The holidays can keep us busy--but try and make some time for Seattle lit events this week. Cheers! more ›

Ryan Adams is the whole package. He's adorable with a hipster haircut flipping to the side. He's an incredibly talented vocalist and songwriter. He knows how to make fun of himself and the audience while still keeping an air of charm and wit. Did we mention he's an incredible musician? The sold out Benaroya Hall was dead silent for the entire two hours he performed and for good reason. more ›

The Seattle Symphony is presenting five performances of songs from the canon of deep space nerdery. Starting this evening, guest conductor Victor Vanacore will lead the orchestra in music from Star Trek, Star Wars, E.T., Avatar, Ghostbusters, Battlestar Galactica, and more. All hosted by Star Trek: The Next Generation's Jonathan Frakes. more ›

Today, remember Johnny Cash...with the help of Eddie Vedder. more ›

Noted essayist and ornery intellectual humorist Fran Lebowitz is coming to Seattle this coming March, in an event hosted by Dan Savage at Benaroya Hall. more ›

It's been said around town the last few days, but it is worth repeating. Seattle would be a much different kind of city without the philanthropy and largess of Bagley Wright, who passed away suddenly of a heart attack Monday night at the age of 87. more ›

We'll keep this short and sweet. Eddie Vedder is one of those names that everyone knows. What we were able to hear last night left no doubt that the man is incredible. His voice rings true and solid and can rival the best of of them out there. more ›

No fanfare was spared at yesterday's unveiling of "Gerard Schwarz Place" the symbolically renamed stretch of University Ave between 2nd and 3rd in Seattle's downtown core. Arts enthusiast and all-around go-getter Alex Hudson was there to snap a few photos of the new signage. more ›

M.J. Porter at University Book Store, Richard Ford, William Deresiewicz, Becky Selengut and more... more ›

Slam poetry veteran Patricia Smith’s words hurt us. They dig under our skin and draw out forgotten bits of pain and collective shame. And then something miraculous happens; we’re allowed, just briefly, to smile and laugh and cringe at our shortcomings. Smith explores her world with humor and humility, melody and sensuality, and we’re pulled along with her for the ride. more ›

Lucia Perillo’s poetry is all about bodies and animals; humans as meat, beasts as flesh, sex and desire. She’s also considered to be “the funniest poet writing today, which is saying a lot.” With works such as 2009’s Inseminating the Elephant, I’ve Heard the Vultures Singing: Field Notes on Poetry, Illness, and Nature (2007) and The Body Mutinies (1996), Perillo illustrates for readers those physical dimensions connecting humans to their animal counterparts. Her poems are at times embarrassing and grotesque, at others soothing and refreshing, but her explorations are always lively. And you can catch this Olympia resident reading tomorrow night at Benaroya Hall as part of the Seattle Arts and Lectures series (the event is nearly sold out). more ›

SIFF FITS: It’s officially here! Three and a half weeks of movie festival enjoyment lay spread out before us and the only bad part we can think of is that we have to take it all one day at a time. Seattle International Film Festival, entering its 36th year, kicks off this evening with the Opening Night Gala at Benaroya Hall. The feature presentation is the film Extra Man, a comedy featuring Kevin Kline (Wild, Wild West, In & Out), Paul Dano (Little Miss Sunshine, There Will Be Blood), John C. Reilly (Days of Thunder), and Katie Holmes (Teaching Mrs. Tingle). After the screening, guests are invited to dance, drink, eat and altogether enjoy Seattle’s premiere red carpet event. After that? 24 more glorious days of movies. more ›

Overall, Chabon has shown us since his beginning in 1988 that he is no one-trick pony. He doesn't JUST want to be his generation's Raymond Chandler or Philip K. Roth, or McSweeney's poster child. Chabon does what he wants; he writes about what interests him in the moment, whether it's fiction or non-fiction, pulp or fantasy; at times, even taking different genres and fixing them together to fit a novel's purpose. more ›

Mark Doty will be reading as a part of the Seattle Arts & Lectures 2009-2010 Poetry Series at 7:30 p.m., on Friday, February 26, at Benaroya Hall. Tickets range from $10-50. As Continued from yesterday... more ›

There are many things that Doty is well-known for regarding his work in both poetry and memoir. Doty has been featured in popular literary publications such as The New Yorker and The Atlantic Monthly; was a New York Times Bestseller for his memoir, Dog Years; has was honored with the National Book Award for Poetry (Fire to Fire) among many others, and most impressively, was the first American to have won the U.K.'s T.S. Elliot Prize for My Alexandria (which also won him the National Book Critics Circle Award.) more ›

Patti Smith is one of those figures in art who we still have to explain to some people, and we can never figure out why. A founding figure in the New York Punk scene in the 1970's, an acclaimed poet and author, and a member of the rock and roll hall of fame, lots of people still tend to deliver blank stares until we bring up her only radio hit, Because the Night. It's...occasionally frustrating for fans. more ›

