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The Top 54 Events in Seattle This Week: Oct 30–Nov 5, 2023

Burna Boy, Seattle Catrinas Festival, and More Top Picks
October 30, 2023
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Celebrate Día de los Muertos at the Seattle Catrinas Festival. (Seattle Catrinas Festival)
Something wicked this way comes...we've compiled a spellbinding slate of the week's top events, from Burna Boy to Freakout Festival, from Hadestown to Phoebe Robinson and from Georgetown Morgue to the Seattle Catrinas Festival. For more ideas, check out our Halloween guide and our Día de los Muertos calendar.

Jump to: Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Multi-Day


MONDAY

LIVE MUSIC

Girl Ray Past Event List
On their third album, Prestige, London-based trio Girl Ray evokes an early '80s disco club with their glossy, harmony-driven, funk-forward sound. The album's press release notes the band's inspiration from Ryan Murphy's Pose writing, "Prestige is the sound of Girl Ray reclaiming disco music as the celebration of sexuality and outsider culture it started out as." Don't miss opening sets from local indie pop gems Tinsley and JUL!ET. AV
(Barboza, Capitol Hill)

READINGS & TALKS

Korean Horror Past Event List
SIFF film programmer and Harvard grad Hannah Baek will lead the way on this exploration of the key themes, stylistic trends, and critical moments in South Korean horror cinema history. Fans of The Wailing and Train to Busan shouldn't sleep on it. Over four weeks, a series of screenings at SIFF Cinema Egyptian will be followed by hybrid talks on ghosts, succubi, devils, zombies, viruses, and more at SIFF Film Center. South Korean horror tends to use these creepy tropes as signifiers of larger sociopolitical issues of xenophobia, colonization, gender violence, and class—you know, all that stuff that keeps you up at night. Two major selling points for this series? Themed costumes are "highly encouraged," and you don't have to be a horror hound to show up and learn something new. LC
(SIFF Film Center, Uptown)

TUESDAY

FILM

Collide-O-Scope Halloween Past Event List
It's HalloweeEEEeeeEEEeeeen! (Please read that in your best Vincent Price voice.) If you are an indecisive Gemini (hi! I feel your pain!) and you need one Very Good recommendation, it is this: Collide-O-Scope's Halloween show at the Egyptian. Collide-O-Scope comes from the brilliant minds of Michael Anderson and Shane Wahlund (The Stranger’s own video wizards!). They string together cinematic masterpieces using found footage from some of the deepest, dankest corners of pop culture. It's always great—they've been at it for over a decade, and you can see them monthly at Here-After—but their proclivities for summoning the truly strange and shocking recorded bits of our history shines like werewolf eyes in the moonlight during their annual Halloween extravaganza. STRANGER EDITOR MEGAN SELING
(SIFF Cinema Egyptian, Capitol Hill)

Film Screening of Our Times and Conversation with Dr. Nagmeh Samini Past Event List
As part of the University of Washington’s Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures department's Teller of Truth: Women, Cinema, Freedom event series, this film screening and conversation with Dr. Nagmeh Samini will honor the renowned godmother of Iranian cinema, Rakhshan Bani-Eʿtemad. Her award-winning 2002 documentary Our Times "tells two stories: the ventures of a young and dynamic generation eligible to vote for the first time, and the unlikely and crushing story of a working-class single mother who runs for president." The screening marks the first anniversary of Women, Life, Freedom, a Kurdish-inspired and female-led revolutionary movement, and Dr. Samini, a UW affiliate professor, playwright, and scriptwriter, will reflect on the demands for justice and change in modern Iran. A second screening of Rakhshan Bani-Eʿtemad's films, followed by a brief Q&A with the director, is planned later in the week. LC
(Henry Art Gallery, University District)

FOOD & DRINK

Haunted Soiree: A Macabre Cocktail Party Past Event List
This eerie immersive theatrical party revolves around the Rasputin-inspired tale of Doctors Natalia and Grigor Volkov, who wind up dead along with all their patients at their psychiatric facility after Natalia's death during childbirth. Guests are encouraged to don their most dramatic finery, be it Halloween costumes, cocktail chic, or period-accurate outfits. The night includes themed miniature craft cocktails, live music, secret games, and roaming ghosts just dying to tell you their secrets. The experience is a bit of a choose-your-own adventure; you can delve into the story or you can simply enjoy drinks and entertainment with your friends (magic tricks and burlesque were top quality). There's a haunted house-esque walkthrough (we heard screams so we avoided it), a Ouija board to chat with, and even a mystic who might pull you into a backroom for a tarot reading if your vibes are right. SL
(DAR Rainier Chapter House, Capitol Hill)

