WEDNESDAY 2/12 

Ric'kisha Taylor: Gleaming

(VISUAL ART) Ric’kisha Taylor’s life has always shimmered, and that radiance carries into her art. Her fascination with “hair accessories, DAX grease, [and] her mother’s glittery debit cards” informs a uniquely opulent and ultra-tactile collage style. In Gleaming, she delves into cultural assimilation and intimacy avoidance through augmented photographic imagery, intricate peyote stitching—a technique honed by Indigenous beaders—and precise sewing methods passed down by Black elders. The results are as dazzling as they are deliberate, evoking pop culture references while remaining layered, expressive, and deeply considered. (Gallery 4Culture, 101 Prefontaine Pl S, Mon–Fri 9 am–5 pm, free, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

THURSDAY 2/13 

WITNESS: Nate Gowdy’s Lens on January 6, 2021

2:47:20 PM, 2021, archival pigment print by Nate Gowdy. COURTESY OF SPECTRUM FINE ART

(VISUAL ART) Where was Seattle-based photographer Nate Gowdy on January 6? I'll give you one guess, but it's not because he aimed to rampage the Capitol. Shooting on assignment for Rolling Stone, Gowdy documented the surreal proceedings of the day, capturing militants "marching, kneeling in prayer, posing for group photos, breaking for hotdogs," and more. WITNESS: Nate Gowdy’s Lens on January 6th, 2021 shares Gowdy's stark black-and-white photojournalism of the dystopian chaos. You might be inclined to avoid the feel-bad imagery, but the exhibition challenges viewers to "confront the complexities of identity, power, and the fragility of democratic ideals." It's worth a long look. (Spectrum Fine Art, 1411 34th Ave, every Thurs-Sat through Feb 15, noon–5 pm, free) LINDSAY COSTELLO

FRIDAY 2/14 

Mount Eerie

(MUSIC) Mount Eerie is always a treat to see live. Because Phil Elverum's experimental indie rock project is entirely his own, each setlist includes freedom and variation. When I saw him at Fisherman's Village Music Fest in 2021, Elverum asked the audience, "Is there anything you'd like to hear?" and proceeded to play decades-old rarities entirely from memory. For this performance, Elverum will be joined by a backing band to perform songs from his eleventh album, Night Palace, but fear not, I saw the current lineup perform last October and it was still delightfully fluid and improvisational. Arrive in time to catch an opening set from Olympia-based doom metal duo Ragana. (Neptune Theatre, 1303 NE 45th St, 8 pm, $30, all ages) AUDREY VANN

SATURDAY 2/15 

Smash Putt

A pre-opening peek of what to expect from Smash Putt. COURTESY OF SMASH PUTT

(VISUAL ART/SPORTS) Seattle's best new date activity just dropped, and it's right on time for Valentine's Day. The limited-run event Smash Putt returns with nine new mini-golf holes built by local makers, designers, and art collectives. Putt through holes with immersive themes like "Year of the Snake," "Summer Sizzle," and "Battleship" while you sip drinks curated by Belltown taproom Just the Tap. As someone who's been underwhelmed by Seattle's mini-golf offerings after experiencing the delights of Urban Putt in San Francisco, I'm excited to check out this promising course that the creators call "pure hootenanny" and "an absurdly good time." (Base Camp Studios 2, 1901 Third Ave, Feb 14–April 12, $15, 21+) SHANNON LUBETICH

SUNDAY 2/16 

Shelley Brothers Celebration of Life

Co-owner Shelley Brothers—not tending bar, just making sure the bar is clear for the go-go dancers. Courtesy of Wildrose

(COMMUNITY) Wildrose co-owner Shelley Brothers passed away last week, and the community is turning the heck out for her. She dedicated the last two decades to keeping one of the country’s only lesbian bars alive, and became a local celebrity simply by being herself, unapologetically, in that space. Wildrose called her “a force. An icon. And a protector.” If you want to raise a glass to her where the magic happened—the Go-Go Dancers, the punny drink specials, the Ani DiFranco and Brandi Carlile open mics—the Rose is holding a celebration of life for her on Sunday. Go pay your respects. (Wildrose, 1021 E Pike St, 2–9 pm, free, 21+) HANNAH MURPHY WINTER

MONDAY 2/17 

Wild at Heart

(FILM) Starring three of my absolute favorite messy queens (Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern, and Willem Dafoe), David Lynch's lurid melodrama Wild at Heart follows two outcast hotties who flee their hometown to pursue a torrid, surreal romance. What ensues is a sex-fueled road trip fit for a soap opera, which seems like it'd be pretty cool until the grotesquely terrifying Bobby Peru shows up and ruins everything. If you liked last year’s Love Lies Bleeding, you'll dig Wild at Heart's avant-garde ambition and manic intensity. Cue up Cage's rendition of "Love Me Tender" to get in the mood for madness. And it goes without saying, but: RIP, David. (Central Cinema, 1411 21st Ave, Feb 14–19, $12) LINDSAY COSTELLO

TUESDAY 2/18 

Seattle Arts & Lectures Presents: A Conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates will be at Benaroya Hall Monday, February 12. GABRIELLA DEMCZUK

(BOOKS/TALK) Sometimes it seems like the name "Ta-Nehisi Coates" has become synonymous with contemporary nonfiction itself. (In the words of Stranger senior staff writer Charles Mudede, "Ta-Nehisi Coates is not perfect." He is not, in Mudede's eyes, a great novelist.) Luckily for us, he's back with another book of essays, his first nonfiction work in almost 10 years. The Message follows Coates to three sites of conflict—Dakar, Senegal, Columbia, South Carolina, and Palestine—to meditate on the destructive historical legacies of book banning, racism, and nationalism. (Benaroya Hall, 200 University St, 7:30 pm, $62–$87) LINDSAY COSTELLO

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DeVotchKa
February 15, Showbox at the Market, 21+

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Nathaniel Rateliff
February 15, Climate Pledge Arena

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Zachariah Porter
February 17, the Neptune

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