7:00 PM – AJ Jacobs: The Guinea Pig Diaries: My Life as an Experiment
University Bookstore U-District
The man behind Living Biblically is in town to talk about his latest, the story behind the story. Excellent!
[LINK]

7:00 PM – Ben & Linda Marra: Faces from the Land: Twenty Years of Pow Wow Tradition
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
The Marras present their second collection of really pretty pictures.
[LINK]

7:00 PM – Donald McKenzie, Jamal Rahman, & Ted Falcon: Getting to the Heart of Interfaith: The Eye-Opening, Hope-Filled Friendship of a Rabbi, Pastor and Sheikh!
University Temple Church
Have I ever told you the joke about the priest and the rabbi who were in a plane crash?
[LINK]

7:00 PM – Jesse Minkert & Jacob Jans
Pilot Books
No idea. Website had not been updated at the time of this writing. Feel free to click the link, below.
[LINK]

7:30 PM – Carol Yoon: Naming Nature: The Clash Between Instinct and Science
Town Hall Seattle
“…the story of the rise of a science, the science of taxonomy or the classification of all life…” Deep.
[LINK]

Image via Josh

Neumos may have lost their minds, to your advantage–horror punk act Black Eyes and Neckties are opening for Unnatural Helpers and the destructive force of Monotonix. Who they are allowing to set up on the floor.

Let’s just pause and review that for a second. Black Eyes and Neckties will start the show covered in fake blood and almost certainly be smeared in a little bit of the real stuff by the end. The last time I saw them, singer Brad Lockhart was in a wheelchair after breaking a foot and spraining his ankles during a show, and I still managed to get clocked in the head by a fake skull during a particularly dramatic bit of cabinet destroying. (I immediately sent their album to my teenage brother.) On both feet and with this being their last Seattle show ever, I can’t imagine that they’ll hold anything back. Just these guys on the bill would make for an epic night.

But then there’s still Monotonix to watch! Those crazy Israelis had their Bumbershoot set last year shut down in about 11 minutes. They’ll spend the entire performance on top of whatever they can climb, possibly while on fire. You might be holding up the band while they sit on top of the drums and play from there, like they did at the Comet last year. In the middle of the afternoon at the Sunset they handed out pieces of the drum kit and took to the streets. Mayhem is generally an understatement, and I’m not sure it’s possible to do anything but love these sweaty, smelly guys,

It’ll be an unmissable show, if only because Neumos might not be left standing by the end of it. (Ok, also because both bands play good enough music that the spectacle isn’t even the best part of the show.) And we have a pair to give away to one of you! Email us at seattle.metblogs @ gmail.com with the subject line “Monotonix” (or tell us you want them on the twitter: @seattlemetblogs) by Friday morning to be entered to win them.

6:30 PM – Robert Cumbow: The Northwest Independent Editors Guild
Richard Hugo House
The IP attorney will discuss IP issues as they pertain to editors. Seeing as how editors make their living from other folk’s intellectual property and all. Yes.
[LINK]

7:00 PM – Frank Portman: Andromeda Klein
Secret Garden Bookshop Book signing party for the author’s sophomore release. “High school sophomore Andromeda, an outcast because she studies the occult and has a hearing impairment and other disabilities, overcomes grief over terrible losses by enlisting others’ help in her plan to save library books–and finds a kindred spirit along the way.” –Publisher’s summary
[LINK]

7:00 PM – Hugo Works in Progress: Open Mic
Richard Hugo House
“A monthly open mic designed to give writers a chance to read in front of fellow writers and share what they have been working on.” (RHH) [LINK]

7:00 PM – Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (Ret.): Education: A Big Idea in Today’s America
Town Hall Seattle
This event is sold out, but if you know someone, ask them to sneak you in, in their backpack. Justice O’Connor will be discussing “Education: A Big Idea in Today’s America,” but Elliott Bay will be selling Justice O’Connor’s books: Lazy B: Growing Up on a Cattle Ranch in the American Southwest & Finding Susie, among others (one hopes). Oh, and if you want to be my good fairy and give me a ticket, well… I’ll say thank you, very sincerely. How’s that?
[LINK]

7:00 PM – Paula Becker & Alan Stein: Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition: A Timeline History
University Bookstore U-District
Washington’s first World’s Fair continues to fascinate history geeks celebrating the Centennial.
[LINK]

Friday was the opening day for the Western Washington Fair–you know it as “The Puyallup”–and, as usual, I was there. This year I started my Fair experience by watching the traditional running of the cattle. (Click here for video.

This was followed immediately by a parade featuring local marching bands, members of the military, the Daffodil Queen and her court, clows, a juggle Elvis impersonator on a unicycle, lots and lots of horses and carriages, tractors, the flags of all 50 states, and the fair’s many plush mascots.

