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

Ed. Note: It's Memorial Day weekend. It's Sasquatch. It's good times. And Red Williamson is there. The Weekly Volcano sent Olympian Red Williamson of newspinphoto.com to Sasquatch! Festival 2013. As you can see below, it was a wise choice on our part. The photos are awesome. Williamson brought his wife, Rachel, and friend, Matt Guile, along. Rachel files the report below on Day One action from The Gorge.

Well, the time has finally come. It's the Friday leading up to Memorial Day weekend, and Team Newspin - Red Williamson, Rachel Williamson and Matt Guile - arose at the crack of dawn and drove to the other side of the state to get lost in a sea of people, and soak up the sunshine and booming music coming from all directions. You guessed it; it's none other than Sasquatch! Festival 2013, and we have arrived!

After finding a spot at the artist's campground with our friend and Seattle rapper Xperience (performing on Sunday), we pitched our tents and went out to explore the festival grounds. Our first glimpse of the festival was like the calm before the storm. Everyone was busy working with various equipment, vendors were setting up shop and occasionally we saw people who, like us, had a camera in their hands.

>>> ZZ Ward, photo credit: Red Williamson / Newspin photo

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SUNDAY, MAY 26 2013 >>>

1. There is nothing on holiday Sunday-night TV, so you might as well dust off those dancing shoes and head over to Tacoma's fancy fun house, Encore Boutique Nightclub. The downtown Tacoma hotspot will open at 10 p.m. for "Sundazed" - a celebration of warm weather, summer time vibes and the three-day weekend. Enjoy free VIP tables, half price on bottle service and no cover. Now those women who wear almost nothing at Encore have an excuse.

2. Whether you've seen Little Shop of Horrors or not, it is so much a part of our pop culture that it is difficult not to have some preconceived ideas when you hear the title. Thankfully, Tacoma Little Theatre's production of the musical by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken lives up to the musical's quirky and fun reputation. The production ends its run today with a 2 p.m. show. Read Joann Varnell's full review of Little Shop of Horrors in Northwest Military's Music & Culture section.

3. Saxophonist Kareem Kandi's sound 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. Kandi has been hanging with organist Delvon Lamarr and drummer Adam Kessler, which has added groovy innovation to Kandi's sound. Catch Kandi's trio from 3-6 p.m. at Uncle Thurm's Finger Lickin' Ribs & Chicken in Tacoma's Lincoln District.

4. Award-winning comedian Tyrone Hawkins will take the Tacoma Comedy Club stage at 8 p.m. The Tacoma Comedy Club offers free admission for active and retired military and dependents tonight.

5. Jazzbones has a special treat for you, and it's gonna be all over the dance floor. One word, four letters, starts with "F" the next letter is a vowel, and the last letter is a consonant. F-O-A-M! Bet you thought from our clues it was going to be an Anglo-Saxon word for fornication, huh?  But trust us, foam is even better than that other word, since while that other word can imply fornication it can also be a curse uttered out of anger or disappointment. Foam, on the other hand, always produces good feelings! Unless it's in a glass of beer and you got cheated out of extra beer. Jazzbone will pump out the foam tonight on the scantily-clad Jazzbones patrons. You see, the ladies who dance at Jazzbones usually wear cocktail napkins for outfits.  Tonight, they'll wear even less. When the clock strikes 9,DJ Switch and drummer Wiggles will provide the beats for your grinding pleasure. Beach attire is highly suggested. And remember, "what happens in the foam stays in the foam!"

LINK: Sunday, May 26 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Ed. Note: It's Memorial Day weekend. It's Sasquatch. It's good times. And Red Williamson is there. The Weekly Volcano sent Olympian Red Williamson of newspinphoto.com to Sasquatch! Festival 2013. As you can see below, it was a wise choice on our part. Once again, his photos are awesome. Williamson brought his wife, Rachel, and friend, Matt Guile, along. Rachel files the report below on Day Two action from The Gorge.

We rolled out of our tents and into Day Two of the Sasquatch! Festival. After gaining our bearings, we made out way toward the media tent. Weaving our way through humanity it became apparent people were letting their guards down around camp - everyone seemed a little dirtier, more hungover and more comfortable embracing this raw, real gathering at The Gorge. It is truly special to watch humans sharing a collective experience, in a place where you are free to be who you want to be, express yourself however you choose and immerse yourself in the glorious music around you.

>>> Headress Girl, photo credit: Red Williamson/Newspin Photo

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MONDAY, MAY 27 2013 >>>

1. Memorial Day is the one day of the year that we set aside to remember and honor our country's patriots, yet we owe them a debt of gratitude, every day of every year. Our Memorial Day Command Center has all the services, events, stories and proclamations.

2. Today, the Blue Star Museums program opens again for the summer. Blue Star Museums offers free admission to all active-duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day, May 27, through Labor Day, Sept. 2. South Sound museums are participating.

3. The Greta Jane Quartet plays the Royal Lounge at 8 p.m. The quartet is back at The Royal tonight at 8 p.m. In your world, jazz is the Pandora station your boss makes you listen to at work. Well, prepare to get schooled. In the Quartet's nimble hands, jazz was powerfully sexy, just the thing to settle a body down after another manic Monday. Imagine a snifter of Maker's Mark and pretty ladies in cocktail gloves. That's right, cocktail gloves! It's our  fantasy, damnit! Anywho, happy days are here again - at least for tonight.

