SATURDAY, DEC. 15 2012 >>>
1. Champagne Sunday is an interesting breed. Performing a little bit Broadway, a little bit contemporary, a little bit punk and a little bit blues, this indie duo has a lot of energy and talent that makes for an engaging, powerful listen. Tonight, from 7-9 p.m. you may ice skate to Champagne Sunday when it performs at the Weekly Volcano's Electric Salchow Stage inside the ice rink at the Franciscan Polar Plaza. They'll be dancing on the ice tonight. Read Nikki McCoy's interview with Champagne Sunday in the Weekly Volcano's Music section.
2. The Christmas Revels is a show, a Puget Sound tradition, a high-spirited, silly and serious, variety show that takes on Christmas in a way unique to other holiday performances. The Revels combine folk traditions and a bit of historical appeal with choirs and community performances, dance and drama. It's run opens tdoat at 2 and 7:30 p.m. inside the Rialto Theater in Tacoma.
3. Tacoma Performing Dance Company invites you to its annual take on The Nutcracker Ballet today and tomorrow at Stadium High School's Performing Arts Center. Catch the show at 2 and 7:30 p.m. today, and 1 and 6 p.m. tomorrow. Tickets will be available at the door and run $18-$22.
4. According to Wikipedia, "There is debate over the origin of the auto-harp. A German immigrant in Philadelphia by the name of Charles F. Zimmermann was awarded US 257808 in 1882 for a design for a musical instrument that included mechanisms for muting certain strings during play. He named his invention the ‘autoharp.' .... Karl August Gütter of Markneukirchen, Germany, built a model that he called a "Volkszither," which most resembles the autoharp played today. Gütter obtained a British patent for his instrument circa 1883-1884. Zimmermann, after returning from a visit to Germany, began production of the Gütter design in 1885 but with his own design patent number and catchy name. Gütter's instrument design became very popular, and Zimmermann has often been mistaken as the inventor." Now, will you need to know any of this to appreciate autoharp master Bryan Bowers's performance at the Tacoma Public Library's Main Branch when he busts out a free holiday concert at 2 p.m. sure to delight the masses (or handfuls)? Of course not. But it won't hurt. And it just might make Bowers' mastery of the autoharp all the more impressive, as the singer songwriter is often credited as having redefined the instrument.
5. DJs Broam, Bobby Galaxy and Mr. Melanin bring people together with their Future Bass night of Electroclash, EDM, hip-hop, disco, exclusive remixes and throwbacks, which they'll do again at 10 p.m. isnide The New Frontier Lounge. The trio is also bringing in DJ Jalen from Chicago. Raised on Parliament and WAR in Olympia, before honing her skills in the Big Apple, Jalen returns to the South Sound to be together ... with you.
PLUS: Yes Yes No No Holiday Show, Rare Exports and Drunken Telegraph Holiday Show in our Weekend Hustle
LINK: Saturday, Dec. 15 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area
