TUESDAY, MAY 21 2013 >>>
1. Week of Wonders describe their music as "tropical punk," which we suppose is as good a place to start as anywhere. What do they mean when they say this? Upon first listening, the lo-fi guitars and reverb-laden vocals call to mind any of many psychedelic pop revivalists, but then that percussion begins to seep into the fore. The sprightlier the percussion becomes, the easier it is to be whisked away by Week of Wonders to warmer climates, where the murkiness of the humidity starts to soak your brain and encourage flights of fancy and hallucinatory revelry.Catch them withHumble Cub and Shogun Barbie at 8 p.m. in the Tahoma Tea & Co.
2. The Pierce County Gleaning Project and Share the Harvest programs will kick off the season with a picnic-potluck paired with a continuing conversation on food justice issues in Tacoma/Piece County from 6-8 p.m. in Wright Park. Breakout-blankets will be arranged for some meaty (and veg/vegan!) discussion topics.
3. Mike Vax, an international artist for the Getzen Musical Instrument Company and a Summit Records recording artist, has played lead and solo trumpet with the Stan Kenton Orchestra, the Clark Terry Big Bad Band, and the U.S. Navy Show Band. His "sit-in" list is long and impressive that includes Art Pepper, Gene Krupa, Al Grey, and Freddy Hubbard, John Handy, Don Ellis, Don Jacoby, Louie Bellson, Joe Williams. Currently Vax leads his own groups: The Stan Kenton Alumni Band, The Mike Vax Jazz Orchestra, The Swing Shift Big Band in Prescott, Arizona, TRPTS (Trumpets), The Great American Jazz Band and the Mike Vax Quintet and Sextet. And he finds time to drop in on Tacoma how? Vax will hold a 7:30 p.m. trumpet clinic with the Tacoma Community College Band at TCC where he'll perform, talk about jazz, coach the band, dole out tips and, maybe, fetch your car.
4. Blackbird Raum is a gypsy punk band from Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, that are well known for their frantic live shows. Catch them with Matador, Gembrokers, Phillip Irie, Rickie Rich and The Lockstitch at 8 p.m. in Northern.
5. Negative Degree and Sterilized Adjustment play a 9 p.m. show at Le Voyeur.
LINK: Tuesday, May 21 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area
