Framing Pictures: Like movies? Like, a lot? Northwest Film Forum is starting the first of what will be a monthly discussion on all things cinema. Topics for the first night include “a revival of The Last Picture Show, trilogies, The Interview, and the movies of the moment.” Guest commentators include former Stranger critic Bruce Reid and Everett Herald/KUOW critic Robert Horton, who are bound to have more than enough to say if you don’t. So, whether you are looking to get into a furious tit for tat with career cinephiles, or you just want to kick back, have a beer, and listen – while missing out on rush hour – stop by.
If you go: Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave, Jan. 13, 5pm, Free, more info
Dick Dale: Here is one thing you must know before you die: Dick Dale is the king of the surf guitar. Sure, it’s not an honorary title, and he gave it to himself, but for the non-believers, one need only witness him in action. An unassuming older man who doesn’t have the best taste in clothes, Dale has a charisma on stage that is undeniable. Whether you're taken by the speed and deftness of his fingers, his armory of instruments, or the fact that he acknowledges your existence during the show, Dale is sure to steal your heart.
But the best part is this: Through some kind of voodoo magic, he is able to attract a wide range of generations to his shows. From the older folks, who saw him in his prime, to younger punk-types, who have seen surf rock distorted and mutated by bands like Man or Astro-Man? and the Black Lips. Everyone is there for the same reason — to dance their hearts out. It’s amazing to see such an array of people go absolutely wild.
And if that isn’t enough, he can play a surf-styled, mind-blowing version of “Amazing Grace.”
If you go: Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Ave NW, Jan. 13, 9pm, $20, 21+, more info
Remembering Medicine Songs of Chief Seattle’s Time with Johnny Moses: In the midst of postmodern skyscrapers, the futuristic Space Needle, and worries over this toll or that tunnel, we can often forget our namesake, Chief Seattle (Or Sealth, depending on your commitment to authenticity). The powerful grace and generosity of Seattle, the Duwamish, and other Northwest Coast Native American tribes have allowed Seattle to grow and develop.
Thankfully, the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center is dedicated to preserving the art, practices, and culture of the northwest Salish culture for future generations. This Saturday the storyteller Johnny Moses — a bubbly man with a high, twangy voice — will be performing “Remembering Medicine Songs of Chief Seattle’s Time.” Saturday will also be the last day of the exhibit, “Duwamish Journey with Johnny Moses.”
“When I listen to the songs I have good feeling that the songs are going to be used in a good way, and most of all that the young people are going to be encouraged and know that they had a rich culture,” Moses wrote on the event's Facebook page.
If you go: Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center, 4705 W Marginal Way SW, Jan. 14, 6pm-7pm, Free, more info
14/48: 14 plays created and performed in 48 hours. Impossible? No. Extremely tiring for those involved? Probably. An amazing experience? Definitely.
Touted as “the world’s quickest theater festival,” 14/48 boasts an insane turnaround time. A theme is chosen Thursday night, writers submit seven scripts by 8am Friday morning, seven directors blindly choose their script and actors, designers come in to set up the stage, bands provide music, everyone rehearses, and the seven plays premiere at 8pm Friday night. After that, the process starts all over again for an entirely new set of shows Saturday night at 8pm.
The lucky audiences that reap the results gain something unique: the product of instantaneous and intense creativity, filled with a rare, primal energy. Check it out.
If you go: ACT Theatre, 700 Union St, Jan. 13 and 14, $20 advance/$25 at the door, more info
Smash Putt: Lastly, something a little more zany. Smash Putt has gone overboard for the new year. A new set of courses, gracefully titled “Miniature Golf 2012: The Final Apocalypse,” feature an array of strange things, including, but not limited to, “Golf ball cannons! Raucous contraptions! Scratch and sniff technology! Amazing feats of gravity defying whimsy,” and more.
How does scratch and sniff technology work in miniature golf? I can’t say, but you can take up the putter — or golf ball cannon — this weekend and find out. It sounds ridiculously fun.
If you go: Smash Putt SODO Fairways, 2724 6th Ave S, Every weekend through Feb. 26, $12.50-15.50/$100-125 VIP, 21+, more info
