SATURDAY, JUNE 1 2013 >>>

1. Even though Steve Madden has a spring 2013 glam line, and parody bands such as Steel Panther are making their way into mainstream, there is one band who perfectly embodies the spirit of sleaze rock - the Tacoma/Olympia band Prophets of Addiction (POA). Former Pretty Boy Floyd and Queeny Blast Pop bassist Lesli Sanders combined his connections, skills and wardrobe with the tight licks and pouty lips of bandmates Pat Hall, Jimmy Mess and newest addition Tim Diedrich to create one hell of a glam band that is often compared to Guns N' Roses with a worldwide following. POA is tight, practicing multiple times a week, touring as often as possible, and even thrift shopping together. Catch the band with Mosquito Hawk and Wikid Sin at 8 p.m. in the 4th Ave Tav in downtown Olympia.

2. Nothing says good times like family fun and a whole crapload of pirate references. By the look of things, that's exactly what's in store for those headed to the 2013 Maritime Gig Festival in Gig Harbor. Expect wholesome treats like a family fun run, a pancake breakfast, car show, a Saturday "Pirates of the Peninsula Yo Ho Harbor Grand Parade," fishing stuff, music and what's billed as the "Round Rock Contest." We have no idea what a "Round Rock Contest" is, but it sounds AWESOME! The festival stretches all weekend in downtown Gig Harbor, along Harborview Drive, between Pioneer and Rosedale, and along the waterfront near Jerisich Dock and Skansie Brother's Park.

3. You can find cut herbs, seasonal fruits and vegetables, fresh fish and baked goods along with live entertainment, free crafts for the kids and gardening advice from master gardeners from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Proctor Farmers Market. Come see the farmers market the Weekly Volcano readers voted Super Best Farmers Market of 2011.

4. May we suggest you plan for international bestselling fantasy author - and Tacoma resident - Robin Hobb's appearance at 2 p.m. in the Tumwater Timberland Library. She'll discuss her new book, Blood of Dragons, which completes the story of the dragons, their keepers, and their quest to find the lost city of Kelsingra and the mythical silver wells that could save the dragons from extinction. We have no idea what that means, but exciting!

5. The Gritty City Sirens prsents Deja Revue, a night of burlesque featuring Rosie Cheex, Ava D'Jor, Funny Face Fanny, Kitty Kisses, Heather Hostility and Dessi De Vine beginning at 9 p.m. in Jazzbones.

LINK: Saturday, June 1 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

CONTEST BASED ON HIDDEN NUTS >>>

By now you know the Tacoma City Ballet is in the midst of a yearlong scavenger hunt for Golden Krakatuk Nuts. The nuts tie into the company's highly anticipated Dec. 7, 2013 performance, Prequel to The Nutcracker.

Here's a refresher: TCB hides hand-painted Golden Krakatuk Nuts inside jewel boxes around Tacoma; inside the boxes is a scroll with prize details, such as gift certificates, merchandise or tickets to Tacoma City Ballet's World Premier of said Nutcracker in December. Each month through the year, Golden Krakatuk Nuts will be hidden at businesses throughout Tacoma. To find the nuts, decipher the poetic clues, which will be posted at Tacoma City Ballet's website, Facebook page, as well as this blog. You find the Golden Krakatuk Nuts and great riches will be heaped upon you! For complete on the contest and Nutcracker performance, click here.

The June Golden Krakatuk Nut clue dropped this morning. This clue will guide you to a restaurant, shop or other business at which the nuts may be in plain sight or may be behind the counter.

Here you go you nuts:

Searching for the Krakatuk Nut, you are?

Then like Drosselmeyer you must travel far.

Look for beautiful boxes containing the Golden Nut

and other delightful prizes - Who can imagine what?

Only one box is hidden this month in our fair city

And to figure out February's clue, you must be quite witty.

June's Krakatuk Clue:

On his long journey around the world,

Drosselmeyer stopped here to quench his thirst and see the curl.

"What curl?" You ask.

