Sep 16 Wednesday
In 1902 New York, anything seemed possible. RAGTIME is a uniquely compelling exploration of America at the turn of the 20th century, weaving together three unforgettable stories: a daring Harlem pianist, a determined Jewish immigrant, and an affluent society woman. Each navigates a changing world, united by courage, compassion, and belief in the promise of the future.
With its Tony Award-winning score blending ragtime, blues, jazz, and show tunes, RAGTIME has been hailed by TIME Magazine as “a triumph for the stage,” and by the International Herald Tribune as “the best musical in twenty years.”
In a production marking our nation’s 250th birthday, this beloved epic musical bursts onto the Village stage, painting a vivid portrait of the people who built this country with hope for a brighter tomorrow.
Eminent Malian guitarist Vieux Farka Touré released his new album Les Racines through World Circuit on June 10, 2022. Touré is known as the “Hendrix of the Sahara” and the son of the late “Desert Blues” pioneer Ali Farka Touré; the album Les Racines is Touré’s debut album on the label and his first since 2017. The title, which translates as ‘the roots’, represents a deep reconnection with the Songhai music of Northern Mali known as “Desert Blues”, made famous by his father via his own World Circuit releases decades earlier.
There’s a popular proverb in Mali that says life’s family name is change. It’s a dictum that Vieux Farka Touré has followed throughout his career over a series of adventurous cross-border explorations and collaborations. Yet there’s another more universal adage that says to know where you’re going, you must know where you’ve come from. It’s that essential human need to embrace one’s heritage that lies at the heart of Les Racines.
The son of the late Ali Farka Touré, acclaimed as the finest guitarist Africa has ever produced, Vieux spent two years making Les Racines but the album had been gestating in his mind even longer. “I’ve had a desire to do a more traditional album for a long, long time. It’s important to me and to Malian people that we stay connected to our roots and our history,” Vieux explains. The lockdowns caused by the Coronavirus outbreak, which prevented him from touring, were turned to his advantage as he used the time to craft the most profound statement of his career to date.
Les Racines is Vieux’s sixth solo album in a recording career that began in 2006 and which has taken in audacious collaborations with the likes of Dave Matthews and the jazz guitarist John Scofield, an album with the American singer-songwriter Julia Easterlin, and two records with the Israeli artist Idan Raichel as The Touré-Raichel Collective. “Early in my career people asked why I wasn’t just following my father. But it was important for me to establish my own identity,” Vieux says. “Now people know what I can do, I can return to those roots with pride and I hope a certain authority.”
For drag king Benny Dick and femmecee Beatrice, love is a real drag. Thankfully, at Messy Ina’s — the hottest gay nightclub in 1970s Seattle— they’re in good company!
When Claudio returns from protest with Dawn Pedro, he finds himself smitten with Leo Nada’s drag child, Hero. But before these two baby gays can U-Haul their way to a happy ending, Joanne — ex-wife to Claudio and sister to Dawn Pedro — cooks up a devious plot to sabotage their engagement.
Adapted and co-produced by Jo Jo Stilleto, directed by Verity Germaine, and co-choreographed by Flossy Beatrice and Fosse Jack, this delightfully queer adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy features muppet show-style hijinks, lipsyncs for one’s life, and an amount of puns that would make even the most seasoned Dad Joke-tellers groan.
Swing It WednesdayAlways LIVE Music featuring outstanding local artists. Different band every week!
*Huge 3900 Square Foot Dance Floor
*Air Conditioning
*Free Parking
18+ Only. ID Required
Sep 17 Thursday
Supported by KNKX. Touring in support of their new album, Cook. Cook isn't just a nod to Lettuce's musical heat; it's an invitation to join the band at the table, where funk, soul, jazz, rock, and hip-hop come together in one rich, flavorful dish.
Released on their own Lettuce Records label, the band's next studio album offers a menu of delights that marks a band exploring new sonic territory. For these six life-long partners, the new songs feel like a nourishing meal that entices all of your senses.
Like 2019's Elevate, 2020's Resonate and 2022's Unify, before it, Cook was recorded at Colorado Sound just outside East Coast transplants Deitch, Smirnoff, and Bloom's adopted home of Denver, where they gathered in one room to work on the new material. Ryan Zoidis did a masterful job mixing the final results with longtime Grammy-nominated engineer Jesse O'Brien.
On the new album, Lettuce has expanded its ever-widening musical palette again. Coming off tours with both rap icon GZA of Wu-Tang Clan and and reggae legend Ziggy Marley while earlier in this year releasing the live album and concert film 'Lettuce with the Colorado Symphony' capturing over 90 minutes of collaborative symphonic arrangements with the Colorado Symphony.
Drop into Easy Street Records for an afternoon of crate digging. While you're there drop off your damaged or unplayable vinyl records to help support vinyl recycling efforts! Collection bins will be out through the end of September.
Event website: https://www.wmg.com/news/independent-record-stores-and-warner-music-group-launch-nationwide-pilot-to-explore-recovery-pathways-for-vinyl-records
In celebration of its 30th anniversary, the Washington State Historical Society invites you to explore the history of building the State History Museum. 30 Years and Counting: The Making of the Washington State History Museum is a special exhibition that uncovers the vision, effort, and community spirit that brought this iconic Tacoma landmark to life.
Discover the bold ideas and architectural ingenuity that shaped the museum’s distinctive look. From early sketches to final blueprints, see how the building’s design reflects both innovation and reverence for Washington’s past. Go behind the scenes of the museum’s construction. Through photographs and artifacts from the building process, witness how a dream took shape—brick by brick, beam by beam.
Staff Picks: 30 Objects for 30 Years
In a special feature area, museum staff share their favorite objects from the collection—each one a personal reflection on the power of history to inspire, surprise, and connect us.
This is a permanent exhibition. Since time immemorial, Tribal nations have existed in this place we call Washington. This Is Native Land invites visitors to understand Washington State through the lived experiences and voices of its Native people.
Tribal nations are sovereign nations. Today, Native history, culture, and community thrive in our state. Through everyday acts of sovereignty – big and small – Indigenous peoples demonstrate they are still here, they have persevered, and they will always be here.
This Is Native Land is guided by three teachings:We are of the land and watersWith knowledge comes responsibilitySovereignty protects people, lands, and waters
These teachings are shared through multimedia, artwork, and interactive objects designed for guest engagement. They represent a contemporary continuation of Tribal stories and traditions.
Over 100 Native contributors from more than 60 Tribes shaped the exhibition’s stories and content. We thank the Native Advisory Committee and all community participants for their contributions.
Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music unveils the profound legacy of Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul artists who shaped the soundscape of American culture and used their music as instruments of resistance, identity, and representation.
Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul embody the profound influence of African American music on culture and history. From the spiritual foundations and transformative movements of Gospel hymns to the revolutionary improvisations of Jazz, the Blues’ Southern roots rising from the Mississippi Delta, and Soul’s powerful amplification of the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, these genres have defined the unique sound and undying spirit of a nation that continues to echo through contemporary Black music today.
LeMay – America’s Car Museum proudly presents The Birth of the American Supercar, a groundbreaking exhibition guest curated by renowned automotive innovator Steve Saleen. This one-of-a-kind display invites guests on an exhilarating journey through the evolution of American supercars. From early speed pioneers to cutting-edge modern marvels, visitors will experience a stunning lineup of vehicles that have redefined engineering, speed, and style, built by a wide range of American automotive manufacturers like Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Saleen himself, and even some more obscure ones like Vector, Cunningham, and Hennessey. From roaring V8s to sleek carbon-fiber bodies, discover how American automakers pushed boundaries, challenged European rivals, and redefined what a supercar could be. This exhibition offers a rare opportunity to see some of the most thrilling and historically significant American-made performance vehicles ever built—all under one roof.
