SATURDAY, MAY 25 2013 >>>
1. That's right, it's Tacoma Jazz & Blues Festival time again, when you can cram an entire week's worth of fun into one whirlwind Saturday. The Harmon Brewery & Eatery, The Swiss and Stonegate Pizza, between 12:30 and 11:30 p.m., will be going full blast with quartets up to big bands the size of Ruston's population. The Blues stage at The Harmon kicks off at 12:30 p.m. with Steve Cooley and the Dangerfields, followed by The Cody Rentas Band at 2, Maia Santell and House Blend at 3:30 and headline Arthur Migliazza at 5 p.m. The Johnny Lewis Big Band and Roadside Attraction will command The Swiss from 1-6 p.m. Beginning at 8 p.m. Rich Wetzel's Groovin' Higher Jazz Orchestra with guest trumpeter Mike Vax will perform for three and a half hours at Stonegate Pizza. The festival is free, thanks to sponsors - although there's a $5 cover at Stonegate.
2. The Gig Harbor Street Scramble is a treasure hunt that leads participants to 30 checkpoints throughout the community beginning at 9:30 a.m. The checkpoints are circled on a map, and each has a description such as "sculpture" or "road bend." They can be visited in any order, on foot or bike. Participants cannot use a motorized vehicle. Participants must return to the finish line before their time is up. To register, pick up a brochure at the Tom Taylor Family YMCA; Gig Harbor Visitor Information Center, 3125 Judson St.; or at other locations around Gig Harbor including Uptown Gig Harbor, Integrated Financial Services, MultiCare Gig Harbor Medical Park, Route 16 Running and Walking, Columbia Bank and Old Town Bicycle.
3. Beginning at 1 p.m., Olympia is going to be off the hook. Hip-hop scenes from Olympia, Tacoma and Seattle will merge for an all-day event of Western Washington's version of the XXL Freshman List. Hundreds of votes poured in, highlighting the regions favorite performers who rap, battle and blow minds. Leezy Soprano, XP, AKA and the Heart Hurt Goods, Motamouth Jones, NW Choppas and The Th3rds are just a few of the artists on the bill, which will also include the popular We Out Here Battle League, that will consume the Olympia Ballroom.
4. As we mentioned yesterday, Justin Giallo is presenting the sickest and most violent of all the '80s slasher movies, PIECES "uncut," as part of his Grindhouse Theater Film Series at The Grand Cinema. At 9 p.m. film critic Joe Bob Briggs will host the screening. That's right, the opinionated "Original Drive-In Reviewer" will be in the house. Expect a free raffle, trivia with prizes and screams.
5. As drummer and frontman of Umber Sleeping and I Like Science, Peter Tietjen would compose spaced-out, repetitive jams in a similar mode as bands such as Stereolab and Can. With the release of his solo debut, Tietjen's performance at 9 p.m. in The New Frontier Lounge will be accompanied by a cavalcade of local fixtures - presumably acting as the titular "Balloon Power Challenge" - including Rowhouse's Alex Tapia and Gary Kawamura, People Under the Sun's James Jenkins and Taxi Driver's Nate Dybevik.
LINK: Saturday, May 25 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area
