Weekly Volcano Blogs: Walkie Talkie Blog

Posts made in: July, 2011 (158) Currently Viewing: 31 - 40 of 158

July 7, 2011 at 12:05pm

More Grit City Fest announcements

The Breaklites

THE BANDS KEEP COMING >>>

Yesterday we mentioned the first batch of bands and acts scheduled to play this year's Grit City Fest, scheduled for the last weekend of August in Tacoma.

Today, Grit City Fest coordinator Quincy "Q-Dot" Henry made another Grity City Fest announcement, adding to the already impressive list of folks set to play. Today's announcement solidifies performers Art vs. Science, Grieves, Perry Acker, the Breakltes and Spac3man.

Check out the official Grit City Fest website here.

Filed under: Community, Tacoma, Music,

July 7, 2011 at 12:35pm

Oh for eff's sake: Heidelberg cover story and fire

What the scene at the old Heidelberg-Columbia Brewery looked like YESTERDAY morning

TIMING IS EVERYTHING >>>

Yesterday morning I visited the famed site of the Heidelberg-Columbia Brewery in downtown Tacoma, snapping photos as demolition crews methodically deconstructed a piece of our collective history. The photos were for a cover story by Joshua Swainston that hit streets today, detailing the Heidelberg's history and its historical relationship with this city. It's a pretty interesting piece - one worth checking out.

However, for the record, I'd like to point out that the Weekly Volcano had NOTHING TO DO with the fire that mysteriously errupted at the Heidelberg overnight. I promise. It's just strange timing.

And timing is everything, as they say ...

LINK:  The News Tribune's coverage of last night's fire at the Heidelberg-Columbia Brewery

Filed under: Tacoma, Weekly Volcano,

July 7, 2011 at 4:42pm

THE WEEKEND HUSTLE: Amocat Live!, The Nuge, South Sound BBQ Festival, Out In The Park, Old Town Blues Fest plus the boring lives of our writers ...

THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT'S UP THIS WEEKEND >>>

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Mostly sunny, hi 68, lo 49

Saturday: Partly sunny, hi 72, lo 52

Sunday: Partly sunny, hi 74, lo 55

>>> FRIDAY, JULY 8: Amocat Live!

Amocat Cafe's live music night -- the appropriately titled "Amocat Live!" -- goes down on the second Friday of every month. And, lo and behold - that's this week! As of this writing the list of scheduled performers includes: Gabe Rhee, Sam Bogle, Steve Cairns, Karen Miller, Volkert Volkersz, Morgan Alexander & Kevin Freitas and Amocat Live! house band Les Collaborateurs.

  • Amocat Cafe, 7-9 p.m., NC, 625 St Helens Ave., Tacoma, 

>>> JULY 8-9: The Nuge

There comes a time in every great performer's career when they stare the Emerald Queen Casino square in the eyes. Ted Nugent has arrived. A shredder of '70s testosterone-driven hits like "Cat Scratch Fever"; the man behind some of the best bow-hunting-based television ever produced; and right wing gun-advocate many consider to be a prolific racist, Ted Nugent will be in T-town for a two-night stand starting Friday. Both shows are basically sold out. Quick! Think of something that rhymes with poontang!

  • Emerald Queen Casino, 8:30 p.m., 2024 E. 29th St., Tacoma, 253.594.7777

>>> SATURDAY, JULY 9: South Sound BBQ Festival

Who doesn't like meat off the grill? Well, vegetarians we suppose, but still. BBQ is pretty damn popular. This Saturday the Lacey Chamber of Commerce looks to jump all over this fact with the South Sound BBQ Festival, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the parking lot of Cabella's. It's free, and yes - there will be a chicken wing eating contest.

  • Cabela's, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., 1600 Gateway Blvd NE, Lacey, 360.252.3500

>>> SATURDAY, JULY 9: Out In The Park

Tacoma's annual, awesome LGBTQA Pride celebration, Out In The Park, goes down this Saturday. Not only does the yearly event have a new locale this year -- taking over Ninth and Broadway -- it's also part of ten full days of Pride events this year in T-Town. It's literally fabulous. Find our full article on Tacoma's Pride festival here, and look for pictures and words coming on SPEW shortly after Saturday's big-ass party.

  • Out In The Park, noon-6 p.m., Ninth and Broadway, all ages, free, Tacoma, outintacoma.com 

>>> SATURDAY, JULY 9: Tacoma Old Town Blues Festival

Tacoma is a blues town. For every sparsely attended indie show or spotty DJ night there's a hopping blues jam packed by a familiar set of middle-aged South Sound blues hounds. The yearly Old Town Blues Festival draws these faces out en masse. Saturday, catch 15 bands - names like Little Bill and the Bluenotes, Cold Shot and the High Rollers - and more than 15 hours of entertainment throughout Old Town. Check out the full schedule here, including the 9 a.m. BluesBerry pancake breakfast.

