ARTS COVERAGE TO END ALL ARTS COVERAGE >>>

At this point it goes without saying. If you're looking for coverage of local arts in Tacoma, Olympia, and all points in between, the Weekly Volcano is THE place to find it. Our goal is to consistently provide the best local arts coverage possible to our fantastic readers -- always be on the lookout for ways to shine a light on all the awesome creativity we see around us.

Here's a look at the Volcano arts coverage waiting for you this week in print and online.

FEATURE: What You Got Fest

(Preparation for this year’s zombie trash fashion show. Courtesy Ruby Re-Usable)

The What You Got Fest offers films, bands, skateboard ramps, free workshops, a chance to watch a mural being painted outside the Capital Theater - and zombies.

The ghoulish creatures are a pop-culture trend with staying power, and they'll be modeling in the Olympia youth art festival's trash fashion show.

"In the trash world, zombies represent stuff that doesn't really go away," said Ruby Re-Usable, who helped youth organizers with a workshop on and materials for creating trash fashion. "Plastic bags get ratty, and they might break up into little pieces, but regular plastic bags do not decompose. They're like the undead." ... - Molly Gilmore

MOVIE BIZ BUZZ: Better late than never

("Rose Colored Shades": Lydia Anderson [Eleanor Ross] seeks advice from Father Marks [William Kane] regarding her relationship with Joe Ware [Rod Long]. Photo credit: Gerry Collen.)

I dialed Randy Sparks' number late Thursday night, and his voice, tiny amidst a mob of shouts, greeted my ears.

"Chris, hold on a second!" he cried, sounding faraway. "I'm at Hell's Kitchen!"

It figures. If you know only two indispensable truths about Sparks, they are a) his fondness for local music, and b) a tireless drive to make movies.

Sparks took his phone to a quieter spot across the street and began to tell me about his newest venture. Rose Colored Shades marks Sparks' first foray into both producing and directing a full-length film, coming on the heels of his short works It Don't Rain on Sunny Days (2009) and A Glitch in the System (2010). Seattle-based comedian Rod Long, who played a fast-talking boss from hell in It Don't Rain, lends his talent for language to the feature script alongside Sparks, and also steps into the shoes of lead character Joe Ware. ... -- Christopher Wood

VISUAL EDGE: Allison Hyde's Out of the Embers

(Allison Hyde's "Out of the Embers" at The Telephone Room.)

Allison Hyde's art speaks eloquently of time and place and memory, and sadly of deterioration and destruction over time. Her site-specific installation, Out of the Embers, in The Telephone Room consists of serigraphs with ash and charcoal on mylar, burned furniture, burned jewelry boxes and sound. ... -- Alec Clayton

THEATER: OLT's Bell, Book and Candle

To some devout Christians, witches aren't just innocent Halloween scares: they're eternally damned brides of Hell. It may seem nutty to hear folks railing against Harry Potter, but in pre-scientific America, supposed Devil worshipers served as convenient scapegoats for any misunderstood mishap. Ostensibly rational Americans were once terrified of witches and warlocks.

Of course, none of that dread was reserved for the 1960s show Bewitched, a sitcom clearly based on the 1950 John Van Druten play Bell, Book and Candle. If you're my age or older, you grew up with Bewitched or its reruns; the show is memorable for plenty of reasons, including star Elizabeth Montgomery's adorable nose twitch, Samantha Stephens' bizarre relatives, and that unexplained Darrin swap in season six. But when you place Bell, Book and Candle in chronological context, it's remarkable how intense it truly was-much darker, to be sure, than the sitcom it inspired 14 years later.

For one thing, its protagonist's familiar spirit, the cat Pyewacket (played in Olympia Little Theatre's production by a short, docile actor named Dexter), pays homage to a freakin' demon. English "witch-finder general" Matthew Hopkins claimed in 1644 that he'd witnessed a coven of witches; in the aftermath of his wild accusation, a young woman confessed to colluding with numerous demons including an imp she called Pyewacket. That's no cute, cuddly kitty on OLT's stage-it's a cute, cuddly agent of Satan!  ... -- Christian Carvajal

PLUS: More local theater coverage than you can shake a stick at

PLUS: Comprehensive Arts & Entertainment Calendar

PLUS: Stuff this guy frowns on

GOING BIG >>

It's not unusual, of course, for an artist to try to make the audience feel special. And I'm sure some in the half-filled Puyallup Fair Grandstand thought it was a little presumptuous of The Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne to declare his show to be the greatest Puyallup Fair concert of all time.  Far greater, he remarked, than anything Kenny Chesney has ever accomplished at the Fair. But, that's how 50-something Coyne approaches his shows. He and his crew - musicians, prop people, 25 young Dorothy Gales cheerleaders dressed in modern-day lederhosen - go big, real big, spaceball crowd-surfing big.

The Oklahoma art rockers went REAL BIG last night at the Fair. And, for the most part, the Puyallup Fair staff let them. The fans crowded the stage before the show - a big no, no during Fair concerts. After Coyne pleaded with head of security Tony, the Fair staff agreed to let the crowd flood the aisles for the first three songs. By the fifth song, the aisles were cleared.

Entering the stage from an LED vagina on an arched HD screen backdrop, The Flaming Lips delivered nearly two hours of trippy, ambitious, marvelous music with stunning visuals, giant balloons bursting with confetti, ginormous fake mitts and lasers. Every party store in the state must be out of stock now.

"Tonight feels like the perfect night," claimed Coyne. I agreed.

The band opened with a wild version of Black Sabbath's "Sweet Leaf," which also permeated the air. As the night progressed, and the Grandstand filled with giant toys and confetti, The Flaming Lips treated the crowd to "Pompeii Am Gotterdamming," "The Yeah Yeah Song," "She Don't Use Jelly," "Is David Bowie Dying" (off the new EP Flaming Lips 2011: The Flaming Lips with Neon Indian), "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robot, Part 1," "See The leaves" and "What Is The Light?" and a few instrumentals.

A camera mounted on Coyne's microphone caught close-up angles of both he and drummer Kliph Scurlock (wearing a Red Fang T-shirt), while Coyne strapped on giant mitts for "Laser Hands."

The crowd roared when the band launched into Pink Floyd's "Brain Damage," complete with air raid sirens and cannon sticks shooting confetti into the crowd.

The night ended with "Do You Realize??" in a Technicolor explosion with all the toys, confetti and props unleashed. In the end, The Lips thanks the crowd and head of security Tony for being so cool.

It was a special night.

LINK: More photos from the show

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

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Partly sunny, hi 79, lo 58

Saturday: Partly sunny, hi 78, lo 57

Sunday: Showers possible, hi 63, lo 54

>>> FRIDAY, SEPT. 23: TRIPOD FOCUS ON TACOMA

Friday, the Madera Architectural Elements Showroom presents the newest installment of the monthly Tripod Slide Shows series, welcoming local photographers Kevin Frietas (yes, he of feedtacoma.com), Sharon Styer and chip Van Gilder's presentation of Tacoma, a digital slideshow featuring works that capture Grit City. Now in its seventh month, the Tripod series at Madera is structured to let three photographers show 15 minutes of slides under one unifying theme. This one-time event should be awesome.

• Madera Architectural Elements Showroom, 7 - 8:30 p.m., $5 donation at the door, 2210 Court A, Tacoma

>>> SEPT. 23-24: WHAT YOU GOT FEST

The What You Got Fest offers films, bands, skateboard ramps, free workshops, a chance to watch a mural being painted outside the Capitol Theater - and zombies. The ghoulish creatures are a pop-culture trend with staying power, and they'll be modeling in the Olympia youth art festival's trash fashion show. "In the trash world, zombies represent stuff that doesn't really go away," said Ruby Re-Usable, who helped youth organizers with a workshop on and materials for creating trash fashion. "Plastic bags get ratty, and they might break up into little pieces, but regular plastic bags do not decompose. They're like the undead." With music by DJ Selector Dub Narcotic (aka Calvin Johnson), the fashion show (6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24) looks like a highlight of this year's festival. To read Molly Gilmore's full feature on this weekend's What You Got Festival in Olympia, click here.

