Weekly Volcano Blogs: Walkie Talkie Blog

Posts made in: October, 2013 (73) Currently Viewing: 51 - 60 of 73

October 22, 2013 at 7:41am

5 Things To Do Today: Book Clubs Convergence Zone, Music @ 11, Posole, "Hamlet" and more ...

TUESDAY, OCT. 22 2013 >>>

1. Imagine a book club. Then imagine a nerd wearing a cape, a non-weird, non-hippie vegan and a teen girl dressed as Katniss. Now imagine them smashed together like chocolate and peanut butter. The result: The Capes and Cowls Book Club, Vegan Book Club and Young Adult Fiction Book Club meeting at the same time in King's Books. That's right, Young Health-Conscious Superfriends! What we imagine as King's owner sweet pea's titillation trifecta will go down at 7 p.m. Will members defect to other groups? Will nerds and vegans hook-up while YA members post Instagrams of the unions? What's certain is parking shouldn't be a problem as they all will bicycle to King's.

2. Soprano Erin Guinup will trace a century of musical theater history through the music and words of women as the next guest in the Saint Martin's University "Music @ 11" recital series. The one-hour concert, "The Ladies of Lyric and Song: A Musical Reflection on the Ground-breaking Female Composers and Lyricists of the American Musical Theater," will take place at 11 a.m. in Kreielsheimer Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

3. Tacoma wine bar STINK Tank hosts a free tasting of Stafford Hill Riesling, Tempranillo and Roccascossa Red Blend from 5-7 p.m.

4. On the surface, Posole bear many of the telltale signs of a surf-rock band, but the San Francisco band folds in elements of mariachi and Latin rhythms. Sometimes, they approach the sort of desert rock of groups like Los Lobos, with horns adorning their cinematic narratives. All the while, the guitars are louder and more aggressive than one would expect when listening to a band that describes itself as "dream pop." Check them out in an all-ages setting with Tatarus and Mister Master at 6 p.m. in Le Voyeur.

5. You have one chance to see The Acting Company's production of Hamlet so err not. The national touring company presents the tale of a young man who finds his father has been murdered and must avenge the horrid deed at 7:30 p.m. in the Minnaert Center. Power politics, a haunting, a love story, murder, revenge and great fight scenes converge in one production. 

LINK: Tuesday, Oct. 22 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

October 22, 2013 at 9:50am

Tacoma Fog City

Chambers Bay Golf Course - or is it? Photo Credit: Kim Thompson

I like to blame the creepiness of fog on 1980. Why? Because 1980 was the year that horror filmmaker John Carpenter's The Fog hit theaters. Killer ghost/leper/zombies appear out of an eerie fog and terrorize the citizens of a small coastal city. As a very gullible, highly fearful child with a wild imagination, I began to see South Sound fog in a whole new light, especially this time of year when it's thick and lingering, as it has been this past week.

Of course back then, it didn't help that the old, drafty and creaky house I grew up in sat atop 30th Street hill in Old "Fog" Town in Tacoma at the edge of one of the entrances to the gulch. The gulch was awful during my childhood: dark, dank and heavy on the scariness. Throw misty and spooky fog in there, and that's a recipe for horror to this kiddo!

Oh, and did I mention that my bedroom was the site of the previous owner's death? Triple whammy, Tacoma!

OK, so now that I am a reasonable adult (well, a little), fog shouldn't be unnerving, right? Well, you be the judge. Check out these Tacoma foggy locales and see what you think.

Ruston Way/top of 30th Street hill, Old Town, Tacoma

You can't see a damn thing here when it's foggy. So the creaking old docks, the splish-splash of icy bay waters, trains that you can hear but not see until it's evil-eye light bursts through the fog and it's devilish horn screams, well, that's enough for me. From the top of 30th Street hill on a foggy morning or evening, you can't see ANYTHING at the bottom. No downtown Tacoma, no tide flats, no movement, nothing. As a child, I envisioned our 1970 Buick LeSabre's brakes going out, racing us down the hill at breakneck speed, only to plunge into the fog and disappear forever.


Chambers Bay, University Place

Think about this: strange Stonehenge-ian structures poking through foggy tendrils. Shadowy figures are seen from the view above (OK, they are probably joggers or golfers, but still). A Poe-esque raven caws menacingly from an invisible perch.