It was a bright and sunny day which along with free admission for the first few hours inspired lots and lots of people to come on down to the fairgrounds to check out the animals, the vegetables, fruits, flowers, food, rides, exhibits and live entertainment of all sorts. The Fair is always crowded but even for someone who dislikes crowds as much as I do, it’s bearable–the fun of being there more than makes up for the minor inconvenience of having to stand through a couple lines.

The highlight for the fair for me every year is seeing all the animals. Seattle might allow people to keep a couple goats and/or chickens, but there aren’t too many chances in town to see a whole bunch of farm animals. (I’m not complaining–I really like looking at cattle but I don’t really want to live next door to them and you probably don’t either, or we’d all live in the country, not the city.) There are plenty of other attractions, though. Just looking at all the deep fried offerings on hand is more than enough for me, but if you’re into that sort of thing you can get deep fried Twinkies or Snickers bars or cola or, well, if it can be deep fried, it probably is. Me, I stick the to the traditional fair burger, piled high with sweet Walla Walla onions, and piping hot Fisher scones.

There are rides aplenty at the fair and midway games and all sorts of items for sale ranging from cheap plastic souvenirs to items for your home which could be anything from a brand new vacuum cleaner to a bubbling spa for your backyard. Every sort of craft imaginable gets represented in some way at the fair along with fine arts and hobby collections, historical displays (I strongly suggest checking out the Fair History museum) and rodeos, concerts and comedians.

New this year to the fair is “Al’s Brain”, an exhibit and 3D movie featuring Weird Al Yankovic which is all about the human brain and manages to be both informative and funny.

The fair runs daily through September 27th. Tickets are available at the gate for $11 (there is an additional charge if you want to go to one of the concerts or rodeos which this year include acts like Crosby Stills and Nash, James Taylor, Heart, LeAnn Rimes and Wynonna with the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra) or can be purchased online; fairgoers can also purchase discount packages which include “fair bucks” for food or ride tickets. Members of the military get free admission on Mondays.

When you go to the fair, please consider using public transportation. From Seattle, it’s an easy ride from downtown Seattle to downtown Tacoma on Sound Transit 594 ($3 each way) to transfer to Pierce Transit’s Fair Shuttle ($1.75 each way). You’ll save yourself the expense and inconvenience of driving in traffic and then paying an arm and a leg to park as well as help the environment. Besides, Pierce Transit bus drivers are just about the nicest bus drivers you’ll ever meet.

Artist’s rendition of the Lemieux Library after completion, courtesy Seattle University

On Thursday morning, Seattle University president Stephen Sundborg, SJ, announced the close of SU’s six-year long capital campaign. Over 21,000 donors exceeded the original goal of $150 million, giving the 110 year old academic institution the necessary funds to offer new scholarships to students, academic programs and professorships, a fitness complex, an arts center and more, including the $56 million Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons which are scheduled for completion next fall.

The successful campaign was focused on four main areas: scholarships, academic enhancements, facilities, and initiatives centered on the Jesuit university’s Catholic identity. More than 7,500 students are enrolled in Seattle’s largest private university which has eight schools offering graduate and undergraduate programs and was ranked as one of the top ten universities in the West by US News and World Report. (They also have some excellent sports teams.) Of the funds raised, $43 million are allocated to student scholarships and $44 million for academic programs and initiatives.

Since I’m a neighbor of SU, I can always take a short walk down the street to check out the progress on campus, but anyone curious to see how construction is going can check out their Library building webcam, which includes a link to construction bulletins for all the projects on campus. If you’ve never actually visited the university, however, I highly recommend it. It’s a beautiful campus with a lot of interesting architecture and landscape design, and the university hosts many events open to the public from sports to shows like Bloody Henry, a puppet show celebrating the 500th anniversary of “mass-murdering monarch” Henry VIII of England that plays weekends from September 25 through October 24.

2:00 PM – Band of Poets: Mexico City Blues
Richard Hugo House
John Burgess, Jed Myers, Paul Nelson, Raul Sanchez, Amanda D’pair and Sergey Feldman will read selections from Kerouac’s 242 choruses backed by musicians on guitar, harmonica, bass, drums and horn.
[LINK]

3:00 PM – Craven Rock & Alexis Wolf: Eaves of Ass #7
Pilot Books
Zine release party. Great title, but I can’t believe that their parents gave them those names.
[LINK]

6:00 PM – Mark Kraushaar w/ Aaron Silverberg & Janette Rosebrook: Poetry Reading
Fremont Place Books
Kraushaar is the winner of the Felix Pollak Prize. He’ll be reading from his latest Falling Brick Kills Local Man. Love the title, looking forward to the reading.
[LINK]

11:00 AM – Storytelling at NAAM
Northwest African American Museum
Children of all ages are invited to experience the art of storytelling and the power of stories with a featured guest.
[LINK]

