BAND OF BROTHER AUTHORS: Elliott Bay Books is hosting a reading tonight by brother authors Leif and Lin Enger. According to the listing, "Both are home-state Minnesotans, both still live there, and both have the land of 10,000 lakes as the setting for their new books." 7:30 p.m. // Elliott Bay Books // Free GIRLS SINGING NIGHT: From Tucson, Ariz., Courtney Robbins' music calls to mind Erin McKeown and Eilen Jewell. If you're looking for......

TEENY BOPPER EXPRESS: Disney's High School Musical opens at the Paramount tonight, so maybe steer clear of the teenagers downtown. If you have your own teenager, maybe it's a good night to set them free with their friends so they can go sing along and goo-goo-ga-ga over the cute boys and dreaminess of this sensational teenfest. 7:30 p.m. // Paramount Theater // $20-67 plus fees WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Seattlest made it to the Seattle Storm's opening......

We were getting ready to head down into Ballard last night to check out the Willie Nelson Tribute at Conor Byrne when we had the bright idea of taking our wife out for a dinner date on the way. The short and sweet note asking her out to the singularly lovely Madame K's put a smile on her down-in-the-dumps face almost as big as the one the Madame's orgasm dessert would soon put on ours.......

DAYTIME MUSIC: The venerable Kell's down in Post Alley is having a St. Patrick's Day Festival (10am-2am, $20), with an all-day line-up of Irish music. So is downtown's Fado (10am-2am, $15, with $10 gift certificate for next visit). Over in Ballard, Conor Byrne opens at noon, with live traditional Irish music starting at three. At 8pm, they modernize the music with DJ Mapes's collection of Pogues, U2, Thin Lizzy, Waterboys, Stiff Little Fingers, Boomtown......

We understand members of "Awesome" and Central Services will be pitching in for Carrie Clark and the Lonesome Lovers' set at the Sunset tonight. If you haven't heard it yet (where have you been?), Clark's work ranges from sort of alt.country to sort of tango, to sort of Elton John-y, to just downright pretty, ethereal piano-driven ballads. Tonight, she'll be filling the slot between Conrad Ford and Nathan Wade & The Dark Pioneers. If......

Well, shit. This weekend has been kind of a bust for shows Seattlest was supposed to see. Friday night, we were supposed to go see Hillstomp at Conor Byrne. We thought we had seen them, and we thought they rocked our socks. Apparently, we saw Miss Mamie Lavona the Exotic Mulatta and Her White Boy Band. Last night, we drove on over to West Seattle to the Skylark to check out Mishka Shubaly. This one......

Seattlest hit the town last night with one mission in mind: check out Hillstomp at Conor Byrne. We were first turned onto the band by Sound's former editor a few months ago, and honestly, we just liked the name. Hills and stomping are two things we rather enjoy, so we made a mental note and moved on. Then we went down to Portland for Pickathon and saw members of this band we really dug......

Yes, it's the return of Stalk of the Town where Seattlest lets you in on our weekend plans. Got something going on we should know about? Drop a note in the comments. Seth's watching Saturday's Husky night game with the usual suspects, but at a new place: Teddy's on Roosevelt. After some Friday night theater, MvB is off to see what's the deal with the new Stumptown Coffee on 12th Ave. Dan's going to The......

It's a weekend full of "fests" this time around. A veritable festival of...fests. Including EndFest with the Smashing Pumpkins in a parking lot somewhere, Oktoberfest in Fremont with lots of tasty local bands and Decibel all over the place. Here's a video for Decibel participant Kill Memory Crash: Imperial Teen is at the Crocodile. Not a fest. Hillstomp is at Conor Byrne tonight. Also not a fest. They were playing as a part of fest......

There's nothing particularly different about Ali Marcus' new CD Miles and Miles and Miles, other than the fact that she's clearly done the songwriter thing for a while. The songwriter thing, of course, involves driving miles and miles and miles, singing your songs in tiny little nowhere towns, playing for tips, sleeping in tepees when the opportunity arises, etc. Recorded by Bubba Jones (sounds like a made-up name to us), Miles and Miles and......

Wednesday, February 14 >>> Sparklehorse at Showbox. Sparklehorse is touring in support of their first effort in five years, with more of the same delicate, pretty songs that made them indie darlings. Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter open. * sample: Song Streams available on MySpace 8:00 pm // $17 // 21+. >>> Miss Mamie Lavona the Exotic Mulatta at Conor Byrne. The last time we saw Miss Mamie she charmed us in entirely......

As it should be, it's quiet this week in Seattle, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to do -- especially the closer we get to New Year's Eve. So without further ado, Seattlest's belated gift to you -- some shows: Thursday, December 28 >>> Vicci Martinez, Kym Tuvim, Jonatha King, and Danny Godinez at The Tractor. Singer/songwriter Vicci Martinez is not only an immensely talented artist with impressive stage presence, she's also cute as......

MUSIC: Normally, we try to avoid El Corazon at all costs, but there’s an early show there today for a very good cause. During last week’s storm, Kate Fleming, a talented voice-over artist, died while attempting to save the audio gear in her home studio. Tonight’s show—featuring Speaker Speaker, Patience Please, Megasapian, In the Empty City, and more—is in Kate’s memory, with the money benefitting her family. 4:30pm doors, 5pm show // El Corazon //......

Not a huge week in music, but hey, it's a holiday. Stay home and eat! Then put your sweatpants on! Tuesday 21st >>> +/- at the Croc. Fresh off their glowing review from Pitchfork, Plus/Minus brings their dynamic sensitive indie-pop to town. *mp3: Steal the Blueprints 9pm; $8. Wednesday 22nd >>> Blue Scholars at The Showbox. If you don't know who the Blue Scholars are and why you should see them live, get the......

Tuesday 17th >>> Beirut at The Croc. This 20-year-old wunderkind from Albuquerque is the latest entrant into Who Wants To Be a Gypsy Rock Star Millionaire? 9pm;$10 >>> The Secret Machines at The Showbox. The sonically huge psych rockers will be performing tonight in the round, each member of the trio on an elevated platform on the venue floor. If nothing else, it's something different. 8pm doors; $14adv/$16dos. All ages Wednesday 18th >>> The......

Maybe Seattle doesn’t have a river to dye green just for the occasion, but there are still scads of St. Patrick’s Day activities here in the Emerald City. We suppose you could go to the Seattle Center for the big celebration there, but most people would rather be out drinking, so for your Irish pub-crawling pleasure (cover charges as noted): In the U District and Wallingford, you’ve got all kinds of options, some of which......