• Capitol Theater, $5 per day, $8 for both, free for workshops and outdoor activities, 206 Fifth Ave. S.E., Olympia, 360.754.6670, olympiafilmsociety.org

>>> SATURDAY, SEPT. 24: K-Pop Contest for Non-Koreans

Love Korean pop music? Not Korean? Well then, you may already know about Saturday's second annual "K-Pop Contest for Non-Koreans." We felt the need to put that in quotations just so you know it's the actual name, not just a somewhat questionable (yet wholly accurate) description that we came up with. Produced by Radio Hankook, the contest is open to all Non-Korean U.S. residents, age 12 years and older, and is patterned after an event originally held last year at the Knutzen Family Theatre in Federal Way. Basically, non-Koreans take the stage and bust out Korean pop songs, in competition, for the delight of all in attendance. According to hype the contest was "originally created to bring together the many different ethnic communities of Puget Sound," becoming, "a meeting place for people who share one common interest; their love for Korean Pop Music and the Korean culture."

• Pantages Theater, 6 p.m., $10-$20, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5894 

>>> SUNDAY, SEPT. 25: JAZZ JAM SESSION

The thing about Tacoma's Jazzbones is it rarely hosts jazz. You'd assume by the club's name that it was all jazz, all the time; but in truth history has seen more DJ nights, KRY shows, foam partiers and co-ed Jager-bomb orgies than nights of actual jazz. The good news is, at least for jazz aficionados, Sundays at Jazzbones have now been claimed by the genre that loaned the club its name, because Kareem Kandi is now hosting a weekly jazz jam session sure to cap the week of in style. The jazz jam is all ages and has no cover, so bring the kids out with you.

• Jazzbones, 7:30 p.m., all ages, NC, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma

>>> SUNDAY, SEPT. 25: NEVER SHOUT NEVER

Look, we're old and jaded here at the Volcano. When we hear a band like Never Shout Never we can't help but scoff, squirm, and throw up a little in our mouths. We're assholes like that ... old and jaded, like we mentioned. We're, basically, the exact opposite of a youthful, hopeful, innocent, teenage girl - the kind of demographic we assume makes up the bulk of Never Shout Never's fanbase. The kind of person who doesn't look at contemporary mainstream pop music (and, to be honest, contemporary American culture as a whole) as instantly start groveling about how we're all headed to hell in a hand basket. If this sounds like you, check out Never Shout Never, The Maine, A Rocket to the Moon and The Downtown Fiction Sunday at the Puyallup Fair, closing down this year's Fair Concert Series.

• Puyallup Fair, 4 p.m., $30, 110 Ninth Ave. SW, Puyallup  

>>> WHERE OUR STAFF IS GOING

REV. ADAM MCKINNEY Music/Film Critic
Saturday, I'm going to try and hit up both the Campfire OK show at The Space, and the Night Beats at the New Frontier. Monday night at Magoo's, I'll be doing a guest DJ set with DJ Melodica for Micro Mondays.

ALEC CLAYTON Visual Arts Critic
I'll be seeing Lord Franzannian's Royal Olympian Spectacular Vaudeville Show Friday night at the Midnight Sun in Oly and Something Wicked This Way Comes at Lakewood Playhouse Saturday night. Sunday I plan to zone out on the couch in front of the TV if I'm awake at all.

JENNIFER JOHNSON Food and Lifestyles Writer
Hitting the town in Olympia Friday night, volunteer work Saturday morning, church dinner followed by Marguerite's b-day at the Mix. Church and rest on Sunday.

BRETT CIHON Meat Market Correspondent/Features Writer
Is this the last weekend of summer? Is that an official thing? If this is the last weekend of the summer, than I'll be dancing in the sun. If it's already technically fall, I plan to spend the weekend dwelling. I ain't ready for winter yet. 

