TUESDAY, JULY 2 2013 >>>
1. Meet two Muscle Beach boys from the neon 1980s who fall in love with some circus aerialists and end up join the immortal, 200-year-old traveling troupe, which is part of Portland's Wanderlust Circus. Wanderlust is different from a traditional circus. It's more of a theatrical show, with a storyline titled "The Endless Road" (see: muscle boys in the '80s) that feels a little Steampunk-ish Vaudevillian. Oh stop, there's ton of action, including Risley juggling in which people are juggled instead of objects like barrels. Be sure to arrive on time to see opening act Poki and Ember of Button Wagon who team up with artists from Lookout Arts Quarry in Bellingham to create a surreal circus world of floods and fairytales. The show will go on at 7 p.m. in the Capitol Theater.
2. Lakewood's own Kari Ehli was somewhat of a child protégé and began recording in her early teens. While she lists her influences as rockers Heart and Pat Benatar, her sound is closer to Shania Twain or LeAnn Rimes. With shades of rock, blues and country, Ehli reflects the new face of Nashville with the face of an angel. She uses her powerful pipes to belt out self-penned originals with a sincerity that is genuine. Catch her and her band from 1:30-4:30 p.m. at the Lakewood Farmers Market.
3. The Zen of Bennett, a documentary playing exclusively at The Grand Cinema about Tony Bennett as he approached his 85th birthday in 2011, is like the singer himself - smooth and classy. Created by Bennett's son Danny, the film centers on the recording of the 2011 album Duets II, which had the singer collaborating in-studio with artists ranging from Aretha Franklin to Willie Nelson. The vocal performances are extraordinary, but the film finds its purpose in Bennett's low-key musings on the value of beauty and authenticity in art. It screens at 2 and 6:30 p.m.
4. Randy Linder's Trilogy Of Rock: A Tribute To Bob Seger, Mick Jagger and Tom Petty hits Red Wind Casino at 8 p.m.
5. The Raven and the Writing Desk are about confounding expectations. A six-piece outfit from Denver, the Raven and the Writing Desk's music initially conjures up connections to bands like DeVotchKa (another literary allusion) and Beirut - these purveyors of gypsy-and-otherwise-worldly musical strains. It's notable that the heart of the Raven and the Writing Desk is located in their piano, violin, and percussion. These instruments can travel anywhere, but fit quite nicely into the sort of theatrical flourish that accompanies gypsy music. Catch the band at 10 p.m. in Le Voyeur. Read Adam McKinney's full feature on the Raven and the Writing Deck in Northwest Military's Music & Culture section.
LINK: Tuesday, July 2 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area
