LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

4th Ave Ale House Olympia - Downtown. Congratulations CD Release Show, with Mercurial. 9 pm.

Backstage Bar & Grill Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Agent Orange. 8 pm. $10.

Bob's Java Jive Tacoma - Central. The Razzberry Jam Band, Fight The Quiet, Ravens Rant. 9 pm.

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. Mighty High. 9:30 pm. NC.

• Bobble Tiki got Mighty High ... the band ... for his Three Questions interview. The Tacoma jammers will play Doyle's Public House Saturday night. Trevor Nicely was nice enough to answer a few (read: three) of Bobble Tiki's questions. Check out th einterview here. – Bobble Tiki
  

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Sin, Open Rebuke, Tangent, .38 Kaufman. 8 pm. NC.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. The Northwest Sons, Rise N Shine, Ethan Tucker. 8:30 pm. $10.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Whoa Dizzy. 9 pm.

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. Psycho 78. All Ages. 7 pm. NC.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Josiah & Sam Bogle. All Ages. 6 pm. NC. Lung Cancer Research Benefit, with Robert Boyd. All Ages. 8 pm. $5.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Joel's Birthday Party, with Pac Man Complex. 9 pm.

O'Malley's Irish Pub Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Warehouse Presents Slowwave, Land Of Pines, Lemolo. 9 pm.

Sampan Restaurant and Lounge Lacey. Motamouth Jones. 8 pm.

• If you're trying to catch a show this week, I suggest checking out Tacoma's own Motamouth Jones. This MC has been making noise in the streets since the early ‘90s, winning battles, corner ciphers  and talent shows all around town. Now he's rolling with Tacoma's King Jay Barz. That should tell ya'll something. He really can rap as fast as Twista, too. Come check Motamouth's uniquely Tacoma swagger this Saturday at the Sampan in Lacey. Read my full clumn here. - Josh Rizeberg
  

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Leukemia Benefit, with Mad Silence, High Noon Horizon. 9 pm. $5.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Pearl Django. All Ages. 8 pm. $10-$15.

Washington Center for the Performing Arts Olympia - Downtown. Benefit Concert featuring Lisa Koch and the Righteous Mothers, Benefiting Monarch Children's Justice and Advocacy Center. All Ages. 8 pm. $25.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

DAY FOUR >>>

If Oberhofer was on the verge of making it big on the way to SXSW, his performances yesterday will push him over the edge. I caught part of his set early in the day at the Brooklyn Vegan party at Barbarella, and then his whole set later in the evening at the Noisey party at Kiss and Fly.

When I saw him last year at Squeak and Squawk, he played with a hastily thrown-together band and only ended up doing the four songs they were able to rehearse earlier in the day. It was fun, but sloppy, and didn't quite capture the energy of his record.

Now, with a full-time band and a touring schedule that includes opening for the likes of Tapes n' Tapes and Handsome Furs, Oberhofer (the band) has clearly mastered its live show. Even more propulsive and frantic than the recordings, this new Oberhofer is a ball of furious energy, full of drastic stop-start dynamics and goofy onstage theatrics like leaping off of the kick drum. It was a star-making performance.

Earlier in the evening, I caught my third Nightgowns set at SXSW-their official showcase at the Bat Bar. The stage at Bat Bar opens out onto the street behind the band. Lookers-and-dancers-on outside the bar gave the performance an odd Today Show feel. The Nightgowns were in fine form as usual, and attendance at the show included Brandt Detling from Tall Girl.

While dropping in on various other concerts, I managed to catch the first little bit of Wild Flag, whose first show I saw in Olympia last year. I had to abandon ship at the venue, the Parish, because it was so goddamn muggy and crowded. I feel bad for the people that have to perform on that stage and all the weight they lose in the process.

I ended my night on the rooftop at Maggie Mae's for the Twin Shadow show. Twin Shadow knocked it out of the park with their majestic New Wave. Lead-singer George Lewis Jr. is a born frontman-a good-looking, sharp-dressed man with remarkably expressive vocals and the ability to shred on the guitar when need be. He had the crowd in the palm of his hand and didn't disappoint.

