Meet Me Here – Details, episodes & analysis

“Art walks humanize the viewing experience and create camaraderie, or at least, if not, create camaraderie, allow the opportunity for it.” That’s how local artist and art administrator Tommy Gregory describes art walks in Seattle. Our city is home to a dozen art walks and counting, including the longest-running art walk in the nation. Tommy loves this about Seattle - he usually goes to a handful of different art walks a month, often by himself. So he’s the perfect guide to tell us how to enjoy ourselves and connect with artists and other art walk participants. 

Tommy talks about the Pioneer Square Art Walk, which happens on the first Thursday of each month, and the Capitol Hill Art Walk, which happens on the second Thursday of each month.

Here are some of Tommy’s recommendations for where to stop on each art walk. 

Pioneer Square: 

• Stonington Gallery 
• ArtX Contemporary 
• Collins Pub 
• The Meyer 
• Pilchuck Glass School Seattle Office 
• SOIL Art Gallery 
• 4Culture 

Capitol Hill:

• Steve Gilbert Studio 
• The Factory
• Vermillion Art Gallery & Bar 

Other Art Walks: 

• Georgetown’s ART ATTACK on second Saturdays 
• Edmonds Third Thursday Art Walk
• Olympia Art Walk, April 25-26
• Tacoma Third Thursday Art Walk 
• Bellingham First Friday Art Walk 

Other event recommendations from this week’s episode: 

• The Great Gatsby, April 18-26
• KEXP Phish Day Parties, April 18-19 
• Half-price tickets at Seattle Art Museum, April 1-30

Where’s your favorite place to meet up around arts and culture in the region? Drop us a line at meetmehere@kuow.org. 

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here! Become a KUOW member today.

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What are you doing this week?

Meet Me Here is your podcast guide to the most exciting arts and culture events in Seattle. In each episode, we’re fighting the freeze and meeting you around the region for art shows, concerts, author talks, geeky get-togethers, and more. There’s a lot to do in this region, so let’s make some plans and go experience it together.

New weekly episodes start Wednesday, April 16. 

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Emo music is a subgenre of punk rock that is characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics, usually dealing with angst and social alienation. The music is sometimes raw, but almost always very melodic. Emo's heyday emerged after the year 2000, when it was popularized by bands like My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, and Panic! At The Disco. That era of emo is now strongly associated with the Millennial generation. These Millennial fans are likely feeling excited because these days, emo has taken over clubs in the Seattle area, and across the USA, with events like Emo Nite and Emo Night (two distinct emo parties), as well as “This Party Sucks! Emo Night,” and even “I’m Not OK. An Emo and Pop Punk Brunch” (hey, we did say it was strongly associated with Millennials, so there ya go). 

It's a funny thing, however, because as beloved as emo may be, there seems to be no consensus on what actually counts as emo music or an emo band. If you had asked our host Dyer Oxley before this episode, he would have pointed you to the 1990s for bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, Jawbreaker, or Mineral. He was in for a big surprise. In this episode, Dyer speaks with three emo experts, KISW DJ Danny Vigill, Sub Pop's Michelle Fegahli, and KUOW's Teo Popescu, to discuss why emo nights are so popular and what qualifies as emo music in the first place.

Upcoming Emo Night Events:

Emo Nite at Neumos, May 2

Emo Night at El Corazon, May 3

Emo Night at The Airport Tavern, June 20

Other event recommendations from this week’s episode:

• Free Comic Book Day, May 3
• Music Trivia at Easy Street in West Seattle, May 5/every other Monday
• Crypticon, May 2-4

Where’s your favorite place to meet up around arts and culture in the region? Drop us a line at meetmehere@kuow.org.

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here! Become a KUOW member today. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Pleasure can be a radical and a revolutionary act,” says author C Pam Zhang about her acclaimed novel “The Land of Milk and Honey.” Zhang discusses how living in Medina, WA during the pandemic inspired her dystopian and sapphic story about a chef working for the ultra-wealthy amid a global environmental collapse. We sift through food cultures, intergenerational conflict, finding joy and making meaning at the fictional end of the world. It’s a doozy!
So, push this book to the front of your TBR pile because C Pam Zhang is on tour and she'll be at Town Hall Seattle on May 8th to discuss “The Land of Milk and Honey.”

But wait! There's more! Here are some of Katie’s recommendations for what to do after you finish (and enjoy) The Land of Milk and Honey.

• “Build Your House Around My Body” by Violet Cooper Smith. This novel explores Vietnamese history, folklore, and colonial aftermath. It’s like a prequel to Zhang’s imagined world.

• Made in House… it’s not a book, it’s a restaurant, silly! This book will work your appetite. Settle your post-read bibimbap and banchan craving at this cafe in Seattle. They have locations in Fremont and Georgetown

Other event recommendations from this week’s episode:

• Seattle Independent Bookstore Day (Saturday, April 26th) – Celebrate your favorite local bookstores like Ophelia’s in Fremont.

• Vanishing Seattle Variety Show (Wednesday, April 30th) - A truly one-of-a-kind even featuring local talent. Think: stand-up comedy, drag performances, and freaky film. All in tribute to Seattle’s past.
• Shhh! Unstreamble’s Secret Screening at SIFF Cinema Uptown (April 24th) - Join SIFF and Scarecrow for a mystery “unstreamable” film.

Where’s your favorite place to meet up around arts and culture in the region? Drop us a line at meetmehere@kuow.org or leave us a voicemail at 206-221-6100.

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!
Become a KUOW member today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your grandparents might have joined a bowling league. Today, you can join a pinball league. A pinball renaissance is happening across the Northwest, thanks to a fervent community (called Pinheads) that frequently gathers, holds tournaments, and keeps these machines flipping. Seattle now ranks second in the United States in terms of how many pinball games the city has (590) and how many establishments offer pinball (95).

Both Ashley Weaver and Dwayne Collins are transplants to Seattle. It’s pinball that has kept them there. Weaver hosts weekly pinball tournaments at 8-Bit in Renton. Collins hosts another at Jupiter in Belltown. They talk about why these games are so popular, why a community has formed around it, and why you should spend your next night out with friends in front of a pinball machine.

Check out the Washington State Pinheads Facebook group for local happenings.

Some quick tips for where to start:
Try the Pinball Map app to see where the pinball machines are around you. Then have fun. Weaver and Collins recommend playing Addams Family, Attack From Mars, Cactus Canyon, and Medieval Madness to start.
Then check out a beginner-friendly tournament, such as the Tuesday and Thursday night tournaments at Jupiter in Seattle, or the Tuesday night tournament at 8-Bit in Renton.

Also! The region also boasts a massive, annual pinball convention. The 2025 Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show is June 6-8 at the Tacoma Convention Center.

A few pinball hotspots to try in the Seattle area:
ADD-A-Ball: Hip, artsy spot in Fremont.
Ice Box: All ages spot in Ballard.
Pinball Museum: All ages in the Chinatown-International District. Pay an entrance fee, then all games are free to play. No quarters needed.
Shorty’s: The original pinball joint in Belltown.
Time Warp: Feels like you're playing pinball in a Blade Runner movie, but you’re really in Capitol Hill.
Triple Knock: Skeletons hang from the ceiling and mock you at this Tacoma pinball bar.

And for a transit-friendly pin crawl in Seattle: 

Take the 40 bus ,which stops at or near almost all of the Seattle pinball places listed above!

Other events to check out: 

Kevin Diers Benefit Show, May 23, El Corazon Seattle 

HONK! Fest West, May 30-June 1, Georgetown & Columbia City

Kent Nerd Party, June 7, Downtown Kent

Have you checked out an event we recommended? Tell us how it went! Leave us a message at 206-221-6100. Drop us a line at meetmehere@kuow.org.