GEEK & GAMING

An Evening with Bravo's Favorite Villain: Tom Sandoval Past Event List
I've been dutifully watching Vanderpump Rules since 2014, so the affair that shooketh the world earlier this year was a little bittersweet—on the one hand, I was thrilled that everyone caught on to the good-as-gold content that Lisa Vanderpump's glam employees serve on a tequila-splattered platter, but on the other hand, the whole thing went down because one of the Toms showed his ass for the thousandth time. (Lesson: men who shave their foreheads will never learn.) Anyway, if you want to meet the dork who spawned a thousand "worm with a moustache" jokes, head to this VIP meet-and-greet, where Sandoval will hang out with Bravo-lebrity savant Christian Grey Snow for trivia and a Q&A session. (Here's my question, Tom: WHY DID YOU CHEAT ON ARIANA WITH HER FRIEND?) LC
(The Woods, Industrial District)

PERFORMANCE

This Is Halloween Past Event List
Inspired by the Tim Burton classic The Nightmare Before Christmas, Can Can Productions' original musical adaptation will celebrate 16 years at Triple Door with all things Skellington—expect a spooky cabaret with burlesque stylings, live orchestral music, haunting vocals, and video projections. C'mon, we know you former Hot Topic lovers are interested. LC
(Triple Door, Downtown)

WEDNESDAY

FOOD & DRINK

Taste America: Seattle Past Event List
At this star-studded supper, the James Beard Foundation (named after the late, great chef and author) will bring together a stacked lineup of acclaimed culinary luminaries. This year, the series will "highlight the richness and diversity of local food culture in cities across America while spotlighting chefs who are uniquely leading the industry forward," with host Melissa Miranda (the award-winning chef behind Musang and Kilig) and visiting chef Ayo Balogun from Dept of Culture in New York City. The event will also feature 30 food and beverage stations, with offerings from Blanca Rodriguez of Pimienta Bistro and Bar, Janet Becerra of the pop-up Pancit, Karma Lee of Bobae Coffee and Tea, Aaron Verzosa of Archipelago, Paolo Campbell and Donald Adams from The Chicken Supply, Victor Steinbrueck of Local Tide, Trey Lamont from Jerk Shack, Ethan Stowell, Yenvy and Quynh-Vy Pham from Phở Bắc Sup Shop, and Brian Doherty and Danielle Grogan of Four Seasons Hotel Seattle and Goldfinch Tavern. JB
(Four Seasons Hotel Seattle, Seattle Waterfront)

PERFORMANCE

serpentwithfeet: Heart of Brick Past Event List
Josiah Wise, aka serpentwithfeet, will bring his otherworldly tenderness to the stage with his new theatrical dance piece Heart of Brick, which is set to his songs from his latest album Deacon. The piece is a passionate study of love—particularly Black queer love—that embodies the sweetness and sincerity at the core of Wise's electronic project. AV
(Moore Theatre, Belltown)

THURSDAY

COMEDY

Bo Johnson Past Event List
Comedy Central hooligan, Seattle native, and funny festival regular Bo Johnson will elicit some hometown laughs—you'll be a fan if you enjoy the idea of a "golden retriever in a Mormon's body." LC
(Club Comedy Seattle, Capitol Hill)

FILM

Dark Dreams: The Original Film Noir Series Past Event List
Look out for cigarette smoke and midnight jazz riffs: Greg Olson, Seattle Art Museum's film curator from 1977 until the position's elimination in 2020, will return with Dark Dreams: The Original Film Noir Series. Olson's noir expertise has been long praised by local voices like film writer and professor Dr. John Trafton, who deemed this year's lineup a "thrilling and mesmerizing journey for die-hard noir fans and the uninitiated," and journalist Charles R. Cross, who called Olson "Seattle's all-time-best film curator." Nine films spanning 60 years of noir style will screen at SIFF Cinema Egyptian. LC
(SIFF Cinema Egyptian, Capitol Hill)

LIVE MUSIC

Faye Webster Past Event List
Faye Webster's star has been steadily shining since her 2013 debut Run and Tell—released when she was just sixteen years old. But it wasn't until the release of her 2021 album, I Know I'm Funny haha, that things really began to take off (seriously, "In A Good Way" has nearly 50 million streams on Spotify). The album mixes soft R&B with a country-folk twang while utilizing her whispery soft vocal quality to deliver cheeky lyrics about basketball, falling in love, greedy landlords, and owning your sense of humor ("I made her laugh one time at dinner / She said I'm funny and then I thanked her / But I know I'm funny haha"). Webster will play songs from the album along with some new material, and possibly even a cover of the Pokémon theme "Eterna City." Latin indie pop artist Maye will open. AV
(Showbox SoDo, SoDo)