Today, my plan is to have no plan. I'll wander around Sixth Street - zoo that it is - and see whoever catches my eye. My favorite experiences so far have included bands about whom I've never heard. Let's keep that train rolling.

SUNDAY, MARCH 20: GREATER DOWNTOWN TACOMA, FIRST ROUND >>>

Let's see, your boss is on vacation next week, meaning there's no need to actually show up on time to work Monday morning, meaning the party train should continue to chug through the wee hours of today. Everybody all aboard!

However, you need to check off a couple items first. Number one: check out yesterday's Tournament of Pizza winners below. Number two: Vote on the eight pizza joints battling it out today - also below. Number three: Scroll to the very bottom, examine the eight pizza places that will compete in the tournament Monday and go grab a pizza from one of them.

After you have completed those three tasks, head off into the night as the boss will be on a plane tomorrow morning.

Yesterday's Results

Spud's Pizza Parlor grabbed 74 percent of the votes over Papa Murphy's Take ‘N' Bake. If we had to guess the reason for Spud's dominance, it would have to be Spud's reputation of being "like a mullet: business in the front and party in the back." It's true. The front half of Spud's is a pizza parlor/family restaurant complete with video games for restless little kids. The back half holds a lounge/large sports bar with a big-screen television for catching sports games for restless big kids. It's a good choice for grabbing a cocktail and pulling up a seat to watch a game with friends, or vote in the Tournament of Pizza on your smart phone.

Family time bores you. Graveyards are damp. Starbucks stains you, and drugs cause cramp. Booze is not lawful, malls are awful ... . Umm, the Weekly Volcano can't rhyme anything else, and apologize to Dorothy Parker. Basically, being "not of age" can suck.  The Weekly Volcano remembers. We have hung out at McDonald's. Browns Point Pizzeria and Louie G's Pizzeria both make awesome pizza pies. However, Louie G's hosts all-ages live music shows. Could that be why the G pulled in 62 percent of the votes over Browns Point?  What kid doesn't enjoy pizza with their rock and roll?

You sneer at things like that. You snigger. But deep down, underneath it all, you know who you are. And you know you secretly crave (crave, we say, crave!) any sort of association with a group or event that has the words "Long Dogs" in the title. You can practically see it emblazoned on the back of a motorcycle jacket. Or... on a menu as the name of an 8-inch by 24-inch pizza size option. Whatever. The Milton Tavern has tagged their largest pizza option with the words "Long Dogs." That's fine by you. You order a Long Dogs sized "Gut Buster" - mozzarella, smoked bacon bits, ham, sausage and salami - and don't care what people think. The Milton Tavern grabbed 59 percent of the votes over Neo Wood Fired Pizza yesterday. You will celebrate that victory with another Long Dogs pizza today. That's the kind of person you are.

Trackside Pizza titles their pizzas with names associated with trains, which by the way chug by the downtown Puyallup pizza joint on a regular basis. One of their pizzas is titled "The B & O," not "B.O." Twice we've heard folks order the "B.O." at Trackside. Black Forest ham, pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushroom, black olive does not smell like B.O. It smells - and tastes - delicious. So does the "Grand Trunk Express," which is basically the B & O but with green pepper, tomato, oregano and garlic added. That's Grand Trunk Express" not "Grand Funk Express." Whatever you decide to call Trackside's pizzas, you can still keep track of them in the Tournament of Pizza as Trackside pulled in 65 percent of the votes over Round Table Pizza.

The following four pizza joints will advance to the next round:

• Spud's Pizza Parlor
• Louie G's Pizzeria
• The Milton Tavern
• Trackside Pizza

Today's Competition

Sponsored by al Forno Ferruzza Traditional Sicilian Cuisine

OK, time to move on to today's pizza battles.

