WEDNESDAY 2/28
Sky Hopinka: Subterranean Ceremonies
(VISUAL ART) Sky Hopinka, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, descendant of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño people, and 2022 MacArthur Foundation grant awardee, blends English and "Indigenous dialects such as Chinuk Wawa, a revived Chinookan creole of the Pacific Northwest" in his ground-quaking works, which often layer elements of poetry, prose, and image to think carefully about language as a strong cultural force. I was honored to write about Hopinka's work back in 2019, so this solo exhibition—the artist's first in the Pacific Northwest—feels especially exciting. Subterranean Ceremonies includes four recent films and new photographs that "focus on personal and political notions of Indigenous homeland," inspired by transitory landscapes and Hopinka's own wanderings. (Frye Art Museum, 704 Terry Ave, Wed-Sun 11 am-5 pm, free) LINDSAY COSTELLO
THURSDAY 2/29
Dune: Part Two at SIFF Cinema Downtown
(FILM) A sweeping sci-fi film with origins right here in the Pacific Northwest, Dune: Part Two is a sequel that surpasses the first by leaps and bounds as it transports us back to the world first created by the late local author Frank Herbert. Picking up where its predecessor left off, it follows the young Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he aligns himself with Chani (Zendaya) and the rest of the Fremen who have found a way to survive in the harsh desert climate of Arrakis. As they battle against the forces of the galaxy looking to mine the valuable resources that the planet holds, there is soon a growing sense that the greatest dangers are only just beginning. The film also digs into fears Herbert explored about the hazards of giving power to leaders who talk a big game even as they may be the villains of their own stories. Readers of said books know how this ends, but the film offers just as much to those who are going in blissfully unaware, and its stunning visuals deserve to be seen on the big screen. In all of 2024, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a film as immense and well-crafted as Dune: Part Two. (SIFF Cinema Downtown, 2100 Fourth Ave, various showtimes, $14.50-$19.50) CHASE HUTCHINSON
FRIDAY 3/1
Sloane Crosley with Ben Gibbard: Grief Is for People
(BOOKS) There are very few humor writers—like, maybe four?—who I'd trust to write about death and loss without totally fucking it up and Sloane Crosley sits at the top of that list. Crosley doesn't use comedic relief to distract from life's most unpleasant topics—which, in the case of her new book Grief Is for People, include death, suicide, and the destabilizing loss of sense of safety—but rather uses her wit to dissect those seemingly impenetrable knots of feelings down into their core. Monsters are often less scary once you turn on the lights; the same can be said for grief. At Town Hall on Friday Crosley will discuss her new book with Death Cab for Cutie singer/guitarist Ben Gibbard, a songwriter whose own output is littered with morbidity and ghosts. I'm always surprised by how few people realize that! The word is right there in the band's name for chrissakes. (Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave, 7:30 pm, $5-$25, all ages) MEGAN SELING
SATURDAY 3/2
(MUSIC) Belltown will be throbbing a bit more intensely March 2-3, as the Freakout Weekender takes over the Crocodile complex and Belltown Yacht Club with a compressed version of Freakout's annual autumn festival, featuring its usual heavy Latin American representation and excessive fun. Derv Gordon, lead singer from legendary '60s/'70s UK soul-rock group the Equals (the Clash covered their awesome "Police on My Back"), is a must-see, sure to tear through a classics-laden set while backed by skillful acolytes. Mexican duo Sgt. Papers make punk sound vital and fun—a rare feat in 2024. Ty Segall's high-energy trio FUZZ keep their rugged rock in the red while swaggering tunefully, like T. Rex on 'roids. Newish Seattle triple-guitar threat the Valley Suns forge nuanced, transportive psychedelia. Chicago's Dehd ply psych-pop that's aflutter with beguiling melodies. Boogarins satisfy cravings for sweet and juicy Brazilian psych-rock. Et freakin' cetera. With over 30 acts, the Weekender offers a surplus of thrills that will test your time-management skills. Step lively! (The Crocodile, Madame Lou's, Here-After, Belltown Yacht Club, 5 pm, $57.50-$225.00, 21+) DAVE SEGAL
SUNDAY 3/3
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(NERDERY) It doesn't matter if you're a gamer, sci-fi nerd, anime fan, fantasy fairy, or cosplay artist, Emerald City Comic Con is for you! Don't miss this jam-packed weekend of panels, meet-and-greets, cosplay, comics, fanfic, and screenings. This welcoming con offers youngling lightsaber training, furry meetups, and panels on topics like mental health in pop culture and LGBTQ+ representation in the superhero world. Celebrity guests include America's favorite ass (Chris Evans), James Hong of Everything Everywhere All at Once and Kung Fu Panda fame, the first female (and 13th overall) Doctor Jodie Whittaker, LOTR buds Elijah Wood and Sean Astin, and many more. Good news for Twilight fans (Washington pride!), four of the actors who played members of the Cullen family will make appearances. (Seattle Convention Center, 800 Convention Pl, Feb 29-March 3, $56-$466, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH
MONDAY 3/4
(FOOD) Do you know what's been missing from your life since the Super Bowl? No, it's not football. And it's certainly not images of Taylor Swift watching football. It's an excuse to eat nachos by the shovelful. Well, we have good news, people of Seattle: Starting Monday, March 4 through Sunday, March 10, The Stranger will celebrate the return of NACHO WEEK! That's right! For one week only, Seattle's fave restaurants will be serving up specially crafted, full-sized plates of inventive, delicious nachos. And while it's not a competition, you can bet your butt that these fun-loving chefs will be coming up with the most creative nacho combinations imaginable! And best of all? Every delectable plate is only a measly $10 each. The list of more than a dozen participants includes Bang Bang Cafe, Citizen, Ozzies, Lost Lake Cafe & Lounge, and Rough & Tumble Pub, and there are meat-filled, vegetarian, and vegan options available. See the full menu here! (Nacho Week is March 4-10, see a list of participants here, and please remember to tip your servers, cooks, and bartenders generously) THE STRANGER'S PROMOTIONS DEPARTMENT
TUESDAY 3/5
(MUSIC) Lætitia Sadier, the co-founder, songwriter, and lyricist of the electropop great Stereolab, released her fifth solo album Rooting for Love on Chicago label Drag City last week, and it's a brilliant, politically subversive, and idiosyncratic synth-pop record. My favorite cut is "Don't Forget That You're Mine," a bright experimental pop song about abuse and possession. It's an exciting event, because it'd been several years since we'd heard new solo music from the singer, who last released Find Me Finding You as the Lætitia Sadier Source Ensemble in 2017. In the past seven years, she'd embarked on successful tours with a reunited Stereolab, and last year put out a collaborative record as Modern Cosmology with the Brazil-based Mombojó. (Barboza, 925 E Pike St, 7 pm, $16-$18, 21+) VIVIAN MCCALL
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Freakout Weekender
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Crocodile Complex + Belltown Yacht Club
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