THURSDAY, AUG. 11, 2011 >>>

1. It's hard to go wrong with great rock ‘n' roll and great spaghetti. We're pretty sure there's actually a commandment to that effect. From 5:30-10 p.m., as a fundraiser for next week's Underwater Music Festival, SweetKiss Momma and Perry Acker will be at Louie G's in Fife for an all-ages throwdown that also benefits the Girls Campaign (girlscampaign.com). This one's a no-brainer.

2. The yearly celebration of rural life, agriculture and good old family values hit Graham's Frontier Park from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. That's right! It's Pierce County Fair time featuring food, entertainment, attractions and overalls.

4. The routine is simple. You look through the songbooks scattered around the joint, write down a song title and your name on a piece of paper, and hand it to the deejay. In a few minutes, you'll hear him say, "Dave, c'mon down," and the fantasy begins. You're Bob Dylan or Shania Twain - or whoever the hell you want to be. It's cheap therapy, if nothing else. Thursday nights at the Loose Wheel Bar & Grill - voted "Best Sports Bar" by Weekly Volcano readers - the karaoke routine becomes more complex when the entire joint ties one on.

5. There was a time when MC battles were a huge part of determining how good of an overall rapper you were. That time has passed, but not completely. Although battles may not be as popular as they once were, Olympia rapper Heretic the Heathen still continues to grow - both as a battle rapper and as a solid music maker. Heretic has been circulating in the battle scene since 2002, and as of now is one of the top battlers in the Olympia area - crushing opponents any chance he gets. Heretic is set to release a new mixtape, Writer's Block, at 9 p.m. at The Royal Lounge in Olympia. Read Nic Leonard's full story on Heretic here.

BONUS: Til Thursday DJ night at The Acme

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Happy hours!