THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011 >>>

1. Hmmm. Gee. What to do today? You could always get drunk and fall down ... because it's St. Patrick's Day! Here's a list of South Sound St. Paddy's Day parties. And here are some tips for St. Paddy's Day eating.

2. Without a doubt, Lozen is one of the most kick-ass bands this town has going. Tonight, see Justine Valdez and Hozoji Matheson-Margullis - the forces behind the band - do what they do best at The New Frontier Lounge. Or, if that's not your musical cup of tea, click here for the Weekly Volcano's comprehensive live local music listings.

3. Isaac Olsen's Tacoma-noir classic, Quiet Shoes, screens for free tonight at the Tacoma Art Museum - part of the free Third Thursday series.

4. Speaking of the third Thursday of the month, it's Art Walk time again in Tacoma!

5. The Olympia Little Theater continues its production of Love, Sex and the IRS today.

Being a SXSW virgin, I'm still getting the hang of how to best navigate the festival. Tuesday night, I basically hunkered down at one specific club. Last night, I felt the need to compensate by hitting somewhere between seven and eight clubs. It was a whirlwind evening, but an absolute blast.

I started early at ND at 501 Studios on the East side. My intention was to catch all of John Maus' set, but I only ended up getting there in time for his last two songs. On one wall of the venue was a massive screen displaying intensely psychedelic visuals, but the real show was Maus himself. Being more familiar with his music than his backstory, I wasn't sure what to expect, so I was pretty amused to discover that Maus is a very average-looking dude, singing along to backing tracks on a Roland 404 sampler while gesticulating awkwardly, pumping his fists, and doing jumping jacks and other callisthenic exercises. If he'd sung his bleary baritone pop in drag from atop an African elephant, I think it actually would have felt less weird. It was an endearing performance, and the crowd seemed to be digging it.

The next band I saw was Woodsman—jammy, trippy rockers from Colorado. They played on an outdoor stage at Cheer Up Charlie's, which was the perfect setting for their psychoactive noodling. The set started slow, building gradually into sweeping stoner rock. It was balmy, the sun had just set, and gusts of wind would occasionally whorl up light clouds of dust into the crowd's eyes. By the end of their epic first song, Woodsman guitarist Mark Demolar had broken two strings on his guitar. While a stagehand rushed to procure another, bandmate Trevor Peterson lent his guitar to Demolar, and the band launched into another track. Peterson sang into a mic that was plugged into a dizzying array of effects pedals, producing strange and alien sounds. When Peterson was handed a new axe, the band tore into more material from their awesome new record Rare Forms. By the time their set wound down, distant searchlights were tracing faint arcs in the night sky behind them. It was a magical performance, and one that I seriously enjoyed. So, too, apparently, did the ladies from No Joy, who I happened to spy in the crowd.

From there, I hoofed it to a club called Fuze, where young Vallejo rapper Droop-E was set to perform. Before Droop-E (aka Earl Stevens, Jr.) came on, an emcee thanked the crowd and dished about how hiphop at SXSW was a fairly recent phenomenon, dating back—in his estimation—only about three or four years (2011 marks the festival's twenty-fifth anniversary. Hiphop and rap music have arguably been around for at least thirty years). I was pumped when Droop-E and his requisite Hype Man took the stage. His recent free EP BLVCK Diamond Life is out-of-this-world awesome, with West Coast cadences poured over sick beats and Sade Adu samples.

"Sade is pretty much the greatest artist ever," Droop-E told the disbelieving crowd. "[She's in the] top ten at least."

As someone who's spent an inordinate amount of time and energy tracking and attempting to document the recent resurgence in adult contemporary, smooth jazz, soft rock, and new age sounds in various genre varietals of independent music, I had no problem stomaching Droop-E's claim. BLVCK Diamond Life constitutes one of the most successful attempts at reviving and recontextualizing outré retro schmaltz.

He kicked his set off with "I'm Loaded" (which ingeniously samples Sade singing "I'm lonely" in such a way that it sounds like she's echoing Droop-E's braggadocio), and followed it with "Like a Tattoo," "Hungry," and the Björk-sampling "Spend the Night." Though Droop-E and his Hype Man plugged BLVCK Diamond Life ad infinitum, I was impressed that they never mentioned Droop-E's blood connection to big-timer E-40 (E-40 is his father, Suga-T and D-Shot are his aunt and uncle). The kid's going to make it on his own damn steam. If I had any complaints about Droop-E's set, it would be that a) it was way too short and b) he deserved a much, much bigger crowd.

