Pick List: Speedy Ortiz, Men in Blazers, Fremont Fair

The week’s best entertainment options.

MUSIC

There are an abundance of great female songwriters killing it these days, but none as cleverly acerbic as Speedy Ortiz’s Sadie Dupuis. The band’s latest album, Twerp Verse, mixes the group’s jagged attack of tumbling indie-rock guitar riffs with the pop sensibilities of Dupuis’ stellar side project Sad13 to make it the most accessible Speedy Ortiz album to date. It’s the ideal backdrop for Dupuis’ thoughtful musical poetry about overwhelmed mental states (exacerbated by the political climate), skin-crawling creeps, and internal battles over self-acceptance. The band swing into town with Anna Burch and Roseblood. SETH SOMMERFELD The Vera Project, theveraproject.org, $15. 8 p.m. Wed., June 13.

STAGE

There’s an infectious exuberance to the comedy of Ron Funches. It doesn’t hurt that the stand-up often can’t help himself and punctuates his jokes with a schoolgirl giggle that does not fit his formidable frame. As the biggest standout on (the sadly defunct) @Midnight and a frequent guest on Conan, he’s shown off his ability to spin stories about angry tattoos, captcha, weight loss, and pro wrestling into unbridled silliness with his laid-back delivery. Funches heads to the Neptune to tape his first hour-long comedy special, and as a feel-good bonus he’s donating all proceeds from the show to local emergency shelter nonprofit Mary’s Place. SS The Neptune, stgpresents.org, $15. 7 & 9:30 p.m. Tues., June 19.

SPEAKERS

Bishop Michael Curry, who became world- famous overnight after his oratory blew up Megan and Harry’s royal wedding (“Imagine our homes and families where love is the way. Imagine neighborhoods and communities where love is the way. Imagine governments and nations where love is the way. Imagine business and commerce where this love is the way”) visits Seattle to lead a service of Choral Evensong, followed by a Q&A. High attendance is expected. GAVIN BORCHERT St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, saintmarks.org. 7 p.m. Thurs., June 14.

TV soccer mavens Roger Bennett and Michael Davies, aka Men in Blazers, who jauntily Britsplain the Premier League to you weekly on NBC Sports, just came out with Men in Blazers Present Encyclopedia Blazertannica: A Suboptimal Guide to Soccer, America’s “Sport of the Future” Since 1972. GB Showbox SoDo, stgpresents.com. $25–$65. 7 p.m. Sat., June 16.

FESTIVALS

Summer in Seattle doesn’t really get underway until body-painted cyclists are peddling down North 36th Street during the Solstice Parade at the Fremont Fair. (Sure, it happens before the actual solstice this year, but that’s just a technicality.) In addition to doing its damnedest to keep Seattle weird via the parade, the Fair also boasts one of the best and largest crafts markets of the season, a bevy of street food and drinks, the far cuter dog parade, and live local music. SS Fremont, fremontfair.com. Free. Sat., June 16–Sun., June 17.

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