SUNDAY, FEB. 27, 2011 >>>

1. In Olympia, anyone who attends the Olympia Film Society's Oscar Party tonight can lay hands on - and be photographed with - a real Oscar. Hosted by pianist-actor-director-composer Josh Anderson, the party will feature a trivia casting couch, a raffle, prizes for the person who picks the most Oscar winners and even a red carpet in front of the theater.

2. Want an Oscar party in T-Town? Never fear. The Grand has you covered. The Grand Cinema's Oscar Party festivities begin at 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 27 - one hour before the televised red carpet coverage. While the spacious Rialto has hosted the event in past years, The Grand has strategically chosen a new venue this year: Broadway Center's Theatre on the Square."

3. Think all-ages Cirque du Soleil, and you won't be far off from the spectacle and magic of Imago Theatre - the company's "ZOOZOO" hits the Pantages Theater this afternoon. USA Today says the company has "an international reputation well deserved." Their current show combines the best bits from two previous shows, FROGZ and Biglittlethings.

4. The always fantastic Jeanlizabeth hosts an open mic every Sunday at the Steilacoom Bar & Grill. Check out the Weekly Volcano's full live local music calendar for Sunday here.

5. If you have yet to venture down to Hell's Kitchen yet for Sunday Sermon, tonight is your chance. DJ Defcon 1 provides the jams. The action starts at 9 p.m.

LIVE LOCAL MUSIC ACTION >>>

About half the people at the Peabody Waldorf Friday night were chumps. I don't know them personally, but it's a judgement I feel comfortable making because that's about how many people left between the third and fourth band.

Loch Lomond may not be everyone's cup of tea-but then neither is, well, anything. I'm personally not as keen on their latest album, Little Me Will Start A Storm-released a few days ago-as some of their other recent work. And they were certainly not my girlfriend's favorite band of the evening.

But come on, guys: how do you see a rock setup that includes a vibraphone, a clarinet and a flute and not be at least a little curious? You can leave after the first song, I don't mind - but it wasn't that late. Give something new a try.

I was glad to finally see Hail, whom I missed opening the vaguely disappointing Slowwave show a few weeks ago. It took them a song or two to warm to the room, but it was a solid set from a young band.

Elk & Boar were clearly the stars of the night-  the band everyone left after. This, despite the nonstop moaning of the guy behind me that they were terrible. I first saw Travis Barker leading blues outfit The Black Sails, but he's really found his niche partnered with the siren voice of Kirsten Wenlock.

And then everyone left, and missed one of the most impressive and creative melodic soundscapes to pass through Tacoma in a while. Not one of the myriad of instruments in play was excessive or unnecessary, and everything wove together beautifully. I, for one, thought it was awesome.

But half the crowd was already gone. Because they are chumps.

SEASON FIVE OPENER >>>

Last night inside the Pierce College Health Ed. Center, Tacoma's roller derby league - the Dockyard Derby Dames - opened its fifth season with fierce battles. It was a sold out bout that had some of the closes scores on record. The Femme Fianna would pull away from the Marauding Mollys with incredible moves and strategy, only to have the gap diminished. In the end, the Fianna edged the Mollys 138 to 125. And how many times was Femme Fianna's Snickerbrutal in the penalty box?

The Trampires and Hellbound Homewreckers match was just brutal - the floor was littered with bodies. After around five minutes of tally, and tally again, the season four champions The Trampires bit the Homewreckers by one point, 145 to 144.

Here are a few photos from last night's bout.

Check out more photos in our Photo Hot Spot.

LINK: Upcoming DyDD bouts

NATIONAL PANCAKE DAY >>>

Pancake lovers know it's always a good time for a short stack. Get set for the gooey goodness, because on National Pancake Day, Tuesday, March 1, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals teams with IHop to bring you a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes! In return, diners are asked to leave a donation to the hospital. Find a location here.

MONDAY, FEB. 28, 2011 >>>

1. Who doesn't like a good mystery? Today at noon, the Washington State History Museum will investigate two - both related to Washington roadways. Archaeologist Pam Trautman will discuss strange clay objects found near McGowan during the realignment of  US101 along the Columbia River. Then, Historian Craig Holstine will discuss a Cold War era fallout shelter under I5 in Seattle. Admit it - this event sounds awesome.

