RODEO
Professional Bull Riders
Wooooeee, that's a tall drink o' water! The professional bull riders are in town this weekend for the Built Ford Tough Series Tacoma Invitational presented by Wrangler Boy Let’s Grab A Beer At McCabe’s After Boy Parking Is A Bitch event. You can watch guys get thrown around by burgers on the hoof, enjoy the smell of large animal poop or watch me stalk the man flesh while wearing my "Save a horse, ride a cowboy" T-shirt. â€" Suzy Stump
[Tacoma Dome, March 15-16 8 p.m., $20-$100 at Ticketmaster, 2525 E. D St., Tacoma, 253.272.3663]

METAL
Hobo Libido
The Renton-based, lowest common denominator classic metal band Hobo Libido will celebrate a CD release show tonight at Hell’s Kitchen. Their new album is called Hornier than a Box Full of Hobos, and that’s just where things start to get adolescent.

In a time when artsy rock is all the rage and being in a band for free beer and groupies is frowned upon, Hobo Libido is a throwback. This probably explains some of their success in our grit filled city. If they didn’t live up north something tells me Tacoma would welcome Hobo Libido with open arms. Hobo Libido is the kind of band you expect Tacoma to like, and by all indications it does. Don’t expect Hobo Libido to break any boundaries or redefine anything other than a hobo’s libido, but do expect a down and dirty show from a down and dirty rock band at Hell’s Kitchen this Saturday. â€" Matt Driscoll

[Hell’s Kitchen, Hobo Libido, Bone Candy, Dumbass Jones, Godmachine, 9 p.m., $4, 3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.759.6003]

LINK: Team Unicorn and others in the clubs tonight.
LINK: A few St. Patrick’s Day parties are on tonight.
LINK: Let’s eat Mexican.

STORY COMMENTS: The E-40 show cancellation has garnered some comments.

BOBBLE TIKI: BRUNCH WITH BOBBLE TIKI >>>

WORD OF THE DAY

Sojourn \SOH-juhrn; so-JURN\, intransitive verb:
1. To stay as a temporary resident; to dwell for a time.
2. A temporary stay.

USAGE EXAMPLE: Though Matt Driscoll is currently on a six day sojourn in Austin, he texted Bobble Tiki this morning to say there's nowhere he loves like Tacoma.

AFTERNOON NEWS

TACOMA: Port potty mouth

OLYMPIA: Oly's Reaction

SEATTLE: Spam king goes down

WORLD: Transgender University

THINGS TO DO TODAY
MUSIC: Hobo Libido
MOVIE LISTINGS: Here's what's playing
MORE MUSIC: Everything that's happening tonight.

RON SWARNER: BOTTLE OF YES >>>

Big thanks to Bill Bonnie of Tacoma Wine Merchants for letting me sneak in 10 minutes after he shut the door last night.  I desired the right match for a home-cooked lamb dinner. Bonnie recommended the De Lisio Krystina Shiraz 2005 ($48) noting it will take a while to open. Dead on. A half-hour and its inky, rich body came out strong with big berry flavors and a bit of sweetness.

Tacoma Wine Merchants is open right now for tastings. Check out what Bill's pouring today, and grab a De Lisio for the road.

JAIME FORSYTHE: LOCAL WAR STORIES >>>

The editor of several best-selling books, Andrew Carroll has joined forces with David Fischer, executive director of the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts, to bring Tacoma stories from his book Operation Homecoming: Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Home Front in the Words of U.S. Troops and Their Families.

The book’s title may not roll off the tongue, but the stories are touching accounts of war. Fischer explained that the book, published in 2006, was made possible through a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. Nationally renowned writers such as Tom Clancy worked with service members and their families across the country in workshops to develop the stories. Hundreds of stories were accepted for possible publication in the book, and Carroll was the man responsible for selecting and editing the stories.

“I’ve been aware of the project and always appreciated it,” Fischer commented. “I thought why don’t we do a salute to the book and also add our own update to it with local stories.”

For the past month, the Broadway Center accepted stories from local Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their family members, who have endured lengthy deployments. Carroll agreed to select the best local stories and edit them for inclusion in the live performance of Operation Homecoming at Theatre on the Square tonight.

Fischer expects the show to contain several local stories, but a majority of the stories will be from the national community.

[Theatre on the Square, Operation Homecoming, Saturday, March 15, 3 and 7:30 p.m., $12-$24, 915 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5894]

MATT DRISCOLL: HANGING WITH THE SUPERSUCKERS >>>

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

This has been the sound inside my head since sometime yesterday.  The delirium caused by throwing a pale skinned Tacoma kid into 90 degree weather at SXSW, mixed with enough booze to inspire a grizzly bear to take its top off, makes it hard for me to remember exactly when the ringing in my head began.  Suffice to say a day later it persists.

