01/11

7 p.m., The Vera Project House, 766 Thomas St. — Acoustic Veracity, featuring Josh English, Valkyrie, Bang-A-Rang and Take The I5 With Suretoss! (Whether the latter is a band or extreme sport, I can't be sure of, but in either case it sure sounds exciting) All ages. Free. Vegan dinner for $3.

7 p.m., University Book Store Cafe — Kevin Craft reads from Mare Nostrum. Poet Kevin Craft teaches English and writing at Everett Community College and edits the journal Mare Nostrum. He stops by with students to read from a collection of their work created during the UW Creative Writing Summer in Rome Seminar. Free.

7:30 p.m., El Corazon — Daphne Loves Derby, Meg & Dia, Ronnie Day, House Of Fools and Alabaster. All ages. $10 adv, $12 dos.

8 p.m., Tractor Tavern — Australian singer songwriter Mel Watson, from FruIt, with Ashleigh Flynn. 21+. $12.

9 p.m., Crocodile Cafe — Talkdemonic, Birdshow of North America and Bronze Fawn. 21+. $8.

01/12

Movies Opening Today

Letters From Iwo Jima –— If Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers failed to satiate your appetite for war-torn blood and guts, then this is your lucky day, punk. In Letters From Iwo Jima the Oscar-winning director tells the horrific story of Iwo Jima from the perspective of the Japanese soldiers who clung tenaciously to their homeland, burrowing deep into the tiny island and keeping American forces at bay for 40 days. Starring Ken Watanabe as real-life Japanese General Tadamichi Kuribayashi. R. Egyptian.

Pan's Labyrinth — With a Tim Burton-meets-Steven Speilberg look to it, this 20th century fairytale promises to be visually stunning, if nothing else. Set against the backdrop of post-World War II Spain and one truly wicked acid trip, Pan's Labyrinth follow's the otherwordly journey of young Ofelia, who's life has been uprooted and re-routed to a rural military outpost commanded by her new stepfather. With a predisposition to being described as "dreamy" in many a movie synopsis, Ofelia naturally finds herself embroiled in some very supernatural situations. Written and directed by Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, The Devil's Backbone). Harvard Exit.See review on pg. 3

Alpha Dog — At first, I was going to write Based on the life of Jesse James Hollywood, the youngest man to ever be on the F.B.I.'s most wanted list and starring Justin Timberlake may be all you need to know about Alpha Dog", but then I noticed that the cast also includes Bruce Willis and Sharon Stone. Plus it's rated R.

Primeval — Two crocodile hunters, a news producer and a reporter sent to track down the legendary thirty foot long crocodile Gustave and bring him home alive, find themselves up against a foe deadlier than the most venomous stingray: a South African warlord. R.

Stomp The Yard — DJ, "a troubled youth from Los Angeles", may not exactly have happy feet, but they're definitely quick and agile. Will they be light-spirited enough to help DJ fit in at Atlanta, Georgia's Truth University and win the coveted — albeit oft-unheard of — National Step Show Championship? PG-13.

7:30 p.m., Meany Hall — Mackris v. O'Reilly. The pithy and allegedly perverted political pundit Bill O'Reilly gets the baroque oratorio treatment — not exactly what he was looking for from former staff producer Andrea Mackris. In October 2004, Mackris accused O'Reilly of sexual harrassment and this unique concert-length work, featuring a 31-peice chamber orchestra, 32-voice chorus and three soloists, covers all the bases that The O'Reilly Factor host may or may not have missed. 18+ recommended due to "mature themes". $10.

8 p.m. (box office opens), Neumos — This may not be sin city, but Hell's Belles, the all woman AC/DC cover band, are still gonna take you down. Down, down, down. To your knees. With Thee Emergency and The Heavy Hearts. 21+. $10.

9 p.m., Tractor Tavern — Rockin' indie alt-country dealt out by North Twin, Massy Ferguson and the Jeff Fielder Band. 21+. $7.

9 p.m., El Corazon – 99.9FM KISW & El Corazon present a night of cover bands. Can you match the tribute band with their rock 'n roll idols? 21+ and $8.

Midnight, Egyptian — Raiders of the Lost Ark. With age Harrison Ford seems to have acquired a distinctly nutty flavor. Revisit the times when he was just a crazy sexy professor.

10 p.m., The Showbox — Back to School Jam featuring DJ John Magic (B-95 Fresno). 18+. $10 21+, $15 ages 18-20.

01/13

5 p.m., El Corazon — Endless Grey, Temperedcast, Future Fossils and Midst Of Autumn. All ages. $8.

8 p.m., Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 SW Delridge Way — 8th- annual MLK Hip Hop Show, presented by the Seattle Young People's Project. "Fighting for education, following the dream." Featuring performances by Absynnian Creole, 2012, Canary Sing, D Black and more. All ages. $3, or $2 with canned food item.

8 p.m., The Showbox — Augustana with Vega 4. All ages. $15 adv, $17 dos.

9:30 p.m., Tractor Tavern — The Cops, The Old Haunts and The Hands. 21+. $7.

10 p.m., El Corazon — Halou, Mexican Institute Of Sound, Beehive and Miss Solar System. 21+. $10 adv, $12 dos.

01/14

6:30 p.m., El Corazon — Kind, Painted Soul, Northwater, WWW, Wunderbugg, My Favorite Nothing and Autumns Dream. All ages. $10.

8 p.m. (box office opens), Neumos – — Barrington Levy, the legendary — albeit oft-unheard of — Jamaican reggae and dancehall star, plus guests. 21+

8 p.m., Chop Suey — Make It Or Break It, Part 3. The local hip-hop showcase continues. All ages. $5.

8 p.m., Tractor Tavern – Rob Dickinson, former frontman of Catherine Wheel. 21+. $10 adv, $12 dos.

01/15

7:30 p.m., El Corazon — Piers Faccini, Handful Of Luvin', Isaac & Electric Rising and Ordinary State. All ages. $8.

9 p.m., Tractor Tavern — Local indie folk rock a la Conrad Ford, Amateur Radio Operator and Kelli Hanson. 21+. $6.

01/17

7:30 p.m., The Triple Door — Al Kooper, "rock guitarist, organist, iconoclast and one of the most inspired and intelligent people in rock music", offers up a real bargain, charging a mere $5 per adjective. 21+. $25.

9 p.m., Tractor Tavern — Purty Mouth, billed as "Seattle's gayest country band", with The Moondoggies and Miss Mamie Lavona the Exotic Mulatta. 21+. $6.

— Christian Nelson

christiannelson@thedaily.washington.edu