine spritzer. See you next Tuesday! (Raj, this means you.)
This Thursday through Saturday, ARC Dance, a North Seattle contemporary ballet company, is taking over the Leo K. Theatre at Seattle Rep with an ambitious mixed-repertory evening, including four world premier ballets (8 p.m., tix $15-$25). Aside from Trinidad Marinez's Tres Tristes Tigres, this is one of the finest dance experiences available this summer.
First things first--the sun also rises, the splendor is in the grass, and CéU has a second show tonight at the Triple Door (8 p.m., tickets: $28). We stumbled across her last time she was in town, touring for her debut album, which ended up nominated for a Latin Grammy. Listening to her is listening to how a Brazilian hears music, from electro-samba and afrobeat, to soul and R&B. (Last night she opened with the electro-jungle of "Espaçonave" and covered "Takes Two to Tango" from Ray Charles's Duets album.) You'll never mistake the Brazilian sound, but the loops and spikes of electronica and rubberband bass lines from funk make it an alleyway you've never wandered down before.
PARK IT FOR REGGAE: From noon to 1:30 p.m., enjoy the pure roots reggae and live dub of Clinton Fearon & The Boogie Brown Band. That's downtown in our urban rest stop, Westlake Park. It's part of the Summer in the City series, and their site even includes a list of to-go food options nearby. If you can't decide, probably your best one-stop lunch option is the Westlake Mall Food Court.
"This Kid Rocks OUT!" by Shawn McClung (Slightlynorth), from our Flickr pool
Bad news for lovers of bad musicals--Playbill reports that noted author-composer-librettist Leslie Bricusse has dropped out of the creative team working to bring a musical version of the 1993 Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan vehicle Sleepless In Seattle to the stage. Whether this will delay the musical's release is unknown; the original film featured numerous Seattle location shots, including Alki, Lake Union, and a luxury suite at the historic Sorrento Hotel.
As most of you know, today the French traditionally celebrate the storming of the Bastille by breaking into the nearest jail and freeing whomever catches their eye. Trust the French! Well, they've got a good thing going and they know it. Here in the U.S. the stakes are considerably higher when it comes the legal ramifications of citizen's-arrest take-backs.
DESIGN GEEK HEAVEN: Early on in Gary Hustwit's documentary about design, Andrew Blauvelt reveals why Japanese-style toothpicks have those two grooves at the top. And no, it's not because they look pretty. With that, the film snagged our trivia-loving heart. Hustwit presses on to explore the psychology, philosophy, sociology, history, and several other -ys of design. It's never less than fascinating. If you ever think about the mass-produced stuff around you, don't miss Objectified. 7 p.m. & 9 p.m. // Northwest Film Forum // 1515 12th Ave. // $9
That'll be a game for this kid to remember. Thanks for sharing the photo, sprizee.
Last month, The Pixies announced a tour celebrating the 20th (!) anniversary of still-awesome album Doolittle. Today, they announced the North American cities on said fall tour, and Seattle made the cut. No date or venue mentioned yet, to which we say: please two nights at the (real) Showbox or the Paramount. We love you, Pixies, and we lurrrrrve that album, but not enough to see you at the SoDo or Key Arena.
GET STIMULATED: All this week, through Saturday July 18th, it's the second annual Seattle City Stimulus, which encourages residents to spend money at small local businesses. Fill out the form to get your membership card, which affords you discounts at all kinds of establishments. Eat, drink, and shop your way around town--IT'S FOR THE ECONOMY! All week long // Participating businesses // prices vary
The outcome of this race has some kind of metaphorical meaning, we're sure of it. Thanks for adding this to the Flickr Pool, ntisocl!
"Operation Freak Out My Cat" by shawnmebo from our Flickr pool
"Drink for the Kids" is the annual benefit for the all-ages Vera Project, the music and arts center for kids who can't drink, and we for one can't wait for an end to this scourge too soon. Imagine not being able to drink! How thirsty would you be?! We're not up on all the science, but we're happy to support the race for the cure, and that means we're off to Neumos tonight to hear fleet, foxy Robin Pecknold, Throw Me The Statue, and Grand Hallway. Tickets are $15 in advance, doors at 8 p.m.
Strawberry Theatre Workshop is building a repertoire of person-in-society plays that, recently, have included an intriguing look at filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl; a laugh-out-loud, musical take on the life of Johannes Gutenberg; and now a captivating portrait of Joseph (aka John) Merrick, the Elephant Man. It's like having a live Biography Channel with really eclectic tastes.
