The vivid black-and-white photos of Charles Peterson are now synonymous with grunge, since he documented every important local band (Nirvana, etc.) from the very beginning of that movement in the mid-’80s. Shooting with a bright flash, he often positioned himself at the center of a swirling mosh pit, or on the stage just as a performer leaped into the fray. As a friend and confidante of many artists, he also gained access to their quiet, unguarded moments offstage. The results have been seen at SAM and EMP, collected in several books, and used as album covers. Peterson's permanent new installation includes over a dozen classic images—including late icons Kurt Cobain, Andrew Wood, Mia Zapata, and Layne Staley. On the lighter, living side of the musical spectrum, it’s good to see the (then) youngsters of Mudhoney and Tad when they were cheerful, cynical, and poor. Nobody had any money, and getting a deal with a national label seemed like a joke. The show’s title, Come Out, Come Out Tonight, is from the late poet Steven Jesse Bernstein, whose portrait is also included here. If Seattle’s rock history is to be institutionalized, the Croc is a more appropriate venue than the Hard Rock. And the drinks are stronger, too. (21 and over.) BRIAN MILLER
