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MONDAY

LIVE MUSIC

Boeckner Past Event Like List
On his new solo project, Dan Boeckner (known mononymously by his last name) employs lush synths, noisy guitars, and gritty vocals that pull inspiration from his respective bands Wolf Parade, Operators, and Handsome Furs. He said of his solo debut: “Starting back when I was a teenager, my life in music has been trying to develop my own musical language, and this record is the beginning of presenting that.” Arrive in time to catch an opening set from LA-based alt-rockers Night Talks. AV
(The Crocodile, Belltown)

TUESDAY

LIVE MUSIC

Ibrahim Maalouf Past Event Like List
Beirut-born trumpeter/composer Ibrahim Maalouf made waves after his set at last year's London Jazz Festival, which marked his emergence as a "startling new voice in contemporary jazz" (The Guardian). Maalouf's sound is distinctive with trance-like melodies and unusual tonalities that draw inspiration from 1950s cool jazz, EDM, and traditional Arabic music. Don't miss the Grammy-nominated artist on his multimedia Electronic Experience tour which leans into computer-sourced sounds and filters. AV
(Neumos, Capitol Hill)

Mannequin Pussy Past Event Like List
You can go ahead and file Mannequin Pussy under bands I love whose name I hate (it's not out of prudishness, I promise). Besides, making the effort to overlook an off-putting band name is a telltale sign that the band is really good. The quartet originated in Philadelphia in 2010, and more than a decade later, their sound has gotten more and more refined. In my opinion, their new album I Got Heaven is their greatest accomplishment thus far with melodic post-riot grrrl riffs, cathartic lyricism, and percussion that you can feel in your bones. They will support the album alongside fellow Philly hardcore trio Soul Glo. AV
(The Crocodile, Belltown)

PODCASTS

Sporkful Live: Anything's Pastable with Dan Pashman & Lindy West Past Event Like List
In 2021, a new pasta shape entered the scene. With a convincingly Italian-sounding name, cascatelli took the foodie world by storm (to be fair, the root of the word, cascate, does mean "waterfalls"). Dan Pashman, James Beard Award-winning host of the Sporkful podcast, invented this pasta shape because he was frustrated by all others in existence (see the "Spaghetti Sucks" episode) and wanted to create a shape that was more "forkable" and better at holding sauce. Social media featured tons of people cooking the new shape, but Pashman was disappointed by the lack of creativity in the dish as a whole. His response: releasing his first cookbook, Anything's Pastable: 81 Inventive Pasta Recipes For Saucy People. Hear him discuss it with local comedian and writer Lindy West in the first ever live taping of a Sporkful episode. SL
(Fremont Abbey Arts Center, Fremont)

WEDNESDAY

READINGS & TALKS

Aidan Koch presents Spiral and Other Stories Past Event Like List
I'm a long-time fan of Institute for Interspecies Art and Relations founder Aiden Koch's dreamy environmental comics, which feel cool and simple, but imbued with a subtle mysticism. The Mojave Desert-based artist will celebrate her new collection, Spiral and Other Stories, with a visit to Seattle. The comics blend watercolor, pencil, crayon, charcoal, and collaged elements to build vast, lonely worlds full of yearning. LC
(Third Place Books, Ravenna)

UW Public Lectures: An Evening with Margaret Cho Past Event Like List
Margaret Cho is a household name, so listing all of the accolades that the trailblazing comedian, actress, and LBGTQ activist has acquired over her three-decade career feels pretty unnecessary. If Cho's brand of dry, unapologetic, and continually crude comedy appeals to you, you probably already know it and have followed her work for years. She'll offer more of her candid, sure-footed thoughts on her career and activism at this moderated discussion. LC
(Town Hall Seattle, First Hill)

THURSDAY

LIVE MUSIC

Radio Noise Collective with Maria Thrän Past Event Like List
Radio Noise Collective is a Nantes, France-based project that taps into local airwaves to "decode the universe through a symphony of radio hacking" while unraveling the "hidden dance of electromagnetic waves." Because they consider themselves an "evolutive open collective," anyone can bring a radio device to participate in the performance. Does that sound too complicated? Fear not! The show will kick off with an introduction and instructional session in which the collective will guide you with ideas and techniques. They will be joined by Seattle-based interdisciplinary artist Maria Thräm for a performance of her improvisational piano piece entitled, Hi, You’ve Reached The Mailbox of Maria. Thanks for Calling, Please Leave a Message and I Will Call You Back. AV
(Good Shepherd Center/Chapel Performance Space, Wallingford)

