MICHAEL SWAN: FRIDAY, OCT. 9, 2009 >>>

1. Authentic German grub and grog plus oompah bands, maypole dancing, wiener dog races and more go down at Oktoberfest Northwest from 11 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. at the Puyallup Fair and Events Center.

2. This weekend bird lovers from far and wide will flock (get it?) to Tacoma for the Museum of Glass 6th Annual Bird Lovers’ Weekend kicking off today at 10 a.m.

3. The Tacoma Concert Band presents Classics to Pops: Mendelssohn, Movies, Marches and More at 7:30 p.m. inside the Pantages Theater.

4. Tacoma Musical Playhouse is marking its sweet 16th year with its season opener Curtains at 8 p.m.

5. Alice in Chains tribute band Jar Of Flies and Soundgarden tribute band Outshined at 10 p.m. inside Hell’s Kitchen.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

MATT DRISCOLL: VOXXY VALLEJO AT JAZZBONES TONIGHT >>>

Who doesn't like a birthday party? No one worth caring about. And who doesn't like a birthday party involving top-notch local singer songwriters, at one of Tacoma's booziest establishments?

Again, no one worth caring about.

Tonight, Voxxy from Voxxy Vallejo will celebrate her birthday with an early show at Jazzbones, a show set to be opened by equally captivating artists Andrea Wittgens and Seattle's Central Services, a band Wittgens also does time in, and is something of a popish mix that definitely has a hint of The New Pornographers to it.

Voxxy Vallejo, of course, are few in numbers but formidable in power. On stage it's just the two of them, the blues heavy guitar licks of Gene Vallejo spliced with the awe factor of Voxxy's vocals, but that's more than enough. Voxxy Vallejo has the ability to make you forget it's just the two of them, especially on record where the multi-instrumentalism of Vallejo makes their sound complete.

[Jazzbones, Voxxy Vallejo with Central Services, Andrea Wittgens, Friday, Oct. 9, 7 p.m., $5, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169]

NEWS TEAM: GOOD MORNING SOUTH SOUND >>>

This Stinks: Tacoma's dirty air ranks among 31 most-polluted places in U.S. (The News Tribune)

Buzz Kill: Prof. Jorge Gilbert filed a lawsuit against The Evergreen State College alleging defamation and discrimination based on his nationality. (The News Tribune)

Get Off My Lawn Police: Lakewood might add police team as a one-stop source for residents with public nuisance, code enforcement and other issues. (The News Tribune)

Obama Is Oslo-Bound: Man, Jimmy Carter must be pissed! (CNN)

Oh Yeah: Derivatives lobby links with new Democrats to blunt Obama plan. (Bloomberg)

Feds: Store gave porn, Viagra for food stamps. (Say What?)

The Brick Testament: The Bible retold in Lego. (Telegraph)

Watch NASA Blow Up The Moon Today

MATT DRISCOLL: DESOLATION WILDERNESS IN OLYMPIA TONIGHT >>>

Desolation Wilderness is young, which makes the band’s all ages show at Northern in Olympia tonight fairly appropriate. The band also hails from Olympia, further strengthening the case.

Really, this show is just right for so many reasons.

What started as an experiment in electronica way back in 2005 has blossomed into something more palpable to ears not necessarily seduced by artistic tinkering. Sure, there’s plenty to artistry to what Desolation Wilderness does, which Weekly Volcano scribe Rev. Adam McKinney likens to hearing bubblegum pop blasting from an underwater phonograph, but through a deal with K Records and continued exposure, the band seems to have found a sweet spot that walks an even line between all out experimentation for the sake of experimentation and generic indie rock. It’s not too loud, but it’s not too soft either â€" if you catch my drift. For kids and aged ears alike, Desolation Wilderness’s show at Northern should be on the radar. 

[Northern, Desolation Wilderness with Christmas, Christopher Francis & Son, Friday, Oct. 9, 8 p.m., cover charge TBA, 321 Fourth Ave., Olympia]

GEOFF READING: HOLDING DOWN THE 253 >>>

Monday evenings from 9 to 12:30 p.m., for the last four years, Jazzbones has been hosting "Rockaraoke" basically, a killer live rock band playing any one of hundreds of songs, with a singer from the crowd. I've been to a few weekly, world-class gatherings, and I am crapping you negative when I say the girls that show up to this place are top fucking notch. Read my thoughts on the subject over on the Volcano's Web site.

