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Jump to: Comedy | Film | Food & Drink | Live Music | MLK Day | Performance | Readings & Talks | Sports & Recreation | Visual Art | Winter
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Millennial laugh masters Joel Kim Booster and Patti Harrison, both of whom you may have seen on Shrill, will hit the stage with local comics, podcasters, and musicians for this three-day comedy festival across the Crocodile’s venues. I’m particularly jazzed for the Reptile Rave on January 6, which will be hosted by Therapy Gecko, a man-sized, anthropomorphic gecko named Lyle who doubles as a soft-voiced, wholesome counselor on his slithery podcast. LC
The Crocodile Complex, Belltown (Jan 5–7)
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As a stand-up comedian, Garofalo drifts from one thought to another like a cat trying to tell a story while chasing a piece of string, and then suddenly, after an hour or so, you realize she just dumped a bunch of brilliance on you and you never stopped laughing or at least chuckling because everything she said was relatable, true, and, at times, even poignant. Has anyone talked to her about hosting The Daily Show? Someone should talk to her about hosting The Daily Show. STRANGER ARTS EDITOR MEGAN SELING
Here-After at the Crocodile, Belltown (Jan 18–21)
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Stand-up master, actor, and storyteller Mike Birbiglia has more than his fair share of solo shows, books, and feature films to his credit—his “household name” status is years in the making. Fresh off a new Netflix special, The Old Man and The Pool, in which he chats about the perils of heart disease and cardio, Birbiglia will swing by Seattle to seek out our best pizza and pancake places. LC
Moore Theatre, Belltown (Sat Jan 20)
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Nate Bargatze was once described as “a comic who should be big” by Marc Maron, and that seems to have been prophetic—the Tennessee-born stand-up comedian has released two highly-rated Netflix specials and started a very funny podcast. As the son of a clown and magician, it makes sense that he’s comfy on stage (and that his observations skew weirder than most). If you’re unfamiliar with Bargatze’s schtick, expect sly self-deprecation and reflections on couponing and memory foam. LC
Angel of the Winds Arena, Everett (Sat Jan 27)
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No need to head to Park City to experience the independent magic of Sundance—this curated collection of seven short films from the 2023 festival (including two festival award-winning flicks) feels like the real thing. Sundance’s short film program often foretells later success, with past featured directors including Jay and Mark Duplass, Damien Chazelle, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Todd Haynes, Lynne Ramsay, and Taika Waititi, so who knows—you might bear witness to future greatness. LC
Northwest Film Forum, Capitol Hill (Jan 3–14)
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Tina Fey will continue trying to make “fetch” happen in this musical “twist on a modern classic,” a phrase that makes me feel irreparably old. Pack it up, fellow millennials—our journey to cultural obsolescence is complete, I guess. ANYWAY! Regina George is wearing black leather, and Jenna Fischer, Busy Philipps, and Jon Hamm have cameos as various adults in Cady Heron’s teenage world. Will this newfangled version create the same fanatical chokehold on teen society that the original Mean Girls did? Honestly, I don’t think so. But you’ll have fun regardless. LC
SIFF Cinema Downtown, Belltown (Jan 11–25)
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It’s a time-honored Southern tradition to eat copious black-eyed peas and greens, which represent coins and money, on New Year’s Eve for good fortune and prosperity in the coming year, and frankly, we could use all of the luck we can get right now. (Not to be superstitious, but the one time I failed to eat the black-eyed peas from my quarterly Rancho Gordo bean club subscription on New Year’s Eve, the pandemic happened…just saying.) The Central District community space Wa Na Wari is carrying on the custom with a vegan meal loaded with black-eyed peas and greens. Take it to go, or stay to enjoy a communal lunch. JB
Wa Na Wari, Central District (Mon Jan 1)