"Caught in the Wild: Sunbeam Imp & Commer Van" by ham-hock, from our Flickr pool
At last week's First Thursday in Pioneer Square, we happened upon Molly Norris' exhibit at the Marni Muir Gallery and were all the better for it. Culture Complex: Editoons is described in the promotional literature as "illustrated satire and thoughts in both 2- and 3-D by this local writer, artist, and filmmaker," but we'd call it "New Yorker cartoons if they were actually funny."
Trinidad Martínez is co-founder of the Magpai Production Group--straight outta Hamburg--and is in the U.S. on a Fullbright. She collaborated with each of the solo performers of Tres Tristes Tigres: Emma Klein, Dayton Allemann, and Jonas Radvik. She's also likely to be the one taking your tickets and offering you a glass of water. But the fringe-theater, many-hats staffing aside, the work you see rivals OtB in its commitment--and shows off Dani Prados' lighting and technical design chops.
RECOMMENDED Pretty Girls @ Seattle Center House/TPS Theatre 4. Despite its low budget and all the attendant challenges faced by small fringe theatres, Marked Women Productions have pulled off a winning show with Pretty Girls. Inspired by the work of Naomi Wolf, the company has produced an ambitious and challenging original script that comes to life onstage on the strength of the company's innovating approach to staging. It features several strong performances, as well, particularly Opal Peachey and local teenage up-and-comer Megan Schutzer. (Fri., Sun. & Mon., 8 p.m. Seattle Center House, Fourth Floor; tix $8-$10.)
Despite what you might infer from their name and the (current touring) company they keep, Foreign Born is a band that was born and raised in the good ole U.S.A. While the band shifted south from San Francisco to L.A., they are by no means a band that can be easily classified as having an "L.A. sound," typified by heavy fuzz and a fascination with glam. Instead, the band finds inspiration from artists like ELO, Bruce Hornsby, and the Doors--or at least Val Kilmer’s portrayal of the Doors--and can count Ed Droste of critical darlings Grizzly Bear among the band's growing legion of fans spread across the globe. In advance of Foreign Born's show at Chop Suey tonight (with headliners The Veils and openers The Other Girls, $12, 21+), we were able to catch up with lead singer Matt Popieluch to discuss the band's sound, influences, and upcoming plans.
"23" by jean-marc luneau ( lolitanie ), from our Flickr pool
Intiman's Obi-Wan is John Campion, a veteran performer with a rap role sheet a mile long, and one that includes references to his work with Kevin Kline, Linda Hunt, and F. Murray Abraham. You will understand his Iago like never before. He will speak Shakespeare, but with his own vicious cadence. He will bite off the ends of words, and his body will seem to flood with bile. He will offer mean-spirited putdowns and cough out a fake, social laugh. He will never be likable, but always charismatic as he plots his vengeance.
General David Petraeus is a details man. Over the course of two hours at Town Hall last night, the former Commanding General in Iraq spat out more names, dates, facts, and figures than we knew what to do with. This is why we have to make an concerted effort to remember a new acquaintance’s name while Petraeus currently serves as the Commander of U.S. Central Command.
Having gotten to know Samuel Ligon from working at the Port Townsend Writers' Conference in past years, we were very excited to get a hold of his latest story collection, which took home the 2008 Autumn House Fiction Prize. At the conference, Ligon is known for being one of the most popular writing teachers, and his workshops are usually the most sought-after, quickly filling up. Not having been able to attend one yet ourselves, we were quite curious to find out more about all the fuss. And it's safe to say that after reading Drift and Swerve--we get it, loud and clear.
A couple months ago, when Eddie Vedder announced the stops on his solo tour, we were surprised to see nothing in Seattle on the agenda. But now, with the upcoming release of his band's ninth (!) studio album, Backspacer, Pearl Jam has announced a North American tour, including two nights at Key Arena to kick things off on September 21 and 22. So far, it's a tiny tour, with only shows in Seattle, L.A., San Diego, and Philadelphia, though we expect more to come before the band heads Down Under in November. Ben Harper and Relentless7 open for all shows except Philly. Seattle tix go on sale July 18, though if you're a member of the Ten club, the presale begins Monday, July 13. Full details on the tour after the jump.
SHORT FILMS: Tonight, the awards for this year's 48-Hour Film Project are being given out at the Harvard Exit, after a screening of top films. The festival this year included over 50 teams, who were given three elements to include in a film to be made in two days. The full screenings of all submissions took place back on June 23-25, but you can catch the creme de la creme tonight. 9 p.m. // Harvard Exit Theater // 807 E. Roy St. // $10
It reminded us of a little talk we went to a few weeks ago at the auditorium at SPL Central. Billed as The Great Urban Debate, the event pitted Vancouver BC and Seattle against each other, defended by the venerable Gordon Price and Peter Steinbrueck, who share disturbingly similar civic biographies in their respective towns. The twist, however, was that Steinbrueck defended Vancouver, while plucky Canadian Price pled the case for Seattle. Sponsored by Via Architecture, there appropriately was not a shabbily-dressed person in the house.
