MUSIC IN THE SOUTH SOUND TONIGHT >>>

CELTIC: For a fiddler, or Celtic violinist, Jamie Laval is as busy as they come. A practitioner of traditional music of Scotland, Ireland, Brittany and Quebec - Laval has been heaped in praise for his "passionate" and even "romantic" style of performing. From what we understand, actually, the performance is where it's at with Laval - he plays more than 120 dates a year. Luckily, one of those 120 performances in ‘10 will be at the Mandolin Café tonight. 8 p.m., all ages, $10, Mandolin Café, 3923 S. 12th St., Tacoma - Michael Swan

HEAVY ROCK: Joe Preston of Thrones has an impressive resume, playing with The Melvins, Earth, C Average, and High On Fire, to name just a few. Before Preston's European tour, Thrones will be joining Christian Mistress and Two Ton Boa at Olympia's all age's venue, Northern. Now is your chance to grab your 17-year-old cousin and blow his mind with some of the best, tripped-out heavy rock the Northwest has to offer. 9 p.m., all ages, $7, Northern, 321 Fourth Ave., Olympia - Nikki Talotta

METAL: I once saw a chick puke up a bunch of P-Diddy's vodka. It didn't look very hot. Tonight at Hell's Kitchen, however, Queensryche guitarist Michael Wilton will be shilling his new Whip Ale billed as "bold," "rich," and "aromatic." With a musical lineup including Atomic Outlaws and Wide Eye Panic, the crowd seems certain to be "drunk," "somewhat disorderly," "and ready to throw up devil horns" - if not some Whip Ale. Something tells us that would look a lot more metal than puking P-Diddy's vodka. 9 p.m., no cover, Hell's Kitchen, 928 Pacific Ave., Tacoma - Michael Swan

BONUS: Hey bands! Sign up for our nifty band profile section. When you do you'll automatically be included in our March 11 Music Issue.