MONDAY, MARCH 18 2013 >>>

The Artesian Rumble Arkestra - the large orchestra of musicians specializing in jazz, Balkan brass, Brazilian samba and Bollywood film music - will perform at 8 p.m. inside The Royal Lounge.

Lynne Iglitzin tells the story of Margaret Bourke-White, noted LIFE magazine photographer, whose remarkable work documented many of the extraordinary events of the 20th century at noon inside the State Capital Coach House.

3. The day after St. Patrick's Day is typically a black hole for nightlife, especially on a Monday. Sure, if you run a sports bar, you'll do well during the World Series or football season, but for most eating and drinking establishments, it's just dead, dead, dead. There's a darn good reason why so many bars are empty on Mondays. So how do those that remain open find ways to fill barstools on this, the most dreadful evening of the workweek? The folks at The Swiss seem to have found a solution and, oddly enough, it's one that has been the bane of many other venues: live music. Since the beginning of time, The Swiss has hosted live blues every Monday at 8 p.m. Tonight, The Matison Avenue Band will be in the house.

4. Hey! Guess what? Rafael Tranquilino hosts an experimental jam at Stonegate Pizza every Monday night! Get in on the rockin' action tonight.

5. Beginning at 9 p.m. every Monday Jazzbones is packed to the brim with college kids. Party types. The type that wear tight shirts and trucker hats. Throngs of Chad Fratguys and Sarah Sororitysisters swarm the bar, line up for the bathroom and dance to the Rockaraoke - live band karaoke. The Rockaraoke band is skilled, too. Expect $2 PBR drafts, $3 Sinfire shots and $4 Smirnoff flavor vodka bombs.

LINK: Monday, March 18 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

BONDING OVER ROOT VEGETABLES AND CANDY >>>

Go Local Tacoma is out to change the world - or at least the community - one baby step at a time. The group focuses on all things local, and often how to connect all the branches of local awesomeness via networking.

The organization's upcoming Local Food Network Night will be an effort to connect local food producers, markets, businesses and consumers. The two-hour evening will be all networking, all the time, in hopes to tighten up community resources and awareness.

The evening will start with 30-second introductions.

"From there, we will break the group up based on interest levels so people can see who is working on similar issues, and then break the group down further into one-on-one discussions so people can get to know each other a little better," says Go Local president Derrick Rhayn. "This process increases the overall knowledge in the network of who is working on specific parts of systems change, and begins to build the skill set of weaving together connections for change."

Go Local will also be networking at the event.

"We are interested in local sourcing of food, supporting food entrepreneurs in all stages from start up to production to market," says Rhayn. "We are also very interested in developing a city-wide commercial kitchen network that food entrepreneurs can use for production. One of our long term goals is to address food equity issues as well."

The event is open to all. If you're interested in local food, you are invited. Bring topics you wish to discuss.

WILLAM FACTORY INCUBATOR, TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 6-8 P.M., FREE ADMISSION, 1423 E. 29TH ST., TACOMA, WEBSITE

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

Country's reigning diva next door - the one who made a first impression by way of American Idol and "Jesus Take the Wheel" - Carrie Underwood will perform Friday, Sept. 13 at the Washington State Fair. Are her songs about sassy takedowns of not-to-be-trusted guys, a traumatized young women willing a tornado to pulverize her boozing and the arena-scale murder ballad about a wife and a mistress conspiring against a two-timing man too edgy for the Fair?

Ask Kid Rock who has performed at the Fair.

Carrie Underwood tickets are $95, $85, $65, $45 with reserved seating, and include Fair gate admission, unless noted. Tickets are available Saturday, March 23 at 10 a.m. at www.thefair.com/concerts or 888.559.3247 daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Washington State Fair Box Office at Ninth at Ninth Avenue SW and Meridian Street on Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

SOUTH SOUND DINING NEWS, NIBBLES AND BITS >>>

Happy Birthday Ivar: You'll be hard-pressed to find a meal for $1.08. You can't even buy freakin' coffee for $1.08. Tuesday, March 19 would have been Ivar Haglund's 108th birthday, he of Ivar's restaurant fame. Wait for it ... wait ... for ... it. Yes, the first 108 the walk through the Ivar's in Tacoma, Lakewood and Puyallup will receive a complimentary blueberry cake pop. If you utter the phrase, "Happy Birthday Ivar," then you'll receive an order of fish and chips for $1.08 if you purchase one at full price.

