MICHAEL SWAN: SUNDAY, SEPT. 27, 2009 >>>

1. The free South Sound Wedding Show runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. inside Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center.

2. The Lakewood Players presents a 2 p.m. staging of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap inside the Lakewood Playhouse.

3. Sunday Jazz and Blues with Maia Santell and House Blend perform jazz and blues from 5-8 p.m. at Johnny’s Dock Restaurant.

4. Immanuel Presbyterian Church invites the public to help kick off their Centennial Celebration with an evening of favorite choir pieces, marimba and four hand piano followed by social time to indulge in an array of chocolate delights at 6 p.m.

5. Dick & Joel’s Excellent Adventure featuring Mighty High, Legal Lies will fill Jazzbones with reggae at 8 p.m.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

RON SWARNER: SAD DAY >>>

"We have lost a friend, family member, lover, musician and all around good person," posted Doyle's Public House owner Russ Heaton on his popular Tacoma bar's Web site.

It is with a sad heart that I report that Brian Redman, 31, died last night in a motor vehicle accident in Tacoma.

Redman recently returned to Tacoma after living in Southern California for a short stint.

Before he left for California, he tended bar at Doyle's and fronted the rock band the Dirty Knockers. Redman also had a two-year run as bassist for metal band 3 Inches of Blood.

Doyle's Public House will be closed today as the owners and staff mourn the lost of their friend.

On behalf of everyone at the Weekly Volcano, I extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Brian Redman.

May you rest in peace Brian.

MICHAEL SWAN: MONDAY, SEPT. 28, 2009 >>>

1. Cee Cee James will perform raw and real roots rock and blues at 8 p.m. inside The Swiss.

2. Shakabrah Java hosts a Monday open mic night, which features whatever you want to do: music, poetry, tap dance at 5 p.m.

3. We're spotting more college kids out and about, which means Jazzbones' live band Rockaraoke will be off the hook beginning at 9 p.m.

4. DJ Jason Diamond spins roots reggae during The New Frontier Lounge's Rebel Monday at 9 p.m.

5. DJ Doll Hands spins vintage lady country music at The Brotherhood Lounge around 9 p.m.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

NEWS TEAM: GOOD MORNING SOUTH SOUND >>>

Oh, Oh: Officials for the state’s commerce department are now investigating Tacoma's MLK housing association.

Flaunting It: So not only did Iran have a secret nuclear facility in the works, they’ve decided to test-fire some missiles.

Duh: Bill Clinton says right-wing conspiracy now after Pres. Obama.

Das Ich Nicht Gut: Skull fragments thought to be the remains of Adolf Hitler have actually, through DNA testing, been discovered to be a woman’s.

R.I.P.: William Safire.

Still A Cash Cow: Apple’s iPhone App store hits 2 billion downloads.

South African Bunch: Man marries four women at same ceremony.

Polly Wants The Hell Down: Woman hires hydraulic lift to rescue pet parrot from tree.

A Lot Of People With Too Much Free Time

MICHAEL SWAN: SNAPPED A COUPLE SHOTS THIS MORNING >>>

The Luzon demolition began Saturday. I dropped by the site to snap a few photos. I didn't stay long as the breeze blew asbestos into my soul.

LINK: More Luzon demolition photos on Photo Hot Spot

MICHAEL SWAN: WHO ARE YOU GONNA CALL?! >>>

There's nothing like a walk in the woods at Point Defiance Park to clear your mind. The chirping of birds, the wind rustling through the trees â€" away from computers, microwave dinners, and traffic. It's peace, naturally.

But not all green is good. Most casual walkers on a stroll through the trails don't realize that in the calming shade of the vegetation around them, there's an ongoing war for survival between species native to South Sound and immigrants from abroad. These invaders arrive via bird droppings, through lawn ornamentals that naturalize, and in the ballast water of oceangoing tankers.

The Washington State Invasive Species Council announced today the launch of a hotline and Web site for people to report sightings of invasive species.

Invasive species are plants and animals that are not native to Washington and can crowd out local wildlife and plants, destroying entire landscapes. From ivy choking city parks, to Spartina filling estuaries, to apple maggots infesting orchards, invasive species cost Washington millions of dollars to control every year.

The creation of the hotline, 1-877-9-INFEST, is one of a series of actions being taken by the Invasive Species Council and its partners to combat invasive species. The council also has revamped its Web site and created posters in state parks and other materials to help educate the public about what they can do to help stop invasions.

If you see an apple maggot call the hotline immediately.

BOBBLE TIKI: LIVIN' ON A PRAYER >>>

Saturday, Oct.3 The Fucking Eagles, Girl Trouble and The Plastards will play only covers at The Acme Grub Cage. It will be the kind of event that, if your expectations are calibrated correctly, could be epic.

Will they play the rock anthems: “Livin' on a Prayer,” “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” “I Can't Drive 55,” “Rock 'n' Roll All Night” and “Highway to Hell”?

Or will they play the classic hip-hop hits: “Rapper's Delight,” “Just a Friend,” “Insane in the Membrane,” “Me, Myself, and I,” “The Humpty Dance” and “Baby Got Back”?

Here is what Bobble Tiki hopes they play: “Sweet Jane,” “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” “Radio Free Europe,” “Take the Skinheads Bowling,” “Touch Me I'm Sick,” “Cut Your Hair,” “Teenage Kicks” and “Sooner Or Later.”

What do you hope to hear?

[The Acme Grub Cage, Saturday, Oct. 3, 9 p.m., $6, 1310 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma, 253.272.1892]

CHRISTOPHER WOOD: LOCAL SHORT GETS TACOMA FILM FESTIVAL ROLLING >>>

“We pride ourselves on making thought-provoking, smart movies with limited resources,” says Dave Kellman at one point during our phone interview. The “we” refers to The Cheap Shot Collective, a loose team of filmmakers Kellman joined with friends some years ago. The “smart movie” in this case refers to the Collective’s latest creation, After You. This locally-made dark comedy will kick off The Grand Cinema’s third annual Tacoma Film Festival Thursday Oct. 1.

Kellman, actors Daniel Purcell and Jamie Riviera, and score composer Justin Tamminga will answer questions from the audience following the film’s screening at 8 p.m. at the Annie Wright Kemper Theater.

TFF's Opening Night Gala begins at 6:30 p.m. with food and drinks.

At first, After You seems like one’s typical boy-loses-girl, boy-chases-girl-through-rush-hour premise. But this rom-com of sorts promises to stop viewers in their tracks with its unusual climax.

As director and editor, Kellman arrived on the set of You with an already extensive resume. Kellman is a full-time employee with Pierce County Television, a government access station on the Clover Park campus in Lakewood (just down the hall from 90.9 FM). Whether constructing motion graphics for a new on-air segment or taping a live city council meeting (“true reality television,” he calls it), Kellman finds ample opportunity to increase his expertise, making him one of the few local film artists I know turning passion into a steady day job.

His side company, Helltrack Productions, has completed four other unique narratives and a slew of kinetic, eye-popping bike videos. Working in a compressed timeframe, he finds, doesn’t hinder him from giving audiences a quality product with virtually no production budget.

“In this generation with Internet,” he states, “I’m really a fan of the short film â€" versus the feature-length film.”

This particular three-minute piece, however, took roughly two years to perfect.

Kellman and writer/star (and Collective founder) Purcell needed time to work out the logistics of shooting a scene set in gridlock.

A solution eventually presented itself: film the actors in a car in Kellman’s garage with green screen behind them. Surprisingly, the task of procuring bumper-to-bumper footage came with speed bumps.

“Getting stuck in traffic is harder than you’d think.” Kellman laughs. “I went out in August four different times on a Friday evening (on I-5, in Seattle) to go get stuck in traffic on purpose.”

The crew’s patience paid off â€" the effect, rendered in stark black and white, and looks seamless in the finished film.

In spring of this year, The Seattle Times held their Three-Minute Masterpiece Digital Film Contest. From close to 250 submissions, nine won; After You was one of them. The victors earned a place in SIFF’s coveted lineup.

Now, after a long trip with some potholes along the route, You has made it back home. Lifelong Tacoman Kellman feels honored to have his work selected for opening night â€" and two subsequent screenings.

“Being in the Tacoma Film Festival is huge for me. It’s just a great feeling,” he comments.

And the Collective’s recent successes only motivate him to do more.

“I’m always going to be making films in Tacoma and screening them in my hometown.”

[Kemper Theater, Tacoma Film Festival 2009 Opening Night Gala featuring films After You and Lovers in a Dangerous Time, Thursday, Oct. 1, 6:30 p.m., $15-$17, Annie Wright, 827 N. Tacoma Ave., Tacoma]

 
LINK: Tacoma Film Festival 2009

MICHAEL SWAN: TUESDAY, SEPT. 29, 2009 >>>

1. Local restaurants compete for Best Soup Award 2009 from 4-6 p.m. at the 6th Ave. Farmers Market. All proceeds ($10 tastes) go to local honey farmer Shanetta Ludwig, a.k.a. The Bee Lady, who lost her husband a few weeks ago.

2. Check out the work of nature shutterbug Keith Lazelle who snagged 14 beautiful shots of the Hoh River ecosystem in the Olympic National Park. They’re on display at the Washington State History Museum.

3. Seldon Edwards, author of The Little Book, will discuss the book's extraordinary tale of Wheeler Burden, California-exiled heir of the famous Boston banking Burdens, historian, philosopher, rock idol, recluse, writer, lover of women and Harvard baseball hero at 7 p.m. inside the Olympic Room at the Tacoma Public Library’s downtown branch.

4. Tobe Hixx is the guest comic for Ha Ha Tuesday hosted by Ralph Porter at 8 p.m. inside Jazzbones.

5. It’s Team Trivia Night at 9 p.m. at Farrelli’s Pizza on Sixth Avenue.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

JAKE DE PAUL: FOOD MATTERS >>>

Beer Awards: The Washington Beer Blog posted the results of the Great American Beer Festival. The Ram Restaurant and Brewery won a silver medal for the Clearwater Kolsch.

September Martini Madness: Toscanos Café & Wine Bar in Puyallup is giving away a hand-painted martini glass with the purchase of a martini beginning at 4 p.m.

What?: Diet Coke Web site has recipes for tea sandwiches, soba noodles and more.

Today’s South Sound Specials

End Of Summer Stock Up wine tasting, 5:30-8 p.m., complimentary, Pour at Four, 3814 N. 26th St., Tacoma, 253.761.8015.

Half-price wine, Maxwell’s Speakeasy, 454 St. Helens, Tacoma, 253.683.4115.

Half-price Wine Night, Pacific Grill, 1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.3535.

Tightwad Tuesdays with $2 tacos, $2 beers, and $2 wells, Hell’s Kitchen, 3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.759.6003.

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide