CLASSICAL/FILM
It’s saying something that composer John Williams has earned 51 Oscar nominations (including blockbusters like Jaws, Superman, E.T., Jurassic Park, and the Indiana Jones and Harry Potter films), but which of his scores is most iconic isn’t even a question. It’s Star Wars: A New Hope by a mile. It’s really simple math: While his other works tend to have one memorable, hummable melody, the Star Wars soundtrack has a bevy of them (including “Main Title” and “Princess Leia’s Theme”). It’s a soaring score that’s lived in our collective hearts for decades. The Seattle Symphony fleshes out its majesty when they perform it live during screenings of the cinematic classic this weekend. SETH SOMMERFELD Benaroya Hall, seattlesymphony.org. $50–$180. 8 p.m. Fri., July 13; 2 & 8 p.m. Sat., July 14; 2 p.m. Sun., July 15.
MUSIC
All hail 2018 summer goth queen Phoebe Bridgers. The singer/songwriter laid claim to the throne playing her stunningly sad songs from Stranger in the Alps (one of 2017’s best albums) while donning a full-black getup in the blazing sun at this year’s Sasquatch! Festival (R.I.P.). Bridgers’ songwriting craftsmanship can drip heavy with sorrow on bummer tunes like “Funeral” and “You Missed My Heart,” but the sly wordplay she occasionally peppers into the mix gives her indie-folk musical arsenal a humorous and humanizing touch that sets her apart from her peers while also making the lows hit that much harder. SS The Crocodile, thecrocodile.com. $16. 8 p.m. Thurs., July 12.
You won’t find a bigger-sounding rock duo than Wye Oak. The group’s new album, The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs, delivers a vast soundscape whose neon, electro-pop tones expand well beyond the view of the distant sonic horizon. But the core songwriting by the erstwhile folk act prevents the swirling instrumental backdrop from ever seeming ostentatious. At times beautiful crooning by Jenn Wasner coupled with her frayed guitar edges call to mind St. Vincent’s Actor, but brighter, more rhythmically driven, and less venomous. SS Neumos, neumos.com. $18. 8 p.m. Sun., July 15.
TALKS
Until a couple weeks ago, Desus & Mero hosted “the #1 show in late-night, ballbags!”—just two Bronx guys, Daniel Baker and Joel Martinez, who for four half-hours a week on the Viceland network raised the art of shooting the mierda to a new level, providing ferociously smart and fast stream-of-consciousness comic commentary on politics, pop culture, and gross animal videos and joined by a guest list leaning heavily toward hip-hop artists, comedians, and MSNBC hosts. A recent New York Times Magazine profile revealed they’re developing a new show for Showtime; in the meantime, there’s this stage show, a live version of their podcast—“like a giant basement hangout with all your friends,” as Mero describes it. The Moore, stgpresents.com. $37. 8 p.m. Sat., July 14.
