THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT'S UP THIS WEEKEND >>>
WEATHER REPORTFriday: Sunshine, hi 51, lo 35
Saturday: Mostly sunny, hi 54, lo 39
Sunday: Mostly cloudy with a few showers, hi 50, lo 44
Technology is a pretty freakin' big deal these days. Seems like the legions of tech geeks are ever growing, with a new techie born every time the wind blows or someone purchases a new iPhone. Friday brings the South Sound Technology Conference to the University of Washington Tacoma, a one-day event designed to bring together, "leaders from industry, education and government to discuss and demonstrate innovations and their applications," according to pre-event hype. The day-long event features a morning keynote by Director of Business Incubation at Cisco Systems Sharon Wong, a panel discussion on big data, and a lunch keynote by Michael Hamilton, chief information and security officer with the city of Seattle. - Weekly Volcano
"It's been a few years since we last played The New Frontier, and much has changed - most notably, we have a brand-new LP called Someone Else's Cake out on Fin Records," says Lincoln Barr of Red Jacket Mine. "It'll be great to be back ... Brook, Neil, and the rest of the crew are hospitality epitomized. We recently heard up-and-comers Trees and Timber at a house party hosted by our friends in the Jilly Rizzo, and we knew we'd found a Tacoma band after our own heart. Throw in The Variety Hour and you've got a full night of Pure Pop for Tacoma's Now People." - Nikki McCoy
McCoys Cavern in Olympia, voted Best Dive Bar by Volcano readers, will be hosting a night of rock; stoner rock, classic rock, dirty rock, whatever you want to call it, it will be off the hinge. With Mosquito Hawk (Oly), Witchburn (Seattle) and Black Pussy (Portland), I wouldn't recommend passing this one up. - NM
Chad Channing, former Nirvana drummer, brings his pop rock band Before Cars to Rocket Records for an afternoon, live performance. Before Cars are promoting its latest album, How We Run, dropped Feb. 26 on the band's record label, Pocket Star Records. Best thing about this album is the acoustic, singer/songwriter feel. Best thing about Rocket Records shows is they start early, you can browse music, there is a cool gumball machine, and owner Steve Gaydich and his dog, Bruno, are never without smiles, making it feel like your living room. Combine the two, and you're golden. - NM
Kids these days are no damn good. You hear about it all the time. But Saturday at the Tacoma Nature Center anyone interested can get a look at some of the positive things kids are capable of - like baking soda volcanoes and paper towel strength test. It's called the Snake Lake Science Fair, and kids from throughout Tacoma - many of them homeschooled - will participate with gusto this weekend, making for an event that's sure to be both enjoyable and enlightening. And it's also free to drop in on. The kids have been working for a long time on these projects (deadline for application was in late February, and there was a $10 application fee), so we expect a topnotch science fair. - WV
Wooooeee, that's a tall drink o' water! The professional bull riders are in town this Saturday for the PBR Built Ford Tough Series Tacoma Invitational at the Tacoma Dome. You can watch guys get thrown around by burgers on the hoof, enjoy the smell of large animal poop or watch the Weekly Volcano lasses stalk the man flesh while wearing my "Save a horse, ride a cowboy" T-shirt. - WV
Dockyard Derby Dames are gearing up for their first bout of their seventh season Saturday, where you will see the Femme Fianna, Hellbound Homewreckers, Marauding Mollys and Trampires in double-header action. This event teams up with Emergency Food Network - bring donated food and receive $3 off at the door. There will also be a beer garden and food truck for those that need to fuel their fire for extra cheering power. - NM
CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL Theater Critic
I plan to watch the new Oz movie, then spend all weekend bitching about how it doesn't measure up to the original.
REV. ADAM MCKINNEY Music Writer
This weekend, I'll be getting out of town for a few days to visit a friend in Portland. There, I expect that I'll revel in its relatively cheap culture, picking up a seriously discounted carton of cigarettes and enjoying complimentary beer-backs with my shots of whiskey. Portland is heaven for a few days, hell for much longer, I've found.
ALEC CLAYTON Arts Critic
We're going to the Thurston County Progressive Network's "Let Them Eat Cake" fundraiser dinner auction thingamajingy.
NIKKI MCCOY Feature Writer
After Friday, when I will be slinging drinks and then hitting up the Royal Lounge for Brent Amaker and The Dirty Birds, plus a mosey down to McCoy's for Mosquito Hawk and Black Pussy, the weekend calls from some serious R & R. And, no, I'm not talking about the Canadian blend whiskey - I'm talking sweat pants, TV trays, book reading and sleeping in.
JOSH RIZEBERG Music Columnist
I'm not doing anything this weekend except teaching my spoken-word/poetry class at D.A.S.H. on Saturday from 1-2 p.m. Then, I'll be helping Kept See shoot a video. Sunday, I'll be hitting the Graffiti Garage MC Cypher at 1 p.m.
JACKIE FENDER Food Writer
Saturday will include morning bird booze slinging and writing while Sunday will be the ultimate date night in honor of the husband's day of birth week. Undecided in what culinary exploration we will partake in but most certainly heading north to revel in Cirque du Soliel's Amaluna.
JOANN VARNELL Theater Critic
Woohoo, I have a date! Well, sort of. While my husband and I will be at the same Warehouse show with Damien Jurado and Jake Hemming on Friday. He will be working and I'll be hanging with friends. The toddler will have his own date and may or not be asleep when we get home. Also, I plan on grading papers and lesson planning at some point.
ADRIENNE KUEHL Food Writer
Friday, I'm heading to Seattle to hang out with my best friend at her gallery and catch up on some wine drinking. The rest of the weekend will be dedicated to doing my taxes and planning a friend's baby shower. Thrilling.
STEVE DUNKELBRGER Nightlife Correspondent
This weekend I plan on writing and shooting with a little coursework and maybe catching the Dockyard Derby Dames bout at Pierce College.
LINK: Even more local events that we recommend
LINK: Comprehensive South Sound Arts & Entertainment Calendar