Want more? Here’s everything we recommend this month: Music, Visual Art, Literature, Performance, Film, Food, This & That.
Marina
Sept 6
The year was 2015, I was a recent college graduate navigating the perils and pitfalls of my early 20s, and Marina Lambrini Diamandis, better known at the time by her stage name Marina and the Diamonds, was the reigning queen of Tumblr. The rainbow-tinged, disco-inspired cover of her album Froot was all over my dashboard, and I immediately became enamored with Marina’s husky, dramatic pop diva vocals and sugary synths. I’ve been a fan—excuse me, a “Diamond”—ever since. Diamandis, who goes mononymously by Marina these days, has released delightfully campy, danceable singles like “Butterfly” and “Cuntissimo” in the last year. She’ll be joined on her Princess of Power tour by the irresistible alt-hip-hop duo Coco & Clair Clair. (Showbox SoDo, 7:30 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL
TOPS
Sept 6
TOPS are back, and praise be. Their 2020 album, I Feel Alive, feels like a pandemic lifetime ago, and the recently dropped Bury the Key feels appropriately resurrective. But as zombie-friendly as the ’70s horror-chic album artwork is, TOPS can’t brood for long. Lead single “Annihilation” may sound bleak in title, but babe, the sexed-up synth chords say otherwise. Album centerpiece “Falling on My Sword,” on the other hand, is an epic rocking counterpoint to their previous nostalgia-heavy, low-distortion, bendy-string guitar jams that made you want to dance with your cat on a sunny day (also a good thing!). TOPS were last seen in Seattle opening for Soccer Mommy at the Moore, a show that found the Québécois quartet dancing in the balcony after their set and making a lifelong fan of my wife, well earning them a headlining set down the street. (The Crocodile, 6 pm, all ages) TODD HAMM
W.I.T.C.H., Sonny & the Sunsets
September 8
In the 1970s, W.I.T.C.H. were something like Zambia’s Beatles, though their leader, Emmanuel Chanda, sang like Mick Jagger’s African brother. With their name initialized from We Intend To Cause Havoc, the band spearheaded the Zamrock movement, which reimagined Anglo-American garage-rock and psychedelia to intriguing African specs. (The Now-Again label has led the 21st-century revival with loads of key reissues and comps featuring Zambia’s major rock artists.) Boasting a deep catalog of hooky, mood-elevating rock with occasional funk and Afrobeat undertones, W.I.T.C.H still bring the heat, as their vibrant 2022 set at the Crocodile proved. Their current lineup’s filled out with long-running keyboardist Patrick Mwondela and some superb European acolytes who channel that magical Zamrock feel. They’ll be supporting the band’s new album, Sogolo, which reveals a shocking burst of creative energy, reflected in the songs’ more muscular, funky rhythms and heavier and freakier guitar riffs, while also embracing more traditional native styles and adding women vocalists. (Tractor Tavern, 8 pm, 21+) DAVE SEGAL
Orcutt Shelley Miller, Diminished Men
September 10
Well, this sure feels like a supergroup. Hairy Pussy guitarist Bill Orcutt, Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley, and Comets on Fire/Howlin Rain guitarist-vocalist Ethan Miller have carved a potent legacy of avant-rock and smart noise sculpting over the last 40 years. (Miller plays bass here.) But even this late in their respective careers, the trio still has the instrumental juice to keep you wired. The opener from their forthcoming self-titled debut album, “A Star Is Born,” is a molten, methodical jam that encompasses war and peace in perfect harmony. Throughout the record’s five tracks, Shelley creates deep pockets as Orcutt unspools his repertoire of cranky and serene leads and Miller finesses the low end with krautrockin’ pizzazz. “Unsafe at Any Speed” recalls the swarming complexity of peak Amon Düül II, which is not something you hear every decade. Miller’s helical bass line on the psychedelic zenith “Four-Door Charger” will make your eyes roll around their sockets in ecstasy. “A Long Island Wedding” goes even harder. Damn. It kills me that I’ll be out of town for this show. (Tractor Tavern, 7:30 pm, 21+) DAVE SEGAL
Black & Loud Fest
Sept 13