FRIDAY

LIVE MUSIC

21 Savage: American Dream Tour Past Event Like List
Portland Mercury columnist Jenni Moore writes: "Rapper/philanthropist 21 Savage is perhaps best known for his singles like ‘Bank Account,’ from 2017’s Issa Album, ‘No Heart’ with Metro Boomin, and a feature on Post Malone’s Billboard-topping ‘Rockstar.’ Despite 21 Savage's handful of missteps with the law (including being arrested by ICE officials in 2019 and then being released on bond a week later), the London-born, Atlanta-based rapper has staked his claim as one of the millennial generation’s favorite trap artists, while simultaneously advancing public dialogue about the experiences of Black immigrants." He will stop by Auburn to support his latest album, American Dream, which features appearances from Doja Cat, Young Thug, Travis Scott, Summer Walker, Burna Boy, and more. AV
(White River Amphitheatre, Auburn)

Andy Shauf (Solo) Past Event Like List
Portland Mercury arts and culture editor Suzette Smith writes: "As someone who has seen Shauf live several times, I'll say that within him are two Shaufs: One wants to play the album he just released flawlessly, faithful to the recorded tracks. The other wants to show off whatever new tracks about dire human moments he's currently crafting. We may be far enough from 2023's Norm—his easy-listening disco album about a god-obsessed stalker—that he'll lend us the latter." Don't miss an opening set from Vermont-based indie folk artist Lutalo Jones (who also happens to be the cousin of Big Thief's Adrianne Lenker). AV
(Washington Hall, Squire Park)

Kassi Valazza with Bart Budwig and Mike Giacolino Past Event Like List
I love it when artists reference their own names (see: Caroline Polachek's "Caroline Shut Up," Cardi B's "Bartier Cardi" or Harry Styles’ latest album, Harry's House). So, when I saw that Kassi Valazza's new album was called Kassi Valazza Knows Nothing, I was immediately bewitched. The album doesn’t disappoint, with British folk-inspired tunes that explode into spellbinding psychedelic jams. However, it's Valazza's timeless vocals, which bring to mind folk greats like Joan Baez, Buffy Saint Marie, and Iris Dement, that make the album an instant classic. She will play songs from the album after opening sets from indie-Americana singer-songwriters Bart Budwig and Mike Giacolino. AV
(Sunset Tavern, Ballard)

SATURDAY

COMEDY

The 2024 Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy! Past Event Like List
It's not often that you'll find crowd favorites like "openly transgender, obviously Asian, and usually hungry" Juno Men, basketball player-turned-comic Monica Nevi, and trans comedian and Dave Chappelle repellent Andy Iwancio together, cracking funnies on the same stage. The Pacific Northwest's knee-slappin' legends will bring the laughs alongside hilarious up-and-comers with a night of improv and stand-up hosted by one-time Last Comic Standing contestant Emmett Montgomery. Best part? It's presented by The Stranger—and if anyone can put together a comedy show, it's us. LC
(SIFF Cinema Egyptian, Capitol Hill)

COMMUNITY

Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration Past Event Like List
Seattle Center Festál's Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration highlights Asian and Asian American cultures. This year's sights and sounds include performances from Khmer Amarak Performing Arts and lion dance regular Mak Fai; book readings, including former KING 5 news anchor Lori Matsukawa reading her children’s book; a "cultural display of nations"; and local vendors like natural skincare brand Lunaraya and Seattle and Saigon, makers of garlic chili oil. Perhaps most importantly, there will be a humbow eating contest, which was named after Alan Sugiyama, the late community activist and festival chair. Show up in stretchy clothing. JW
(Seattle Center, Uptown)

SUNDAY

COMEDY

Ben Schwartz & Friends Past Event Like List
Your first encounter with Ben Schwartz may have been his role as wannabe baller Jean-Ralphio Saperstein on Parks and Recreation. Since then, he's voiced Sonic the Hedgehog (a role that oddly suits his fast-paced comedy style) and starred in three Netflix improv specials. He'll drop by Seattle on the heels of last year's schlocky horror-comedy Renfield, in which he appeared alongside Nicolas Cage as Dracula. LC
(Paramount Theatre, Downtown)

PODCASTS

Alison Roman Gives Solicited Advice (Live) Past Event Like List
You've probably seen food writer Alison Roman's viral recipes, like #TheCookies and #TheStew, on your Instagram feed. The controversial cookbook author, known for her unfussy approach to cooking and her strong culinary opinions, is bringing her podcast Solicited Advice to the Neptune Theater and will dispense guidance to audience members. JB
(Neptune Theatre, University District)

