"LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS" OPENS WEDNESDAY >>>

Because we know how much he loves romantic comedies, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway and anything involving erections lasting longer than four hours, we recently sent our in-house film critic, the Rev. Adam McKinney, out to a screening of Love and Other Drugs - which opens Wednesday at theaters in the area.

While you'll have to wait until this week's Volcano hits the street to read McKinney's full review, until then here's the movie's cheesy trailer to get your rom-com blood pumping.

IT'S GOING TO BE A MAD, RAD SHOW >>>

It's been a tumultuous year-and-a-half for Seattle party-rap provocateurs Mad Rad. The hard-living quartet recently came out the other end of a much-publicized career rehab (masterminded by former über-manager Kerri Harrop), one which saw them distancing themselves from scandalous headlines, and, with impressive velocity, rise from being blacklisted at seven Seattle venues to playing the mainstage at the packed-to-bursting 2010 Capitol Hill Block Party. 

The Volcano's Jason Baxter caught up with Mad Rad's Terry Radjaw (Gregory Smith) for a feature set to publish in this week's paper.

On Saturday, Mad Rad will be at Jazzbones in Tacoma.

Until then, watch this ...

Mad Rad performs "Donut Truck" at Chop Suey ...

And Mad Rad does Sasquatch ...

AND OTHER DESCRIPTIONS OF WILLIAM N. COPLEY'S WORK >>>

While reading an article in the New York Times online a little sidebar caught my eye. It was a cartoon-like painting of a woman's face with a saucy expression. She was wearing a snazzy, red and green tartan cap. The caption was "Renegade Painters." Naturally, I couldn't resist clicking on the link. It took me to a slide show featuring art from two different exhibitions: William N. Copley's X-Rated paintings from 1973-74 at the Paul Kasmin Gallery in Chelsea, and a 50-year survey of Peter Saul at Haunch of Venison in midtown Manhattan.

I've been a Peter Saul fan for a long time. I'd have a hard time justifying my enjoyment of his paintings by any established aesthetic criteria. I just like them. They're strange, funny and very colorful. Copley, on the other hand, evokes contradictory responses.

I've never heard of William N. Copley. That's the trouble with being an art lover far from any major art center. You miss out on too much. But that's a lousy excuse. I was living in New York in the late ‘70s and somehow missed out on him. His paintings are fascinating in many ways, especially when comparing those in the Times slide show with the ones pictured on the Kasmin Gallery Website. I loved some of the ones in the Times slide show but was not at all impressed with the Kasmin pictures. Ironically, the difference is due to the fact that the Times censored his paintings. It's a family newspaper. They can't show things like graphic sex and big bushy vaginas. And as much as I dislike censorship, it actually improved the paintings in this case. The painting of the woman with the tartan cap was actually a cropped section of a much larger painting of a harlot splayed open-legged on a couch and wearing nothing but the cap and matching socks. The pose was a knockoff of an odalisque by Matisse. But the Times used an installation shot taken in the gallery when a man happened to be standing in front of the painting blocking her breasts and crotch. Frankly, if the guy hadn't been standing there I would have probably been so mesmerized by the sex parts that I wouldn't have noticed her expression and the lively contrasts of patterns in her hat and socks, and the plaid couch and pillow and wallpaper.

Times critic Roberta Smith wrote glowingly of "the rigorous balancing of the erotic and the decorative." Another painting that used this balance to great effect was Rain, another naked woman, this one sitting on a caned chair with marvelous contrasting patterns of hair, fishnet stockings, chair caning and red and blue striped wallpaper. It reminded me a lot of recent Phillip Pearlstein paintings, only more comical and sexual.

The paintings shown on the Kasmin website are not censored, and at the risk of sounding prudish, they are pretty gross and crude. They're like some 12-year-old boy's idea of dirty pictures. They make sex anything but attractive, and the images all depict a decidedly male point of view.

Come to think of it, I liked only two of the Copley paintings, and I think Pearlstein is better than either of these guys.

RIDER ALERT >>>

Eggnog has been done. Cider is sort of a fall thing. What's really good, as a my-car-is-wrapped-around-a-telephone-poll-and-I-must-take-the-bus drink is hot cranberry juice.  Add just a few cloves and a couple sticks of cinnamon and - mmm ... it's good. Put some in a Thermos and take it with you when you ride Pierce Transit today.