Is it a curl in a horn or a flask?

Do you know what that means? Are you off to find the golden nut? A limited number of prizes will be available at each location, so speed counts.

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SUNDAY, JUNE 2 2013 >>>

1. It's become tradition in our area - a yearly blues-blowout local music fans look forward to for the quality it draws. And, like clockwork, it's back. From 4-10 p.m. at Jazzbones, the preliminary contest of this year's South Sound Blues Association sponsored Back to Beale Street 2013 Blues Competition goes down, offering a chance for competitors to earn their way to the heralded International Blues Challenge in Memphis in early 2014. Three solo and duo acts will battle it out in front of a panel of judges, as will seven bands. Included in the musical goodness will be the Randy Oxford Band, Delta 88's, Crazy Texas Gypsies, Arthur Migliazza, the Cody Rentas Band and many others. The top four bands will advance to the finals, to be held during the 4th of July Freedom Fair and Air Show on the Duke's Chowder House Blues Stage.

2. The Mother Earth News Fair returns to the Puyallup Fairgrounds with Ed Begley Jr. in tow. The green activist will present a talk on energy conservation followed by a question-and-answer session at 1:30 p.m. When Begley isn't chatting up renewable energy and St. Elsewhere, the family-oriented sustainable lifestyle event will feature more than 240 hands-on workshops and demonstrations from experts from the leading authorities on renewable energy, small-scale agriculture, gardening, green building, small-scale livestock, green transportation and natural health from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

3. Nothing says good times like family fun and a whole crapload of pirate references. By the look of things, that's exactly what's in store for those headed to the 2013 Maritime Gig Festival in Gig Harbor. Expect wholesome treats, car show, fishing stuff, music and more in downtown Gig Harbor, along Harborview Drive, between Pioneer and Rosedale, and along the waterfront near Jerisich Dock and Skansie Brother's Park.

4. NASCAR lovers and car enthusiasts near and far, rev up your engines because there's a special event motoring into town that can't be missed. LeMay - America's Car Museum in downtown Tacoma is honored to play host to the "Legends of Motorsports: The NASCAR Story Exhibit." Be one of the first to get in on the action from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to the exhibit opening today, the museum offers an extended celebration with live entertainment from the Kim Archer Band, free commemorative posters to the first 500 entrants and racing simulators available for a small fee to get a unique NASCAR experience. Food and beverages will also be available for purchase. Read Kim Thompson's full feature on "Legends of Motorsports: The NASCAR Story Exhibit" on our blog Walkie Talkie.

5. Beginning at 3 p.m. South Sounders have the opportunity to do two great things thanks to collaboration between Maurice the Fish Records and Fish Food Banks of Pierce County. The product of their concerted efforts is the Fish Food Benefit Concert, which will be held at Louie G's Pizzeria in Fife. The benefit show will feature 12 bands, including special guest Lynn Sorensen of Bad Company and now Spike and the Impalers. Other performers will include Audentia, Champagne Sunday, Nolan Garrett, Rikk Beatty Band, Tin Man, Kim Archer and Rafael Tranquilino, Mr. Von, Late September Dogs, Heidi Vladyka, Dave Hannon and James Coates. Read Rockford Rowley's full feature on the Fish Food Benefit Concert in his column, The Rockford Files.

LINK: Sunday, June 2 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

2 Mile House Olympia - Westside. Blues Bentley Band Sunday Jam. 5-8 pm. NC.

Jake's on 4th Olympia - downtown. Nail This benefit show for Rusty Nails featuring Dirty Malkovich, Jeremy Serwer, Hellbelly, Glass Elevator, The Hard Way and Full Moon Radio. 6:30 p.m. $5.

