SpoCo Sizzle Index 🔥

Asian BBQ 🥩, Hot Live Music 🎶, Hot Pavement, Hot Weekend Ahead

May 29, 2025

This week has been hot hot hot. . . and it’s only gonna get hotter. Inbound are a rap-sheet of concerts across the region. The temps are ideal, lock in your tickets. . . and make moves. ‘Tis the season for evening picnics, bottles of wine on a patio, and getting ready for Hoopfest (the greatest of the region’s Holidays in my opinion). This time of the year is legendary–no need to go on holiday. We are literally in heaven from May to October. 

Sure, we might get a little smoke from our neighbors to the north, but I have a bit of a nostalgic love from my football days in college, where the smoke would be the only cloud coverage you would see in “fall camp” which was literally sixteen, 15-hour days in the Lewiston heat. . . so anything to cover up the sun, even if it was smoke, was a God-send. Weird, I know, but you get desperate in 20 pounds of equipment. Anywayyyyyy. . . .

There’s a lot going on, and I think it would be criminal not to cash in on at least half of these. . . 

Openings You Need to Know About

Finally, Spokane has a grill-it-yourself Asian barbecue joint to call its own. Seng’s Asian BBQ House on North Monroe is the brainchild of Patty and Joe Seng (spokanejournal.com) – the wife-and-husband team who turned their Sengsational Cuisine food truck into a brick-and-mortar barbecue adventure. 

It’s Korean BBQ at heart, but with a twist: Joe marinates the meats in Thai, Filipino, Japanese – even Peruvian – flavors, a full fusion free-for-all that somehow works flawlessly. Twenty-four tables each have built-in grills sizzling away under a splashy mural of cherry blossoms and butcher-cut diagrams instagram.com. The vibe lands somewhere between a lively Seoul night market and your buddy’s backyard cookout, complete with a full bar to keep the soju flowing.

Bring a big appetite (and maybe a spare shirt). For a flat price it’s all-you-can-eat– endless waves of thin-sliced brisket, pork jowl, garlic chicken, and marinated kalbi short ribs until you surrender. Seven banchan sides hit the table first – kimchi, bean sprouts, yada yada yada– because why not? The staff is happy to coach K-BBQ rookies through the do-it-yourself grilling, so no one’s intimidated by the fire. Early diners are already raving – “Spokane needed this,” one proclaimed sengsasianbbq.com – and it’s clear this is more than just a new restaurant. With the Sengs themselves roaming the floor to chat with guests, Seng’s feels like a community passion project that’s spicing up Spokane’s food scene in the most hands-on way possible.

Scale House Market Grand Opening • Sat May 31

The moment we’ve been anxiously awaiting:

Year-round indoor/outdoor bazaar debuts with 80+ vendors: farm eggs, vinyl dealers, vintage denim, gluten-free doughnuts that slap. Live folk duo at noon, bounce house out back, coffee trucks fueling the spree. Flea-market chaos meets farmers-market charm—get there early before the weird antiques and heirloom tomatoes vanish. 

Swap brunch for purpose: join hundreds in orange tees on Summit Parkway to stomp out multiple sclerosis, one mile (or three) at a time. It’s stroller-friendly, dog-approved, and fully accessible. Show up early for free coffee, tear-jerker speeches, then roll off the start line at 10 with river views and all of the West Central cheering you home. Register or donate online; every step funds research that might finally ghost this disease for good. Sunshine + good karma = peak Saturday energy.

Looking for something to do last minute tonight? Well, the Celtic super-tapper that hijacked the ’90s is now old enough to rent a car—and it’s flexing harder than ever. Riverdance 30 hauls in brand-new lighting rigs, thunder-god drums, and a cast who can hammer out 700 clicks a minute without breaking a grin. My good friend Julia used to be the lead for the Celtic sensation, so I expect to see her in attendance. Expect Irish fiddles that sprint, flamenco detours that swagger, and a finale where the stage looks like it’s levitating. Skip leg day; this is peak calf-envy theater. 

Sara Bareilles’ sugar-rush musical about pies, bad marriages, and second chances lands on the Civic mainstage. Local powerhouse vocals, live on-stage band, and enough lattice crust to trigger carb cravings by the overture. Added bonus: the lobby actually sells mini-pies, so you can ugly-cry during “She Used to Be Mine” while main-lining cherry filling. 

Trade your kid’s die-cast cars for the 30-foot, LED-drenched real thing. Glow-N-Fire is Hot Wheels’ arena fever dream—Mega Wrex, Tiger Shark, Bone Shaker, the whole toy-box circus—now wired with black-light paint and flamethrower ramps that roast marshmallows by accident. Snag the Pre-Show Party pass and you’re on the floor snapping selfies with tires taller than your uncle’s F-150 Groupon. Checkout ticketswest.com for tix. Expect two hours of throttle, tail-whips, and kids losing their minds so hard they forget to ask for screen time. Pro tip: grab seats on the lower bowl if you want rubber-burn smell, upper bowl if you value your sternum.

Get Ready for a Solid Case of the Giggles:

Deadpan Seattle comic Scott Losse unpacks cat ownership, mid-life malaise, and why adulthood feels like a software update nobody asked for. Two shows, wine-bottle service optional, regret unlikely. 

Aussie stand-up runaway Amos Gill skewers American culture with outsider glee—guns, dating apps, unlimited soda refills—nothing’s safe. Expect machine-gun punchlines in a velvety accent that makes the burns go down smooth.

Remember the teacher who wheeled in the TV cart? Now picture them onstage roasting homework, parents, and the entire K-12 industrial complex. Half improv, half group-therapy—you’ll learn, you’ll laugh, you’ll clutch your report card. 

Podcast kingpin turns off the mic and turns up the rant. Politics, parenting, pop culture—Carolla speed-drills opinions like his life’s on a shot clock. Bring thick skin and a thirst; this one’s unfiltered. 

These guys were at Jazzfest a couple weeks ago in New Orleans. . . which–by the way–is a big deal. My friend Pierson said they were amazing and implored me to purchase tickets. I imagine I probably will. Two marathon sets of prog-jam wizardry under Spokane’s skyline. One song might last 18 minutes; you won’t mind. Think Phish precision, indie-rock heart, and a light show that makes your phone’s camera give up. Pack a blanket and a healthy respect for spontaneous key changes. 

GPT nerds, startup sharks, and the crypto-curious converge 70 feet over the downtown smokestacks. Lightning talks, rooftop cocktails, and a rapid-fire pitch corner where your idea has three minutes to become someone else’s investment. Dress like you might run into your future VC—because you probably will. 

Victorian clip-clop through Spokane Falls district courtesy of Wheatland Bank. Zero charge, maximum nostalgia: wool blankets, guide narrating ghost stories, and city lights flickering over peak-flow rapids. First-come seats—expect a queue of selfie hunters. 

Two-hour float, all-you-can-eat buffet, and golden-hour views that make your phone battery panic. From roasted prime rib to cheesecake squares, it’s floating Thanksgiving with a side of osprey spotting. Book ahead; tourists are catching on. 

White-Water & Fly-Fishing Trifecta (Lochsa • St Joe • CDA Rivers)

• Lochsa Raft Trips – Class IV names like “Bloody Mary” slap you awake; wetsuit provided, bravery not.

• St Joe Drift-Boat Fly-Fish – Cutthroat trout, cedar scent, and the quiet thunk of oars—Zen with a hook.

• CDA River Floats – Stonefly hatch = trout feeding frenzy; guides tie the knots, you claim the glory.

Pick your aqua-adventure poison; bragging rights sold separately. 

Our local and sometimes forgotten theme park has awakened for another summer: Coasters shriek, funnel cake wafts, tourist crowds haven’t fully spawned yet. Catch Stunt Pilot first (front row = free facial peel), then cool off in Boulder Beach’s preview splash zone. Parking’s still reasonable; sunscreen is not optional. 

How ‘Bout a Little Ball??

The Zephyr women close out May by welcoming Fort Lauderdale – palm-tree tans versus Inland Northwest grit. Merch stand slings teal scarves you’ll absolutely “need,” and 22 athletes are claiming every inch of new turf. Expect high-tempo press, overpriced tallboys, and a crowd that chants louder than your neighbor’s leaf blower. Win or lose, you’ll still be out in time to chase sunset margs in Kendall Yards.

Minor-league summer starter kit: $5 bleachers, post-game fireworks Friday, hot dogs on Sunday. Watch top Mariners prospects mash, then watch your kid sprint bases while you juggle a helmet of soft-serve. Baseball the way Norman Rockwell painted it—only with better beer. 

The Links Inc. annual scholarship spread: floral centerpieces, gospel jazz trio, and a hat contest that could humble Ascot. Ticket buys you mimosas, a southern-inspired buffet (shrimp & grits, yes please), and the warm fuzzies of funding local students. Dress to stunt; scholarship dollars love good linen—grab a mimosa and flex that pinky:


Live-Music Low-Down | May 30 – June 1

Who’s ready to catch a vibe hmmm????

Fri May 30 • BECU Live @ Northern Quest

Two flavors of country on one stage: Paisley’s arena-size guitar flex meets Walker Hayes’ Applebee’s sing-along swagger. Expect shreddy solos, sentimental dad jokes, and 10,000 people yelling “Fancy Like” while spilling Michelob on their cowboy boots. Tailgate early; traffic in Airway Heights moves slower than a sad fiddle solo.

Sat May 31 | Knitting Factory

Local-boy-gone-Nashville returns with a baritone richer than your uncle’s bourbon stash. He’ll slide from heartland ballads to honky-tonk heaters, so wear boots you can two-step in—floor space disappears after the first chorus.

Fri May 30 | The District Bar

Basement vibes, zero cover, sub-bass that rattles your dental work. Think glitch-house meets warehouse rave—except the beer is cheaper and somebody will definitely lose a sandal.

Sun June 1 | Knitting Factory

Grindcore meets sludge royalty for a triple-threat gut punch. Earplugs mandatory; circle pit optional but encouraged. Perfect cleanse if Goose left you feeling too zen—this show sandblasts any lingering good vibes clean off.

Fri May 30 | Highball Lounge (Northern Quest)

Funk-disco house with martinis that could moonlight as jet fuel. Velvet booths, mirrored ceiling, and no cover—meaning your drink budget remains irresponsibly intact.

Sat May 31 | Highball Lounge

Top-40 flips, ‘90s R&B dips, and just enough bass to make even blackjack dealers wiggle. Same luxe lounge, new playlist—if Friday didn’t derail your sleep schedule, Saturday will.

Roll for charisma, honey. Spokane’s most glitter-drenched RPG mash-up drops spellcasting drag artists into a live D&D one-shot. Audience choices steer the mayhem; lip-syncs break the fourth wall; critical fails are celebrated with shots. Costumes welcomed, sass guaranteed.