MULTI-DAY

EXHIBIT

Shine On Seattle Past Event Like List
Light lovers LUSIO and the Downtown Seattle Association have lit up Pioneer Square for Shine On Seattle, a luminous public art installation. From March 1 to April 30, visitors can take a walking tour of “dazzling exhibits that will illuminate window storefronts, parks, and other outdoor spaces” in the area. LC
(Pioneer Square, Pioneer Square, Monday-Tuesday)

FESTIVALS

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival 2024 Past Event Like List
As we speak, tulips are blooming in Skagit Valley and calling on you to come dance in their fields, take influencer/dating profile pics, and simply spend a moment stopping to smell the flowers. We recommend checking online before you go for each garden's ticket price (there are four different ones, but at least all parking is free!) and status of the blooms. Towns in the area make the most of the floral festivities by hosting dozens of events ranging from the annual parade on Saturday, April 6 in La Conner to a salmon barbecue, mountain film festival, and pickleball tournament April 25 to 28 in Mount Vernon. Check out thiscomprehensive brochure for all the activities, art shows, performances, tours, and local eateries. SL
(Various locations, Skagit Valley, Monday-Tuesday)

FILM

50 Years of SIFF Past Event Like List
SIFF Cinema Egyptian's latest series offers a rare opportunity to catch nine Seattle International Film Festival faves and Audience Award winners. Over the past five decades, the festival has screened over 10,000 films from all over the world, so seeing them all would be pretty much impossible. These screenings will help fill the gaps on your Letterboxd lists, though. (My suggestion? If you dug Kôji Yakusho's warm performance in Perfect Days, watch him in Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Cure for something...completely different.) LC
(SIFF Cinema Egyptian, Capitol Hill, Monday-Sunday)

The Beast Remind Like List
For a film that begins in 1910 during the Great Flood of Paris, The Beast feels achingly alive with the anxiety of existing in 2024. Based in part on Henry James’s 1903 novella, The Beast in the Jungle, about a man who believes his whole life is steered toward an impending catastrophe, the latest and tenth film by Bertrand Bonello finds that same “deep-seated feeling that something terrible will occur” in the heart of a woman named Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux), and bends eternity around it. Across three lifetimes, Seydoux plays a lovelorn woman who waits for doom. Whatever that doom is, it doesn’t matter; it might as well be the apocalypse. If that seems like the stuff of a great, sappy cinematic romance, it is, but the work of Bonello tends to refuse simple categories. The French multi-hyphenate (director-writer-composer) makes destabilizing films, ever-shifting emulsions of form and genre. Read the Mercury's whole review. PORTLAND MERCURY CONTRIBUTOR DOM SINACOLA
(Grand Illusion, University District, Saturday-Sunday)

Challengers Past Event Like List
Italian auteur Luca Guadagnino's latest follows Zendaya as Tashi, a prodigy tennis player-turned-coach whose training transformed her husband into a national champion. Things get weird and maybe horny when she forces him to play a pro-tournament "Challenger" event alongside her former boyfriend. Do I care about tennis? No, of course not!! But I don't ask for much—Zendaya and a psychosexual plotline are enough for me. LC
(SIFF Cinema Downtown, Belltown, Monday-Sunday)

Civil War Past Event Like List
Alex Garland's latest, Civil War, is A24's most expensive in-house production to date, following a group of military-embedded journos headed to DC "before rebel factions descend upon the White House." Honestly, I'm wary of how he'll handle this one, although Garland's work does tend to thrive in dystopian settings. But Kristen Dunst stars as a photojournalist, which is reason enough to watch. Also, Garland may or may not be retiring from directing ("I’m going to take a break for the foreseeable future," he clarified recently), so if you're a fan of the filmmaker behind Annihilation and Men, you should plan to let his new one marinate. LC
(SIFF Cinema Uptown, Uptown, Monday-Thursday)

Nostalghia Past Event Like List
When presented with the opportunity to see a film by director Andrei Tarkovsky in a movie house, you should take it. In this case, a new 4K restoration by Italian national film school Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia provides a great opportunity to see Tarkovsky's first film made outside of the Soviet Union. Nostalghia isn't his boldest work, but it's the one where you perhaps get the best feeling of the director's self, as he uses his signature dream sequences and long takes to wrestle with the alienated feeling of leaving Russia—shortly after Nostalghia's release he vowed he would never return. PORTLAND MERCURY ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR SUZETTE SMITH
(SIFF Cinema Uptown, Uptown, Monday-Sunday)

