SUZY STUMP: ROCK THE CAUSE >>>

I'm off to Bandito Betty's wedding but I'm happy to report that the Rock the Cause benefit is in full swing at Jazzbones. Evan Purcell just walked off the stage giving us a taste of his upcoming CD. Ben and Ted Fuller of Fear Train Caravan are setting up.

The big news of the day: Jazzbones has relocated its sushi bar downstairs next to the soundboard, added 20 or so more sakes and Mr. Lee is working it today.

Hurry up Bandito and tie the knot. I have more rockin' and sushi in my future today.

BLUES
James “Curley” Cooke
James “Curley” Cooke was one of the founding members of the Steve Miller Band and played with them in the late ’60s and early ’70s. In addition to playing in that world famous band, Cooke’s blues guitar skills have been featured on 35 other major label albums. He has recorded and/or performed with the likes of Chuck Berry, Jerry Garcia, James Cotton, Boz Skaggs, Michael Bloomfield, Freddie King, and John Lee Hooker.

He was also the recipient of numerous awards from the Washington Blues Society, and he’s the founder of a successful music education program called Pacific Northwest Blues in the Schools.

Cooke's playing the Swiss Pub tonight as part of the downtown bar's regular Monday blues night.

“Tacoma is a down-home place where the people seem to really appreciate the music and are very supportive â€" sincerely. Lot's of great talent here. I actually love playing in Tacoma,” says Cooke. â€" Angela Jossy
[The Swiss, 8 p.m., no cover, 1904 Jefferson Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.2821]

FILM
Son of Rambow
Two 11-year-olds in 1980s England are inspired by a pirated copy of First Blood to make their own home video portrait of Rambo. Will (Bill Milner) performs death-defying stunts, Lee (Will Poulter) mans the video camera, and they're inspired by the arrival of a misfit French exchange student (Jules Sitruk). Meanwhile, there's trouble at home; Will's family belongs to a strict religious sect, and his mom has collected a suitor who covets the role of his father. A gentle fantasy, where even the (considerable) violence is softened. Never quite in focus, but sweet enough, and the young actors have charm. Rated PG-13. Three stars. â€" Roger Ebert
[The Grand Cinema, 4:20, 6:30, and 8:40 p.m., 4.50-$8, 606 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma, 253.593.4474]

LINK: The Rikk Beatty Band and others in the clubs tonight.
LINK: Let’s eat Mexican today.

JAKE DE PAUL: GOT $450,000? >>>

A Sixth Avenue restaurant is for sale on craigslist. I wonder if it's the same restaurant that emphatically told the Weekly Volcano they weren't for sale a month ago.

BOBBLE TIKI: BREAKFAST WITH BOBBLE TIKI >>>

THE DAILY WORD

Heterodox \HET-uh-ruh-doks\, adjective:
1. Contrary to or differing from some acknowledged standard, especially in church doctrine or dogma; unorthodox.
2. Holding unorthodox opinions or doctrines.

USAGE EXAMPLE: Bobble Tiki’s religious views are often considered heterodox â€" especially considering he believes Jessica Simpson is his lord and savior.

MORNING NEWS

TACOMA: Dog park at Chambers Bay?

OLYMPIA: Risky rafting

SEATTLE: Gold watch time

UNITED STATES: Cheap gas

JUST BIZARRE: "Bonehead confrontation"

MORE STRANGE NEWS: Only in Montana

THINGS TO DO TODAY
FILM LISTINGS: Look here
MUSIC LISTINGS: Here’s what’s happening
SHOOT THE SHIT: Weekly Volcano forums
POETRY PODCAST: Read about it here

ROXANNE MURPHY: ROCK THE CAUSE RECAP >>>

I rocked to diverse beats all day yesterday at Rock the Cause, a concept that came from the neurons that fire in my head, but actually wound up being more incredible than I ever could've imagined.

Eight Tacoma bands all agreed to play for free (such an honor), each representing different styles in the vibrant T-Town music scene, and proceeds from this function went to benefit Project:U and the United Way of Pierce County's Community Solutions Fund.

Although we got off to a slow start (Mother Nature's offering of a sunny day didn't help), the house was packed by the end of the night, and we deemed the function a great success.

Evan Purcell was soothing, Fear Train Caravan's acoustic set gave me shivers, The Vamanos made my feet stomp, the Matt Coughlin Trio had everyone looking at each other with ear-to-ear grins, Trip the Light Fantastic's always-instrumental set rocked our socks off, I have such a huge crush on Paris Spleen (they'll be famous ASAP), Nasty Left's hip-hop brought the house down (that little Katie can BLOW!), and Bumma Stoge made us all a little more frisky and sassy.

In addition to the stellar music, Evan Purcell donated all of his CD sales, and Bumma Stoge donated proceeds from their T-shirt sales, to the United Way of Pierce County. So sweet!

Trip the Light Fantastic's drummer, David Balaam, showed up in a long-sleeved white button-up, a black tie and black pants. I honestly thought this was just a part of his get up, until his fellow band members told me that he petitioned his boss to let him take a longer lunch break (he was working at the University of Puget Sound's commencement ceremony) just so he could play Rock the Cause. Wow. It goes without saying that I was really touched by that.

I was able to make my rounds to sincerely thank these bands, and I can't describe the excitement that I felt in their eyes and the sincere appreciation that they offered in return.

Just as I said to the crowd yesterday: All of the money from this function went directly back to the community to transform lives, and I hope that everyone befriends these incredible Tacoma bands because supporting local music is one of the finest forms of community development.