While I don't know when exactly the ringing began, I have my guesses. Something tells me an evening spent at Emo's Annex â€" an outside tent stage across the street from Emo's Main Room â€" is where my eardrums were traumatized. The Supersuckers concluded the evening with a set that began at 1 a.m., but before The Supersuckers could do their thing, old school punkers the Meatmen and Blue Cheer took the drunks in attendance on a loud and thundering trip down memory lane, not to mention a less geriatric set from Austin's Lions that may have been the evening's high point.

The high point, that is, until The Supersuckers took the stage. While it must be mentioned that I'm about as punk rock as Rod Stewart, and many of the real mohawks at Emo's Annex seemed uber-pleased with the debauchery of the Meatmen and the burnout glare of Blue Cheer, personally I was happy to see a band not closing in on hip replacement surgery finally plug in and play. A set heavy on favorites and seasoned with four or so new songs from the forthcoming Get it Together record, The Supersuckers proved they've still got plenty in the tank, and the maturity that guitarist Ron Heathman talked of in an interview with the Weekly Volcano prior to SXSW hasn't taken any steam away from Eddie Spaghetti and Co.

Before traveling to Emo's Annex I dropped into Bourbon Rocks â€" one of the countless bars and music venues along Austin's 6th Street â€" for the Sub Pop showcase.  Love as Laughter started off the event at 8 p.m., and thought they're not much in the looks department, their low key indie rock is even more appreciated in retrospect, considering the bludgeoning my ears would later take.  The Sub Pop showcase was cool, as I stayed to see Seattle's Sera Cahoone, and Pissed Jeans, the drinks at Bourbon Rocks were suspiciously weak.  After more cranberry juice than vodka, I hit the road for Emo's.

It's closing in on 4 p.m. here in Texas's capital, and tonight looks like it'll be just as hectic.  Monotonix play at 8 p.m., then I'm headed over to Emo's Main Room for Joe Jean and the Jing Jang Jong, the Raveonettes, the Donnas and X, then I'll sprint down 6th Street to finish the evening with Tokyo Police Club.

Wish me luck and pray for my liver.  It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it. 

STEPH DEROSA: I’M OFF THE FLOOR! >>>

Guess what?  The floor was just as hard to sleep on night three as it was night one and night two.  I finally confessed to my husband that I was sleeping on a floor while I was at SXSW and he immediately booked me a room at a very nice hotel.  Tonight I will sleep like the 36-year-old warn-down, sun-kissed, ear-ringing mama that I am.  A special thank you goes out to the men (or women) who invented air conditioning, red wine, spas, and feather beds. 

All week I had been eyeing this especially authentic Spanish restaurant located across the street from Stubbs.  It’s called Jaime’s Spanish Village, and it’s the first place I hit up when my tired bones finally reached SXSW this morning.

Take it from me, connoisseur of all things hot and spicy, this place had the best chips and salsa my Texas palate has every experienced. You could taste the texture and flavor of the real corn masa used in the chips, and you could crunch down on the jalapeño seeds in the salsa.  Amen to my cold mug of Negra Modelo.

Full and happy I strutted down 6th Street for the third day in a row to try and find something new and exciting.  First stop was Emo’s where I caught Blitzen Trapper, a kick ass rock band represented by Van’s Warped Tour.

Blitzen Trapper took the stage at the Dell Lounge where sponsors Paste and Stereogum presented them with a free, brand new drum set.  This warmed my heart.  Seeing independent musicians try to make it out there, and having them be rewarded with kindness.  I get all warm and fuzzy with shit like that.  Don’t tell anybody.

Nyles Lannon from San Francisco graced us at Bourbon Rocks with a rock/folk trio.  It was nice to relax and take a step away from all the hard stuff out there.  My ears were thanking me.  So were my sweat glands, for there was abundant air conditioning in Bourbon Rocks.

Luke, who has a single on iTunes right now titled “Fresh” spelled it out for us at Treasure Island.  I’m usually not a fan of the hip-hop genre of music, but as I passed by Treasure Island, I had to step in for a listen. He’s very passionate, very poetic, and very rhythmic.

By the time I saw Von Guard at Touche on 6th Street, I was hungry again, tired, and ready for a break.  But I couldn’t â€" I had to stay for these guys.  They rocked the house, and set things straight for my weekend at SXSW.  These guys were what it was all about. 

