Must List: International Clash Day, Jack’s BBQ SLU Anniversary, Westerlies Fest
Your weekly guide to Seattle's hottest events
By Jorn Peterson February 6, 2020
Love the Must List? Get it right in your inbox. Subscribe.
MUST CLASH WITH AUTHORITY
International Clash Day
(2/7) In 2013, KEXP DJ John Richards declared February 7 “International Clash Day” in honor of the legendary rock band; now, radio stations around the world devote the day to Clash-related tributes. KEXP will be broadcasting music and interviews all day that relate to the rebellious spirit of Joe Strummer and The Clash. That evening, they’ll host a Clash cover night in the KEXP Gathering Space, with performances by local groups like Tres Leches and Naked Giants. Times and prices vary. KEXP, Lower Queen Anne; kexp.org
MUST GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
Westerlies Fest
(2/6-9) Brooklyn-based brass quartet the Westerlies invite the Seattle area to a multi-day music festival filled with workshops and performances. The Seattle-bred group will perform with different guests and in different locations each night, as way of giving back to the musical community that brought them together. Times, prices and locations vary; westerliesfest.org
MUST TRY ‘GATOR
Jack’s BBQ South Lake Union First Anniversary
(2/8) To celebrate the first anniversary of their South Lake Union location, Jack’s BBQ will be handing out free samples of house-smoked alligator, an off-menu delicacy they only pull out for special occasions. Diners can get half-off the price of beverages all day as well. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Free. Jack’s BBQ, South Lake Union; Facebook: ‘Jack’s BBQ’
MUST GROW UP
Lowbrow Opera Collective: #Adulting
(Through 2/9) “What can we do to make sure that new operas are written, performed and experienced by all sorts of people?” asks this group of young singers. Find out in #adulting (music by John Ervin Brooks, libretto by Natalie Stewart Elder), a comedy of four millennials, a shared apartment and a suboptimal couch. Times and prices vary. 18th & Union, Capitol Hill; 18thandunion.org
MUST DO IT YOURSELF
Solo Fest
(2/6-2/16) ACTLab brings together four highly touted performances under one roof in its inaugural installation of Solo Fest. The festival, headlined by Susan Lieu’s Over 140 LBS, includes four one-person plays, differing in their perspectives but all addressing contemporary issues in our society. Times and prices vary. ACT Theatre, downtown; acttheatre.org
MUST PICK A SIDE
Goodwitch/Badwitch (POSTPONED, DATE TBD)
(2/7-4/26) Artist and bruja Bri Luna, who offers “everyday magic for the modern mystic” on her website (thehoodwitch.com), has been tapped to curate the very first group show at the modestly named Museum of Museums—which itself is the result of a sort of magical act, the transformation of a former Swedish Health Services building by art provocateur Greg Lundgren. Museum of Museums, First Hill; museumofmuseums.com
Coming up:
These events are weeks away but are bound to sell out—get your tickets now.
MUST OCTOPI YOUR MIND
PacSci Science in the City: Octopus Intelligence
(2/18) As part of their Science in the City series, Pacific Science Center is taking a deeper look at the intelligence and behavior of the octopus. Dr. David Gire explains how new technology and research is changing what we know about the way octopuses think. 7 p.m. $5. Pacific Science Center, Lower Queen Anne; pacificsciencecenter.org
MUST DINE IN AWE
Scott Silven
(3/3-3/15) A sensory experience that weaves together the past, present and future, this illusionist combines fine dining, whisky tasting and other tricks into an inexplicable evening you won’t forget. Using illusion and mentalism, Silven draws connections between people, time and places. Times and prices vary. The Ruins, Lower Queen Anne; stgpresents.org
MUST ENJOY PI
Pi Day Dash
(3/14) Benefitting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, this themed run honors pi with a 3.14-mile racecourse and a slice of pie at the end. Join in the run, or just the post-race festivities. Unlike Pi, this 3.14-mile racecourse isn’t infinite. 9:30 a.m. $35. Magnuson Park, Sandpoint; therewillbepie.com
Follow Us
Ferry Tales: Eight Indie Bookstores Worth the Ride
Plan a summer day around these bookshops in Seattle, Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, Kingston, and Poulsbo.
Independent bookstores tend to be cornerstones of the communities in which they reside, and Seattle is no exception. In addition to helping customers discover their next read, these neighborhood hubs host weekly gatherings and events, like publication release parties, author talks, and book clubs. Many of them have cafés and reading tables that encourage lingering…
Rearview Mirror: Seattle Art Fair is Back, Nordstrom Throws a Block Party, and a Must-Try Ice Cream Sundae
Things I did, saw, ate, learned, or read in the past week (or so).
SEATTLE ART FAIR RETURNS The buzziest event of the summer (well, aside from the World Cup), is returning next week. Now in its 10th edition, the Seattle Art Fair will once again take over the Lumen Field Event Center, packing it to the gills with art from 101 local, national, and international galleries. This year,…
Studio Sessions: Jennifer Leigh Harrison
Seattle artist Jennifer Leigh Harrison uses layers of paint and abstraction to explore what we carry beneath the surface.
Jennifer Leigh Harrison’s paintings are dense with movement. Color and texture gather into mosaic-like fields, as if they have been fractured and reformed. There are places in the work where a frenetic buzz seems trapped between the canvas and the first layer of paint. That energy runs through Patterns of Belonging, her current exhibition at…
ENHYPEN’s Jay Has K-Pop Stardom and a Seattle Heart
The Federal Way-raised singer talks hometown memories, Ivar’s clam chowder, and how it feels to perform in the place he grew up.
Long before he was performing in sold-out arenas around the world and representing brands like Prada, ENHYPEN’s Jay called the Puget Sound region home. Born Jay Park (not to be confused with the other famous K-pop star of the same name, who is also from Seattle) in Seattle and raised in nearby Federal Way before…