FRIDAY, JAN. 27, 2012 >>>

1. If you picked up your copy of the Weekly Volcano this week you already know all about Camp 6, Tacoma's newest movement to support local style, business and arts. Tonight meet the folks behind Camp 6, along with whoever else happens to stop by, at Anthem Coffee & Tea during what Camp 6 is calling the Tacoma Social. The good times start at 8 p.m. Moving forward, Camp 6 will hold a Tacoma Social event on the last Friday of each month.

2. It's no lie when the University of Puget Sound website touts David Requiro as a prize-winning cellist. Requiro is also an artist in residence at UPS, who tonight will bust out The Folk Inspired Cello along with violinist Maria Sampen and pianist Tanya Stambuk as part of the Jacobsen Series of concerts. Find more info here.

3. While smacking the ball through the windmill and past the sand trap might not seem like it has anything at all to do with helping bring the fine arts to the stage in Olympia, quite the opposite is true. The proof: This week sees the return of the Washington Center for the Performing Arts' Big Mini Golf Classic, which invites patrons of all ages to play a mini-golf course that winds throughout the building. Tonight a 21+ mini-golf party will see foursomes playing through various snack bars and "watering holes," while also enjoying a chipping contest on the main stage.

4. Normandie Wilson takes to the tiny stage at Le Voyeur in Olympia tonight. It's free, but donations are appreciated.

5. Get swanky with the Lance Buller Trio tonight at Maxwell's Restaurant and Lounge. The memories start being made at 7 p.m., and continue all night long, baby.

LINK: The Weekend Hustle

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight

NEW RESTAURANT ALERT >>>

The first time I made macaroni and cheese, I followed the official CIA (Culinary Institute of America) recipe. It took me approximately four hours, utilized two French "Mother" sauces, cost about $10, and tasted mediocre. I won't be doing that again soon. These days I leave it up to the pros - like Steve Cobb.

Cobb, who has seen the world through a restaurant kitchen window while his wife, Katrina, served in the Army, has tweaked his macaroni and cheese recipe during a 25-year journey. After tasting the famous macaroni and cheese at S'mac in New York City, and making the final adjustment, the Cobbs say they felt confident enough to open their own joint - a month ago - at the corner of Martin Way and Dutterow Road in Lacey.

Mac N' More serves six variations of macaroni and cheese, with the option to create your own dish.

A three-cheese "secret" recipe serves as a base.

"I experimented for years to create a cheese sauce that doesn't crack or burn when reheated," says Cobb

The light creamy sauce works well on its own, but receives its crown with added toppings like pickled jalapeno, spinach, black olives, bacon and chicken. The Cobbs also offer creations of their own, such as the "Mudbug" with crayfish tails and green onions ($9.95) and the "Buffalo" with chicken strips smothered in buffalo sauce, green onions and blue cheese ($7.95). The tomato, green onion, black olive and spinach-packing "Garden" macaroni and cheese ($7.95) is a knockout.

Steve says he also perfected his pasta preparation, producing a firm elbow macaroni that holds the light sauce.

In truth, mac 'n' cheese experimentation will most likely fill any person's first three visits to Mac N' More. But a person's fourth visit might include the popular Meat Loaf Smash Burger. Sandwiches, cornflake-crusted fried chicken and good ol' meat loaf are also on the menu.

The portions will satisfy any appetite. After indulgence like the aforementioned, it's hard to imagine how an ice cream sandwich, apple pie or shake could be added - but the option exists.

The Cobbs offer takeout for families or the thousands packing Martin Way during rush hour.

The Cobbs also say a bulk mac 'n' cheese option is in the works.

I can't imagine how long it would take me to create mac 'n' cheese in bulk.

[Mac N' More, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 9323 Martin Way, Lacey, 360.455.3290]

THAT'S QUICK >>>

Earlier this month MetroGruv Nightclub boasted a recent remodel on its Facebook. Now Tacoma Commerical Real Estate posted "Available" signs on the club's front windows.

