August 17
Wednesday
Reporting the Oregon Story Floyd McKay has been a character in Northwest media for about as long as there’ve been Northwest media, appearing as a political reporter for KGW-TV and writing for The Seattle Times and Crosscut. His new book is an account of the history of politics and media in the Northwest. Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, 17171 Bothell Way N.E., 366-3333, thirdplace books.com. Free. All ages. 7 p.m. PAUL CONSTANT
Kurva Choir Another night of beautiful music at the incomparable venue Teatro de la Psychomachia. Between the transcendent sonic dreams of Kurva Choir, the introspective musings of Yellow Dragon, the softly drifting haze of somesurprises and sweeping views of downtown and Elliott Bay, you might just find that quintessential summer high after all. Teatro de la Psychomachia, 1534 First Ave. S., Suggested donation $5–$15. 21 and over. 8 p.m. MEAGAN ANGUS
August 18
Thursday
Sun Bear Matthew Zapruder is more than just a renowned local poet—he’s also an editor at the second-best poetry publisher in the region, Wave Books. He has a new collection coming out from the first-best poetry publisher in the region, Copper Canyon Press. Help him celebrate the release of Sun Bear, which is an awesome title. Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Ave., 624-6600, elliottbaybook.com. Free. All ages. 7 p.m. PC
Kill Rock Stars 25th Anniversary The first release by Kill Rock Stars—a spoken-word seven-inch featuring co-founder Slim Moon and a then-unknown Kathleen Hanna—set the tone for a label that would maintain a feminist, antiwar bearing for the next quarter-century. But it was the Olympia label’s second release—a compilation featuring Bikini Kill, the Melvins, and a then-unknown band called Nirvana—that provided the cash flow and credibility to turn those ideas into a business. Since then, the label has developed some truly amazing talent—Sleater-Kinney, Elliott Smith, and Deerhoof for starters—that might otherwise have gone unrealized. A label worth celebrating. With Kinski, Wimps, Lithics. Chop Suey, 1325 E. Madison St., 538-0556. $10. 21 and over. 8 p.m. MARK BAUMGARTEN
August 19
Friday
Leela Kathak Kathak guru Urmila Nagar has been visiting the Northwest for 20 years, and many of her students have been working with her for all that time, immersed in the exacting rhythms of the Indian dance tradition. This annual performance is usually casual in tone, but the dancing, and the mastery it showcases, is very intense. Ethnic Cultural Theater, 3940 Brooklyn Ave. N.E., 367-3944. Free. 7:30 p.m. SANDI KURTZ
Hugo House House-warming Party & BBQ You probably know that the Hugo House space on 11th Avenue is now a deep hole in the ground. But have you visited the House’s temporary location while its new facilities are being built? Tonight they’re making it easy by hosting a BBQ and housewarming with free sausages from nearby George’s Delicatessen and $1 cans of PBR. Hugo House, 1021 Columbia St., 322-7030, hugohouse.org. Free. All ages. 5 p.m. PC
Debacle Records Presents: Marielle Jakobsons & Chuck Johnson Marielle Jakobsons of Thrill Jockey Records will deliver a performance featuring her own invention, the Macro Cymatic Visual Music Instrument: a table-length object that combines sound vibration, light, and water to create original scores with visuals that are a direct response to the sounds being made. There’s nothing else like it. With Chuck Johnson. Grand Illusion Cinema, 1403 N.E. 50th St., debaclerecords.com. $10. All ages. 8 p.m. MA
Columbia City Blues Festival Three packed, sultry nights of Delta blues, electric blues, British blues, and “The Blues” is sure to please even the most discerning musical palates. Local talent will dish up a beloved repertoire of the late-greats, including Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Allen Toussaint, and Duke Ellington. Event listings warn that buying a ticket doesn’t guarantee you a seat; The Royal Room wants you to be dancing, anyway. The Royal Room, 5000 Rainier Ave. S., 906-9920, theroyalroom seattle.com. $12–$15. All ages. 8 p.m. Through Aug. 21. SARA BERNARD
Chief Seattle Days This three-day festival hosted by the Suquamish Tribe began in 1911 to honor our city’s namesake. Activities include a “traditional salmon bake, canoe races, baseball tournaments, drumming and dancing, and a memorial service for Chief Seattle at his gravesite in Suquamish.” Suquamish House of Awakened Culture, 7235 N.E. Parkway, Suquamish, 360-598-3311. Free. All ages. All day. Through Aug. 21. CASEY JAYWORK
August 20
Saturday
Duwamish River Festival The 10th annual celebration of Seattle’s once-snaking, once-pristine river and its surrounding communities makes a splash this year with everything from Mexican ballet to free Vietnamese sandwiches and Oaxacan mole. The event kicks off with a keynote from members of the Duwamish tribe, and features Khmer, Somali, Vietnamese, and Aztec performers. There will also be art projects, a raffle, free kayak tours, and interactive booths showcasing the Superfund site’s cleanup efforts, among many other things. Die-hard Duwamish fans can stick around for an evening boat tour co-hosted by Boeing and the City of Seattle (space is limited). Duwamish Waterway Park, 7900 10th Ave. S., duwamishcleanup.org. Free. All ages. Noon. SB
Linda Fest Rock ’n’ roll will rule the day at this year’s edition of Linda Fest, with the Pacific Northwest’s two greatest emissaries of soul-shaking DIY garage punk, Fred and Toody Cole, anchoring the lineup. The Portland couple, better known as two-thirds of Dead Moon, will be without drummer Andrew Loomis, who passed away early this year, but they will rock on nonetheless. Order a shot of Jack, throw up a lighter, and toast the memory of the iconic drummer. With Acapulco Lips, Sashay, Bad Future, SSDD, World Bank. Linda’s Tavern, 707 E. Pine St., 325-1220. Free. 21 and over. 5 p.m. MB
August 21
Sunday
Southwest Stories Chief Seattle’s great-great-great-great-grandson, Ken Workman, will discuss the history of West Seattle and the future of the Duwamish peoples, and also host a lively question-and-answer session. It is not every day that you get to hear a history of this land directly from someone representing the people who were here before colonization began. Delridge Library, 5423 Delridge Way S.W., 773-9125, spl.org. Free. All ages. 2 p.m. PC
Wandering and Wondering The roots of butoh dance are literally in the earth—the origins of the post-WWII Japanese dance practice involved finding movement in the natural world. So Joan Laage and her colleagues in Kogut Butoh head outside every summer for this exploration of the Japanese Garden at the UW Arboretum, showing us the details of a summer day. Seattle Japanese Garden, Washington Park Arboretum, 1075 Lake Washington Blvd. E., seattlejapanese garden.org. $6. Noon. SK
August 22
Monday
Necessary Trouble: Americans in Revolt America was built on revolution, and our Constitution allows for argument as a part of the process. This gives us a natural advantage over, say, France. Sarah Jaffe’s newest book is a history of American revolutions, from those early days in New England up through Black Lives Matter and the fight for $15. Seattle Public Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., 386-4636, spl.org. Free. All ages. 7 p.m. PC
Boris performs PINK Fans of Sunn 0))), Doomriders, and Torche, take note: Thanks to some recent reissues on Southern Lord records, the 20-plus-year Japanese three-piece is surging in popularity. On this tour they’re performing their breakthrough album, Pink—just one of their 23 albums—in all its psych-rock, spaced-out glory. With Earth. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9442, neumos.com. $21. All ages. 8 p.m. MA