Hands-On Cinnamon Rolls Class: Nothing sates a cinnamon-roll craving quite like downing a fresh bun, still steaming from the oven. Thursday, March 21, the Bayview School of Cooking hosts a hands-on cinnamon rolls class at 6 p.m. According to school hype, "Beth offers hands-on instruction making her Giant Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting. In class, you'll make a tray of your own to take home and refrigerate or freeze until you're ready to bake them off. When you're done with your rolls, you'll get to have Beth's freshly baked rolls with a cup of tea!" Beth joins a string of famous mononymous people such as Sting, Bono, Madonna and Cher in ... wait, Best goes by Beth Storey. Never mind this story. Reserve your space at 360.754.1448.

Museum of Glass Slider Cook Off: The Museum of Glass presents its annual Slider Cook-off Saturday, March 23 at the museum. The gustatory gladiators are: Asado, Bite Restaurant and Bar, Boathouse 19, Brix 25, Dirty Oscars Annex, Social Bar and Grill, Maxwell's Speakeasy + Lounge and Marrow Kitchen and Bar. An impressive lineup to be sure. Tickets are $35 in advance ($30 for MOG members) and $40 at the door. Get in on the party here.

Wine Dinner: El Gaucho Tacoma hosts Tom Glase, winemaker for Beresan Winery for a five-course meal and wine pairing Friday, March 22 at 7 p.m. According to el Gaucho hype, "a 5-course meal with a Hispanic flare including scallop ceviche, duck empanada, cabrito sopé, and New York mole.  "I'm excited about the mole and 2009 Carmenère pairing at this dinner," Tom said. (Click here for a full menu)." The cost is $95 per person. Call 253.272.1510 to reserve your spot.

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

SURVIVAL KNIFE HUG CONTINUES >>>

Between Timothy Grisham and I, the Weekly Volcano has given Olympia new band Survival Knife a lot of love. It's justified. The quartet is taking the local and global music scene by storm. 

While at the time of my last interview with Survival Knife, the band didn't mention an awesome tour. It has just been recently announced Survival Knife the band - featuring two former members of Unwound - will be touring with Seattle's alt-pop Modest Mouse. 

"We know some of the folks in Modest Mouse from years ago around Olympia and Seattle and we have mutual friends that run some of the business aspects of their operation, so I guess it just stemmed from that," says Justin Trosper, vocalist and guitarist for Survival Knife and founding member of Unwound. "Modest Mouse opened up for/played with Unwound years before they got to be big."

The tour kicks off April 10 in Oakland, Calif., with sold-out shows throughout California and Arizona.

Trosper says he's stoked to hit the road once again and looking forward to "hurting people's ears and brains."

Wednesday, March 20 will be your last chance to get your brains and ears brutalized before Survival Knife hits the road. The band will play with Deathfix (ex-Fugazi, Chain & The Gang) and Lois at Olympia's all-ages venue, Northern. 

NORTHERN, W/LOIS, DEATHFIX, 8 P.M., ALL AGES, $7, 414 1/2 LEGION WAY, OLYMPIA

LINK: Review of Survival Knife's debut single

LINK: Survival Knife profile

SAD NEWS >>>

Yesterday, The News Tribune reported Affairs Cafe and Bakery in University Place has closed.

Sad news, indeed. The Weekly Volcano would like to thank co-owner Gay Landry and crew for all the good times, for supporting our rag, for hosting our Nosh League and for serving one tasty Monte Cristo Sandwich, among other delights. We will miss you Gay. We wish you the best.

Affairs Cafe's closing does leave a hole in our Tournament of Sandwiches. Affair was schedule to battle Nordstrom Cafe Friday, March 22 in the "Specialty" sandwich region. Checking the rules book, Section 43 states, "If a sandwich drops out for any reason, the next highest vote getter during the seeding process will be added to the vacant spot. In other words, Lakewood's Moon Rise Cafe's Monte Cristo Sandwich received the 65th most votes by Weekly Volcano readers during the February seed voting. Therefore, Moon Rise Cafe's Monte Cristo Sandwich will face off with Nordstrom Cafe's Braised Short Ribs Sandwich Friday, March 22.

TUESDAY, MARCH 19 2013 >>>

1. Jewish actor/comedian Stephen Fry explores the dubious associations between Richard Wagner, one of his favorite classical composers, and Adolf Hitler, the 20th century dictator who cited Wagner's music as a motivating factor in waging genocide against the Jews during World War II in the film Wagner & Me screening at 2:30 and 6:35 p.m. at The Grand Cinema. Read a full feature on the film in the Weekly Volcano's Arts section.

2. Go Local Tacoma presents the Local Food Network Night to connect local food producers, markets, businesses and consumers. The two-hour evening will be all networking, all the time, in hopes to tighten up community resources and awareness. The event is open to all. If you're interested in local food, you are invited from 6-8 p.m. at the William Factory Incubator.

