EXTENSIVE LOCAL THEATER COVERAGE IN THE WEEKLY VOLCANO >>>

In many ways, Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead is exactly what it promises to be, a juvenile parody of Charles Schulz's beloved Peanuts comic strip and characters. Imagine You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown as rewritten by Kevin Smith. It's undeniably hilarious, even as it goes to places no teenager should have to experience. I'm pretty sure it includes every swear word in the English language; surprisingly, however, it's also more insightful than Linus Van Pelt on his best afternoons by that familiar brick wall. Don Welch deserves credit for directing a game cast with sympathy and welcome subtlety. Hannah Tripp is especially terrific - downright SNL-worthy, in fact - as Marcy.

To read Christian Carvajal's full review of Dog Sees God click here.

[South Puget Sound Community College, Dog Sees God, $7.50­­-$12.50,8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday through May 22, 1827 12th Ave. SE, Olympia, 360.763.8586]

THE VOICE >>>

Tacoma singer/songwriter Vicci Martinez is one of Washington's fastest rising stars, not only because she's a mainstay of the live-music circuit (with national exposure thanks to Star Search and The Voice to her credit), but because fans can't get enough of her youthful spirit juxtaposed with soulful lyrics that tell of a life well lived beyond her years. She's adorable. She's a badass. And she's a serious contender for national fame.

The Weekly Volcano was front-row center (and on stage) for Martinez's sold-out show last night at Jazzbones. It was a love-in. Although Martinez was a little under the weather, you couldn't tell. Her professionalism and energy ran high and, as always, her humility in the face of such fan support was a treasure to witness. Her vocal range has never been better.

Martinez tells us the NBC show The Voice, which she's currently a contestant on, consumes her life. After a "Good Luck Send-Off" show at Jazzbones Wednesday, June 1, she'll be out of town for a long spell.

[Jazzbones, Vicci Martinez with Farko Collective, Wednesday, June 1, 8:30 p.m., $15, $20 reserved seating, 2803 sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169]

LINK: More photos of last night's show

ONLNE CHATTER >>>
Today's comment comes from Ann Stockdale in response to this week's cover story by Alec Clayton on civil rights icon Ruby Bridges, captured by Norman Rockwell when she was six years old, and in town this weekend at the University of Washington Tacoma.

Stockdale writes,

What a wonderful brave little girl.I love her name. Ruby ( because she is a jewel ) and Bridges ( because she helped build a strong bridge). I never realized the depth of Rockwell's civic spirit. Bravo for both painter and subject.

FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011 >>>

1. DJs dAb, Suga Jones, Mr. Clean, Chris Savenetti, and rotating guests spin new wave, '80s, funk, pop and club classics during Beat Boxxx at the Tempest Lounge beginning at 9:30 p.m. Don't be an airhead and miss this bad party.

2. Bike-to-Work Week continues today with a bike fashion show and picnic from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Wright Park. All attendees to the picnic will receive a free box lunch from Marlene's Marketplace.

3. The Thurston County Food Bank Benefit Show goes down at the Black Lake Grange from 6-8:30 p.m. featuring Burdman and friends, Jabi Shriki, Scott Taylor, 5 Stings and The Walrus, Marnie, Trick Cowboy, Momenti Rubati, Good Wood and The Brown Edition.

4. Stick Soup, A Steilacoom Indian Story - the story of a girl struggling to find her place in the local community, and written by Steilacoom Indian tribe leaders Danny K. Marshall and his daughter, Lacie. B. Deck - debuts at 7 p.m. at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom.

5. The Don't Stop Crew presents a night of all-ages hip-hop featuring Night Fox, Never Sleep, Free Whiskey, Billy The Fridge beginning at 8 p.m. inside the Capitol Theater in Olympia.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the south Sound

LINK: New movies open today

MICE ARE IN IT FOR THEMSELVES >>>

In Laura Numeroff's 1985 social treatise If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, she uses the analogy of a mouse to illustrate the dangers of welfare. If you give a mouse a cookie, she warns, he'll want milk. And once he has milk, he'll want a place to sleep. Soon free food and shelter won't be enough. Now he wants a story - free entertainment! - and before long, he's trashed the house you earned for yourself and your family with the sweat of your brow and the competence to succeed. Your misguided generosity will never be enough, and society will collapse into squalor. Mice live in holes, Numeroff explains, because they're inherently weak and unambitious. We humans live in houses because we deserve them, and should feel no obligation to reward poor decisions by lower-class life forms.

Or wait, maybe I'm reading too much into it.

Ayn Randian parables aside, Olympia Family Theater's stage production (adapted by Jody Davidson) is a mostly two-hander about a mouse who takes advantage of a boy's good nature.

To read Christian Carvajal's full review click here.

[Olympia Family Theater, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, $8.50-$15.50, through May 29, Thursday-Saturday 7 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m., 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia, 360.753.8586]

MORE THAN MEN IN TIGHTS >>>

If the history of the Olympia Comics Festival were told in funny book form, this year would be its splash panel.

