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

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Rain showers, hi 52, lo 39

Saturday: More rain, hi 45, lo 39

Sunday: Even more rain, hi 46, lo 34

>>> FRIDAY, FEB. 17: THE FINISTERRA PIANO TRIO

Right alongside all the LMFAO in our iPods there's a shit-ton of jams from The Finisterra Piano Trio, a Seattle-based outfit formed in 2003 and glowingly referred to as, "one of the most recognized chamber ensembles in the Northwest." What can we say? There's just not much that gets the party started like when the Finisterra Piano Trio busts into a piano number form Russia or the Czech Republic. Don't believe us? Well, see for yourself Friday at the University of Puget Sound when the Finisterra Piano Trio does just that - giving audiences an entire evening of music from Russia and the Czech Republic in a performance fittingly titled, "Finisterra Piano Trio Plays Music From Russia and the Czech Republic." Part of the Jacobsen Series of concerts, the UPS website says to expect works by Czech composers Antonin Dvorák and Josef Suk, and Russian composers Anton Arensky and Rodion Shchedrin.

• The University of Puget Sound - Schneebeck Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m., $12.50 general admission, $8.50 seniors, free for current UPS students, 1500 N. Warner, Tacoma, 253.879.3419, pugetsound.edu

>>> SATURDAY, FEB. 18: ST. MARTIN'S PANCAKE FEED BREAKFAST

You're damn right we love pancakes. Like, we Ron-Swanson love pancakes. It's an almost unsettling level of obsession. But whatever. We'd eat pancakes for almost any reason or cause, making Saturday's pancake breakfast at Saint Martin's University benefiting the Campus Ministry's annual mission service a total no-brainer. According to the press release, this year 15 students will travel to Cincinnati, Ohio to work with the Franciscans for the Poor organization. Eat pancakes AND make Cincinnati a better place! It's a win-win! The $5 ticket, which can be purchased prior to the event at the Campus Ministry office, includes pancakes, sausage, fresh fruit and beverages.

• Saint Martin's - Norman Worthington Conference Center, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., $5, 5300 Pacific Ave. SE, Lacey, stmartin.edu

>>> SATURDAY, FEB. 18: OCCUPY WALL STREET - MARCHING FORWARD

This Saturday at the Temple Beth Hatfiloh in Olympia, author and editor of Yes! Magazine, David Korten, and a panel of guests will discuss the Occupy movement and how to foster an economy "in which life is valued more than money and powers resides with ordinary people who care about one another, their community and their natural environment." Sounds nice, right? Saturday's talk is sponsored by the Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation, Occupy Olympia, South Puget Sound BRICK and the Alliance for Global Justice.

• Temple Beth Hatfiloh, 7-8:30 p.m., free, but donations gratefully accepted, 201 Eighth Ave. SE, Olympia, 360.701.5980

>>> SATURDAY, FEB. 18: NEDDIE LEARNS THE BLUES

King's Books is undeniably the literary epicenter of Tacoma these days. So it's not surprising to see local poet and author David Fewster has a book release party and signing lined up Saturday at King's for his latest effort, Neddie Learns The Blues. A picture book illustrated by Tim Bernsau and described as comparable to "a children's book by Tom Lehrer and Charles Schulz as edited by Lenny Bruce," Neddie Learns the Blues is also not for kids ... literally. Apparently they wont sell it to you unless you're 18. All the more reason to celebrate it! Saturday's book signing will be accompanied by a short musical performance by the group Folksingers in Hell.

• King's Books, 4-6 p.m., free, 218 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.8801, kingsbookstore.com

>>> SATURDAY, FEB. 18: OLY FOOD BANK BENEFIT SCREENINGS

We always endorse seeing a good movie - or two. And, as far as old-school flicks go, Dr. Strangelove and Young Frankenstein are two of the best. Saturday, as part of a celebration of Olympia Film Society's Projectionist Alan King's 50^th anniversary, a benefit for the more-than-worthy Olympia Food Bank will offer you an opportunity to see both - with admission to each film only one can of food or a cash donation. Talk about a cheap date opportunity! Throw a little extra green in the can and show your date how caring you are.