(CONTEST CLOSED: CHECK MONDAY'S SPEW POSTS FOR WINNERS)

Primo Grill vs. The New Frontier Lounge

Primo Grill's menu is a wonderful blend of Mediterranean and Northwest cuisine. And one of many items that you may order is delicious wood-fired pizza baked in an oven averaging 624 degrees. After the thin crust is delicately topped with caramelized onions, pancetta, house smoked salmon or some other gourmet treat, the concoction slides into the oven for roughly five minutes until the crust develops that irresistible char and crunchiness.  The New Frontier Lounge is a Tacoma Dome District hangout that hosts live music, as well as the awesome Wednesday night Rock & Roll Bingo. Their pizza seems to be their most popular food item. Has anyone tried their chicken finger pizza?

• Primo Grill (601 S. Pine)
• The New Frontier Lounge (301 E. 25th St.)

Upper Crust Bistro vs. Adriatic Grill

Upper Crust knows how to bake. They excel at it. Their breadsticks are the best in all of the land. Their scones are to die for. And their pizza crust is amazing. If you love pasta, garlic and the aromas, the flavors and the global influence of food from Italy and the Mediterranean, then you'll enjoy Chef Bill and Monique Trudnowski's restaurant, The Adriatic Grill. Their sevens pizzas offer a combination of thin, fire-toasted crust with just enough oil, spicy sauce and creamy cheese.

• Upper Crust Bistro (2714 N. 21st St.)
• Adriatic Grill (4201 S. Steele St.)

Harmon Tap Room vs. Ravenous

Harmon Brewery Company has built a space where folks can gather to drink beer, eat pizza, watch the game and gab away. During breaks in conversation or the game, patrons may watch brewers craft beer through huge windows. The Tap Room pizza with spicy sausage, black olives, red onions and a delicious buttery crust is our game buddy.  Ravenous is an intimate Italian restaurant in Tacoma's Theater District that serves delicious Italian dishes including pizzas - our favorite being a zippy little number with fennel sausage, sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella with a mild jalapeño white sauce. 

• Harmon Tap Room (208 St. Helens Ave.)
• Ravenous (785 Broadway)

The Rock Wood Fired Pizza vs. Meconi's Pub & Eatery

The rock and roll themed Rock serves red and white sauce pizzas with tons of toppings and lots of mozzarella for a hearty meal. The Rock Wood Fired Pizza piles the cheese on to the point of perfection. Do not order extra cheese; you will create a super-saturated slice.  Meconi's sports a classic pub-like environment in a Pacific Avenue storefront. Its medium-sized menu includes burgers, salads, sandwiches, and, of course, pizza. They offer seven, 12-inch Italian-style pizzas with additional toppings for variations. It's an inviting place to hang out with friends.

• The Rock Wood Fired Pizza (1920 S. Jefferson Ave.)
• Meconi's Pub & Eatery (709 Pacific Ave.)

Tomorrow's Pizza Battles: West Region

Game 1: Tides Tavern (2925 Harborview Dr., Gig Harbor) vs. Terry's Office Tavern (3410 N. Proctor St., Tacoma)

Game 2: Nick-N-Willy's Pizza (2602 N. Proctor, Tacoma)vs. Fondi Pizzeria (4621 Point Fosdick Dr. NW, Gig Harbor) 

Game 3: Blue Cannon Pizza Co. (4726 Borgen Blvd. NW, Gig Harbor) vs. Lakewood Pub & Grill (7505 Steilacoom Blvd. SW, Lakewood)

Game 4: Stonegate Pizza (5419 South Tacoma Way) vs. The Fan Club (8315 83rd Ave SW, Lakewood)

LINK: What's up with this pizza tournament?

LINK: Oh hell yes I want the Weekly Volcano newsletter!

ON THE SCENE REPORT >>>

Saturday at South by Southwest had the the longest lines of the entire week, the most people, and the strongest winds. It felt like the apex of all the week's hectic festivities — an overstuffed explosion of bodies and noise, drunkenly warring against the forces of nature (wind, sun).

During an early afternoon set by New York band the Forms, a fuse was blown after their second song and a sudden gust of wind lifted an entire canopy off the crowd and flipped it over, nearly tearing down low-hanging strands of lights and causing at least one can of beer to empty, geyser-like. It felt like a bad omen, and the band ended up with only enough time for three songs, though all sounded great. Their combination of electric mandolin, tribal rhythms, stabbing synths, and Tuneyards-esque harmonized yelping proved pretty hard to resist.