READINGS & TALKS

The Eater Cookbook with Mutsuko Soma and Harry Cheadle Past Event List
One of the best parts about home cooking is being able to travel the world without having to leave the comfort of your cozy abode. Thanks to Eater's new cookbook, you can sate your wanderlust with a dream gastronomic road trip across the country—the book contains the secrets to recreating the halo-halo leche flan from Kamayan in Georgia, spicy cumin lamb with biang-biang noodles from Xi'an Famous Foods in New York, migas from Veracruz All Natural in Austin, and many more signature restaurant dishes. To celebrate the release, Eater Seattle editor Harry Cheadle will chat food with badass soba and sake specialist Mutsuko Soma of Kamonegi and Hannyatou, whose recipe for mushroom sukiyaki soba is included in the book. JB
(Book Larder, Fremont)

Timothy Egan Past Event List
Timothy Egan, beloved Seattle dweller and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Immortal Irishman, The Big Burn, and other works of history, travel writing, and true crime, takes on the KKK in his newest tome. A Fever in the Heartlandtraces the life of Madge Oberholtzer, a "seemingly powerless" woman who exposed the cruelties of D. C. Stephenson, a KKK leader, murderer, rapist, and candidate for the world's worst dude. Oberholtzer's deathbed testimony provoked the demise of the second incarnation of the Ku Klux Klan—learn more about it at this talk. LC
(Central Library, Downtown)

FRIDAY

COMEDY

Gabriel Iglesias: Don't Worry Be Fluffy Past Event List
Fluffy legend and "retired fitness model" Gabriel Iglesias is one of America’s most-loved stand-up comics, best known for his sly humor and witty observations on everything from his celebrity status to cultural relations. He'll present this sidesplitting show as a return to comedy after a string of voice-acting roles in Space Jam: A New Legacy, Coco, and UglyDolls. LC
(Climate Pledge Arena, Uptown)

Jenny Yang Past Event List
Comedian Jenny Yang, who was named one of Variety's Top Ten Comics to Watch back in 2020, has proven the magazine right ever since. Her "competitive self-care comedy show," SELF HELP ME, blends personal storytelling and social commentary to hilariously timely effect; she's also shared the stage with Maria Bamford, Margaret Cho, Sarah Silverman, and Chelsea Handler. If that's not enough, Yang's also a badass labor organizer and community activist—she's a "proud union member of the Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild of America," and shook hands with Obama when she was honored for her leadership in Asian American and Pacific Islander art and storytelling. LC
(Fremont Abbey Arts Center, Fremont)

LIVE MUSIC

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince™ in Concert with the Seattle Symphony Past Event List
Expecto Patronum! The Seattle Symphony will take on the cultural phenomenon, performing music from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The audience will relive Harry’s fixation with a mystifying potions book in high-definition and experience Nicholas Hooper's unforgettable score like never before. AV
(Benaroya Hall, Downtown)

PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE

Taylor's Version: 1989 Re-Release Party! Past Event List
Do you have a "Blank Space" in your calendar? Join your fellow Swifties as they congregate in honor of 1989 (Taylor's Version). Typically referred to as her "party girl" years, the 1989 era gave us TayTay's first venture into synth-pop, her obsession with the Kennedys, and the iconic Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. I, for one, can't wait to dance along to the mythical vault track "Slut!" AV
(Neumos, Capitol Hill)

SATURDAY

COMEDY

Phoebe Robinson: The Messy AF Tour Past Event List
Phoebe Robinson, the razor-sharp comedian, bestselling author, actress, and #ThotNaysh president well-known for co-creating and co-hosting the hit podcast-turned-HBO show 2 Dope Queens, will drop by Seattle on her Messy AF tour. Personally, I'd love it if she did the whole show while using her jade roller; I'm also hoping to hear more about her past life, in which she may've been Bono's girlfriend. LC
(Neptune Theatre, University District)

FOOD & DRINK

Very Good Food Tour '23 Past Event List
Bay Area-born rapper and producer P-Lo, a founder of the HBK Gang (a hip-hop collective that counts a little-known up-and-coming artist named Kehlani among its members), is celebrating Filipino-American excellence with a tour across the country with stops at some acclaimed restaurants along the way. In Seattle, he'll come to Kilig, Musang chef Melissa Miranda's new "panciteria and bulalohan" in Chinatown-International District. The free event promises conviviality and community, with exclusive food and drink specials, music, and merch—it's sure to be a joyful time. JB
(Kilig, Chinatown-International District)