The People's Joker Past Event Like List
In many ways, the true diva of The People's Joker has been Warner Bros. Discovery. The massive media giant sent a letter that shut down all but the premiere screening of the indie comedy spoof at Toronto International Film Festival in 2022. Those who have seen The People's Joker—co-written and directed by comedian Vera Drew—say it's as much or more a trans coming of age story than a DC Comics-inspired satire, but we must admit the chance to see Maria Bamford as a (nude?) Lex Luthor-like Lorne Michaels, Tim Heidecker as an Alex Jones-adjacent political chaos personality, and Bob Odenkirk as Bob the Goon is certainly a draw. PORTLAND MERCURY ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR SUZETTE SMITH
(The Beacon, Columbia City, Monday-Thursday)

Sasquatch Sunset Past Event Like List
If you aren't riveted by the prospect of this film, well, we're two very different people. David and Nathan Zellner's Sasquatch Sunset follows a family of Bigfoots (Bigfeet?) over the course of one year, as they wander, grunt, and munch mushrooms in North America's foggy forests. Riley Keough and Jesse Eisenberg star, and they look like this. We owe it to them to go see this film as payment for the zillion hours they spent having prosthetics applied. LC
(SIFF Cinema Uptown, Uptown, Monday-Thursday)

LIVE MUSIC

Belltown Bloom 2024 Past Event Like List
Technically, spring starts in March, but in Seattle, it's more like May. Welcome the season of blossoms with a two-day festival where women in music takeover the entire Crocodile complex. Headliners include global stars like Aluna of electronic duo AlunaGeorge, dance music DJ TOKiMONSTA, and poet laureate/folk star Kara Jackson. The fest was started by two women in the Seattle music scene, and they're doing the work to highlight local acts as well, from sister-fronted local rock band La Fonda to Glitterfox, a folk group formed by a Portland wife-and-wife duo. I'm also stoked for Gustaf, a Brooklyn art punk band that seems to have the time of their lives onstage. SL
(The Crocodile Complex, Saturday-Sunday)

Justin Timberlake - The Forget Tomorrow World Tour Past Event Like List
It is a weirdtime for Justin Timberlake to go on tour. Amidst a reexamination of early aughts celebrity culture, many people—including myself—have reflected on his career with dismay as we see his blatant appropriation of Black culture and frequent misogynistic behavior (see: Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, etc). That's why I was shocked when I saw that JT had booked two nights at the Climate Pledge Arena. Perhaps, he thinks (as hinted in the tour's name) that the public will "forget" by "tomorrow." I personally, don't buy it. However, I must admit that the spectacle of it all is pretty intriguing! And who knows, maybe delightfully cringy hits like "Rock Your Body" and "Cry Me A River" are powerful enough to make me turn on my moral beliefs. Anyway, free Britney, people! AV
(Climate Pledge Arena, Uptown, Thursday-Friday)

PERFORMANCE

Fat Ham Past Event Like List
This 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, which the Seattle Times deemed a "must-see," follows Juicy, a queer Black man whose mother marries his uncle after his father's death. Problem is, Juicy's dead dad shows up as a spooky apparition during what was supposed to be a chill family barbecue. If this all sounds suspiciously familiar, it's because—you guessed it—Fat Ham is inspired by the Bard's Hamlet. While promotional materials describe the show as "sparkling and uproarious," the show also addresses complex themes. LC
(Bagley Wright Theater, Uptown, Wednesday-Sunday)

FKK by Lavinia Vago Past Event Like List
Set within the historic industrial surroundings of the Georgetown Steam Plant, Lavinia Vago's FKK is an immersive performance where "kittenish foolhardy experimental dreamscapes and physical machineries surrender reality." Devised by a laundry list of local and international guest artists, the performance was "founded upon the demonic and angelic spirits that inhabit underground dance floors" and features "ethereal cathartic painting that traces time." If it sounds like I'm not completely sure what this performance is...you'd be right. But it sounds cool as hell, yeah? Lavinia Vago self-describes as an Italian dance freak with "a hypermobile body and A LOT of energy to share with you," so I'm excited. LC
(Georgetown Steam Plant, Georgetown, Friday-Saturday)

The Lehman Trilogy Remind Like List
When I asked my play-obsessed friend in New York about The Lehman Trilogy, he responded "I've heard it's quite good. It's veryyy long." He's not wrong, considering the show won five (!) Tonys in 2022 (Best Play, Best Actor, Best Direction, Best Scenic and Lighting Design) and it has a runtime of almost three-and-a-half hours with two intermissions. The show tells the story of three young Jewish brothers immigrating to the Big Apple in the 1840s, and how they found tremendous success. But those of us living in the modern era associate these brothers (the Lehman brothers) with the 2008 financial crisis. So how did we get from those humble-yet-successful beginnings to triggering one of the largest modern financial crises? I'll be putting my butt in a seat (for longer than I might like) to find out. SL
(ACT - A Contemporary Theatre, Downtown, Tuesday-Sunday)