As I milled about on the East Side, I eventually found myself outside of a record store called Trailer Space, where a DIY punk show was being thrown. Inside, Hoboken band Personal and the Pizzas (their Jersey roots are real, their affected accents are not) were performing. Various Northwest DIY mainstays were drinking in the parking lot. I couldn't stay for long, and soon after I made my way to Cheer Up Charlie's. I arrived not a moment too soon: the venue was already near capacity by 6 p.m. The venue's afternoon/evening programming included sets by Diamond Rings, Dirty Beaches, Austra, Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and Dan Deacon (hence the crowd).

Pains of Being Pure at Heart took the main stage at sunset, playing a dramatic, captivating cache of their tender Reagan-era rock. "Let's fucking destroy this shit!" frontman Kip Berman shouted at the top of their set. After their blistering opening number, he clarified his statement: "We mean that in a mild-mannered, pussy kind of way." The band, while rather gentle on record, were explosive live, and for their fourth song onwards, kids were moshing in the middle of the crowd.

I had to leave PBPH early to try and get a good spot for the Dan Deacon concert right around the corner, but that proved to be a futile exercise — the narrow lot behind Cheer Up Charlie's was so congested with people that all I could see was Deacon's infamous glowing green skull grinning from its perch atop a pole next to the Baltimore musician's gear table. I could tell it was going to be a wild show (but when are Dan Deacon shows anything but wild?) when I saw at least one Deacon lookalike in the crowd, a man wearing four pairs of sunglasses and a disco ball on a chain around a neck, and a guy crowd-surfing before the music had even started. That crowd-surfer would prove to be the first of many others, and Deacon's typically-ecstatic set had the entire lot dancing so hard that great nose-clogging clouds of dust kept getting kicked up in the revelry. Though there was the apparent danger of the power failing during the set, Deacon soldiered on, leading the crowd in a dance battle and other hive-mind inanity. The highlight, certainly, was the distorted new song Deacon played. He later revealed to the crowd that his next full-length record is "completely written" but not recorded. Needless to say, I can't wait. All of his Bromst and Spider-man of the Rings material sounded incredible in the sweaty Austin dusk.

I closed out my night with the much-anticipated set by white-hot LA rap collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. They took their sweet time getting onstage, but when Tyler the Creator came barreling out in a ski mask and ironically cheesy eagle tee, the crowd flipped. The band, as aggressive as ever, taunted the crowd and ran around the strange with the energy of sugar-high toddlers. Amps were mounted, mics were indifferently tossed offstage, and after three insanely intense songs, the band threw their mics on the floor in disgust, walked offstage and never returned. This may sound anticlimactic, but it was also remarkably savvy. They'd played other, assuredly better sets this week, and by bailing on a concert sponsored by the magazine whose cover they currently grace (Billboard), they maintained their "fuck everything" cred and gave all the music biz bigwigs in the crowd something to tweet about in the morning. Was it the performance I was hoping to see? Was it worth missing out on personal favorites Gobble Gobble (one of the best live bands in the world)? Did it properly close out this exhausting, euphoric week? Of course not, but it was a show I'll never get, which I'm sure was exactly the point.

LINK: Weekly Volcano's SXSW 2011 coverage

SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2011 >>>

1. Spring is upon us. Thankfully. However, all those snowy and rainy days has left us with one big muddy mess. The folks over at Metro parks are donning huge smiles this morning as their inaugural Titlow Trails Mud Run 5K kicks off at noon. Race day check-in begins at 11 a.m. at the picnic shelter near Titlow Lodge. Hurry!

2. The NCAA Basketball Tournament teams you picked in your office pool have all been defeated. You feel like rocking back and forth while wrapped in a blanket. Snap out of it! Head on down to the Washington State History Museum before 5 p.m. and discover what happens to those wrapped in blankets in the Wrapped! The Search for the Essential Mummy exhibit.