Whether you know what that sentence meant or not, the folks at Danger Room Comics think this it's time you dropped by. "This is our 10th year," says Executive Director Chelsea Baker. "The stage show costs five dollars, and everything else is free." And if you think all those spandexed crime fighters are just a bit, well, immature, don't let that dissuade you. "We definitely gear our festival more toward alternative comics, not the superhero stuff." This year's festival is Saturday, May 21, in various locations in downtown Oly including Danger Room, Capitol Theater, the Olympia Center and Northern. It celebrates comic artists both locally and nationally. Previous guests include Peter Bagge (Hate), Jaime Hernandez (Love and Rockets) and Joe Sacco (Footnotes in Gaza).

To read Christian Carvajal's full article on the Olympia Comics Festival click here.

[Olympia Comics Festival, May 21, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., free-$5, four locations in downtown Olympia including the Capitol Theater, 206 Fifth Ave. SW, 360.705.3050]

YEE-HAW! >>>

In our weekly editorial meeting at the Weekly Volcano World Headquarters, it was brought to us bloggers' attention that evidence has been found of a hidden genome, somewhere in the phalanges, that causes forefingers to click a mouse whenever the words "First Peek" or "Bra" appear. It's bizarre, but we thought let's mash them together and see if the universe implodes upon itself!

Want to?

Here's a first peek at the new Buck Wild Saloon on the edge of Parkland that encourages women to donate their bras for the joint's rafters. Buck Wild Saloon hosts live country, classic and modern rock in a country and western-theme environment. They offer dude food, dancing girls, pool tables, a mechanical bull, food and military discounts.

[Buck Wild Saloon, 11401 Steele St. S., Tacoma, 253.537.0801]

POP-PUNK WITHOUT APOLOGY >>>

Bread & Circuses make lyric-heavy songs that generally tell a story, and many times lead singer and songwriter Marcus Buser allows himself to be the de facto bad guy in his own tales.

"I'm very OK with not being the hero," says Buser. "In fact, a lot of times I think I'm more the villain in a lot of the songs. It's kind of this duality that makes every person in every life more interesting. I always like the books and movies where the heroes weren't really the heroes, where maybe the bad guys were the ones that you liked-you know, that thing where challenging what's good and what's bad is prevalent. I think that being on the darker side of things can be relatable, too... But I think it is partially just very pure self-loathing. So yes, I make myself the bad guy because, in a lot of the situations I'm talking about, I am the bad guy."

To read Rev. Adam McKinney's full article click here.

Bread & Circuses

with Western Haunts, The Diving Bell
Saturday, May 21, 8 p.m., $5
The New Frontier Lounge, 301 E 25^th St, Tacoma
253.572.4020

WHO'S UP FOR A BARBECUE? >>>

What's so special about Copper River salmon? It's the high oil content, stored up from the salmon's long journey along the nearly 300-mile Copper River. That extra oil makes the fish among the richest, tastiest fish in the world, tender and moist whether roasted or grilled.

What's so special about Metropolitan Market in the Proctor District? Today, it's there special on said salmon.

Today only, Met Market has a screamin' deal that was just announced for today only - $9.99 per pound for the salmon, a savings of about $30 per fish - and the store will fillet it for free.

[Metropolitan Market, 2420 N. Proctor St., Tacoma, 253.761.3663]

REAL STORIES FROM REAL BARTENDERS >>>

I've been a bartender for a long time. I have met countless freaks, jerks, pervs, sweethearts, rockstars and crazies. Even though it's a physically and mentally exhausting job, these are the colorful people that make it all worthwhile. Well, that and the tips.

I'd like to share with you some of my personal experiences behind the bar, along with the stories from some of my fellow bartenders. Each week - under the clever heading of "Behind Bars" - I will dig into my memory bank - and the incident log books that all bars keep - to bring you some of my favorite stories.

Names of bars, bartenders and patrons have been changed or withheld to protect the innocent.

And the not so innocent.

Cheers!

This week...

Nasty Hook-Ups & Eczema Arms

Being able to handle horribly nauseating sights, smells and situations was not in the job description when I signed up for bartending. But, luckily, my mom was a silver horse of a woman who drank pure liquid pewter, and I was born with a stomach of steel.

Besides cleaning up gallons of piss, puke and chew spit over the years, I have also had to bear witness to some of the nastiest bar happenings ever.

Like nasty hook-ups: For instance, "Toothless Mike" making out with "Stinky Jan" ... their nicotine stained fingers rubbing over each others backpack straps ... hairy chest and tattooed cankles all exposed. Eeww.

And surprise findings: Like the piss in a jar we found a few weeks ago in that backpack, or the shit smeared across toilet seats, or dirty laundry, like crusty socks, are a popular one for some reason. We've also found a used condom (or so it appeared.) Either way, gross.

And bad grooming habits: Like the guy with the eczema arms that would scritch and scratch while he drank his beer, and then leave behind a pile of scaly yellow skin droppings. Or the lady who began clipping her toenails in a booth. Or the old man who would dig in his ear, only to scrape out the waxy findings with his teeth. Gag.

So, keep in mind, bartending isn't all glamour and cash, it's also dirty and crass.

But, hey, somebody's got to do it...

Until next time, Cheers!

LINK: BEHIND BARS ARCHIVE