THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT'S UP THIS WEEKEND >>>
WEATHER REPORTFriday: Rain showers, hi 52, lo 39
Saturday: More rain, hi 45, lo 39
Sunday: Even more rain, hi 46, lo 34
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 50th 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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