MICHAEL SWAN: OUR HUMBLE BEGINNING >>>

Take it from the new guy in town, there's something in the water in Tacoma. Maybe it's that first glassful of orange-rust funk that gives our downtown buildings their charm, or maybe it's the ubiquitous hydration substitute, coffee, but our gritty little region rocks. We rock it good.

This week we present of our first annual Music Issue. As with all of our special issues, we humbly offer up a few servings of tasty tidbits that we hope will help broaden your tastes â€" in this case, your musical ones:

Don’t Tell Sophie
SOTA products head to SXSW ... in a Kia by Matt Driscoll

Looking back
Girl Trouble celebrates 25 years of eluding fame by Matt Driscoll

Fly like an eagle
Vicci Martinez celebrates the release of From the Outside In Friday at Jazzbones by Paul Schrag

Tag team
The Ventures and The Fabulous Wailers combine rock ‘n’ roll power by Bobble Tiki

Another rockin’ all-ages column by Lauren Napier

Plus music previews by Tony Engelhart, Chuck Dula, Jose S. Gutierrez Jr. and Lauren Napier in the print version of the Weekly Volcano. Pick one up and plan your weekend.

Oh, and Jose offers another Live From I-5: Hip-hop in the 23560 column here.

Even Natasha gave here two cents on Girl Trouble's 25th anniversary here.

Special thanks goes out to Jason Ganwich for photographing our cover of Girl Trouble facing off with Don’t Tell Sophie. It’s brilliant. Thanks Jason.

Thanks for all of your support and we hope to see you rocking in the free world (or in the South Puget Sound, at least).