2. Spike Lee is the outspoken documentarian, commercial director and filmmaker whose first narrative feature, She's Gotta Have It, introduced 25 years of art at the cutting edge of American sociopolitical conversation. Tonight Lee will be at the University of Puget Sound Field House, for a not-to-miss lecture that starts at 7:30 p.m.

3. Are you an "Ordinary Man?" If so (and if your "life skills" are lacking, or your family is - perhaps - falling apart), the weekly "Ordinary Men - Men's Group" produced by family life skill of Washington just might be your ticket. We're not sure. It just popped up on the Weekly Volcano's comprehensive list of South Sound events and ultra-cool happenings, and, well, we thought we'd pass it along ...

4. Shake off February in style as Loose Gravel & The Quarry play The Swiss tonight. Find the Weekly Volcano's live local music calendar for today here.

5.  The Imperial Dragon on Tacoma's Sixth Avenue hosts S.R.O. swing band, described as a "16-piece jazz band playing music from the ‘30s and ‘40s. The action is all-ages, and runs from 7-9 p.m. There's no cover.

THAT WAS THE QUESTION >>>

The director called and asked me personally if I'd be interested in auditioning. I told him I'd already sworn off acting for a while. I needed to focus on other things, especially my upcoming nuptials. He persisted. It seems less than a dozen people auditioned for his show. This seems inexplicable to me. It's for a company with a guaranteed space. The playwright is internationally well regarded. The director's a nice guy with tons of experience. The handful of actors already hovering around the project are competent and friendly.

I felt bad for the guy; so despite my scheduling conflicts, I promised to read the script. He drove it all the way to my house. I read the script that afternoon and found it interesting, so much so that I opened my calendar to check the dates. There's just no way. The show closes the week before my wedding, and it opens the same weekend as two other shows. I've learned the hard way, twice in a row now, that my schedule as a critic and my schedule as an actor seldom get along.

I visited the theater that night, just long enough to return the director's script and decline with regrets. It's nice to know there are directors in town who value my onstage talents. I hate having to say no to anyone. But it made me think: Why do some shows have actors falling all over themselves to audition, whereas some can't get the time of day? Do bands have a similar problem when they seek new members?

It's a dilemma. If we show up for an audition and every actor in town is there, it diminishes any chance we have of being cast. On the other hand, if we arrive and crickets are chirping, we almost certainly will get cast--but often, in a role outside our comfort zone. And what if we don't get cast at all? Youch!

If you're a director and actors flocked to your last audition, then thank your lucky stars. Overeager actors are far from the worst problem you could have.

YOUR CASE JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT MORE ROCKIN' >>>

By now there's a good chance you know Seaweed guitarist Wade Neal is (grew up to be) a lawyer and stuff.  We've mentioned it on a number of occasions, most prominently when discussing the lawsuit thrown at iconic Tacoma band Girl Trouble by Ohio's Gorilla Productions. Neal is representing Girl Trouble in that fiasco.

Well, today, via the magic of Facebook, we learned Neal has opened his own firm --- Wade Neal Law. It seems the appropriately titled Wade Neal Law will have a focus on IP law (intellectual property: copyright, trademark, trade secret), and entertainment issues, servicing "start-ups, existing businesses, and individuals."

You can find the Wade Neal Law Facebook page here. 

YOU HEARD IT HERE 22ND >>>

As has been appropriately noted elsewhere in the blogosphere, usually by the reposting of the official press release (which we'll do below), the Tacoma Arts Commission announced the funding of 18 local artists for 2011-2012 today. The list of fundees is full of familiar names, including Jeremy Gregory, Chris Sharp, Lisa Kinoshita and Jason Ganwich (among others). This is definitely a prestigious honor for all artists involved. As you'll recall, for the 2009-2010 cycle the Tacoma Arts Commission laid down big cash for RR Anderson's Tacomic book. Money well spent.

See the press release below ...

Read more...

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Today's comment comes from Joan Sample, in regard to Paul Schrag's recent feature on the Focus on the Nation event at the University of Puget Sound.

Sample writes,

One proud mama says "How exciting is this?!! Keep up the great great work, Millennials!"