THE WEEK OF DEC. 6-12, 2012 >>>

In this week's issue ...

Band practice spaces can be mysterious. Musicians and bands hide from the outside world in order to find the perfect sound through undisturbed collaboration - most of the time. The Weekly Volcano respects the secret spaces - kind of. We dispatched our scribes Nikki McCoy and Rev. Adam McKinney for a look behind the scenes at an epic space in Olympia and a couple eerie, concealed spaces in Tacoma.

Downtown Olympia's a tight knit community of artists, musicians and tradespeople that are all trying to make sense of Casey Heath's horrific death. This Saturday, at McCoy's Tavern, Heath's longtime friends are throwing a benefit to help with the funeral costs, but more importantly, bring together the Downtown Olympia Community to remember a dear friend.

South Sound artists, venues, galleries and organizations are surprisingly techie - most everyone is on the Facebook or the Twitter. There are so many artists, groups, and businesses online that it might be difficult to figure out who will keep you in the know. Not anymore. Kristin Kendle suggests nine Facebook pages to follow to get a grasp of the South Sound arts scene.

Two pub "gems" recently opened in Tacoma. The first is a combination bottle shop and taproom with a niche focus on Northwest craft beer located in the former Mario's Mercato Italiano space. The second is a working bike shop that serves canned beer on Hilltop Tacoma. Jackie Fender explores both.

What do you want from a Christmas play? If you're like most people, you want sparkly lights, a jolly Saint Nick with a real beard, tiny tots with their eyes all aglow, and a reminder of the true, commercial-free meaning of Christmas (brought to you by Coca-Cola). You want some damn Christmas magic, thank you very much, and you'll get it from Miracle on 34th Street, as Christian Carvajal discovered in Tacoma.

PLUS: A bunch of great music this week

PLUS: A look at the new exhibit at Pierce College