Weekly Volcano Blogs: Walkie Talkie Blog

Posts made in: November, 2011 (158) Currently Viewing: 11 - 20 of 158

November 1, 2011 at 6:30pm

COMMENT OF THE DAY: Halloween fun

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

As one last ghoulish Halloween hurrah, today's comment comes from Jamie in response to photos by the Volcano's Steve Dunkelberger snapped last night during Rockaraoke at Jazzbones.

Jamie writes,

The man with the beard was the most interesting man in the universe.

Filed under: Comment of the Day, Tacoma,

November 2, 2011 at 7:26am

MORNING SPEW: Here comes Wal-Mart, sucks for city employees, Occupy Capes ...

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Amended Moratorium: Tacoma City Council approves the Wal-Mart Supercenter planned for the Elks' property in Central Tacoma. (News Tribune)

Tacoma's Tentative Budget-Trimming Plan: About 130 Tacoma municipal employees might be out the door. (News Tribune)

Royce Of Reason: 59-year-old underwear-stealing, murder-plotting Long Beach man, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison, said "Now because of my weakness, my flaws, my infatuation, obsession with a person I'd fallen in love with years ago, I did not control my desires, and committed terrible transgressions." (News Tribune)

WikiSeeYa: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange loses a court battle to stay in the UK and will be extradited to Sweden to face questioning on sex charges. (CNN)

Cereal With Seinfeld: Jerry to guest host LIVE! With Kelly after Regis retires. (New York Post)

Occupy Capes: Photos of superheroes at Occupy Wall Street. (Wired)

Morrissey Alert: The Bandana Splits cover "Everyday Is Like Sunday." (Cover Me Songs)

What The Eff Is A Fyrkantig?: Ridiculous IKEA product names (and what they mean). (Flavorwire)

November 2, 2011 at 9:24am

5 Things To Do Today: Book signing with Alice Bag, trivia night at the Harmon, Tatoosh and more ...

Beth Brooks' "Market Day" is currently on display at Childhood's End Gallery in Olympia.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 2, 2011 >>>

1. Author and musician Alice Bag is presented tonight at the Olympia Timberland Library under the billing of former "lead singer of The Bags, the first female-fronted punk band to play the Masque during the West Coast punk revolution of 1977." Bag will play three songs and sign copies of her latest book, Violence Girl. For more info go here.

2. Test your smarts and wittiness tonight at the Harmon Brewery during the restaurant and bar's appropriately named, "Trivia Night." The action is hosted by Gordon Adams and gets going at 6 p.m.

3. Volcano visual arts critic Alec Clayton says that the latest show at Childhood's End Gallery seems to be geared toward gift buying - a prequel to the holiday season and a celebration of the gallery's 40th year in Olympia. Everything is decorative, colorful and safe almost to the point of blandness, but very well done. It's a group show, and all of the artists display well-honed skills. Check it out for yourself today, or any time before the exhibit wraps up Nov. 13.

4. Tatoosh will bust out the classic rock at Stonegate Pizza on South Tacoma Way tonight. Swing by, have some pizza, maybe some rum, and enjoy the Hump Day good times. There's no cover and the music kicks off at 9 p.m.

5. Stuck at home with a small child in the Graham area? Don't go crazy ... go to this afternoon's "Play To Learn" event at the Graham Library. From 1:30-3 p.m., the weekly "Play To Learn" festivities offer "parents, grandparents, neighbors, family, and friends who nurture children ages six and under." According to hype expect individual play, fun group activities, songs, and circle time for children and adults.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight

November 2, 2011 at 11:34am

Tacoma Studio Tours: Honk! Honk!

Voxxy, picture here riding the Third Thursday Art Bus, will be the Tacoma Studio Tours guide for Tour A this Saturday.

ART AT WORK MONTH >>>

The public loves to visit an artist's studio. There is a magic about it. Artists can learn marketing skills and establish their own studios as a marketing space. The public bathes in voyeurism. Fifty-seven artists and collaborative studios share their space with the public Saturday, Nov. 5 and Sunday, Nov. 6 during the Art at Work Month Tacoma Studio Tours.

All studios will feature demonstrations of the artistic process or will have hands-on activities for visitors.

The Tacoma Studio Tours is a free, self-guided tour with a website for pre-planning. That said, the Tacoma Arts Commission knows it's a daunting task to drive around town, find parking, resist the lure of happy hours and stay dry. Therefore, the Commish asked Angela Jossy, she of the famous Third Thursday Art Bus, to haul art enthusiasts from studio to studio in her nifty bus during the first day.

The Weekly Volcano caught up with Jossy for the inside scoop on her plan.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: It's cool the Tacoma Arts Commission asked you to participate in the Tacoma Studio Tours.

ANGELA JOSSY: I was thrilled when Naomi Strom-Avila from the City approached me with the idea. It's an honor to have the Third Thursday Art Bus involved with Art at Work month. These studios are fairly far apart so it should be a fun day riding around together exploring them. Our riders won't have to worry about their gas tanks, parking or trying to find all the addresses. Plus, thanks to our tour guide, they'll get to learn things about the artists while we're en route to each place.

VOLCANO: How long will the bus stay at each studio?

JOSSY: It will be just like the regular tour, either 10 or 20 minutes, depending what the artist requested. 

VOLCANO: Will there be snacks?

JOSSY: It's possible that the studios might offer some snacks but we're not requiring them to do so. We might have a little something for them to nibble on the bus.

VOLCANO: What were the criteria for picking the studios on the tour?

JOSSY: Naomi provided me with contact information for all the studios participating in Studio Tours. I offered the opportunity to all of them. My motto is inclusive not exclusive. Everyone who asked to be on the tour was accepted. 

VOLCANO:  You and Vicky Winters have been something of a dynamic duo on the Third Thursday Art Bus. Will Vicky and her goodie bag be on the bus?

JOSSY: Yes, our lovely bus attendant Vicky will be there. We're not offering the VIP gift bag option for this tour, but she likes to spoil our riders so it's possible we might have some free treats for people.

VOLCANO:  Will Tacoma City Councilman David Boe be on the bus discussing architectural highlights between each stop?

JOSSY: Unfortunately, Councilman Boe won't be with us this time, but the first round will be guided by someone equally exciting: Voxxy from the well known local band Voxxy Vallejo. I'm still awaiting confirmation on the second round tour guide. 

VOLCANO: Do you think your art bus tours save lives?

JOSSY: Well we haven't run over anyone yet. That's a plus. And we do our level best to inspire our patrons to think and live more creatively. A little inspiration can go a long way toward making life worth living. Proudly we help our galleries and artists connect with people who love good art. We really love supporting our local artists. As far as I know, no one has lost an ear under our watch. So we're one up on the International Boxing Federation on that score.

VOLCANO: Any final words?

JOSSY: I can't wait for everyone to see the Art Bus buttons we have for the Studio Tours Saturday. Michaela Eaves made the cutest little owl and if you take Tour A you'll get a button where he has just his left eye open. If you ride Tour B you get one where just his right eye is open. If you ride both tours you get him with both eyes open.

As Jossy mentions, she'll drive around twice on Saturday:

Tour A: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. includes the studios of Jennevieve Schlemmer, Juan La Torre, Manitou Arts Center, Juliette Ricci, and Liz Cotton.

Tour B: 2-4:20 p.m. includes the studios of Two Ravens, Throwing Mud Gallery, Hilltop Artists, Lori Paine and Jet Artist Cooperative.

Bus leaves from Tacoma Art Museum. Tickets may be purchased in advance here, or a half-hour before departure time in front of TAM.

[Tacoma Art Museum, Saturday, Nov. 5, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., $10 one tour, $18 both, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, tacomaartbus.com]

LINK: Art at Work Month Tacoma Studio Tours details

Filed under: Arts, Tacoma,

November 3, 2011 at 7:20am

MORNING SPEW: Winthrop woes, Phoenix Jones lost his job, flying orb robot ...

Fetch me some oatmeal Flying Orb Robot.

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Checking In with Downtown Tacoma Buildings: The Winthrop is in bankruptcy court, but it's not bankrupt. (News Tribune)

Idiot: A Sumner man suspected of snatching old ladies' purses is in jail. (News Tribune)

Fighting The Evil Department of Social and Health Services: Seattle's masked crime-fighter Phoenix Jones has lost his day job. (Seattle P-I)

Awesome: University of Puget Sound Ski Team is having their annual ski swap this weekend. (CBS Seattle)

There Big Fat Greek Meeting: Greek Prime Minister Papandreou and President Karolos Papoulias to meet. (CNN)

Nice: Built to Spill working on a new album. (Rolling Stone)

Cool: Neil Gaiman, his wife Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls, Moby and Steven Merritt performed a cover of "Science Fiction Double Feature" from Rocky Horror Picture Show on Craig Ferguson. (Topless Robot)

Trouble In The Kitchen: Why Top Chef is bad. (Time)

Today In Photographs: 20 Stormtrooper portraits. (Dvice)

Flying Orb Robot Will Kill Us All (Thanks Blogtown)

November 3, 2011 at 9:44am

5 Things To Do Today: Tacoma Arts Month party and AMOCAT Awards, Lindquist Autographed Book & Wine Auction, Medi's acoustic open mic and more ...