NIKKI TALOTTA Features Writer
Aah, the weekend ... Thursday I'm going to Blue Scholars, baby. Friday is Lord Franzannian's Royal Olympian Spectacular Vaudeville Show, and Saturday is girl's night out! Sunday is reserved for recovering from aforementioned activities.

CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL: Theater Critic
I have a dinner engagement on Friday and a play reading on Saturday. That's it, really. Wow. It's thrilling how boring I am at the moment.

JOE IZENMAN: Theater/Music Critic
Saturday Deborah Page is packing up and trucking down to Rainier, Wash. for the End of Summer MS Benefit at the Hidden River Music Society. And the fruits of Sunday you will no doubt read next Thursday, as I view and review Something Wicked This Way Comes at Lakewood Playhouse.

JOANN VARNELL: Theater Critic
This weekend I will be home with the little son while my better half gets to play recording engineer, attend a swanky fundraiser and go to a Master's class. I clearly have the better deal.

STEVE DUNKELBERGER Meat Market Photographer
The boy child turns five .... Shhhhh he is getting a bike.

.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Today's comment comes from Marguerite, in response to our website profile of Amocate Café on St. Helens Avenue in Tacoma.

Marguerite writes,

A genuine Tacoma original located in my favorite Downtown Tacoma neighborhood. Friendly owner Morgan will get you some coffee, make you a panino, or sell you a Tacoma Tshirt. Great place to sit in the window and work while drinking coffee and watching the people go by.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 23, 2011 >>>

1. This evening, the Madera Architectural Elements Showroom presents the newest installment of the monthly Tripod Slide Shows series, welcoming local photographers Kevin Frietas (yes, he of feedtacoma.com), Sharon Styer and chip Van Gilder's presentation of Tacoma, a digital slideshow featuring works that capture Grit City. Now in its seventh month, the Tripod series at Madera is structured to let three photographers show 15 minutes of slides under one unifying theme. This one-time event should be awesome. It runs from 7 - 8:30 p.m., and there's a $5 donation requested at the door.

2. Today kicks off the What You Got Fest in Olympia. Find our feature story on the two-day event here. And find more details on the What You Got Fest by visiting the website.

3. Bloomington, Indiana's Murder By Death will take the Jazzbones stage tonight, dispensing multi-faceted indie rock to the masses and paying homage to the 1976 Robert Moore film in name. Led by guitarist Adam Turla, over the course of a 10-plus year career (the band originally went by the name Little Joe Gould) Murder By Death has made a career on brainy, well-written alt-country tinged tunes that rely on storytelling and keen musicianship, not to mention the electric cello styling of founding member Sarah Balliet.

4. "Bible stories, witches and whiskey." Admit it. You're a bit curious now. Well that's just a sampling of the influences of Witchburn. Some might attend this show for the eye-candy of the women on the stage, some might prefer the heavy Southern guitar riffs, and some might just like a heavier brand of rock. One thing is for sure: the music of Witchburn is an enchanting combination of all three. Just in case the audience isn't convinced of the unconventional nature of this rock and roll brigade, an electric violin is thrown in for legitimate artistic measure. Be prepared for passionate metal delivered with gritty energy and confident musical ability when Witchburn sets Hell's Kitchen aflame.

5. Drop in on the 26^th episode of Season Four of the Frost Park Chalk-Off. It's sure to be spellbinding. While you're there, ask local artist and rabble-rouser RR Anderson about this awesome new (tiny) Eric Anderson Memorial Parking Lot sign.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight

THURSTON COUNTY BOUNTY >>>

We in the South Sound are fortunate. Restaurants are still opening in our area, despite the nasty economy. For Pete's sake, Thurston County restaurants Smitty's Pizza, Cancun Plaza and El Sarape (West Olympia) have closed.

