November 9, Wednesday
Sacred Breath This is the first in a new quarterly storytelling series by UW’s Department of American Indian Studies featuring indigenous poets, spoken-word storytellers, and other assorted kinds of writers. The featured authors for the inaugural edition are Payton Bordley, Sasha LaPointe, and Roger Fernandes. UW Intellectual House, 4249 Whitman Court, UW campus, ais.washington.edu. Free. All ages. 7 p.m. PAUL CONSTANT
November 10, Thursday
Now for the Disappointing Part Book Launch Seattle writer Steven Barker made a big splash in 2013 with a GeekWire piece titled “An open letter to Jeff Bezos: A contract worker’s take on Amazon.com.” Tonight he launches a book about life in the contract-work economy, subtitled A Pseudo-Adult’s Decade of Short-Term Jobs, Long-Term Relationships, and Holding Out for Something Better. Hugo House, 1021 Columbia St., 322-7030, hugohouse.org. Free. All ages. 7 p.m. PC
Iris Dement This longtime Americana staple offered fans something a little different last year with the release of Trackless Woods, 18 musical settings of lyrics by a Russian poet. The deep emotion she brings to the project comes through with each tremulous note, and promises to make for an intimate performance. The Triple Door, 216 Union St., 838-4333, thetripledoor.net. $37.50. 8 p.m. DANIEL PERSON
Brief Fling George Balanchine, Jii Kylián, and Twyla Tharp reformulated ballet at the end of the 20th century. This weekend, that particular Venn diagram overlaps with Pacific Northwest Ballet’s performances of Balanchine’s Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Kylián’s Forgotten Land, and Tharp’s Brief Fling. It’s a lesson in dance history, without a paper or an exam. McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St., 441-2424, pnb.org. $30–$187. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., Nov. 10—Sat., Nov. 12; also 1 p.m. Sun., Nov. 13. SANDRA KURTZ
Three Days at Standing Rock This photo show, doubling as a fundraiser for the #NoDAPL movement, features Kelly O and Seattle Weekly contributor Alex Garland’s coverage of the clash between Native American water protectors and U.S. paramilitary forces at the Sacred Stone camp. Vermillion, 1508 11th Ave., 709-9797, vermillionseattle.com. Free. 21 and over. 6–9 p.m. Ends Sat., Dec. 3. CASEY JAYWORK
Full of Roses Led by performance artist Abigail Swanson, tonight’s exhibition is a celebration of menstruation featuring a stellar lineup of supporting artists, including artist Lauren Rodriguez, experimental/industrial songwriter Monika Khot, the squalling noise-jazz of Bad Luck, and Great Spiders bassist Abbey Blackwell. Fred Wildlife Refuge, 128 Belmont Ave. E., 588-6959, fredwildliferefuge.com. Free. 21 and over. 6 p.m. KELTON SEARS
Printerly If you missed last weekend’s life-affirming underground comix clustercuss, Short Run—bummer. All is not lost, though—tonight you have one last chance to get a taste of that sweet graphic goodness at this encore Short Run art show featuring prints from a selection of this year’s exhibiting artists. Joe Bar, 810 E. Roy St., shortrun.org. Free. All ages. 6–9 p.m. KS
Crater Released back in February, I still find myself mumble-singing melodies from Seattle industrial-pop duo Crater’s Talk to Me So I Can Fall Asleep in the shower. Live, the band magically transforms their electronic sound into visceral, physical performance—no standing still behind a sequencer. With Natasha Kmeto, DJAO. Barboza, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9951, thebarboza.com. $9. 21 and over. 8 p.m. KS
Dexterity: A Nail Art Party “Girl Boss” collective Women.Weed.WiFi killed it with this art show’s concept: “We gave some of our favorite artists a blank nail wheel [and] a hand-rolled joint, and asked them to create.” Check out the resulting nail art alongside a stacked exhibition of non-nail-art. Lovecitylove, 1406 E. Pike St., womenweedwifi.com. Suggested donation: one menstrual care product (for the All Cycles Outreach Project). All ages. 5–9 p.m. KS
November 11, Friday
Seattle Shorts Film Festival Our fair city’s sixth annual roundup of short films from around the world—and one feature-length one, adapted from an Oscar-winning short—launches this Friday. The 48 two-to-15-minute vignettes range from poignant to comic, visually stunning to downright bizarre. SIFF Film Center, 305 Harrison St., 464-5830, seattleshort.org. $12 for single program blocks; $45 for a day pass; $75 for the weekend. All ages. Ends Sun. SARA BERNARD
The Habit: The Final Cut Two decades ago, skit comedy troupe The Habit was formed from a collection of clever UW students. Ever since, the troupe, which includes Seattle theater mainstay Mark Siano and brilliantly eccentric artist John Osebold—has entertained Seattle audiences with irregular performances of brief, relevant, and often very funny skits. But all things must end, and this will be the group’s final show. The Bathhouse Theatre, 7312 W. Green Lake Dr. N., 524-1300, thehabitcomedy.com. $17. Ends Nov. 26. MARK BAUMGARTEN
YUREI: The Lost Chapter of Hotel Nordo Cafe Nordo, which has been inviting theatergoers to dine with the dead during its production of Hotel Nordo, has joined forces with the Panama Hotel to present an overnight ghost story that takes place in the historic 1910 hotel. Check-in will immediately follow an included performance of Hotel Nordo. Midnight snack provided, of course. Cafe Nordo, 109 S. Main St., info@cafenordo.com. $40 (performance only)–$500 (includes a room for two). 8 p.m. Also Sat., Nov. 12. MB
November 12, Saturday
Hola and Goodbye Seattle author Donna Miscolta launches her new collection of short stories, which charts the progress of a Latinx family across three generations. While the Republican Party is trying as hard as they can to demonize immigrants, this book celebrates the immigrant experience. Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Ave,, 624-6600, elliottbaybook.com. Free. All ages. 7 p.m. PC
Dave B Tonight, one of Seattle’s most promising young rappers, Dave B, is holding a late release party for July’s Tomorrow, his best record to date. The distinctly Northwestern slice of smooth, foggy hip-hop was produced by one of the city’s most inventive producers, the globetrotting Sango. With Travis Thompson, Jamie Blake. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9442, neumos.com. $15. All ages. 8 p.m. KS
Northwest Chocolate Festival Yeah, all right, buddy, you “like” chocolate. But do you love chocolate? If you’re not a cocoa-poser, check out the Northwest Chocolate Festival, where you can meet leading craft-chocolate makers and cacao farmers and sample the goods for two whole days. Port of Seattle, Pier 91, 2001 W. Garfield St., nwchocolate.com. $35 single day, $55 weekend. All ages. 10–5 p.m. KS
November 13, Sunday
Book Launch Times Two This evening, Open Books hosts two book launches at once: Ellen Welcker presents her newest poetry collection Ram Hands and Tim Greenup’s new book of poetry is titled Without Warning. Greenup writes poetry about corn mazes and wild animals. Welcker writes poems about babies and “butt holders.” Open Books, 2414 N. 45th St., 633-0811, openpoetrybooks.com. Free. All ages. 7 p.m. PC
Daughters and The Body If you like your music deafeningly loud and crushingly heavy, this show will take you to the outer limits of that realm’s possibilities. Daughters’ mathy, 1,000-mph grindcore recalls the good old avant-grating days of The Locust, while The Body slows it way, way down for menacing industrial experiments that take equal inspiration from Neurosis and Beyoncé. The Highline, 210 Broadway Ave. E., highlineseattle.com. $13–$15. 21 and over. 8 p.m. KS
November 14, Monday
Mapping the Heavens Reading Priyamvada Natarajans is an astrophysicist. Her new book aims to make sense of the mysteries of the cosmos. Mapping the Heavens explains dark matter, black holes, and the expansion of the universe. If it helps, think of it as astrology, only it’s actually based in fact and it can’t predict if you’re getting laid this weekend. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., 652-4255, townhallseattle.org. $5. All ages. 7:30 p.m. PC
November 15, Tuesday
Future Sex Reading Emily Witt’s new book examines modern sexuality, from online dating to changing opinions about polyamory. Future Sex is part memoir, part investigative journalism, part profile of sexual subcultures. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., 652-4255, townhallseattle.org. $5. All ages. 7:30 p.m. PC
Jenny Hval Expect icy, incisive gender commentary from Scandinavia as alt-pop chanteuse Jenny Hval plays her new album, Blood Bitch, tonight. The record is an “investigation of blood” that touches on menstruation, prostitutes, virgins, and mothers. In her words, “It’s an album of vampires, lunar cycles, sticky choruses, and the smell of warm leaves and winter.” Kremwerk, 1809 Minor Ave., kremwerk.com, 682-2935. $12. 21 and over. 8 p.m. GREG SCRUGGS
