WEEKLY VOLCANO FLICKR GROUP >>>

Kris Crews, or just www.flickr.com/photos/crews/" target="_blank">Crews on Flickr, posted a few shots of Heather Loepp of the band Santee on the Weekly Volcano's Flickr Group. Yes, the same Heather Loepp who wrote the piece on Retrograde in today's issue of the Weekly Volcano.

LINK: Weekly Volcano Flickr Group

LINK: Kris Crews's profile in the Weekly Volcano Community

FOLK ROCKER IS ALL OVER THE PLACE >>>

If Tyler Fortier is one thing, it's an up-and-coming, present-tense folk rocker - in a complimentary sense of the notion - based out of lush (read: stony) Eugene, Oregon.

If Tyler Fortier is two things, it's all of the above and a damn entertaining blogger. I know, I know - blogging is a debatable art form, but there's no debating Fortier does it well. In addition to playing a whole slew of shows over the next two months in Oregon, Idaho and Washington - in support of his just released This Love Is Fleeting record, which "dropped" April 15 - Fortier will also be doling out witty lines like this on tylerfortier.wordpress.com:

"I played first, tickling some ivory (and by ivory, I mean a plastic keyed digital piano).  I should have prefaced this section by stating the night was billed as "danceable, funky, pop music."  My music.... Not danceable. Not funky.  Not pop.  In fact, my music just wants to make people f***ing cry."

Awesome. Fortier plays all over this week - starting in Olympia tonight, then working his way to Tacoma by Saturday.

I caught up with Fortier this week to get his take on touring, blogging, This Love is Fleeting.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: I guess the natural place to start would be This Love Is Fleeting, which will have only been out for two weeks by the time people read this. Not that you've had time to fully digest it yet - or maybe you have? - But what would you say you were able to accomplish with this record? Is it what you envisioned it would be - or did you allow yourself such visions?

TYLER FORTIER: I don't think any record I make is going to be exactly as I envision it to be. My ideas kind of start out one way and then sort of meander into something else. It keeps me writing and always thinking about my next project, which I guess is a good thing. But this is definitely the closest I've come. I just want to make good records whether it's labeled as folk or rock or country or rap or whatever. My intentions with This Love Is Fleeting, as with my last record, was to really focus on making a complete record. I hate how you can buy individual songs now a day. But I do think I made a decent record. I'm proud of it, but there's so much I know I can do better and I'm already looking forward to my next record, which I will hopefully be able to start recording once I get back from tour in June. And also I should note because people have given me a hard time about it, I call "CDs" records. No I'm not saying a vinyl LP or anything, but a record, as in a record of events. It's something Jackson Browne once said in an interview and it has always stuck with me. I wish people looked at CDS like a book or something like that. You wouldn't just buy a chapter of a book. I think you miss so much by not hearing all the songs together.

Read more...

NEW-ISH SEATTLE BAND HITS THE NEW FRONTIER FRIDAY >>>

Tomorrow night, Seattle's Smile For Diamonds will plug in at The New Frontier Lounge with the venerable Deborah Page. Sure, Tacoma knows Deborah Page - but what's up with Smile For Diamonds, self described as "loud and erratic" - an fledgling indie rock force coming from the north but born in the thin air of Denver (kinda - you'll see ...)?

Well, you should find out. Not only will Smile For Diamonds be bringing their well-honed road show to Tacoma Friday, they'll be back this summer, set to play the Weekly Volcano sponsored Grit City Fest.

It should be awesome.

This week I caught up with Ryan Looman, the band's ringleader, to get the lowdown on Smile For Diamonds. Enjoy.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: Seeing as you've only been together since the summer of '09, and it sounds like you all come from different backgrounds - why don't you start by telling folks who you are and how you got here (as a band, of course).

RYAN LOOMAN: Technically SFD started in February of last year. I was in a band called Fallen Stars Forgotten from Denver and after we broke up I planned a road trip to Seattle with my long-time friend and drummer Ian Murray. Four months later I moved out here and friends Pat Scanlan (Guitar) and Zack Morwicki (Bass) moved out the following year. We started playing shows using a laptop as our drummer until Ian made it out here in July. Zack left the band in September to go back to school and we we're lucky enough to have Mike Walker take his place.

VOLCANO: You may be somewhat new, but it's not like you don't have a record. You guys digitally released a self-titled EP earlier this year (boom!). Is that record physically available yet?

Read more...

FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2010 >>>

1. Retrograde is a party and you're invited. More importantly, it's a fundraiser to support Tacoma's Sixth Annual Urban Art Festival at People's Park on June 27.  Totally sponsored, clothed and designed LOCALLY, Retrograde will feature a sensational lineup showcasing some of Tacoma's best musical artists, along with newcomers and out-of-towners. The stars will be: Battersea, Paris Spleen, Hotels, Basemint and the Nightgowns. For your $10 donation, you will receive a free drink ticket (two if you dress retro), five swinging bands, a dozen dancing go-go dancers - the whole freaking circus - all beginning at 9 p.m. inside the Speakeasy Arts Cooperative.

