IT'S COMING OFF AGAIN THIS SATURDAY >>>

Beneath Tacoma's thick outer skin of gritty beautiful people covered in tattoos and vintage tops are a group of creative, clever women who know there's more to turning people on than jiggling butt floss. The Gritty City Sirens are into its second year of reviving the art of burlesque dancing and old-school pin-up style. Using theme costuming and props - and the all-important nipple pasties to hide their goods - the Sirens bravely putting the "tease" back in "striptease," wisely realizing that what you don't show onstage can be as titillating as what you do.

The Sirens will hit Jazzbones' stage twice Saturday night under the tagline "Remixed," with a new master of ceremonies, new Sirens and a few surprises.

And even though she's gearing up for the "Remixed" shows, Siren Rosie Cheeks was willing to take time to give us the ins and outs of Saturday's Show.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: What's up with the "Remixed" tagline?

ROSIE CHEEKS: The show is called "Remixed" because all the Sirens are taking acts from our repertoire and reworking/reinventing them.

VOLCANO: Who's this Pretty Ricky?

CHEEKS: Pretty Ricky is our master of ceremonies. He's a Tacoma local, who graduated from UPS with a major in Theater and a minor in music. He is also a costume designer and dressmaker.

VOLCANO: Your poster says Miss Pistolita has returned. Is she on the permanent Sirens roster?

CHEEKS: No, she's a full-time student with a job. We're lucky to grab her when we can. She's best known for bringing a rock and roll attitude to the art of burlesque. Our newest Sirens Dean Jameson and Kitty Kisses will also join us on stage Saturday. DJ Broam will mix the show live, throwing in his touch remixes throughout the night.

VOLCANO: Who are the special guests your poster teases?

CHEEKS: Dancer and choreographer Joel Myers will perform, as well as Tabitha and Cathy from Flair entertainment.

VOLCANO: Anything else?

CHEEKS: Big shout out to Lisa Fruichantie for grabbing the Gritty City Sirens management reigns. She's awesome.

[Jazzbones, Gritty City Sirens Burlesque Troupe's Remixed shows, Saturday, April 14, 6 p.m. with $12-$15 tickets, 10 p.m. with $15-$20 tickets, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169]

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012 >>>

1. There are those who believe bluegrass should be played by only the traditional banjo-fiddle-guitar-mandolin-bass lineup - and that solos should be short. The success of Old And In The Way, and the subsequent rise of the Newgrass movement and the jazz-inflected, extended solo-playing Bela Fleck are abominations to them. Then there are those adore the jamming kind of bluegrass, which you'll discover at the Mandolin Café beginning at 6 p.m. What better way to recover from the frenetic activities of Easter and the past week than some hot foot-stomping, toe-tapping picking.

2. José Ignacio Valenzuela claims you must be proficient in the ways of mass media to advance your words. The rapidly-rising young novelist, playwright, and screenwriter from Chile, with a bookcase full of awards, says new technologies have not only changed the face of music, television, film, and entertainment. They have done the same with the publishing market, where booksellers and writers have had to learn to navigate new waters. Today, to write, sell, and promote, the author must be submerged in the mass media and have the appropriate skills and knowledge. Hear his thoughts on the matter at 7:30 p.m. inside the Rasmussen Rotunda on the University of Puget Sound campus.

3. Sight For Sore Eyes, Take Over, Navigator and Among Mayans perform an all-ages show at 6 p.m. inside Hell's Kitchen in downtown Tacoma.

4. Engine House No. 9 is housed in a firehouse built in 1907 and still retains some of original firefighting artifacts. Recently purchased by the X Group, the force behind Asado and Masa, there's new excitement regarding the food, which over time has been good, but not astounding-tastier than your typical pub food and still affordable. Rev. Colin hosts karaoke at E9 Thursdays and Saturdays, starting at 9 p.m. He possesses a wealth of oddball musical knowledge and a disarming ease for calling everyone "baby."

