BOBBLE TIKI: OLYMPIA'S ECCENTRICITY AND TALENT WILL BE ON FULL DISPLAY >>>

Most musicians first get their feet wet by aping their favorite bands for hours in front of their mirrors, so it makes perfect sense that bands would dress up as their favorite acts for Halloween. To wit, tonight’s Night of the Living Tribute Bands where Olympia’s regularly awesome musicians and artists get together to pay tribute to some of the greatest acts in music history. While it may be a one night event, some of these thrown together tribute acts practice for months in advance.

Read the full story in Bobble Tiki’s column.

PAUL SCHRAG: GRAB A TASTE OF TAIST OF IRON >>>

Honestly, there’s nothing scarier than an ‘80s metal band from Tacoma. Witness this weekend the arrival of the five-headed beast known as Taist of Iron. You will know this beast by its sound, and little more. Gone are the mega-manes. Gone are the lavishly printed suits of sorrow. The band no longer inhabits an 18-foot box van.

There is only the metal now. And a female lead singer with a voice that will chip the concrete. Her name is whispered in the dark â€" Lorraine … accompanied by Mark G, Jeff, Steve, and Mark B. Taist of Iron has come a long way since headlining the Battle of the Bands at Midland Hall.

Biding its time, waiting in the dark, the beast is reborn. With shorter hair.

[The New Frontier Lounge, with Mico De Noche, Triosis, Saturday, Oct. 31, 7 p.m., cover TBA, 301 E. 25th St., Tacoma, 253.651.1513]

STEVE DUNKELBERGER: HIGH ENERGY PUNKED >>>

Last night, there was sadness, a sadder Count, neo-punk banshees and a wacky drummer.

It started with a goodbye. Last night marked the closing dinner of Seven Oh One. I toasted its demise with a great friend over goat cheese pasta and black bean chorizo soup. I wish the best of luck to Patti in her future endeavors.

We raced over to Jazzbones to catch Jimmy Thackery blend blues and rock before a crowd that could hang with my parents.

My Jazzbones highlight was watching some dude arrive dressed as the Count from Sesame Street. If he counted those dressed in costume, it would be one. Apparently the Halloween party his friends told him to dress for didn’t exist. Damn, that mo-fo vamp got punked.

Still laughing, I headed south to Bob's Java Jive to catch the old-school rock-turned punk sounds of the Dignitaries, then parlaying the excellent music into another winner with You Yell You Kick’s late set. Neo-punk banshee filled the coffee pot.

On my way home I stopped by the Fan Club in Lakewood for a high-energy walk through the history of rock and roll with Igneous Rocks. Wow, I dug them â€" even though drummer Sean Peterson is one of my Mafia members on Facebook. Igneous Rocks plays the Fan Club again tonight. I highly recommend this show.

LINK: More photos on Steve Dunkelberger's MySpace site