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There’s nothing like a steaming bowl of something hot, brothy, and restorative to bolster your spirits and ward off the chill of winter. Luckily, Fremont restaurants have risen to the occasion with a “neighborhood winter soup walk” called Fremont Soupocalypse, allowing diners to get their soup fix and support local businesses during their slowest months of the year to boot. Simply amble through the neighborhood and enjoy dine-in and takeout specials from Fremont Mischief, El Camino, Shawn O’Donnell’s, Paseo, Kaosamai, Red Star Taco Bar, SWeL, Soul, Nuna Ramen, Triangle Spirits, Petoskey’s, The George and Dragon, Esters Enoteca, Dreamland, and Local Tide. You’ll collect a stamp on your “soupassport” for each soup destination—if you collect eight or more, you can redeem them at Mischief before February 12 for a free tasting, shot glasses, and a grab bag of local treats. JB
Various locations, Fremont (Jan 26–29)
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This immersive concert invites you to “run down memory lane at Sonic speed” with three decades of music honoring your favorite spikey-haired hedgehog. A full symphony orchestra will bring to life everything from the 8-bit/16-bit tunes of the original game to the contemporary rock and EDM scores of the live-action films. C’mon, let’s juice! AV
Paramount Theatre, Downtown (Fri Jan 5)
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Acclaimed Seattle-born singer-songwriter Damien Jurado will bring his melodic and shapeshifting indie-folk back home for a three-night stint. He will likely play tracks from his new album Passing The Giraffes, which takes inspiration from old-school doo-wop for a dreamy, Lynchian sound. He will be joined by local pianist Aura Ruddell (night one), alt-rock project Byung (night two), and folk singer-songwriter Lilly Miller (night three). AV
Fremont Abbey Arts Center, Fremont (Jan 11–13)
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Odie Leigh’s recent rise to fame has been a bit of an oxymoron. Her sound draws on traditional folk music with finger-picked guitars and narrative lyricism—the kinds of songs you’d expect to be passed down through generations. However, her songs were passed around through online algorithms and social media shares—I am talking about TikTok of course! Back in the fall of 2022, Odie Leigh posted a clip of her then-unreleased song “Crop Circles” and TikTok went wild (seriously, it has 9.7 million views and counting!) It’s easy for non-zoomers to discredit anything that was discovered on an app, but Odie Leigh’s talent is undeniable. Her guitar playing is reminiscent of folk-blues legends like Elizabeth Cotton and Odetta while her voice has a soothing grit likened to Janis Joplin by commenters. Don’t miss Odie Leigh on her first full-band tour ahead of her highly anticipated debut album. AV
Neumos, Capitol Hill (Sat Jan 13)
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The Seattle Symphony will transport you to the black lodge with their faithful renditions of Angelo Badalamenti’s iconic Twin Peaks soundtrack. Making things even more damn good, Kyle MacLachlan (aka Special Agent Dale Cooper) will host! Tickets are a little pricey, but I’ll be making it work because as Cooper says, “What I want and what I need are two different things, Audrey.” AV
Benaroya Hall, Downtown (Wed Jan 17)
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If you’re one of those Dinosaur Jr. fans who says “I only like their old stuff,” perhaps you’ll be pleased to see that the alt-rock legends are on tour marking the 30th anniversary of their fifth album Where You Been. The 1993 album marked the band’s transition from the avant-noise of Bug to a more refined, ’70s rock-inspired sound. With that polish came the most commercial success the band had ever seen, with the album’s lead single “Start Choppin” landing on the Billboard charts. The original lineup of J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph will swing by Seattle for two nights to play the album in its entirety along with a few other classics and covers sprinkled throughout. AV
Neptune Theatre, University District (Jan 17–18)
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Buck Meek, whom you probably know as the Big Thief guitarist with an arsenal of cool Western shirts, will head out on a solo tour to support his latest album, Haunted Mountain. As you may expect, the album leans into country rock with mystical lyrics about UFOs, getting lost, and passionate love affairs (à la Big Thief). What differentiates Buck’s solo work from his aforementioned band is his earnest Sufjan Stevens-esque vocal quality, making for a lighter, breezier feel than Big Thief’s emotionally heavy works. Buck will be joined by his brother, jazz pianist Dylan Meek. AV