12:00 PM – Rachael Brownell: Mommy Doesn’t Drink Here Anymore: Getting Through the First Year of Sobriety
Elliott Bay Book Co.
“Brownell has an easy, readable style and a simple message. There is no glowing happy ending, just the reality that life must be faced one day at a time. This work will appeal to readers who like memoirs about ordinary people overcoming difficult life problems; individuals who find 12-step and recovery literature helpful will also be interested in this personal journey.”—Crystal Renfro for Reed Business Information
[LINK]

12:30 PM – Jane Goodall: Hope for Animals and Their World: How Endangered Species Are Being Rescued from the Brink
Theo Chocolate
Legendary activist, scientist, and UN representative Dr. Jane Goodall will be in Seattle to share her new book. Tickets are $50, and include a copy of the book, Theo chocolate, and a $10 donation to the Jane Goodall Institute.
[LINK]

5:00 PM – Cecile Andrews & John DeGraaf: Less is More: Embracing Simplicity for a Healthy Planet, a Caring Economy, and Lasting Happiness
Elliott Bay Book Co.
“We’re destroying the planet, undermining happiness, and clinging to an unsustainable economy. Our obsessive pursuit of wealth isn’t working. But there’s another way. Less can be More. Throughout history wise people have argued that we need to live more simply – that only by limiting outer wealth can we have inner wealth.With Less is More, editors Cecile Andrews and Wanda Urbanska have compiled a compelling collection of works by people who have been writing about Simplicity for decades, including:… and many more. These thinkers bring us a new vision of Less: less stuff, less work, less stress, less debt. A life with Less becomes a life of More: more time, more satisfaction, more balance, more security. When we have too much, we savor nothing. When we choose less, we regain our life and can think and feel deeply. Ultimately, a life of less connects us with one true source of happiness: being part of a caring community.” –Book jacket
[LINK]

Well, someone’s not pleased about KIRO canceling Luke Burbank’s radio show “Too Beautiful to Live”. These were taped up on the outside of the building where the show is housed on Eastlake on my way in to work this morning and still there on my way home this afternoon. The show, which has been for 395 episodes, was canceled because of low ratings. It will continue as a podcast.

happy birthdy jherek. photo courtesy slender means society.

• Jherek Bischoff, of the Dead Science, Ribbons, Parenthetical Girls, and many other musical collaborations, turns thirty years old tonight. Unlike some, who might be inclined to drown the ache of a third decade in blackout-inducing bubbles, he is instead celebrating at Town Hall with forty musicians who will perform thirteen of his original compositions on a variety of instruments, ranging from the conventional orchestral arrangements to a piece for ukulele and 30 glockenspiels. It should be something special. $5-15, 8pm [townhall]
• The Fair kicks off its nearly two and a half week residency in Puyallup today. Between now and 27 September, those who Do the Puyallup will have the opportunity to devour innovative fried concoctions; see animals and needlepoint being judged; take a tour through Weird Al’s brain (peril sensitive sunglasses recommended); listen to the likes of Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Heart, James Taylor; see something about High School Musical; marvel at monster truck battles, rodeo, and college fairs; entrust their lives to carnival rides; and experience many other pursuits, imaginable or otherwise. Prices vary, check the schedule, and pick out a cowboy hat in advance. [thefair]
• Emerald City Soul Club brings rare and classic Northern Soul back to the two dance floors of the Lo Fi on Saturday. After hearing nothing but praise for these events forever, I finally made it to one of their temporary stints at the Crocodile. The hype was justified, and let’s just say that some innocents may have been injured in the talcum-covered dancing shenanigans. $10, partytime. [lofi]

kip berman from the pains of being pure at heart, chbp. photo by josh [flickr]

Their cunning, fuzzy, self-titled album took the indieverse by storm with sounds of upbeat yearning reminiscent of explosive basement pajama parties and covert library action. They charmed the pants off of the mainstage during the Capitol Hill Block Party in the middle of the summer. Now, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart are returning to Seattle on Tuesday, just a few days ahead of the release of their new [already!] EP, Higher Than The Stars (22 September, Slumberland, complete with a trancy St. Etienne remix of the title track).
As much as I liked seeing them on a big stage in the great outdoors, I have a sneaking suspicion that they’ll be even more in their element in closer, darker quarters. If you haven’t already purchased tickets for this show (now with an all-ages balcony!), we might be able to reward your procrastination.

We have a pair to giveaway to one of you. Just drop a note to us (seattle.metblogs @ gmail.com or on the twitter @seattlemetblogs ) — with “tPoBPaH” in the subject line before Saturday afternoon and you’ll be entered to win. Those who identify the skeletons or highlight meaningful entries in the bibliography of “Young Adult Friction” [youtube] video — a near-perfect visual expression of the band’s sonic aesthetic, as far as I’m concerned — will improve their odds of victory.

// the pains of being pure at heart, with the deprecation guild & cymbals eat guitars. tuesday 15 september, $13 adv, 8 pm [neumos]