After Droop-E, I flitted in and out of a handful of clubs, catching snippets of DJ sets and performances by various UK artists. By the end of the night, I was at Mohawk, taking in some of hard-rap collective Curren$y's set and music by solo emo-step artist Baths. I'd recently seen Baths in Seattle, but last night afforded me a more intimate opportunity to take in some of the new songs he's been playing on the road. They seemed to be even more melodramatic than his Cerulean songs, if you can believe it. 

Today, I intend to catch as many (or more) bands, including some locals. And the forecast is for even warmer weather. To cite the title of a Woodsman jam, I'll have to try and "Beat the Heat."

DAY TWO RECAP >>>>

Yesterday was mostly spent at the Spider House - an awesome venue with three stages. If you weren't into a particular band you could walk to another stage and see what was happening there.

The mission for being at the Spider House was to see Butts (Seattle) and Christmas (Olympia). Butts-a two-piece comedy-punk group-played first. The band's set is about half music and half banter, with the guitarist and drummer joking around before launching into one of their mostly under-a-minute songs. Topics covered: alcohol, cigarettes, taking naps, and the female tradition of doing the "wiggle dance" in the absence of toilet paper. Their set was short, sweet, and refreshing given the abundance of self-important bands that surrounded them.

Later, Christmas played a high-energy set of reverb-heavy surf-punk. Lead-singer Emily Beanblossom did well at establishing and maintaining a dancy, fun atmosphere, and watching the interplay between the guitarist and bassist was great.

However, my favorite discovery out of the ten or so bands I saw at the Spider House was a duo called Carletta Sue Kay, a duo out of San Francisco. One man on guitar, the other on a microphone-a mountain of a man, wearing tights, a wig, and a skirt. The band's music could best be described as torch songs, but with a bit of an edge. The singer had a great, expressive voice. It was the kind of voice that inspired applause breaks mid-song. They closed with a Gladys Knight and the Pips cover and brought the house down.

Here's a video of Carletta Sue Kay from last year's SXSW ...

In the evening, I caught up with the Nightgowns and saw a little bit of a set from the Growlers, whom I have previously covered in the Volcano. The Nightgowns and I waited for about an hour in line for Duran Duran before calling it quits and going to bed.

On deck for today: sets from Oberhofer, Tune-Yards and the Nightgowns.

GOODBYES ARE HARD >>>

After 32 years in business, Sluggo Music is closing its doors. By the end of the month every gold cymbal, every wood-grained guitar and every last guitar pick will be sold off. The iconic Sluggo sign on the front of the building will disappear. Upstart musicians will lose their Sixth Avenue spot for Ernie Ball guitar strings and expert musical knowledge. 

To read our full article, including an interview with owner Jack Dolan and Plastards guitarist Rich Bundy, click here.

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OLD RHYTHM AND BREWS LOCATION WELCOMES THE LAUGHS NEXT WEEK >>>

Just five months old and like a growing newborn, Tacoma Comedy Club is already too big for its britches.  The only difference is Tacoma Comedy Club co-owners Adam Norwest and Aaron Flett-Riggs aren't whining. Instead, they're enabling their very own growth spurt - planning a move next weekend to 933 Market Street in downtown Tacoma. (For those not keen on addresses, the new Tacoma Comedy Club will reside in the space formerly known as Rhythm and Brews.)

To read the full story, click here.

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Today's comment comes from Tacoma poet Antonio Edwards Jr., in regard to a story by Zach Powers on HB 1126 and the recent town hall it inspired.

Edwards (eloquently) writes,

The Slave Code (HB 1126) The Remix

Politicians are into hip hop now
Their latest Hit
A Slave Code remix
House Bill 1126
Now I'll take the Liberty to change the word "Slaves" to "Gangs"
In order to uncover this diabolical plan
In U.S. history, laws governing the status of gangs were enacted
by states that permitted conditions that created them.
IF law enforcement labeled you a Gang member
You were considered a criminal rather than a citizen
With only felonious rights

In this era of privately own prisons
Your incarceration have become the latest family business
the daughter is the stenographer
the Uncle is the Judge
the Nephew is the Prosecutor
the cousin is the defense attorney
the brother is the correction officer
and the Grandfather, he is the Warden

When free enterprise intersects with a captive market
Abuses are bound to happen
Welcome to the Prison Industrial Complex
Also known as PIC
A multibillion-dollar industry
With its own trade shows and conventions,
Its own Web sites, mail order catalogues, and direct marketing campaigns.
It includes some of the nation's largest architecture and construction firms,
No longer a surprised
The plan for my demise has been openly constitutionalized
Kill this Bill

Antonio Edwards Jr.
2011

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

4th Ave Ale House Olympia - Downtown. Angie & The Car Wrecks, Big Quinn. 9 pm.