• Capitol Theater, Young Frankenstein 6 p.m., Dr. Strangelove 9 p.m., can of food or cash donation, 206 Fifth Ave. SE, Olympia, 360.754.6670

>>> SATURDAY, FEB. 18: DON'T FENCE ME IN

Americana isn't always associated with artistic feats, but the "Wild West," and American frontier produced its fair share of creativity, from music and poetry to high plains yodeling and western swing fiddle. Saturday in Olympia the National Council for the Traditional Arts presents Don't Fence Me In, a national touring production dedicated to the "celebrated musical and oral storytelling culture" of the American West. The production includes the musical contributions of Wylie and the Wild West, The Quebe Sisters Band, Los Texmaniacs, North Bear and Paul Zarzyski.

• The Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 7:30 p.m., $7.50-$35, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. 360.753.8585

>>> SATURDAY, FEB. 18: THE CYPRESS STRING QUARTET 

According to lore (or, more accurately, the band's - available online), San Francisco's Cypress String Quartet was formed in 1996, and "during its initial rehearsals the group created a signature sound through intense readings of J.S. Bach's Chorales. Built up from the bottom register of the quartet and layered like a pyramid, the resulting sound is clear and transparent, allowing the texture of the music to be discerned immediately." By all accounts it seems to have worked, as the Cypress String Quartet comes to Tacoma under the billing "voice of the new generation of American culture," via the Broadway Center's website. Saturday, the quartet will be joined by jaw-dropping and much celebrated pianist Jon Nakamatsu at the Rialto Theater in Tacoma, joining forces for an evening of Haydn, Beethoven and Brahms.

• Rialto Theater, 7:30 p.m., $39-$52, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5890, broadwaycenter.org

>>> SATURDAY, FEB. 18: TOWN HALL MEETING

Citizens of the 27th Legislative District in Tacoma are invited to a town hall meeting Saturday, Feb. 18 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Evergreen State College's Tacoma Campus. Sen. Debbie Regala, Rep. Jeannie Darneille and Rep. Laurie Jinkins will all be on hand to offer their views and perspectives on the many challenges our state currently faces. According to an official mailing announcing the town hall meeting, all three lawmakers are "eager to hear your questions and suggestions so that we can continue our recovery and emerge a better and stronger state." Those interested in speaking are encouraged to arrive early and sign in.

• Evergreen State College - Tacoma Campus, 10 a.m. - noon, free, 1210 Sixth Ave., Tacoma
  

>>> SATURDAY, FEB. 18: OLYMPIA BAKERS GUILD PIE FEST 2012

There's a lot of bickering and disagreement in this world, but a couple things anyone with a soul can agree on includes the value of helping the less fortunate put food on the table and the value of pie. Amazingly, an event that incorporates both is planned for Saturday at The Olympia Center. Simply known as Olympia Pie Fest 2012, this is an amateur pie-making competition of epic proportion, mixing, well, pie with live music, raffle prizes and "cheerful chitchat," according to the Olympia Bakers Guild website. The best part is all money raised goes to the Thurston County Food Bank and the Senior Nutrition Program. Those interested in entering the Pie Fest 2012 contest can find guidelines (no dairy in the pie fillings!) online at olybakers.com, with pie drop off between 10 - 11:30 a.m. Organizers say each donated pie brings in $50 by the time it's said and done. The pie eating, award bestowing, and general merriment is scheduled from 1 - 3:30 p.m.