2. Platinum Reign - the online store for distribution of independently produced media such as music tracks, albums, films, books and apparel - hosts its grand opening party featuring food, drinks, music and a photobooth (!) from 6-9 p.m. at 1517 Fawcett Ave. in Tacoma.

3. Free Ya Mind is back for its regular spoken word poetry and open mic on the last Friday inside Bostwick Tully's on the corner of Ninth and Broadway from 7-9 p.m. The featured artist will be Elaine Nabua.

4. Ocean Groove's DJ posse – which includes Donald Glaude – will spin beginning at 9 p.m. inside The Swiss.

5. Gender Smash - the open mic night for trans/queer folks and allies - will showcase music, dance, spoken word, performance art, comedy, drag, improv, theater, sing-alongs, jam sessions, interactive games, rants, circus acts, and silly human tricks beginning at 10 p.m. inside Le Voyeur in Olympia.

LINK: New movies open today

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

It's No Phone Day. Don't drive and mess around with your phone, dickwads.

Alder Arts Walk happens today in Tacoma.

The world's best recorder performance

British stage play about Enron, called Enron, features raptors, Star Wars, song.

Happy birthday Cloris Leachman!

TICK ... TICK ... TICK ... >>>

If you were Dining Out For Life last night you might have seen a frenzied film crew sprinting between locations. What you witnessed, disguised in panic, was cutting edge movie making in action, thanks to The Grand Cinema's 72 Hour Film Festival. The weekend film competition kicked off last night inside The Grand with the mandatory elements distribution - otherwise known as the competition's giant kick in the pants. Representatives from 28 ambitious and slightly masochistic filmmaking teams listened to The Grand's Executive Director Philip Cowan explain the rules and the mandatory common aspects.

The rules are simple, and simply exasperating: the filmmaking teams - running the gamut from Costco camcorder amateurs to HD wielding professionals - must write, shoot and hand in a finished 5-minute film in exactly 72 hours.  To keep anyone from getting a jumpstart, common aspects must be included in each film. Every year, one aspect destroys most pre-production work. This year, it's the mandatory situation: "Within the first minute of the film, each film must find a bag with something important in it (and relevant to the rest of the film). You could see the shoulders slump around the room after the filmmakers discovered that little tidbit.  The other common aspects this year are: the line of dialogue ("Should I know what that means?"), prop (map, which can't be in the bag), and action (breaking). Miss one, and it's an automatic forfeit.

The teams have until 7 p.m. Sunday to hand in the finished film on DVD.

The Grand Cinema with host the 2010 72 Hour Film Festival screening Friday, May 7 at the Rialto in downtown Tacoma. Everyone is invited to enjoy this collaboration of 28 films written, directed and produced by local filmmakers. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the films will begin at 7. Tickets are available for $13 general admission or $11 for Grand Cinema members. You can purchase tickets by stopping by the Grand Cinema, or by visiting The Grand's Web site. Tickets will be available at the Rialto Theater's ticket office May 7 beginning at 5:30 p.m. Day of event ticket prices will be $15 GA, $13 members.

LIVE MUSIC IN THE SOUTH SOUND TONIGHT >>>

FOLK ROCK: In the 1970s, a Canadian folk-rocker named Bruce Cockburn released almost an album a year for the entire decade. He missed 1977, but this was most likely due to a shortage of notebook paper he suffered after penning seven albums worth of material - so get off his back. My point is that this gentleman is just about as prolific as any musician currently in circulation, with an amassed archive of 22-29 albums, give or take live contributions. Have you heard of Bruce Cockburn? Maybe. You've definitely heard him. Read the full story here. Friday, April 29, 8 p.m., $35, Capitol Theater, 206 Fifth Ave. SE, Olympia, 360.754.6670 - Rev. Adam McKinney

ALT ROCK: Sweet Water is playing Hell's Kitchen with Glimpse and Basic Radio. There'll be more hooks at this show than you'll know what to do with - but that'll be good, because complicated artistry is not your strong suit. You like it served up nice and easy - which is exactly what Sweet Water will deliver. It's what the band is built on, and it's a recipe that still works. Friday, April 29, 9 p.m., $10, Hell's Kitchen, 928 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.759.6003 - Matt Driscoll

COUNTRY: The first time the Weekly Volcano wrote about country legend Merle Haggard coming to the Emerald Queen Casino we figured we better treat the dude with respect. He's a legend, after all - plus we feared he might keel over dead at any moment from a life full of hard, twangy, country living. Almost 10 years later, Haggard is coming back to the EQC this week. It's betting like this that typically makes us steer clear of casinos, but for Haggard (yet again) we might make an exception. Friday, April 30, 8:30 p.m., $35-$70, 2024 E. 29th St., Tacoma, 253.922.2000 - Michael Swan

