Saturday, Aug. 20

Under The Trees is such a cool community art/music event, and it gets better every year. Go Music, PZ and I arrived right as Fear Train Caravan ended, but we caught the full set of James Whiton. The soup kitchen was a huge success, feeding folks and the bands. The different DJ stages were cool too, creating separate vibe areas. More people should have come out. There was cool art being spontaneously created all over. Smile trading was also contagious.

You wanna hear about the Dinosaur Jr. show? It rocked. It was insanely loud. Even with earplugs I still couldn't hear myself speak or what The Italian was saying. We did a lot of grinning and nodding, trying to read each other's lips. The roaring sound made our chests vibrate and our pant legs shake. It made us guzzle beer and slam repeated Jäger bombs (OK, we were going to do that anyway). The Showbox's stage was stacked with Marshalls that dwarfed the trio. Standing there in awe, I could hear every band I think I've ever liked in the music coming from that stage. What a profound impact this one band has had on today's music. Their reach is far. And nobody can sing so well off-key as J. Mascis. I think Rob Sharp from New West Motels is a dead ringer for Lou Barlow, by the way. I called Rob from the bathroom to tell him the show was amazing. I'm sure he thought I was nuts screaming into my cell phone. The Italian went sans earplugs for the encore. That pretty much ensured we'd be yelling the rest of the night. Leaving the Showbox at 12:45 a.m., we hit Zig Zag Café under Pike Place Market and poured more liquor down our throats. I successfully completed smoking an entire pack of cigarettes while Mr. Italy engaged in boisterous conversation with other buzzed folks at the bar. While I was pissed at the time, retrospect examination of the evening leaves me quite happy that my car got locked in the parking garage overnight and we were forced to take a cab back to Phinney Ridge.

Sunday, Aug. 21

I could have skipped the loud morning blast of girl hip-hoppers Northern State. I coughed up $17 and rescued my car. Sally Girl, The Italian and I ate breakfast on Broadway and then made our way to Silica Sands on the river by Black Diamond. Upon arrival, who should immediately stroll by but Levi from XIL Records. Silica Sands had the most bizarrely off the hook people watching. We're talking booty hanging out, beer bonging, herbal jazz cigarette passing. Note to self: The river isn't as fun when you're the only sober person there.

IT LIST

Thursday

The Forgery

Thursday, Aug. 25, Seattle's experimental jazz/rock fusion group The Forgery comes to town opening for highly talented upright bassist James Whiton and The Downtown Apostles at Jazzbones. Local fashion hotty and social celebrity Scott Turner joins The Forgery boys on vocals. Incorporating a cello into the mix of drums, bass, and guitar creates a captivating and unusual sound. Every time they play they're better, and sharing a stage with Whiton will make anyone straighten up. 8 p.m., $5, all ages till 10 p.m., 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma.

Friday

Hell's Kitchen

You like Johnny Cash? You think cool? You like whacked out crap? The Kitchen has it Friday with Fistful of Cash from Portland coming up to blow everybody away with Cash covers punk rock style with some metal, reggae and whatever they feel like throwing in. Tacoma's new friend Brian Kenney Fresno is part of this debacle; remember the Stoner Detectives and ceremonial passing of raisins? Sea Jayne Trip opens. Funny boys Johnny Bobalouie and The Masters of Bastion close. 9 p.m., $5, 21+, 3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma.

Saturday

The Elephants

Free Tacoma Project hosts its first show at Club Zoe with The Elephants, Mercir and Paris Spleen. If you're not familiar with The Elephants by now, take your head out of the ground. They rock; they pop; they swap instruments. Seattle's Mercir covers the electronic thing well with synthesizers, turntables, guitars, and samplers ... now they're just showing off.  8 p.m., $5, all-ages, 1710 Market St., Tacoma.