But, we're happy to report that The Cornerstone café will open next weekend in the space formerly occupied by Little Roni's Sandwich Shop on Fourth Avenue in Olympia. If you love Le Voyeur, this salad-sandwich-breakfast joint should be right up your alley. The Widespread Panic army will find comfort in its tripping atmosphere and wooden crate seats. Push open the red screen door and toss back fresh and blended juices, plus five smoothies including the GranolaBar with bananas, oats, sunflower seeds, cocoa powder and almonds (($7.50).

The cornerstone of The Cornerstone is community. Their creative vegan and vegetarian and gluten free offerings will be all organic from local farms and producers. When you sit on a crate and chow down on the Golden Dome - a scramble tofu, steamed vegetables and sweet potatoes covered in vegan gravy ($7.50) - you'll know the ingredients came from your neighbors. It's comforting to know the Vita Salad ($4.50) - kale, parsley, celery, chard, carrots and apples - might have been harvested the same day.

Can you dig?

The Cornerstone

Opening Saturday, Oct. 1
301 E. Fourth Ave., Olympia
360.250. 8364

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Today's comment comes from Derrick in response to our Spew review of Wednesday night's Flaming Lips show at the Puyallup Fair (which was totally amazing).

Derrick writes,

I was one of those people holding up the space bubble! Absolutely amazing show. I was definitely leery going in simply because it was the fair, but I was comforted once Coyne started remarking on how weird the whole fair thing was. Funny guy.

But I don't think he suggested it was the best show ever, but rather the best audience. Citing the whole arrangement with Tony as evidence.

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

4th Ave Ale House Olympia - Downtown. The Good Hurt CD Release Party, with 10 Cents In Oklahoma, Keaton Collective. 9 pm.

Capitol Theater Olympia - Downtown. What You Got? Youth Festival 2011, with Nisqually Tribe Music Mentor Academy, Queer Rock Camp, Rooftop Warrior, Sea Cats, short films, performance. All Ages. 6 pm. $5-$8.

The Den at urbanXchange Tacoma - Downtown. Dungeon Science, The Bandits Of Atma, Get Bad. All Ages. 8 pm.

Eastside Club Tavern Olympia - Downtown. High Ceiling. 9 pm. $5.

Harbor Greens/Forza Wine Bar Gig Harbor. Heidy Vladyka. 7 pm.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Witchburn, Mahnhammer, Mom's Rocket, Plaster. 9 pm.

• "Bible stories, witches and whiskey." Admit it. You're a bit curious now. Well that is just a sampling of the influences of Witchburn. Some might attend the show for the eye-candy of the women on the stage, some might prefer the heavy Southern guitar riffs, and some might just like a heavier brand of rock. One thing is for sure: the music of Witchburn is an enchanting combination of all three. Just in case the audience isn't convinced of the unconventional nature of this rock and roll brigade, an electric violin is thrown in for legitimate artistic measure. Be prepared for passionate metal delivered with gritty energy and confident musical ability when Witchburn sets Hell's Kitchen aflame. - Weekly Volcano

HG Bistro Puyallup. Ed Taylor. 8 pm.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Murder By Death, Tumbledown, Xylophones. 6 pm. $10-$13.

• Tonight, Bloomington, Indiana's Murder By Death will take the Jazzbones' stage, dispensing multi-faceted indie rock to the masses and proving to the old fogies out there that there's more to the name than the 1976 Robert Moore film. Led by guitarist Adam Turla, over the course of a 10-plus year career (the band originally went by the name Little Joe Gould) Murder By Death has made a name on brainy, well-written alt-country tinged tunes that rely on storytelling and keen musicianship, not to mention the electric cello styling of founding member Sarah Balliet. This show should be memorable for plenty of reasons. - Matt Driscoll

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Tim Fast, David Ramirez, KC Brakes. All Ages. 6 pm. $5 cover.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Sources In Code, Shrouded In Veils, Hands Of Toil. 9 pm.

