FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2011 >>>

1. The regular art-meets-music-meets-socializing-meets-(usually) booze phenomenon that is Artifakt has finally made it to Hell's Kitchen - throwing some flames on the show flyer for good measure. Those who know art in this town know about Artifakt and the cats behind it, so it should come as no surprise that tonight's Artifakt get-together at 8 p.m. inside Hell's Kitchen will be a total who's who of the T-Town arts scene. Even better, expect performances from the Gritty City Sirens burlesque troop, music from Pioneers West, Elbow Coulee, Stoned Evergreen Traveler and DJ Slow, live body art and featured artists Laura Eklund, James Hume, James Tucker, Julie Luke and others. Tacoma is an arts town. Be a part of it.

2. Aaron Schmookler, director of Gold From Straw's Sloth, which opens at 8 p.m. inside the Theatre on the Square, says, "Scripts are notoriously difficult to read, laborious even ... Sloth was a page-turner on the first read. ... While (technical) challenges are things we've certainly wrested with, we trust the story to carry even where our technical solutions only hint at the play's events." Since the play is a comedy about a retired firefighter, it'd be easy to interpret this cynically as, "I hate reading plays, and we can't afford awesome fire scenes anyway." Luckily, we're fond of Schmookler, so we're confident his band of theatrical upstarts will bring it hardcore.

3. The Weekly Volcano kind of went freakin' nuts gushing over this weekend Olympia Arts Walk. You can't blame us. Anyone who has attended the spring version knows it's the party of the year. We preview the event here, talk about its righteous art here, here and here, and even go on about the music here. However, 5 Things To Do Today would love to give a big "Hell Yes!" to the 8:30 p.m. show at the Capitol Theater featuring Hell's Belles (all female AC/DC tribute band), The Dirty Birds, and Mosquito Hawk (featuring members of C-Average and Fitz of Depression). That, my friends, rocks!

4. As you also learned this week in the Weekly Volcano, the City of Lacey is a force to be reckoned with. What does Lacey pit against the Olympia Arts Walk? Adult Flashlight Egg Scramble. Brilliant. There will be thousands of prizes for you to "find" such as hotel accommodations, restaurant gift certificates, Mariner's tickets, a LCD-HD TV, digital cameras hidden across five ball fields beginning at 9 p.m. Bring $5, a flashlight, a bag for your goodies and, well, you know.

The Weekly Volcano received late word that Shyan Selah & The Republic of Sound will perform at 9 p.m. inside Bud's Saloon & Steakhouse in Milton. Opening acts include Violet Tofeldt and Tony Grace.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Movies open today

LINK: Concerts on sale