4. Abd.El.Kader, or AEK, has created his own original blues style, SafarBlues, combining the sounds of North Africa and the West. Hear it at 8 p.m. in The Swiss.

5. Bands RowHouse and Julian Najar will make a special Monday night appearance at 9:30 p.m. in Magoo's Annex.

LINK: Monday, May 27 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

As you coast down Pioneer Way to take in Gig Harbor's waterfront view and charming retail shops and galleries, you must consider a visit to Brix 25.

The attractive restaurant exudes an intimate and approachable fine dining atmosphere while serving up flavorful dishes courtesy of chef and owner Thad Lyman. Among many wonderful dishes, Lyman's talents shine with his Petite Smoked Mozzarella Ravioli ($8 happy hour serving in the lounge or $21 entree size). This dish features roasted red pepper pasta filled with a three-cheese blend of mozzarella, asiago and ricotta. The delectable cheesy nibbles are then tossed in a house made Italian sausage Bolognese sauce.

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If you're starting to plan a summer vacation, or even a few overnight outings, it can be daunting when you look at the price tag attached. Luckily, military families have access to a variety of destinations, for free, so long as they can show proper military ID.

For starters, more than 2,000 museums nationwide will open their doors, free of charge, to active duty Servicemembers, National Guardsmen and Reservists, as well as their respective, through Sept. 2. The Blue Star Museums Program, which began in 2010 as a collaboration between the DoD, Blue Star Families and the National Endowment for the Arts, has been growing dramatically and includes everything from science to fine arts to children's museums. For a state-by-state list of participating museums, click here, which includes Tacoma's Museum District.

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The Washington State Fair announced two more acts for its concert series. Carly Rae Jepson, a Canadian recording artist and singer-songwriter from Mission, B.C. - who placed third in Canadian Idol season five's competition - will perform with Hot Chelle Rae Friday, Sept. 20. Tickets are $20-$50. The Celtic Tenors will join the Tacoma Symphony in concert Tuesday, Sept. 10. Tickets are $25-$65.

Both shows go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 1 through the fair's website.

Ed. Note: It's Memorial Day weekend. It's Sasquatch. It's good times. And Red Williamson is there. The Weekly Volcano sent Olympian Red Williamson of newspinphoto.com to Sasquatch! Festival 2013. As you can see below, it was a wise choice on our part. For the third day in a row he has submitted amazing photos from the festival. Williamson brought his wife, Rachel, and friend, Matt Guile, along. Rachel files the report below on Day Three action from The Gorge.

It's Day Three of the Sasquatch!, and this festival at The Gorge has certainly met all of our expectations and more. This landscape is full of diversity, almost like a small city - an incredibly unique gathering of different people and music. It's obvious this radical experience would never be a reality without a massive crew of people behind-the-scenes. It has been a real treat to watch humanity come together in so many ways.

Capital Cities was our first stop of Day Three, and they set a happy tone for our day with uplifting, electronic pop rock. Their songs are full of heart, and impossible not to dance to. Capital Cities' hit song "Safe and Sound" had the crowd on their feet.

Deep Sea Diver's uniquely crafted sound of pop and guitar rock was another positive way for us to kick off Day Three.

We also enjoyed Colyn Cameron, the singer/songwriter of Wake Owl, and the way he harnessed genuine emotion through his music.

>>> Chalkboard VW Bus, photo credit: Red williamson/Newspin Photo

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TUESDAY, MAY 28 2013 >>>

1. If you're considering climbing a mountain, we suggest you hightail it to the Olympia Farmers Market at 7 p.m. and catch mountaineer Jim Whittaker's lecture and slideshow. Whittaker was the first American to summit Mount Everest (1963). He joins The Alpine Experience's Launch of the Mountain Life Festival to discuss the climb he made 50 years ago, as well as the hundreds of other climbs he's made worldwide. After listening to Whittaker's adventures, you can make a solid decision if Mount Rainier is in your future.

2. It's Tuesday, which means The Grand Cinema screens a special film for today only. At 2 and 6:45 p.m. expect to see Band of Sisters, the story of Catholic nuns and their work for social justice after Vatican II of the 1960s.

3. If hearing the sound of your own cackling voice echoing off the walls of your shower stall has you craving the sound of something a bit more harmonious, check out the local songbirds at Victory Music Open Mic at the Antique Sandwich Co. It's guaranteed to be jam-packed with gorgeous sounds and humbling verses, as the South Sound's greatest up-and-coming acoustic musicians bare their souls impromptu-style from 7-10 p.m.

4. You are getting sleepy, v-e-r-y sleepy. Now, go see the hypnotist show at 8 p.m. inside the Red Wind Casino. Whether a skeptic or believer, the show will be sure to entertain with its comedy, rock and roll and outrageous hypnosis, like people sneezing and having orgasms(!) when Ron Stubbs, the man behind the magic, utters the word "pepper."

5. The quintet pop-punk band Good Morning Tonight from Casper, Wyoming joins Larusso at 8 p.m. in Le Voyeur.

LINK: Tuesday, May 28 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area