The Crocodile, Belltown (Tues Jan 23)
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Twenty-three years ago, the San Jose-born selector Josh Davis (aka DJ Shadow) released his trailblazing instrumental hip-hop album Endtroducing….. and music was changed forever. Not only was the album cited by Guinness World Records as “the first album created entirely from samples,” but it propelled the genre of trip-hop and inspired non-hip-hop artists (like Radiohead) to meld genres and experiment with sampling. Shadow’s subsequent albums have yet to match the impact of his debut, but he is hardly a one-hit-wonder (or a one-trick-pony). His latest release Action Adventure sounds unlike any of his previous albums—with an emphasis on synth samples, it sounds like the score to an ’80s car racing game (in the best way!) AV
Neptune Theatre, University District (Wed Jan 24)
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Portland’s own “little orchestra” Pink Martini features over a dozen musicians who perform a multilingual repertoire of slinky jazz, theatrical classical, catchy pop, and vibrant global sounds. The band has a certain je ne sais quoi that puts everyone in a good mood—they don’t just perform a show, they know how to throw a party. They are also known for their rotating lineup, making every show unique. This performance will be fronted by longtime jazz vocalist China Forbes. AV
Pantages Theater (Fri Jan 26)
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The post-holiday winter months can feel a bit bleak—it’s cold and dark with no twinkling lights to illuminate your neighborhood. That’s why I love a late winter festival—it helps that special December magic live on while forcing you out of hibernation. At Seattle Chamber Music Society’s annual six-day winter program, they will celebrate the fertile musical history of the British Isles with two weekends of music from Britain’s greatest composers of the early 20th century along with works by Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and other great masters. AV
Benaroya Hall, Downtown (Jan 26–28)
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The Seattle Symphony will host their annual Celebrate Asia program, which has highlighted the vibrant traditions of Seattle’s Asian communities for more than a decade. This year’s concert will feature a family-friendly program of music and dance with special guests, including Korean American composer August Baik (performing his original work Chuseok Overture) and Vietnamese American pianist Quynh Nguyen (performing Paul Chihara’s Concerto Fantasy). AV (
Benaroya Hall, Downtown (Sun Jan 28)
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United Way of King County works side-by-side with communities in need to build an equitable future for everyone, a mission that’s aligned with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s doctrine. Lend a hand at any of the numerous volunteer opportunities available throughout the city—if you don’t see something that aligns with your strengths, stay tuned; they’ll be adding more projects as MLK Day approaches. SL
Various locations (Mon Jan 15)
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The Northwest African American Museum’s annual MLK Day program promises arts and crafts activities for kids and families, vendors, film screenings, and remarks from local leaders and motivational speakers. During the celebration, NAAM will debut a new exhibit entitled “Interrupting Privilege.” This immersive mixed-media experience hosted by The Center for Communication, Difference, and Equity will give attendees a chance to listen to recorded dialogues and learn about how to interrupt privilege in their own lives. SL
Northwest African American Museum, Central District (Mon Jan 15)
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The Seattle MLK Jr Coalition hosts their 41st annual region-wide Martin Luther King, Jr., Celebration with workshops, a rally, and a march on Monday, January 15. The theme this year is “MLK Jr.’s Dream Unfinished,” celebrating the work that’s been done while acknowledging that there’s still a lot more to do and a long way to go on the path to achieving racial justice and equality. SL
Garfield High School, Central District (Mon Jan 15)
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From the voluptuous vision behind What the Funk?! An All BIPOC Burlesque Fest, this “all-fat burlesque festival” will return for its second year to continue disrupting fatphobic nonsense and emphasizing body positivity. Get down for thick liberation at the three-night affair, which includes fat-friendly seating options and headlining performances by certified babes Chola Magnolia, Isaiah Esquire, Viktor Devonne, and Roula Roulette. LC