Join Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist tonight at King's Books in Tacoma for his annual Autographed Book & Wine Auction.

THURSDAY, NOV. 3, 2011 >>>

1. Tonight, the Tacoma Arts Commission kicks of the tenth annual Art at Work: Tacoma Arts Month with an opening reception and the presentation of the 2011 AMOCAT Awards. The celebratory good times run from 6 - 8:30 p.m. at the Museum of Glass. Expect fire dancing, a molton iron and ice pour, juggling by Jeremy Gregory and more. Find more info here.

2. Last year's Mark Lindquist-powered "Autographed Book & Wine Auction" at King's Books went over so well that the taller-than-average Pierce County Prosecutor just had to do it again. While he's not running for re-election this year or fending off attacks from bizarro candidates, that doesn't mean Lindquist can't raise a little money for his cause tonight, in the form of what promises to be a local politico-filled evening of who's-who handshakes and ass grabs. Benefitting People for Prosecutor Mark Lindquist, expect a live auction featuring fancy wines and signed books from authors Ann Rule, Garth Stein, Bret Easton Ellis and, of course, Mark Lindquist. Pre-event hype also advertises "libations, food and spicy discourse."

3. Hailing from Mexico City, Mexico, Los Headaches makes crisp and catchy garage pop that nominally vacillates between the notions of love and lust - with regards to girls. Sometimes these feelings are expressed with a kind of blushing, bashful naivete; other times - as in "Never Again," which finds Los Headaches wishing they could find a girl to please them, so they'd never again have to please themselves - these feelings approach the pure state of the undeniably sophomoric, yet admirably honest. Tonight Los Headaches play the New Frontier Lounge in Tacoma.

4. If you have yet to check out the acoustic open mic hosted by Mike Coucoules at Medi's Pizza & Pasta on Sixth Avenue in Tacoma on Thursday nights (the space formerly home to Sluggo Music), now is your chance. Even better: It's all ages until 10 p.m., so feel free to bring the kids, Mama Cass.

5. At Olympia Little Theatre, catch Welfarewell tonight, a play reviewed by Volcano theater critic Christian Carvajal in this week's paper. As Carvajal says, "Nice is all over Welfarewell, currently making its Northwest premiere at Olympia Little Theatre. Not only is the play harder to resist than a Snuggie full of kittens, but its author, Cat Delaney, wrote OLT a program note from Nova Scotia: ‘Big hugs! ... Theatre makes the world smaller and far more civilized.' Awwww." To read Christian Carvajal's full review, click here.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight

November 3, 2011 at 10:28am

Let's pray for snow tonight

AND DRINK BEER ... >>>

As in many things, our dear state is divided on the subject of snow sports. Those who don't ski or board resent those who do for getting excited about the cold and showing up for work after a "sick day" with goggle tan lines. Those who do ski or board look down upon the nons for their constant complaining about the ridiculous cost of winter sports, the damn cold, the stupid snow and driving conditions. By the way, it snowed overnight on Snoqualmie, Stevens and White passes.

This gap must be bridged. Let's all think about snow sports and drink beer together tonight. Harmon Brewery & eatery's annual "Pray For Snow Party" begins at 5 p.m. featuring gear and lift ticket giveaways and raffle prizes, snow sports movies and, of course, the human jukebox Steve Stefanowicz who has performed at this party for as long as I can remember.

Proceeds from the raffle benefit the Mary Bridge Child Abuse Intervention Program.

Convert or be de-converted.

[Harmon Brewery & Eatery, Thursday, Nov. 3, 5 p.m., all ages, no cover, 1938 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.383.2739]

LINK: Let's do it again Saturday

November 3, 2011 at 11:17am

VOLCANO ARTS: Art at Work: Tacoma Arts Month, Folk Art Treasures of Mexico at TAM, Welfarewell and more ...