• The Olympia Center, pie drop off 10 - 11:30 a.m., Pie Fest 2012 1 - 3:30 p.m., $5 per entry of five quality cans of food, 222 Columbia St. NW, Olympia, olybakers@gmail.com, 360.628.4480, olybakers.com]

>>> THROUGH FEB. 19: THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH

The Phantom Tollbooth, a children's adventure novel by Norton Juster published in 1961, is loved to this day by children and adults alike. While it's easy to see why children connect to young Milo's tale, it also doesn't take much pondering to see why many adults still harbor a soft spot for the book. Luckily for all parties involved, Olympia Family Theater opened a three-week run of the stage version of The Phantom Tollbooth last week at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts - Black Box. Read Christian Carvajal's Weekly Volcano review of The Phantom Tollbooth.

• Washington Center for the Performing Arts - Black Box, Friday - Saturday 7 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m., $16 adults, $13 senior/military/student, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia, 360.753.8586

WHAT SOME OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE UP TO

CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL Theater Critic
With the Best of Oly issue and party safely behind us, my wife and I will bid a fond farewell to our buddy Linza on Friday. (He's moving to Forks--and believe me, if you can think of a Twilight joke, we've already made it.) On Saturday, we're getting drenched with A Bucket of Blood from Theater Artists Olympia.

JOANN VARNELL Theater Critic
Saturday I will be reviewing Willy Wonka at Tacoma Musical Playhouse and hoping it is as good as TMP's version of Peter Pan. Sunday the family and I will go to church and then I'll try to get my review written well before my deadline. Monday, I will thank the presidents for my extra day and try to post on my personal blog (some not so personal things).

ALEC CLAYTON Visual Arts Critic
I'm going to be awash in A Bucket of Blood, the Theater Artists Olympia show at the Eagles Ballroom Friday night. And, by the way, it will be my 69th birthday.

JOE IZENMAN Theater Critic
Everybody who's anybody in Tacoma is going to be at The New Frontier  Friday night to see Shotgun Kitchen (a band I used to be in), Big Wheel Stunt Show (a band I jammed with once), and acoustic opener Joe Izenman (a guy I am). After that, who the hell knows? Rumors abound of bowling parties, and possibly a tour of Tacoma to show off my fancy new bike tights. Only time will tell.

JENNI PRANGE BORAN Arts and Features Writer
I'll be living it up, writer-style, this weekend.  On Saturday I'm chauffeuring film producer Ed Saxon for TheFilmSchool's Substance and Sale seminar. Sunday I'm taking an online screenplay rewrite course.

JOSH RIZEBERG Tacoma Hip-Hop Writer
Friday I'll be teaching my class with special guest instructor Mr. Von. Then I'll be performing at the 8th Anniversary of the Seattle Zulu-Nation with Kept See and Afrika Bambataa in Seattle at Washington Hall. Right after that I'm shooting over to Kent and the Central Saloon to perform at Nuvo The 1's album-release show with Gonzo Family. Saturday I'll be performing at Stonegate Pizza on South Tacoma Way with Blue Nose Music. Busy weekend for me. Three shows in two days.

NIC LEONARD Olympia Hip-Hop Writer
Friday night Free Whiskey has a show in Portland at the Mt Tabor Theatre so I will be doing that.  Saturday night I will probably stay at home and watch this new movie called Shelter that I got from Netflix.

JENNIFER JOHNSON Food & Lifestyles Writer
Friday I will be basking in an all-day spa experience where strong hands work my muscles, rub me soothing oils and masculine voices tell me what an amazing cook I am. Saturday I will receive a much sought after award for doing more knuckle push-ups than my 3rd grade nephew. Sunday I will save a sinking a sinking ship from, well, sinking. And by all of this, I mean that Friday I will go to an Aussie-food themed dinner party, work out till I want to puke Saturday followed by homework and a wedding reception, and Sunday go to church, have dinner with Bilori and watch a movie while melting into my couch.

STEVE DUNKELBERGER Photographer
I will be going to Northwest Trek with the kids since they get in free. Also, we might see a movie or play Wii.