3. Alice Stuart brings her country blues crowd to the Red Wind Casino for a 6:30 p.m. show. Gamblers will be drawn to her finger picking guitar style and genuine voice that will touch their hearts.

4. The Palestinian-raised, New York City-based violin and oud player Simon Shaheen has played Arabic classical music, blended Middle Eastern, Latin and jazz sounds, and directed a string section at the Grammys for a duet between Sting and Cheb Mami. Tonight, Shaheen plays the Slavonian Hall in Old Town Tacoma at 7 p.m. It's free. Shaheen's kind of a big deal. Afterward, head to The Spar and discuss the melancholy, orchestral grace as well as frenzied high-pitched excitement you experienced during the show.

5. Seattle band Enemy Combatants is heading down to Tacoma at 8 p.m. to bring an onslaught of hardcore punk to The Red Room. Double knot your shoelaces and put on your moshing pants, for they will exercise no mercy in putting on a high-energy performance.

LINK: Tuesday, March 19 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO GO GREEK >>>

Getting your gyros and pizza through a drive through is a beautiful thing.  It's Greek to Me Tacoma has long made these portable munchies available curbside from its small, triangularly shaped location at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and Division. These menu items and more are now available at its new location across the street at 1702 Sixth Ave. Literally moving overnight Sunday, March 9 and reopening for business the next day, the new location has roomier inside seating and much improved drive-through access and parking, along with new menu items.

Additions to the menu include chicken saganaki, stuffed with feta, tomatoes, olives, basil and spinach ($7.99/lunch, $11.98/dinner) and mizithra spaghetti ($9.99). Also new is the fettuccine skorthato ($9.99), a dish that employee Kevin Arkell loves, especially since, "it's the only fettuccine you can get through a drive-through." Good point.

Perhaps most exciting is the breakfast pita ($3), with gyro meat, eggs, cheese and grilled onions and peppers. According to Arkell, the breakfast pitas came about as something the employees would make for themselves before their shift.  Grab one of these for breakfast along with their new espresso items available until 5 p.m., including 12 oz. lattes or mochas for $2, and you've yourself a steal of a deal.

IT'S GREEK TO ME TACOMA, 5 A.M. TO 10 P.M. MONDAY-FRIDAY, 7 A.M. TO 10 P.M. SATURDAY-SUNDAY, 1702 SIXTH AVE., TACOMA, 253.272.1375

STILL TIME TO DESIGN YOUR LADYBUG COSTUME >>>

The Olympia Spring Arts Walk, and it's highly regarded Procession of the Species, is just six short weeks away, set for Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27.

Preparation for Arts Walk is in full swing, with artists, businesses and parade participants gearing up for the event that brings 15,000 people - and an additional 5,000 for the Procession of the Species - to downtown Olympia.

"Downtown is full to the brim!" exclaims Stephanie Johnson, arts and events manager for the city of Olympia, and voted Arts Scene MVP in the 2013 Best of Olympia issue.

While the 128 participating businesses have already paired with artists, Johnson recommends prospective contributors to "keep an eye out for places your art would be a good fit and then contact them."

The artists and businesses may be in place, but the Procession parade workshops continue until April 18. Coordinators encourage volunteer participation to help create, build and design. Three studios are open to the public - a whale studio, butterfly studio and central studio - where animal, insect and luminary costumes and props come to life.

And for those who go to enjoy the art, rather than create it, the city of Olympia created a mobile app that gives real time event updates and acts as a virtual tour guide, complete with interactive map.

For Procession of the Species volunteer hours and information call 360.705.1087.

For more information about Arts Walk and a link to the mobile app, click here.

OLSEN BROTHERS > OLSEN TWINS >>>

For weeks, I've been trying to shake the images of Ich Hunger from my brain. Made by local filmmaker Isaac Olsen, Ich Hunger is a German expressionist freakout concerning a "creature boy" who lives in the forests of Germany and eats people. Saturday, as if Ich Hunger wasn't visually and aurally stimulating enough, the film will be screened along with musical accompaniment by the onslaught of local garage-rockers Red Hex (featuring Isaac's brother, Sam Olsen), as well as original electronic music. Afterward, the melted brains of the audience will be invited to disco dance. It'll be an experiment in (slightly) ordered chaos. How far can your ears and eyes be stretched, and when that breaking point is reached, will you ever really be the same? Wear a helmet to this one, dear reader.

THE NEW FRONTIER LOUNGE, W/ RED HEX, ACE TONE FUZZMASTER, 9 P.M., COVER TBA, 301 E. 25TH ST., TACOMA, 253.572.4020