MATT DRISCOLL: A LOOK AT THE WEEK THAT WAS  >>>

In my youth â€" and I don’t mean years, I mean perspective on life â€" I lived for Saturdays, back in a time before cynicism wrecked me, and obligations and responsibilities anchored my soul. There was nothing better than Saturday. Total freedom. Good times.

Now, Saturday doesn’t mean as much. Sure, it’s better than, say, Wednesday â€" but it’s not like it was. Things have changed. Saturday means stupid errands, and vacuuming, and trips to the gawdforesaken Costco.

But enough about me slowly dying on the inside. That’s probably not fun for anyone. Here’s an abridged version of “Week in Review,” because, unfortunately, I’ve got to make this fast.

Got some stuff to do, you know...

Monday, March 23

Seriously, though. Who the fuck remembers Monday? I don’t. I couldn’t pick Monday out of a lineup of fuzzy days from my past if my grandma’s life depended on it â€" which is OK since the hag is dead.

I do remember getting official word Monday that Ken Grassi, of Grassi’s Flowers and Gifts, has taken the reigns as president of the Tacoma Downtown Merchants Group. Grassi replaces Patricia Lecy-Davis.

Three days later I managed to write about it. You can find that here.

Tuesday, March 24

I hear the situation is improving, but on Tuesday bad news broke out of Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, when it was revealed that Qannik â€" the beloved beluga whale â€" was sick and not eating. Apparently, zoo officials have been feeding Qannik by hand, and as Friday night his condition was improving. Here’s an update from the Trib. (Pay special attention to the snug ass picture by Cole Cosgrove. For those who don’t know, snug is the new tight, and Cole Cosgrove grills a mean burger.)

And here’s a video we hope will inspire Qannik to never get give up.

Wednesday, March 25

If you like a bizarre, trashy ass story, Wednesday offered a good one â€" and it came from Mexico via Vancouver, Wash.

It was news to me, but apparently a 33-year-old father and his 16-year-old son from Vancouver had been wanted for over a month for beating the shit out of a cross country skier with a wooden club â€" then stealing his wallet and his truck.

Well, on Wednesday father and son were arrested by U.S. Marshalls in Mexico â€" after their crime made America’s Most Wanted and an alert viewer recognized them. Police apparently already knew the dynamic duo was in Mexico from the boy’s MySpace page, but the exact location had been a mystery.

33 and 16. Babies havin’ babies, my friends. Babies havin’ babies. ...

And then beating the shit out of cross country skiers. What’s this world coming to?

With that, it’s time for a few messages from our sponsors.

Thursday, March 26

Powell’s massive and awesome bookstore in Portland was featured in the New York Times, and a new snug ass Weekly Volcano hit the street. What else do you need to know?

Also, on Thursday Google announced it will be laying off 200 more people. This week’s layoff announcement is brought to you by:

Friday, March 27

Sure, plenty of important things happened on Friday. I’m sure Obama did something of note, or some disgraced banker hung himself with his belt, or some announcement was made, or some minuscule glimmer of hope in this economic collapse emerged â€" or some combination of the above â€" but that’s for another time.

None of that really matter because right now I’m talkin’ about mutherfuckin’ Sonic. News broke on Friday that the much anticipated South Hill Puyallup Sonic location will open on April 27. For those playing at home, that’s a Monday. Voelpel’s saying the wait for a burger during the grand opening might take well over an hour, and the drive-thru line may stretch to Graham â€" and I tend to believe him. The man knows his shit when it comes to Sonic. He’s been following this hot story since the beginning. He’s like the Woodward and Bernstein of the South Hill Sonic.

Have a nice weekend.

BOBBLE TIKI: BREAKFAST WITH BOBBLE TIKI >>>

hlp i m bn mrdrd :( plz cn u hlp :P ty :( :( :(

The U.S. Department of Labor gift: Pierce County has picked up more than $2 million in National Emergency Grant money to pay for flood cleanup.

You do the math: Consumer spending rose in February even as incomes fell.

T.I. goes bye-bye.

Coffee can boost my jogging performance! This is great news! Bobble Tiki always ignored it, thinking, "Why start a bad habit?" This is a terrific habit! He gets more miles in now. Coffee! Bobble Tiki bought a coffeemaker. It makes the coffee for him in the morning! Bobble Tiki opens his eyes and it's there! Bobble Tiki can see! Coffee! Got to go on a run! Bobble Tiki loves running! He feels like a rocket. Bobble Tiki wants to go on a real rocket ship. Where are they? Houston? There's no problem! Let's go! Folgers crystals!

RON SWARNER: WANT TO PLAY THE WARPED TOUR? >>>

There’s one spot in each market on the Warped Tour for a local indie band. The tour hits our state Aug. 15.

Application deadline is April 1. Check out the details on Sonicbids.

JAKE DE PAUL: SWISS HAPPY HOUR NOW EVERY DAY >>>

The Swiss now serves its happy hour menu every day from 4-6 p.m.

