COUNTRY
The Ginn Sisters
With Tiffani handling lead vocals while Brit adds substance to the twosome’s two-part harmonies, The Ginn Sisters sing as pretty as they look. And with more twang than you can shake a stick at. Tiffani picks a mean acoustic six-string while Brit adds playful flute and melodica to the mix.

Performing all Tiffani originals, the Austin, Texas, pair has released two critically-acclaimed discs. In 2003 they debuted strong with Generally Happy. The album was quiet and tender, and rarely included electricity or percussion. Three years later, the Sisters issued Blood Oranges, which was more adventurous than their first outing as they plugged in and added heavy drums. From the bluesy “Broken Promises” to the Zydeco-flavored “2 Cool 2 Cry,” the CD also featured a wider variety of musical styles. â€" Tony Engelhart

[Jazzbones, 7 p.m., all ages, $5, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169]

ROCK
The Wagner Logic
The Wagner Logic has been together since 2000 â€" started by vocalist and bassist James Glaves and guitarist Jeremy Wagner (although the Wagner Logic, much like the Elephants, routinely swap instruments). With help from Andy Tholberg and Sonny Oglehave to round out the Wagner Logic’s foursome, the band has found Alaska very conducive to their style of sometimes shoe-gazey, sometimes messy, always original brand of indie rock.

“(Our live show is) similar to a Gwar, or an AC/DC show, meets the Carpenters and Electric Light Orchestra without the costumes and large, spouting penises,” explains Wagner. “We’ve practiced about five times for the tour, and it is going to be a sonic cream shower for the senses. We all sing and yell and switch instruments and stuff.” â€" Matt Driscoll

[Hell’s Kitchen, part of “White Trash Night” with Blanco Bronco, Triple Forte, and Who Cares, Thursday, 9:30 p.m., no cover, 3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.759.6003]

MORE MUSIC: In the clubs tonight.

THE CONTEST
Define-a-Thon
Funny, I was just in Goodwill the other day and saw a (used) For Dummies product that made me wince openly. It was, I think, Cookies for Dummies. Not a book. Some sort of kit. Some sort of toxic powdered mix in a large porcelain Dummies-logoed container, with dumbed-down instructions on how to bake. Amazing.

Next up: Ice Cubes for Dummies. Comes with bag of water and small tray and instructions. Sad.

In Opposite World, King’s Books presents Define-a-Thon, the next level beyond their annual Adult Spelling Bee.  Define-a-Thon contestants are given a definition (get it?) with four possible words.  They must pick the word that best matches the definition.  King’s Books claims the winner will be “the smartest person in Tacoma.”  â€" Suzy Stump

[King’s Books, Thursday, Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m., $5 entry free, pre-registration not required, 218 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.8801]

THE DAILY WORD
Learn it, use it, spell it

Small beer \small beer\, noun:

1. Weak beer.
2. Insignificant matters; something of little importance.

adjective:
1. Unimportant; trivial.

USAGE EXAMPLE: While Bobble Tiki drinks, on average, a half rack of small beer every night, he never seems to find the time for small beer like current world events, politics, and the price of tea in China.

THE MORNING NEWS

TACOMA: Is light rail worth it?

EAST TACOMA: Natasha’s shout outs draws attention.

MELBOURNE: Jail on the brain.

SINGAPORE: No Mile-High Club!

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: Tonight at the Capitol Theater in Olympia, local black metal icons Wolves in the Throne Room will get all dark and depressive on your ass â€" if you’re smart enough to show up. In addition to being one of the more intense shows in recent memory â€" with a bill that also includes Sunn O))), Earth, and Grey â€" the performance will be  is being produced by the Manium Collective, and part of the profit will go to help reopen the all ages venue.

MORE MUSIC: What's on tonight.

EAT: Find a restaurant.

FILM: Catch a flick.

BOBBLE TIKI’S THREATS AND PROMISES COLUMN
Sunday, Nov. 4, the Weekly Volcano will sponsor the South Sound Blues Association’s Back to Beale Street 2008 fund-raiser featuring the Red Hot Blues Sisters, Lady A, Randy Oxford, Becki Sue and Her Big Rockin’ Daddies, Kim Archer Band, and Beth McBride. The event will raise money to help the South Sound Blues Association send the Red Hot Blues Sisters â€" who, as you may recall, won the Back to Beale Street competition at this year’s Freedom Fair â€" to Memphis, Tenn., where they’ll compete in the “International Blues Challenge.” Aside from being for a good cause, this Sunday’s show at Jazzbones will bring together a formidable collection of blues musicians, all of whom will no doubt bring the house down. Check the full story here.