SUNDAY

LIVE MUSIC

Burna Boy Past Event List
Nigerian Afrobeat king Burna Boy, who NME once named as the "best solo act in the world," is bringing his I Told Them... tour to Seattle to support his fifth album of the same name. The album draws on '90s aesthetics and samples, most notably sampling Brandy's "Top of the World" on lead single "Sittin' on Top of the World." Pitchfork writes of the album: "[Burna Boy] steps further into Afro-fusion, the pan-African genre he’s claimed for his music. His undeniable voice—low and warm, raspy and pooling with intensity—is the unifying force. That, and some well-placed tenor saxophone that conjures a rare Cheval-Blanc by candlelight, signals his desire to push forward beyond the imaginary borders he’s traversed." AV
(Climate Pledge Arena, Uptown)

Portugal. The Man Past Event List
The Portland-via-Alaska transplants Portugal. The Man have made themselves easy for us Pacific Northwesters to embrace with their infectious hooks, commitment to activism and philanthropy, and fierce support of the Blazers. And, love it or hate it, their 2017 earworm "Feel It Still" continues to ring through Top-40 radio. Don't miss the rock-pop ensemble as they stop by Seattle with songs from their latest album, Chris Black Changed My Life. The album features big names like Black Thought, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and Edgar Winter. AV
(The Showbox, Downtown)

MULTI-DAY

FALL & HALLOWEEN

Carpinito Bros. Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze Past Event List
You know what will make your cozy fall photoshoot better? A breathtaking backdrop of Mount Rainier, which is just what you'll get (on a clear day) at Carpinito Brothers Farm. Bring your Hinge date, your parents, and/or your kids (just not your dog) and proceed to get lost in multiple mazes spanning acres of corn, pet farm animals, and take your pick of pumpkins. SL
(Carpinito Brothers, Kent, Monday-Sunday)

Georgetown Morgue 2023 Past Event List
The Georgetown Morgue is home to creepy carcasses and the site of a macabre murder, and it transforms into a frightening walkthrough attraction every Halloween. The fact that there are emergency exits every 15 feet and the estimated time to go through depends on "if you are walking or running" speaks to just how scary it is. The scene: a toxic stench is coming from a dilapidated catacomb uncovered by a doctor who's rumored to be capturing the citizens of Seattle. You or your loved ones could be next. Are you brave enough to investigate? SL
(Georgetown Morgue, Industrial District, Monday-Saturday)

EXHIBITS

Roots of Wisdom: Native Knowledge. Shared Science. Past Event List
Blending traditional knowledge and modern science, Roots of Wisdom: Native Knowledge. Shared Science. gathers stories from Indigenous communities to share perspectives on eco-restoration, traditional foods, and crafts. Visitors will come away with a better grasp on the issues Indigenous communities face and how they're working to solve them through sustainable—and sometimes ancient—practices. Designed with input from Tulalip, Cherokee, and Umatilla groups, the exhibition digs into the Cherokee use of native river cane for basket weaving, Tulalip gardening, Native Hawaiian aquaculture, and uses for the Columbia River's native lamprey. LC
(MOHAI, South Lake Union, Monday-Sunday)

We Are Puget Sound Past Event List
If you call the Puget Sound region home, it's worth it to learn more about the wildlife and cultures that also reside in and around the Salish Sea, from Southern resident orcas and Chinook salmon to community gardeners and Coast Salish tribes. The Burke Museum's new exhibition We Are Puget Sound "explores the marvel of our area" with canoe models, clam baskets, and specimens from its fish, plant, and fossil collections, plus photos and profiles of Salish Sea protectors. This is fascinating stuff, people! (The exhibition is based on the book We Are Puget Sound: Discovering and Recovering the Salish Sea, published by Braided River in partnership with Washington Conservation Action; you can snag a copy from Elliott Bay before you see the exhibit.) LC
(Burke Museum, University District, Tuesday-Sunday)