5. Justin Stang, usually of Sideways Reign, and Jim Elenteny, ordinarily of Seattle band Nefarious Jones, unite to form the side project Science! We  know three things about Stang and Elenteny: they were voted Best New Band in our 2012 Olympia poll, they're playing The Royal Lounge at 9 p.m. with High Ceiling and Nefarious Jones, and their project is called Science! so they're OK by is (and, we suspect, Thomas Dolby). If you're busy tonight, they also play Saturday, April 14 at 4th Ave Tav.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: South Sound happy hours

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Olympia Film Society: There's turmoil between its board and staff. (Weekly Volcano)

Tacoma Bike Rack Program: It's gaining speed with new bike corrals on the way. (Weekly Volcano)

Josh Powell's House: It's gone. (News Tribune)

New Community Health Care Center: A bunch of dignitaries broke ground on the first major commercials structure in the Hilltop Tacoma business district in more than a decade. (News Tribune)

Amazon The King: It may get to decide how much an e-book will cost. (The New York Times)

Boeing's Website: It was attacked by the hacking collective Anonymous. (Daily Weekly)

Sweet: BateFlix lets you search for nudity in Netflix. (Venture Beat)

Not A Shocker: Axl Rose will not attend the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Pitchfork)

Tired Of Her Yet?: Betty White signs up for Twitter? Maybe not. (iVillage) 

Hey All You Dieters: Check out the recap of one of Kraftwerk's MoMA shows. (Brooklyn Vegan)

Yippee!

IT'S OPENING DURING OLYMPIA ART WALK >>>

After eight months without a space to call its own, the Olympia All-Ages Project has a new space for concerts, art shows and more.

"We're going to be opening there on Arts Walk," said Mariella Luz, who spearheads the All-Ages Project. There'll be a group show of prints for Arts Walk on April 27 and 28, and a concert by the Hive Dwellers and the Cavities.

The new space is a former machine shop at 414 1/2 Legion Way, near Planned Parenthood. "It's kind of hard to find right now," says Luz.

The space is about the same size as the project's former home at 321 Fourth Ave. E. "The old space was technically a bit bigger," Luz says, "but it had so many weird cubbyholes and storage spaces that we couldn't use that I think that the show space and the gallery space in the new space will feel bigger, even though it's not."

There is more dedicated gallery space in the new building, she tells me. Gallery hours have yet to be decided.

There will also be more events centered around filmmaking and animation, thanks to Devon Damonte. Damonte hosted a monthly workshop and film screening at the former location and brought in other filmmakers for screenings. He will have his own dedicated workshop in the new space.

It didn't take long to find the new spot, Luz says, but it took all this time for the current owner to get the space ready for music and art. When the former owner sold the machine shop, he left decades of detritus behind.

"There was all kinds of weird stuff in there," Luz says, "like phone books from the '60s, rocks, candles, empty coffee cups and all kinds of metal parts and machinery."

[Olympia All-Ages Project, Saturday, April 28, 8 p.m., $5, The Hive Dwellers and The Cavities, 414 1/2 Legion Way, Olympia, northernolympia.org]

WELCOME TO THE SCENE ASSEMBLAGE THEATRE >>>

David Domkowski knows that, quality notwithstanding, there are some shows that the Big Three of Tacoma area community theater companies just can't do. So the longtime Tacoma director made up his own, that can.

Mark O'Rowe's Terminus is a play like that. "The moment I read the play I knew I had to do it. I also knew that - because of subject matter, language, sexual imagery and violence - no Tacoma area theater would probably produce it."

And thus: Assemblage Theatre's debut production in Opera Alley's The Space. Despite the likelihood that the windows will be obstructed, one can't help but feel that The Space's panoramic view of the Port of Tacoma is appropriate for a work that spawned of the question, "What would happen if someone fell from a construction crane, looming over Dublin?"

Terminus opens Thursday, April 12, and promises angels, devils, sex, violence, and O'Rowe's reputation for agile, witty and poetic dialogue. Fantastic and sometimes horrific stories interweave in a host of rhyming, dark monologues, and Tacoma - at least those of us that are over seventeen - will have the chance to see a kind of theatre that doesn't often show its face between Olympia and Seattle.

THE SPACE, TEMINUS, APRIL 12-13, 20-21, 27-28, 8 P.M., $14.50, 729 COURT C (OPERA ALLEY), TACOMA, FACEBOOK.COM/ASSEMBLAGETHEATER

THIS WEEK'S VOLCANO MUSIC COVERAGE >>>

You may have other plans for this coming week ... well la-dee-da, look how cool you are! May we suggest a few more happenings to squeeze in.

