So Malcolm Gladwell shows up at Town Hall and asks the audience which talk they'd like: a long, in-depth talk with minimal Q&A; a medium-sized, generic talk with lengthier Q&A; or all Q&A. The event is sold out with people who have all paid $5 to hear Gladwell speak, but only three or four people raise their hands for the first option. Everyone else votes for the chance to hear themselves speak once Gladwell gets through with whatever he plans to go on about. more ›

WHO IS INVERSE'S INVERSE? California hiphop duo Inverse are named thus because, to a potentially undiscerning eye, the two rappers' backgrounds don't have very much in common with each other. Sometimes opposites make the best hiphop, though, each side bringing its own wealth of experience and musical influences. According to their Myspace, Inverse raps about "happiness, pain and everything in between." With locals Cancer Rising, Akrish, Notion, and Know Choice opening up for them, this is going to be an easy-going, sunny hiphop show that will do right by you this weekend. more ›

As we alerted you the other day, author Steven Johnson was in town this week for a flurry of book talks. We caught up with him at Vivace and talked with him a little about his new book, The Invention of Air, but also about the life of Steven Johnson, author. This is the second and final installment. Here's Part One of the interview. more ›

Sorry to burst any bubbles, but if you don't have tickets to Michael Pollan's appearance at Benaroya tonight, as part of Seattle Arts & Lectures, you're out of luck: it sold out weeks ago. The author of apparently has no shortage of admirers. more ›

Here's to the ice melting away because there are some good shows this week. more ›

If this were the Marvel Universe, John Gottman would be an X-Man. He's the marriage researcher who can, famously, watch a couple talk to each other for an hour and then predict with 95% accuracy whether or not their marriage is going to last. more ›

Those of you with plans to hijack the Tractor Tavern and remove its nuclear warheads or use it as a control center in your effort to take control of a top-secret government outer space super-weapon on Saturday May 27, think again. Your plans may be foiled by, no not the cook, but a member of the band. more ›