FESTIVALS

Seattle Catrinas Festival 2023 Past Event List
Join in on these community celebrations for Día de los Muertos centered around "catrinas," the elegant skeletal characters associated with the Day of the Dead. This four-day fest honors the memory of departed loved ones with a giant altar, ofrendas, folk art, and a street market full of traditional food, face painting, goodies, and more. Multiple art exhibits feature creations from Mexico, including over 200 handmade catrinas dolls, living statues, and world-renowned sculpture artist Hermes Arroyo's "Seagiantskulls" installation. Interact with live catrinas, play a game of loteria, and get your photo taken with "mojigangas," or giant puppets. If running between all the exhibits and activities tires you out, you can grab a seat for a presentation of "Unforgettable" every evening at 6:30 pm, featuring a live catrinas procession, mariachi, and dance performances. SL
(Town Hall Seattle, First Hill, Thursday-Sunday)

SPAM New Media Festival Past Event List
SPAM's 2023 program began in August with an activation at Freeway Park by the University of Washington’s Digital Arts and Experimental Media (DXARTS) Ph.D. candidates. DXARTS students aren't afraid to get weird with it, so the experience brought the park to life with sound performances, installations, videos, and "sculptural interventions" inspired by the idea of salvage, data sets, collective memory, and archives. The explorations will continue all month: SPAM's tech-driven art "resonates with the notion of unlearning one’s privileges and positions of power," and the festival's free performances and exhibitions include collaborations with Henry Art Gallery, Mini Mart City Park, Method Gallery, Gallery 4Culture, Jack Straw Cultural Center, Georgetown Steam Plant, and Meany Hall at the University of Washington. Click here for a full list of events and head out with an open mind. LC
(Various locations, Multiple dates through December 8)

FILM

50 Years of SIFF Past Event List
SIFF Cinema Egyptian's latest series offers a rare opportunity to catch 21 Seattle International Film Festival faves and Audience Award winners. Over the last 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. The series starts with Eighth Grade, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum this week. I'm jazzed that they'll screen the eerie Australian flick Picnic at Hanging Rock, a favorite of SIFF festivalgoers in 1979, later this month. LC
(SIFF Cinema Egyptian, Capitol Hill, Friday-Sunday)

All Monsters Attack! 2023 Past Event List
October rolls around, and suddenly, everyone wants to watch vampires, ghosts, and cannibals get their freak on. Typical!!! If you're also feeling the sudden urge to stress yourself out with Cronenberg and Tobe Hooper faves, All Monsters Attack! has your back. The series continues to shudder this weekend with horror greats both new and old—The Texas Chain Saw Massacre will be followed by Suitable Flesh, a fresh flick following Heather Graham through Lovecraftian realms. Plus, Hausu will screen to mix things up with floating heads, cute kitties, and carnivorous pianos. LC
(Grand Illusion, University District, Monday-Tuesday)

Engauge Experimental Film Festival 2023 Past Event List
With a focus on "films that originated on film," the Engauge Experimental Film Festival will return for its sixth year to show more love for the analog, experimental side of filmmaking. Engauge will present seven programs of shorts and one feature flick over four days of screenings, so you're bound to scope out some unfamiliar film techniques. The fest also includes a solo show by San Francisco-based filmmaker Greta Snider, and a live score for a 16mm print of Anacortes-born, Beat Generation filmmaker Harry Smith’s experimental animation film Heaven and Earth Magic. LC
(Northwest Film Forum, Capitol Hill, Wednesday-Saturday)

Killers of the Flower Moon Past Event List
The calendar is inching closer to Oscar season, and with it will come a film that already rivals the chatter of this summer's Barbie and Oppenheimer, if that's even possible. Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, which the Guardian described as an "epic of creeping, existential horror about the birth of the American century," follows the true story of quasi-genocidal serial killings that impacted Oklahoma's Osage tribal community in the '20s. The film takes a "show, don't tell" approach to illustrating the epidemic of violence against Native people in the United States. Calling it now: Based on the trailer alone, Killers of the Flower Moon blends Western sensibilities, true crime, and the macabre in an enthralling way that'll land each and every butt in a theater seat. LC
(SIFF Cinema Uptown, Uptown, Monday-Thursday)

Once Within a Time Past Event List
There aren’t many films that explore the perils of the end of the world that also include a cameo by an iconic boxer. Of course, most films aren’t Godfrey Reggio's Once Within a Time. Absurd yet arresting, it's a kaleidoscopic vision of radical vigor. Though probably Reggio’s most accessible work, with a “narrative” that feels almost like a haunting echo of last year’s magnificent Mad God, it’s also kinetic in a way that proves to be oddly electrifying. The film, with a dynamite score by Philip Glass, is a fever dream about the impacts of technology that never descends into “old man yells at cloud,” as it’s also about the potential of the future. It’s a nightmarish yet hopeful work that challenges just as it elicits earned laughter. Plus, as you come away with many inevitable questions, executive producer Steven Soderbergh (who should really make a film of his own, as he’s got a good eye for projects to support) and the film’s co-director Jon Kane will be in town for a post-screening Q&A to chat through it all. STRANGER CONTRIBUTOR CHASE HUTCHINSON
(SIFF Cinema Uptown, Uptown, Monday-Thursday)