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!
Become a KUOW member today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re hitting the books with Crazy Rich Asians author Kevin Kwan. The internationally-best selling author rips open the world of the wealthy and indulges us all us in some behind the scenes bits on his latest book Lies and Weddings. Kevin and Katie talk about the benefits of being an outsider, reality television show Below Deck, luxury resort gossip, and his motive behind satirizing the ultra-rich.

So, push this book to the front of your TBR pile because Kevin Kwan is on tour and he'll be at Town Hall Seattle on May 29th 

And… if you need some help filling that post-reading void. Here’s Kevin and Katie’s Recommended If You Liked (RIYL): Lies and Weddings:

• The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham 
• Piglet by Lottie Hazell

Other event recommendations from this week’s episode: 

• Author Caitlin Starling talks “The Starving Saints” on May 22nd
• Thriftapalooza on June 7th and 8th
• The Bushwick Book Club  on Jun 14, 2025

Where’s your favorite place to meet up around arts and culture in the region? Drop us a line at meetmehere@kuow.org or leave us a voicemail at 206-221-6100.

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, Booming, and Meet Me Here! 

Become a KUOW member today. 

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The Seattle International Film Festival, or SIFF, runs from May 15-25 with a limited streaming option from May 26-June 1. And it's a big festival! 245 films will be screened over the 10-day festival. This is a movie-lover's dream. But also - a literal impossibility to see every single film on offer. So how do you pick what to see? 

The Stranger 's arts editor Emily Nokes oversaw production of The Stranger’s guide to SIFF ; she and a team of staff and freelancers screened and wrote mini-reviews for more than 100 festival films. Emily will walk us through three different approaches to enjoying SIFF without experiencing FOMO or decision fatigue. 

Tip: Arrive early to the shows. SIFF suggests showing up 10 minutes before show time but it’s best to arrive even earlier.  

Tip: Be on the lookout for two “secret movies” at SIFF this year. We’re not sure what that means, but it sounds intriguing. 

Here are a few SIFF-related things Emily mentions in this episode:

• Watching the SIFF showing of the 1982 Jim Henson fantasy adventure, The Dark Crystal, with a live soundtrack from DJ NicFit 
• Emily recommends the documentary Cat Town, USA, which is about an aging Florida couple who run a retirement village for elderly cats out of their house.  
• Grabbing a bite at The Sitting Room in Lower Queen Anne and/or Dick’s Drive-In for the french fries for sustenance while watching films. 

You can also check out SIFF’s interactive flipbook to see what films spark your curiosity. This 64-page digital program includes the full film lineup.

Other event recommendations from this week’s episode: 

• Kendrick Lamar and SZA at Lumen Field, May 17
• Brandon Vosika at The Factory, May 8- 11
• Laughs in Spanish at Seattle Rep, April 17-May 17

Where’s your favorite place to meet up around arts and culture in the region?Give us a call at 206-221-6100 or drop us a line at meetmehere@kuow.org. 

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, Booming, and Meet Me Here! 

Become a KUOW member today. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Seattle civic poet and Ten Thousand Things podcast host Shin Yu Pai hasn't yet seen the new two-woman show Crash Course, but she's pretty excited to see it. 

For one thing, Shin Yu says Crash Course explores a struggle many of us are familiar with - the "moment of becoming aware that you might want something different than what people are telling you". 

But also, Crash Course runs from June 5th-8th at Theatre Off Jackson in the Chinatown-International District or CID. Shin Yu plans to use the show as a springboard to wander around the CID. On this episode, she invites us to wander the neighborhood with her. 

Shin Yu recommends stopping at two bookstores in the CID. Kinokuniya Seattle, known for its selection of Japanese and English books, as well as its high quality stationery and cute plushies. Mam’s Books is a new independent Asian American bookstore that’s named after the owner’s dad.

Risograph classes and workshops are what Shin Yu calls a “lo-fi, affordable method of making multi-colored zines.” The classes take place at Reclaim Clay Collective.