>>> WHERE OUR STAFF IS GOING

NIKKI TALOTTA Features Writer
Got the Subaru loaded with beach pails, diapers, extra pillows and a cooler full of Capri Suns and PBRs. Yep, the Talotta - McCoy clan is packing it up for a weekend at the beach. Beautiful grey-blue waters, kids splashing through the waves , and late night games of dominoes with the hubby. Damn I'm a lucky girl.

CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL: Theater Critic
I play half of the characters in David Mamet's incendiary Oleanna, a thriller of intellectual combat, which opens this week at Olympia Little Theater. I'm also catching A Midsummer Night's Dream in Priest Point Park and, at some unknown point, sleeping.

JOE IZENMAN: Theater Critic
Umm... getting married. I think that pretty much covers it. OK, so really it's two days of mad scramble to get everything ready, one day of getting married and partying, one day of opening presents, and one day of chilling in Tacoma and going to the Red Hot and Parkway for Tap Night Tacoma. But I figure that was mostly implied in "getting married."

JOANN VARNELL Theater Critic
This weekend I will be busy reviewing Cats at Tacoma Musical Playhouse, celebrating my son's 11-month anniversary of being alive, and playing music at church on Sunday.

ALEC CLAYTON Visual Arts Critic
'm going to see "Oleanna" at Olympia Little Theatre and "Cats," America's most overrated musical, at Tacoma Musical Playhouse, and an art exhibit called "Three old guys and one old lady" at Art House Designs in Oly, which I plan to write about for Spew, and a PFLAG meeting Sunday.

BRETT CIHON Meat Market Correspondent
I'm heading to a Meat Market on Friday night. Then maybe a hike on Saturday? Not that I'm much of a hiker, I just like to balance out the debauchery.

Jennifer Johnson Food and Lifestyles Writer
Girlfriend's birthday party in Puyallup Friday. Saturday, Motorcycle Rally ride and benefit show at Jersey's in Federal Way followed by a stop at the FedWay farmers market; Putt-Putt golf that night. Sunday after church it's all about AoA...that's Sixth Avenue's Art on the Ave for the peeps that don't know.

Steve Dunkelberger Photographer
I'll be going to the new Pooh movie, then seeing Cats at TMP before heading to Art on the Ave

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

July 7, 2011 at 5:30pm

COMMENT OF THE DAY: Timing is everything

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Today's comment comes from johnc in response to this week's Volcano cover story on the history of the Heidelberg-Columbia Brewery, which posted to the website at around midnight. Moments later, news of a fire at the location broke.

Johnc writes,

I think it just went up in flames... on the way home tonight i saw a massive fire at or near the Heidelberg location.... adios mi amor:)

Filed under: Comment of the Day, Tacoma,

July 7, 2011 at 10:33pm

RAINIERS MINUTE: Live Blog! (not really)

This, Rainiers Minute fans, is our attempt at a live-blog of a Tacoma Rainiers baseball game. Prepare yourselves for a wild, wild ride.

 The only problem is the blog is not really live. The game, the Tacoma Rainiers facing the Reno Aces, happened hours ago. For the real live-blog action, you should probably follow Brett Cihon's twitter. Or just go to the game. Whatever works for you.

-6: 30 I (Brett Cihon) arrive to the ballpark a bit later than I'd intended. Damn that Fort Lewis traffic.

-6:33 I make my way to the press box only to find it's crowded. Great. I'm just getting used to the idea of having a press pass, now I have to deal with actual press? Beat writers and stuff? I'm a little scared.

-6:50 The first pitch is thrown out by Olympia legend Jonathan Stewart. His pitch is certainly off the mark. Whatever, he's a football player.

-7 ish. Miss Seattle sings the national anthem. Tiara, voice, strut and everything. I know who I'm directing my sexy eyes towards in the Tasty Terrace tonight.  

-7:07 Play ball! Tacoma Rainiers vs. Reno Aces.  

-7:10 Have I ever seen a baseball scorebook in my life? I don't think so. And they call me press....

-7:13 Langerhans blasts a homerun in his first at bat.

-7:30 I may have locked the Weekly Volcano's twitter account after a bevy of blown login attempts. Woops.

-7:50. It's cold up here in the press box. I need a sweet Rainiers jacket.  Or at least sweater.  

-7:55. For blogging a baseball game, I have spent very little time so far actually watching baseball. I didn't even see how the Aces scored their second run.

-7:58 Ryan Langerhans gets thrown out while trying to steal second. Langerhans is surprisingly fast. But apparently, not fast enough.

-8:07 Haeger hit Tony Abreu in his left thigh. It looked like it hurt. If a 60mph knuckleball looks like it hurts, than imagine what a normal pitch feels like.