$5 Plates

Deep-fried chicken breast tenders in hot sweet BBQ sauce served with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing

Fish taco â€" grilled Alaskan cod with pico de gallo and Bianca's avocado cilantro green sauce

Grilled skewered prawns with garlic lemon butter

Crispy calamari rings on a bed of romaine, shaved fennel and red onion with chipolte orange vinaigrette on the side

$4 Plates

Calamari rings with garlic mayo

Olive tapenade with assorted vegetables and Parmesan cheese cracker bread

Cajun tater tots with a sour cream Cajun dunk

[The Swiss, 1904 S. Jefferson, Tacoma, 253.572.2821]

LINK: South Sound happy hours

MARK THOMAS DEMING: AND THE DRUG PURSE, FOR THAT MATTER >>>

Let us now praise The New Frontier Lounge. Remember that gaping hole in the Tacoma live music scene? The one in-between coffee shop Celtic and Death Pussy? It seems like ancient history now, thanks largely to The New Frontier Lounge. Case in point: Tonight, local retrock favs The Drug Purse will share the stage with So Cal pop eclectics The Fling, Vashon Island’s Greenfield and Seattle folkster Tommy Dean. Off-night smorgasbords like this keep live music alive at the roots in drought-prone towns like Tacoma, and the venues that book them should be regarded as civic treasures. Such clubs are rare and fragile these days, and their success depends on you. You, your thirst and three bucks at the door. It’s worth more than that just to see The Drug Purse. And it’s worth way more to know that you can.

[The New Frontier Lounge, with The Fling, Greenfield, Tommy Dean, 8 p.m., $3, 301 E. 25th St., Tacoma, 253.572.4020]

TONY ENGELHART: WORTHY SHOW AT THE SWISS TODAY >>>

If there was an award for most charitable bar in Tacoma, The Swiss would win it every year. Chris Roy (pictured) was diagnosed with stage four testicular cancer back in October ’07. The cancer has now entered his lymph system. The expensive treatments have put a financial drain on him and his family. The Swiss is hosting a benefit concert today to help Chris out. Two of the four bands donating their time and talent to this cause are among the hottest country acts in the Northwest. The Michael Crain Band is a s*** kickin’ country outfit that doesn’t pull any punches. Unlike the poppy crap one might hear on the radio, the band is immersed in the ways of Jennings, Haggard and Hank the 1st, 2nd and 3rd. The I Love Myselfs fall into the genre of alt country, and do it as well as Drive By Truckers.

[The Swiss, 3 p.m., $10, 1904 S. Jefferson Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.2821]

CHUCK DULA: FOND MEMORIES >>>

So there I am, playing bass for Red Card as a junior in high school at the University Place Recreation Center. Our lead singer, Dale Coleman, called for someone in the crowd to come up and freestyle rap with him over a jam we had made up that week â€" sort of a “pass the mic” kind of format.

A munchkin-child with a fully grown beard and an appetite for curse words and syncopated rhythms walks on stage and flows with the sharpness and fluidity only found, at that time, in the local hip-hop co-op Public Bun. The off-duty police officers providing security perspired as this 14-year-old led the audience in the timeless chant “F*** the cops.” His name was Eric Quinn and he would later join Coleman, Danny C., Dustin Reican, Matt Gephart, Colin Nelson and Mike Moss in a hip-hop organization by the name of the Biznautics.

I remember those days fondly. With Tacoma uber-producer Dustin Reican providing early beat-machine backdrops, Public Bun rapper Jeff Nelson’s little brother Colin providing extra rhymes with Danny C, and new kid Mike providing half of the turntablism, there was, once again, a hip-hop show worth going to in University Place. Over the years the Biznautics had many musicians come and go within this collective, but the sound remained the same.

I recently spoke with Quinn, the young lad who brought his freestyling talents to the stage 11 years ago. He informed me the Biznautics haven’t been on stage together for more than four years, but that will soon change at Jazzbones, when the group (at least partially) reunites tonight for a show benefiting the American Cancer Society. The lineup playing at Jazzbones will have a few alterations, with T.J. Nokleby playing drums, Jesse Landry on guitar, and only one of the two original DJs providing scratching in the background. I hear the Biznautics plan to play previously released music as well as a couple of tracks off an unreleased album titled, Tacoma Ghost Stories.

Go see it or pay the price.

[Jazzbones, with EvergreenOne, Sunday, March 29, 6 p.m., $7, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169]

MATT DRISCOLL: CHECK OUT THE 808 AND GUST BURNS >>>

House shows present a dilemma for us. When they happen, the bands set to play typically rival any bill offered by conventional venues. But they’re at someone’s house â€" which makes hyping them in the paper a little weird. Luckily, the folks at the 808 â€" a well known indie music house at 808 North Union run by the kids in Head Bangs â€" have given us the go-ahead on this one. Sunday, amazing experimental pianist Gust Burns along with his buddy Jason Kahn and bands Head Bangs (naturally), L.A. Lungs and Atrophy Wife will get together for one hell of an early, all-ages house show â€" which promises to be one of the best scenes this weekend has to offer. “I’m very excited that Gust is performing in Tacoma again,” says Nathan of L.A. Lungs (known as Afterthought Lung). “One thing that is truly special about the guy is that you can tell he lives for creating and getting creativity from others.”

[The 808, with Jason Kahn, Head Bangs, L.A. Lungs, Atrophy Wife, 3:30 p.m., donations appreciated, 808 North Union Ave, Tacoma, gustburns.blogspot. com]