If you are following Hannah Krieg, you will recognize the return of a regressive and debunked reading about wages: When high, they are bad for business and even workers. With this logic, which makes no economic sense, we find Bruce Harrell repressing the wages of city workers, Council Member Maritza Rivera blaming Seattle Public Library's closures on, of all things, union wages. And Chair Sara Nelson’s dramatic (if not fanatical) devotion to reducing gig workers to paupers. And just like that, we have a united front.

So this is what Seattle voted for between 2021 and 2022. This is what progressives didn't have the guts to do? End the homeless crisis and crime with not only sweeps but also low and stagnant wages. It's like that old Toyota jingle: "You asked for it, you got it..." And, mind you, we are still in a period of economic expansion (one doesn't want to imagine how low Sara Nelson would go during a period of contraction). But this is the question we must now ask: Why are low wages generally bad for the economy?

La Luz, “Strange World” (Sub Pop) 

I respected the dreamy surf rock that La Luz created in their early years, but was among the minority of listeners who were never really wowed by it. Consequently, I drifted away from keeping close tabs on their career.

But somewhere along the way, the LA-via-Seattle group led by guitarist/singer/lyricist Shana Cleveland diversified their sound, showed flashes of elegant aggression, and toughened up their rhythm section. Releases such as 2021's self-titled album and 2018's Floating Features revealed a broader sonic palette (funky beats and sitar on the former's "Watching Cartoons," recorded with Adrian Younge, really stood out, as did the motorik rhythm of "California Finally" on the latter). Now, La Luz's songs more often grip you, whereas before they wafted around you—albeit pleasantly.

Seattle’s LGBTQ+ Center and Kelley-Ross Pharmacy have developed a new informed-consent gender-affirming hormone therapy program for adult patients that may be one of the few in the country led by clinical pharmacists.

Medical Director Janna Cuneo said the program allows trained pharmacists to operate at the top of their license in Washington, which she hopes can help expand health care access to people medically transitioning in the Seattle area. With only a handful of providers participating in the early stages of this small program, capacity is still limited, but its creators see it as a novel solution designed for the community that could address a problem with bridge care.

On Thursday afternoon, a crowd of divided workers and lobbyists filled the Seattle City Council’s Governance, Accountability, and Economic Development committee meeting to discuss Chair Sara Nelson’s extreme rollback of a recently instituted minimum wage for gig delivery workers known as “Pay Up."

Nelson told her council colleagues that the “last thing” she wanted to do was spark such a heated debate. She even told a constituent in an email that she would “repeal the legislation outright” if it were up to her alone. But by at best ignoring and at worst antagonizing those who insist the minimum wage benefits them, Nelson has brought labor’s wrath upon her. And in the Thursday meeting, as workers and labor groups testified against the rollback, Nelson’s confidence appeared shaken. 

Don't know what you're doing this weekend? You will after skimming our weekend guide, which features low- and no-cost events from Seattle Independent Bookstore Day to the 21st Annual White Center Cambodian New Year Street Festival and from Seattle Boba Fest to the Creative Works Pop-Up Market + Flatstock 94. For more ideas, check out our guide to the top events of the week.

FRIDAY

LIVE MUSIC

Acid Tongue Live at Easy Street Records
Fresh off the platformed heels of the release of their fourth album, Acid on the Dancefloor,glam rock wizards Acid Tongue will take over Easy Street with plenty of guitar licks, sweaty hair flips, drug-inspired lyrics, and, as former Stranger writer Jas Kemig once wrote, "enough energy to power a small car." If you're unfamiliar with the band, check out the video for the album's title track which is a psychedelic explosion of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. AUDREY VANN
(Easy Street Records, Junction, free)

Local unions will rally to support Gaza: On Saturday, Pacific Northwest Labor Unions, which represent 150,000 workers, will rally outside of the Federal Building in Seattle to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and to end United States military aid to Israel. The unions, which include MLK Labor, UFCW 3000, SEIU 775, UAW 4121, OPEIU 8, Restaurant Workers United, Seattle Education Association, Tacoma Education Association, and Protec 17 are asking elected officials “to fight to to fund our communities, not war,” according to a press release. 

SPD is not for the girls: At least, that’s what a lawsuit filed by four women who work at the Seattle Police Department says. The $5 million lawsuit alleges sexual discrimination and harassment. This comes on the heels of a February report detailing women employees' experiences of sexual harassment and SPD's "good ol' boy's club" environment that prevented women from climbing the ranks. Additionally, in the last six months two senior women officers sued SPD for discrimination in separate lawsuits. This most recent lawsuit lists the "primary perpetrators" as Chief Adrian Diaz, Lt. John O’Neil, and Human Resource Manager Rebecca McKechnie. I can't say I'm surprised to hear that cops are virulent misogynists. 

