MICHAEL SWAN: MONDAY, OCT. 5, 2009 >>>

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

2. Shakabrah Java offers Monday open mic night at 5 p.m.

3. Ravage, Midnight Idols, Ninthgate, Riot In Rhythm, and Evil Survives play a 6 p.m. all-ages show at Hell’s Kitchen.

4. Cold Shot performs a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan at 7 p.m. inside The Swiss.

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

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

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.

Monday, Oct. 5
2:15 p.m., Grand Cinema: A Song For Ourselves, Signs of the Time

4:30 p.m., Grand Cinema: An Afternoon of Drama and Comedy
Initial Conditions, Hart, Forditva (Rotate), The Stairwell, Section 44, Old Grace, The Beneficiary

6:45 p.m., Grand Cinema: 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

9 p.m., Grand Cinema: The Order, The Twenty

LINK: Tacoma Film Festival on Twitter

LINK: Tacoma Film Festival Web site

LINK: Full film descriptions

LINK: Weekly Volcano Tacoma Film Festival cover story

MICHAEL SWAN: LAST DAY >>>

The Washington Dems reminded us that today is the last day to register online or by mail to vote in the 2009 General Elections. Visit the Online Voter Registration Web Site here.

The Online Voter Registration Web site reminded us that they are currently down.

STEVE DUNKELBERGER: FINALLY GOT THESE SHOTS POSTED >>>

I snapped a couple of shots at the Neutralboy/My Name show at Hell's Kitchen Friday.

They were all rocking for a bunch of old farts, complete with lewd language and drunken rants between songs.

If musical greatness is based on volume, these guys were legendary.

MICHAEL SWAN: TODAY’S HAPPY HOUR DISCUSSION TOPIC >>>

Discuss the above video over happy hour at:
Alfred’s Café
402 Puyallup Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.5491
Happy Hours: 3-6:30 p.m.
Drink Specials: $3 wells, $2 domestic beers
Food Specials: $5 pizza, $5.95 fettucini alfredo

LINK: Other South Sound happy hours

NEWS TEAM: GOOD AFTERNOON SOUTH SOUND >>>

Today's Afternoon News Dump Soundtrack

Graham: Possible dog fighting operation found (News Tribune)

Should we Talk About The Weather: I-90 between Moses Lake and Ritzville in Eastern Washington was closed more than 19 hours Sunday; More than 270 killed in India floods.

FBI: Texas suspect made video for bin Laden.

Med Heads: Three Americans win medicine Nobel for chromosome research.

Landmark Corruption Trail: South Africa's former police chief and ex-Interpol president pleads not guilty.

Crap: A new paint blocks Wi-Fi signals.

Shotgun Surgery: Woman getting new face.

JENNIFER JOHNSON: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HIM >>>

Guitarist Neil Andersson of Pearl Django walked into Slavonian Hall in Old Town Tacoma Saturday afternoon believing he was there to play a gig.

“Surprise!” the crowd of friends, loved ones and fellow musicians yelled and began to sing Happy Birthday.

Andersson’s lovely wife, Leah, orchestrated this celebration to honor him at his 65th birthday. I was fortunate to attend on the arm of trumpet player and entertainer Lance Buller.

Creative Leah asked guests to bring cheese, yes, cheese to the party. Seems her husband, the original Wailers’ guitarist, has a penchant for it. “Homage to the Fromage” read the humorous placard in the center of a cheese lovers dream spread, no pun intended. Among the almost 40 cheeses the most noteworthy ones were English cheddar with port wine, a handmade green peppercorn Marco Polo from Seattle, lemon stilton, New York sharp white cheddar, raspberry bellavitano and a rosemary asiago.

As the afternoon became evening, Neil and other Pearl Django members treated the crowd to a short impromptu set and delivered, as always, a stellar performance.

Tacoma concert promoter Mike Mitchell, who was seated at the table next to Lance and I, remarked of Neil, “He is this amazing gentleman with an incredible musical talent.”

MICHAEL SWAN: TUESDAY, OCT. 6, 2009 >>>

1. Garfield Book Company’s Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book Club will discuss Lamentation by Ken Scholes at 7 p.m.

2. Book Talk with Kelsang Jindak at 7 p.m. inside King’s Books.

3. Primo Grill Hosts Yellow Hawk Winery for a wine tasting featuring Yellow Hawk Muscat Canelli, Yellow Hawk Sangiovese and the 2006 Yellow Hawk Columbia Valley Barbera at 6:30 p.m. Check out more wine and beer events here.

4. Danny Vernon’s free Illusions Of Elvis hits the Red Wind Casino’s stage at 6:30 p.m. NC.

5. Bootz Orchestra, Spectacular Optical, Violet Flame Meditation, Afternoon Brother, and The Head Bangs play a 9 p.m. inside Le Voyeur in Olympia.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

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.

Tuesday, Oct. 6
2:15 p.m., Grand Cinema: Summer Sun Winter Moon, Karearea: the Pine, Falcon/Chance of a Lifetime

4:30 p.m., UW-T Keystone Building: Free Films #1
Old City, Dear Dad, Songs from the Tundra, Letters in the Sand, Forditva (Rotate), Perchance to Dream, Red, Yellow & Blue, The Barber of Bangalore

4:45 p.m., Grand Cinema: Lovers in a Dangerous Time

6:45 p.m., UW-T Keystone Building: Free Films #1
In Another Life, Weekend Warriors, Oh, Promise Me, Homeless in Hollywood Athena, Broken Road

7 p.m., Grand Cinema: Four of a Kind
Four of a Kind
Directed by Fiona Cochrane
Drama (115 min) â€" Australia
Filmmaker & lead actress in attendance
Australian director and producer Fiona Cochrane tells a story about how four women, each with a deep enigma, are tricked into revealing their secrets. Sometimes it’s better to leave out the truth in this thriller where things are not what they seem.

9:30 p.m., Grand Cinema: Late Night Shorts
The Loving Dead, It Don’t Rain on Sunny Days, Inquisition, Next Floor, Thorns, Greenspoke, Sebastian’s Voodoo, Goombah Goodbye

LINK: Tacoma Film Festival on Twitter

LINK: Tacoma Film Festival Web site

LINK: Full film descriptions

LINK: Weekly Volcano Tacoma Film Festival cover story

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.

Statistics say the average child spends four hours a day watching television. That can’t be healthy. Movies are much better. That’s why you need to find the kid a babysitter and catch the following 2009 Tacoma Film Festival second showings. You don’t need to watch your child fail.

Monday, Oct. 12, 6:30 p.m.
The Grand Cinema
Best of the Fest Winners: White on Rice, Otis v. Monster and Sebastian's Voodoo
LINK: More details

Tuesday, Oct. 13, 6:30 p.m.
The Grand Cinema
Best of the Fest Winners: Freeing Silvia Baraldini, Otis v. Monster and Sebastian's Voodoo
LINK: More details

Wednesday, Oct. 14, 6:30 p.m.
The Grand Cinema
Local Lens program with some of the most popular regional films this year, including It Don't Rain on Sunny Days
LINK: More details

Tickets forthe second showings are on sale now at The Grand Cinema.

LINK: Tacoma Film Festival on Twitter

LINK: Tacoma Film Festival Web site

LINK: Full film descriptions

LINK: Weekly Volcano Tacoma Film Festival cover story