-8:09 Abreu is thrown out trying to steal second. The last two minutes have been a bummer two minutes for Abreu.

-8:20 I'm getting hungry. I may have to make a Tasty Terrace run. Dare I turn my attention away with Tui on third?

-8:21 Damn. I wanted to tweet my Tasty Terrace run, but Twitter once again locked my account. I guess I will have to wait.

-8:25 Screw  my tweet. I have to piss.

-8:34 Haeger gets out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth. Haeger country, baby.

-8:40 Rainiers tie the ballgame 2-2 on a Matt Mangini double. Mangini, we here are the Weekly Volcano are looking for a new crush. You're a lucky guy, Mangini. Because you might be the one.

-8:49 The Weekly Volcano definitely needs to do a Tasty Terrace Meat Market. There are some lookers up in this joint, baby.

-8:54 We've reached the seventh and Haeger is still in the game. Great knuckleballing going down tonight.

-8:56 Please don't confuse my thoughts on the Tasty Terrace needing a Meat Market review with the Family Terrace needing a Meat Market review. The Weekly Volcano should not- I repeat SHOULD NOT- do a Meat Market on the Family Terrace. That's just gross.

-9:10 Rumor in the press box is the new Ace's pitcher likes Fleetwood Mac. Now THAT'S an update.

-9:14 The Rainiers Jumbo-tron is showing a snowboard race instead of a hydroplane race. Once again, the Rainiers show how much cooler they are than the Mariners. 

-9:20 Aces' Mark Hallberg hits a two run double to put the Aces up 4-3 . There goes the Haeger win, there goes the lead and here comes my craving for beer.

-9:35 Good time for a Mike Wilson homer.

-9:37 Nope

-9:40 I've never noticed the transition from short skirts to jeans and sweatshirts so drastically as I have from my vantage point in the press box. People are certainly prepared for these Tacoma night games.

-9:45 It's the bottom of the ninth inning and the Rainiers are down a run. Luckily, they're playing "Eye of the Tiger " in Cheney Stadium. Repeat with me: I'm a believer.

-9:50 Repeat with me: I am NOT a believer. The Rainiers lose the game 4-3. Time to go home, or go out, and drink some brews, people.

So there's my attempt at live updates from the game. It was a fun time even though the Rainiers (43-45) lost. Charlie Haeger pitched seven innings and gave up one earned run. Ryan Langerhans hit a dinger. Matt Mangini may have solidified his position as the Weekly Volcano's crush. I bought two hot dogs for two bucks. Overall, a good night.

Except, you know, the Rainiers lost. That sucked. Big time.

Stay tuned for more of these Live Rainiers Minute as we cruise along with the season. Well, you might see less of these depending on whether or not my editor thinks these are a huge waste of time.  But I'll worry about that tomorrow. Now, it's time for some beer.

LINK: The "Rainiers Minute" collection

Filed under: Tacoma, Sports, Rainiers Minute,

July 8, 2011 at 9:03am

5 Things to Do Today: You Are Plural, Rare Groove, Amocat Live!, Open Contemporary Dance Class, the Nuge ...

The Monkees are in town and at the Pantages Theater tonight.

FRIDAY, JULY 8, 2011 >>>

1. The music of You Are Plural is so immediately, vibrantly engaging that it can be almost jarring. Tonight, the band plays Northern in Olympia, in what should be  a fine display of all-ages musical action.

2. Catch Rare Groove tonight at the Tempest Lounge on Hilltop - an evening of "intelligent soul, funk, jazz and (fittingly) rare grooves."

3. Amocat Cafe's live music night -- "Amocat Live!" -- goes down on the second Friday of every month. And, lo and behold - that's this week! Tonight catch Gabe Rhee, Sam Bogle, Steve Cairns, Karen Miller, Volkert Volkersz, Morgan Alexander & Kevin Freitas and Amocat Live! house band Les Collaborateurs.

4. Tonight would be the perfect time to drop in on the Open Contemporary Dance Class led by choreographer and all-around-talent Joel Myers, this evening from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Urban Grace Church in downtown Tacoma.

5. The Nuge. Or the Backstreet Boys and NKOTB. Or even the Monkees.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight in the South Sound

July 8, 2011 at 11:10am

MOVIE REVIEW: We made Rev. Adam see “Horrible Bosses”

 

FILM REVIEWS LIVE FROM TACOMA  >>>

I was going to start this review of Horrible Bosses by stating that the movie's main problem is that the titular bosses are too cartoonishly awful.

Then, I thought about whether the notion of the film's heroes becoming so exasperated that murdering these bosses is their only option would be even the slightest bit believable if they weren't so over-the-top awful.

Then I realized: the real problem with Horrible Bosses is that the heroes are too dumb for us to sympathize with them. In a dark comedy like this, where we're supposed to side with our everyman protagonists in the face of a staggering goal, this becomes a more and more difficult task with each dumb action or statement made by the inept main characters.