INDIE ROCK: Seattle's Smile For Diamonds will plug in at The New Frontier Lounge with the venerable Deborah Page. Read Weekly Volcano Editor Matt Driscoll's Q&A with SFD's frontman Ryan Looman here. With The Dirty Changeup, Friday, April 30, 9 p.m., The New Frontier Lounge, 301 E. 25th St., Tacoma, 253.572.4020 - MS

LINK: More live music in the South Sound tonight

The Weekly Volcano follows the people you're too embarrassed to >>>

Just like most good, new-age, social media applications, Twitter allows people to share and be privy to once personal, almost wholly pointless information about peoples' lives. It's seemingly endless. While Twitter is mostly full of everyday, ho-hum people - just like you and me, sharing info about what type of oatmeal we ate for breakfast and where we get our hair cut - Twitter is also a magnet for the moderately-famous.

Stars of yesterday, illiterate millionaire athletes, former cast members of Saved By the Bell - you can follow them all, intimately, on Twitter.

But, you've got standards. We get that.

That's why we'll do it for you, in a feature we like to call Weekly Volcano Twitter Stalker.

This week, checking in with...

New Kid on the Block Jordan Knight

March 22: Jordan Knight achieves Twitter inspiration

"I need to write a song called "Twitter after Dark" and sing it on the backrub..." via Echofon, 12:54 a.m.

February 27: Fear and loathing with NKOTB

"She left some of her sandwich on the tray...I might steal it....hmnnn....she wont know....shes highly medicated.." via web, 2:36 p.m.

February 25: Aging tough (despite faux hawk)

"This is just cold blooded and wrong...." via Twitpic, 8:15 a.m.

Tune in next week for more Twitter stalking brought to you be the Weekly Volcano? Got any suggestions of who we should follow? Let us know...

BRING ON THE WEEKEND >>>

OK, OK, I know. I let you down last week, failing to post the Friday blog gem known as The Prefunk - a weekend primer for you and your liver.

So sue me. These things happen. Something tells me you survived - and might even be better for it.

That said, it's time to get back in the saddle. And where better to get back in the saddle, and start off this edition of The Prefunk, than the newly christened Big Whisky Saloon.

Huzzah!

BIG WHISKY SLOPPY SECONDS

Saturday, May 1

Technically, Tacoma's new cowboy bar - Big Whisky Saloon - opens Friday night (or tonight, depending on when you read this - like, between 6 and 7 p.m. They're still sawing as we speak - literally). But I've never been one for highly-hyped grand openings. Instead, I suggest checking out Big Whisky Saloon a day later, on Saturday (mainly because it works for the premise of this so-called column).

Saturday night also happens to be the official pre-party for the Brooks and Dunn show later that night - sweetening the deal considerable for those with a cowboy persuasion.

Big Whisky, at Ninth and A Streets in downtown Tacoma - in the spot that used to be Cans - is billing itself as a place where country music fans can once again call home. Since the demise of McCabe's, the Tacoma cowboy scene has been in rough shape, so the arrival of Big Whisky can be seen as nothing but a good thing (though I do wonder where all the big rigs will actually park downtown). In some cowboy circles, Big Whisky  - operated by Roger Rahil, also the current co-owner of the soon-to-open Tacoma dance club Encore at South 11th and Pacific Avenue (formerly the Vault) and his partner Jon Tartaglia, of Varsity Grill fame - is being referred to as "the new McCabe's," which makes a lot of sense since Paul Muller, formerly of McCabe's, will act as general manager.

Even better, there are no plans for Big Whisky to institute a hip-hop night anytime soon.

Friday may be the grand opening but this slob's money is on Saturday night - and the official Brooks and Dunn preparty - being the real deal ... if you're into that sort of thing.

PREFUNK: As they say, liquor before beer, you're in the clear; beer before liquor, never been sicker  - although, in truth, I'm not exactly sure what "they" say. Every time "they" are telling me something like that, I'm usually pounding Jell-O shots and PBR - right before upchucking.

Anyway, before heading out to Big Whisky, try having a little whisky. Might be nice, and set the evening in a positive trajectory.

PUNK INVASION: SLEDGEBACK, RED WHITE AND DIE, REBEL STRIKE, THE ASSASSINATORS @ Capitol Theater

Sunday, May 2

Nothing epitomizes an easy, breezy Sunday afternoon than a massive earful of all ages punk. Am I right, or am I right?

Sunday afternoon in Olympia, at the Capitol Theater, that's what you'll get as Sledgeback, Red White and Die, Rebel Strike and The Assassinators bring every chord they know to the table.

Granted, that's probably only four or five - but it should still be da bomb, yo.

PREFUNK: Here's a good idea - identify the person with the shittiest taste in music that you know, and invite them to this show. But, instead of Sledgeback, tell them Nickelback will be playing.

Then, sit back, pop in the ear plugs (for safety), and watch the horror on their stupid face as Sledgeback tears them a new you-know-what.

See you next week...