Editor’s note: Is City Arts Fest giving Bumbershoot and Capitol Hill Block Party a run for their money? The inaugural festival, hosted by the free monthly magazine, boasts quite the lineup—including headlining music acts Belle and Sebastian, Big Boi, and Cat Power; an appearance by director Gus Van Sant; performances by some of the best bands in town; and a fairly badass overnight special-ops program by Susan Robb (we’ll have more on that later this week). We’ve pulled together a list of can’t-miss events over the four-day festival, starting with opening night’s offerings. Culture Fiender Olivia Margoshes will tell you all about it.

City Arts Fest
October 23

Belle and Sebastian
The indie icons from Glasgow are back on the road after a four-year break, touring with seven members (plus a strings section) and a renewed dedication to unpretentious gentle-pop. If you haven’t followed them much since their 1999 chart-topping album The Boy with the Arab Strap, take the opportunity to see them at Benaroya Hall with with special guests the Trashcan Sinatras. It’s the ideal venue for their soaring melodies, and it’s one of only nine U.S. shows they’ll play this year. $34. 8pm, Benaroya Hall

Hip-Hop Night at the Paramount
It’s a night of Seattle hip-hop royalty as the Blue Scholars headline with special guest Brother Ali for the first-ever hip-hop takeover of the Paramount. Since we last saw Blue Scholars, the local duo has branched out a bit; they’ve conducted workshops at a juvenile detention center in Colorado, performed with Kanye and Common—always striving to spread the good word of “cinema art rap.” This time they’re in their own backyard along with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Mash Hall, Fresh Espresso, and host Tilson. $25. 6:30, Paramount Theatre.

Heineken City Arts Fest takes place in 15 venues across the city from October 20-23. For more info, click here.