To read Rev. Adam's full review click here.

Filed under: Screens, Tacoma,

July 8, 2011 at 11:11am

CUP CHECK: Roy Williams mail-in marriage proposal foiled by mock turtlenecks?

The Cup Check column appears in every issue of the Weekly Volcano. Find it in the classifieds section.

WEEKLY LOOK AT THE WILD WORLD OF SPORTS >>>

Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams, it is my belief, exists solely for entertainment purposes. Like, dude was put on this earth for just one reason: so humanity and all of football fandom would have something to point and laugh at. It starts with his short-sleeved mock turtlenecks and goes from there. He's like a cartoon character (if a cartoon character could also single-handedly bring down your fantasy football team). Williams doesn't seem like a bad guy, per se, he just seems like a joke.

This week, Williams was in the news again - providing just one more blot on a life stained with embarrassment.

According to reports by Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com - relying heavily on lawsuit papers obtained by Texas's Odessa American newspaper in late June - Williams is suing former girlfriend Brooke Daniels after his laughable mail-in marriage proposal went horrible awry. 

According to the ESPNDallas.com story, this spring Williams sent Daniels - the 2009 Miss Texas USA, who the wide receiver had dated for a little over a year - a taped marriage proposal, $5000 for school and dental bills, a baseball for her brother and an engagement ring worth $76,000.

He did this all via the good ol' fashion mail.

How romantic.

The problem: Apparently, Daniels wasn't interested. According to Williams's lawsuit against her, in addition to declining the ridiculously executed proposal, the wide receiver says she told him she'd lost the ring.

Williams's lawsuit seeks to regain possession of the expensive piece of jewelry. According to Watkins's ESPNDallas.com story, Daniels's father says the ring is not lost - they have it and they plan to return it to avoid further legal hassles from the spurned ex-boyfriend. He contends no one ever claimed the ring was lost.

No word on whether Williams's mock turtlenecks played a role in Daniels's decision not to marry him.

To read this week's full column click here.

Filed under: Sports,

July 8, 2011 at 11:16am

Happiness is a warm sock

COLOR THEIR WORLD >>>

People in white lab coats haven't resolved the mystery of where they go, but they have established that a family of four will lose up to sixty socks every year in the clothes dryer. Where the socks go is one of life's great mysteries.

Where the socks should go is to the kids at Camp Kindle - a camp for kids impacted by HIV-AIDS.

Tonight from 5-8 p.m. the Happy Sock Club will bring Happy Socks for Camp Kindle kids ages 7 to 18 to Cork! Wine Bar, which also happens to be happy hour at the Tacoma wine bar. Everyone is welcome to attend, especially if you bring Happy Socks.

"I learned that socks are the least donated item, yet they are the most needed item by poor kids," says event organizer Ana Maria Sierra, Ph.D. "And, no tube socks please. We want Happy Socks."

Happy Socks - the brainchild of advertiser Mikael Söderlindh and graphic designer Viktor Tell - are colorful cotton socks created on Italian Lonati knitting machines at a factory in Turkey. They scream "happy."

"It's a kind, simple gesture that we can do to create a ripple effect of Happy Sock smiles," says Sierra.

Sierra says the Happy Sock Club will meet next month at Amocat Cafe for Stand Up for Kids, in support of local homeless teens.

To learn more, visit the Happy Sock Club's Facebook.

Filed under: Benefits, Food & Drink, Tacoma,

July 8, 2011 at 12:06pm

TACOMA WEEK IN REVIEW: Pride, whiners and weed

IT HAPPENED IN T-TOWN THIS WEEK >>>

Thursday afternoon dozens gathered outside the City of Tacoma's Municipal Building to witness the raising of the LGBT Pride Flag in honor of Pride Week in Tacoma. The flag can be seen as far away as three blocks. As it was hoisted to the top of the poll the crowd cheered and pumped its fists, animated in support of Tacoma's strong statement of equality and inclusion.

Mayor Marilyn Strickland and City Council Member Ryan Mello were instrumental in the planning of the event and both were on hand to address the crowd. Strickland and Mello are known for their positive attitudes and love of local ceremony, but the two leaders seemed even more jovial than usual as they celebrated the City's progressive statement with the gathered townsfolk. Strickland told the crowd she believes Tacoma is the first city in the nation to raise the Pride Flag at its city hall.

The flag will fly from now until July 16. The raising kicks off a Pride Celebration in Tacoma that will last an epic ten days. The Volcano's Brett Cihon previewed the celebration and described its planning earlier this week.

To read this week's full column click here.

Filed under: Community, Tacoma, Events,

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News and entertainment from Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s most awesome weekly newspapers - The Ranger, Northwest Airlifter and Weekly Volcano.

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