For those who have remained loyal fans of Gene Loves Jezebel since the '80s, trying to unravel the truth of where they've been is a bit daunting. Currently fronted by one half of the original twin-brother duo, the Gene Loves Jezebel that will play at Hell's Kitchen tonight, is the official-official â€" at least as far as the legal system is concerned.

Check out the scoop here. â€" Paul Schrag

They’ve been with you through the good and bad times, close to your heart.

So why are you letting them down with an ill-fitting bra?

Nordstrom Tacoma, in association with Wacoal and the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, is putting on an event on March 15 that will teach you all you need to know about why â€" and how â€" to support your sisters.

Says Stacey Ellis, after explaining the day to me, “We’re very passionate about this event.”

With good reason â€" it’s a win win win situation that one could get passionate about.

Attend one of two free seminars on fit â€" at noon, and at 6 p.m. â€" a nd learn the whys and wherefores of good bra fit.

Schedule a fitting anytime on that day, and Wacoal will donate $2 to the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer foundation, which Nordstrom will match with another $2.  Purchase a bra by Wacoal, Donna Karan, or DKNY, and another $2 will be donated.

Call ahead for seminar reservations or to schedule your fit: 253.475.3630 x 1240 â€" your sisters will thank you for it! â€" Jessica Corey-Butler

Brandt Dettling of Don't Tell Sophie.  Photography by Michael Stasiak

Last night was Tacoma band Trans Union’s sold out CD release show at Club SOTA with Travel by Channel and Don’t Tell Sophie. Their new 7-song EP, Getting Ahead was recorded with Tacoma School of the Arts graduates Ben Roth and Brandon Hughes at Roth’s Apple Studios in Tacoma, and is now available through the band. Though hints of Joy Division and The Strokes leak through the disc’s stunningly warm texture, you might as well throw out all the influences when it comes to Trans Union; the album is a kinetic ride through guitar rock heaven. Four stars out of four stars. â€" Michael Stasiak

 

The opening of a new gallery in Tacoma is a cool thing.

The opening of a gallery combining the directorial vision of  New York gallery-‘nista Kelly Joseph, just arrived from NYC, combined with a Sixth Avenue vibe, is a very cool thing.

Put that gallery next to a wine merchant/wine bar, and give them a joint opening with fabulous food catered by Il Fiasco with some lovely solo guitar music, and you have me deeply ensconced in cool-thing Heaven.

The art at Rebecca V Gallery â€" named after the daughter of owner Tony Valenzuela â€" showed an array of styles, from the expressionistic Impressionism of Martha Reisdorf, to the glass work of Diane Hanson, to the watercolors by Mary Ann Coles evoking Venice and Sun that made me want to take them home; on to Molly Cliff-Hilts’ deeply personal painted paraffin pieces that mixed saturated cerulean blues with iridescent pigments and deep introspective umbers that also made me want to take them home. Gelatin print photographs by Philippe Mazaud intrigued me, as did the paintings by Carol Hartsock and the landscapes by Patrick Howe, situated toward the front of the gallery where a very cool desk balanced out the leather furniture and hanging panels displaying art suspended from beams that worked as architectural counterpoints to the exposed, subtle vaulting of the ceiling.

In Pairings Wine Bar, it was more of the same, architecturally, with rustic elements marrying the urban in the exposed (faux finished, actually!) floors, exposed trusses, and rough-hewn wood main bar.

The wines offered were exquisite â€" I have to say I am now a fan of the Oregonian “7” â€" and the service was offered in a friendly, open manner despite the crazy crowd mingling about.

After we perused the gallery, my friends and I beat the rush to Asado, where we supped on appetizers, and found it fun to face-spot the individuals coming in from the gallery.

It felt like the post-Kulture Lab Tempest, but dressed in their Sunday best.

It felt like a new art-kid in town, all dressed up and ready to sell. â€" Jessica Corey-Butler

We were enchanted yesterday, the wee one and I, as "Swan Lake" opened to the scene of Prince Siegfried’s party.

I saw the sizes, ages, and bright eyes of the individuals on stage and tears streamed down my face unwittingly. Hours, weeks, months of effort were apparent; these weren’t individuals paid to do what they loved, possibly they were people paying to do it, or on grants.

That’s the beauty of community theater and dance; it’s all about the love of the activity.
With Dance Theatre Northwest’s "Swan Lake," we saw the love, and we felt it; we saw the hard work of the dancers, many of whom performed triple roles, even more, in the ambitious production.

Standouts were plentiful: in the corps were individuals who showed energy and vitality even two hours after beginning the ballet; the sweet quartet of swans had my heart in my throat and had my tears streaming again as the dance went on.

Ultimately, though the numerous (I stopped counting at 32) fouettes performed by Katie Neumann were impressive, they weren’t enough to propel her to “star” status, in my book.  Even my wee one, who was so excited to see Odette, and then so anxious to see Odile, (pronounced Oh-Dial by the narrator, which irked me) was left fidgeting through her performances as both personae.

It’s not that Neumann wasn’t great, it’s just that she wasn’t riveting.  She was impressively limber and swan-like, as Odette, but there was something hollow and possibly stiff about her as Odile.

Even still, the kid came home and immediately began dancing as a swan, and as corps dancers.  She felt the magic of the dance, and forgot the length, which said volumes as she was the kid whining, “mommy, how much longer,” despite her familiarity with the storyline.

It was exactly a perfect arts afternoon for the two of us, hanging out together.  She brought a stuffed dog with her to the ballet, and I asked her what the puppy thought of the evening.
Her response: “The music was great, and the dancing was pretty.” â€" Jessica Corey-Butler

Tacoma Musical Playhouse took home two state theater awards at the Washington State Community Theatre Association contest in Walla Walla this weekend.

