WEEKLY VOLCANO: BECAUSE “SERIES” IS OUR MIDDLE NAME >>>

We're posting a South Sound store window daily through Christmas to give you a quick jolt of holiday spirit. Ho, ho, ho!

On the 13th day of Christmas we drove by: Edward Jones Investments.

LINK: Drive-by Holiday history

WEEKLY VOLCANO: A RAW LOOK AT THE END OF THE NIGHT >>>

Q: What do you call two busloads of Santas bar hopping around Tacoma at night, singing Christmas carols, stopping traffic, and bringing a healthy amount of Season's Greetings wherever they go?

Last night the annual gathering of the Santas ended with drinks and karaoke at Puget Sound Pizza. All sorts of Santas took part: Drunk Santa, Drunk Santa, Drunk Santa, A Robot, Drunk Santa, Drunk Santa, Drunk Santa, Reindeer Antlers Head, Drunk Santa, Drunk Santa, Drunk Santa, and several more drunk Santas. Everything went off without a hitch at the night’s last stop, although it looked like several Santas might hitch up.

LINK: More photos on our Photo Hot Spot page

MICHAEL SWAN: MONDAY, DEC. 14, 2009 >>>

1. The Graphic Novel Book Club discusses A Contract with God by Will Eisner at 7 p.m. inside the Tentwentytwo Lounge on Hilltop Tacoma.

2. Tim Kapler's works on display at The Swiss has an intensity and inventiveness that have much to be admired.

3. The Gig Harbor community comes together at Skansie Brothers Park for Hark The Harbor Community Caroling at 7 p.m.

4. Al Earick Band performs at 8 p.m. inside The Swiss.

5. Every Monday night at 9 p.m. inside Jazzbones you can sing on the stage with a live band before a live, dancing audience - talent or not - during Rockaraoke.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

WEEKLY VOLCANO: BECAUSE “SERIES” IS OUR MIDDLE NAME >>>

We're posting a South Sound store window daily through Christmas to give you a quick jolt of holiday spirit. Ho, ho, ho!

On the 14th day of Christmas we drove by: Basket & Things.

LINK: Drive-by Holiday history

JOE IZENMAN: LIVE REVIEW, THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2009, THE SWISS >>>

I don't care how good you are at writing songs. If you are surrounded by mediocre musicians, your songs will not sound good. That's just how it goes. They don't even have to be bad, exactly. Just boring enough to suck free whatever life you've driven into the song, and mangle the heart and soul before it has a chance to hit the speakers.

In turn, a really good band can take your stuff, shape it into a cannonball and knock an audience right on their asses. The right drummer and bassist and whatever else you need are like a punch in the teeth â€" but, you know, the fun kind.

Matt Coughlin lands squarely in the second paragraph. He is a good songwriter. He is a good singer. And he has surrounded himself with an absolute punch-in-the-teeth of a good band. Good enough to treat if not cure my avoidance of shows at The Swiss â€" I got dragged to one of their jam-packed cover-band dance party shows back in 2007, and I haven't quite recovered.

The band in question is Dalton Shotwell (drums), Mitchell Vandenburg (bass) and Kim Coleman (violin). They are all extraordinarily talented and very energetic, particularly Vandenburg, who spend most of the show bouncing around, flailing his arms and occasionally singing along with his own bass solo.
Opening the night was transplanted Seattle act Cady Wire, playing their first Tacoma gig â€" and apparently having their first Tacoma visit â€" since a move from New York City. They push a vaguely noisy form of folky Americana, which is enjoyable until keyboardist Nila Leigh comes in with harmony vocals, at which point it becomes bona fide genuine awesome. I very much look forward to their next venture to Tacoma.

I desperately wish that I could have stayed later in the night for closing act Black Sails. In addition to further demonstration of the beat-keeping skills of Dalton Shotwell, singer/guitarist Travis Barker was just absolutely cutting loose on the guitar-blues like nothing else. Their MySpace tracks don't do the band any justice at all. The boy can wail, particularly evidenced on a cover of Moby's “Natural Blues,” belting out the vocals originally sampled from Vera Hall singing “Trouble So Hard.”

But the story remains Matt Coughlin and his eponymous band of merry musicians. Recording half of a forthcoming live album â€" to be the first disc released featuring the current lineup, which finished the live recording last night at the High Dive in Seattle â€" the group blistered through a set featuring a love song to beer, a revenge song for Coughlin's beloved and savagely murdered automobile, and covers of “Moondance” and eternal crowd-pleaser “I Will Survive.”

For as showy as they can be, I was impressed that no one took it too far. At no point did the band overshadow the song or the singer. Coleman's melodious violin harmonies, informed by time spent playing folk music in Hungary, served to compliment Coughlin's voice while Shotwell and Vandenburg drove the songs ever onward.

A good night. A good band. Well, frankly, three good bands, none of whom I plan to miss the next time they pop up on the Tacoma calendar. And a live record I am sure to buy as soon as available.