Before there was Guy Fieri doing Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, Rachel Ray's Tasty Travels on the Food Network and Chowhound, Yelp and Urbanspoon dominated our smart phones and laptops, Jane and Michael Stern were on the road reporting about authentic purveyors of regional American cuisine. Together they have traveled over 3 million miles, eaten over one-hundred thousand meals and written thirty books, not to mention work found in Gourmet Magazine and on NPR's Splendid Table. On Tuesday night they shared some of their stories from the road to a surprisingly, large crowd at Benaroya Hall presented by Seattle Arts & Lectures. more ›

TIME TO HIT THE ROAD: Jane and Michael Stern are in town tonight to speak about their diner-filled travels and food adventures across the U.S. as a part of Seattle Arts and Lectures. The Stern's supposedly eat up to 12 meals a day while on the road (Whaaa?!), all for the sake of their much-adoring fans that we're sure would eat 12 servings of the Road Food books out of their hands on any occasion if asked. Don't go to this reading hungry--we have a feeling you'll really regret it. more ›

Literary favorite David Sedaris will be in Seattle for a show at Benaroya Hall on May 9, and tickets go on sale today! Though many are familiar with Sedaris' much-loved short story collections such as Barrel Fever, Me Talk Pretty One Day, and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, the chances to see him live and in person do not happen often, so take the chance while you have it! If you've been a longtime fan, now is the time. more ›

SO WONDERFUL: Taproot Theatre Company is putting on It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play tonight at North Seattle Community College. It's a Wonderful Life was first originally broadcasted on the radio in 1947, though most of us have only had the pleasure of watching it on VHS. If you're in need of some warm and fuzzy goodness and a little extra holiday cheer, here is the event for you. Great for the family, and for those who want to see a live version of this all-time holiday classic. more ›

GREEN PORNO: Daughter of Ingrid Bergman, former Mrs. Scorsese, ex-Lancome model, and creator of a series of short films about the sex lives of animals, Isabella Rossellini makes an appearance as part of the Seattle Arts & Lectures series. The Blue Velvet songstress even designs her own costumes for the show. more ›

Are there memories in particular that stand out when you think about playing Seattle or just memories about Seattle in general? I remember seeing some very straight but totally homoerotic lumberjacks at four in the morning somewhere. And it was one of the most enthralling visions of my West Coast existence. I always remember Seattle as a very sexy, rough and tumble town. more ›

Ah, how we love Lydia Davis.... We're so excited that she will be here in Seattle next week to speak on the subject of "A Beloved Duck Gets Cooked: The Influence of Innovative Forms." Yes, we know that this premise may sound strange, but if you've read her work, you understand--this woman is quite the odd duck herself, and we absolutely love her for it. more ›

Fresh on the heels of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia live, today Seattle Theatre Group announced that Steve Martin will be coming to Benaroya Hall November 3. He'll be performing "an evening of bluegrass and banjo" with his backing band, the Steep Canyon Rangers. That sounds funny, right? Tickets go on sale this Saturday at 10 a.m. and will set you back $55-75, plus Ticketmaster fees. Not so funny, Steve. more ›

GET STIMULATED: All this week, through Saturday July 18th, it's the second annual Seattle City Stimulus, which encourages residents to spend money at small local businesses. Fill out the form to get your membership card, which affords you discounts at all kinds of establishments. Eat, drink, and shop your way around town--IT'S FOR THE ECONOMY! All week long // Participating businesses // prices vary more ›

For some reason we have only just now heard that The Cult will be playing at The Moore Theatre on August 26. They're performing their Love album, so round up Brother Wolf and Sister Moon, it'll be an evening like no other. And Seattle Gay Blog tells us that Rufus Wainwright will be swanning into Benaroya Hall on November 8. His site says tix will go on sale August 8. more ›

Wall of Windows by B.K. Dewey, from the Seattlest Flickr Pool more ›

WRITERS GROUP: It's a daylight meetup of the Seattle Writers Group. They're gathering at Greenlake's Revolutions Espresso (across the street from Gregg's Greenlake Cycle) for 45 minutes of writing followed by 15 of discussion. Here is the thing that will help set your writing career on the path: "onsite bakery." It's sort of an insider's thing but behind every great writer is a choice pastry. Joyce=scone with currants and orange peel. True story. more ›

The multiplier effect can create some rather extraordinary sounds in a musical ensemble--the string section of an orchestra, for example, or a battery of snare drums in a marching band. On Tuesday night at Benaroya Hall, the extraordinary sound was that of four guitars. The acclaimed Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (LAGQ) presented an eclectic program for a nearly packed hall, which included works with orchestra in the first half and three themed sets in the second half (Spanish Renaissance pieces, Brazilian music, and some quintessentially American tunes). more ›

He won a Pulitzer for his first novel, The Brief Wondrous LIfe of Oscar Wao, but when Junot Diaz took to the lectern at Benaroya Hall last night, after what he called a "super-long introduction," he looked out into the crowd and said, "Guys, you should be up here. Super fucking scary." Diaz's spoken voice was straight from the page: super-fucking-compelling, laugh-your-ass-off funny, shit so true you don't even tell your homies. more ›