Triple Door, Downtown (Jan 4–6)
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When a bumbling pair of missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are sent to a remote Ugandan village to spread the “good word” (instead of where they’d hoped to land—Orlando), they’re unsurprisingly gobsmacked by the harsh realities of life there. The Book of Mormon is a nine-time Tony Award winner for Best Musical, so there’s gotta be some gospel mixed in with the “white savior” satire. LC
Paramount Theatre, Downtown (Jan 9–14)
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Cirque du Soleil’s Corteo kicks off with a dead clown, but uh…hold on, stay with me. The performance actually functions as a joyous funeral procession celebrating jester Mauro’s life with festivities, frolic, and a cavalcade of awe-inspiring tumbles and spins. The performance promises to “plunge the audience into a theatrical world of fun, comedy, and spontaneity situated in a mysterious space between heaven and earth.” If a mysterious space between heaven and earth sounds like what you need right now, I suggest you pop an edible and get into it. LC
Climate Pledge Arena, Uptown (Jan 17–20)
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From the minds of Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, Welcome to Night Vale blends the bizarre and macabre with Lynchian imagination; the eerie, innovative podcast has found cult status in its narrative depictions of the tiny, isolated (fictional) town of Night Vale. Episodes take the form of community updates, complete with local weather, Sheriff’s Secret Police announcements, and news reports of supernatural, unexplained occurrences. If you’re into Twin Peaks and/or The X-Files, you’ll likely dig this, too. LC
Neptune Theatre, University District (Fri Jan 19)
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Certifiable info nerds Josh Clark and Charles “Chuck” Bryant will take their buzzy podcast Stuff You Should Know to the stage for another night of fun-lovin’ research sharing on topics you never knew you were fascinated by, like MDMA, ayahuasca, the Satanic Panic, asteroid mining, termites, bioluminescence, and disco. (Okay boys, you’ve got my interest piqued.) Best part? You can pregame for the show by discovering how snails work. LC
Paramount Theatre, Downtown (Wed Jan 24)
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Activist Alice Wong will join Town Hall Seattle remotely for a moderated conversation with insights from her 2022 memoir Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life. I’m stoked to dig into the inspiring tome—Ms. deemed Wong’s last book, Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century, “essential.” (In the book, Wong, the founder of the online community Disability Visibility Project, discusses her experience finding community through disability activism.) Penguin Random House described Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life as a “hybrid memoir” that showcases the “richness and nuance of disabled life, while also challenging nondisabled readers to confront their ableism.” LC
Town Hall Seattle, First Hill (Tues Jan 9)
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What happens when a food is at risk of vanishing forever? Inspired by Slow Food International’s Ark of Taste, a list of foods facing possible extinction, culinary historian Sarah Lohman set out to learn about these endangered ingredients, from heirloom sugarcane to wild rice to America’s oldest peanut variety. Her findings are compiled in her latest book, Endangered Foods, along with recipes, so you can follow along and try these rare and at-risk delicacies for yourself. At this author talk at Book Larder, she’ll discuss the new book and field burning questions from guests. JB
Book Larder, Fremont (Wed Jan 17)
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It’s hard to overstate the parasocial relationship I have with Deb Perelman, the mind behind the award-winning blog Smitten Kitchen. Founded in 2006 and once referred to by the New Yorker as “the ur-food blog,” the website really is the platonic ideal of a recipe site. Not only are Perelman’s recipes meticulously tested in her pint-sized New York kitchen with a tireless, obsessive zeal that she often jokes about, they’re also written in an incredibly lucid, unfussy way that never leaves the home cook guessing—Perelman is a staunch believer that there are “no bad cooks, only bad recipes.” Her signature voice also brims with acerbic wit and self-deprecating charm—I defy even the haters who make fun of long-winded food bloggers to scroll past Perelman’s luminous prose. I credit Smitten Kitchen with very nearly single-handedly teaching me to cook in college and my 20s, and I suspect I’m not alone. From salted brown butter crispy treats to lentil soup with sausage, chard, and garlic, her recipes promise that your efforts will be rewarded with impressive results every single time, and her books The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, Smitten Kitchen Every Day, and Smitten Kitchen Keepers are modern classics in the cookbook pantheon. Perelman will be joined in conversation by local food writer J. Kenji López-Alt (himself no slouch when it comes to recipe testing) at Town Hall as part of his Community Curated Series. JB
Town Hall Seattle, First Hill (Thurs Jan 25)
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You’ve seen baseball at T-Mobile Park, and maybe even a concert, but what about hockey? In just their third season, the Seattle Kraken has been chosen to host the NHL Winter Classic, an outdoor hockey game that only happens in one city each year around New Year’s Day, and now for the first time in the western half of the US. In a battle of the youngest teams in the NHL, the Kraken will face the Vegas Golden Knights in what’s sure to be an action-packed and chilly game; we expect T-Mobile to have plenty of overpriced concessions and cozy merch to keep you warm. SL
T-Mobile Park, SoDo (Mon Jan 1)
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If you’re into Elizabeth Malaska’s solo exhibition All Be Your Mirror, currently on view at the Seattle Art Museum, I have a humble suggestion for you: more Elizabeth Malaska. Like Honey Among Thorns, presented in conjunction with Malaska’s SAM show, further explores the murky depths of what makes her work great; expect more moody figures, subtle patterning, and drippy, gestural flora and fauna forms. Materials run the gamut from Study for One Leopard, a stark rendering of (you guessed it) a leopard in charcoal, to pensive horses in Flashe and trickling flowers in sumi ink. LC
Greg Kucera Gallery, Pioneer Square (Jan 4–Feb 10)
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Tacoma-based artist Anida Yoeu Ali’s solo debut at the Seattle Art Museum blends elements of performance, religious aesthetics, and mythical heroines to disrupt notions of otherness, “transcend the ordinary,” and reflect on her upbringing as a Cham-Muslim refugee who migrated from Cambodia. In Hybrid Skin, Mythical Presence, two site-specific performances by Ali—The Buddhist Bug and The Red Chador—are explored through transformative “artifacts,” including garments worn by the artist and others during the performances, plus videos, photographs, and installation art. Visitors can return later in spring to see the artifacts come to life: Ali will perform The Red Chador on March 23 and The Buddhist Bug on June 1. LC
Seattle Asian Art Museum, Capitol Hill (Jan 18–July 7)
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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 (Jan 27–May 5)
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If you haven’t made it to Woodland Park Zoo to experience WildLanterns yet, you still have the first half of January to do so! Grab some hot cocoa and get cozy with your friends, family, or Hinge date at this wintertime immersive experience full of giant glowing animal and nature scape lanterns, each representing flora and fauna from around the globe. Kids and those of us who are kids at heart will enjoy a magical snowy world in a polar regions exhibit, and marvel at brilliantly lit parrots and toucans in the Fine Feathered Friends zone. Arachnophobes might want to skip the Bugs and Blooms display, where vibrant flowers and giant spiders line your path (though we bet they won’t bite). SL
(Woodland Park Zoo, Phinney Ridge (Jan 1–14)
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The canonical holidays may be over, but winter’s still here, and we recommend brightening up the darkness in Washington’s very own Bavarian town. Leavenworth’s Winter Karneval honors an ancient German tradition called Fasching, which brings about the “exorcism of winter.” Over half a million lights will brighten the streets where you can check out demos of ice carving, fire dancing, and fireworks over Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. Don’t forget the traditional foods—fresh pretzels, hot bratwurst, and warm donuts (krapfen) will be on offer. SL
Leavenworth (Jan 6–28)