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: ART AT WORK: TACOMA ARTS MONTH

(Amy Reeves demonstrates how it’s done at the Tacoma Metal Arts Center during last year’s Art at Work studio tours. Photo courtesy Tacoma Art Commission)

Art at Work - an annual celebration of all things artistic in Tacoma - takes place each November, with related events scheduled throughout the month. The Tacoma Arts Commission heads up the effort, gathering all the artsy happenings into one snazzy brochure - almost a magazine in size. Events range from theater, to spoken word, to workshops, to art exhibits, and even to unexpected events such as hip-hop dance classes and free zoo days.

The annual brochure and many of the events within are free. The requirements to be included are simple: the event must be arts related, must be in November and must be in Tacoma.

"It's really trying to show that artists are just part of our community," says Amy McBride, Tacoma Arts administrator. "Art isn't untouchable." ... -- Kristin Kendle

VISUAL EDGE: FOLK ART TREASURES OF MEXICO AT TAM

(“Ascension of Christ” by David Villaftsez. Courtesy Tacoma Art Museum)

What a fun show! Folk Art Treasures of Mexico at Tacoma Art Museum, I mean. Nelson A. Rockefeller, former Governor of New York and former Vice President of the United States, owned one of the world's largest collections of Mexican folk art, which was given to the San Antonio Museum of Art and The Mexican Museum in San Francisco after his death. The San Antonio museum has loaned TAM some 80 major pieces from its collection for this comprehensive survey of Mexican folk art.

There are paintings, tapestries, toys, miniatures, painted wooden chests, water bottles and much more featured in this show - including many pieces that were made for Day of the Dead celebrations. ... -- Alec Clayton

THEATER: WELFAREWELL AT OLYMPIA LITTLE THEATRE

I know it's gauche to rely on national stereotypes, but golly, those Canadians sure are nice. Nice is all over Welfarewell, currently making its Northwest premiere at Olympia Little Theatre. Not only is the play harder to resist than a Snuggie full of kittens, but its author, Cat Delaney, wrote OLT a program note from Nova Scotia: "Big hugs!"...Theatre makes the world smaller and far more civilized." Awwww.

Delaney calls Welfarewell a "social satire." I call it liberal propaganda, and it gets a bit preachy toward the end. They should run it on a video loop at Occupy Wall Street events. I step lightly into spoiler country by saying that Welfarewell has the saddest opening scene of any comedy since Up. (Oh, that mailbox ... Damn you, Pixar!) We find our heroine, 80-year-old British expat Esmerelda Quipp, in an icy kitchen as her lights go out for nonpayment. She struggles to feed her cat, Merlin, her hands shaking so violently she can barely open the tin. Her story gets darker from there. ... -- Christian Carvajal

MOVIE BIZ BUZZ: MAKING THE RESOLUTION


And you thought Halloween had crawled back into its coffin for another year.

Allow me to fill in some blanks. "Twisted" belongs to Twisted Tales of Madness and Murder, a feature-length anthology of horror shorts written by Federal Way's Rick Tobin. Tobin and director Rick Walters (co-producer on Fantastic Confabulations) need some dough (roughly $17,000) to finance the completion of their first short in the Twisted family, The Resolution. So, like any committed artists in desperate need of cash, they resort to murder. ... -- Christopher Wood

PLUS: Comprehensive Arts & Entertainment Calendar

PLUS: Even more local theater

PLUS: Pouty NFL quarterbacks and their cats

November 3, 2011 at 11:47am

VOLCANO MUSIC: Tender Forever, Micah B, White Orange, Macklemore and more …

YOUR SOURCE FOR LOCAL MUSIC COVERAGE >>>

Wow. It's been an eventful week already here at Weekly Volcano World Headquarters. Not only have we been battling to contain our excitement over the kick-off of Art at Work: Tacoma Arts Month, but we taped our very first "Volcano Radio" podcast last night (it will air tonight from 8-9 p.m. on NWCZRadio.com and be available for download directly after) and also started a new Holiday blog (all the way from the North Pole).

At this point, we could either use a nap or another quad-shot Americano.

Amidst all of this, though, you better believe we also managed to pump out another stellar installment of the Weekly Volcano music section - your every Thursday chance at the best in local music coverage.

Here's a look at the sonic goodness coming at you in print and online in this week's Volcano ...

