Mon, Sept 22
The Aislers Set
Suicide Squeeze Records favorite the Aislers Set is emerging from its hybernation. The beloved indie pop outfit has been dormant for the most part since 2005, but with reissue of the band's 2003 album How I Learned to Write Backwards coming in October, the group has put together a mini-West Coast tour that starts at Neumos. As a bonus, the show features great local support via rabble-rousers Childbirth and Wimps. Neumos, $15.

Wed, Sept 24
Perfume Genius
Singer-songwriter Perfume Genius (aka Mike Hadreas) belatedly celebrates the release of his new record Too Bright with an in-store performance at Sonic Boom. While his previous albums quietly showcased his fragile, hushed voice, Too Bright turns up the indie pop dial with a much more boisterous and lush sound. The one constant remains his unabashed examination and celebration of the queer identity. Sonic Boom Records, free.

Sept 25–Oct 4
Local Sightings Film Festival
There's a roughness to the Local Sightings Film Festival that makes it all the more beautiful. Northwest Film Forum's yearly celebration of regional filmmakers eschews glitz and glamor for grit. On modest budgets, these features, shorts, and documentaries showcase rising local talent on the ground level and flash glimpses of even more moviemaking potential. Northwest Film Forum, $11–$12.

Fri, Sept 26
John Darnielle: Wolf in White Van
After years of brilliant lyricism as the Mountain Goats, it comes as no suprise that John Darnielle got around to writing a novel. But even fans that scream every word to "This Year" and "The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton" have to be impressed by the results, as Wolf in White Van was nominated for this year's National Book Award even before its release. The novel tells the story of the struggles of horribly disfigured man who runs a play-by-mail fantasy game. It not only explores the power of imagination, but the feeling of having an internal void. Barboza, $10.

Sept 27–Jan 4
#SocialMedium
Anyone who has wandered through an art museum has likely played a quick round of fantasy curator in their mind. Alas, being an actual musuem curator usually requries art degrees and a lifetime of dedication few possess. But this fall, the Frye Art Museum gave the power to the people. #SocialMedium is a crowd-curated exhibit of the Frye's Founding Collection, where the paintings hanging on the walls were selected by public likes and ♥s across Facebook, Instagram, Pintrest, and Tumblr. So if you don't like the works on display, it's your own fault for not voting. Frye Art Museum, free.