Foss Waterway, Tacoma

I've been on a small and vulnerable boat in the wee hours in this waterway in the fog. It's especially weird and awful on the water not being able to see anything until you are right on top of it. And worse: it's so damn still and quiet you can only hear the drone of the boat engine and your heart beating. It's the perfect scenario for a ghost pirate ship to come alongside of you and take you prisoner to the ghostly beyond.


The Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Tacoma and Gig Harbor

The "Bridge to Nowhere" is what it should be called. Even when the rest of the fog dissipates around the area, the bridge fog is the LAST to go. When you drive over Highway 16, you see the cars, one by one, disappear into it. Where do they go? Did they survive? Did they just drive into the pit of hell or a zombie land? Perhaps maybe they are being followed by the ghost of Galloping Gertie? Oh, the foggy madness!

Filed under: Holidays, Tacoma,

October 22, 2013 at 11:02am

Win a Vicci Martinez private concert

Vicci Martinez will perform Sunday, Oct. 27 at The Swiss. Photo credit: Steve Dunkelberger

Cindy McCoy has battled and survived breast cancer twice before. She lost her son tragically in 2005, and now she is in the midst of another hardship: she has been diagnosed with terminal stage IV spindle cell sarcoma.

Despite her struggles, the aunt, mother, grandmother and nanny maintains a positive attitude and unwavering faith.

McCoy's spirit has reached far and wide, and Sunday, Oct. 27, a benefit will be held in her honor. Live music by local acts, including The Voice's Vicci Martinez, will be part of the celebration. A silent auction will take place as well, with donated items including a weekend cabin getaway; a custom-made gun safe; a $1,000 Home Depot gift card with three days labor; artwork; window tinting; and a private performance by Martinez.

"It's Cindy's infectious personality and her smile," said Stacia Dorman, event organizer, on why she believes the community is showing such tremendous support. "Plus, cancer sucks. It's the only way to put it. So many people are affected by it. I know Vicci in particular has lost her dad to cancer, so I know it's a very personal issue. Seems everyone by now has someone close to them that has been affected, so they like to help anyway they can."

At this point, McCoy has been denied medical assistance, and she is unable to work. All proceeds from the event go directly to help offset medical costs.

"We hope it's a nice event for her," Dorman said. "She's an incredible woman. She was our nanny for years; she resided in our home for 10 years. She had various jobs, but found her calling with children. She's just an incredible woman."

Here's Sunday's the musical line up:

5 p.m.: Mooseunit AKA Liquid Courage

6 p.m.: Doug McCoy

7 p.m.: Vicci Martinez

8 p.m.: Zero Love

Credit cards will be accepted for auction items. Cash donations can be made at any Wells Fargo Bank into the donation account "Cindy McCoy benefit."

Tickets are $25 for ages 13 and older; 12 and younger free. The show is all-ages until 8 p.m.

For more information, visit http://www.cindymccoybenefit.com/ .

CINDY MCCOY BENEFIT FEATURING VICCI MARTINEZ, 4 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 27, The Swiss, 1904 Jefferson Ave., Tacoma, $25, 253.572.2821

October 23, 2013 at 7:45am

5 Things To Do Today: James Carpenter, Dorothy McCuistion, bus crawl, Speeding Kills Bears and more ...

James Carpenter to enter the Museum of Glass's Red Zone today.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 23 2013 >>>

1. Apparently the James Carpenter in the Museum of Glass's Hot Shop from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. isn't the 6-foot-5, 321 pounds offensive lineman for the Seattle Seahawks, but rather the glass artist born in Washington and raised in New England, who collaborated with Dale Chihuly from 1969 to 1974 on a series of sculptures. Today, he's known as a designer/artist for buildings, such as the Israel Museum in Jerusalem and 7 World Trade Center.

2. A reception for Dorothy McCuistion, whose art is currently on display at the Gig Harbor campus of Tacoma Community College, will be held at the Gig Harbor campus from 4-6:30 p.m. The exhibit, "Old Friends in a New Place," will be on display through Dec. 10. McCuistion works in art forms including monotype printmaking and painting in watercolor, acrylic and encaustic.

