Cheap Week March 21–27

Mon, Mar 21 Phil CookAfter stints in folk bands Megafaun and DeYarmond Edison (alongside Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon), Phil Cook expands his sonic horizons with his second solo LP Southland Mission. The new record stylistically blends his folky base with elements of soul, R&B, and Americana. Cooks songs sound familiar but somehow still fresh, paving the way for what could be a great solo career. Sunset Tavern, $14^[1]

Tue, Mar 22Writers Under the Influence: Octavia E. Butler^[2]A decade after she passed, Seattle science fiction author Octavia Butler’s work remains as alive as ever. The Hugo Award winner and MacArthur Fellowship recipient broke into the male dominated field in the ’70s, and her imaginative worlds made her one of the genre’s premier voices while touching on themes of Afrofuturism. To celebrate her influential career, Hugo House gathers authors and musicians like Vonda N. McIntyre and Caren Gussoff to present readings and tributes that honor Butler’s legacy. Hugo House, Free

Thru May 25Anne Frank: A History for TodayThe story of Anne Frank has humanized the horrors of the Holocaust for generations of children. By reading The Diary of a Young Girl, kids continue to vicariously experience what it would’ve been like to live in fear while hiding during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Families can further explore Frank’s life and the toxic culture of prejudice she had to face when the Holocaust Center for Humanity hosts Anne Frank: A History for Today, a special touring exhibit organized by the Anne Frank Center. The exhibit is open to the public on Wednesdays and Sundays. Henry and Sandra Friedman Holocaust Center for Humanity Museum, $10 (suggested donation; reservation required)^[3]

Mar 24–31Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (70mm)^[4]Justice is coming. The first major cinematic event of 2016, Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will surely bring out all the DC Comics die-hards. Fans looking for something a little more extravagant for this monumental showdown should head to Cinerama, one of only ten theaters across the country that will be showing a special 70mm print of the film (akin to what The Hateful Eight just did). For the first week of its release, moviegoers can catch a glimpse of the superhero epic in this brighter, crisper cut. The only question remains: who will win? Our bet’s on Aquaman. Cinerama, $15 

Sat, Mar 26 Thao and the Get Down Stay DownWith the aid of producer producer Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards, Thao Nguyen radically shakes up her catchy folk rock sound on Thao and the Get Down Stay Down’s new album A Man Alive. As the songs focus on the relationship between Nguyen and her father who abandoned her family when she was young, Garbus’s musical influence can be heard via electronic flourishes, distinct rhythms, and general chaotic weirdness.  See and hear the evolution in action when the band heads to the Neptune with Car Seat Headrest. The Neptune, $19^[5]

References

1. ^{^} Phil Cook (feedproxy.google.com)
2. ^{^} Writers Under the Influence: Octavia E. Butler (feedproxy.google.com)
3. ^{^} Anne Frank: A History for Today (feedproxy.google.com)
4. ^{^} Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (70mm) (feedproxy.google.com)
5. ^{^} Thao and the Get Down Stay Down (feedproxy.google.com)