3. Several business owners and local creative types will present their finest offerings of gallery art, painted furnishings and handcrafts, vintage clothing and jewelry, baked goods and floral arrangements, clothing, handbags and accessories from noon to 4 p.m. as part of the Spring Fling at the Flying Monkey Mercantile on Sixth Avenue.

4. The Floating World at Pacific Lutheran University is a profoundly ambitious stage presentation that lasts almost three hours and passes through every emotion from lust to rage to ennui. Read our full review here. Pound some energy drinks and take it in beginning at 2 p.m.

5. Broken Trail will be hosting the Lady Luck Cowgirl Up jam session in Parkland beginning at 4 p.m.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Dawson's Bar and Grill Tacoma - South. Blues Jam, hosted by Tim Hall. 8 pm.

Immanuel Presbyterian Church Tacoma - Northend. Blues Vespers, featuring Junkyard Duo, Doug McCloud. All Ages. 4 pm. NC.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Psychic Salon. 9 pm.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Open Mic, with Denny Foreman & Friends. All Ages. 6 pm. NC.

O'Malley's Irish Pub Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. The Cruzin' Kings. 9 pm.

Northern Olympia - Downtown. Golden Ghost, Mother McKenzie, Seed. All Ages. 8 pm. $5.

• Beneath Golden Ghost's quivering fragility and twee innocence, there is a vague creepiness. The lead singer's voice is childlike and small, but she gives the impression that she may be the kind of person whom you can get far too close to, far too quickly. Roundly muted guitars, gently brushed drums and sweetly singing violins swirl around her vocals in an ambient haze that sometimes approaches twilight soft rock in tone and temperature. But all the while, that edginess creeps in a way that suggests this gentle lulling might not end well if you were to give yourself over to it. In time, Golden Ghost's twinkling Christmas lights begin to look unmistakably fluorescent - blinding and unwelcome. But for those dreamy first moments, nothing feels more like home. - Rev. Adam McKinney

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Billy Roy Danger & The Rectifiers. 8 pm. NC.

Steilacoom Pub and Grill Steilacoom. Sunday open mic with Jeanlizabeth. 8 pm. NC.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Classic Hard Rock All-Ages Jam. All Ages. 6 pm. NC.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Sunday Blues Jam Night. Hosted by Shelly Ely. 7-10 pm.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

MONDAY, MARCH 21, 2011 >>>

1. Filmmaker Russ Meyer more often than not had to deal with obscenity charges, outcries from feminists and objections from stuffy-ass critics who called Meyer and his fans "demented hillbillies." But as a filmmaker, Meyer was more of a tease than the women who starred in his films. The Tacoma Cult Movie Club will celebrate Meyer and his genius at 7 p.m. when they host "Happy Birthday, Russ Meyer (Show Us Your Tits!)" mini-film fest at the Acme Grub Cage. As at all TCMC events, they'll be plenty of shorts, trailers, commercials and popcorn.

2. The Washington State Capital Museum hosts "After Suffrage: Voting Washington Women Change History," a special lecture by Shanna Stevenson, Interpretive Women's History Consortium program coordinator for the Washington State Historical Society. The noon lecture will look forward from the Washington Women's Centennial in 2010 and will discuss how women's right to vote affected the political and social agenda in Washington, particularly from 1910 to 1920. 

3. Weekly Volcano's Alec Clayton is the best art critic on four continents. He's slowly earning notoriety on the others. Clayton is also a damn fine novelist. Comic Books Ink hosts a 7 p.m. staged reading from Clayton's latest novel Reunion at the Wetside featuring the talents of local actors Dennis Rolly at "the author," Chris Cantrell as crime reporter Harry Drews, Jim Patrick as Jim Bright, and Jennie Jenks as Alex Martin. A Q&A and book signing will follow the reading.

4. Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art in Olympia hosts the Uke & Singalong featuring Steve Einhorn, Kate Power at 7 p.m.