FEATURE: TENDER FOREVER

The evocativeness of the name Tender Forever is unusually representative of the music that Tender Forever (AKA Melanie Valera) creates. It may be somewhat difficult to track amongst the invigorating percussion that permeates the music, but Tender Forever's lyrics have a strong center in the intimate and revealing. Valera's slick arrangements do their part in creating a wall around the personal revelations that inhabit her songs, but a tender, beating heart lives in her music. ... -- Rev. Adam McKinney

HIP-HOP: MICAH B

So what's new? Who's got the fresh shit? Who's got next?

His name is Micah B. Young man's got skills. He's extra sharp and expressive on the mic, making him the youngest MC in the local scene worth keeping an eye out for. Micah B reps Lakewood and he makes really good music. To experience his unique original style, check him on ReverbNation and YouTube. His latest video, "Mattress" showcases definite artistic depth. As evidence, the video has already logged more than 25,000 views. So it might not be long before we see Micah doing it pretty big on a larger national level. Support this local youngster now, so when he gets big he won't forget about all of us and his Pacific Northwest roots. ... -- Josh Rizeberg

WE RECOMMEND: WHITE ORANGE

Unless I'm horribly mistaken, the promo photo utilized by the Portland psych/jam band White Orange on Facebook depicts the group's four members standing amidst a massive grow-op, budding marijuana in every direction. And I'm not horribly mistaken. While such an obvious move might reek (quite literally) of one destined to pigeonhole White Orange as the type of thing only applicable to guys with dreadlocks or in possession of String Cheese Incident bootlegs, here's a band that takes a bolder, more forceful approach to weed-friendly musicianship, crafting an aesthetic, which the band says pays homage to the likes of Kyuss, Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, King Crimson and Syd Barrett. ... -- Matt Driscoll

PLUS: Better Living Through Music- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Mickey Avalon, Gems

PLUS: Concert Alert

PLUS: Comprehensive Live Local Music Listings

PLUS: Pure Ridiculousness

Filed under: Music, Weekly Volcano, Tacoma, Olympia,

November 3, 2011 at 12:44pm

Two South Sound artists in next "Northwest Biennial"

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

Juliette Ricci of Tacoma and Jeremy Mangan of Fife are the South Sound representing artists in next year's The 10th Northwest Biennial at the Tacoma Art Museum. Curator Rock Hushka, director of Curatorial Administration and curator of Contemporary and Northwest Art for Tacoma Art Museum, and collaborator Renato Rodrigues da Silva, an independent curator and art critic based in Vancouver, British Columbia, selected 30 artists out of 179 submission for this exhibition, which opens Jan. 21.

The 10th Northwest Biennial will focus on the ever-increasing ways we define ourselves as a region and a community, according to a TAM press release.

Here are the winning artists:

  • Cynthia Camlin (Bellingham, WA)
  • Pamela Caughey (Hamilton, MT)
  • Dana Claxton [Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux] (Vancouver, BC)
  • Harrell Fletcher (Portland, OR)
  • Flicker Art Collabratory [Kenneth Newby and Aleksandra Dulic] (Vancouver, BC)
  • Wynne Greenwood (Seattle, WA)
  • Wendy Given (Portland, OR)
  • Gray & Paulsen [Anna Gray and Ryan Wilson Paulsen] (Portland, OR)
  • Laura Hughes (Portland, OR)
  • Allison Hyde (Eugene, OR)
  • Abraham Ingle (Portland, OR)
  • Ariana Jacob (Portland, OR)
  • Jeff Jahn (Portland, OR)
  • Sean M. Johnson (Seattle, WA)
  • Susie J. Lee (Seattle, WA)
  • Benjamin Love (Boise, ID)
  • Kirk Lybecker (Portland, OR)
  • Jeremy Mangan (Fife, WA)
  • Matt McCormick (Portland, OR)
  • Kelly Neidig (Portland, OR)
  • TJ Norris (Portland, OR)
  • Paul Pauper (Seattle, WA)
  • Juliette Ricci (Tacoma, WA)
  • Paul Rucker (Seattle, WA)
  • Reza Michael Safavi (Pullman, WA)
  • Seattle Catalog LLC - Gretchen Bennett, Matthew Offenbacher, and Wynne Greenwood (Seattle, WA)
  • Henry Tsang (Vancouver, BC)
  • Matika Wilbur [Swinomish/Tulalip] (Seattle, WA)
  • Jin-me Yoon (Vancouver, BC)
  • Joshua Zirschky (Portland, OR)

LINK: Our review of the 9th Northwest Biennial

Filed under: Arts, News To Us, Tacoma,

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