Please be Bobble Tiki’s friend here.

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

It seems somehow fitting that the guy who posed the idea for Tacoma’s Dia de los Muertos festival originally came up with the idea of a community-building event by melding together memories of a similar festival in the Phinney Ridge area of Ballard and inspiration from the grass-roots efforts of Lynn Di Nino’s Monkey Parties.

Morgan Alexander was raised in Tacoma and moved on to Seattle lured by the University of Washington.

“I had an arts degree, where I was more interested in creative solutions to problems,” he explains.

“Before I moved back down here, I was involved with the Fremont Arts Council.” He adds, “It was so inspiring to see what they created,” elaborating, “I like that kind of attitude and spirit, the do it yourself attitude.” He considers it to be “building a community by building these neighborhood events.”

Coming back down to his hometown, Alexander decided to create a difference, incubating ideas including Historic Tacoma, TacomaWorks, and Dia de los Muertos.

As with Historic Tacoma, momentum built quickly with the Dia de los Muertos event,

“It was started out as a community building project, and so far it looks like the experiment is working.”

“Basically, I was looking for a signature event, when I had the idea of creating a community-building event. I originally thought of doing it on the Eastside, but then I approached the Sixth Avenue Business District.” He acknowledges that the organizational leadership has helped the event become successful.

Additionally, the community has stepped up to help put on the workshops.

Originally, Alexander considered all the different facets of Dia de los Muertos for the “signature event” that would help to fill a community that seemed to be lacking in events. Recalling the success of the Phinney Ridge procession, he hit on that as the idea.

“The goal from the beginning was to take over the neighborhood, not really close down the streets,” Alexander reflects. “I want there to be more community involvement events.”

He adds, “My inspiration was Lynn Di Nino doing her 100th Monkey parties.” The grassroots event “illustrates the hunger for community. The original goal was get to the 100th Monkey; now it’s a success. I would like to see a dozen or so similar groups. It just takes that one monkey to start it.”

For his part, the monkey who started Dia de los Muertos is working on other projects as well. “I’m always thinking of projects,” Alexander chuckles.

A few initiatives close to his heart recently: helping the proposed streetcar idea build momentum and expanding neighborhood grants programs, as well as halting the Sound Transit Pacific Avenue crossing.

Now he just wants to recruit many more civically engaged community activists to help wake up the neighborhoods of Tacoma, to create vibrant events Alexander says will “show off, hey this neighborhood is alive.”

Friday night, beginning at 7 p.m. at Masa, Sixth Avenue will show off, “hey, we’re alive” in the spirit of honoring death.

Sounds cool to me! â€" Jessica Corey-Butler

DAY OF THE DEAD: Local happenings.

It was nearly 2 in the morning when Bobble Tiki and several Weekly Volcano staff members finally left Jazzbones' Halloween party and took a half-blind stumble to the nearest convenience store. He knew that hangover city was his final destination. He knew that he would hate himself the next day.

Bobble Tiki tossed the half-empty can of head cleaner in the garbage, then fished it back out of the garbage, then threw it back in the garbage again, cursing it. Bobble Tiki called it the devil. A drunk clucked his tongue at Bobble Tiki disapprovingly. And that’s about all Bobble Tiki remembers.

Take a look at how some of the Weekly Volcano staff dressed yesterday. â€" Bobble Tiki

The Decemberists have canceled their upcoming Northwest dates including their show at the Moore Dec. 8 and 9.  One of the Decemberists is sick.  Refunds are available at point of purchase.  â€" Brad Allen

HIP-HOP
Blue Scholars, CAN-U
If you don’t know, Blue Scholars are the Seattle crew that made waves a couple years back when they dropped a self-titled LP out of that city to the north. They have since ridden that wave to modest commercial success, delivering enough nice melodies and noggin nodders to gain a solid national following. Emcee Geologic drops plenty of politically-charged lyrics over raw beats produced by former ska drummer Sabzi.

Also on deck is Tacoma prodigal son Can-U, who will showcase a new mix tape currently circulating. Can-U and DJ Reign present “Hear This” trumpets the artist’s continuing evolution, boasting new lyrical styles, tight cadence and Can-U’s continuing quest to push the boundaries of his art. â€" Paul Schrag

[Hell’s Kitchen, 6 p.m. (all ages) and 9 p.m. (21+), $10, 3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.759.6003]

FOLK
Rebecca Riots
Self-described as “radical folk,” Rebecca Riots is socially conscious and politically astute, and aren’t afraid to voice their opinions on touchy topics. Since their inception, they have been not only penning tunes about pressing issues, but have been actively involved with such causes as Earth First to anti-racist work, and supporting those who can’t help themselves, i.e., the homeless and battered women. Musically, they are relatively upbeat for being such avid activist. â€" Tony Engelhart

[Traditions Café, 8 p.m., all ages, $8-$12, 300 Fifth Ave. S.W., Olympia, 360.705.2819]

MORE MUSIC: In the clubs tonight.

THE PARTY
Art at Work kickoff
The Weekly Volcano won the 2007 AMOCAT Arts Patron award!

That’s right, we are very important. We also have many leather-bound books and our South Sound office smells of rich mahogany.

The Weekly Volcano would like to thank Tacoma Arts Commission for the prestigious award. After publishing 313 issues we have realized â€" you like us, you really like us.

The other two winners are the beautiful fellows of Beautiful Angle and the musical folks at Victory Music.

The awards ceremony, which is also the opening celebration for Art at Work Month, will be held Friday at the Museum of Glass. The Weekly Volcano invites those of drinking age to toast a few afterward at the Tempest Lounge on Hilltop Tacoma. â€" Suzy Stump

[Museum of Glass, 6-9 p.m., no cover, 1801 Dock St., Tacoma, www.tacomaculture.org]

THE STAGE
“The Wonder Bread Years”
Pat Hazell takes baby-boomer Americana that recalls the genuinely funny observations of our collective youth: sugar-highs, milk money, the kid’s table, pop rocks, and those long distance trips in the wayback of the Country Squire Wagon in his one-man show, “The Wonder Bread Years.” â€" Suzy Stump

[Theatre on the Square, Friday, Nov. 2 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 3 3 and 7:30 p.m., $34, 915 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5894]

THE STAGE
“Holes”
“Holes,” a gripping show about a boys detention facility, a buried treasure, a Wild West curse and corrupt jailers, is continuing its run at Lakewood Playhouse. This drama is well cast and well executed with believable characters and a wonderfully engaging storyline about friendship and never giving up on either yourself or others. Children will find it filled with adventure and plot twists while adults will find the story well constructed. â€" Steve Dunkelberger

[Lakewood Playhouse, through Nov. 11, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, $12-$20, 4729 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd. S.W., Lakewood, 253.588.0043, www.lakewoodplayhouse.org]

MORE STAGE: On local stages tonight.

TDriving the wee one to school we drove by Indochine at 4612 N. Pearl St., as we do every day, and I saw the Grand Opening banner.

My heart sang.

Driving home from school brilliance struck, and I asked the significant one if we could give the new restaurant a try.

Opening night at any establishment can be a bit rough, and we had a few of our own little issues â€" a wobbly table, forgotten tea order, slow check â€" but the food more than made up for any glitches encountered in the evening, and the warm reception we received from co-owner Hong Ngove made me feel as warm and cozy as the intimate interior.

I noted her congeniality extended to more than a few diners, who seemed to make a special trek out to the opening to support the Ngove and Sean Yean in their newest business venture, and received broad smiles and hugs as they were greeted.

As for our food, satays made up our dinner order; my curried chicken satay was divinity on a stick, with the peanut sauce, coconutty-licious curry coating the perfectly cooked white meat, and petite side dish of sweet and savory cucumber and pepper melding together in my mouth in the happiest of manners.  Significant one assured me his satayâ€"chicken, too; I’m not sure but I think it was lemongrass â€" was good, but tried to stab me with a skewer when I went to test a bite â€" while the wee one was eating up spoonfuls of jasmine rice even after she claimed “full.”
Crisp-fried vegetarian spring rolls were served with a sweet and spicy sauce that made me want to drink it by the gallon, and the whole evening seemed reasonably priced at under $35.

The best part of the evening was driving awayâ€"though we could have walkedâ€"and seeing a building full of light, with a full parking lot.

Welcome to the neighborhood, Indochine on Pearl. â€" Jessica Corey-Butler

Yesterday my 5 and a half year old daughter told me she’d had the best Halloween, ever.

So far in her not-quite-6 years, the kid has been a Disney Princess, a Barbie Princess, a random fairy princess, and a witch.

This year, dad hoped the trek to the Halloween Superstore would elevate her in the Halloween echelon, potentially moving her to ghoul or evil sorcerer.

Not so.

Kid saw “Starlet” costume, and the music for “Dream Weaver” started; love lit her eyes, and she was to be The Starlet.

Never mind, warm clothes, thermal underwear, coat: no, starlets shiver, wearing goose bumps with pride as they demand their chauffeurs (moms) to take them to the next neighborhood.

And so my 2007 Halloween was dictated.

Which was just as well, really, because I was daunted by the massive crowds at the Proctor Treats crowd as we drove past.  It looked like a crazy good time, with adults getting into it as much as the kids, but we had other plans, and they included much use of the words “trick or treat!”

The early portion of our evening found us stymied by a lack of houses participating in the fun and games, though it was early.  I assumed most people were still working, or shellacking their own starlets’ hair with massive quantities of extra super hold hairspray.

Finally, we hit on the mother lode home off of North 21st and Bennett; there, we found a super spooky horror scene and favorite friends Chaundra and Adam along with Gretchen.

The kid swore she wasn’t scared, but I saw the look in her eyes.

Winding our way back home, stopping to trick or treat in patches of homes that looked holiday festive, I hit upon a realizations: the old-school version of trick or treat seems to be dying out in favor of the hordes lining up at places they know the goods are easy â€" places like shopping districts and huge new housing developments seemed to have the biggest hordes, while many of the houses we visited had full bowl of candy even after 7 p.m. 

The households where the Halloween Spirit oozed out of the doors and windows were also filled with people who were really glad to see us, and it made me kind of sad.

Probably, the Wednesday thing mucked with the mojo of the trick or treaters, I’m thinking optimistically.  I’m hoping next year to see more families out and about on the streetsâ€"and less of the un-costumed pre-teens looking for free handouts. â€" Jessica Corey-Butler

There’s a bright new energy on the Hilltop and it’s got creativity written all over it.

The Tacoma Art Place is gearing up for it’s grand opening open house on Saturday, Nov. 3, and looks to be coming together beautifully.

The vision born out of a trip to cooperatives in Africa, where lives were changed through the creative process inspired Linda Danforth to spread the idea to the Hilltop, with a little help from friends and big-hearted people willing to give time and valuable equipment for a good cause.

That good cause is a community space where, for a nominal fee (about the cost of one twenty ounce latte a month) people can use art equipment like the kiln from a stained glass artist in Chehalis, the serger from a local housepainter, and even the blackroom with two enlargers put together through the efforts of SolaRichard and Chip Van Gilder.

And there are additional donated items, like easels and silk screening equipment, as well as knitting needles, yarn and cameras donated by Jaime Chase, who made the trek to Africa with Danforth and felt the need to be involved in the inspiring project.

“It’s a place to explore your creativity by having affordable access to art equipment,” explains Chase of the space, which includes inspiring art on the walls as well as a library to inspire more creativity.

Tour the facility yourself, and be inspired, on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; there’ll be classes like knitting, beaded jewelry, and acrylics painting, as well as drop-in instruction on card-making and an Introduction to kid’s photography taught by an expert eight and a half year old, which will be on-going all day.

Go to www.tacomaartplace.org for more information, be inspired, and either go to have a difference made in your life, or be a part of the action to help make a difference. â€" Jessica Corey-Butler

Last night 31 people competed in the Define-a-Thon at King's Books.  It was a heated competition with many people battling it out to the bitter end.

Laura Billington won the competition.  Maria Rivera came in second.  Cheryl Bockos took third. 

Many participates wandered next door for several brews and long conversations regarding light rail at Doyle's Public House. â€" Suzy Stump