FRIDAY, JAN. 18 2013 >>>

1. At 8 p.m., the Backstage Bar and Grill and Puddin' Pie Productions will combine rock music and comedy into one Rockin' Comedy Extravaganza package featuring two bands and five comedians. A line-up of comedians - including Travis Simmons "The Big Funny," Justin Hayes, Greg Baldonado, Jeremy Whitman and Eric "Puddin" Lorentzen - start off the night followed by Hookerfist, a Tool tribute band, and local rockers C.F.A. The event is a NWCZ Radio sponsored listener's party, with on-air host Darrell Fortune playing emcee. Read Nikki McCoy's full feature in the Weekly Volcano's Music section.

2. Bates Technical College will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic march on Washington D.C. and "I Have a Dream" speech with an 11:30 a.m. program that will remember the past and celebrate the future. Spoken word poet Lucas Smiraldo, also known as Vanilla Soul, and local activist and leader from the Civil Rights era Dr. Moses Harris will join Master of Ceremonies and former Bates President Lyle Quasim for the event, which will also feature speeches from Commander Sergeant Major Sherman Fox and Dr. Harris' daughter, Frances Lizette Renée Harris.

3. Members of the Saint Martin's University community will gather at 6 p.m. inside the Worthington Center for its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration honoring the legacy of the prominent human rights activist. Featuring a Southern-style dinner, the evening will include remarks by Tyler Calvi, the University's student body president, and University President Roy F. Heynderickx, Ph.D. A powerful performance by spoken word poet Chas Jackson will round out the evening.

4. The Social Bar and Grill hosts local creative writing publication Wrist Magazine's launch party Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. Beats provided by DJ Mr. Melanin while you can meet the staff and local authors and nosh on culinary treats and sip on some of the best craft cocktails in town. Tacoma winery 21 Cellars will be in the house too.

5. Talented Tacoma photographers command the Madera Architectural Elements Showroom once a month, illuminating their work and creativity with the visually aided enhancement implied by the name of the series, TRIPOD Slide Shows. Created by Tacoma artist Lynn Di Nino, the night of digital slides features three local photographers and one creative theme.  The next TRIPOD Slide Show slides into Madera from 7-8:30 p.m. featuring 15-minute slide shows by photographers Becky Frehse, Ann Darling and L. Lisa Lawrence under the theme "Footloose and Fancy Free, all over the World."

LINK: Friday, Jan. 18 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area