The Lion Tells His Tale Past Event Like List
American traveling history museum The Unspoken Truth, presented by creator Delbert Richardson, compiles authentic artifacts and storytelling to offer unique perspectives on American history told through an Afrocentric lens. The museum will be translated for the stage in this production, which blends music, dance, and spoken word to "recreate the journey from Africa to enslavement, the Jim Crow era through today" and reflect on an African proverb: "Until the lion tells his tale, the hunt will always glorify the hunter." LC
(Broadway Performance Hall, Capitol Hill, Wednesday-Sunday)

A Tale of Peter Rabbit Past Event Like List
I recently attended a children's opera production of The Snowy Day, and since then, I've been a kid's theater convert. There are several solid reasons for this: Kids shows are shorter, for starters; they're also colorful and designed to keep your attention. (ADHD, anyone?) Also, there are plenty of adults in the audience. You won't look like a weirdo. If I've convinced you, head to this modern twist on a classic Potter tale (tail?), which attempts to answer an important question. What does it mean to be a good bunny? LC
(Seattle Children's Theatre, Uptown, Monday-Sunday)

VISUAL ART

Dolls of Gratitude: A Community Art Collaboration Remind Like List
This community-based project was conceived in collaboration with the Frye Art Museum, local artist Ixtli White Hawk, arts nonprofit Path with Art, and other social service partners. At art-making parties led by White Hawk earlier this year, participants created dolls with repurposed fabrics and recycled materials; the project aimed to "showcase the project’s mission to encourage positive self-reflection and honor the artist within us all." Visitors can view the multimedia dolls at this sweet exhibit. LC
(Frye Art Museum, First Hill, Wednesday–Sunday)

Guma’ Gela’: Part Land, Part Sea, All Ancestry Past Event Like List
Queer CHamoru art collective Guma' Gela', which is comprised of members from the Mariana Islands and its diaspora, explores their own motto—"part land, part sea, all ancestry"—in this varied exhibition of sculptures, soundscape, writing, printmaking, textiles, and more. It's a unique opportunity to learn more about CHamoru culture while checking out bright, textural works by 13 creators in the Pacific Northwest and Guam. LC
(Wing Luke Museum, Chinatown-International District, Monday/Wednesday-Sunday)

Jaune Quick-To-See Smith: Memory Map Past Event Like List
Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, a citizen of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation, is one of the 20th century's most innovative artists—she blends references to pop art and abstraction with Native perspectives on Americana and mass media in brilliant, layered compositions. This solo exhibition curates from across five decades of the artist's paintings, drawings, and sculptures; I'm especially drawn to the Bush administration critique of War is Heck and Indian Map, Smith's "first recognizable map of the country in which brushstrokes and drips blur states’ borders and collaged texts and photographs tell stories of the land’s vast Indigenous presence." LC
(Seattle Art Museum, Downtown, Wednesday–Sunday)

Jessica Jackson Hutchins: Wrecked and Righteous Past Event Like List
If you're already familiar with the Portland art scene, you've likely heard the name "Jessica Jackson Hutchins" float around. Jackson Hutchins's tactile works transform everyday objects into art forms that are both intimately familiar and reverently heightened, and her ambitious, raw, playful style, which runs the gamut from massive sculptural installations to clothing pieces, is easily recognizable. The artist often employs castoff household objects to create her earth-toned, figurative, and vessel-like forms; in 2016, her process expanded to include collage-like window pieces in fused glass, some of which you'll see in Jessica Jackson Hutchins: Wrecked and Righteous. The exhibition surveys the last 30-ish years of her career in a nonchronological presentation of furniture pieces, relief paintings, and more, plus "wearable food vessels" that will be activated during a special performance. LC
(Frye Art Museum, First Hill, Wednesday–Sunday)

Kelly Akashi: Encounters Past Event Like List
A multi-site exploration of Kelly Akashi's work, which began with the now-closed exhibitionFormations at the Frye Art Museum, will continue with Encounters. Formations explored the Los Angeles-based artist's focus on craft and included Conjoined Tumbleweeds, a bronze cast of plants collected from Poston, Arizona, where members of Akashi's family were incarcerated in a Japanese American internment camp during World War II. In Encounters, Akashi continues to share her interest in material transformation and time-mapping with sculptural works in wax, bronze casting, fire, hand-blown glass, silicone, and rope. LC
(Henry Art Gallery, University District, Thursday–Sunday; closing)