MICHAEL SWAN: YAY! ANOTHER BLOG >>>

Tacoma Art Museum will open A Concise History of Northwest Art Saturday, Oct. 3. The exhibit will attempt to answer such questions as: How have the unique characteristics of this region shaped the work of artists? What influence have national and international trends had on Northwest art? Is the art above Northwest art?

Oh sure, the exhibit will examine major movements, important figures, and pivotal moments in the art history of the Northwest.

However, we live in a New World Wide Order. Our lives revolve around social media and instant gratification.

Therefore, the Tacoma Art Museum curators will set up a blog in conjunction with the exhibit. Their mission will be to further examine the history of Northwest art, answer your questions, and hopefully report on the best happy hours surrounding the museum (our dream). They will launch the blog tomorrow night during the members-only preview gala extravaganza.

If this sounds righteous, check out the museum's main page tomorrow afternoon.

Fine Print: Works will be drawn primarily from the museum’s permanent collection and will include work from the mid-1800s to the present day from Washington, Oregon, western Montana, Idaho, British Columbia, and Alaska. Exhbit only located at the Tacoma Art Museum. Exhibit ends 5/23/10. Museum is open 10a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on third Thursdays. Admission is $9, $8 for students, military and seniors. Members and children 5 and younger admitted free. Membership requires one-year agreement. Additional terms and restrictions apply. Image above: Jeffrey Simmons, Eulalia, 1998. Oil and alkyd on linen.  Tacoma Art Museum Permanent Collection, Gift of Rebecca and Alexander Stewart. Photo by: Richard Nicol. If the blog doesn't launch tomorrow but instead early next week, deal with it.

SUZY STUMP: TODAY IN CROP CIRCLES >>>

This just in off the press release wire:

Documentary film producer Suzanne Taylor, of Mighty Companions, Inc., is part of an international community of scientists, philosophers, geometers, educators, artists and farmers who are crop circle experts and enthusiasts.

Their riveting reports and lively discussions were filmed over six summers, affording fascinating ‘insider’ information and opinions about this radically misunderstood phenomenon, in Taylor’s new film, What on Earth? ... Inside the Crop Circle Mystery, a full-length feature film focused on the crop circle phenomenon.

Of course, here at Weekly Volcano World Headquarters we're nearly certain the glyphs are the work of a "higher intelligence" trying to tell us something.

Somebody is out there.

Perhaps we should go ahead and set up an interview with Taylor as the press release suggests.

That said, it should  be noted that we're drunk by noon at least four days a week. This could be skewing our interpretation of crop circles. And it's also worth noting that we adamantly believe in the Tooth Fairy, Dale Chihuly, SpongeBob Square Pants and the Blair Witch Project.

CERVEZA SISTERS: THE TASTY ROAD TO THE TACOMA CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL >>>

The Tacoma Craft Beer Festival will host 44 breweries (it grew by one) Saturday, Oct. 3 at the Foss Waterway Seaport in downtown Tacoma. In terms of breweries represented, it will be the third largest beer festival held in this state.

The presale ticket price of $18 ends tonight at midnight. Jump on it folks.

[Foss Waterway Seaport, Saturday, Oct. 3, noon to 9 p.m., $18 advance, $20 day of, 25 percent military discount at door only, 705 Dock St., Tacoma]

LINK: Tacoma Craft Beer Festival

LINK: Weekly Volcano's Tacoma Craft Beer Festival cover story

There's simply no need to dump sub-par "beer" down your throat. It's just not cool, bra. ...

MICHAEL SWAN: FRIDAY, OCT. 2, 2009 >>>

1. The 3rd Annual Rainier Arts Festival runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 2-4 at the Whittaker Mountaineering Rainier Basecamp, in the center of the town of Ashford, 30027 State Route 706 East.

2. A benefit for Medicine Wheel’s lead singer Nick Summerville â€" who died from diabetes-related complications â€" will kick off at the Cedarwood Dome at 4 p.m. featuring Atomic Outlaws, XIII Days Clean, Top Heavy Crush, Faces Pale, The Petting Zu, Silas, Weight Of The World, China Davis, and Olivia De La Cruz.

3. The amazing Olympia Fall Arts Walk hits downtown Olympia from 5-10 p.m. Visual arts, bands, DJs, street performances and general wackiness will fill alleys, business, restaurants clubs and more. Check out photographer Ricky Powell’s work hanging at The Mark.