MICHAEL SWAN: SATURDAY, OCT. 10, 2009 >>>

1. Matt Eklund’s Pacific Fusion Productions and Lotus Inc. present DJs dAb, Habit, Suga Jones and D:FI and their take on drum ‘n’ bass, electro and dubstep at 9 p.m. inside the Tempest Lounge.

2. Scumbags burned down the Alling Park playground back in July. Metro Parks commissioners and staff will join the South End Neighborhood Council at 10 a.m. unveil the new Alling Park play stuff. Children and most of the Volcano staff will be able to crawl, climb, wriggle and slide again. Snug.

3. Chamber orchestra Northwest Sinfonietta tours through baroque Venice to modern-day Buenos Aires in its “Eight Seasons” program at 7:30 p.m. inside the Rialto Theater.

4. Theatre Northwest presents A Streetcar Named Desire at 7:30 p.m. inside the Theatre on the Square.

5. Doyle's Public House Tacoma. Matt Coughlin Band performs in the corner at Doyle’s Public House around 9:30 p.m.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

REV. ADAM MCKINNEY: THEY WILL TURN YOU ON >>>

Hotter Than a Crotch serves a heaping dose of dirty glam rock delivered by a raspy-voiced rock chick. Every song is a perfect marriage of salty guitar licks and wailing vocals. They play Olympia tonight.

Read why I dig them here.

[The China Clipper, Hotter Than a Crotch with Butafuko, Booze Grass, Saturday, Oct. 10, 8 p.m., $3, 402 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia, 360.943.6300]

PAUL SCHRAG: THE COLOR OF EAST TONIGHT >>>

I just spent five minutes trying to figure out what a Coloro Feast was. Apparently, it’s The Color of East, which is apparently a band from Tacoma.  They’ll be at the New Frontier tonight celebrating their debut EP In the House of Endless Light with Bandolier and Battersea.

“We’ve shared the music with a lot of people the last few months,” says lead singer Patrick Smyth. “It’s always a little scary to put something new out there. We’ve been very happy with the response, it’s been wonderful. We want to get it in the hands of anyone who wants to hear it.”

Color of East characterizes itself as psychedelic-garage-pop, and delivers something that sounds like emo-Iggy-Pop-on-Quaaludes.

It’s way cooler than it sounds.

[New Frontier Lounge, with Bandolier, Battersea, Saturday, Oct. 10, 9 p.m., $5, 301 E. 25th St., Tacoma, 253.651.1513]

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

Discuss the above video over Primo Grill’s new “Happiest Hours”:

Primo Grill
601 S. Pine St., Tacoma, 253.383.7000Happy Hour: Monday-Friday 3-6 p.m., Monday-Friday, 8-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Drink Specials: $5 wells, $3 micros, $6.50 specialty cocktails
Food Specials: $8.95 pizzas, $7.95 appetizers

LINK: Other South Sound Happy Hours

RON SWARNER: VILLAGE JAZZ AT MANDOLIN CAFÉ UNTIL 3 P.M. >>>

I'm cuddling I think.

Two years ago in the Weekly Volcano Angela Jossy suggested several South Sound spots to cuddle during the fall season, including the Mandolin Café:

With live music just about every day of the week, it’s hard not to mention Mandolin Café. Some of the Northwest’s most treasured acoustic performers frequent the joint, and its one of the few venues that provide a grand piano for performers to use. If you like a dash of conversation with your coffee and music, then you will fit right in. Oh yeah, and they serve beer and wine too.

Taking her advice I’m cuddling(?) with my laptop on Mandolin’s leather couch next to the fireplace listening to Village Jazz cruise through jazz standards and a little bossa nova. The trio play a little gem of a show.

[Mandolin Café, Saturday, Oct. 10, 1-3 p.m., no cover, 3923 S. 12th St., Tacoma, 253.761.3482]