Romanian Film Festival Seattle 10th Anniversary Past Event List
A new wave of Romanian filmmakers is producing innovative, boundary-pushing films, and back for its tenth year, the hybrid Romanian Film Festival will continue to spotlight the best creatives from the country. Showcasing work by emerging and established directors, the festival (titled "One Eye Laughing, One Eye Crying" this year, a nod to its first edition in 2014) reflects on the "rich cultural fabric" of Romania and explores its directors "unflinchingly honest perspectives." Highlights include Men of Deeds, which swept this year's Gopo Awards. LC
(SIFF Cinema Uptown, Uptown, Saturday-Sunday)

'Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour' Concert Film Past Event List
On November 1st, 2022, a mere eleven days after releasing her tenth studio album Midnights, pop mastermind Taylor Swift dropped the dates of her Eras tour. Nothing has been the same since. Just kidding (kind of). In the last year, Ticketmaster broke, the Swifties tried to unionize, Tay Tay single-handedly made football cool again, and she's broken the record for the highest-grossing concert film in the US. Swift is reaching every corner of her fanbase by providing the concert experience to those who weren't able to snag tickets to the actual tour or just want to experience it again. Not only does the film give viewers a front-row seat, but theaters are also selling special merchandise (god bless our capitalist queen). Plus, crowds are getting rowdy as if they're at an actual concert (see for yourself). It's clear that Ms. Swift is having a marvelous time ruining everything—including movie theater etiquette—and I'm here for it. AV
(Various locations, Monday-Sunday)

FOOD & DRINK

Black Lagoon Halloween Bar Pop-Up Past Event List
Break out your best goth finery: The swanky cocktail lounge Rob Roy is hosting Black Lagoon, a ghostly Halloween-themed experience proclaimed "Canada's Best Pop-Up Bar" by Canada's 100 Best in 2022. The experience, dreamed up by bartenders Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage in New Orleans in 2019, features dungeon-esque decor and deliciously morbid libations like the "Hellfire Fizz" (Lot 40 Dark Oak Rye Whiskey with carrot, turmeric, fresh lemon, Lustau Amontillado, Greek yogurt, Bitter Queens Caribbean spice bitters, absinthe, and seltzer), the "Book of Blood" (a take on the classic margarita with Montelobos Mezcal, Piment d'Espelette (Chile Liqueur), fresh beet, fresh lime juice, miso falernum, and absinthe), and the "Death Rattle" (Lustau Brandy, Lustau Amontillado Sherry, pineapple and lime juice, spiced oat orgeat, saline, and Bitter Queens Caribbean spice bitters). JB
(Rob Roy, Belltown, Monday-Saturday)

Nightmare on Wall Street at Navy Strength Past Event List
After recently coming to the realization that I've missed out on a big chunk of the essential horror film canon, I've been making up for lost time by watching classic slashers nearly every day—'tis the season, right? (I'm currently working my way through the High School Horror series curated by the Criterion Channel, which includes cult favorites like Ginger Snaps, Battle Royale, and Suspiria, and highly recommend it.) If you'd like to join me, I suggest adding an extra dimension to your viewings by partaking in some cinematic cocktails from Navy Strength. As they do each year, the award-winning Belltown tiki bar has temporarily transformed into a “fully immersive haunting experience" called Nightmare on Wall Street, with libations inspired by staples of the genre—for example, the Carrie-inspired "Telekinetic Energy" (aged rum, cherry, Bénédictine, pineapple, dry curaçao, citrus, and FIRE) and the intriguing Hereditary homage "Family Secrets" (bourbon, spiced cranberry, molé, orange peel, and citrus). Devilish decor, ghoulish glassware, and frightening film soundtracks contribute to the spine-chilling milieu. JB
(Navy Strength, Belltown, Tuesday-Saturday)

Seattle Restaurant Week 2023 Past Event List
Seattle Restaurant Week is actually two weeks, but we're not complaining—it's double the "chance to celebrate and support our culinary community" through menus curated especially for the occasion. With a variety of unique prix fixe and combo meals at various price points, it's a great time to branch out and try something new. Nearly 200 restaurants are participating this year—read our picks here. JB
(Various locations, Monday-Saturday)