A Rhapsody In Bloom Florist and Cafe Latte Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Scott Cossu. All Ages. 7 pm.

Beyond the Bridge Cafe Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Open Mic Night. All Ages. 7 pm. NC.

Dawson's Bar and Grill Tacoma - South. Mojo Overload. 9 pm. NC.

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. Coldnote, Excellent Gentlemen. 9:30 pm. NC.

Harmon Tap Room Tacoma - Stadium District. Radio Edit. 8 pm.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. My Life In Black & White, Neutralboy, South 11th, Dead Giveaways, The Plastards. 9 pm. NC.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. The New Blues Brothers. 8 pm. $10.

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. Randy Hansen. All Ages. 8 pm. $10.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Heavy Hammer. All Ages. 6 pm. NC. Annie Henry, with Mike Saunders. All Ages. 8 pm. $5.

Maxwell's Speakeasy Tacoma. Lance Buller Trio. All Ages. 7-10 pm. NC.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. CFA, Stone Axe. 9 pm.

O'Malley's Irish Pub Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Rafael Tranquilino, DB & The Struggle. 9 pm.

Peabody Waldorf Gallery Tacoma - Downtown. Fur Hood, North American War. All Ages. 7 pm.

• Whereas virtually all of the best-known Icelandic bands have an incredibly likeminded sound (wintry, angelic, experimental), it's a lot harder to make that kind of generalization about Scotland, which also borders the frigid Atlantic Ocean. Indie rock foursome Fur Hood is a prime example of Scotland's musical diversity. The Glaswegians sound remarkably like America's most sun-baked, mellowed-out jammers (Real Estate, Norse Horse), with a damp, lagoon-ready guitar sound and sunny disposition that seems at odds with their geographic origins. More "chilled out" than "chilly," Fur Hood are as warm and comforting as their name implies, and their sonic showmanship is in keeping with a longstanding tradition of UK musicians one-upping America at our own musical game (blues-inspired rock 'n' roll, anyone?). - Jason Baxter

Red Bicycle Bistro and Sushi Bar Vashon. Picoso. All Ages. 9 pm. $5.

• While Olympia often has a few bagpipers skirting around downtown on St. Patty's Day squeaking out classic Irish ditties, there are other options out there. Instead, how about some lively, upbeat music that you can really move to? I'm not talking about a DJ spinning New Wave or Top 40; I'm talking about a live six-piece salsa band. A band that has full credit up and down the coast for being able to move crowds into a sweaty, booty-shaking night of fun. The band is Picoso, and they fill every inch of open air with sound. Trumpet, congas, timbales and more each find their perfect rhythm in the characteristic sound of traditional salsa music - with a little Northwest flavor. - Nikki Talotta

The Spar Olympia - Downtown. Eleanor Murray. All Ages. 8 pm. NC.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Ray Hartman & Friends. 9 pm.

Tacoma Community College Bldg. #3 Tacoma - Westside. TCC Jazz Band. Eric Stevens leads this 20-piece ensemble in many jazz favorites. All Ages. 7:30 pm. Free.Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Pearl Django. All Ages. 8 pm. $10-$15.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

FRIDAY, MARCH 18: FOUR PIZZA BATTLES ON THE DOCKET >>>

Pizza. Everyone eats it. Everyone has a favorite. Loyalty? No other foodstuff can inspire the rabid fandom of a true pizza devotee. The South Sound turned out in force to vote in yesterday's kickoff of the Tournament of Pizza competition. Phone trees were instigated. Neighbors were harrassed. Computer labs were invaded. Our poor little blog had to work overtime as droves voted in First Round action.

Yesterday's Results

The Cloverleaf Pizza, with its rich local history, grabbed franchise Papa Johns Pizza by the crust and flung it against the wall with 69 percent of the votes. The Cloverleaf partied hard last night in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Someone run over there and wake them with the news that they're advancing to the next round.