• This Sunday, June 2, make your way over to Jake's on 4th for a community fundraiser for Siobhan, aka Rusty Nails, who has been in recovery since a March 27 hit and run accident in downtown Oly. She sustained many broken bones and has been undergoing many life-altering surgeries, including having part of her leg amputated. Dirty Malkovich, Jeremy Serwer, Hellbelly, Glass Elevator, The Hard Way and Full Moon Radio will be performing to help cover the cost of extensive medical bills and ongoing care. What an incredible lineup and community spirit to serve this woman, who has been described by friends as a "bad ass, beautiful creature loved by so many of us all over the place." All donations will go directly to Siobhan's recovery costs. - Nikki McCoy

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Back To Beale Street Blues Competition, with Blue Mud, Bob McCluskey, Arthur Migliazza, Delta 88's, Randy Oxford Band, Blues Country Sheriff, The Crazy Texas Gypsies, Cody Rentas Band. 4 pm. $10.

• It's become tradition in our area - a yearly blues-blowout local music fans look forward to for the quality it draws. And, like clockwork, it's back. From 4-10 p.m. at Jazzbones, the preliminary contest of this year's South Sound Blues Association sponsored Back to Beale Street 2013 Blues Competition goes down, offering a chance for competitors to earn their way to the heralded International Blues Challenge in Memphis in early 2014. Three solo and duo acts will battle it out in front of a panel of judges, as will seven bands. Included in the musical goodness will be the Randy Oxford Band, Delta 88's, Crazy Texas Gypsies, Arthur Migliazza, the Cody Rentas Band and many others. The top four bands will advance to the finals, to be held during the 4th of July Freedom Fair and Air Show on the Duke's Chowder House Blues Stage. - Weekly Volcano
  

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Reid Urban. All Ages. 7 pm.

Louie G's Pizza Fife. 6th Annual Fish Food Benefit Concert Main Stage, with Audentia, Champagne Sunday, Nolan Garrett, Rikk Beatty Band, Tin Man, Kim Archer and Rafael Tranquilino, Mr. Von, Late September Dogs. All Ages. 3 pm. $10 suggested donation.

• Beginning at 3 p.m. South Sounders have the opportunity to do two great things thanks to collaboration between Maurice the Fish Records and Fish Food Banks of Pierce County. The product of their concerted efforts is the Fish Food Benefit Concert, which will be held at Louie G's Pizzeria in Fife. The benefit show will feature 12 bands, including special guest Lynn Sorensen of Bad Company and now Spike and the Impalers. Other performers will include Audentia, Champagne Sunday, Nolan Garrett, Rikk Beatty Band, Tin Man, Kim Archer and Rafael Tranquilino, Mr. Von, Late September Dogs, Heidi Vladyka, Dave Hannon and James Coates. Read Rockford Rowley's full feature on the Fish Food Benefit Concert in his column, The Rockford Files.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Bluegrass Sundays. 4 pm.

Pierce College Puyallup. Pierce College Jazz Expo with Thomas Marriott Sextet (Tribute to Art Blakey), Greta Matassa Quartet, McTuff, Pierce College Jazz Ensemble and Pete Christlieb Quartet. Musicians of all abilities and ages, as well as non-musicians, may attend the workshops. 1-10 pm. $10 at the door.

• Underneath this respectable, suburban veneer lies a seething hotbed of decadence; behind a curtain of boring hides an orgiastic cacophony of richness. It's called jazz. If Bobble Tiki were to count awesome Northwest jazz musicians on one hand, Greta Matassa would land on his index finger. She headlines the Pierce College Jazz Expo Sunday. Bobble Tiki's other fingers contain the other performers of the night - Thomas Marriot Sextet (tribute to Art Blakey), McTuff, Pierce College Jazz Ensemble and Pete Christlieb Quartet - plus a bunch of boogers. It's a full day thing. From 1-5:30 p.m. the Pierce College Jazz Expo will host "clinics" by the performing musicians, with concert scheduled from 2:30-8:30 p.m. Clinics will go on simultaneously with performances, so plan accordingly. Musicians of all abilities and ages, as well as non-musicians, may attend the workshops. Musicians are welcome to bring their instruments to the clinic because some clinicians may ask students to participate. Read Bobble Tiki's full feature on the Pierce College Jazz Expo here.
  

