SUNDAY, JULY 21 2013 >>>

1. People like eating outside, and they'll stop at almost nothing to do it. They will choke down steaming food as mysterious water droplets rain down from air conditioners above. Crowd a party of eight into one pitiful corner of shade. Inhale exhaust fumes along with aromas of fine wine. At The Social Bar and Grill next to the Museum of Glass, the only negative aspect of dining on its patio is trying to find a table. It's patio is a lovely spot to while away a weekend afternoon, sipping sangria (pitchers $10) on the spacious patio and watch condo residents walk their dogs while kids twirl in front of the Martin Blank's "Fluent Steps" glass and water installation and boats putter by. Come Sunday afternoon, tables mean nothing as resident DJ Mr. Melanin and rotating guests spin an eclectic and extremely tasteful selection of lounge, bossa nova and electro soul music 2-6 p.m. This quadruple threat of delicious shareable nibbles, booze, sun and hip tunes is known as Tacoma's only daytime summer party, "Sundaze."

2. Tacoma Musical Playhouse's second production of Ragtime (the first was seven years ago) is as trenchantly absorbing as Downton Abbey. Ragtime is a show about how America gets made, one sweeping change at a time, one small life at a time, one gut decision at a time. It was a work in progress a century ago and still is. You'll find yourself humming its main theme days later, hoping its idealistic characters built a nation they could love. It hits the Curtis High School stage at 2 p.m. Read Christian Carvajal's full review of Ragtime in Northwest Military's Music & Culture section.

3. The Blues Vespers inside the Immanuel Presbyterian Church in North Tacoma will feature lthe Little Bill Trio with Rod Cook and Tom Morgan beginning at 5 p.m.

4. Ten comedians battle for $2,500 first prize at 8 p.m. in the Tacoma Comedy Club. 

5. In case you were wondering whether Dog Jaw were as aggressive as their name might suggest, the answer is a resounding yes. The opening track on the Olympia punk outfit's album, Slow to Build, begins with what sounds like dogs howling and whimpering, before guitars slowly begin to emerge, and a full-on sonic assault is enacted. Much like the album's title hints, most of Dog jaw's songs begin as stony headbangers before morphing into thrashing screeds.Catch the band at 10 p.m. with Hot Fruit and Arrington De Dionyso's Malaikat Dan Singa in Le Voyeur.

LINK: Sunday, July 21 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area