So, as the daylight falls to darkness, my plans are to relax with a massage from Megan at Milk & Honey, then head over to the best wine bar I’ve ever plopped my ass into: Taste.  It’s barely been open a week, but owners Ryan and Reagan Macys (and their wives) have perfected the art.  These Texans serve the best ahi tuna with preserved lemons, and have the widest wine tasting menu around.  I really, REALLY wish they were in the 253.  Really, I do.

Well, my stay here in Austin has been wild and crazy and every bit of music-orgasmic for me, but I am ready to head home and see my friends and family.  Thank you Pappi Swarner and the Weekly Volcano for giving me a chance to storm the live music mecca with a vengeance.  And thank you dear, sweet eardrums for giving me the strength to not go deaf while doing so.

BRAD ALLEN: BAND IN AUSTIN MOSH PIT >>>

The Associated Press, Reuters and my phone text report that Monotonix â€" guitarist, bassist and drummer â€" played their entire set within a mosh pit at SXSW. Weekly Volcano music columnist Matt Driscoll was positioned right next to the band.  The crowd was all over the band. The guitarist faced planted on the floor. Driscoll ended up pounding the bass drum with his fist causing it to bleed.

Full report in the morning when the hospital wheels Driscoll out in a wheelchair.

ART
An Evening with Steven
Steven Naccarato has been developing his skills in digital photography for the past eight years, he explains. More recently, his life has been increasingly “focused” on his art.

“I like simple, but dramatic images,” explains Naccarato, whose photographs include high contrast compositions featuring local buildings and bridges. “There are things all around us that we walk by every day and don’t notice. We don’t really look any deeper.”

But Naccarato has been learning to look deeper as he travels around Tacoma with his camera. “I try to keep my camera with me because those images can appear anywhere.”

Discover Naccarato’s secret tonight when he discusses his work on the final night of his show First Glimpse. â€" Bill Timnick
[Fulcrum Gallery, 5 p.m., no cover, 1308 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma, 253.250.0520, fulcrum@oliverdoriss.com]

ROCK
Vicci Martinez
Vicci Martinez is a delight to behold. Her songs are inspired works by a girl who is wise beyond her years. She’s adorable; she’s a badass, and she’s a serious contender for national adoration. Why she isn’t touring the world under the umbrella of a major label is a mystery to me. Her voice goes from gentle to gritty to gutsy without sounding pushed or pitchy. She’s appeared on national television twice on Star Search. In concert, she has shared the stage with Sting, Annie Lennox, Bill Frisell, Christopher Cross, Supersuckers, Jonny Lang, The Presidents Of The United States Of America, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, Avril Lavigne, The Paperboys, Roomful Of Blues, Walter Trout, Tab Benoit, Carrie Akre, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Caroline Aiken, The Radiators, Jerry Cantrell, Billy Duffy, Eddie Spaghetti, Kristin Hoffman, John Corabi, Laura Love, Brandi Carlisle, and many more. And she has a bunch of new songs to unleash on you. â€" Angela Jossy
[Jazzbones, 7 p.m., all ages, $10-$12, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169]

FILM
Cult Movie Night
They walk among us. They resemble people, approximate our words and actions, present themselves more or less as human. And yet they are more â€" a different species with its own dark legends, its own clandestine meeting places. They love Rocket ships as phallic symbols, chisel-jawed misogynists leering at mini-skirted astro-vamps, Zsa Zsa Gabor trading in her Hungarian accent for Venusian vernacular, and other bad-in-a-good-way and good-in-a-bad-way cinema. They are dorks, and they salivate over Cult Movie Night at the Tempest Lounge every Sunday. â€" Suzy Stump
[Tempest Lounge, Sunday, 7 p.m., no cover, $2 off appetizers, 913 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma, 253.272.4904]

LINK: Chymes Of Freedom and others in the clubs tonight.
LINK: St. Patrick’s Day parties are still rolling along.
LINK: Let’s eat American.

LINK: Calvin Goings is on the Soapbox.

NATASHA GORBACHEV: GOOD LORDY, CORDY ROCKS >>>

Carmen and I checked out the Cordy Ryman opening at the Traver Gallery last night. Neither of us had ever been to Traver before, and it was sweet. The band Wesafari was playing, 50-some people were nibbling on appetizers and enjoying wine and beverages, and we got a taste of the fine art that Traver is rollin' with.

This gallery next to Museum of Glass is working diligently to attract a hip and young audience, and I'd have to say that they're doing an excellent job of that, along with satisfying their usual clientele.

To get the full low-down on what the Traver Gallery is up to, be sure to check out this Thursday's Scene of the Crime column.

Below you'll find a few of our favorite things from the gallery.

Cheers!