PAUL SCHRAG: MEAN GAME OF SCRABBLE >>>

After writing an entire edition of the Weekly Volcano in pirate speak, the notion of playing Scrabble in a room full of people talking like Davey Jones sort of makes me ill. But everyone else should be prepared for a wonderful time as King’s Books presents the Talk Like a Pirate Day Edition of Scrabble Rousers Saturday night.

All proceeds from the event benefit the Tacoma Community House Student Scholarship Fund, which assists students as they transfer from TCH to community college.

Yarg.

[King’ Books, Saturday, Sept. 19, 6:30-8:30 p.m., $10, 218 St. Helens Ave., 253.272.8801]

MICHAEL SWAN: PUYALLUP FAIR, SATURDAY, SEPT. 19, 2009 >>>

Check it: Deadliest Catch. Snug.

Stuff to do today
11 a.m.: Bonsai Demonstration, Floral Building

11:30 a.m.: Paper Structure, Hobby Hall

11:30 a.m.: Quilting Stained Glass Apples, Pavilion, 2nd Floor

12 p.m.: Pellet Guns for Target Shooting, Contest Arena

4 p.m.: Basket Weaving, Pavilion, 2nd Floor

4 p.m.: Let's Pretend Farm Time, SillyVille

4:30 p.m.: Spinning, Pavilion, 2nd Floor

7 p.m.: Doll House Miniatures, Hobby Hall

7 p.m.: Karaoke, Showplace Stage

7:30 p.m.: James Taylor and Band, Grandstand

More things to do today here

Hours
10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday.

Admission
$11 adults, $8 seniors (62 and older) and students (age 6-18); free age 5 and younger. Advance discount tickets at Safeway, Fred Meyer and Columbia Bank.

Parking
$10 Monday-Friday, $12 Saturday-Sunday

Transportation
Pierce Transit “Fair Express” for $3 round trip. Details are here.

More Information
Do their Web site.

PAUL SCHRAG: BOOKFAIR THIS WEEKEND >>>

The revolution will not be televised. It will be read and discussed, however, this weekend as King’s Books presents the Third Annual Anarchist Bookfair.

Want to know how to live in harmony without the oppressive weight of the state bearing down on you?  Come check out the lineup of booksellers and distributors, talks and discussion groups, all sorts of other lawless wonder.

Activities include talks on the radical history of Tacoma, the Northwest Detention Center, and opposition to the 2010 Olympics. Check out the schedule of events here.

[King’ Books, Sept. 19 & 20, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., free, 218 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.8801]

MATT DRISCOLL: SCHOOLYARD HEROES IN THE KITCHEN >>>

Last week I told you the Jet City Fix would never die. And see â€" they’re still around. Point for me. I wouldn’t lie to you, people.

This week, once again passing on the wisdom I’ve honed despite spending my youth freebasing high fructose corn syrup, the JCF will support Schoolyard Heroes at an early all ages show Saturday at Hell’s Kitchen.  This one is going to rule. No joke.

Despite the band’s relatively youthful complexion, Schoolyard Heroes â€" a group with Annie Wright ties and more freaky horror tendencies than you can shake an eyeliner pencil at â€" pretty much kills it every time they take the stage. And, amazingly, they’ve been taking the stage for a long-ass time now. That exposure at EMP Sound Off! was in 2003, yo.  It’s almost enough to make a guy feel old.

Call it goth, punk, brutal, post-hardcore, or whatever â€" or just call it solid.

The bottom line is Schoolyard Heroes rarely disappoints.

[Hell’s Kitchen, with the Jet City Fix, Black Houses, Starstruck, Saturday, Sept. 19, 5 p.m., all ages, $10, 3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.759.6003]

NEWS TEAM: GOOD MORNING SOUTH SOUND >>>

Lovely: Escaped killer still at large in Washington state.

Are You Ready For Some Football?: Bring a flak jacket.

Flanders Doesn't Live Here: Cockfighting, meth lab, pot plants, oh my.

Day By Day: Beach access is what they pray.

Don't Mess With The Net: FCC to propose "Net Neutrality" rules.

Najibullah Zazi: Plea deal floated in suspected N.Y. bomb plot.

Thailand Rocked By Rival Protests: Thousands of troops were deployed.

Sniffles And Sex: Yes, yes, yes … Achooo! No, no, no.

Fore! Fore! Fore! Fore! …: Man litters national park with 3,000 golf balls.

Now This Is A Bad Day: Ohio couple got a double dose of bad luck when their car was stolen while they were hospitalized from a car accident on the same day.