Since GreenStage has sent us three--count them, THREE--emails in as many hours, we bow to their online onslaught and report to you that their 21st annual Shakespeare in the Park series starts this Friday. On the docket through August 15th are The Comedy of Errors and King John. Both plays make the rounds to eleven locations in the Seattle area, and all performances are free of charge (though donations are gladly accepted, natch). Performance calendar here. This weekend also marks the Seattle Outdoor Theater Festival in Volunteer Park, featuring Shakespeare and more from several local companies.
Eighteen teams packed the Old Pequliar last night to play Seattlest Trivia. Highlights:
ATTENTION! GENERAL AT THE HALL!: Hoo-ah! Former Commanding General of Multi-National Force-Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, now Commander of United States Central Command, is truly entering the lion's den--the peacenik Fortress of Solitude that is Town Hall. El General will talk about the lessons that our Afghanistan-bound troops can take from Iraq; how to prevent Pakistan from falling into a state of anarchy, and counterinsurgency that works. It's all part of the World Affairs Council's Leadership series--Petraeus was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of our 25 Best Leaders--which means that members get in for cheap and the rest of you hoi-polloi types pay full freight. 7-8:30 p.m. // Town Hall, Eighth & Seneca // Tickets: $20 WAC members/$40 general
It hasn't even opened yet, but the Intiman has just announced the Arin Arbus production of Othello is getting eight extra performances, thanks to brisk ticket sales: "Tickets are on sale now for shows on Tuesday, August 4 at 7:30 pm; Wednesday, August 5 at 2 pm and 7:30 pm; Thursday, August 6 at 7:30 pm; Friday, August 7 at 8 pm; Saturday, August 8 at 2 pm and 8 pm; and Sunday, August 9 at 2 pm (closing)." Also, on Tuesdays, admission is $25 for adults (tickets are always $10 for the 25-and-under set). Directed by Arin Arbus, this "terrific" (NY Times) Othello was originally produced in New York and sold out its February run, then came back in April. This plus the $50K from the NEA should keep Intiman's lights on.
Someone doesn't want you to know about Seattle's water supply--they yanked an interpretative display off the wall of the Volunteer Park Water Tower. But someone else does want you to know: his name is Stokely Towles, which we half-consider to be made-up. He describes his Waterlines installation (also at Volunteer Park, in a trailer on the road between SAAM and the Conservatory) like so:
HIPHOP THEATRE: Described as a "hip-hop renaissance man," Marc Bamuthi Joseph brings his hiphop theater multimedia production, the break/s, to Seattle (runs through July 12). David Schmader seems to like it, and after reading more about it, we can totally understand why. Joseph, a dancer, award-winning poet, and educator, makes what is described as a "mixtape for the stage" with turntables and djs, visual imagery, dance, and spoken word (story and poetry) from personal interviews and documentary footage. 7:30 p.m. // ACT Theatre, 700 Union Street// Tickets: $10/ $15 (students w/ ID), $37.50/ $50 (adults)
It's Seattlest's turn at the mic tonight, 8:00 at Ballard's Old Pequliar pub. More importantly, there is a free beer question in play. We don't usually do reminder posts, but there was either a hiccup in the space-time continuum yesterday or we pushed the wrong button in our blogging software. See you tonight!
"Metro Transit pins at thrift store" by Wendi Dunlap (litlnemo), from our Flickr pool
It's the first Tuesday in June! Which means it's time to get your nerd on at Seattlest trivia. Here's a warmup. You could win a free pitcher of beer if you know the answer to this question: What two companies founded in Seattle are now corporate siblings of Napster? Email your answer to james (at) seattlest.com. One team with the correct answer wins beer.
The somehow multi-platinum Grammy winner (whaaaaa?) is set to perform a free show at the Paramount July 17th. It's all part of the Samsung AT&T Summer Krush, a "Private Summer Music Experience Features Today's Hottest Artists In The Hippest Locations, and Offers Consumers A Chance To Experience the New Samsung JACK™ Mobile Phone!" [sic up the wazoo]. Portions of the night's hour-long set will air that evening on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., and after two hours of corporate phone-related shilling, the performance starts at 8:00 p.m. Mark your calendar, y'know, if you're into this sort of thing.