Ten votes. That's the margin of victory Joeseppi's Italian Ristorante had over the Ale House sports bar. Was it Joe Stortini's political connections that advanced his Joeseppi's to the next round? Maybe it was the Italian joint's massive slice of chocolate cake on the dessert menu. Whatever it was the North Tacoma Italian restaurant will need it March 25 when it faces The Cloverleaf Pizza. Families will be torn apart that day.

Tacoma's Sixth Avenue is a long-ass street. And it's loaded with pizza joints in this competition. Two of them - Delbrocco's Philly style Pizza and Mona Pizza and pasta – faced off yesterday in a brutal battle that went down to the wire. After the cheese stopped bubbling, Delbrocco's emerged victorious with 50.2 percent of the vote. Yup, we're talking one vote. Not one to moan, Mona might have anyway.

Lakewood's Pizza Casa might serve square-shaped pizza, but the tiny joint is anything but square. It's old-school cool, and tough as hell. Cerello's Pizza couldn't capitalize on it's central Tacoma location and fell hard to the Casa with only 30 percent of the votes. Could Pizza Casa's cocktail pictorial paper placemats have anything to do with the win. Delbrocco's might want to ponder that when they face the Lakewood powerhouse March in Second Round action.

Let's weed through the toppings. The following are advacing to the next round:

• The Cloverleaf Pizza
• Joeseppi's Italian Ristorante
• Delbrocco's
• Pizza Casa

Today's Competition (CLOSED)

OK. time to move on to today's pizza battles. Vote for one pizza joint per battle.

Vic's Pizzeria vs. Pizzeria La Gitana

An Olympia powerhouse, and rightful number two seed in the Tournament of Pizza bracket's South Region, Vic's Pizzeria of Olympia is expected by most professional pizza prognosticators (say that three times fast) to cruise to victory on the back of their well-earned reputation, classic hand-tossed New York style pies - available with conventional toppings or those only a Greener could love - and overall awesomeness. However, it would also be foolish to sleep on Yelm's Pizzeria La Gitana, a relative new comer, but a 15 seed boasting a young squad with lots of upside. Word on the street is La Gitana, which popped up to Yelm's delight in a former coffeehouse, makes a tasty wood-fired pizza.

Figaro's Pizza vs. Casa Mia

Casa Mia has built a pizza and Italian food empire of sorts. Born in Hoquiam of all places, and built into what it is today in the restaurant's Lacey and Olympia locations almost 30 years ago, Casa Mia's pizzas have put so many award banners in their proverbial arena rafters that the restaurant is approaching dynasty status. However, has Casa Mia simply been so good for so long that the bracketologist (read: readers who seeded this thing) have started to take the restaurant for granted? A 10 seed? Really? Well, we'll see when Casa Mia takes on the seventh seeded Figaro's (and their mustacheod mascot), in a battle of mini-franchises. Is an upset in the works?

Farrelli's Woodfire Pizza vs. Ramblin Jacks

There may be multiple Farrelli's locations, but each one feels so independent that the Tournament of Pizza bracketolgists (again, read: readers who seeded this thing) voted to include both the DuPont Farrelli's as a No. 5 seed in the South Region, and the Tacoma Farrelli's as a No. 6 seed in the Downtown Tacoma region. Today, Farrelli's of DuPont battles Olympia institution and 11^th seeded Ramblin Jacks, the tasty leader of the Ramblin Jack's empire (see: the Mercado, i.Talia Pizzeria and the Rib Eye). There's no denying the wood-fired, family friendly atmosphere of Farrelli's should equate to a tough pie to defend on the hardwood, but will it be able to match the tenacity of well-conceived Ramblin Jack's favorites like the Smoked Pork Shoulder pizza? The voting will decide. ...

Smitty's Authentic Chicago Style Food vs. Ricardo's

Ricardo's in Lacey is not the type of place you think of when you think of pizza. Steaks? Sure. But it's understandable that the restaurant's pies are flying into the Tournament of Pizza under the radar of most. But as we all know, an "us against the world" mentality can go a long way toward bringing a team together. Smitty's, on the other hand, enters the Big Dance with a lot of hype (co-publisher and occasional food writer Ken Swarner has personally endorsed this pizza), and - perhaps more importantly - Smitty's carries a serious, Chicago-style size advantage. This is the type of pie you need two hands to carry home in the box -able to fill you up in all the right ways. So, what will happen? Smitty's probably has the more "talented" pizza on paper, but as we all know the Tournament of Pizza isn't played on paper (it's played with mouse clicks).