Thank you, THANK YOU, Project:U, Jazzbones (especially Jennifer Johnson and Lisa Fruichantie), the Tacoma bands who played and, of course, the Weekly Volcano.

Naturally, I'll petition to all of you like I did just last night: Keep on lovin' Tacoma.

MATT DRISCOLL: TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT DISTRICTS >>>

It takes a special kind of person to be keenly interested in City Council meetings and study sessions. The action is typically bland. The vibe is typically stuffy. And the drama is usually minimal. Most folks would probably rather talk sports while downing a couple cold ones at a local watering hole or tune into the latest episode of Farmer Wants a Wife than keep close tabs on what the city council is up to.

However, all that goes out the window when you start talking taxes â€" especially ones that can be implemented without voter approval. This will be just the discussion taking place tomorrow during the Tacoma City Council’s noon study session.

At the heart of the discussion will be Transportation Benefit Districts â€" which in layman’s terms are areas designated by legislative authority of a city or county where transportation improvements are needed. These improvements, under the rules of creating TBDs, can be funded through tax increases that don’t need to be approved by voters â€" either an annual vehicle fee of up to $20 or transportation impact fees on commercial and industrial buildings.  If the legislative authority creating a TBD decides to fund the project without voter approval, the TBD must be countywide, citywide, or unincorporated countywide.

There are funding options for creating TBDs that do require voter approval, including increasing property taxes, increasing sales taxes, creating yearly vehicle fees for vehicles registered inside the TBD of up to $100, and vehicle tolls. If a TBD is created using these voter approved methods of funding the TBD does not need to be countywide, citywide or unincorporated citywide.

According to the City of Tacoma, “City Council members are scheduled May 20 to receive an update on the Transportation Benefit District from the Association of Washington CitiesWashington cities and counties will be allowed to use the transportation benefit district tool either through Council action for a fee of up to $20, or with a vote of the people up to $100. These funds can then be used to finance construction of, operate improvements to roadways, high capacity transportation systems, public transit systems and other transportation management programs.” Transportation Coordinator, Ashley Probart. Starting May 23, all

So, what will Tacoma do? Only time will tell. But by my calendar May 23 is this Friday, and who doesn’t like to use a shiny new tool in the shed? My guess is Baarsma and Co will give serious thought to taking a new TBD out for a spin.

For all you need to know about TBDs, look here.

KEN SWARNER: SOUTHBAY A NEW WAY >>>

Southbay Dickerson’s Slow & Low BBQ in Olympia re-opens Wednesday after shutting down two weeks ago to move from the old Safeway building on Fourth, one block east to 619 Legion.  The new digs feature rolled up garage doors, a large dining space and the same recipes barbecued over a wood fire. 

What is new? 

The Dickerson’s obtained a liquor permit to sell beer and wine â€" they just don’t know which brands yet.

“The guy is supposed to stop by soon and sell us some,” Eric Dickerson laughs.

Dickerson expects to open Wednesday around 11-ish (normal hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

“Most of our regulars will understand if we are a bit late opening the first day,” says Suvantha Dickerson.

LINK: Weekly Volcano review

FILM
Son of Rambow
Two 11-year-olds in 1980s England are inspired by a pirated copy of First Blood to make their own home video portrait of Rambo. Will (Bill Milner) performs death-defying stunts, Lee (Will Poulter) mans the video camera, and they're inspired by the arrival of a misfit French exchange student (Jules Sitruk). Meanwhile, there's trouble at home; Will's family belongs to a strict religious sect, and his mom has collected a suitor who covets the role of his father. A gentle fantasy, where even the (considerable) violence is softened. Never quite in focus, but sweet enough, and the young actors have charm. Rated PG-13. Three stars. â€" Roger Ebert
[The Grand Cinema, 4:20, 6:30, and 8:40 p.m., $4.50-$8, 606 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma, 253.593.4474]

BOOK
Banned!
Michael Pollan’s Botany of Desire changed the way I think about plant life. Pollan attempts to show that plants manipulate humans just as much as humans manipulate plants, through an examination of tulips, apples, marijuana, and potatoes. The book discusses what it means to be stoned. The experience is closely tied to memory in the brain and Pollan discusses memory loss as a good thing: Imagine if we had none â€" would you want to remember every detail about everything you've seen today? By extension, then, forgetting is a mental operation, not a breakdown of a mental operation, a beautiful ability to shut out the non-stop noise of the world, freeing us "from the tyranny of time." The Banned Book Club at Tempest Tuesday will discuss this book. Go, if you can remember. â€" Suzy Stump
[Tempest Lounge, 7 p.m., no cover, 913 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma, 253.272.4904]

LINK: Alabaster and others in the clubs tonight.
LINK: Let’s eat Chinese today.

BOBBLE TIKI: BREAKFAST WITH BOBBLE TIKI >>>

THE DAILY WORD

Lascivious \luh-SIV-ee-uhs\, adjective:
1. Lewd; lustful.
2. Tending to arouse sexual desires.

USAGE EXAMPLE: There’s nothing like the lascivious look of a roast beef sandwich to get Bobble Tiki’s juices flowing.

MORNING NEWS

TACOMA: Fabulous arson

OLYMPIA: No parking

SEATTLE: No more self-cleaning toilets

UNITED STATES: Bush gives up golf

JUST BIZARRE: In UK, bitch tits are known as "boy boobs"

MORE STRANGE NEWS:14 tons of Oreos

THINGS TO DO TODAY
FILM LISTINGS: Look here
MUSIC LISTINGS: Here’s what’s happening
SHOOT THE SHIT: Weekly Volcano forums