5. Dana Nicole, back in Tacoma after hanging out on Maui for four years, sings and performs covers and originals on the piano every Monday at 7:30 p.m. inside The New Frontier Lounge.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

MONDAY, MARCH 21: WEST REGIONAL, FIRST ROUND >>>

With nothing but rainy weather in the 10-day forecast, we're pretty psyched that spring is really starting to unfurl in the South Sound, beckoning us out of our dark caves and into the rainy streets. In fact, it's enough to make us want to start out this awesome week with some pizza. Because to us, nothing says "spring" like rain and pizza.

Yesterday's Results

After the Washington Huskies got eliminated from the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the South Sound jumped on their computers and smart phones and voted in the Tournament of Pizza in droves. At the end of last night, two pizza battles were neck-to-neck and two were blowouts.

Primo Grill and The New Frontier Lounge battled back and forth all day, changing leads several times. It's our guess that Primo Grill's witty newsletter it sent out Friday to its subscribers might have made the difference as the Mediterranean restaurant ended up edging out The New Frontier with 50.9 percent of the votes.

The other close game was Upper Crust Bistro & Bakery vs. Adriatic Grill. We dropped by both restaurants yesterday to check out the behind-the-scenes game day action. Surprisingly, the quieter one - Upper Crust - ended up winning with 50.4 percent of the votes. It could be that the Northend Tacoma Upper Crust was shelling out $5 glasses of wine. Smart move. Upper Crust will meet Primo Grill in the second Round March 28. Lives will change after this one.

When business partners Pat Nagle and Carole Holder opened their Harmon Tap Room to take on production of their beer production, they skipped reproducing the popular pizza recipe from their neighboring Hub joint. Instead, they came up with a new recipe - and it worked. The Harmon Tap Room pulled in 70 percent of the votes over Italian restaurant Ravenous to advance into the Second Round.

The other blowout came in the matchup between The Rock and Meconi's Pub & Eatery, each sitting on opposite ends of downtown Tacoma. The local franchise, more pizza centric Rock grabbed the most votes of the day, smoking the friendly hangout that is Meconi's with 74 percent of the votes. The Rock moves on to the Second Round to face the Harmon Tap Room March 28.

The following four pizza joints will advance to the next round:

• Primo Grill
• Upper Crust Bistro & Bakery
• Harmon Tap Room
• The Rock Wood Fired Pizza

Today's Competition

Sponsored by al Forno Ferruzza Traditional Sicilian Cuisine

OK, time to move on to today's pizza battles. 

(CONTEST CLOSED. SEE TUESDAY'S SPEW POSTS FOR WINNERS.)

Tides Tavern vs. Terry's Office Tavern

Through the years, the Tides Tavern, which serves booze, has seen a number of colorful owners, not the least of which was "Three Fingered Jack," a Jerry Garcia look-alike who ran it in the late '60s and early '70s, and whose tenor voice now entertains Mariners' fans before every game outside the stadium. The Weekly Volcano tipped drinks with Three Fingered Jack this past St. Paddy's Day. He says he's voting for the Tides in this battle. The cigarette smoke and carpeted walls are gone from Terry's Office Tavern in the Northend, but their kick ass pizza remains.

• Tides Tavern (2925 Harborview Dr., Gig Harbor)
• Terry's Office Tavern (3410 N. Proctor St., Tacoma)

Nick-N-Willy's Pizza vs. Fondi Pizzeria

Pizza by the slice, microbrews and wine, happy hour specials, lunch and dinner specials - the Northend loves the Nick-N-Willy's franchise because they do it all: take-n-bake, carry-out and delivery. Can you have a take-n-bake delivered? Yes. Can you take out a delivery person? You bet. Sure, Gig Harbor's Fondi Pizzeria doesn't feel as if we're sitting between Rome and Naples where it takes its name. And the guy working the ovens isn't a rude man-child in a starched shirt who looks down my wife's shirt at every chance, but the pizza takes us back to Italy. The Naples-style pies take full benefit from the blasting heat of those brick-dome ovens and touched with olive oil.

