So I'm turning 40 years old next week, and as I sit back and reflect on the Tacoma music scene over the last 20 or so years I notice something - it has always been cooler than most other cities! I attribute this mostly to one thing: heart. No, not the band - the blood-pumping muscle behind this blue-collar town. There are more no-BS bands of all genres right here in the South Sound than just about anywhere I've seen - and I get around.

Bands around here don't try to sell out to one specific sound or pre-fabricated look just so the clubs in Seattle, Everett, etc. will book them. Nope. The Tacoma/South Sound musician has always had a level of DIY integrity, matched by the real drive to put on a good live show and entertain the masses. Some scenes sorely lack this. Of course, there are plenty of kick-ass bands from ALL OVER the country and world - I know - but there's just something about bands from here! Maybe it's the water?

One such band that even after rocking for 20-plus years is still absolutely full of piss ‘n' vinegar is Girl Trouble!  The band has been a little quiet as of late, but something tells me not for much longer. See, the mighty GT is still in a knockdown, drag-out legal battle with Gorilla Productions over Gorilla's alleged "pay-to-play" tactics. Basically, Gorilla gets young, inexperienced bands to play big venues and sell advance tickets ... making Gorilla lots of cash and the bands very little. Meanwhile, the bands do all the work. GT, and specifically drummer Bon Von Wheelie, took this personally and started to educate folks with a No Pay To Play MySpace page. (I still have one of their great buttons on my stage jacket!) The fine people at Gorilla then promptly sued GT in March of 2010 and have been trying to force the band to go to Ohio to fight the lawsuit in court. Even though this story has graced the pages of the Volcano and other local publications before, the battle rages on! Do some research on this story and show the local heroes some support!

In other news: Hell's Kitchen reopens Friday with a great metal show headlined by Pscyhonaut Deathtrip!