There’s also the Panama Hotel & Tea House. Built in 1910, it was originally a workingman’s hotel for single Japanese men. When the federal government incarcerated people of Japanese ancestry during World War Two, some locals stashed their valuable belongings at the hotel, with the hopes of picking up their beloved items later. But many personal items still remain. Visitors can see these items and also listen to vintage Japanese music on an old record player as part of an art installation. Here’s an episode of Ten Thousand Things about that sound installation. 

If you’d like to load up on snacks, like Japanese mochi, Shin Yu says you can’t go wrong at Uwajimaya and recommends the mango & lychee flavors. 

 Other CID arts and culture gems mentioned in the episode: 

Shin Yu curated this exhibit at the Wing Luke Museum 

Seattle Pinball Museum

Kobo Seattle

Giant loquat tree on 8th Ave S (listed as #2 in this guide)  

Loquat tree episode of Ten Thousand Things 

Wing Luke Museum (Shin Yu curated this exhibit)

And on June 5 from 5:30-8 pm, Shin Yu is hosting a Ten Thousand Things listening party at the Wing Luke! 

Upcoming events we mentioned in the episode:

Meet Me at the Waterfront Park 5K, Seattle, May 31, 8 am - 2 pm

Mindfulness Meditation at The Frye Art Museum, first & third Wednesday of the month, 12:30 - 1 pm

Hot Shop Hot Nights with Eriko Kobayashi, Hilltop Heritage Middle School, Tacoma June 6, 5-8 pm

Have you checked out an event we recommended? Tell us how it went! Leave us a message at 206-221-6100. Drop us a line at meetmehere@kuow.org.

Your support helps create shows like Seattle Now, Soundside, and Meet Me Here!

Become a KUOW member today at kuow.org/meet.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re hitting the books with author and illustrator Mike Curato to discuss Gaysians, his debut adult graphic novel, about a queer Asian friend group becoming a chosen family in 2003 Seattle. 

Plus, Mike fills us in on authentic queer Asian representation, building coalitions during challenging times, and how his time in Seattle shaped the “Boy Luck Club.

So, push this book to the front of your TBR pile because Mike Curato is coming to the city. He'll be at Queer/Bar in Seattle on June 17th, 2025 to talk about Gaysians with local drag queen Aleksa Manila.

And… if you need some help filling that post-reading void. Here’s Mike and Katie’s Recommended If You Liked (RIYL): Gaysians.

• The Wedding Banquet (2025)
• How to Write an Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee
• The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
• Cuckoo by Gretchen Felker-Martin

Other event recommendations from this week’s episode: 

• Queer Book Fair at Charlie's Queer Books in Fremont on June 14-15, 2025
• Octavia E. Butler Birthday Bash on June 22, 2025
• Twelfth Night – ACT Contemporary Theatre from June 7 – 22, 2025

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Author Corinne Manning joined us this week for a special bonus literary episode, celebrating Pride Month and their stellar short story collection We Had No Rules. Listeners may also know Meet Me Here co-host Katie Campbell from the KUOW Book Club, which is reading Manning's book this month along with Be A Revolution: How Everyday People Are Fighting Oppression and Changing the World—and How You Can, Too by Ijeoma Oluo.

Where Ijeoma explores how to push back against oppressive systems, Corrine looks at societal "norms" and the power in breaking them.Ijeoma will be joining Katie for a live interview at the Seattle Central Library on June 26. Corinne wasn't available that evening, so they came to the KUOW studio to get us thinking about these ideas and what exactly it means to write queer literature today.

Event recommendations from this bonus episode:

• KUOW's Katie Campbell and author Ijeoma Oluo at Seattle Central Library on June 26, 2025
• Katie and author Kim Fu at Seattle Central Library on July 30, 2025
• Katie and author Lynda V. Mapes at Seattle Central Library on August 27, 2025

We Had No Rules (Paperback)A young teenager stays a step ahead of her parents' sexuality-based restrictions by running away and learns a very different set of rules. A woman grieves the loss of a sister, a "gay divorce," and the pain of unacknowledged abuse with the help of a lone wallaby on a farm in Washington State.

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