Black & Loud Fest emerged from the minds of Seattle frontmen Cameron Lavi-Jones (of King Youngblood) and Anthony Briscoe (of Down North), who noticed a lack of Black-fronted bands on music festival bills. Even though the festival has grown year after year, its mission has remained the same: to highlight alternative Black artists and showcase their contributions to American music and culture throughout history. This year, trailblazing hard-rock band Living Colour will headline the festival with throwback jams like “Cult of Personality,” “Love Rears Its Ugly Head,” and my personal favorite, “Glamour Boys.” Other highlights from the lineup include Cyril Neville (of the Neville Brothers), local post-punk outfit Black Ends, and R&B singer-songwriter Parisalexa, who, I’m shocked to say, hasn’t broken into the mainstream yet. (The Crocodile, 7 pm, 21+) AUDREY VANN
LaRussell
Sept 14
LaRussell is as much a community movement as he is a 30-year-old rap power cell from Vallejo, CA. His posi-hustle flow and tireless studio/tour/repeat work ethic built his brand, and his numerous collectivist initiatives to give platforms (through his Good Compenny business) to fellow artists have endeared him to millions now beyond the Bay. Most importantly, though, in LR’s case: skill matches grind. His ridiculously prolific catalogue of solo releases (this summer’s Good Ethika was his seventh full-length of 2025 already) is a rap sheet of punchy brag-rhymes and street wisdom, and whether it’s on record with Wiz Khalifa, Lil Jon, Snoop Dogg, or fellow North Bay legend E-40, his features always seems to pop. In typical community-first fashion, pay-what-you-can LaRussell shows have become daytime bastions (doors at 1 p.m.) for the whole family to cut loose, this time with a full band and choir. Bring Grandma, let the kids run wild and cuss on stage (he’ll let them), and, as the man says, “Make hip-hop fun again.” (Nectar Lounge, 1 pm, all ages) TODD HAMM
FACS, Vulture Feather
September 19
Chicago fosters smart, wiry post-punk bands like Ivy League colleges breed corrupt lawmakers. Another case in point: FACS, who’ve been grinding since 2017. Formed from the remains of the solid Kranky Records group Disappears, FACS—drummer Noah Leger, guitarist Brian Case, and bassist Jonathan van Herik—converted me into a fan with a devastating set at 2018’s Capitol Hill Block Party. In a Slog review of that performance, I wrote, “Their brutal, rust-belt rock songs are stripped down and ready for conflict, chronically on the verge of exploding; that they don’t just adds to the music’s potency.” Seven years later, FACS are touring behind the new Wish Defense LP (the last record engineered by the late Steve Albini), which finds the band burrowing deeper into their dub roots and writing songs that are more vertical and vortical than linear and driving. The sound will still ripple your veins, though, and these dudes are merciless onstage, so come on and feel the klang. (Baba Yaga, 8 pm, 21+) DAVE SEGAL
Anika, Lauren Early, Coral Grief
September 23
British/German singer-guitarist Anika’s entry into the music biz came when Geoff Barrow was looking for a “weird singer” for his then-new band Beak>. He hit the jackpot with Anika, who wields one of the starkest deadpan deliveries in today’s scene. (Her timbre resembles Nico’s and Ari Up’s, but Anika has better pitch control.) With Barrow producing, Anika cut her self-titled debut in 2010, a wonderfully skewed set of dubby post-punk charmers, including perhaps the most interesting Yoko Ono and Bob Dylan covers ever (“Yang Yang” and “Masters of War,” respectively). Anika’s love of horror films has colored her compositions, as have the grim science and educational issues she’s covered as a journalist under her real name, Annika Henderson. The new album, Abyss, is Anika’s most rock-oriented record yet, inspired shockingly by gr*nge and Hole’s Celebrity Skin. Formerly rife with tension, Anika’s music—fleshed out by her Exploded View bandmate Martin Thulin—here feels cathartic, as she elegantly rages against what her LP title portends. (Vera Project, 7 pm, all ages) DAVE SEGAL
Judy Collins
Sept 27