LINK: Even more local events that we recommend

LINK: Comprehensive South Sound Arts & Entertainment Calendar

BEST OF OLYMPIA 2012 PARTY >>>

As you have probably heard ad nauseam, tonight is the Weekly Volcano's Best of Olympia 2012 issue celebration at the 4th Avenue Tavern. Beginning at 6 p.m., Thurston County residents, Best of Olympia 2012 award winners and the Volcano staff will, in a sense, form a group hug over $2 Oly beers. Yes, there will be door prizes and an Olympia trivia contest. Yes, Glass Elevator and Scott Taylor and the Fond Farewells will rock without a cover charge in sight. But, the bottom line, it's an opportunity to celebrate the awesomeness of Thurston County with your neighbor.

That said, the music will rock. Here's a look of what you can expect from the Olympia band Glass Elevator:

Wait! Crap, that's not the band Glass Elevator. Try this:

And here's Glass Elevator again without Bradford's sweet gazebo:

And here's what you can expect from Scott Taylor and the Fond Farewells:

Slow dance!

COMMUNITY MATTERS >>>

Citizens of the 27th Legislative District in Tacoma are invited to a town hall meeting Saturday, Feb. 18 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Evergreen State College's Tacoma Campus. Sen. Debbie Regala, Rep. Jeannie Darneille and Rep. Laurie Jinkins will all be on hand to offer their views and perspectives on the many challenges our state currently faces.

According to an official mailing announcing the town hall meeting, all three lawmakers are "eager to hear your questions and suggestions so that we can continue our recovery and emerge a better and stronger state."

Those interested in speaking are encouraged to arrive early and sign in.

[Evergreen State College - Tacoma Campus, Saturday, Feb. 18, 10 a.m. to noon, free, 1210 Sixth Ave., Tacoma]

LINK: Rep. Laurie Jinkins sat down with the Weekly Volcano

FRIDAY, FEB. 17, 2012 >>>

1. Riding the success of its last major all-ages rave night, Hell's Kitchen will host another similar event titled "Rapture" featuring DJs Antarctica, DePriest, Basscraze, Contagious, UrMajesty, The Sauce and Chaos spinning around 8 p.m. The MyTurn GoGo dancers will be in the house, too. RGW and Wizard Promoting are the folks behind this event.

2. Blues rockers Junkyard Jane has been rockin' Jazzbones since the club opened in the late 1800s. Billy and the crew are back with a 7:30 p.m. show. It's always a fun time.

3. The musical Hair is much like a jam band concert: it's multi-sensual, it elicits an emotional ride, and it's probably about 15 minutes too long. That said, director Heidi Fredericks shakes every last nugget from Hair's theatrical dime bag at Capital Playhouse, with a curtain time at 7:30 p.m. Read Christian Carvajal's review of the show here.

4. You've heard it many times: Practice makes perfect. Doyle's Public House in Tacoma's Stadium District lives by this adage. Every 17th of the month, the watering hole hosts St. Practice Day, a trail run at it's annual, massive St. Patrick's Day party. It's a warm-up, if you will. Naturally, traditional Irish music makers Shillelagh Jack will provide the soundtrack. Practice starts at 8 p.m. Don't be late or the coach will yell at you.

5. Suffergauge, American Wrecking Company and Psychonaut Deathtrip will go off at 9 p.m. inside the Backstage Bar and Grill in Tacoma.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight

LINK: South Sound happy hours

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

This Weekend: A buttload of rain. (Seattle Times)

Occupy Tacoma: The lights went out ... probably for good. (News Tribune)

Payroll Tax Cut Extension: The Senate and the House hug it out over a deal. (CNN)

What the Fukushima?: As the United States prepares to build its first new nuclear power reactors in three decades, concerns about an early generation of plants have resurfaced since last year's disaster in Japan. (CNN)

Syria: Troops have resumed heavy shelling of the Syrian city of Homs. (BBC)

World's Best Movie Theaters: No children, booze and 4D. (CNN)

Didn't See This Coming: Charlie Sheen doesn't have many positive things to say about this season's Two and a Half Men. (Hollywood Reporter)

Didn't See This Coming II: Man suffers heart attack whileeating "Triple Bypass Burger" at Heart Attack Grill. (Time)

Colbert Report: Suspended temporarily for family issues. (The Wall Street Journal)

Idiotic: Oxygen greenlights a pilot for a teen wedding reality show. (Deadline)

Oh.

stereo skifcha from xgabberx on Vimeo.

PURE RADIO AND/OR PODCAST GOLD >>>

In all honesty, if I was going to pick a week to start doing a short blog hyping Volcano Radio, this might not have been the best week to kick things off. Thanks to a wicked root canal gone wrong, I was on Vicodin during this week's taping and I think it shows in my performance.

There's this checker at the Fred Meyer in my neighborhood that's so obviously doped out of her mind on pain medication that it takes you three months to make it through her line. She just stands there expressionless, swiping one ... yogurt ... after ... another ... at a speed so slow it makes those not on pain medication batshit crazy. I'm afraid that's how I sound this week.

But hopefully Steph, Adam and especially our guests carried the show.  With a Best of Olympia 2012 theme thanks to this week's Best of Olympia 2012 issue (see how we do that?), the show is packed with goodness. We're joined by "Best New Band" as voted by Best of Olympia 2012 Readers' Poll voters, Science!, as well as "Best Bartender" Andy Geertsen from the Eastside Club Tavern. I feel like I sound especially high during that interview, but judge for yourself.

You can find this week's Volcano Radio here. It's also available on iTunes. Adam often tells me he's "subscribed" to it. I nod my head like I know what that means.

LINK: Find previous episodes of Volcano Radio here.

CAT FIGHT >>>

The Best of Olympia 2012 is on the street, the 5,000 pint glasses from last night's Best of Olympia Party have been through the 4th Avenue Tavern's dishwasher and the pink Pepto bottle has disappeared off Editor Matt Driscoll's desk.

In a nutshell, there's a calm inside the Weekly Volcano World Headquarters - if you ignore preparations for next week's annual Music Issue.

However, there IS anger on the streets of Olympia - specifically, at Olympia bookstore Last Word Books. The Weekly Volcano named Orca Books' resident cat, Henry, the "Best Bookstore Cat" in this year's annual issue. It seems that honor pissed off another Olympia cat.

"As the resident feline at Last Word Books, I must take umbrage at your selection of Orca's Henry as the best bookstore house cat. Sure, He's a booji kitty stuck in a booji bookstore, but I am the mighty Basil. I can out-nap, out eat and scatter more kitty-Litter-ature then anyone. Thus I demand satisfaction. DEADLY HAIRBALLS AT FIFTY PACES!" - Basil the Cat (as told to Tim Jarrett).

Hang in there kitty.

P.S. The Best of Olympia 2012 will post online Monday, Feb. 20. If you follow bestofolympia2012.com you'll reach gold.

FROM WHAT WE CAN REMEMBER >>>

Last night was the annual Best of Olympia party hosted by everyone's favorite free alternative weekly, Weekly Volcano. And what a party it was. Held at the 4th Avenue Tavern, this year's event had many things working in its favor: the venue sports a kick ass music room, a laser show decorated the floor, $2 Oly beers, pool and arcade games, and there were lots of people enjoying themselves on a rain-free Olympia night.

It took an hour, but eventually the joint filled with award winners and partiers. Thanks to the Weekly Volcano's awesome Street Team, you couldn't walk past the 4th Ave Tav without noticing the hoopla.

Inside, it was the best of both worlds: A who's who of the Olympia music and arts scene pounded drinks and chatted in the main bar area, while Glass Elevator and Scott Taylor & the Fond Farewells rocked those in the music room.  In between bands, Olympia-raised Sean Peterson ran the raffle and tossed Olympia trivia into the crowd. Team Brotherhood Lounge took home the most trivia prizes.