WE WERE IN THE HOUSE >>>

Taking in a show at one of Olympia's many "house" venues is more like attending a friend's kegger than seeing a concert at a formal venue. Prior to the performance, folks nosh on communal food and chat, and then eventually make their way to the living room or basement for intimate, one-of-a-kind performances by celebrated local talent to well-regarded imports.

Last night the Weekly Volcano joined the crowd at the Guest House in Olympia's Westside to watch variations of Globelamp, Camp Wisdom, The Fishermen Three and The Black Swans perform in the house's basement. Elizabeth Le Fey, AKA Globelamp, welcomed members of Camp Wisdom for several songs, including a song about Olympia's famous Witch House. Members of touring The Fishermen Three joined Ohio-based The Black Swans and its lead singer Jerry DeCicca for a round of from-the-heart songs. The two bands just released a split 7-inch record "Knives"/"Up Here" on Shelved Records.

DeCicca mention his last Olympia performance was at a "cookie" party, which drew numerous one-liners from the crowd.

Here are a few scenes from the show.

LINK: More photos from the show

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Big Whisky Tacoma - Downtown. Crawford and James, DJs after. 9 pm. $5.

Dawson's Bar and Grill Tacoma - South. T-Town Aces. 9 pm.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Island Trybe, PO Box, J-Lei, D-Roc. 9 pm. $8-$13.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. The Fat Tones. 7:30 pm. $8.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Normandie Wilson. All Ages. 8 pm. Donation.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. David Gulibault. All Ages. 6 pm. Ian Jones. All Ages. 8 pm.

Maxwell's Restaurant and Lounge Tacoma - Downtown. Lance Buller Trio. 7 pm.

The Midnight Sun Performance Space Olympia - Downtown. Jeremy Jay, The Nuclear Animals, The Curious Mystery. All Ages. 8 pm. $5.

The Prosperity Grange Olympia - Westside. Pizza T "Fairwell Show" with Danny Kelly and Z-Kamp, plus barter fair. All Ages. 8 pm. $5 includes Pizza T T-shirt.

The Red Room Tacoma - Downtown. Burning Twilight, TCLW, I/Delilah, See Ya Space Bandit, Mercy Until Judgement. All Ages. 7 pm. $7.

Rock the Dock Pub & Grill Tacoma - Downtown. Keith Cook. 9 pm. NC.

Spar Cafe Olympia. Joe Michelini. 8 pm. NC.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South Tacoma. Jerry Miller Band. 9 pm.

Tempest Lounge Tacoma - Hilltop. Sevens Revenge. 7:30 pm. NC.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. The Righteous Mothers, Steve Schalchlin. All Ages. 8 pm. $25 suggested donation, benefits PFLAG-Olympia.

Westgate Bar and Grill Tacoma - Northend. Rock n Roll Magic. 60s-80s rock dance music. 9 pm. NC.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

SATURDAY, JAN. 28, 2012 >>>

1. Tonight, the currently trending Tacoma Urban Orchestra will lay down 14 - XIV Underground, a dance opera by Benjamin Smith-Chenovick, at The Library at Sanford and Son Antiques. Event hype promises the premiere of Acts IV and V from the Tacoma Urban Orchestra's winter show of 2012, plus Colin Reynolds of I Low singing tenor, the dance and choreography of Karin Stevens and Katrina Ellison and the costume design of Lisa Fruichantie. The action starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Sanford and Sons Antiques Library.

2. For the past few years - and working from an unusually strong starting point - Ben Union has been working to hone his sound to a fine point. After emerging on the scene with a potent live show and an even more precise debut LP, The Light, Union and his band - drummer Jared Mira, bassist Seth Mira, guitarist Talon Carpenter and percussionist "Shazam" - have been working hard to take that certain special sound and reduce it to its most effective essence. Tonight the band celebrates the release of a new record at Louie G's in Fife.

3. Both the Tacoma Home and Garden Show (in the Tacoma Dome) and The Washington Sportsmen's Show (at the Puyallup Fair Events Center) continue today with all the awesomeness you expect.

4. The Blondes featuring Steve Stefanowicz perform tonight at the iconic Spar in Old Town Tacoma. Starts at 8 p.m.

5. On the all-ages front, The Loose Buoys, Dale Everett and the Broken Song Byrds play Tahoma Tea and Co - also known as The Den, for those playing at home. The good times roll at 7 p.m.

LINK: The Weekend Hustle

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight

CAMPED OUT >>>

It's 10:30 p.m. last night, and I'm leaning against a piano watching the attractive crowd mingle at the inaugural Tacoma Social, one of the many organized social gatherings the collaborative movement Camp 6 has planned on its way to world domination -  or, at the every least, melding style with business and community in Tacoma. Anthem Coffee & Tea hosts the gathering, the hip hangout where Camp 6 co-founder JD Elquist received inspiration to move his clothing line and ideas from New York to Tacoma.

From my perch at the piano, watching the Pabst, wine and remarkable coffee dance in animated hands - not many wall flowers in this bunch - I realize that the Tacoma Social is a little like the after-parties held seven years ago in Tacoma. There's a bond around entrepreneurial dreams and collective ideas - only this time with a fashion forward dress code.

If Camp 6 continues to provide a home for the energetic and stylish, maybe, just maybe, we'll see a resurgence of interest in fashion in this town.

From what I can tell last night, cuffed pants are back.

Cheers Camp 6.

LINK: More Tacoma Social photos

LINK: Camp 6's story

LET'S LOOK AT A MENU >>>

Stop with the tirade about hating Hallmark holidays. Clearly, it's true that Valentine's Day is an artificial way of forcing you to synchronize your expressions of love, loyalty, and romance with those of the rest of the world, but you have to admit that it's also nice to go out for a top-drawer dinner with someone you really care about.

Almost every restaurant in the South Sound has a V-Day special - with either legendarily erotic ingredients, or just a menu that seems over the top with foie gras and tenderloin for two. No matter where you choose to go, it's important to book ahead. Even with Feb. 14 falling on a Tuesday, expect it to be tight for reservations. Since most restaurants are typically set up for tables of four, and Valentine's Day is primarily about tables for two, the total capacity of restaurants gets a bit skewed. Start calling early - especially if you want a prime table. For a list of local restaurants, check out our South Sound Restaurant Guide here.

Have you found a promising V-Day menu in the South Sound? We have:

Babblin' Babs Bistro in Tacoma

Bite Restaurant in Tacoma

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

213 Foote St NW Olympia - Westwide. Dead Language, Smear, Vizual Noize, spoken word. 7-11 pm.

Cork! A Wine Bar Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Dave Hannon. 8 pm.

Dawson's Bar and Grill Tacoma - South. T-Town Aces. 9 pm.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Idols, To The Wind, Ashylus, Navigator. All Ages. 8 pm. $8-$10.

The Hub Tacoma - Stadium District. Fingertips. 9 pm. NC.

Imperial Dragon Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Kingfish Hosts: All City Jam Session & YouTube Video Shoot. 8 pm. $5.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Afrodisiacs, Mr. Pink. 9 pm. $10.

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. The Silent Comedy, Ben Union, Hot Bodies In Motion. All Ages. 7 pm.

• For the past few years - and working off an unusually strong starting point - Ben Union has been working to hone his sound to a fine point. After emerging on the scene with a potent live show and an even more precise debut LP, The Light, Union and his band - drummer Jared Mira, bassist Seth Mira, guitarist Talon Carpenter and drummer "Shazam" - have been working hard to take that certain special sound and reduce it to its most effective essence. Read my full feature on Ben Union here. – Rev. Adam McKinney

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. The Moss Brothers. All Ages. 6 pm. Tin Man. All Ages. 8 pm.

McCoy's Tavern Olympia - Downtown.  The Hard Way, Glass Elevator, Tripwires. 9 pm. $3.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Midnight Salvage Co., Trees Without Leaves, The Purrs. 9 pm.

• On the opening track of Trees Without Leaves' album, Don't Say Uh Uh!, a master of ceremonies comes on to announce the band, in grand fashion, before they come barreling out in full, goofy force. The over-the-top blues rock of Trees Without Leaves is indebted to the similarly winking tradition of groups like Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show, Tom Waits, and the bluesier elements of Captain Beefheart or, more recently, the positively hallucinatory soul of That Handsome Devil. The lead vocals of Stewie Crockett are howlingly absurd, hugely animated odes to those manic preachers that used to be spotted in stale, smoky nightclubs and barrooms lined with peanut shells. It's all a delirious mixture that lands somewhere in the area of doting homage and full-throated hysteria. - Rev. AM

The Red Room Tacoma - Downtown. Ill Intent, The Beautiful Ones, Bent Life, Swing Low, Bad Influence. All Ages. 7 pm.

Sanford and Son Antiques Tacoma - Downtown. Tacoma Urban Orchestra. 7:30 pm. $7.

• Tonight, the currently trending Tacoma Urban Orchestra will lay down 14 - XIV Underground, a dance opera by Benjamin Smith-Chenovick, at The Library at Sanford and Son Antiques. Event hype promises the premiere of Acts IV and V from the Tacoma Urban Orchestra's winter show of 2012, plus Colin Reynolds of I Low singing tenor, the dance and choreography of Karin Stevens and Katrina Ellison and the costume design of Lisa Fruichantie. Expect quintessential Tacoma at its most awesome. – Weekly Volcano
  

South Bay Pub & Eatery Olympia - Eastside. Mudcat 8 pm.

The Space Tacoma - Downtown. The Warehouse presents Barleywine Revue, 4OnTheFloor, Tango Alpha Tango. All Ages. 8:30 pm. $8-$10.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. The Blondes, featuring Steve Stefanowicz, Sherri Woolworth. 8 pm.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Billy Moss Birthday Party, with live bands in the Loft. 8:30 pm. Cutting Edge. 9 pm.

Tahoma Tea And Co. (The Den) Tacoma - Downtown. The Loose Buoys, Dale Everett and the Broken Song Byrds. All Ages. 7 pm.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. The Righteous Mothers, Steve Schalchlin. All Ages. 8 pm. $25 suggested donation.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

SUNDAY, JAN. 29, 2012 >>>

1. The band Hey Girl is totally Olympia. Sludgy, grungy, dirty and totally cute. And I mean cute in a garage punk way. It makes you wanna crush on the three-piece band, based on their live performances and relatable lyrics - like in the song "Pizza Girl," where the delivery diva is on a pillar of gold, hallowed by catchy riffs and slamming drums. Tonight at The Brotherhood in Oly, Hey Girl, along with local rock 'n' roll shredders Blues Druid, should be the perfect openers for the ever-popular Pierced Arrows. Brace yourself for a night of sweaty, good old-fashion fun. 

2. Drop in on "Jeriactric Jazz" today at the Northern Pacific Coffee Co. in Tacoma. It runs in the afternoon, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and there is no cover. It's also all-ages, in case the kids dig on jazz.

3. Speaking of jazz, it's In The Pocket Jazz Night at Tacoma Comedy Club.

4. DJ Keith. Rock, despite his name, will spin country, R&B, hip-hop and Top 40 at North Point Bar and Grill tonight. Action starts at 9 p.m.

5. Now that football season is nearly over you can get back into your Sunday open mic routine, which no doubt includes busting into your song catalogue at Steilacoom Pub and Grill during the Sunday open mic with Jeanlizabeth.

LINK: The Weekend Hustle

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight