LA-based group Bubble Tea and Cigarettes opens the show with their hazy, reverb-soaked pop-rock music. I'm looking forward to seeing how they bring the project to a live setting, but knowing these highly-skilled and well-practiced musicians, I'm sure it won't disappoint. Their latest album, 2, was built by the members uploading song fragments and ideas from studios in four different Canadian provinces, with Shauf bringing them all together and adding in interesting samples like old-timey audio of a lovers' quarrel. Though they've only put out two albums, the quintet has been friends for 20 years, building a trust that allows them to push each other musically and explore the edges of the folk-rock genre. Fronted by Canadian singer-songwriter Andy Shauf, who's known for his narrative lyrics and lilting vocals, the band released their second album earlier this year after their well-received debut in 2018. But at this point, a lot of other people know who they are, too—the band has garnered an international fanbase with the release of over 20 albums in the last 30 years; each full of earnest vocals, rollicking guitars, and energetic horns.
If you’re already full up on presents for the season (don’t fool yourself now), you can still enjoy live performances beneath the towering Christmas Pyramid, take a spin on the carousel, or join the market-wide scavenger hunt with mascots Holly and Jolly. Starring Bobbi Joe Blessings, Brandi Marxxx, Kara Sutra, and Sid Seedy, this family-friendly, spiritually inclusive event also incorporates meditation ('tis the season for reflection, after all) and a holiday gift drive benefiting Lambert House and Seattle Children’s Hospital. This holiday season, Drag Church reimagines Dickens’ A Christmas Carol as a queer festive pageant in which Scrooge is guided not by ghosts but by three drag queen spirits determined to help him shed shame and embrace joy (love to see it). You can expect this show to be a little raunchier than the average holiday performance; Alaska has released musical albums titled Anus, Vagina, and Poundcake (though that last one could go either way). Catch Jay Som on her Seattle stop with support from local dream pop artist Sea Lemon.
- But during the Trump administration’s first run, Waters’ holiday stand-up shows became sort of beautiful and sustaining.
- Taking cues from traditional European Christmas markets, Seattle’s version brings daily snow showers, a festive carousel, a magical wishing forest, and dozens upon dozens of requisite vendors.
- DJ Mandy Past EventLikeListIf cursed mashups are an art form, DJ Mandy is the modern-day Picasso.
- Having gone from playing guitar on a kids’ show to becoming a Grammy-winning producer and solo artist, Leon Thomas has turned a lifetime of music-making into a legit R&B takeover.
- Disney’s The Lion KingRemindLikeListThis legendary Broadway production, often touted as the “world’s #1 musical” having grossed over $8 billion worldwide, will transform the Paramount Theatre into the Serengeti.
"The Lion King" features magnificent costumes, beloved songs and spectacular set design, bringing the mega-popular Disney movie to life. Disney's 'The Lion King.' After seven years, this beloved musical returns to Seattle for a month-long run at The Paramount. If we're missing something fun, email us at
A quick and quirky getaway to Port Townsend
While his Grammy-nominated “Crew”—a song that’s surely burned into the memory of any party-aged millennial of the time—made him a star, his new album ENOCH serves as a reminder of why he’s effortlessly maintained that status. Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox – Magic, Moonlight and Mistletoe TourRemindLikeListI have a friend who hosts an annual black tie party in December because they feel like adults don't have enough reasons to get fancy—a sentiment I agree with. Having gone from playing guitar on a kids’ show to becoming a Grammy-winning producer and solo artist, Leon Thomas has turned a lifetime of music-making into a legit R&B takeover. Though the bands have been performing for decades, their live shows are still filled with energy, jumping, and mosh pits. Now in the big 2025, the indie pop duo has followed up their iconic 2019 album KIN with their fourth album 10K, and they're kicking off a US tour to support the project right here in the PNW.
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars S2 winnerand known extraterrestrial Alaska Thunderfuck 5000, or simply Alaska, brings her Christmas show to the Neptune to kick off the holiday season. Whether he’s touring an album, headlining a festival, or just dropping in for a one-off club set (shoutout Q), he’s guaranteed to be worth the ticket price. A decade ago, when much of house music’s royalty was stuck on “boots and cats” and playing 3+ hour marathon sets, Lake went his own way, crafting a sound that’s just as alien and odd as it is brain-scratchingly pleasing. Born and raised across the water in Bremerton, he attended Western in Bellingham and started the beloved indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie with some classmates.
Live Music
Capitol Hill's Ramie teams up with local purveyors of free-roaming proteins, Preservation Meat Collectives. Over 150 vendors bring hand-crafted goods, the kinds that make for bespoke gifts and "where did you get that" home decor. The third year of Astra Lumina's residence at the Seattle Chinese Garden won't showcase reindeer or stockings but artful displays of light and sound inspired by the galaxies beyond.
This Weekend
From Doris to Some Rap Songs to his fresh new album Live Laugh Love, he’s made a habit of continuously breaking his own molds with every project. LA-based band Night Talks, who has also collaborated with Cory Wong, opens the show with their high energy alt-rock. The group's lineup also includes talented musicians on trumpet, keys, guitar, drums, and bass—check out their disco-funk cover of Britney Spears' "Toxic" if you need convincing. Lead singer Tema Siegel generally doesn't perform with an instrument, but she came up playing saxophone in jazz ensembles; instead, her bandmate Eric Tarlin takes up sax duties within the band. VIP ticket holders will be treated to early entry, a special guest performer, and bites from local chefs curated by restaurateur Ethan Stowell. Don't miss your chance to see two of the founding fathers of modern emo and post-hardcore music in one night.
DJ Mandy Past EventLikeListIf cursed mashups are an art form, DJ Mandy is the modern-day Picasso. SYML Past EventLikeListBrian Fennell, who performs under the moniker SYML, marked the release of his third studio album Nobody Lives Here with an intimate acoustic set at Easy Street Records this past spring. At this concert, I'm expecting Legend's charming charisma and smooth vocals to take center stage and at least one solo piano tune. Foxwarren Past EventLikeListFoxwarren is your favorite indie band's favorite indie band. John Craigie – Keep It Warm Tour 2025 Past EventLikeListA recurring tradition, John Craigie’s wintertime respite from the rain will blanket Tacoma's Spanish Ballroom with his warm vocals and goofy storytelling. "Jansports," the lead single off his sixth studio album, HOBO JOHNSON DRINKS!
- The prolific comedian brings his brutally honest style from Houston, Texas to the Pacific Northwest with hilarious material from his In the Shadows tour.
- Some may recognize their tunes from when they dominated daytime commercial breaks in the 2010s with ad placements for IBM and Expedia.
- Both bands have played Vegas’ When We Were Young fest and can be classified as post-hardcore with occasional screaming, heavy instrumentation, and punk-inspired vocals.
- Don’t let the vintage part intimidate you, the musical collective is all about reinterpreting modern music in the style of yesteryear—think pop songs à la jazz, ragtime, and swing classics of the ’20s through the ’60s.
- I’m looking forward to seeing how they bring the project to a live setting, but knowing these highly-skilled and well-practiced musicians, I’m sure it won’t disappoint.
- Running through early 2026, Porous Body invites viewers into an ancestral and earthly dialogue where grief meets growth, and the boundaries between body, land, and spirit dissolve into something tender and grounded.
Shop The Chop: A Holiday Shopping Event at Chophouse Row
Disney’s The Lion KingRemindLikeListThis legendary Broadway production, often touted as the “world’s #1 musical” having grossed over $8 billion worldwide, will transform the Paramount Theatre into the Serengeti. The star promises to "deck your halls and stuff your stocking with joy and mirth" accompanied by her faerie pianist Jeremy Mikush. I was beyond stoked for her to finally release another explorative indie rock album as Jay Som; Belong came out on October 10 and features guests including Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World and Hayley Williams of Paramore. Then, she toured all over the world playing bass with boygenius, and wrote a song for the soundtrack of the 2024 film I Saw The TV Glow—at this point, what can't she do?? Her first proper Jay Som album, Everybody Works, landed on the Best of 2017 lists of media outlets like Pitchfork, NPR, and Stereogum, and winorio she’s opened for the likes of the National and Paramore.
This year’s show is especially poignant, as it’s the final Collide-O at Here-After—the beloved Crocodile venue closing its doors along with Madame Lou’s. The film picks up where the last season left off, with Shibuya’s Halloween crowds thrust into chaos as Satoru Gojo enters into an ambush. Whether you’re a longtime fan of the PNW-set gem or stepping into the Black Lodge for the first time, this is your chance to experience the series’ return in true cinematic form. Originally debuting on Showtime in 2017, Lynch’s long-awaited continuation of the beloved cult series surpassed expectations, with many critics hailing the surreal 18-hour masterpiece as an “auteurist triumph” (Rotten Tomatoes) that defies the conventions of traditional TV and film. Now’s your chance to see her live and fully in her element.
Described by fans as “The best holiday tradition since eggnog,” The Holiday Hootenanny and Sing-a-Long is a boot … There’s also a festival for every interest, from wine and beer lovers to music fans.
Too bad, because it's time to close out the year with KUOW’s annual mashup of humor and reflection. The mind behind The Daily Stoic, The Obstacle Is the Way, and Stillness Is the Key (books read by everyone from CEOs to Super Bowl coaches to my father-in-law) brings his signature blend of ancient philosophy and practical wisdom to this special Seattle live event. Daily Stoic Live Past EventLikeListThis holiday season, it feels like most of us are looking for a bit more clarity among the chaos. The second show in Unnatural Redhead Productions’ 2025 season, Ass-tronauts & Robo-tits (a title that AI could never) blasts off for an intergalactic journey through comic books, outer space, alternate Earths, and galaxies of glitter, horror, and horniness. The cabaret style of her previous Christmas tour involved some AI antics, an impressive and festive wardrobe, and bits of comedy between showstopping tunes; grab a ticket to see what she has in store for us this year.