LIVE MUSIC

Cloudbreak 2023 Past Event List
Cloudbreak is our city's latest effort to support local music venues as they continue to heal from hardships faced during the pandemic. The festival, which takes place over four weeks and more than two dozen venues, will kick off with indie folk troubadour Rocky Votolato, prolific PNW drummer Barrett Martin, R&B-rock queen Grace Love, and more. Plus, if you're planning a visit to Seattle or just craving a staycation, treat yourself to a night at one of the 71(!) participating hotels to gain free admission to the festival. Peep Cloudbreak's website for the full lineup of participating hotels and venues. AV
(Various locations, Wednesday-Sunday)

Earshot Jazz Festival 2023 Past Event List
The 35th annual Earshot Jazz Festival will sprawl across three weeks and 30 local venues, filling Seattle with established legends of the genre and exciting emerging artists. This year's lineup has so many great names, but be sure to catch the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra with award-winning clarinetist, saxophonist, and bandleader Anat Cohen (Nov 4-5). AV
(Various locations, Monday-Sunday)

Freakout Festival Past Event List
Acid Tongue’s Guy Keltner started Freakout Festival with one thing in mind—he wanted to throw a gigantic party for his friends. Now in its 11th year, the lineup may be bigger and more diverse than ever, but the spirit of the festival remains unchanged. Hop between multiple venues across Ballard to hear mindbending psychedelic tunes while tripping out to Freakout's notoriously hypnotic visual projections (the festival has a strict no-kids policy, so substances are common). You won't want to miss performances from LA-based psych-rock band Allah-Las, pioneering garage rock band the Gories, chaotic punk quartet the Spits, cumbia-punk outfit Son Rompe Pera, dancey goth project Sextile, and so many others. AV
(Various locations, Thursday-Sunday)

Grace Love Past Event List
Seattle soul sensation Grace Love's latest EP Work in Protest, explores grief, resilience, and solitude through bone-chilling harmonies, disco beats, and fuzzed-out riffs. Expect to have your jaw on the floor as Love croons through a stunning blend of originals and jazz standards for two consecutive nights at Jazz Alley. AV
(Jazz Alley, Belltown, Tuesday-Wednesday)

PERFORMANCE

Bloodletting Past Event List
When Farrah and her brother, Bosley, return to the Philippines to spread their father’s ashes beneath the moon, they encounter an aswang (a Filipino witch) that unveils Farrah's inherent power. Playwright Boni B. Alvarez's Bloodletting "dives deep into the indigenous culture of the Philippines" and is the perfect supernatural thriller for this time of year. LC
(Theatre Off Jackson, Chinatown-International District, Monday/Thursday/Saturday)

Cambodian Rock Band Past Event List
Playwright à la mode Lauren Yee, who wove together immigrant narratives and music-led comedy in Young Americans, is back with Cambodian Rock Band, which follows a survivor's return to Cambodia after escaping the murderous Khmer Rouge regime 30 years prior. I'm a big fan of Yee's dramaturgical sensibility, which often seeks to reclaim forgotten or overlooked histories. (She's also slated to pen the musical adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time, so expect to see her name again!) What's got me most riled up for Cambodian Rock Band, though, is its live band, which will play jangly Dengue Fever hits and classic Cambodian oldies. LC
(ACT - A Contemporary Theatre, Downtown, Wednesday-Sunday)

Goodnight Moon Past Event List
The best part of Margaret Wise Brown's Goodnight Moon is its impeccable vibes—I mean, check out this image and tell me you don't long to be Bunny, all tucked in for bed, surrounded by kittens and yarn and bear paintings and a cozy fireplace. This theatrical production is the closest thing to entering Bunny's comfy, dreamy, imaginative world, where you'll see "jumping cows, dancing bears, and a room that springs to life." I'm getting sleepy already, but in a good way. LC
(Seattle Children's Theatre, Uptown, Friday-Sunday)

Hadestown Past Event List
Greek mythology, but make it oppressive and apocalyptic. This Tony-winning musical by singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and acclaimed director Rachel Chavkin draws from the mythos of Orpheus, Eurydice, King Hades, and Persephone to construct one hell-raiser of a musical. Set within a dystopian landscape of climate anxiety and poverty (hashtag relatable), Eurydice toils away in a bummer industrial setting while Orpheus plans their escape. According to the Seattle Times, the production "makes a strong argument for how art can change the world," so check it out if you need a breather from your own daily grind. LC
(Paramount Theatre, Downtown, Tuesday-Sunday)