JAKE DE PAUL: TODAY IN WINE TASTING >>>

Wine tasting, noon to 5 p.m., Tacoma Wine Merchants, 21 N. Tacoma Ave., Tacoma, 253.779.8258.

Georges-Phillipe Bouyer from Pacific Rim Wines offers tastes of California and Washington wines, 1-4 p.m., $5, Dockside Bistro & Wine Bar, 501 Columbia St N.W., Olympia, 360.956.1928.

Domaine de la Mordoree tasting, 2-5 p.m., Water to Wine, 9014 Peacock Hill Ave., Gig Harbor, 253.853.9463.

Wine tasting, 2-5 p.m., Harbor Greens Wine Bar, 5275 Olympic Dr. N.W., Gig Harbor, 253.858.8033.

Wine tasting, noon to 4 p.m., The Wine Basket, 2118 S. 314th, Federal Way, 253.874.3070.

MATT DRISCOLL: THE DIGNITARIES AT THE JIVE TONIGHT >>>

Garage rock fit for a moped with a sixer of PBR bungee cord tied to the back, The Dignitaries cite influences like Mudhoney, Chuck Berry, Girl Trouble, The Sonics and CCR. You’ve got to like that.

The band will fill the Jive to the brim with working man’s rock tonight with New Faces, Paris Spleen and Basemint.

Be there, be square.

[Bob’s Java Jive, with New Faces, Paris Spleen, Basemint, Saturday, Sept. 19, 8 p.m., cover TBA, 2102 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma, 253.475.9843]

MICHAEL SWAN: SUNDAY, SEPT. 20, 2009 >>>

1. Guerilla art once again invades Tacoma’s Tollefson Plaza when MEGA-CHESS â€" chess with large D.I.Y. pieces â€" begins its move, with live play by play and color commentary by Doug Mackey and Kris Brannon, from noon to 3 p.m.

2. Today is the last day to see Loud Bones: The Jewelry of Nancy Worden at Tacoma Art Museum. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

3. The Mandolin Cafe host Gypsy Swing at 11 a.m. during breakfast.

4, The BareFoot Collective offers a BareFoot Brunch â€" a celebration of community through dance masterclass followed by a potluck brunch â€" from 1-4 p.m. inside the Merlino Arts Building.

5. The Jay Mabin Blues Band performs at 7 p.m. inside The Spar in Old Town Tacoma.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

MICHAEL SWAN: PUYALLUP FAIR, SUNDAY, SEPT. 20, 2009 >>>

Check it: Deadliest Catch. Snug.

Stuff to do today
10 a.m.: Art Demonstration, Oldfield Western Heritage Center

11 a.m.: Western Music & Country Poetry, Oldfield Western Heritage Center

11:30 a.m.: Card Making, Hobby Hall

12:30 p.m.: Eli Loftis and His Songs of History, Communities in Schools Family Fun Stage

12:30 p.m.: The Coats, Coca-Cola Stage

1:30 p.m.: Jazzercise, Education Stage

3 p.m.: Billy & The Hillbillies, Showplace Stage

4:30 p.m.: Saqra Belly Dancers, Education Stage

5:30 p.m.: Brian Dent a.k.a. Little Elvis, Education Stage

7 p.m.: Painting on Gourds, Hobby Hall

7 p.m.: Patrulla 81, Grandstand

More things to do today here

Hours
10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday.

Admission
$11 adults, $8 seniors (62 and older) and students (age 6-18); free age 5 and younger. Advance discount tickets at Safeway, Fred Meyer and Columbia Bank.

Parking
$10 Monday-Friday, $12 Saturday-Sunday

Transportation
Pierce Transit “Fair Express” for $3 round trip. Details are here.

More Information
Do their Web site.

MATT DRISCOLL: MONOTONIX IS IN OLYMPIA TONIGHT >>>

Monotonix is the best live band on the planet right now.

No joke.

No, I’m not talking about the band’s musical intricacy, or an ability to rip through Satriani-like scales or even the length of their typical set.

What I’m talking about is entertainment factor â€" and Monotonix cranks it as high as it goes. The band is pure rock ‘n’ roll. Seeing Monotonix in person, there’s no way to avoid being infected and affected.  Lead singer Ami Shalev is like a mix between Iggy Pop and Borat jacked up on copious amounts of amphetamines â€" and the pure rock mayhem only escalates from there.

Read my full story here before you hit the show tonight inside The Big Room in Olympia.

[The Big Room (Loft on Cherry), Monotonix with Broken Water, Angelo Spencer, Sunday, Sept. 20, 8 p.m., all ages, $10, 508 Legion Way, Olympia]