4. Go behind the scenes during the Fort Nisqually Candlelight Tours Oct. 2-3 after dark.

5. The Whole Bolivian Army will perform at 8:30 p.m. inside the Mandolin Café.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

MATT DRISCOLL: BRIAN REDMAN MEMORIAL TONIGHT >>>

The sadness has been heavy, and it has suffocated Tacoma since sometime Sunday morning. The most painful blows are the ones you don't see coming, the ones you just can't explain, the ones that feel so unfair. When Tacoma lost Brian Redman, we lost a huge chunk of our town and ourselves. We will never be the same. On Friday, Doyle's Public House will fittingly play host to Brian Redman's memorial - which, naturally, will include a heavy dose of rock and music. Based on the astounding number of people Redman touched during his too short time on this earth, it's likely all of Tacoma will be there.

Music Schedule
Acoustic sets start at 6 p.m.
Kyong Kim
Geoff Whittal (Romeos)
Daniel Blue (Motopony)
Josh (Westerly)
Jeff Angell (Missionary Position)

7:00  Ockham's Razor
7:25  Toughtimes
7:50 Speeches from Family and Close Friends
8:30  The Fucking Eagles
8:55 The Revengers
9:20 Blanco Bronco
9:45 Pioneers West
10:10 Goldwing
10:35 Top Heavy Crush
11:00 Helms Alee
11:25 Monuments Collide
11:50 Roxx, Brown, Takata
12:15 Zeke
12:40 Glimpse/Doxology
1:05 Harkonen
1:30(or time allowing)  Epic Proportions of Chaos

[Doyle's Public House, Friday, Oct. 2, memorial starts at 5 p.m., music starts at 6 p.m., $5 suggested donation for funeral expenses and endowment fund, 208 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.7468]

REV. ADAM MCKINNEY: WESTERN HYMN PLAYS THE NEW FRONTIER >>>

There’s something so oddly poetic about Western Hymn playing at the New Frontier … But never mind.

Western Hymn plays nervy indie punk that’s unusually concise for local music. There are no showy solos or grandiose messages. All the fat’s been trimmed off, leaving only lean, slippery riffs and exhausting drums packed into two tight minutes per song. The mature compositions reveal the songs to be the work of sophisticated pop minds.

Try as I may, I find no ragged edges: nothing is for nothing, as the jumpy guitar stabs propel the listener from one end of the songs to another.

It’s comforting to feel as though you’re being guided by hands attached to a band that knows precisely what it’s doing.

[The New Frontier Lounge, with Sedan, Friday, Oct. 2, 9 p.m., 301 E. 25th St. Tacoma, 253.572.4020]

REV. ADAM MCKINNEY: HAIR ENVELOPE IS JUST THE PACKAGE YOU NEED >>>

If you’re like me, you haven’t danced in a while. How long has it been since you’ve been drunk enough, the music’s been good enough, and the company’s been just right? I’m talking about dancing that makes you look like a loser. I’m talking herky-jerky, spastic flopping with sweat pouring off every part of your body. For me, there needs to be a perfect storm of music, booze and friends to achieve this godforsaken dance. But oh, when it happens …

Let it be known, then, that Hair Envelope wants nothing more than to rip my inner dancing spaz, kicking and screaming, from deep within my netherloins. Their words. Read the full story here.

[Le Voyeur, Hair Envelope with Levator, The Hand That Bleeds, Big Spider’s Back, Friday, Oct. 2, 8 p.m., no cover, 404 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia, 360.943.5710]

WEEKLY VOLCANO: YOUR DAILY GUIDE TO THE TACOMA FILM FESTIVAL >>>

The 2009 Tacoma Film Festival runs through Oct. 8 at seven Tacoma venues. Ticket prices and venue addresses are here.

Friday, Oct. 2

2 p.m., Grand Cinema: Hidden in Time, The Edge of Things

4:15 p.m., SOTA: 2095, Li Tong

4:15 p.m. Grand Cinema: Beware the Blobfest!, SLEDHEAD

5:45 p.m., FUMCOT: Freeing Silvia Baraldini

6 p.m., Blue Mouse Theatre: North Face

North Face
Directed by Philipp Stölzl
Adventure Drama (126 min.) â€" Germany, in German, French and Italian with English Subtitles

Based on a 1936 attempt by two Germans and two Austrians to be the first to scale the near-vertical Eiger North Face, the most dangerous, as yet unconquered rock face in the Alps, this grippingly staged mountain movie boasts plenty of white knuckle thrills. Pals and passionate climbers Toni Kurz (Benno Fürmann, Joyeux Noel) and Andi Hinterstoisser (Florian Lukas, Good Bye Lenin!)  have always dreamed of conquering the challenging climb. Being the first to scale the North Face would mean not only a longed-for boost in their social standing, but also Olympic gold.

6:30 p.m., Grand Cinema: Winning Isn’t Everything, Signs of the Time

Winning Isn’t Everything
Directed by Hap Kindem
Documentary (53 min)
Filmmaker in attendance
This documentary provides a behind-the-scenes look at the elite NCAA championship women’s soccer program at the University of North Carolina. This film questions what, aside from athletic skill, is behind their success. Featured are Mia Hamm, Heather O’Reilly, and Cindy Parlow. Nominated for Best Documetary & Best Director Feature Film at the Treasure Coast International Film Festival.

Signs of the Time
Directed by Don Casper
Documentary (60 min)
Where did baseball hand signals come from? In exploring this seemingly simple question, the feature-length documentary unveils stories of inspiration and controversy that transcend sports. Narrated by Richard Dreyfuss.

6:30 p.m., SOTA: Drama Shorts
Shark Out of Water, Land Gewinnen (Gaining Ground), Whitebread and Goatman, Arc of a Bird, True Beauty This Night, Fugue, Short Term 12

8:00 p.m., FUMCOT: Rocket, One Nation Under God

8:45 p.m., SOTA: My Name is Jerry

9 p.m., Grand Cinema: Two For One, Patsy

Friday Night After Hours Party
Tonight at 9 p.m. the Adriatic Grill hosts a party for festival attendees and filmmakers to meet and mingle with each other. The Adriatic Grill will serve a happy hour menu. Catch a cab to the Adriatic Grill from the Tacoma Film Festival and the Grand Cinema folks will reimburse your cab fare (only one-way reimbursement). You will need to pay for your ride home. There isn’t a cover charge. The Adriatic Grill is at 4201 S. Steele St. by the Tacoma Mall.

LINK: Tacoma Film Festival Web site

LINK: Full film descriptions

LINK: Weekly Volcano Tacoma Film Festival cover story

MATT DRISCOLL: SINCE THE RED ROOF, CENTRAL AND VICTORY CLUB ARE GONE â€" IT'S HELL'S KITCHEN TONIGHT >>>

There have been plenty of aging punk rockers in T-Town jacked up and stoked about the return of Tacoma heroes My Name to Hell’s Kitchen tonight. In a town that rarely forgets its favorite sons, My Name holds a special place in a lot of people’s early ‘90s hearts.

And rightfully so. The band kicked ass â€" and probably still does.

Seriously. What Tacoma punk rocker worth his weight in safety pins could forget My Name records like Rocks for the Jocks in ’96, Megacrush or Wet Hills and Big Wheels? With a cocksure swagger and a unusual mixture of influences â€" from rock styled poetics, jazz, funk â€" and of course power chord punk â€" My Name left a mark on the ears of Tacoma that won’t soon be forgotten.

Read my interview with My Name singer Abe Brennan here.

[Hell’s Kitchen, My Name with Neutralboy, Android Hero, Skull Kid, Friday, Oct. 2, 9 p.m., $8 adv, $12 day of, 3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.759.6003]

Photography by Todd Fixler

NEWS TEAM: GOOD MORNING SOUTH SOUND >>>

Oh No: State pension funds fall short.

Stepdads Rule: Yelm man saves twin stepdaughters from their burning house.

Port Problem: Development on the east side of the Blair Waterway is over.

Late Night Groping With David Letterman: Late Show host reveals affairs with staff, extortion attempt.

American Economy: Jobless report is worse than expected; rate rises to 9.8 percent.

Not Good: Philippines braces for new storm.

How They Do It In Texas: Five-year-old boy kills 800 pound alligator.

How They Do It In Nigeria: Former Anglican bishop arrested in prostitution sting.