BRAD ALLEN: MICHAL MILLER BAND WON >>>

The Michal Miller Band will be representing The South Sound Blues Association in the 2009 International Blues Challenge beginning Jan. 31 in Memphis. The band won the South Sound Blues Association's Back to Beale Street competition Friday at the Freedom Fair held along Ruston Way in Tacoma. 

Teddy Lee Hooker headlined the same stage later in the night.

LINK: Photos in our Photo Hot Spot

LINK: South Sound Blues Association

SUZY STUMP: THEY ARE SAILING AWAY >>>

The Tall Ships are leaving Tacoma Tuesday. Are you sad?  We are. The Weekly Volcano spent some quality time in the Tall Ships Tacoma 2008 village. Check out our Tall photos in our Photo Hot Spot.

This rolled out of the Tall Ships Tacoma Media Center today:

TACOMA, July 7, 2008 â€" The departure of the U.S. Coast Guard Eagle and the launching of a Maori dugout canoe were among the highlights of the final day of the Tall Ships® Tacoma Festival.

“Vessel captains, visitors, vendors, sponsors, community partners, volunteers … all of them sang the festival’s praises,” said David Doxtater, festival executive director. “We succeeded in making this event a great one for everyone involved.”

Jonathan R. Harley, race director for the American Sail Training Association, described this year’s event as simply “fantastic.”

“It far surpasses what they did in 2005,” Harley said. “There are many things much improved.”

Harley recalled one vessel captain who said, “I’m not going,” when told it was time to leave Tacoma.  Harley said crews he’s spoken with have said that everywhere they went they’ve been “treated like rock stars.”

ASTA contracts with communities to put on the Tall Ships® events. In 2005, ASTA awarded Tacoma “Port of the Year” honors. This year’s selection â€" dependent in a large part on the vote of vessel captains â€" will be announced at an ASTA conference Nov. 14-16 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

About 50,000 people visited the festival today.  Overall, approximately 400,000 people attended the festival during its five-day run.

Preliminary attendance numbers are based on estimates of crowds, Tacoma Dome parking and consultation with the Tacoma Police Department. More complete attendance and ticket sales reports will be available in a few weeks, Doxtater said.

“The rain had a big impact on attendance but those who came despite the weather had a great time and enjoyed themselves,” he said.

A “bon voyage” party for volunteers is scheduled today starting at 6 p.m. in Thea’s Park, located in the Treasure Cove Village of the festival. At a ceremony tentatively scheduled to start at 6:45 p.m., Doxtater will honor Tacoma Tall Ships® Organization President Joe Jadwin and festival Volunteer Manager Sue Schaeffer for their efforts.

TTSO is the nonprofit group overseeing the festival. Schaeffer supervised the recruiting, scheduling and training of more than 2,000 volunteers who assisted with the event.

The weather was excellent on the final day of the festival, which featured the departure of the U.S. Coast Guard Eagle to cheering crowds and the launching of a Maori dugout canoe.

“I can’t say enough for the welcome and all the hard work to bring this festival together,” said Capt. Christopher Sinnett of the Eagle, during an event Sunday. “Tacoma has really rolled out the red carpet.”

As Eagle sailed away, Takirirangi Smith launched his 20-foot dugout cedar canoe, which featured Maori carvings. Smith spent the festival carving the craft at the Foss Waterway Seaport, which will feature a celebration of canoes in 2011.

Most vessels in the Tall Ships® fleet will leave tomorrow between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. for Port Alberni, British Columbia, for the Festival of Sails scheduled this weekend. Eagle will head south to Tall Ships® events in San Francisco.

Information about the Tacoma Tall Ships® Organization and the festival can be obtained online. Those interested in getting involved with the nonprofit group can call (253) 272-5650.

DANIEL BLUE: OH DEAR! >>>

I spent my Fourth of July at Dear Records headquarters. The label threw a party, Dear Fest, in the backyard of the their Tacoma location. I'm not at liberty to disclose the location.

All of the bands were wonderful. They gave away free CDs and T-shirts. And the grill remained loaded all day with tastiness.

I felt included in something good - perhaps a true music community albeit young and insecure, golden and interested finding better ways to live and love and make art together

The label, bands and fans are dreamers and trippers and lovers - but so were your parents.

It's about time we heard musicians with hope in their craft, again.

LINK: Dear Records on MySpace

MATT DRISCOLL: SICK OF TALL MUTHAFUCKIN’ SHIPS >>>

While others here at Weekly Volcano World Headquarters may be sad to see the Tall Ships leave, I, on the other hand, have had my Tall Ships fill. You won’t see this hack journalist waving a teary eyed goodbye today. Nope, my mind will be on to better (if not taller) objects of desire.

Like booze.

Tonight at the Brotherhood in Olympia, during one of the best happy hours our capitol city has to offer, Durham North Carolina’s Megafaun will ease an appreciative crowd back into the work week with their hybrid mix of indie, jazz, blue grass and folk. Along with the Brotherhood’s extra strong alcoholic concoctions, I can’t think of a better way to spend the evening.

