WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2012 >>>

1. The synthesizer is a powerful tool that has suffered much abuse since its entrance into the pop world. Cheese-doodling, lipstick-wearing hairspray bands of the '80s are to blame for the synth's lowly place among "real" instruments like guitars and snare drums. But Stepkid, a.k.a Benjamin Tyler from Portland, Ore., has reclaimed the keyboard's unique ability to create otherworldly audio on his new release, Cosmonauts. The drummer has crafted his Stepkid from a strange musical universe that encompasses the paranormal, mythology and both outer and inner space. His output feels like a musical battle between good and evil, an electronic, synthesized dance night for Rod Serling. Read the Weekly Volcano's Q&A with Stepkid on its blog, Spew, then catch him at Le Voyeur at 10 p.m.

2. Mayor Marilyn Strickland and Erik Hanberg, chair of the Tacoma Reads Together committee, will discuss this year's choice, Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella, at 7 p.m. inside King's Books. The conversation will focus on pursuing one's dreams, faith, and baseball as America's national pastime.

3. Many things go well with beer: Pretzels. Football. Your mother-in-law away on an extended cruise. You know what else goes great with beer? Tacos and tunes. Every Wednesday night Tacoma's Lucky Silver Tavern has $1 tacos and $1 plates of tater tots, not to mention a full docket of karaoke songs. Chugging beer, pounding beef tacos and belting out some Fleetwood Mac - now that's a Wednesday night.

4. Hell's Kitchen hosts the Asian Hip Hop Summit featuring the Yellow Boyz, Lyricks, Smokes, Eetree, Lok Skywalker and Shao Sosa beginning at 8 p.m.

5. Want to get into the habit of doodling dudes? Tonight at 8:30 p.m. The Mix hosts live body painting giving Tacoma's creative community an opportunity to socialize, sip and scribble. Most succinctly described as figure-drawing sessions with a tarot readings twist, the sessions are open to the public, as long as you're of drinking age. Oh, there will be drinks.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: South Sound happy hours