On the List: August 18-24

Wednesday, August 18th

• Lenny White's Anomaly with Jimmy Herring--former Miles Davis/Chick Corea/Return to Forever drummer teaming up with Widespread Panic/Allman Bros. guitarist Jimmy Herring for a jazz/rock/fusion extravaganza @ Jazz Alley
• "Crystal Beth," a solo performance by Beth Fleenor benefiting the Frank Agency @ Fandrich Piano Studio (1513 14th Ave.)
• The Hold Steady, America's favorite big time bar band, bring boisterous literate rock to town. With Jaill @ Showbox Original Flavor
• Mary Roach talks about the finer points of filling your suitcase for interplanetary travel, reading from her new book Packing for Mars @ Kane Hall

Thursday, August 19th

• The first of three nights of Brown Derby's take on Saturday Night Fever @ Re-Bar
• Earshot Jazz's monthly showcase features Art of Jazz with Marc Seales Group, UW professor and stellar pianist Marc Seales & co. playing music from the new CD American Song Book @ SAM
• Gnomedex 10 begins! (and runs through August 21) @ Bell Harbor International Conference Center
• Ivory in Ice World plays a rare unplugged set featuring members Ivory Smith and Sara Edwards @ the Can Can
• Singer David Lowery does double-duty with his bands Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven @ Neumo's

Friday, August 20th

• Squeee! It's the top ten contestants from the last season of American Idol @ Key Arena
• Two in the Wave documents the friendship-and-feudin' of Truffaut and Godard (through August 26) @ Northwest Film Forum
• Whedonists! Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog gets a live showing (through September 4) @ Balagan Theatre
• deComposition, a devised theatrical performance directed by Jess Smith opens @ the Erickson Theatre
• Artifakt Art's Fourth Annual Graffiti Jam @ Lo Fi Performance Gallery

Saturday, August 21st

• Be prepared for some serious weirdness with a private meet-and-greet with Tommy Wiseau @ Central Cinema, before yet another midnight screening of The Room @ the Egyptian
• For a less weirdo auteur interaction, check out the Vincent Moon retrospective (through the 26th), with the director of some of the best modern music videography in attendance @ Northwest Film Forum
• Whether you call him Frank Black or Black Francis, the Pixies singer will be @ the Triple Door
• Ira Glass tells his radio stories in a clipped, nasally manner @ Benaroya
• After Ira takes Benaroya with sentimental tales, he and Dan Savage spin (really?!) a late night dance party @ Re-Bar
• Get rootsy all day long [free 26-song sampler here] with No Depression Fest @ Marymoor
• FREE! Trumpeter Thomas Marriott and his "Flexicon" group, with Evan Flory-Barnes, Rick Mandyck and Jeremy Jones @ Lucid Jazz Lounge

Sunday, August 22nd

• TRUST brings their slate of great DJs to a free all-day BBQ @ Red Lion Hotel
• Another great day at the races with the Longacres Mile @ Emerald Downs
• Just a typical Sunday: Bondage for the Bedroom with Lamalani, International Ms. Leather 2009 @ Babeland

Monday, August 23rd

• It's a free (with RSVP) day of female-centric films at the Women's Empowerment Summer Screening Series @ Seattle University
• Things are bound to get heavy, with Boris, Red Sparrowes, and Helms Alee @ Neumo's

Tuesday, August 24th

• The Cuong Vu Trio, called "the jazz version of a rock music power trio," with Seattleite Luke Bergman on bass and Vu's longtime partner in crime Ted Poor on drums @ the Triple Door
• If there's one thing that's funny, it's social justice.  That's why the Social Justice Fund presents an Evening of Comedy and Social Justice with Seattle comic Hari Kondabolu @ Central Cinema