SATURDAY, OCT. 26 2013 >>>
1. Held at the Capitol Theater, Night of the Living Tribute Bands is in the business of resurrecting famous, favorite bands. This year, The Specials, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Beastie Boys, They Might Be Giants, The Pixies, Queens of the Stone Age, and Iron Butterfly will rock the stage beginning at 8 p.m. A recurring theme with the bands is that they strive to make their tribute as true to life as possible, bringing in the same instruments, costumes and nuances to the stage as their music heroes would have. Read Nikki McCoy's full feature on Night of the Living Tribute Bands in the Music and Culture section.
2. Jeanne van Heeswijk is a visual artist who helps create lively and diversified public spaces, typically from abandoned or derelict sites. Van Heeswijk's projects distinguish themselves through their strong social involvement, often engaging hundreds of participants and extending over a long period of time. She sees herself as a mediator who creates connections between people and institutions that lead to public improvements, the organization of local groups, self-sustaining enterprises, and a stronger community identity. Tacoma Art Museum Curator Rock Hushka will interview van Heeswijk at 1 p.m. at TAM as part of the University of Puget Sound's Living Art series.
3. La Familia Valera Miranda, six musicians from the Oriente region of Cuba, will perform at 7:30 p.m. in Kilworth Memorial Chapel. Oriente, near Haiti and Jamaica, is a region where the dominant musical form, son cubano, differs from that of the capital Havana. Son cubano is a style of music that originated in Cuba, and gained worldwide popularity by the 1930s because it combined Spanish guitar elements with African rhythms and certain percussion instruments. Among its many derivatives is salsa. Keep your shoes on and dance in the aisles.
4. Tacoma Musical Playhouse opens its 20th anniversary season with the Broadway hit Les Miserables at 8 p.m. TMP raised roughly $1.2 million to renovate the stage, orchestra location and backstage areas. The stage is larger and the orchestra is now placed above and behind the stage which helps the actors voices come through better whether they are mic'd or not. TMP's choice of opening its new stage with Les Mis practically guarantees a solid start to its season. With added space, choreography is less cramped and sets are able to be more grand. The spectacle of this production did not disappoint with the sets showcasing the talent and skill of the designers and carpenters. Read Joann Varnell's full review of Les Miserables in the Music and Culture section.
5. Pioneers West's debut album, Move West, was recorded live in the ballroom above The New Frontier Lounge. Released in 2010, it captures a band at its most vital, so confident in the energy that they conjure that they decided to lay their songs out unvarnished, straight to tape. But this sort of energy is never destined to last. A little over a year ago, Pioneers West decided to set the band aside and dedicate more time to things like children and marriage and careers - you know, all that grown-up stuff. After more than a year apart, though, Pioneers West will be reuniting to help celebrate the Top of Tacoma's six-year anniversary with the wheelies at 9 p.m. Their yelpy post-punk-shades of Modest Mouse and Built to Spill-will be on full display. Has time affected their self-described sound of "western doom." Have jobs and kids hurt the caterwaul? Hear for yourself.
BONUS: Giant Halloween events calendar for the South Sound
LINK: Saturday, Oct. 26 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area
