THE DAILY WORD
Learn it, use it, spell it

Neophyte \NEE-uh-fyt\, noun:

1. A new convert or proselyte.
2. A novice; a beginner in anything.

USAGE EXAMPLE: While Bobble Tiki admits he’s a political neophyte â€" never having paid attention to politics in his life â€" still, this whole Fred Thompson thing seems pretty weird to him. Bobble Tiki just can’t imagine electing District Attorney Arthur Branch from “Law and Order” to the presidency. Brisco or McCoy maybe, but not Arthur Branch.

THE MORNING NEWS

BUSH: Future of Iraq.

SENATOR: Too much free time.

VANESSA: Please apologize to Bobble Tiki in person.

ROBBERY: Wax on, wax off!

HUSTLER OF CULTURE
You can stand atop the mountain and scream your naked desires to the universe or shed that synapse epilepsy and hug the South Sound today with your fellow man:

MUSIC: There are plenty of good things to do tonight. 3 Inches of Blood will play the Kitchen early in the day, and Broken Oars will play later. Finn Riggins will be at Le Voyeur. There’s a benefit at the Java Jive, and a show at the Manium. Even Steve Stefanowicz will be at the Mandolin Café. Thing is, none of this matters, because all Bobble Tiki will be doing is lurking around the Tacoma Dome, trying to get his sexy autographed by J.T. Will he see you there?

MORE MUSIC: What's on tonight.

THE ARTS: Music and Murals.

BOBBLE TIKI'S THREATS AND PROMISES COLUMN
Imagine Bobble Tiki’s excitement upon seeing the amazing group of talent lined up to perform at Jazzbones this Sunday, Sept. 9. Before the now standard “Big Friction Jam” (which happens every Sunday night at Jazzbones), Tom Landa and Kendel Carson of the Paperboys, Vicci Martinez, and Danny Godinez will sit down for what may end up as one of the most memorable Songwriters in the Round performances yet.

Please be Bobble Tiki’s friend here.

Breakfast with Bobble Tiki runs Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  Deal with it.

It’s tough to be a rock star.

Sometimes people cover the back of your guitar neck with Vaseline.

Sometimes people fake a fight during your ballad.

Sometimes people throw an open jar of deer hunting urine musk on stage seconds before you perform.

Sometimes people put a bee’s nest inside your kick drum microphone hole.

However, most of the time you die. â€" Brad Allen

Idaho has been the butt of many jokes over the years â€" at least from me.

With guys like Larry Craig out there â€" representing the potato state in the sanctified halls of the Senate, of all places â€" it looks like I’ll have plenty of fodder for years.
However, from time to time, Idaho produces something that can’t be crinkle-cut or shaped into tots, something worthy of more than a bathroom stall reenactment or farmyard sex punch-line.

Finn Riggins, who will hit Le Voyeur on tonight, is just such a phenomenon.
Finn Riggins is from Sun Valley, and classify themselves as an “experimental/indie/post punk trio.” If anything, it only goes to prove Finn Riggins knows just how ridiculous it is to try to fit every band into pre-shaped boxes. It doesn’t work, and it leads to classifications like experimental/indie/post punk.

For the most part, Finn Riggins has their recipe. Start with one part warm, familiar rock riff (original, but not TOO original). Loop that sucker until it’s creamy. Add a few beeps and bloops. Throw in some synth to up the retro factor. And top with often indiscernible and convoluted lyrics. Bake on high.

Next thing you know you’ve got a steaming oven full of Finn Riggins.

Mmmm, tasty.

And pretty damn cool. â€" Matt Driscoll

[Le Voyeur, with Jared Mees and The Sundance Kids, Saturday, Sept. 8, 9:30 p.m., no cover, 404 E. Fourth Ave., Olympia, 360.943.5710]

One way to spend hours  at the Puyallup Fair without spending money on rides or shammies that leave cars as shiny as the day they left the showroom floor is people watching. Added fun comes by making a scavenger hunt game out of it by writing down a list of 25 "people types" and give each type a point value based on the likelihood of them being spotted. A one-legged cowboy might get 50 points, while a teenage girl in a t-shirt that says "future porn star" on it might get 5 points since you can't order a crusty pup without knocking into their strollers as you step away from the cash register. You can either play with teams, go head to head with everyone in your group. It is good to have one person as judge since points might change if say, someone spots a one-legged teenager in a cowboy hat and a mini skirt pushing a stroller.

This underground game has grown in popularity now that cell cameras can take video clips for verification purposes, allowing teams to break up to cover more territory. Let's just say, all those people having trouble dialing their phones might actually be taping you. â€" Steve Dunkelberger

Puyallup Fair

When: Friday, Sept. 7-Sunday, Sept. 23
Where: 110 Ninth Ave. S.W., Puyallup
Admission: Adults $10; students (6-18), $8; seniors (62+), $8, 5 and younger, free.
Parking: $8 Monday-Friday, $10 Saturday-Sunday
Public Transportation: Pierce Transit, 253.581.8000
Information: 253.841.5045 or www.thefair.com

The Weekly Volcano can’t confirm that Neil Young felt sorry for Boise  State’s loss to the Washington Huskies Saturday and will begin his U.S. tour in Boise Oct. 18 to help comfort the city.

The Weekly Volcano can confirm Young will perform Oct. 23 at the WaMu Theater in Seattle.