It’ll beat the pirate socks off a fifth day of Tall Muthafuckin’ Ships. Mark my ship weary words. If you find yourself in Oly tonight, now you know.

VIDEO ART
The Tollbooth Gallery
No secret that ye Tollbooth Gallery met Davy Jones’ Locker last yearrr when Artrod and Critical Line gallery made lily-livered getaways. I yearned for its return. It was far superior to me Salty Technical College video arrrt project. Yo-ho-ho th’ video kiosk is back! Tacoma Contemporarrry grabbed ye kiosk at 11th and Broadway in Tacoma’s T’eater District. Justin Colt Beckman put a video and mixed media show called Honky Tonkin’ in it. Beckman plays a hillbilly music singer juxtapo-something with TV’s Hee Haw show. Me thinks its worthy of the Humanistic Order of Oceanic Knavery award. â€" Pirate Diego the Pink
[Tollbooth Gallery, 24 hours, seven days a week, 11th and Broadway, Tacoma, www.tollboothgallery.org]

PROG ROCK
Paper Airplanes
Avast, mateys! Paper Airplanes arrrr ye prog rock up and comers. Judgin’ by t’ bands debut release, 2007’s Boyhood, Paper Airplanes have found their flight path. Complex compositions sword fight friendly melodies, forcin’ convention to walk t’ plank. Bringin’ to mind other favorite pirate bands like t’ Flaming Lips and Pink Floyd, Paper Airplanes are anything but scurvy dogs. Paper Airplanes arrrrrrrrr booty worth findin’.  Lucky fer you, matey, Paper Airplanes will be in town this week. If yer more than a good fer nothing squiffy, ye’ll find a way to capture this show. â€" Smugglin' Hubert Cutler
[Le Voyeur, with Martyrs of the Apollo Guild and Girl in a Coma, 10 p.m., no cover, 404 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia, 360.943.5710]

BLUES
Teddy Lee Hooker
Teddy Lee Hooker would likely have followed a different path had it ne’er been fer t’ influence of John Lee Hooker. Teddy Lee Hooker has placed second in t’ Southern California Blues Society’s International Blues Talent Show, and he’s been crowned "Best Blues Artist of the Year” by t’ South Bay Music Awards. If things be different, those could be Bobble Blackbeard’s accomplishments.

On t’ other hook, Bobble Blackbeard’s pillaged more booty than most bobble souvenirs see in der lifetime, and swilled more grog than Kelsey Grammar. If things be different, that could be Teddy Lee Hooker’s resumé.

Luckily fer t’ both of thems, things be how de be. Bobble Blackbeard loves bein’ a gentleman o’ fortune, and something tells Bobble Blackbeard that Teddy Lee Hooker loves bein’ a blues guitarist.

Judgin’ by his tunes, anyway. See fer yerself when he joins Maia Santell and House Blend tonight. â€" Bobble Blackbeard
[Muckleshoot Casino, 8:30 p.m., no cover, 2402 Auburn Way S., Auburn, 800.804.4944]

LINK: The Wonder Years and others in the clubs tonight.
LINK: Check out when the movies start here.
LINK: Let’s eat Italian today.

MICHAEL SWAN: LOVING TACOMA >>>

The BIA Blog reports that Friday's City Center Luncheon is the place to be. Topics will include the Center for Urban Waters ground breaking, Point Ruston development plans, Tollefson Plaza lunchtime concerts, and the arts experience Showcase Tacoma.

Details await on the BIA Blog.

DANIEL BLUE: MEET WILLIAM DAVOC >>>

William Davoc was taken from a family of blue herons in Mississippi at the age of 13. He could speak only in garbled honking-croak language and knew nothing of the Internet or any of the major discoveries of the Western World that Al Gore invented. He learned quickly that in order to be included in our American dream he must adapt the behaviors of less avian life forms, and he set himself to the task of normalcy with fervor and resolve. 

Now William works at the Museum of Glass, where he should be kept on display for his beauty and fragility. He very nicely asks people in his timid and awkwardly birdlike posture, "Please don't touch the art, no pictures please."

His dream is to become a standup comedian. I have seen him perform at Jazzbones, and he is very very funny. My favorite joke was, "Do you want to know what separates the men from the boys? (dramatic pause) I do."

Yes William, you are forever pubescent and estranged, but for the love of all that is heroic and demure, you're place in our hearts is deftly secure.

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: More Semaj trouble 

OLYMPIA: Straight dope on medical marijuana

SEATTLE: New uniforms for Sonics

UNITED STATES: Franken's bad jokes

ENVIRONMENT: G-9 leaders pretend to do something

JUST BIZARRE: Cheese grater robber

MORE STRANGE NEWS: Ultimate fighting (kinda) in Bremerton

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

JAKE DE PAUL: SEA GRILL FOR LUNCH >>>

Handy, isn't it, for a restaurant that makes one of Tacoma’s best burger to also make its best French fries? Ronald McDonald, eat your heart out: These strips are the real deal, fat and salty, with flavor that comes from a quick dip in hot oil rather than a trip to a flavor factory. I find the Silver Oak Cabernet from Alexander Valley the perfect match

The Sea Grill is open for lunch Tuesday through Friday.