Oh, but first Pierce Transit's Media Department has a bit of news:

All Pierce Transit routes remain on snow detours and Pierce Transit local service will be running at reduced frequency levels, hour or longer delays.  Road conditions remain icy, all Pierce Transit buses are operating with chains.   For information on snow route detours please visit www.piercetransit.org, call our 24-hour hotline line at 253-984-8155 with pre-recorded snow detour descriptions, or call customer service at 253-581-8000.  SHUTTLE Paratransit service customers can call 253-581-8100 for more information.  Winter weather conditions continue to cause delays, our transit operators and support staff work to give the best service possible.

Tips for riding the bus in snow and ice:

-  Wait for the bus at the top or bottom of the hill closet to the stop.

-  Signal the bus so the operator has plenty of time to stop.

-  Wait until the bus stops and the door opens before approaching the bus.

-  Use the handrails when getting on and off the bus.

-  Wear highly visible and warm clothing.

OK, so remember you like winter. Yeah winter!! Let's ride the bus to celebrate. It's classic and environmentally friendly. You can bring your hot "cranberry" juice!

TUESDAY, NOV. 23, 2010 >>>

1. Experts agree the only thing better than drinking discounted Alaskan beer at Tacoma's Varsity Grill is drinking discounted beer at Tacoma's Varsity Grill while simultaneously taking part in a bowling competition using frozen turkeys instead of bowling balls. It's true. Google it. Or, even better, test the experts' opinion yourself from 6-8 p.m. when Varsity Grill hosts its Alaskan Turkey Bowl. All of the above will be available. The top turkey bowler will take home a free Thanksgiving turkey, presumably not the same one they bowled with, but you never know. ... What does it matter at that point?

2. The Hub in Tacoma's Stadium District hosts a Trivia Night with cash prizes beginning at 6 p.m. Here's some trivia: Drivers from Florida are apt to be distracted by shivering because they're wearing shorts as they nurse a frosty beverage and rock out to Jimmy Buffett cranked to the pain threshold. Of course, Jimmy Buffett can cause pain even when played at low volumes, but that's another story. If you see Florida plates in front of you, make a turn.

3. What happens when the Pacific Lutheran University Wind Ensemble and the Stadium High School Concert Band share the stage? Magic we tell you. See for yourself at 8 p.m. inside Lagerquist Hall on the PLU campus.

4. Susan Jones headlines Jazzbones' Ha Ha Tuesday comedy show tonight at 8 p.m. Comedians Ed Rubin and MC Ralph Porter will also try to take your mind off your fallen backyard fence.

5. What can take your mind off your busted water pipes? Jazz baby! Saxophonist Kareem Kandi's open jazz jam goes down tonight at 9 p.m. inside SAX Restaurant and Lounge.

LINK: Art at Work month!

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

HUMP DAY HANG >>>

Traditionally, the night before Thanksgiving is one of those blotto pre-family-disaster nights when GAP-forward and booze-and-tattoo types grind out all that angst on the dance floor in an effort to escape the next day in a haze.  I'm in.

Maybe it’s because you’re young and have nothing better to do. For whatever reason, most of you (and me) will be up until the wee hoursWednesday  night getting hammered. Like, seriously obliterated here. Because there’s no way we want to wake up before the parades are over. Not this year, Philbin. There’s no shortage of places that want our business, but one of the better pre-Thanksgiving bumps will be at the new Gruv Lounge and Nightclub. Local boys J-Fresh and dAb will spin during Gruv's '80s old school night.

Gruv Lounge and Nightclub

Wednesday, Nov. 24, 9 p.m.
3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma
gruvtacoma.com

MARIO LOPEZ IS COMING >>>

With no discernable positive qualities other than dimples and rock-hard abs, Mario Lopez, who still manages to live a life of D-List celebrity, will  appear Saturday at the South Hill Mall in Puyallup for a meet and greet with fans from 1 - 3 p.m. Lopez will be joined by his wife, Courtney Mazza, which makes a lot of sense since she's the by-default co-star of Mario's new VH1 reality series "Saved by the Baby."

Get it? Because he used to be A.C. Slater? Get it?