Young is touring behind his new release, Chrome Dreams II. Fans purchasing tickets to Neil Young will receive a copy of Chrome Dreams II. CDs will be shipped before the show so fans will be able to hear the album before Neil performs selections live.

Tickets are $74, $99 and $159 and go on sale Saturday, Sept. 15 at Ticketmaster outlets.

On Oct. 27 and 28 Young will host the 21st Bridge School Concerts in Mountain View, Calif., which also features appearances by Metallica, John Mayer, Tom Waits with the Kronos Quartet, the trio of Eddie Vedder, Flea and Jack Irons, among others. â€" Brad Allen

THE DAILY WORD
Learn it, use it, spell it

Virago \vuh-RAH-go; vuh-RAY-go\, noun:

1. A woman of extraordinary stature, strength, and courage.

2. A woman regarded as loud, scolding, ill-tempered, quarrelsome, or overbearing.

USAGE EXAMPLE: Hillary Clinton is both an amazing virago, and a real cut-throat virago. Take your pick.

THE MORNING NEWS

9/11: Heads bow in memory.

MAKAH: Not a whale of a story.

GERMANY: Traffic free-for-all.

HIGH SCHOOL: Flower child be gone!

HUSTLER OF CULTURE
You can stand atop the mountain and scream your naked desires to the universe or shed that synapse epilepsy and hug the South Sound today with your fellow man:

MUSIC: Bobble Tiki would like to take this opportunity to seize just a tiny bit of credit from Top Heavy Crush’s recent victory in KISW’s “American Idiot” local band competition. Twice Bobble Tiki has instructed you when and where to vote for Top Heavy Crush, and twice people have listened…at least you can’t prove they haven’t. Now that Top Heavy Crush has been voted the top local rock band around the sound by BJ Shea in the morning, by default, Bobble Tiki believes this means Top Heavy Crush should pay Bobble Tiki back.

Is two groupies too much to ask?

Bobble Tiki thinks not.

Check Top Heavy Crush out this Saturday at Club Vertigo.

MORE MUSIC: What's on tonight.

Please be Bobble Tiki’s friend here.

Breakfast with Bobble Tiki runs Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  Deal with it.

As the saying goes, “Time flies when you’re having fun,” and for Junkyard Jane it’s been a barrel of monkeys for the past 10 years as Billy Stoops and Leanne Trevalyan have been hosts to a non-stop party.

Add one more.  Thursday, Sept. 13, at Jazzbones, Junkyard Jane will celebrate 10 years of  performing swampabilly roots together.

Junkyard Jane was formed in 1997out of stragglers from three different bands with a common vision: to have fun with music. The ensemble of first class musicians has changed over the years, but Stoops and Trevalyan have remained the glue that has kept the Northwest’s number one party band together. 

With a funky mix of blues, twang and rock ’n’ roll, the band defied labels and created music on their own terms, which they dubbed “swampabilly roots.” Stoops’ nasty mastery of the Strat coupled with his powerfully rich voice is complimented by Trevalyan’s whimsical vocals and the occasional kazoo solo. 

To date they have released five unique discs on which they showcased their extra rich harmonies and gritty take on country and blues. This month the members are reuniting for a September to remember. Past alumni, including sax whiz Susan Orfield, trombonist extraordinaire Randy Oxford and multi-talented Jim King, will all be on hand to celebrate. â€" Tony Engelhart

[Jazzbones, Thursday, Sept. 13, 8 p.m., all ages, $10, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 254.396.9169]

Don’t go to the Puyallup Fair with me.

I’m that person who wants to go to the photography exhibit and check out every last photo, and then I have to go see the quilts and afghans.

I know the fair is usually about the rides and livestock and pig races and scones, but for me, it’s not The Fair if I haven’t checked out the handiwork that some individual created meticulously out of scraps of fabric, a labor of love that’s sometimes misguided and horribly dire in its outcome.
The thing of it is, I love to take pictures,  to sew and to crochet, though I don’t get time to do the last two much, and I soak up all kinds of inspiration from what I see.

Unfortunately, it takes me time to get inspired, and in terms of the kid, that’s time that could be spent on kiddie rides after getting sugar and fat overloaded.

Maybe I’ll take a day to go alone this year? â€" Jessica Corey-Butler

Puyallup Fair

When: Through Sunday, Sept. 23
Where: 110 Ninth Ave. S.W., Puyallup
Admission: Adults $10; students (6-18), $8; seniors (62+), $8, 5 and younger, free.
Parking: $8 Monday-Friday, $10 Saturday-Sunday
Public Transportation: Pierce Transit, 253.581.8000
Information: 253.841.5045 or www.thefair.com

Barefoot Studios has landed at 1604 Center St. across the street from Tool Town and Party World in the former Art on Center space.  Paul, Josephine and friends are applying the final layer of paint, installing the floating floor and will begin dancing next month.

Please bing back the "10 x 10" series. â€" Suzy Stump

The Weekly Volcano loves to toast the YMCA workout classes that run up and down 15th Street, doing their little jumping jacks, from the Sea Grill's patio with a happy hour $2 off gin and tonic.

That's right â€" wells are $2 off. Bar menu is loaded with $5 goodies, too.

Here's to you, Dark Socks High Stepper!

Here's to you, Runs Like Dorky Tom Cruise! â€" Suzy Stump

[Sea Grill, 4-6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close Monday-Friday, 1498 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.5656]