VISUAL ART

Thru Feb 1
Protective Ornament: Contemporary Amulets to Armor
History has shown that the quest for style remains present even when preparing for the brutality of battle. Tacoma Art Museum’s Protective Ornament exhibit casts the art of war in a new light with contemporary artists presenting their takes on warrior gear including crystalline brass knuckles and opulent armor. Tacoma Art Museum, $10.

Oct 31–Nov 2
The Artwork of John Lennon
Organized by Yoko Ono, this traveling exhibition of John Lennon's artwork showcases over 100 drawings, lithographs, sketches, and handwritten pages of lyrics. Ono has toured the collection for over 30 years, each time with proceeds benefiting a local organization that helps provide resources and shelter for those in need (Hopelink will be the Seattle beneficiary). The Shops at the Bravern, suggested donation $3.

CONCERTS

Sat, Nov 1
The Black Keys
Arena rock is a dying art. It’s a relic of a bygone era before the nichification of music consumption made it nearly impossible for modern rock acts to pack the cavernous venues. But the Black Keys’ gritty throwback blues sound manages to hit that populist sweet spot. The Akron, Ohio, duo (now backed by a full band to fill said arena with a fleshed-out sound) rambles into town with new tunes from Turn Blue. KeyArena, $45–$90.

Sat, Nov 1
Minus the Bear
Releasing an album of b-sides is an oddly significant moment for a band. While some might see it as a filler point between new records, it signifies a couple serious benchmarks. 1. The band has to have had the general longevity to stick around for  enough time to compile a cache of extra songs. 2. Fan support substantial enough to crave tunes that didn't make the cut on previous records. Minus the Bear easily meets those quotas. This month Seattle rock mainstay released Lost Loves, featuring b-sides from its last three recording sessions (Infinity Overhead, OMNI, and Planet of Ice). Minus the Bear brings its tour celebrating the arrival of Lost Loves and the 10th anniversary of its EP They Make Beer Commercials Like This to the Crocodile on November 1 with support from Mansions (Seattle Met's 2013 Album of the Year honoree). The Crocodile, sold out.

Sat, Nov 1
Pissed Jeans
The Pennsylvania punks of Pissed Jeans have been playing loud, aggressive noise that fits in with the early Sub Pop catalogue with ease. The band now tours behind Sub Pop's reissue of its 2005 debut record Shallow, the lone Pissed Jeans album not released on the famed Seattle imprint. This Barboza bill boasts solid local opening support via the wailing dissonance and saxophone flairs of End of Time Record's Stickers and the Olympia's Vexx. Barboza, $15.

THEATER

Thru Nov 16
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
What do you get when you mash playwright Anton Chekhov’s masterworks like The Seagull and Three Sisters with a modernity that includes Entourage and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs? Apparently, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, 2013’s Tony winner for Best Play. Vanya and Sonia’s unemployed life full of Chekhovian misery receives a jolt of drama when their actress sister Masha returns to the family home with her much younger lover Spike and the siblings' drab existence takes a turn for the absurd. ACT Theatre, $20–$66.

Thru Nov 22
Dogfight
Arts West’s adaptation of the 1991 River Phoenix film follows Eddie Birdlace, a young Marine, on the night before he ships off for the Vietnam War. He plans on attending a “dogfight”—a party where men compete to bring the ugliest date—but things get complicated when he encounters Rose, a shy aspiring folk singer, and the two develop instant chemistry. ArtsWest, $17–$40.

Sun, Nov 2
Weird and Awesome with Emmett Montgomery
The much beloved local comedian and storyteller is at it again and you don't want to miss this one. Montgomery puts together his version of a love letter to Seattle as variety show every month; it's a show chalked full of the strangest and most fascinating performancers that he can cull together. The roster this first sunday includes Carrie Akre (of Hammerbox fame), Korby Sears' Subpoenad Lemur Vocoder Orchestra, and possibly the bearded comedian and host himself as the night's standup act. Annex Theatre, $10.

CLASSICAL & MORE

Sat, Nov 1
Seattle Baroque Orchestra: The American Dream
Seattle Baroque Orchestra kicks off its 2014–15 season at Town Hall with a collection of early Bostonian music. Hear the heartbeat of the United States emerg- ing as guest conductor Matthias Maute takes listeners on a musical journey to find the spirit of colonial New England. Town Hall, $27–$45.

Oct 30–Nov 2
Masterworks: Mozart's Requiem
While Mozart’s Requiem began as a commission, the composer’s ultimate work transformed into a composition for himself, which he never completed before his death at the age of 35. The haunting epic remains a staple that’s worth seeing every time Seattle Symphony and Symphony Chorale team up to undertake the masterwork. Benaroya Hall, $20–$120.

FILM

Nov 1
Björk: Biophilia Live
Icelandic pop star Björk trades in grandiose ideas. Her most recent album, 2011’s Biophilia, explored the relationship between humans and other earthly life forms and launched with an interactive app that was so immersive it became the first application inducted into the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. The concert film Biophilia Live captures the sensory overload experience of Björk’s live show. Neptune Theatre, $19.

Nov 1–5
Nex Docs
Once a year, Northwest Film Forum takes the dive into reality and dedicates an entire week to nonfiction flicks for the Nex Docs festival. It’s a chance to see untold stories, some of which would seem unbelievable if penned by a screenwriter. This year’s slate includes documentaries examining the cultural importance of a European witch tale, Portuguese architect Manuel Tainha, and rural West Virginia beauty pageants. Northwest Film Forum, $11.

*Don't forget to check out our Halloween Event Guide.*