THIS SEEMS VAGUELY FAMILIAR >>>

City of Tacoma's Tax & Licensing Division has summarily revoked the business licenses of at least 19 medical marijuana dispensaries within the city limits. Dispensary owners received letters yesterday, March 17, demanding that they cease to operate by March 28 or face fines and penalties, up to and including criminal prosecution.

This comes less than six months after Tacoma officials promised to  grant amnesty to dispensaries pending legal clarification likely to be provided during this year's legislative session. Since then, several other cities, including Federal Way and Fife, have offered similar moratoriums to dispensaries.  Meanwhile, two bills are currently moving through legislative process. House Bill 1550 and SB 5073, which has been approved by the State Senate, would each in their own way provide for legal operation of dispensaries. Both bills, especially SB 5073, have received criticism from patient and co-op advocates.

Last October City of Tacoma officials overruled similar orders sent by Tax & Licensing which, working hand-in-hand with Tacoma Police advisors, had ordered eight dispensaries to close. Following delivery of the orders, patients and advocates rallied outside City Hall, only to be told that city officials had decided to enact an emergency moratorium until the state legislature had a chance to clarify what has been criticized as a poorly written state law. Tacoma's moratorium came with the message that city officials were not "in favor of getting between patients who have a legitimate medical need and access to that medicine."

Has that changed?

UPDATE: Shortly after posting this blog, the City of Tacoma's Rob McNair-Huff attempted to add clarification in our comment section.

"This action is the same as what took place last fall, and we are asking the 19 new businesses to follow the same process - file an appeal and we won't pursue the appeal until the state legislature has finished its consideration of updating the medical marijuana laws so that there is more clarity," writes McNair-Huff.

UPDATE: The Weekly Volcano was able to catch up with McNair-Huff this morning in hopes he could further explain the situation.

City of Tacoma spokesman Rob McNair-Huff says the action was a procedural one, and encouraged dispensary owners to file appeals. City officials will extend the same offer that was extended to the eight dispensaries that received similar letters in October - file your appeal, and no action will be taken until the state legislature has a chance to provide clear legal guidelines for operating dispensaries. The action was necessary, McNair-Huff says, because Tacoma's bank of dispensaries has grown from eight to 29 since October, and that new dispensaries needed to occupy the same legal space as their predecessors. City of Tacoma officials are working with medical marijuana advocates such as Washington Cannabis Association to reach out to dispensary owners who may be confused about the city's intentions.

"We don't want to get between patients and their medicine. Our statement still stands," says Mc Nair-Huff. "We just want to bring everybody up to the same level so we can deal with these companies in the same way pending action from the state legislature."

UPDATE: Here's a copy of the letter sent to Tacoma medical marijuana dispensaries yesterday, which the city calls "procedural."

FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2011 >>>

1. If you're as hung-over as we are, you may well need something to balance you out on this day after St. Patrick's Day. Try a bit of yoga, maybe? Or, just try listening to writer Claire Dederer talk about yoga (and life) in Olympia.

2. Dukesbay Production's Java Tacoma: Episode 37, Ashes to Ashes, Cup to Cup is an ode to Tacoma and the unintentional (though very intentional here) humor and dramatic storylines of daytime TV ... which also plays off an undying adoration for everyone's favorite caffeinated beverage. Written by Curtis B. Swanson and directed by Randy Clark, Java Tacoma: Episode 37 is the first work to hit the stage in what is planned to be a yearly installment of this series. You've got two last chances to see it - today or tomorrow.

3. Beyond the Bridge Café on Tacoma's Sixth Avenue is the extended living room for musicians and musicians-in-the-making every Friday night during its all-ages open mic. People - ranging from members of the silver haired set to tweenies - read, surf the Net, chat or kick back with a beer or a mug of joe and listen to music strum and holler from the stage. Check it out tonight. Or, click here for the Volcano's comprehensive live local music listings.

4. Sometimes the best possible therapy is blasting someone with a paintball gun. Are we right, or are we right? In this spirit, try checking into Freak Fridays at Tacoma Tactical today.

5. It's "Family Night" at Edgeworks Climbing in Tacoma - meaning your family of scalers can meet other families of scalers. Awesome.