SUZY STUMP: SIX OPENED THIS WEEK >>>

Gathering 'round the tree is all well and good on Christmas morn. But what do you do after the last shred of wrapping paper lands in a trash bag, the feast is demolished and you've tired of admiring â€" or deploring â€" your gifts?

Go to the movies (natch).

Check out the Movie Clock here.

MATT DRISCOLL: TONIGHT AT THE NEW FRONTIER >>>

Much as the name suggests, Pioneers West is a band forging new territory in Tacoma. An artistic and at times borderline experimental mix of indie rock sensibilities, punk edge and pop overtones, Pioneers West harnesses a sound that Larsen references as “Western doom.” But listening to this sometimes whirlwind mishmash of genres â€" doom was the farthest thing from my mind. The possibilities, punch and potential of Pioneers West was what captivated me.

Tonight, Pioneers West will play the New Frontier Lounge in Tacoma. To check out the full article on the show in this week's Volcano, click here.

SUZY STUMP: SHOW OFF YOUR NEW CLOTHES TONIGHT, TOO >>>

OK, so you don’t give a crap about the Motor City Bowl football game tonight. You’re not really the football type; watching it makes your pasty little limbs quiver, and if you could have it your way, you’d unplug the tube and hole yourself up in a dingy, dimly lit room, limiting your “scrimmages” to horrible poetry verses on the back of old Taco Bell napkins. Or maybe your poetry isn’t that bad, in which case we encourage you to step up to the mic tonight when Free Ya Mind offers another night of spoken word, poetry and open mic opportunities. 

There will be a host, and you won’t flag you for unnecessary roughness. 

[Tully’s Coffee, Friday, Dec. 26, 7-9 p.m., free, Tully’s, Ninth and Broadway, Tacoma, 253.272.8114]

STEPH DEROSA: SLOW BURN >>>

The obvious spicy choice off the Doyle’s Public House menu today was Spicy Popcorn.  Since I felt like popcorn wouldn’t quite cut it on my lunchtime food group pyramid, I ordered the second most obvious choice: Jerk Chicken Wings.  Contrary to what I initially believed, these wings are not named after Pappi Swarner.  “Jerk” happens to be a Jamaican dry rub, sometimes having an element of spicy-hotness. You know, typical English pub food, right?

I was warned that Doyle’s Jerk Chicken Wings were initially hot, but ultimately cooled down as they were covered in jerk sauce.  As they were set beneath my nose, the steam from those meaty wings reached up and slightly tickled my nose hairs.  This was a good sign.  Well after the first wing, the heat lingered within my mouth and right on down my throat.  Even a sip of beer couldn’t calm this after burn.  It was subtle, yet hearty.  Doyle’s â€" your ability to Jamaican jerk up some chicken wings really surprised me.  Who knew such a culturally diversified and Jamaican-aware English-style existed in Tacoma? 

By the way, the delicately chili-powdered popcorn was the perfect combination of buttery spice, and paired wonderfully with my cold IPA beer.  Did it burn my mouth?  Not at all.  But the kick it did have made a traditionally bland item into a damn fine snack food.

[Doyle’s Public House, 208 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.7468]

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

SUZY STUMP: PAPPI SWARNER’S JUKEBOX >>>

Today our fearless leader Pappi Swarner announced he will now pattern his life after the CBS ‘70s television series The Waltons, plucky clan of Depression-era Virginians that didn't have much, but they always had one important thing: their dignity. In these troubling times, Pappi says we cannot afford to fall into the depths of depravity. It is every American's duty to pull up his or her socks, stand up straight, and face the future bravely.

Of course Pappi was loaded with eggnog when he made this announcement.

Anyway, it’s Friday afternoon at the Weekly Volcano World Headquarters and our profound and nostalgic leader Pappi has locked himself in his office blasting his ‘70s jukebox. This week he’s fired up Hot Chocolate’s “You Sexy Thing."

Good night Pappi.

CHUCK DULA: IS MORE COUNTRY THAN YOU'LL EVER BE >>>

Mark Chesnutt is more country than you. Don’t get down on yourself, but this is a fact. Mark Chesnutt dropped out of high school after his sophomore year to play in his father, Bobby Thomas’, country band in Southeast Texas. His mother’s name is Norma Jean. His lead guitar player, Delaney Jackson, won’t be playing at the Emerald Queen show because he shot himself in the hand while he was cleaning his gun. Chesnutt released his first album, Doing My Country Thing, on the San Antonio-based label Axbar. And he was, and you weren’t. Chesnutt had 12 top-10 country hits between 1990 and 1993! Then he made a song that plays on repeat on Hell’s jukebox and is believed by many theologians to signify the beginning of the Apocalypse. He covered “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” made famous by Aerosmith. So, now you can see him at the Emerald Queen tonight.

[Emerald Queen Casino, 8 p.m., $15-$30 at Ticketmaster, 2024 E. 29th St., Tacoma, 253.594.7777]

MICHAEL SWAN: THIS JUST POSTED ON THE TACOMA LISTSERV >>>

Gallery? Studio? Art-coffee house?

Fabulous Industrial Deco building with 4 dedicated parking stalls, plenty of street parking available.  747 Fawcett Avenue.  Available March 1st.  $1.25 sq./ft. + NNN. 

Do not disturb current tenant, call 253.222.0716. 

HARVEY SIDERS: BIG BAND ACTION TONIGHT AT JAZZBONES >>>

There was a time when 15 pieces meant "big band," but as with the dinosaur, the care and feeding and especially the booking of such monstrous musical entities proved unwieldy. Eventually their sheer size- four trumpets, three trombones, four saxes plus rhythm- led to the virtual extinction of the swing species. And don't forget cultural evolution, personal tastes and the economy, stupid. While dinosaurs really went south, there are stubborn bandleaders who never got the memo, Rich Wetzel being one of them. Either that, or he's just plain ornery. Let's call it the latter, and spell it hornery.

Whatever you call him, Wetzel and his trumpet and brass-plated Groovin' Higher Jazz Orchestra will be reverberating throughout both levels of Jazzbones tonight in what he labels "keeping the holiday going." What keeps Wetzel going these days is the realization that "the band is finally playing three full sets on a Saturday night," as opposed to opening for a blues or rock show, or being relegated to some off-night. So we hope to draw a big crowd to prove to (Jazzbones) we can do it says Wetzel.

He'll do it; he always does. Rich is dedicated to resuscitating the big-band era in general while focusing on the legacy of Stan Kenton and Maynard Ferguson in particular. In addition to the usual big Groovin' Higher excitement, at Jazzbones Saturday Wetzel will be presenting the big band debut of singer Mitch Reems he of the Blues Brothers. (Steve Stefanowicz had a long-standing commitment for Dec. 27.)

Talk about commitment. Wetzel, poster boy for Bach Stradivarius Trumpets as a recording artist/clinician, recently became Northwest regional sales manager for Conn/Selmer Instruments (Bach's parent company) covering eight states and combining sales with college and high school clinics. He found outstanding trumpeters in unexpected places, -like a jazz festival near Wasilla, Alaska. When he got back to Tacoma, Wetzel told everyone, "I went moose hunting with Sara Palin."

He'll be serious Saturday night, devoting the first set to Christmas tunes he played at his recent all-Christmas concert, then concentrating Ã"on my big-band book for the second and third sets, letting my guys stretch out. Got a new lead trumpeter, Jeff Smith, from Olympia" very exciting; tenor player Dan Wager will be back with the band; trumpeter Tracy Hooker will do "Children of Sanchez" and there's a new conga player.

Like Rich needs more energy in his kinetic rhythm section.

[Jazzbones, Saturday, Dec. 27, 8:30 p.m., $10, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9196]