• Nick-N-Willy's Pizza (2602 N. Proctor, Tacoma)
• Fondi Pizzeria (4621 Point Fosdick Dr. NW, Gig Harbor)

Blue Cannon Pizza Co. vs. Lakewood Pub & Grill

Tucked into a newly developed Gig Harbor shopping center that is filled with every imaginable retailer selling pretty much everything under the sun is Blue Cannon Pizza Company. At Blue Cannon it's all about the thin crust. The menu is not creative fusion focused, nor is it a walk on the wild side. Blue Cannon offers eight meat-laden specialty pizzas and five vegetarian pies in a casual, semi-self-serve, kid-friendly environment. The Lakewood Pub & Grill trashed the former owner's outdoors-y motif and serves tasty pizza and other pub food in a simple, clean environment. Every slice of Lakewood hangs out at the Pub.

• Blue Cannon Pizza Co. (4726 Borgen Blvd. NW, Gig Harbor)
• Lakewood Pub & Grill (7505 Steilacoom Blvd. SW, Lakewood)

Stonegate Pizza vs. The Fan Club

Yes the monstrous Stonegate Pizza on South Tacoma Way is a mishmash of art, layout and ideas that sports two live music rooms and a rum bar. However, their pizza is undeniably well through out and incredible. Owner Jeff Call brought in his uncle Larry Turco's crust - the original cracker-like pizza dough recipe that made the Cloverleaf Tavern's pizza famous beginning in the early sixties. The Fan Club, a Lakewood neighborhood sports bar in an old McDonald's building, is known for its pizza, which they take their time building by hand.

• Stonegate Pizza (5419 South Tacoma Way)
• The Fan Club (8315 83rd Ave SW, Lakewood)

Tomorrow's Pizza Battles: South Region

Game 1: Oldschool Pizzeria (108 Franklin St, NE, Olympia) vs. Chuck E. Cheese (625 Black Lake Blvd., Olympia)

Game 2: Brewery City Pizza (several Thurston County locations) vs. Apollo Pizza & Pasta (2302 Harrison Ave. NW, Olympia)

Game 3: al Forno Ferruzza (408 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia) vs. Dirty Dave's Pizza Parlor (3939 Martin Way E., Olympia)

Game 4: Mercato Ristorante (111 Market St. NE, Olympia) vs. Infernos Brick Oven Pizza (111 Tumwater Blvd. SE, Tumwater)

LINK: What's up with this pizza tournament?

LINK: Oh hell yes I want the Weekly Volcano newsletter!

THE LAST HURRAH >>>

There was a certain frantic desperation in the air, Saturday, on-ostensibly-the last day of SXSW. (There are sparse shows happening here and there Sunday, but the festival's basically over.) The sudden realization that a million shows have happened over the past few days and I've only seen a relative few washed over me.

The day started at The Stage, with the Nightgowns' final Austin show. Surprisingly, even though the show was at 2 p.m. and the walls were lined with photo-realistic paintings of country music stars, this turned out to be the Nightgowns' best and most well-attended show of the festival. Being that this was a Seattle showcase, I stayed and watched the next couple bands: the sunny garage rock of Tea Cozies and the earthy folk rock of Ravenna Woods.

Afterward, I wandered around, peeking my head in at the random shows that lined Sixth Street, finally resting at the Benson Interruption, hosted by comedian Doug Benson. The show features comedians-this time including Chelsea Peretti, Eugene Mirman and Brody Stevens (who called me John Hodgman; gush!)-doing standup sets while Doug Benson sits on the stage and interrupts their acts.

Back out on Sixth Street, I wandered over to the Parish, where I caught Casiokids, from Norway. Like much of the music coming from that part of the world, theirs was a slick, disco-flavored pop that did miracles in turning the muggy humidity of the Parish into the perfect spot for dancing out all that Lone Star beer I had been saturated with.

Next, I hit up B.D. Riley's downstairs for a set from Pop Up Animal Kids, from the Netherlands (what is it with European people and putting "kids" in their name?). They are the first band I've seen in town that embrace the idea of band uniforms. Each one was color-coded-either red, blue, green, or yellow. Their crunchy, riff heavy indie rock united the odd assembly of people in the Irish pub. Heavy enough for that guy in leather to bang his head, and groovy enough for that middle-aged dude to awkwardly bob from foot to foot.

