5 Things To Do Today: "Spring Awakening," Foothills Trail, Kim Archer on a cliff, Bruce Molsky and more ...

By Volcano Staff on March 10, 2013

SUNDAY, MARCH 10 2013 >>>

1. What better to do with an afternoon out than see an oft-banned rock musical? Spring Awakening: The Musical follows a group of German students as they come of age and explore their sexuality - providing an afternoon or evening of entertainment for you. The content is explicit as it chronicles the consequences of oppressed sexuality so this is not your best bet for a family night out. In fact, it might just be your worst bet unless you want to fit in about four years of Sex Ed courses into one evening of song and dance. The show ends today at 2 p.m. inside the Norton Clapp Theatre at the University of Puget Sound.

2. Pack your bicycles! Grab the roller blades! Bring the dog and kids! There is a trail with infinite possibilities. The Foothills Trail. This trail is an more than 25 mile long trail that largely follows the old rail line. The Foothills Rails-toTrails colaition has diligently championed the development of this scenic byway and it is a gem in Pierce County. When it is completed, it will link with other trails and you will be able to travel from the shores of Puget Sound in Tacoma, all the way to the foothills in Enumclaw. While not fully completed yet, there are substantial sections done providing miles of recreational opportunity.

3. Saxophonist Kareem Kandi's sound is virtually unrelated to the roomy traditions of soul saxes, honking saxes or deep-chested boudoir ballad saxes. It derives from the classic, free, often enthusiastic tradition of Joshua Redman as filtered through Dexter Gordon and Sonny Stitt, all of whose shadows can be traced-Redman in Kandi's funky organicism, Gordon in his dynamic harmonics, Stitt in the intensity that coats his every note with a Gritty City finish. Catch the Kareem Kandi Band from 3-6 p.m. at Uncle Thurm's BBQ in Tacoma's Lincoln District.

4. Catch the awesome R&B powerhouse that is Kim Archer from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at The Cliff House Restaurant in northeast Tacoma.

5. Bruce Molsky plays a mean fiddle. In one YouTube video, he sawed the hair right off his bow! Speaking of shredding, he tears up a banjo and guitar with the same vigor. And when he throws his voice in the mix, the combination is a complete expression of old-time music. Solo, or with other musicians, his music is simple, effective and at times haunting. A blurb on his record label website, Compass Records - where Molsky has six albums under his belt - reads, "Bruce Molsky has been exploring traditional music from an astonishingly broad range of cultures over the past two decades - synthesizing them and refracting them through his own evolving sensibilities to the point where the sources of his inspiration transform themselves into a sound that is uniquely his." If It Ain't Here When I Get Back, his latest album, dropped March 5. Enjoy this world-touring master of old-time Appalachian at 7 p.m. inside Traditions Cafe in Olympia. 

LINK: Sunday, March 10 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area