• It's OK for me to call Shrouded in Veils a progressive rock band, right? I can never quite place my finger on the line between math-rock and its proggy predecessor. I somehow think Shrouded in Veils won't get in a huff about the semantics of sub-genres and the sometimes unfair connotations that go along with them. At any rate, here are the qualities that Shrouded in Veils possess: breathless instrumental prowess and a sincere desire to take you a mind-bending-or-otherwise journey and spit you back out on the other side, slightly frazzled and dizzy from exposure the chopping guitars and guttural bass lines. It's bracing stuff that occasionally threatens to veer into chaos, but always corrects itself before gliding safely into the home stretch. - Rev. Adam McKinney

Red Bicycle Bistro and Sushi Bar Vashon. Jim Page. All Ages. 8:30 pm. NC.

The Red Room Tacoma - Downtown. Prestige, Vessels, Vices, A Phyrric Victory, Idols, Amayan Danger. All Ages. 6:30 pm.

The Spar Olympia. Paul Basile. All Ages. 8 pm. NC.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Tin Man, Midnight Salvage Co., Stained By A Killer. 9 pm. $5.

The Swiss Tacoma - Downtown. Space Band. 9 pm.

Varsity Grill Tacoma - Downtown. Rock-Bot Live Band Karaoke. 8:30 pm. NC.

LINK: More live music in the South Sound

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

It's Not Over Until They Say It's Over: Tacoma teachers union and district pulling hair again. (News Tribune)

It's Not Over Until They Say It's Over II: Clear Channel placed a $75 million price tagged on the boards the City of Tacoma wants removed. (News Tribune)

Where Are The Men In Black?: 6-ton satellite hits earth. (NPR)

Probably Best: Roseanne's reality show canceled. (Zap 2 It)

Is Your Day Wide Open?: Listen to The Flaming Lips six-hour song. (Paste Magazine)

Is Your Season Wide Open?: Most anticipated fall festivals. (Stereogum)

That's Great, It Starts With An Earthquake: Fans sings the hard R.E.M. songs(Slate)

SATURDAY, SEPT. 24, 2011 >>>

1. Of all the big-name acts on this year's Puyallup Fair Concert Series itinerary, none seems more at home in a cut-off sleeve flannel and trucker hat than comedian and redneck icon Larry the Cable Guy (sorry Adam Duritz of Counting Crows). And this bodes well for Larry, seeing as he'll be in Puyallup tonight, and P-Town feels pretty at home in a cut-off sleeve flannel and trucker hat itself. It's the perfect pairing; Larry the Cable Guy and Puyallup - like peas in a pod. Git-r-done, yo.

2. The Broadway Center invites you to, "Grab a group of girlfriends, make it a mother daughter outing, or send your wife and friends to take the champagne stocked party busses from Grassi's on Pacific Ave for a Tacoma day trip and shopping spree." What's that about a day of shopping and champagne, you ask? It's an event known as "Retail Therapy," and although it may seem a bit indulgent (and stereotypically advertised) it's all for an amazingly worthy cause - the Broadway Center's arts educations programs. Did we mention the included continental breakfast and lunch buffet? More info can be found at broadwaycenter.org.

3. Tonight, Campfire OK will be performing at The Space, a gorgeous venue in Opera Alley. Behind the performers will be a floor-to-ceiling window facing out over Industrial Tacoma, glowing as it does with alien orange, as steam rises slowly from buildings. There are few other venues and few other performers that are capable of creating the kind of magic that Campfire OK and The Space will generate right before your eyes. To read Rev. Adam McKinney's story on Campfire OK, click here.

4. Ready for gruff and grizzled? Merle Haggard plays with Kris Kristofferson tonight at Little Creek Casino.

5. The 5th Annual Mt. Rainier Rhythm & Blues Festival at the Mineral Lake Event Center goes down today, featuring more quality blues in one spot than you're likely to find anywhere, any time. Catch Nick Vigarino's Back Porch Stomp, Little Bill and the Bluenotes, Deb Rhymer, the Randy Oxford Band, Maia Santel and Her All Star Blend, the Rafael Tranqulino Band and plenty of other worthy acts.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight