FRIDAY, JAN. 25 2013 >>>

The prestigious University of Puget Sound will turn 125 years old March 17, 2013 as UPS was founded March 17, 1888 - just a short time after Tacoma itself was incorporated Nov. 12, 1875. September of 1890, the school opened its doors to 88 students. The university moved to several locations over the next 13 years, including a short stint in Portland, before heading back to Tacoma. Today, 2,600 students are enrolled as "Loggers," involved in 23 sports teams and 1,200 courses. UPS is also the only liberal arts college in the Northwest to offer a liberal arts-focused degree in business. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. UPS kicks off its yearlong birthday celebration with an open house in its Wheelock Student Center. Free cupcakes, historical slide shows, time capsule, Cirque du Sound (11:15 a.m.), What She Said (noon), Trio Consonare (12:25 p.m.), UPS Funk Band (1:20 p.m.) and pianist Jihae Shin '13 (1:45 p.m.) are part of the festivities. UPS Pres. Ron Thomas has fond memories of his time on the campus.

Every winter Varsity Grill in Tacoma hosts an Ice Block Party. It's hosted outside on its front patio. Get it!?! No, but seriously, you'll want to take note because this annual event offers beer lovers the chance at beer in all degrees of wintery awesomeness: the $20 fee gets you nine winter beer tastings from some of the region's top winter brews, as well as access to the appetizer buffet. Plus there'll be prizes and giveaways. Plus beer experts and brewers will be all up in the house. Plus Rock-Bot live-band karaoke will be there to rock your face off after it's all over. It all goes down at 5:30-9 p.m.

Speaking of the University of Puget Sound and its 125 history, the classical music Jacobsen Series, named in honor of Leonard Jacobsen, former chair of the piano department at Puget Sound, has been running since 1984. UPS artist-in-residence David Requiro and guest artist Meta Weiss present a cello concert at 7:30 p.m. inside the Schneebeck Concert Hall as part of the Jacobsen Series. Concerts highlighting two cellos at once are a rare pleasure, so cellists David Requiro and Meta Weiss decided to treat Northwest audiences to a evening featuring the instrument’s beauty and virtuosity they like to call A Due Celli.

Speaking of cellos, Zoe Keating loops her cello to create symphonic arrangements. She will unite with the Portland Cello Project - an act that has spent a lot of time bending and morphing expectations for what cellos can achieve in the realm of popular music - for a 7:30 p.m. concert at the Rialto Theater. What will happen when an artist known for doubling, tripling, quadrupling herself is united with a group that is known for their symphonic arrangements?

Singer/songwriter Bill Davie has a new CD/DVD out, Raise Your Heart. In celebration of the new release the Tacoma native has invited friends Kat Eggleston and Jim Page to join him in celebrating the record's release at Tacoma's Antique Sandwich Company at 7:30 p.m.

LINK: Friday, Jan. 25 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area