Anyway, here's a YouTube clip from Lopez in his prime. We'll be doing this all week, if for no other reason than we think it's funny and it gives us a good excuse to search for "Saved by the Bell" clips on the clock.

Enjoy ...

JAMES FRANCO AND HIS UTILITY TOOL >>>

127 Hours, a film directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire), is the movie adaptation of a real-life story you probably heard about - rock climber Aron Ralston's decision to saw  off his own arm in order to save his life after becoming trapped by a boulder near Moab, Utah. Later, he wrote a book about the ordeal - the aptly titled Between A Rock and a Hard Place. As far as legitimate drama goes, the story is full of it - and James Franco's performance as Ralston has been called Oscar-worthy by some.

127 Hours will open at the Grand Cinema in Tacoma tomorrow. According to Roger Ebert, it's a surprisingly entertaining film. Here's a tease to tickle your intrigue.

88 BARS AND THE RED HOT IS ONE OF THEM >>>

Chanukah kicks off Dec. 1, and while to some that fact may bring to mind little more than Adam Sandler holiday tunes, at the Red Hot in Tacoma they're in full celebration mode - aided by an awesome distinction handed to the bar by the Shmaltz Brewing Company.

You see, Tacoma's Red Hot has been chosen as one of 88 bars across the country set to feature all eight award-winning recipes of Shmaltz's He'Brew Jewbelation beer this Chanukah - Dec. 1-8.

"For the past 8 years, Schmaltz has produced their annual Jewbelation. Each year sticks to a numerical theme, so year eight - the first year - had eight malt and eight hop varieties at eight-percent ABV, Year 12 had 12 malts and 12 hop varieties at 12%ABV, etc," says Red Hot proprietor Chris Trashcan.

"This year (Schmaltz is) re-releasing every Jewbelation recipe (8-14), as well as ‘Jewbelation Vertical', a blend of all seven years of Jewbelation aged in Sazerac 6-Year Rye Whiskey Barrels.  The draft availability of these re-releases and the 'Vertical' is extremely limited. Only 88 bars in the nation are getting all eight of them, and The Red Hot is one of them.  The only other bar in the state is Brouwers in Seattle."

According to Trashcan, the Red Hot will tap all eight of the selected Jewbelation beers at once - next Wednesday, Dec. 1. Judging by the hype, this is not an event for the non-committal.

"You'll get a four-oz pour of every version, as well as the blended wood-aged beer (Schmaltz) made (Vertical Jewbelation).  Pricing right now is slated to be $14 (for the entire event), but this can change if the prices quoted me were wrong.  The first 24 people to do the vertical will get a Jewbelation Vertical pint glass that they made for these releases," says Trashcan. "There are no growler fills, or getting a singular pour.  This is an adventurous event, so it's the whole enchilada, or nothing at all.  First come first serve."

GET READY FOR THE HOLIDAY TOMORROW NIGHT AT JAZZBONES >>>

If Bobble Tiki had a nickel for every time Vicci Martinez has been written about in the pages of the Weekly Volcano, he'd be a much more well-to-do Tiki, probably with a fancy collection of stocks and bonds and real car insurance. Sadly, Bobble Tiki doesn't have a nickel, or even a penny, for every time Martinez has graced the pages of this prestigious bird cage liner, but that's OK -- he's still got her music, which has always been enough.

Suffice to say, as a Tiki growing ever more old and creepy, Bobble Tiki has been following Martinez for a long damn time. He clearly remembers watching Martinez compete on Star Search (or, as clearly as he remembers anything). He remembers BEFORE Star Search. He remembers the way Martinez basically grew up on stage, in front of Tacoma's lucky eyes, transitioning from a child with immense talents and potential to a legitimate and successful working musician, performer, rock star (basically) and all around top-notch human being. Bobble Tiki remembers when Martinez released the On My Way Record, way back in 2005, and how he knew she was right. Three records and a live DVD later, not to mention what seems like a lifetime, Bobble Tiki thinks she's proved it.

"Now my whole goal is to stay human and not let it go to my head," Martinez told the Weekly Volcano almost four years ago.

She's done a pretty good job. With Martinez set to take the stage tomorrow night at Jazzbones in Tacoma, partying down with Martinez on the night before Thanksgiving seems like a sure bet proposition. It always has been in Tacoma, and probably always will be.