Every half hour throughout the night, the 4th Ave Tav crew exited the music room with a towering stack on pint glasses.

Special thanks to musical director/sound engineer Ben Hawkes for lining up an awesome night of music. Glass Elevator tripped the light fantastic with an amazing, rockin' Floyd-like set. You could hear each talented musician. Scott Taylor and his Fond Farewell – the entire band dressed in white suits but individually-selected footwear - took the crowd to the other side of the '70s - the pop side. Besides worthy renditions of Michael Jackson, Hall & Oates and the Beach Boys, the band performed a brilliant version of Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed" that packed an, well, amazing crescendo. A few couples made out during Scott Taylor's rendition of "Take the Long Way Home" by Supertramp.

A big thanks to the Best of Olympia 2012 winners who dropped by for their awards and the $2 Olys. The Weekly Volcano crew will distribute the remaining awards over the next few weeks.

We'll post the Best of Olympia 2012 issue on our website Monday. In the meantime, the issue is nestled inside the Weekly Volcano from Federal Way to Tumwater.

Below are a few shots from last night's party.

Thanks for the fun time Oly!

SATURDAY, FEB. 18 2012 >>>

1. Seattle's eclectic roots ensemble New Forge teams up with members of the Blackberry Bushes Stringband, joined by Olympia's Lob Strilla on banjo and Ben Sidelinger on dobro and electric bass, for a performance at the Eastside Club Tavern beginning at 9:30 p.m.

2. In time for a swell 30th anniversary appearance, Annie returns to the silver screen at 2:30 p.m. inside Olympia's Capitol Theater. But don't come looking for a 3-D reboot like some of these supposed "classics" Hollywood plans to dig up this year. (The Phantom Menace? Wow.) Instead, clear your throat, rehearse those pipes and get ready to belt out song after song from this feel-good musical, and all for a good cause. Every suggested $10 donation collected at the door benefits Parents Organizing for Welfare and Economic Rights. But please, call the organization POWER.

3. King's Books is undeniably the literary epicenter of Tacoma these days. So it's not surprising to see local poet and author David Fewster has a book release party and signing from 4-6 p.m. at King's for his latest effort, Neddie Learns The Blues. A picture book illustrated by Tim Bernsau and described as comparable to "a children's book by Tom Lehrer and Charles Schulz as edited by Lenny Bruce," Neddie Learns the Blues is also not for kids ... literally. Apparently they wont sell it to you unless you're 18. All the more reason to celebrate it! Saturday's book signing will be accompanied by a short musical performance by the group Folksingers in Hell.

4. Want to watch men in masks and underpants bludgeon the holy hell out of each other? Lucha Libre Volcánica, in collaboration with University of Puget Sound's CHiSPA (Community for Hispanic Awareness), host a night of lucha libre wrestling from 7-9 p.m. at the UPS Memorial Fieldhouse. Compared to professional wrestling, Lucha libre wrestlers are definitely physical as well, but it's a bit more theatrical. More like sketch comedy.

5. The Waterstreet Cafe hosts a Carnival Celebration featuring the Afro-Cuban band Ocho Pies at 9:30 p.m.

THE WEEKEND HUSTLE: We preview tons of events happening today

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight

LINK: South Sound happy hours

ROAD TRIP! >>>

It was a sad day when downtown Tacoma contemporary art gallery BKB & Company turned off the lights this past December. It was even sadder to see the Art*o*mat® art vending machine go. BKB owners Corky and Victoria couldn't find a new home in Tacoma for the machine. Therefore, they are returning the machine to its creator, Clark Whittington, in Winston-Salem, NC.

Being that Corky and Victoria lean on the creative side of life, they decided to drive the Art*o*mat® to North Carolina - "roaming gnome" style, stopping to take pictures of the machine in front of roadside attractions along the way. 

And they are blogging their trip, too.

Follow their adventure on the Our Epic Art*o*mat® Road Trip blog here.  The blog is live even though they don't back out of the driveway until Monday.