PERMANENT LIPSTICK by Ginger Knoxx
Summertime for me is largely spent going out of town every other weekend. When in town, I'm at festivals. Last weekend was family reunion time in Moses Lake. The Moses Lake Rodeo was ultra rad. Rather than blather on about how the town's most happenin' joint, the Sand Bar, was one of the suckiest, lame, dirtiest dancing places on earth or how The Ripple, a cool joint with super nice bartenders doesn't have Jude Bowerman, Junkyard Jane or any live music any longer for that matter and was completely empty at midnight - I'll talk wine walk and Tacoma townie observations.

THURSDAY, Aug. 17
Theatre District and Opera Alley merchants have some high expectations for folks. Wine walk this time around was challenging. More than 12 places and different wines to sample and only three hours to do it in equates to almost a bottle of wine slugged back shot style and not more than 12 minutes spent at each location. Forget browsing, leisurely conversation or admiring products and art. Slam that wine and get a move on.
Fire and Water Sundries: the curly, long haired guy was doing his job explaining what the store's about, which appears to be primarily dried herbs, candles, ceramics, soaps and an area for tarot readings in the back (cool). Two Vaults had stellar Brie cheese and that great mango wine from Vino Aquino. Quite a few tooled wood bowls and boxes were coveted. The cool factor has never been more represented there than by Bruce Bickford's bizarre Claymation jumbo head with miniature bare breasted women, musicians and odd figures inside its mouth. IN ITS MOUTH. Go see this crazy shit. It's in the back room. Pupeepop tore it up at the Kickstand Café. We held out till the SOTA kids came and claimed their turf (not that it's a bad thing, but they looked like they ran with scissors while getting dressed in the dark). Vin Grotto has some great wine with funky names. Is it bad to buy a wine just because it's called Le Freak Shiraz or Mad Dogs and Englishmen Cabernet? I think not, especially since the vino is primo. Jazz pianist Al Gord, who performed with the much missed and admired Red Kelly, played. Vin Grotto hints that it might become a weekly treat.

From Tacoma townies ...
Glass Roots Arts Fest had a decent turnout last Saturday, definitely enough folks for a great time. Phil O'Sullivan (Nouveau Rich) has been jamming on guitar with Matt Coughlin's band these days.
"We played at the peak of attendance. People got pretty riled up," explains O'Sullivan. "While there may not have been the world's biggest crowd, there was definitely something in the air that made me extra proud to be a Tacoman. Parties like this are exactly what should be happening in every town in the country every weekend of the year."
From graffiti art to the raw ass jams of Vamanos, the vibe was good.
Shakespeare in the Parking Lot was sweet. Marty Campbell slung pop and water almost as well as he slings CDs. Dylan Taylor (Hotter Than Karl) celebrated his birthday at Glass Roots. The folks from UrbanXchange dug the quirky Tacoma fun.

No hip-hop. No cops. No problems. That's the direction owners of Cedarwood Sports Bar and Grill in Milton seem to be going (same spot as the short-lived Club Atlantis) with live bands on the weekends, comedy, pool, darts, and karaoke, and it will now be open seven days a week. One of my favorite Sixth Avenue bartenders may soon be slinging witty repartee as well as cocktails at this joint.

Weekly Volcano scribe Angela Jossy tells me the Lakewood City Council officially and almost unanimously approved a resolution to create the Lakewood Arts Commission, proving relentless work by folks such as her and Lisa Ikeda do pay off. Soon they'll be recruiting to fill the commission seats.

Seaweed Jack
Off-kilter, frenzied musical instrument swapping is one way to keep a live show interesting. Having talent is another and the one that seems to work best, in my opinion. Although I do enjoy a good spectacle just for the sake of a good spectacle, especially when a costumed crowd is encouraged. When I heard indie pirate rock band Seaweed Jack was touring from Spokane, I simply smiled. Welcome home, Seaweed Jack, welcome home. The band's love of Tom Waits and Mike Patton is easy to discern, and who doesn't like a large helping of madness with a side of gypsy insanity? You have two chances to catch them, but if you can't wait check them out on Myspace. Thursday, Aug. 24, 10 p.m., 21+, no cover, Le Voyeur, 404 E. Fourth, Olympia. Friday, Aug. 25, 7 p.m., all ages, no cover, UrbanXchange, 1934 Pacific Ave., downtown Tacoma.

Give me a wink and a kiss via e-mail. Knoxx knows.