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Rich Wetzel's Groovin' Higher Orchestra. 5-8 pm.

LINK: More live music tonight in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

MONDAY, JUNE 3, 2013 >>>

1. The first thing to catch the eye upon entering the gallery is a large, two-part print project created as a collaboration by printmaking students. A series of black and white prints - they look like etchings or woodcuts - fill two good-sized, unframed and unstretched canvases. The images range from Northwest coastal Indian masks to Beavis from the TV show Beavis and Butthead. It's a strong and impactful graphic image. The other drawings and prints in the Tacoma Community College Student Art Exhibition are inconsistent: some pretty good, some lame and everything in between. The photos, some of the sculpture, and the commercial graphic arts projects are much stronger. Ali Abedi's "Spring," wood, paper and plaster, is disturbing and impossible to ignore. It is a blood-splattered plaster hand with cut-off fingers. A powerful image. Check it out from noon to 5 p.m. Read Alec Clayton's full review of the Student Art Exhibition in Northwets Military's Music & Culture section.

2. The "World War II" exhibit at the Karpeles Manuscript Museum features the Japanese flag captured at the Battle of Okinawa and the navigator's flight log of the Enola Gay Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber at the time of its dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. See all the goods from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

3. Want to increase your energy, lose weight, and decrease inflammation? Join health and wellness coach Laurie Larson to learn how juicing and smoothies can positively influence your health and wellness at 6 p.m. in the STAR Center.

4. Tacoma Rainiers games are pretty exciting. At 7 p.m. the Rainiers battle the Sacramento River Cats at Cheney Stadium. Who wants to stick it to Sacramento?

5. The Jho Blenis and Shelly Ely Band will fill The Swiss with blues at 8 p.m.

LINK: Monday, June 3 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

TIDBITS TO CHEW ON TODAY >>>

Blues keyboardist Arthur Migliazza won best solo/duo act at the South Sound Blues Association's Back to Beale Street Blues Competition last night at Jazzbones. Migliazza, an awesome boogie-woogie blues musician will represent Washington state at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in January 2014. In the band competition, The Crazy Texas Gypsies secured the top spot, followed by the Randy Oxford Band, Palmer Junction and the Cody Rentas Band. The four bands will battle July 4 at Tacoma's Freedom Fair for the blues competition in Memphis.

Naccarato Restaurant Group is opening an American restaurant, bar and banquet facility in the new Allenmore Golf Course Club House this month.

The Triple Play sports bar will open in the old Hell's Kitchen space on Sixth Avenue sometime in the future.

TITANIUM TEETH?: Dick Van Dyke says don't do it.

R.I.P.: Edith Bunker

GOOGLE: Wanna know what other people are Googling?

RESTORED FAITH IN HUMANITY OF THE DAY: A kindergartner read 875 books in one school year.

Will you Prancercise today?

Among a packed district of primarily Vietnamese businesses and restaurants in Tacoma's Lincoln International District you will come across El Zocalo Tortas Y Bakery.

This isn't a polished date night atmosphere in the least. In fact, El Zocalo is a bit of a hole in the wall dive-y sort of joint. That said, its tortas and baked goods are sought out far and wide and for good reason.

During my most recent visit I skipped the self-serve baked goods sections. No normal human being could possibly have room in the belly for a cookie AND Zocalo's monstrous torta - unless of course you're looking for a Man vs. Food Nation dining experience.

Read more...

It may be hard to see through the current mess of the Pacific Avenue streetscape construction project between South 7th and South 9th streets, but if you look close enough, you will see a sign of hope through the rubble. Cafe Vincero, an Italian cafe and coffee house, is projected to open in early July.

With a menu that will include Italian Lavazza coffee, wood fire pizza, housemade lasagna, ravioli and gnocchi, as well as imported breads, Owner Kevin Cornwell is bringing some serious Italian flavor to downtown.

