JOSE S. GUTIERREZ JR.: WORTHY HIP-HOP IN OLYMPIA TONIGHT >>>

Famed LA hip-hoppas People Under the Stairs will be on stage with Seattle’s own Common Market (Ra Scion and Sabzi) at The China Clipper tonight. This is a dope show put on by the homeboy Nicholas Harris of Ulotrichi Productions and KAOS 89.3 FM Olympia â€" Harris is always (ALWAYS) connected with a dope show and this show will be no different.

www.myspace.com/commonmarket">Common Market is fresh off of their groundbreaking show at Neumos in Seattle where they performed with a band and a gospel choir in celebration of their new release, Tobacco Road. Tobacco Road, an ode-esque offering dedicated to the beginnings of Ra Scion’s life, loves and struggles as shared through the eyes of the folks who hail from the Kentuckies, Ohios and other working class communities on this small planet. Check it!

[The China Clipper, Saturday, Sept. 27, 9 p.m., $10 advance at Rainy Day records, $12 door, 402 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia, 360.943.6300]

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight
LINK: Tacoma/Olympia hip-hop column

STEPH DEROSA: O CANADA! >>>

Once again, Tacoma’s very own flat track roller derby league, the Dockyard Derby Dames, are out for blood. This time they’ve suckered our skating neighbors up north â€" Calgary Roller Derby Association â€" into the Tacoma Soccer Center. Calgary Roller Derby must not know how to say “kick ass” in French, because these Canadians obviously have no idea what they’ve signed themselves up for: A world of American derby fury!

In honor of this Saturday’s international roller derby showdown, I’ve revamped the Canadian National Anthem, done Dockyard style. If I’m not already on my way, I’m definitely going to hell after this one:

O Canada!

You’ve come to skate our land!
True derby love in all fishnets command.

With spinning wheels we see thee fall,
Dockyard Dames strong and free!

She spreads them wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Refs keep our beer ice cold and free!

O Canada, we’ll give a bruise to thee.

O Canada, we’ll prep the medics for thee!

The Halftime show will be live music by Reality Check Juniors. The after party invades Puget Sound Pizza. Steph DeRosa waives all liability of any ass kickings due to the nature of above anthem parody. Please don’t hurt me.

[Tacoma Soccer Center, 7 p.m., $10-$12, 2610 Bay St E., Tacoma]

BILL TIMNICK: A SALUTE TO VAUDEVILLE TONIGHT >>>

Variety style entertainment is part of Kevin Joyce's daily life. He is the creator and host of the television show aired on the City of Seattle's cable channel 21, the Seattle Channel. The show is titled Big Night Out, a monthly variety showcase that is taped before a live audience.

"I began thinking about the Pantages as a venue when it was functioning as a venue during the heyday of vaudeville. And it's still operating," Joyce says. "Its structure and its form remain intact, and it's really unique in that regard."

The result? The premiere of A Salute to Vaudeville: Voice of the City staged at the Pantages Theater tonight.

Seattle’s Moore Theater and the Pantages are the “oldest extant vaudeville houses in the area, Joyce explains. “And the Pantages in particular, because of its heritage and the way it has been maintained, make it a perfect, incredible venue. It's like going back in time.

"We compiled regionally what we thought were the most stellar representations of the current expression of vaudeville and what we thought would be a great show." The result is a mix of acts and personalities running the gamut from the "beautiful and serene," to the "little bit strange," to the "funny and hilarious," to the slightly risqué, according to the show’s producer/host.

[Pantages Theater, Saturday, Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m., $25-$65, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5894]

LINK: ViVA South Sound arts and entertainment calendar
LINK: Plan a dinner before the show

BILL TIMNICK: GETTING TO KNOW THEM >>>

Members of the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra performed before an audience that filled the Tacoma Art Museum's lobby last night to preview their upcoming season. Joined by music director and conductor, Harvey Felder, the group provided the museum audience with an evening that both entertained and informed.

Felder acted as the evening's host, chatting informally with the nearly-200 member audience, although he frequently turned the microphone over to members of the orchestra for help in introducing both themselves and the music they performed. The atmosphere remained relaxed and friendly throughout the evening.

"It's an opportunity to see how things blend together," Felder explained of the concert’s structure, which featured varying instrumental combinations for each of the five pieces performed. The concert commenced with a quartet of orchestra members performing the first movement of Mozart's Oboe Quartet in F. Major, followed by a wind quintet playing music by French composer Taffanel.

Succeeding selections were performed by increasingly larger ensembles, culminating in a performance of Benjamin Britten's early work, his Sinfonietta, Opus 1. For the finale, all 10 of the orchestra members in attendance were on stage, while Felder conducted. The concert also featured an excerpt from a Tchaikovsky string sextet.

The acoustics of the Tacoma Art Museum's lobby suited the variably sized ensembles well. The quartet of oboe and strings were not dwarfed by the space, and the final octet and the 10-piece chamber group filled the environment fully and richly. My only acoustically-oriented complaint stemmed from the group’s use of a microphone while talking with audience members. The space was intimate enough that Felder and Co. would have been easily heard throughout the lobby. The microphone made their voices slightly too loud for my taste. Still, what they said was worth hearing.

The arrangement of musical pieces and ensemble configurations was an intriguing approach for the concert. Felder chose works that highlighted the component instruments in each ensemble type. It also provided an interesting way for audience members to explore the sounds, the “voices,” of each of the instruments and their players. And the increasingly stronger sounds produced as the ensemble sizes grew hinted at the richness to come when the 2008 2009 season launches this fall.

The season opener is set for Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. "A Night in Old Russia" is the theme. Call the Symphony office at 253.272.7264 or visit their Web site to learn more.

Frost Park Chalk Off Episode XXV, originally uploaded by Tacoma Urbanist.

Andrea won Friday's Frost Park Chalk Off. She won lunch with Tacoma Art Administrator Amy McBride.

STEPH DEROSA: FRIDAY NIGHT IN TACOMA >>>

 This past Friday night Mr. DeRosa and I met up with a few friends in the 253 for a night out on the town.  The evening began as we quickly downed a perfect pour of wine at Cork! A Wine Bar before heading to dinner at Primo Grill.  My guests this week are those who made our Friday night out the perfectly extraordinary time it was. 

For our pretend Internet-dinner, I’m having Charlie McManus of Primo Grill serve up his perfectly grilled Mahi Mahi, mashed sweet potatoes, and green beans I had that night.  That meal was scrumptious!

After filling our bellies at Primo Grill, we headed over to Jazzbones where we found this week’s DWD entertainment.  Jazz Legends Tommy Castro, Deanna Bogart, Magic Dick, and Kenny Neal packed the house Friday night and had the place jammin’.  Tommy Castro came out into the crowd and serenaded a few fortunate tables.   

Hyon Luv Kil (Jazzbones’ general manager) hooked us up with drinks, but it was my favorite Jazzbones server, Emily Cook, who is invited to Dinner with DeRosa this week.  We’ve known each other for a while, but what makes her even cooler than I already thought she was is that she giggled as she said the name “Magic Dick” just like I did.

Ginger Knoxx and I had plans to hook up later in the evening and try out the new bar Red Bullz, which used to be Western R on Pacific Avenue by the Tacoma Dome.  When Ginger approached the doors to Red Bullz, the doorman informed her that inside the energy-drink-named bar stood a “private party of about 150 Koreans doing karaoke.”  As much as we would’ve loved to crash that party, Ginger and I opted to shoot some pool at The Corner Bar (formerly Hank’s).

Ginger Knoxx’s hot friend Ken Legary was in tow, and is definitely invited to dinner this week.  Not only is Ken some terrific eye candy, but also he has a keen sense of humor and a great personality.  And girrrrls … guess what?  He’s single!

Doug Hanby is a good friend of Mr. DeRosa and mine, and is a load of fun to watch play pool.  I’m hoping that at this week’s Dinner with DeRosa he will be able to explain to me what makes playing pool fun, because I just don’t get it.  I don’t mind watching a nice pool game (or pool match or pool bout or whatever it’s called), but nothing inside me wants to bend over a pool table and poke a stick at some balls.  That’s a man’s job, ifyaknowwhatImean.

Awe, hell, I don’t even know what I mean.  Something sexual can be taken out of that sentence, I’m sure.

Doug’s wife, Tamara, is coming to dinner this week as well.  She’s laid-back, nice, and fun to hang out with.  Besides, she also giggled at the name “Magic Dick,” which proves her immaturity to be just about as low as mine.  Now that’s a feat to be rewarded with a DeRosa imaginary dinner.

Mangiamo!

LINK: Dinner with DeRosa archive

Baso, Olympia, originally uploaded by dreamsjung.

LINK: This is also something to see in Olympia tonight