“I came here to calm down.”

Poor, unsuspecting Justin Henderson. When the author of Grunge Seattle made the move from New York to Seattle back in 1991, he expected peace, quiet. In fact, the city seemed “too dead” at first; he remembers nights where he stayed at home doing nothing. But then he started to notice posters around town—Art Chantry’s pop-punk visions, and some just like the one promoting his own event tonight at Moe Bar.

It was those ads for Nirvana, Mudhoney, Soundgarden that initiated him into the city’s nightlife. Henderson admits he wasn’t too involved with the grunge scene, but he was certainly around—and paying attention—during the height of the flannel phenomenon. This awareness of the city (and not just the scene) allows his new book, Grunge Seattle (Roaring Forties Press, $14.95), to stand out among all the other grunge tomes released in the past few years. It goes beyond overused anecdotes about the bands and highlights the pre-economic boom era of the city—aka affordable living for garageband diehards— It also has more of a travel guide feel to it with maps that take readers on a grunge pilgrimage.

A year and country removed from the city (he now lives in Mexico), Henderson is back in town for his book release party at Moe Bar at 8pm. And in true grunge style, he’s couch surfing the entire trip.

The only difference? This time, his 11-year-old daughter’s in tow.

Grunge Seattle book release party, Moe Bar, 8pm. Free entry.