But by far the shining moment of the night was the performance from the L.A. shock-rap collective, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All at the Billboard music party. After waiting in line for about 45 minutes and watching as wristband-holders were turned away at the door (making it a badges-only affair) I finally made my way through the gauntlet of entering the club. Three stations of doormen stood, ready to check IDs and badges, search backpacks, and wave people down with a metal-detector.

Once inside, the crowded club was treated to the kind of show that you look for in a festival like SXSW. About 30 seconds into their first song, "Sandwitches," OFWGKTA leader Tyler, the Creator, stopped the song and berated the audience for not being wild enough. They started over, with chants of "wolf gang," "golf wang," and "swag" ringing through the club.

Tyler, the Creator and Hodgy Beats took turns jumping onto the monitors to swat at lights and shout "fuck you" to the crowd. Tyler, the Creator's microphone was a little too quiet, so he said, "Yo, sound guy. Microphone two is shit. Fucking fix it!" before throwing it off stage.

Two songs later, Tyler, the Creator introduced his breakout hit "Yonkers" by announcing that most of the assholes in the room only know this song of theirs. After they finished "Yonkers," Tyler, the Creator once again shouted at the audience, telling the people in the front that they were cool, but that he wanted everyone else to leave.

Finally, after playing three songs, Tyler, the Creator and the rest of OFWGKTA stormed off stage, saying that they fucking hate SXSW, they never even read Billboard, and that this whole show was bullshit.

Chants of "wolf gang" died out after a minute or so, and befuddled press ambled out of the club.

Regardless of what OFWGKTA's intentions were, I think that this was a brilliant marketing strategy. Because the show was badges-only, at that point, a large contingent of the audience was made up of jerky press people like me. We all wanted and expected to see some crazy nonsense from Odd Future, and that's just what they gave us.

I walked across the street to see Starfucker's set at the Parish. But after Odd Future, Starfucker's bland, edgeless indie rock did nothing for me.

I caught my ride and headed back to the house.

LINK: Weekly Volcano's 2011 SXSW coverage

NOTHING'S THE MATTER AT MATTER >>>

If we can believe the readers who voted for Best of Olympia, Matter Gallery is the best gallery in the capitol city, and now they have the best art gallery website in the region. Matter owner Jo Gallaugher has very recently put up the gallery's new website here (matteroly.com).

Matter is into DIY, so naturally when Gallaugher decided she needed an online presence she did it herself. She used a DIY site-building template, but it doesn't look like it was made from a template. Credit her taste in art and the quality of art in her gallery for the nice looking layout and visual appeal. (Also credit 3DCart by InfoMart 2000.)

Matter's clever tagline or motto is "where art and sustainability hang together." All art in the gallery is made from recycled materials. "We are a contemporary, fine art gallery featuring artworks from over 100 artists using recycled and reclaimed materials," says matteroly.com. "While we hope your online experience is enjoyable, please know that we are happy to help via telephone or email. If you have questions about an artwork or artist, need help buying a gift, or want to learn about artworks we have on the way, send email or give us a call!"

Navigation of the site is straightforward and simple. You can search a drop-down menu for artists, or you can search by categories including functional art, lighting, furniture, housewares, gifts, sculpture, and so forth. When you click on thumbnails of any of the artworks to see them larger you also get details such as size and materials - and price, of course.

There is some great sculpture by don Freas. I particularly like his piece called Balance. There's a large sculpture by Marsha Glaziere made from old mattress springs and some great funky lamps by Pat Tassoni and funny figures by Nancy Chambers. There are even some Pill bookends by Brian White made with reclaimed air tanks. Take a look at these and many more. Better yet, drop by the gallery on Fifth Avenue in Oly and see the actual pieces.

You can purchase art from the website, but I highly recommend also seeing the art "in the flesh.

[Matter, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday - Saturday, noon to 5 p.m., Sunday - Tuesday, 113 Fifth Ave. SW, Olympia, 360.943.1760]