Photos: Matthew Scott

MICHAEL SWAN: STONEGATE UPDATE >>>

Christmas brings out the best in most. Of course, one must look beyond the miserable behavior of friends, family and those who feel entitled - at least from time to time. And when the going gets rough, with regards to coping, there is always booze, the great equalizer, the social and familial lubricant.

Stonegate pizzeria and nightclub houses a rum bar in its downstairs lounge. That works for me on two levels. I associate rum with tropical locales, which is where I wish I were right now. Second, this time of year I crave the warm, buttery comfort of hot buttered rum. Stonegate has a large collection of rum - including expensive, sipping rums.

Also of note at Stonegate is its new music schedule commanded by veteran booking agent Michelle Amiotte. Check out their weekly schedule:

Mondays: karaoke with Colin;
Tuesdays: acoustic jams;
Wednesdays: Xbox 360 loaded with the Rock Band game;
Thursdays: Billy Stoops hosts a jam night.

Live bands will fill the Friday and Saturday night slots. This Saturday, Atomic Outlaws, Top Heavy Crush and Cold December rock the rum bottles beginning at 9 p.m. The cover will be $7.

Amiotte also has comedian Gabriel Rutledge booked Dec. 26 for an 8 p.m. show. Admission is $10 advance or $15 at the door.  You know you'll need some laughs and a bunch of rum after Christmas.

[Stonegate, 5419 S. Tacoma, Way, Tacoma, 253.473.2255]

NO LINK: I think Stonegate's Web site has been hacked.

MATT DRISCOLL: COLONIES PREPARE FOR TWO TACOMA SHOWS THIS WEEKEND  >>>

The shoe-gazing Seattle band Colonies has won a few fans here at Weekly Volcano World Headquarters - the four-piece's heady, sometimes ambient indie rock will do that. Take into consideration some Tacoma ties - at least locally - not to mention a fairly impressive debut EP, Sleep Patterns, and it's easy to understand why Volcano scribes - and even people outside the weirdness of Weekly Volcano World Headquarters - have come to follow this band.

Later this week Colonies will celebrate the release of a new full-length "debut" album, Thirty Thousand, with two shows in Tacoma: Friday, Dec. 18 at The New Frontier for the 21+ crowd, and Saturday, Dec. 19 at The Den for the wee-ones. Despite the repetition, the shows seem destine to be highlights of the coming weekend.

Over a year ago we discovered Colonies - you can read about it here.

Back then, we promised more timely coverage in the future - and we plan on delivering.

Check out our review of Sleep Patterns from July 2008 - and look for a two-part interview with Colonies' Travis Shumate later this week as the shows draw closer.

PHOTO CREDIT: MYSPACE/JAQUILYN SHUMATE

WEEKLY VOLCANO: HOLIDAY BICYCLE BOOZE CRUZ THIS FRIDAY >>>

MICHAEL SWAN: WHAT I LEARNED READING THE WASHINGTON STATE ARTS COMMISSION ENEWS >>>

This just in:

Acts of Kindness, by Ellensburg artist Julie Prather, was installed inside University Place Primary shortly before the start of the school year. Consisting of eight stained glass windows, the artwork surrounds the entrance to the school’s library.

Starting with her first visit with the local Art Selection Committee, Prather worked to identify a theme for the project. Acts of Kindness, which corresponds to values taught within the school, was chosen. Teachers on the committee asked UP Primary students to create drawings based on that theme which were then sent to the artist. Prather sorted through the submissions and worked several into her project design by editing out portions and combining elements, ultimately capturing the unique quality of line and narrative while presenting a mature artistic statement.

Artwork acquired through Washington State’s Art in Public Places Program becomes part of the State Art Collection â€" a collection of over 4,600 works of art located at state agencies, public schools, colleges and universities throughout the state.

LINK: Washington State Arts Commission December eNews

MICHAEL SWAN: DECEMBER 15, 2009 >>>

1. The Banned Book Club discusses Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia and The Great Gilly Hopkins over cocktails at 7 p.m. inside the Tempest Lounge.

2. The Tacoma City Council has invited 44 applicants to give a “brief” presentation about why they’d be perfect for two vacant Tacoma City Council seats. Expect to see RR Anderson, Jim Merritt, the aforementioned Robert “The Traveller” Hill, David Boe, Ryan Mello, John Hathaway, Patricia Lecy-Davis, Ken Paulson, Keven Rojecki and â€" of course â€" current councilmember Rick Talbert sometime from 12:05-2:30 p.m., then again at 5 p.m. in the Council Chambers.

3. Traditions Café in Olympia host an open drum circle at 7 p.m.

4. The Christmas Revels celebrates the winter solstice with a mix of stories, music, theater and wackiness at 7:30 p.m. inside the Rialto Theater.

5. Saxophonist Kareem Kandi hosts a open jazz jam at 9 p.m. inside Sax on 6th.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide