February 8, Wednesday

Life in a Fishbowl and Nowhere Near You Reading Your week in readings kicks off with two young adult writers debuting their newest books. The latest in Leah Thomas’s “Blunderkids” series featuring super-powered teenagers involves “an eyeless boy who prefers to be alone.” Len Vlahos’ novel is about a reality show featuring a family whose father who is dying of brain cancer. University Book Store, 4326 University Way N.E., 634-3400, bookstore.washington.edu. Free. All ages. 7 p.m. PAUL CONSTANT

Pinback This highly respected—though underappreciated— indie-rock outfit has been quiet in recent years. But, as seems to be the trend, Pinback is using an album anniversary to hit the road again—in this case, the 2007 release Autumn of the Seraphs, a driving, intricate record that brings to mind a less-caustic Sparklehorse. Columbia City Theater, 4916 Rainier Ave. S., 722-3009. $30. 21 and over. 8 p.m. DANIEL PERSON

February 9, Thursday

Octo Octa Left-field house is on the lineup tonight with Brooklyn’s Octo Octa, who has released on underground labels like Running Back and 100% Silk (of the Ghost Ship tragedy). While recently out as a trans person, she doesn’t wear her identity politics on her sleeve, though it does make choruses like “Cuz I’m a woman” (in set favorite Nathan Haines’ “Earth is the Place”) all that much more poignant. But mostly she just makes damn good music with a groove that’s soulful but not maudlin. With Community Corporation, Rob Hanlon, Nark, and Anissa Amalia. 1809 Minor Ave., kremwerk.com, 682-2935. $12. 21 and over. 8 p.m. GREGORY SCRUGGS

Pacific Northwest Ballet PNB audiences fell hard for Jean-Christophe Maillot’s version of Romeo et Juliette when the company first performed it in 2008, so when the opportunity came up to present Cendrillon, the choreographer’s version of the Cinderella story with the same gifted design team, director Peter Boal jumped on it. Lighter and more whimsical than the earlier tragedy, the ballet celebrates multiple kinds of love, from the young girl and her gormless prince to the father, still grieving his dead wife. McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St., 441-2424, pnb.org. $30–$187. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., Feb. 9–Sat., Feb. 11; also 2 p.m. Sat., Feb. 11 and 1 p.m. Sun., Feb. 12. SANDRA KURTZ

February 10, Friday

The Pajama Game Social unrest and romance collide in this revival from the Golden Age of Broadway, just in time for the first Valentine’s Day under President Trump. The workers at the pajama factory are agitating for a raise while organizer Babe (played by Seattle’s Billie Wildrick) and supervisor Sid are falling in love, all to the choreography that won Bob Fosse his first Tony back in 1955. 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth Ave., 625-1900. $29–$53. Ends March 5. MARK BAUMGARTEN

Bushwick Book Club: Americanah Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel is one of the greatest published in the past five years. Actually, probably the past decade. Maybe the past 25 years? Seems likely. Tonight, Seattle musicians present new work based on the most recent Greatest American Novel. If they rise to the material, this will be a night to remember. Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Ave., 624-6600, elliottbaybook.com. $10. All ages. 7 p.m. PC

Sound-Off Semi-Finals #1 The Seattle music community’s annual rite of spring returns as MoPOP trots out the most promising young music-makers in the Pacific Northwest for the first semifinal in its month-long battle of the bands. This first round features indie-folk acts from Boise (Cult Bride) and Seattle (Jason McCue), as well as a Seattle electronic duo (Fluencie) and a Tacoma pop act (Mission 253.) The Museum of Pop Culture, 325 Fifth Ave. N., 770-2702. $10–$14. 8 p.m. All ages. MB

February 11, Saturday

Mason Bee Revolution Reading Remember the days before Trump, when we were all worried about the rampant death of bees? Well, even though we’re distracted by a different kind of apocalypse, bees are still dying in great numbers. Washington authors Dave Hunter and Jill Lightner explain how and why you should set up your own home bee colony. Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, 17171 Bothell Way N.E., 366-3333, thirdplacebooks.com. Free. All ages. 6:30 p.m. PC

Batsheva Dance Company Choreographer/director Ohad Naharin insists that his newest dance, Last Work, is not his finale, but he is having a big moment lately. Between Mr. Gaga, a film about his innovative dance training technique, and this recent tour of his Batsheva Dance Company, the man who seems to revel in being enigmatic is a bit more present just now. Naharin excels at making people look like people while they’re dancing. The Paramount, 911 Pine St., 467-5510, stgpresents.org. $35–$75. 8 p.m. SK

Surfer Blood Less than a year ago, Surfer Blood lost its guitarist Thomas Fekete to cancer. He was 27. The tragic news seems almost impossibly contradictory to the careless indie rock the band had made its name on, which at its best picks up where Weezer left off. The band’s new album, Snowdonia, released last week, doesn’t wallow in gloom, but does reflect the fact that the sunny band has known darkness, adding a depth to the music as enriching as it is inevitable. Barboza, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9442. $15. 21 and over. 7 p.m. DP

February 12, Sunday

Born in Seattle Reading Two Seattle authors who have written about America’s need to redress our shameful Japanese internment read here tonight. Bob Shimabukuro wrote Born in Seattle: The Campaign for Japanese American Redress; Mira Shimabukuro wrote Relocating Authority: Japanese Americans Writing to Redress Mass Incarceration. They are father and daughter. Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Ave, 624-6600, elliottbaybook.com . Free. All ages. 3 p.m. PC

Shot on Location Seattle Weekly film critic Robert Horton, in conjunction with Historic Seattle, will be hosting a talk—film clips included, of course—on the ways directors have used international architectural landmarks (the Empire State Building, the Timberline Lodge, etc.) to “create mood, character, and meaning.” Appropriately, Seattle and the region’s role in cinematic history will be explored as well. Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave., nwfilmforum.org. $35. All ages. 2 p.m. KELTON SEARS

Thick as Thieves Release Party The Intruder is gone for good, but the mantle of Seattle’s free alt-comix newspaper is, thankfully, being seized by Thick as Thieves. The brand-new paper’s first proper full-length issue is a 16-pager showcasing local comic artists, unveiled at tonight’s party featuring the musical stylings of Lady Krishna’s Peppermint Lounge. Brainfreeze (the old Lusty Lady), 1315 First Ave., megabrainfreeze.tumblr.com. Free. All ages. 7–11 p.m. KS

February 13, Monday

Ask the Oracle The Sorrento Hotel and Hugo House’s whimsical series continues tonight with Claudia Rowe, author of the great, creepy book The Spider and the Fly, environmental poet JM Miller, and novelist Randy Sue Coburn. They will divine answers to audience questions from their own books. Sorrento Hotel, 900 Madison St., 622-6400, hotelsorrento.com. Free. 21 and over. 7 p.m. PC

February 14, Tuesday

What Is Love? Reading Just in time for Valentine’s Day, philosopher Carrie Jenkins brings her investigation of he idea of romantic love in modern society. She applies her own polyamorous perspective to the concept, which will likely make this reading one of the most interesting Valentine’s Day dates you’ve ever attended. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., 652-4255, town hallseattle.org. $5. All ages. 7:30 p.m. PC