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Music Critics' Picks: Flexin Fridays, BriFest 2014, It's OK!, The Thermals

June 20-21: Live music in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

The Thermals / photo courtesy of listenbeforeyoubuy.net

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[RAP] + FRI, JUNE 20

Flexin' Fridays, hosted by Block Mogul Entertainment, features four performances and DJ Strawberry to play sets and shut the party down when it's time to get yo boogie on. With L Roc, Young Soda, Jack Mov and L Hammond scheduled to perform; you'll be introduced (if you don't already know) to some of the young up-and-coming voices of The 253.  BME is known to roll deep and throw a pretty entertaining show so this one should be no different.  Only one way to find out. ... {JOSE GUTIERREZ}

FLEXIN' FRIDAYS, 9 p.m., Champions Sports Bar, 8765 South Tacoma Way, Lakewood, 253.582.3400

[ROCK] + SAT, JUNE 21

There are no words when a community loses one of its beloved members. There are no words, but there is music. And this is exactly what Brian Redman would have wanted. A stalwart in Tacoma's music scene, (3 Inches of Blood, Trial, Dirty Knockers) it's been nearly five years since Redman tragically lost his life. But, his spirit rocks on. BriFest 2014 features 11 music acts, including Pig Snout, Earth Mother, Kim Archer and Nolan Garrett. " ... We want to continue his legacy by celebrating his life with music," said Brian's brother, Jim Redman, on the Facebook Event page. "We have an amazing night of music planned. ... " Expect a variety of music and a damn good time. BriFest is a fundraiser for the Brian Redmond Memorial Fund, which continues to give out the $1,000 Brian Redman Memorial Fund Scholarship. {NIKKI MCCOY}

ROCK IN PEACE PRESENTS: BRIFEST 2014, 2:30 p.m., all ages until 10:30 p.m., Jazzbones, 2883 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, $10, 253.396.9169

[PUNK] + SAT, JUNE 21

The bill for this show at the Northern is uncommonly stacked. In addition to featuring the feminist punk luminaries of Frightwig on tour for the first time since 1995(!), they're bringing with them Robert Hecker's post-Redd Kross project, It's OK!. It's an embarrassment of riches, in case you hadn't caught on. Even though the shadow of Redd Kross would naturally loom over any band that Robert Hecker might form, It's OK! do a good job of following in those footsteps - as they have since 1992 - while slyly subverting expectations. Melody and the power of a well-tuned song are clearly very important things to Hecker. Bursts of power pop give way to tender folk ditties before eventually circling back to the sort of angsty, blistering punk that made a name of Hecker to begin with. {REV. ADAM MCKINNEY}

IT'S OK!, w/ Frightwig, rocknho, 8 p.m., Northern, 414 ½ Legion Way, Olympia, $7

[INDIE ROCK] + SAT, JUNE 21

The Thermals have never skimped on passion - musically or lyrically. With straightforward opinions about politics being spat by Hutch Harris at a furious rate per minute, over the driving pop-punk explosions of the unimpeachable trio, The Thermals have been, at their best, near unmatchable for fist-pumping power. Their most recent record, Desperate Ground, finds them coming back to basics, after the inward turn of Personal Life. The three-chord blast has come back in full force, lending the band a muscularity that's flagged a little since their early years. An album of full-blooded anthems is precisely what was needed, and The Thermals came through in spades. It's not often that the band graces a Tacoma stage, so consider this show unmissable. And, if you do miss it, consider this: what on Earth were you thinking? {REV. AM}

THE THERMALS, w/ Big Eyes, Wheelies, 9 p.m., The New Frontier Lounge, 301 E. 25th St., Tacoma, $14, 253.572.4020

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