The Volcano music section is your weekly chance at the best in South Sound music coverage. Check this week's goods below.

FEATURE: EVER-SO-ANDROID

Something I've not quite seen before is the utilization of the loop pedal in service of atmospheric post-punk. Seattle's Ever-So-Android takes a cue from Reggie Watts, building a foundation of beat-boxed vocals over which to layer moody guitar lines. – Rev. Adam McKinney

FEATURE: METAL HOME COMPANION

Just four months ago hardcore bands Crowd War and John Belushi disbanded and reformed to create To Die For, a favorite hardcore metal band of local all-ages venues.

To Die For's throbbing, metal-rage-inducing lineup consists of Patrick Adickes with the vocals, Mike Mike Lavagnino on guitar, Mike Elverston on drums, Mat Donaho playing bass and our dear friend Justin Kirby also on guitar.

The greater challenge Kirby faces - much more demanding than a room full of metal and hardcore music fans - is parenthood. With a baby girl on the way, Kirby and his wife have already prepared their daughter's room with a safari motif. – Steph DeRosa

HIP-HOP: NUVO THA1, DARIUS & BAMA DA PRINCE

A couple weeks ago I apologized for not writing enough about the female artists in our area. I then brought up Lady Versatile, and this week I'm shining some light on Nuvo Tha1. She is the first lady of the Gonzo Family and she is more than just a token female member of the crew. Nuvo is a talented MC, singer, producer and engineer. She records and mixes her own music. She orchestrates the mic, the boards and the engineering all seamlessly. Her voice is strong and her flow is sharp. ... - Josh Rizeberg

WE RECOMMEND: MENDOZZA & BONE SICKNESS

Normally with these blurbs, we focus on one band. But, I'm torn about this upcoming show at McCoy's in Olympia. I absolutely have to give shine to both Canadian sludge doom band Mendozza, and local up-and-comer metal monsters Bone Sickness. Let's start with Mendozza. These heavy hitters have been on the indie circuit now for six years. They chug and churn and hit below the belt with their arsenal of heady bass lines, rip-your-face vocals and guitar, and tattering drumbeats. And Bone Sickness. Hot damn. These guys blister with eternal metal riffs and classic cookie monster vocals. ... – Nikki Talotta

WE RECOMMEND: OK SWEETHEART

Citing whimsical, prolific, minor-key songwriters like Randy Newman and Harry Nilsson as influences, OK Sweetheart's M.O. seems to consist of crafting delectable nuggets of pop music that equally serve the heart and the brain. Frontwoman Erin Austin's delicately lovely voice stands front and center and is buoyed by light-as-air instrumentation that drives with a gentle touch. It's all so clean and pristine, which helps to direct attention toward the modestly heartbroken lyrics.... - Rev. AM

PLUS: BETTER LIVING THROUGH MUSIC – SOURCES IN CODE, JOANNE RAND ...

PLUS: Comprehensive Live Local Music Listings

PLUS: Stop the lies!

FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2012 >>>

1. Portland, Oregon-based singer-songwriter, Justin Jude will celebrate the release of his third album, 5 Kinds of Rain, at 6 p.m. inside the Mandolin Café. The stripped-down, bare-all EP 5 Kinds of Rain finds Jude using only his voice, acoustic guitar, and a handful of instruments to create an immediate, naked presentation of his songwriting.  

2. The Intaglio printmaking process involves etching into a copper or zinc plate with a tool to make an indentation, inking the plate, and then sending it through the press with to transfer the image onto paper. The process dates back to the 15th century. Doris Simmelink and Chris Sukimoto, better known on the charts as the Simmelink Sukimoto Editions, have been printing and publishing artists' works on paper in limited editions - including printings incorporating intaglio and woodcut processes - for 25 years. The works of Simmelink Sukimoto artists are on display through May 2 at the Evergreen Gallery on the campus of The Evergreen State College. Check out "Ink on Paper: Prints from Simmelink/Sukimoto featuring the works of Edgar Bryan, Vija Celmins, Charles Garabedian, Alex Katz, Robert Mangold, Sylvia Plimack Mangold, Paul Mogensen, Thomas Nozkowski, Laura Owens, Monique Prieto, Martin Puryear, Ruth Root and Robert Therrien from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

3. Distinguished writers, poets, playwrights, short story writers, and people who scribble on cocktail napkins will step up to the mic from 7-9 p.m. as part of the Distinguished Writer Series and Open Mic at King's Books. Marjorie Rommel, a woman of many talents and has been published in many journals, will take lead.