After deep-diving into the catalogs of legendary songstresses like Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, and Carole King, I finally found my way to the discography of Judy Collins. I was already aware of her iconic voice, but I didn’t realize she explored so many different genres. Her music isn’t straightforward vocal pop, but swims around trad-folk, country, disco, and jazz, incorporating the occasional experimental flourish (such as the ethereal ocean sounds in “Farewell to Tarwathie.”) Collins has released and collaborated on over 50 albums in her lifetime, with additional career successes as an author, filmmaker, social activist, guitar designer, and record label founder. She’s also been gigging for over 50 years, so show up and make this stop in Edmonds a memorable one for her. (Edmonds Center for the Arts, 7:30 pm) AUDREY VANN
Magdalena Bay
Sept 29
Los Angeles–based couple Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin, who first met in high school, are better known as the dreamy, synthy alt-pop duo Magdalena Bay. They’ve built a cult following with their surreal Y2K aesthetic, addictive hooks, and otherworldly vocals, and their 2024 sophomore studio album, Imaginal Disk, achieved widespread critical acclaim. The record tells the fictional story of a character named True who has a CD-shaped object implanted in her forehead by an alien doctor in order to become an upgraded version of herself, unintentionally creating a doppelgänger named Ghost in the process—you know, normal, everyday stuff! Catch them on their Imaginal Mystery Tour, with an opening set by oceanic electronica artist Oxis. (Showbox SoDo, 8 pm, all ages) JULIANNE BELL
More
Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts: Love Earth Tour Sept 4, Chateau Ste. Michelle, 7 pm, all ages
Scott Yoder, Mt Fog, Erica Rose & the Ragged School Sept 5, Clock-Out Lounge, 9 pm, 21+
Osees Sept 5–6, Neumos, times and age ranges vary
BADBADNOTGOOD Sept 5, Showbox, 7:30 pm, 21+
Jon Batiste Plays America: The Big Money Tour Sept 10–11, Chateau Ste. Michelle, 7 pm, all ages
Sabbath Worship: Celebrating the Music of Black Sabbath Sept 12, Clock-Out Lounge, 8:30 pm, 21+
Gimme Gimme Disco Fest Sept 13, Pier 62, 6 pm, 21+
Jackson Browne Sept 12–13, Chateau Ste. Michelle, 5 pm, all ages
Viagra Boys Sept 12–13, Showbox SoDo, 8:30 pm, all ages
The Psychedelic Furs, Gary Numan Sept 13, Showbox, 8 pm, 21+
Modest Mouse Presents: Psychic Salamander Festival Sept 13–14, Remlinger Farms, 12:30 pm, all ages
Aminé: Tour De Dance Sept 16, WAMU Theater, 8 pm, all ages
Band of Horses with Iron & Wine Sept 18, Marymoor Park, 7 pm, all ages
HAIM, Dora Jar Sept 18, WAMU Theater, 7:30 pm, all ages
Grandaddy Sept 18, Neptune Theatre, 7 pm, all ages
CocteauFest Sept 20, Chop Suey, 7 pm, 21+
Billy Idol with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts Sept 20, Climate Pledge Arena, 7:30 pm, all ages
Mac DeMarco Sept 23, Paramount Theatre, 7:30 pm, all ages
Sparks: Mad! Tour Sept 24, Moore Theatre, 8 pm, all ages
Princess Nokia & Big Freedia Sept 27, Pier 62, 6:30 pm, all ages
Early Warnings
Loudon Wainwright III Oct 1, Vashon Center for the Arts, 7:30 pm, all ages
Tate McRae: Miss Possessive Tour Oct 2–3, Climate Pledge Arena, 7:30 pm, all ages
Laufey: A Matter of Time Oct 4, Climate Pledge Arena, 7:30 pm, all ages
Pup, Jeff Rosenstock, Ekko Astral Oct 7, Showbox SoDo, 7:30 pm, all ages
Turnstile: The Never Enough Tour Oct 7, WaMu Theater, 7 pm, all ages
Acid Mothers Temple, the Macks, Kinski Oct 10, Clock-Out Lounge, 8:30 pm, 21+
Dua Lipa: Radical Optimism Tour Oct 15–16, Climate Pledge Arena, 7:30 pm, all ages
Garbage, Starcrawler Oct 15, Paramount Theatre, 8 pm, all ages
Frankie Cosmos Oct 17, The Crocodile, 6 pm, all ages
Stereolab, Bitchin Bajas Oct 18, Neptune Theatre, 7 pm, all ages
Hand Habits Oct 21, Tractor Tavern, 8 pm, 21+
Lorde: Ultrasound Tour Oct 22, Climate Pledge Arena, 7 pm, all ages
Destroyer: Dan’s Boogie Tour Oct 25, The Crocodile, 6 pm, 21+
Shonen Knife, the Pack A.D. Oct 25, Tractor Tavern, 8:30 pm, 21+
Freakout Festival: Melt-Banana, Liz Cooper, Wine Lips, and more Nov 6–9, various locations, 21+
Soul Nite Weekender Presents: Bernadette Bascom Nov 7, Black Lodge, 9 pm, 21+
Belly: 30th Anniversary of King Nov 9, The Crocodile, 6 pm, 21+
Patti Smith: Horses 50th Anniversary Tour Nov 10, Paramount Theatre, 8 pm, all ages
Doechii Nov 10, WaMu Theater, 8 pm, all ages
David Byrne Nov 11–13, Paramount Theatre, 6:30 pm, all ages
Neko Case Nov 14, Paramount Theatre, 7 pm, all ages
King Princess: The Girl Violence Tour Nov 16, Showbox SoDo, 8 pm, all ages
Heart Nov 23, Climate Pledge Arena, 7 pm, all ages
Lola Young Dec 2, WAMU Theater, 7 pm, all ages
The Mountain Goats Dec 3–4, Neptune Theatre, all ages