The big award was the Theater Treasure honor, which the theater won a few years ago right before it was asked attend the international contest in Monocco. TMP stars should pack their bags, because their performance of "Company" was rocking.

The second award was best actress to Jenny McMurry for her performance in "Thoroughly Modern Millie."

The TMP actors now go on to regionals, which will involve  actors  from around the Pacific Northwest. Those contests will be held at TMP later this spring. Not that TMP needs a home field advantage.

It's "Big River" is smoking as well. This theater is on fire. â€" Steve Dunkelberger

The Parisian duo Air bring their Moog-flavored icy soundscapes and Partridge Family on helium harmonies to Tacoma’s Pantages Theater April 23.  Jean-Benoit Dunckel and Nicholas Godin are touring behind their fourth release, Pocket Symphony.

Tickets are $38.50 and go on sale Friday, March 16, 10 a.m., at all Ticketmaster outlets. â€" Brad Allen

P.S. The KEXP Air presale begins March 14 at 10 a.m. and ends March 15 at 10 p.m.  The super secret password is: air.  Brilliant!

Seventeen years ago singer Aaron Stauffer formed the band Seaweed with fellow Tacoma natives: guitarists Clint Werner and Wade Neal; bassist John Atkins; and drummer Bob Bulgrien. They funneled their punk rock through Sub Pop and then to the Disney owned Hollywood Records, a stop with Merge Records before they disbanded and Stauffer made his way to northern California.

If the Weekly Volcano’s golf buddy and friend to Werner is not just trying to “get into our heads,” Seaweed will reunite this summer for shows at the Capitol Hill Block Party and Bumbershoot.

Stay tuned. â€" Brad Allen

Hopeful models-to-be will strut their stuff on Thursday, March 15, at the “Rock Your Prom” fashion show open call at the Tacoma Mall for models hoping to “make it” as a model.

Noreen Hobson, who loves the term “make it,” will be there looking for those shining brightest.
The driving force behind LUX Talent in Tacoma (formerly NFI), Hobson will not only be helping JCPenney and Seventeen put on the show, she’ll be keeping an eye out on the prospects she sees.

So what will Hobson be looking for?  Check it here. â€" Jessica Corey-Butler

Every now and again, I will have these “Oh My God I Love My Job!” a-ha moments, and I had an extended one of those last night at the first annual Tacoma Symphony of Taste Culinary Competition.

What the event boiled (or more appropriately, sautéed) down to was a cooking competition between collegiate rivals, a sort of  “Who will be America’s Next Top Chef” goes Technical College with Clover Park Technical College taking on Bates.

Dr Dick Bowe, a Tacoma opthamologist whom I first became acquainted with at my daughter’s etiquette classes, won the event at a Tacoma Symphony Orchestra auction.

Held at the amazingly cool kitchen of Bargreen Ellingson and emceed by BE’s corporate Chef Bob Mauer, the evening started with champagne, provided by the Pour at Four, along with the rest of the wines we enjoyed through the course of the evening.

Our first courses set the tone for the evening, with Team CPTC serving up a Beef Tenderloin Tartare, Scallop Marco Polo, and Duck Vittore trio (the combo of duck plus kumquat made my heart sing!) pitted against Team Bates’ Glazed Shrimp and Scallop with Stuffed Artichoke chive cream.  By the time I ate the latter plate, the shrimp was cold and I wasn’t entirely certain how to eat it (the shrimp were skewered on a piece of lemongrass, while the chive cream was dished up in an artichoke heartâ€" a nice touch!)

Round two, course two was soup â€" Team CPTC again showed innovation with their Thai Ginger and Lemongrass soup; there was a spicy heat to the soup that made it zing, pop, and refresh my palate, while the Bates Roasted Corn and Red Pepper Bisque Dungeness Crab soup had an addictive, creamy decadence to it. Both the first courses were matched with a light and fresh Argentinian Sauvignon Blanc.

The next course, served singly, was the entrée by CPTC was a Beef Filet with Purple Potato and Parsnip Gratinee, Swiss Chard and red pepper coulis that pleased my palate in ways I couldn’t even dreamâ€"there was watercress, bleu cheese, and all kinds of tenderness to the filet; paired with the Pinot Noir it was like food heaven.

By the time I had entrée number two, BTC’s Pork Roast Tenderloin, Anna Potatoes, and carrots and zucchini, I was getting to the point of palate bliss that makes exact analysis of flavors challenging; those around the table with me, students of Bates’ Production Class and their teacher Al Hunton seemed to reach a new level of gastronomic bliss, responding vocally favorably to the salt that I took in as “go to bloat, go directly to bloat.”

When the Annabella Cabernet Sauvignon was poured, and the desserts came out, I hit a new level of bliss: though the BTC Lemon Mousse had a fresh, light palate cleansing quality that was a refreshing end to the meal, the better match for the wine was the chocolate truffle cake drizzled with cinnamon syrup.  Though I appreciated the nod to the Asian fusion in many of the dishes CPTC put out, reinforced by the serving of Crème Brulee in a Chinese soup spoon, I was less impressed by the over-burned taste and loose texture of that dish.

In the end, it was Bates who won the overall battle, with taster’s comments ranging from “I don’t eat raw meat, sorry!” to, “I won’t eat tartare.” 

And in the end, as CPTC team members Michael Stockin, Tevonn Mitchell, Jaron Witsoe, Jhorge Abueg, and Gary Rim shook hands with the victorious team members Andrew Stinson, Gilbert White, Angie Brueckner, Tony Lim, and Chaz Mills, I couldn’t help but admire all the individuals for their grace and creative finesse under pressure. â€" Jessica Corey-Butler