(via PubliCola) We were just reminded that French New Waver J-L Godard's tribute to The Big Sleep and sociocultural criticism, Made in the U.S.A., is half-price ($4.50) at the Northwest Film Forum tonight (7, 9 p.m.). Hard to say no to that, especially since you won't see it anywhere but in a theater. The New York Times--you wouldn't argue with an old gray lady, would you?--says, "Godard’s ultimate statement about his love/hate for the aesthetics/politics of American movies/life is an event to be savored and celebrated." (Mondays--if you were as unaware as we were until just minutes ago--are Happy Mondays at NWFF, and you can get tickets at the box office for half-price.)
The Lace Makers of Glenmara is one of those novels that you can bet on becoming a big film in the future. We can see it already, and are practically putting money on who would star. Let's see, we need a starring actress who is pretty but not beautiful; petite, not tall; with a lively wit to make up for anything lacking...and a leading man who is tall dark and handsome with an Irish accent. The movie just seems like a no-brainer.
"The Crowds got Larger..." by Aimee Wenske (cloverity), from our Flickr pool
IT'S FOR THE CHILDREN: Today's the second day of A Drink for the Kids, the 7th annual Vera Project travelling fundraiser running through Saturday's show at Neumo's with Robin Pecknold and Throw Me the Statue. Show your support for the all-ages club by ordering a Stone IPA or the designated A Drink for the Kids cocktail at one of several bars around town. Tonight the venue is Ballard's Hazlewood, a bar we love so much that we wish we could just scoop it on up and move it to the Hill. 6-10 p.m. // Hazlewood // 2311 NW Market St // as much as you drink
We spent five quality hours at the Seattle International Beer Festival yesterday, and if you're not doing anything right now, we suggest you hotfoot it down to the Seattle Center before 7 p.m. The beer selection is phenomenal, you get a four-oz. glass with a Franziskaner monk on it, and there's Port Townsend cheese, pretzels, and bratwurst to be had. If you have a folding chair, you might bring one with for extra comfort. We sampled the Great Divide Chocolate Oaked Aged Yeti, Scotch Silly, Ninkasi Vanilla Oatis Stout and Total Domination IPA, Allagash FOUR, and St. Bernardus Abt 12. They were all terrific beers in their own way, and it's hard to pick just one...but we'd have drunk a whole pint of the Scotch Silly without complaint.
"MilitaryBase_120scan" by Seattle Flickr Pool user kjten22.
"Bacon Explosion!!! As American as Apple Pie" by capnsurly , from our Flickr pool
Tres Tristes Tigres @ Freehold Theatre. Trinidad Martinez founded Magpai Production Group in Hamburg, Germany in 1998, but has made Seattle home for the last several years. She was one of the dancers in Pat Graney's much talked about House of Mind last December, and is now presenting three solo pieces developed with company members. (Fri. 8 p.m., through July 18. 2222 Second Ave., Suite 200; tix $15.)
Though the now-infamous Jim Rose Circus got its start in Seattle in the early Nineties (Rose still owns a house south of the city in which he periodically resides), it's been quite a while since Rose brought his sideshow revival through town for a performance. The last record we could find of a show was from 1999. We asked Rose when he was last here to perform, who thought about it for a minute before replying, "Fuck, I don't remember, man."
ADORABLE: The Fourth of July is a great excuse for you to eat, so why should it be any different for the adorable little critters down at Woodland Park Zoo? Today and tomorrow are the "Red, White and Zoo" days at Woodland Park, when all the animals get to have a picnic lunch with watermelon, corn on the cob, and popsicles. And be adorable! The fun's actually started already today (see here for the schedule of which animals get fed when), but if you hurry, you can make the noon otter feeding, which would really make your day, because otters rock. 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. // Woodland Park Zoo // N. 55th St. & Phinney Ave N. // $16.50 adults/$11 3-12/under 3 free!
"Bainbridge Island - Mirrors and Echoes in Eagle Harbor" by Mantis of Destiny, from the Seattlest Flickr Pool
Surprisingly, there are still tickets available for the Dirty Projectors show this Friday. We say "surprisingly," because Dave Longstreth's band was already critically acclaimed before new release Bitte Orca earned their best reviews yet and even some early talk of it being the best album of the year.
NOLLYWOOD!: Since the weather's perfect, contrarians will want to shoebox themselves inside the U District's tiny Grand Illusion Theatre to catch a documentary about Nigeria's burgeoning B-movie film industry. Nollywood Babylon, which Film Threat calls "Irresistible," is about to close, and you don't want to make a liar of Film Threat, do you? No, you do not. Also it's a Canadian documentary, and it's Canada Day. If that doesn't get you there, we throw our hands up.
In Woodinville there's a hole-in-the-wall charcuterie named Bill The Butcher which has the most outl
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