But that's not all. Perhaps the most exciting feature of Cafe Vincero is 24 hour dining on Fridays and Saturdays, something Tacoma is severely lacking. "We will be open on Friday and Saturday night, all night, to give local patrons a place to go for a few hours to either sober up or just relax for a bit after a night out with friends," said Cornwell.

He plans to run a limited, small plate menu after 10 or 11 p.m., anticipating diners at that time of night will be "more snacky than ready for a full on meal." Sounds about right.

CAFE VINCERO, opening early July, 714 Pacific Ave., Tacoma

When is the last time you had a guitar pick lodged in your ear? It could have been 2010 at the Emerald Queen Casino. That's when Cheap Trick came to town. Those who have seen Cheap Trick live - maybe "At Budokan" - you know guitarist Rick Nielsen hurls around 463 guitar picks into the crowd during the band's shows.

Cheap Trick's all right, they just seem a little weird.

Like ELO, Cheap Trick might be one of the only bands that rock ironists and sincere, lighter-holding buffoons like Bobble Tiki could ever truly agree on. The band's prowess at never seeming too far off current is almost psychic and their songs are irresistible. Beyond that, there's also the fact that at this point, something like four decades in, the band is an institution - and still rock it like they have everything to prove, which couldn't be farther from the truth.

Well, maybe. Cheap trick is headed to the Washington State Fair Wednesday, Sept. 11 two perform two of its albums - At Budokan and Sgt. Pepper Live - with an orchestra(!) The show will kick off at 7:30 p.m., and tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 8 at www.thefair.com/concerts or (888) 559-FAIR (3247). Expect to pay $25-$55.

Bobble Tiki is currently trying to track down the accompany orchestra to discover if there's a rogue violinist with a propensity to fling bows into crowds. Stay tuned.

TUESDAY, JUNE 4 2013 >>>

1. About a decade ago, Cody ChesnuTT expanded the language of bedroom pop albums with his Headphone Masterpiece, a 36-track album that showed the breadth of one man's peccadilloes in an environment where he was fully able to explore every fleeting notion. Lo-fi R&B, folk creepers, a capella chants, experimental asides - nothing was off the table, and this freedom managed to telegraph the mixing and matching of genres that would eventually leave the venue of bedroom recordings and become the norm in independent music. But, to bring it back to 2013, there's a certain nobility in upholding the traditions of bedroom pop, which is something Plant Parenthood does quite well. Sam Petschulat formed Plant Parenthood as a solo recording project, as you do. Catch Plant Parenthood with Generifus at 10 p.m. in Le Voyeur. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on Plant Parenthood in Northwest Military's Music & Culture section.

2. Since its introduction in 1894, the motorcycle has spawned a variety of cultures and uses. As basic transportation, as leisure activity or as a die-hard lifestyle, millions of people have a love affair with Choppers, Crotch Rockets, Thumpers and all things two-wheeled. The action-packed exhibit "Let's Ride! Motocycling The Northwest at the Washington State History Museum is a celebration of the region's never-waning motorcycle culture - will include interactive exhibits, videos and impressive displays of machines from 1906 to the 21st century. Check it out from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

3. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the city of Lakewood launches its second annual farmers market season. Running each week through mid-September, the Lakewood Farmers Market will provide the community with locally sourced fresh produce, baked and canned goodies and handmade gifts at City Hall.

4. 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. Performances start at 7 p.m., and if you're thinking that your shower-time ballads are ready for public consumption, you can sign up for your own moment in the, er, sun at 6.

5. There are trivia competitions all around the South Sound on a Tuesday night, where you can unleash your inner Ken Jennings. And while you won't approach Jennings-like earnings, you can win some cool stuff, ranging from gift certificates, to concert or sports tickets, to a VHS copy of All of Me, the film starring Lily Tomlin and Steve Martin. Sweet! Two of our favorite Tuesday night trivia are at Fish Tale Brew Pub in Olympia and Farrelli's Wood-Fire Pizza in Tacoma, both start at 8 p.m.

LINK: Tuesday, June 4 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area