Friends and frequent collaborators Charli XCX & Troye Sivan are teaming up to make their fans sweat. Indie pop singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers asks that you don’t forget her—or forget to buy tickets to her upcoming tour. Plus, Neil Young & Crazy Horse will stop by the Gorge this summer for a plugged-in set. Read on for details on those and other newly announced events, plus some news you can use.

ON SALE FRIDAY, APRIL 26

MUSIC

Arooj Aftab
Washington Hall (Jan 21, 2025)

Bonny Light Horseman
The Crocodile (Sat Oct 12)

Boris 'Amplifier Worship Service'
The Showbox (Wed Oct 2)

There is no doubt in my mind that TeZATalks is destined for greatness. Decked out in ripped-up fishnets and The Crow-like face paint, she certainly stands out onstage, but underneath the goth makeup and spikes is a fierce performer who was raised in a church choir. She has a powerhouse singing voice but isn’t afraid to get raw with it and belt out an ear-ringing scream. Did I mention she can rap her ass off, too?

TeZA won’t go into too many details on the precise launch date of her upcoming release Black Girl American Horror Story, but here’s what we do know: It’s recorded and ready to go, and during our interview, she mentioned that you’ll be able to play it both backward and forward.

Today the Seattle City Council Libraries, Education, and Neighborhoods Committee spoke about The Seattle Public Library’s 1,500 hours of rolling closures for the first time since the Library announced the service cuts two weeks ago. Committee Chair Maritza Rivera, who never responded to my request for comment about the closures when the news broke, must have spent the last 14 days thinking of ways to downplay the apparent connection between Mayor Bruce Harrell’s hiring freeze and the higher-than-usual vacancy rate that SPL said forced the hour reductions. 

While Council Member Tammy Morales, the only member to dare stand up for the libraries so far, advocated for taxes on the wealthy and on corporations to save critical services in the face of budget disaster, Rivera started digging through the couch cushions. She suggested SPL wouldn’t be in this situation if it weren’t for the union's contract, crime, and these damn kids and their screens. 

The Art of Stopping Time

We chatted one Friday, Brooklyn St bus stop. You read The Art of Stopping Time, and give notes of appreciation to bus drivers. I hope to see you again

Omelie

You loved my hair, I loved your dress-we chatted outside Chop Suey in Feb(?)… You know which night, find me there again. Let’s make art together! 💋

The other day—during our first 70-degree day in Seattle this year—I was lucky enough to join hundreds of my fellow organizers, community leaders, friends, family, and neighbors at the Crocodile to launch my re-election campaign to continue representing Washington’s 7th Congressional District.

Throughout the day, we looked back on how our campaign and our broad progressive movement have achieved incredible things to lift up poor and working people across the country. But we all also recognized that despite what we’ve achieved, our movement, our country, and our democracy are still facing some of the greatest threats and challenges we’ve ever encountered.

First things first: Per popular request (one person asked me to do this), I will now be using Accuweather for any forecasts on Slog. Expect on-and-off showers and temperatures in the low 50s throughout the day. 

Pay Up: Later today, Council President Sara Nelson’s committee will look at legislation to roll back the newly established minimum wage for gig delivery drivers. According to Working Washington’s analysis, the bill would amount to a 24% wage cut. It would also slash mileage reimbursement to half the IRS mileage standard, causing workers to lose money with every mile they drive. On top of that, the bill does nothing to address what’s actually making the service too expensive—the retaliatory fees gig companies slapped on orders. AND the bill does not promote equitable job offers between drivers and bike couriers, which, as I wrote, is what actually contributes to bad outcomes for the minimum wage's most vocal opponents. Ultimately, the bill amounts to a total repeal because it would stifle the Office of Labor Standards' ability to enforce the law and eliminate a worker’s right to sue companies for breaking the rules. If this sounds bad to you, call Nelson at (206) 684-8809, or find your district rep’s contact info here.

WEDNESDAY 4/24  

Hanif Abdurraqib

(BOOKS) Hanif Abdurraqib is the best friend I never met. Having spent years reading his work—his essays, his poetry, his music criticism—it feels as though we’ve spent half a lifetime together sitting on floors, listening to records, and exchanging observations about everyone from Aretha Franklin to My Chemical Romance. He doesn’t write at you, as so many culture critics do—his prose opens up and pulls you into whatever little world he’s spinning in his brain. You don’t just understand his observations, you often feel them, too. He’ll be at Town Hall in April in support of his new book There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension, which NPR, Time, Chicago Review of Books, and Lit Hub, among many others, have deemed as one of the most anticipated books of 2024. I can’t fucking wait. (Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave, 7:30 pm, $5-$25, all ages) MEGAN SELING

I worked for you for five years. You gave me raises and promotions. The whole team took pictures with my toddler daughter at our all staff meeting, carrying her around like a little football.