Islander Past Event List
"The songs are bops, one and all," said Theatrely of Islander, which seems like a shining endorsement to me. The bop-filled tale is set on a remote, sparsely populated Scottish island, where a young girl named Eilidh meets a mysterious stranger. Set to a contemporary Scottish folk-inspired score, the musical's sparse cast embodies a host of characters and develops an "expansive, ethereal soundscape" while "weaving, building, and layering their voices using live looping technology." Seattle Rep is the first stop on the production's North American tour. LC
(Leo K. Theater, Uptown, Wednesday–Sunday)

Love & Loss Past Event List
Pacific Northwest Ballet's latest trio of works showcases productions devised by the company's New Works Initiative. This performance includes social justice-informed modern dance choreographer Donald Byrd's Love and Loss, which premiered in 2019, alongside Alexei Ratmansky’s tribute to his homeland of Ukraine, Wartime Elegy, and Australian choreographer (and new artistic director of Oregon Ballet Theatre) Danielle Rowe's world premiere of The WindowLC
(McCaw Hall, Uptown, Friday-Saturday)

Macbeth: A Rock Musical Past Event List
"By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes." That's right—Shakespeare's eldritch tragedy Macbeth is back, and you can spread out upon the "blasted heath" of Seattle Public Theater for a gore-flecked tale of witches, madness, paranoia, and civil war. There's a catch, though: Director Amy Poisson's Macbeth: A Rock Musical offers up a femme, punk rock rendition of the tale, so don't go unless you're into strobe lights and jangling guitars. (Earplugs will be provided, though.) LC
(Seattle Public Theater, Green Lake, Thursday-Sunday)

The Merry Wives of Windsor Past Event List
This queer rendition of the Bard's The Merry Wives of Windsor, a light-hearted play wherein would-be seducer Falstaff's two mistresses outwit him at his own game, was adapted and directed by theatermaker Eddie DeHais. The rowdy, raucous take on the play romps through the small town of Windsor and devolves into total shenanigans when Mistress Page and Mistress Ford kick their wicked scheme into action. If you've only seen Shakespeare's more serious works, this production offers a chance to engage with some of his most comical characters. LC
(Center Theatre, Uptown, Wednesday-Sunday)

VISUAL ART

Arctic Highways: 12 Indigenous Artists of the Circumpolar North Past Event List
Arctic "highways"—a modernized way of describing the flowing exchange of art and culture—were alive and well before the creation of artificial borders and nation-states in northern regions. Artist-curators Tomas Colbengtson, Gunvor Guttorm, Dan Jåma, and Britta Marakatt-Labba explore this history of cultural exchange in Arctic Highways: 12 Indigenous Artists of the Circumpolar North, which spotlights contemporary art and handicraft by Indigenous artists from Canada, Alaska, and Sápmi (the traditional Indigenous territory now called Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Kola Peninsula in Russia). I'm popping on my mittens and ear-warmers to catch works by Matti Aikio, a Sámi artist with a background in reindeer herding, and Finnish urban Sámi photographer Marja Helander, whose snowy snapshots tell vivid stories. LC
(National Nordic Museum, Ballard, Tuesday-Sunday)

Hokusai: Inspiration and Influence, from the collection of The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Past Event List
Images of Katsushika Hokusai's Great Wave have been blasted onto high school projector screens since time immemorial, but Hokusai: Inspiration and Influence takes the viewer deeper with more than 100 of the master's woodblock prints, paintings, and illustrated books. (Yes, Great Wave—or Under the Wave off Kanagawa, by its full name—will be on display, along with a LEGO interpretation of it.) You don't have to cross an ocean to see the legendary Edo-period Japanese ukiyo-e artist's scope of influence, either. Over 200 works by his teachers, students, rivals, and admirers will be showcased alongside his own pieces right here in Seattle, courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. LC
(Seattle Art Museum, Downtown, Wednesday–Sunday)

Renegade Edo and Paris: Japanese Prints Past Event List
Edo-period (1603–1868) Edo (present-day Tokyo) and fin-de-siècle Paris faced surprisingly similar challenges. A burgeoning middle class in Edo pursued hedonism in revolt of state-sanctioned marginalization, and their new hobbies created subject matter for ukiyo-e (pictures of the floating world); when these images arrived in France, they amplified an anti-establishment joie de vivre and inspired artists like Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec to grow more expressive. Renegade Edo and Paris: Japanese Prints, an exhibition of 90 ukiyo-e and Toulouse-Lautrec works, illustrates the shared "subversive" hedonism of both styles. Pleasure-seekers should go take a look. LC
(Seattle Asian Art Museum, Capitol Hill, Wednesday–Sunday)

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