4. Amocat Café's live music night - "Amocat Live!" - goes down the second Friday of every month. And, lo and behold, that's this week! Tonight catch Josiah and Sam Bogle, Jeremy Bush, Todd and Sondra Chamberlain, David Hill, Gen Obata and Doug Anderson, and the Amocat Live! House band The Collaborators, beginning at 7 p.m.

5. The Warehouse folks host a special house show beginning at 8 p.m. featuring OK Sweetheart, The Thoughts and Pretty Broken Things. The night will pay special tribute to Warehouse co-producer Julie Rex, who will be leaving us for sunny Cali. Google it for the house address.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: South Sound happy hours

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Arms Bazaar: Army bazooka, assault rifles, grenade launchers and other weapons you might find in Tacoma. (Daily Weekly)

Vanity Nightclub On South Tacoma Way: It's opened and shutdown many times. We guess it's back open because gunfire erupted outside it last night. (KOMO News)

Port Of Tacoma Commission: It has a new long-range strategic plan. (News Tribune)

Deplorable, Destabilizing And Dumbasses: The U.N. Security Council will meet Friday to discuss North Korea's botched missile launch. (CNN)

President Obama's Re-election: Running a positive campaign might be more difficult this time. (The New York Times)

Cultural Question: How did cats become bigger than Jesus? (Creative Loafing)

J.K. Rowling: She comes clean with the title and release date of her new book. (USA Today)

Francis Cobain: Twitter "should ban my mother." (USA Today)

Now We Know: Top 10 culturally significant banjo moments. (Pop Matters)

A Glutton's Delight: Burger King is testing the bacon sundae. (Time)

The Avengers: A bunch of behind-the-scenes footage. (Ain't It Cool News)

Tosh.o Dude: He's physically harassing unsuspecting women. (Jezebel)

Diet Coke: It has unveiled a new line of fashionable bottles, one of which draws inspiration from Madonna's infamous cone bra ensemble. (Billboard)

According to weather reports, the Gray Sky Blues Music Festival might need to change it's name. Apparently the sky over Tacoma will contain patches of blue with special appearances by the sun.

Saturday, directly following the Daffodil Parade, the Tacoma Events Commission and South Sound Blues Association will host the Gray Sky Blues Music Festival at venues all over Tacoma, like The Swiss, Stonegate Pizza, the Harmon Brewery and Cutter's Point Coffee. Performers include headliners The Karen Lovely Band, Chester Dennis Jones Band, James King and the Southsiders, The Billy Shew Band and a boatload more. The Harmon Brewery will also be hosting the Third Annual Custom and Rod Car Show. ?And the after party will be at Stonegate Pizza with an all-ages and adult jam, both kicking off at 8:30 p.m.

The Weekly Volcano caught up with Mr. Tacoma Blues and Gray Sky organizer Gary Grape for his thoughts on this year's festival.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: What's new this year at the Gray Sky Blues Festival?

GARY GRAPE: Hopefully 70 degrees and sunshine. And headliner Karen Lovely Band. I first saw this band at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis two years ago. They performed at the famous Orpheum Theater in the finals, which the band eventually grabbed second place. When Karen hit the first note I thought, "Here's a star." I was right.  She was signed by Piedmont Talent Agency out of Charlotte, North Carolina. She's been touring the country ever since and has been nominated for many blues music awards.  

VOLCANO: What are some of your favorite moments from past Gray Sky Festivals?

GRAPE: For me, my favorite Gray Sky was the first. That was the year I brought Teddy Lee Hooker from Long Beach, California to headline at The Swiss. Teddy Lee and I became good friends and continue to stay in contact.

Last year was quite special too. We brought the young kids' group The V-Knights from Phoenix. They were just awesome young players and definitely a crowd favorite.

VOLCANO: We see guitarist Jumpin' Josh is on the roster again. Is he old enough to drive yet?

GRAPE: No, not yet! He's only 14.

VOLCANO: How healthy is the blues scene in Tacoma?

GRAPE: Considering the stagnant economy the last few years blues is still popular in our area.  Thanks to clubs like Jazzbones, The Spar, The Swiss, Stonegate and Dawson's the musicians have a format to perform. I'm seeing a few younger musicians that are now playing blues and hopefully that will prove to help ‘Keep the Blues Alive'. I expect the Swiss, Harmon Brewery and Stonegate to be rockin' with blues fans on Saturday. 

Here's the latest Gray Sky lineup for Saturday, April 14:

The Swiss Pub (1904 S. Jefferson)

1 - 2 p.m. Palmer Junction

2:30 - 3:30 p.m. The Rafael Tranquilino Band 

Cover charge kicks in at 3:30 p.m. $8-$10

4 - 5:30 p.m. Chester Dennis Jones Band 

6 - 7:30 p.m. The Karen Lovely Band

The Harmon Brewery (1938 Pacific Ave.)

9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Third Annual Rod and Custom Car Show

Noon - 1 p.m. The Billy Shew Band

1:15 - 2:15 p.m. ZEB Presented by Puget Sound Music for Youth Association

2:30 - 3:30 p.m. The CD Woodbury Band

4 - 5:30 p.m. James King and the Southsiders

Cutter's Point Coffee (1936 Pacific Ave.)

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Jumpin' Josh and Felicia

2 - 3 p.m. Alyx and Chris Phippen

Stonegate presents the "After-Festival Party" (5419 South Tacoma Way)

8:30 - Midnight Chester Dennis Jones Band and Adult Jam (upstairs)

8:30 - 11 p.m. "All Ages Jam" hosted by Jumpin' Josh Violette and Felicia Agrelius (downstairs)

ALL THIS WHILE BLUEEGRASS BLASTED IN THE NEXT ROOM >>>

Thursday, the Weekly Volcano Nosh Leaguers descended upon the Mandolin Café with one mission: Drink all the wine. Oh, and in our newly enlightened state, to learn a few things.

Owner Tom Montante and his wife, Kathleen, graciously hosted a tasting of Silver Lake Winery wines paired with Chef Emily's delectable appetizers.

We drank. We listened. We feasted. There were prizes. We drank some more. 

Tom, a board member at Silver Lake Winery, schooled us on the basics of wine tasting. I have to admit, I needed that. I know food, but wine is another story.

Luckily for me and the other Nosh Leaguers, Tom is a wealth of knowledge on food and wine pairings. "You want your wine to complement your food, not overwhelm it," he said.

First, a light and fruity pinot gris with ham, pineapple and marinated asparagus. Next, a buttery 2009 Silver Lake Chardonnay served with brie and apple-pear.

Then, the group's favorite wine of the night, a 2008 Glen Fiona Syrah, paired with capicola-wrapped goat cheese. A match made in heaven, I'd say. The rich, tangy cheese and salty, fatty charcuterie went perfectly with the syrah.

A light bulb went on in my head. So this is what it's supposed to taste like. Like peanut butter and jelly, the wine and food pairing just went together, easily, with no doubt.

Then, a heavier 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon that stood up well to the strong flavors of smoked Gouda and salami.

Kathleen Montante delivered the goods.

Nosh League members Ston and Jennifer Nguyen

Gen Obata ran a bluegrass jam next to the Nosh League wine tasting.

When I almost stopped counting, we ended with a spicy surprise: an Italian wine called Nero d'Avola, with a spot-on pairing of new-to-me Kasseri cheese and Kalamata olives. I made a mental note to search out this wine and creamy cheese of perfection to serve to all my friends.

After all was said and done, Tom's words were still in my mind. "There's only two kinds of wine: Good wine and bad. If you like it, it's good wine."

After all that amazing wine and food, it's all good, Tom. It's all good.

[Mandolin Café, 3923 S. 12th St., Tacoma. 253.761.3482]

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