Monday, Oct. 30
Halluciween with Moon Honey, Prom Queen, Wall of Ears
Jessica Ramsey’s unearthly Björk/Tiny Tim/Marc Bolan trill and Andrew Martin’s twisty-catchy guitars render Baton Rouge-born psych collective Moon Honey one strangely beautiful animal. Psych-pop visionaries Wall of Ears and genius retro-alchemists Prom Queen stack the bill. On this school night, kiss a full night’s sleep goodbye and just give in. —Tony Kay
Tuesday, Oct. 31
Trick or Treat Wine Tasting at Ghost Gallery
One of the Hill’s beloved art boutiques provides some spooks on Halloween night with wine tasting (reds, cava, bubbly), cheese, fruit and, of course, candy. Swing by and do classy before you get trashy. —Amanda Manitach
Tuesday, Oct. 31 – Sunday, Nov. 5
Ragtime
I’ve always adored this musical set in and around turn-of-the-20th-century New York, with a cast of approximately 1,000 characters (real and invented) and a life-changing (for me) score by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. You definitely want to hear it sung by voices such as Kendra Kassebaum, Danyel Fulton and Joshua Carter. —Gemma Wilson
Wednesday, Nov. 1
Thee Commons
From East Los Angeles’s Latinx underground, Thee Commons play a manic, energized collision of garage rock, power-pop and cumbia, feral but friendly, baked under steamy SoCal sunshine and overly strong doses of psychoactive substances. Their third album, the just-released Paleta Sonora, is simultaneously polished and grimy, just like the melting disco ball that adorns the cover. —Jonathan Zwickel
Thursday, Nov. 2
Long Division
Painter David Hytone’s use of color and geometry hits a high pitch of sophistication in Long Division, tonight’s must-see show at the Pioneer Square art walk. Landscapes crammed with squiggles, people-ish things and lush, quizzical geometric marks leave you guessing what’s going on in a very pleasant way. —Amanda Manitach
Thursday, Nov. 2
Mama Africa
In a world increasingly poisoned by xenophobic hostility, the legacy of the late, great South African musician/activist Miriam Makeba is more urgent than ever. Mika Kaurismaki’s doc provides heartfelt and absorbing CliffsNotes on Makeba’s life and career, and the music is as timeless and soul-enriching as you can get. —Tony Kay
Friday, Nov. 3
Playback After Hours
Seattle Public Library recently released the third round of entries to Playback, its online archive of local music, adding 50 free, streamable/downloadable songs from every conceivable genre. Tonight we celebrate this latest batch with a free, all-ages dance party at the library (hell yeah!) featuring live music from Future Shock, Fallon Sierra and Shower Scum and DJ Riz, plus a cash bar.
—Jonathan Zwickel
Seattle Public Library Central Branch
Friday, Nov. 3
Short Run Marathon Art Show and Pre-Party
No Seattle event excites my comix-obsessed inner child like Short Run, a mind-boggling profusion of weird, wild and beautiful indie comix, zines and graphic arts crammed under one roof. This pre-funk gallery show and reading brings together big-name visiting artists including Julia Wertz, Jordan Crane and Anders Nilson. Bonus: a panel discussion with Gary Groth, Jim Woodring and Emil Ferris across the street at the Stables. —Brett Hamil