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MONDAY 11/17
(MUSIC) The last time indie pop-rockers Lucius were in town, they opened for the National and the War on Drugs at Climate Pledge Arena. This time, they’re headlining a show in support of their self-titled album, returning to a moodier guitar-forward sound after the bouncy, funky pop of 2022’s Second Nature, which was co-produced by acclaimed singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile. I’m personally a huge fan of the new release—the song “Old Tape” has made its way onto several of my playlists since it came out in May, and Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig’s soaring harmonies still give me goosebumps. The two vocalists aren’t twins or even sisters, but they enjoy pulling fun live show antics like dressing in identical wigs and clothing on stage. Get there early to catch a set from folk duo Attention Bird Utopia, a new collaborative project from indie darlings Harrison Whitford (Phoebe Bridgers’ guitarist) and Eli Hirsch (the producer of Suki Waterhouse’s latest album). (Showbox, 8 pm, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH
TUESDAY 11/18
Finally We Have Met: Neon Works by Yale Wolf
(VISUAL ART) Yale Wolf stands out among his contemporaries not only as a master of neon, but as a master of mise-en-scène, crafting environments where neon plays both centerpiece and supporting role in larger poetic tableaux. His work reveals a knack for pulling meaning from free-form simulacral doodles and fragmented flourishes designed to illuminate and transform the objects around them, as seen earlier this year in Reclaimed, where pops of neon (steering wheel, sunroof, headlights) detailed the ghostly carcass of a rusted-out scrapyard sedan blistered by fire and pummelled by bullets. Ethereal decadence wreathed in decay! In Finally We Have Met, Wolf is bringing mirrors into the equation, including a nearly six-foot reflecting pool ringed with searing pink barbed wire. Let’s just say it: This exhibition will be a selfie paradise. But that’s no doubt by design—a case where Wolf’s mise-en-scène becomes the site of mise-en-abyme. (Hometeam Gallery, free) AMANDA MANITACH
WEDNESDAY 11/19
(FOOD) I’ve passed BeanFish, a former food truck turned taiyaki stall in the Uwajimaya food court, countless times without a second thought, figuring the little fish-shaped cakes probably looked better than they tasted. I now humbly stand corrected—BeanFish’s made-to-order taiyaki is the real deal, unlike inferior pre-made versions I’ve had in the past. Last week, I stood gazing through the kitchen window, watching the workers scoop batter and fillings into the intricate iron molds and smashing them together (extremely satisfying). Curiosity got the best of me, and I ordered the Elvis taiyaki stuffed with chunky peanut butter and banana. It was served to me piping hot, with a crisp exterior and fluffy interior, and was the perfect rainy afternoon pick-me-up. Now I’m on a mission to try them all. So far, I’ve also tried the “Mrs. Smith” (apple pie filling), #19 (honey mustard tuna with melty cheddar and delightfully chewy Japanese rice crackers), and mini “Donkii Kongu” taiyaki (toasted coconut, banana, and vanilla custard). I can’t wait to try the fan favorites “Mmm Bacon” (thick-cut peppered bacon, egg, tater tots, Tillamook cheddar, and scallions) and “Harajuku Chic” (Fruity Pebbles and a jumbo marshmallow waffle, with sweetened condensed milk on the side). (BeanFish, 11 am-7 pm daily) JULIANNE BELL
THURSDAY 11/20
(COMEDY) I’ll be honest, I used to refer to Conner O’Malley as “Aidy Bryant’s husband,” until I saw him in Joe Pera Talks With You as a depressed father who eats chicken in the shower, followed by his feature-length, the straight-to-YouTube film Rap World. He isn’t the typical comedian I’d ride for—in general, I have an aversion to male comics—but his loud, aggressive take on comedy ultimately makes a subversive statement about the absurdity of modern-day masculinity. The Chicago-born comedian, whom the New Yorker has called “the bard of the Manosphere,” plays pathetic, reply-guy characters that shed light on the idiocy of alpha males and/or incel men who have largely gotten us to our current hellscape. In a message on his Instagram, an AI-generated O’Malley states, “I have been in the General Motors psychological experiments labs generating humor sequences infused with alternative political ideas, and I’m finally ready to take it out on the road.” (Neptune Theatre, 7 pm & 9:45 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN
FRIDAY 11/21
(MUSIC) Seattle’s folk scene has been rumbling about Dean Johnson for quite a while now, but it wasn’t until his song “Faraway Skies” off his 2023 debut album went somewhat viral that most people started paying attention. With a second full-length release under his belt this summer and the backing of a label (he’s on Saddle Creek Records with the likes of Big Thief and Indigo De Souza), the soft-spoken troubadour rounds out a 13-date tour of the Western United States with a homecoming show at his biggest Seattle venue yet—the historic Showbox. Johnson’s music is filled with honest alt-folk charm, and his stage banter never fails to make me laugh. I’m looking forward to hearing the closing track off 2025’s I Hope We Can Still Be Friends, “A Long Goodbye,” which happens to be the first song he ever wrote back in 2004. Get there early for a set from French-Canadian country artist Theo Lawrence—a ’90s baby who sounds and looks like he time-traveled here from the 1960s. (Showbox, 8 pm, 21+) SHANNON LUBETICH
SATURDAY 11/22
Tricia Romano w/Erica C. Barnett and Charles Mudede
(BOOKS) Did you happen to catch the front page of the New York Times’ business section over the weekend? Right there on page B1, Seattle’s only newspaper was praised for being a “progressive kingmaker” in local elections. *insert nail polish emoji here* But our hard work isn’t new. For decades, The Stranger and other alt-weekly brethren across the country have been a much-needed voice in our media landscape and local elections. If you want to learn more about just how important alt-weeklies are in our past and current media landscape, read The Freaks Came Out to Write, Tricia Romano’s oral history of America’s first alt-weekly newspaper, The Village Voice. To celebrate the paperback release of the Freaks, Romano will join fellow alt-weekly diehards—and past and current Stranger staffers, respectively—Erica C. Barnett and Charles Mudede to discuss the vital role alternative newspapers have historically played in the country’s media landscape. And, if we’re lucky, they’ll dish a little on the snacks and gossip from Stranger Election Control Board meetings of decades past, too. (Elliott Bay Book Company, 7 pm, free) MEGAN SELING
SUNDAY 11/23
(MUSIC) Heart’s spell is enduring. I’ve been under it since I was 10, the tomboy middle sister of three who played the drums, practiced karate, and took music recommendations from my dad. I don’t recall the first time I heard hits like “Barracuda” or “Crazy on You,” but they were always there for me to angrily lip-sync in the mirror when I felt disenfranchised by adults. I worshipped them the way that I saw boys my age worship Led Zeppelin and AC/DC—two bands I never liked. I didn’t prefer Heart because I identified with their femaleness, I preferred Heart because their songs were better. In Heart’s music, you feel what they feel; they don’t have to say it explicitly. Ann’s lyrics are poetic, Nancy’s guitar solos are nuanced; both are masters of subtlety and power. The way the Wilson sisters communicated through their instruments was something I knew well with my own sisters—a magical connection that can only be described as sorcery. Ahead of their show at Climate Pledge Arena, read my interview with Nancy and Ann here. (Climate Pledge Arena, 7 pm, all ages) AUDREY VANN
Prizefight!
Win tickets to rad upcoming events!*
Heart
November 23, Climate Pledge Arena
Contest ends November 20 at 10 am
Damiano David
November 21, Paramount Theatre
Contest ends November 19 at 10 am