3. Are you transit curious? Are you a drinker? Want to take the bus and drink but not sure where to start? Tired of watching trains whiz by while you sit in traffic on the way to the bar? Maybe you just want to save money on gas for drinking? October is Try Transit Month offering the resources, motivation, and incentives to get you on the bus - such as drinks. The Downtown On The Go folks want you to take the bus more, so they've organized a bus crawl tonight. At 5 p.m., meet at 11th and Pacific Avenue. The first 40 people on the bus will enjoy a comfortable ride to The Eleven Eleven, The Red Hot and Dirty Oscar's.

4. Speeding Kills Bears will rock Jazzbones at 7 p.m. If you encounter Speeding With Bears, do not run. Avoid direct eye contact. Walk away slowly, if Speeding Kills Bears is not approaching. If the band charges, stand your ground (you cannot outrun it). Don't scream or yell. Speak in a soft monotone voice and wave your arms to let the band know you are human. If you have pepper spray, prepare to use it. If the band charges to within 25 feet of where you're standing, use the spray. If the band makes contact, curl up into a ball on your side, or lie flat on your stomach. Try not to panic; remain as quiet as possible until the attack ends. While in Jazzbones, be aware that you may encounter Speeding Kills Bears at any time. Be sure the band has left the area before getting up to seek help.

5. In 2011, readers of this fine rag voted the Top of Tacoma Bar and Cafe the best bar in Tacoma. This was due in no small part to its well drink Wednesdays. Two dollar well drinks after 7 p.m. Are you kidding? That's, like, riding the train to funkytown for only eight bucks. Yes, please. The kitchen stays open to midnight. Choo, choooo!

LINK: Wednesday, Oct. 23 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

October 24, 2013 at 7:36am

5 Things To Do Today: FLAVOR, Beautiful Tables, Living Art series, Hallowscene and more ...

Adriatic Grill will serve up tasty Italian fare tonight to help Tacoma Community House. File photo

THURSDAY, OCT. 24 2013 >>>

1. FLAVOR, a night of dining at immigrant-owned and immigrant-supporting restaurants will be held tonight with participating restaurants kicking back 25 percent of food sales to Tacoma Community House. Participating restaurants include El Toro downtown, Indochine, Lele, Gateway to India, El Guadalajara, Adriatic Grill, Il Lucano, La Crème Brulee, La Fondita and others. To add excitement to the night, TCH will offer several prize packages, including a seven-day Mexico trip, Keurig B70 Platinum Brewing System, restaurant gift cards and cookbooks. Read Kristin Kendle's full story, including participating restaurants, here.

2. The annual Beautiful Tables Showcase, in Lakewold Garden's Wagner House, evokes the gracious spirit of entertaining while offering the visitors ideas to continue the tradition at home. The event showcases more than 30 table decorators from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

3. Two highly distinctive, contemporary artists, Jeanne van Heeswijk and Randy Bolton, will be featured in free public events this fall as part of University of Puget Sound's Living Art visiting artist series. The events include presentations, conversations, a reception and art exhibit. At 5:30 p.m. in the University's Kittredge Art Gallery, van Heeswijk will discuss how art can promote urban renewal and participation, as well as the strategies that she employs in creating her socially engaged art.

4. Today, low-income people and the middle class are now in the same boat - living near poverty, or an illness, lost job, or disaster away from poverty. Eight low-income and middle class families living in and around Portland, Ore., each of whom called 211info, a nonprofit referral organization, in search of help with paying bills, finding housing, or getting advice on how to weather the current financial downturn, are profiled in the documentary, American Winter, directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Joe and Harry Gantz (Taxicab Confessions, The Defenders). Shot over the winter of 2011-12, this powerful film reveals the human impact of budget cuts to social services, rising poverty and economic inequality and the fracturing of the American Dream. Catch it at 6:45 p.m. in The Grand Cinema.

5. The frights are upon us once again, and there are, as always, plenty of ways to spend the Devil's holiday. The Weekly Volcano has compiled a giant list of Halloween parties, theater performances, haunted houses, kids fare and music - it's up to you to decide where you'll go, and, of course, what you'll wear. It all starts today. Boo, South Sound.

LINK: Thursday, Oct. 24 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

October 24, 2013 at 10:46am

Space invaders in Lakewood

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This is John Munn, speaking to you from the observatory at the Lakewood Playhouse. I am standing in a large semi-circular room ...

People are gullible. Maybe not all people and maybe not in all situations but given the right set of circumstances, people will believe almost anything. Sunday, Oct. 30, 1938, Martians invaded the earth. Millions of earthlings panicked as they heard the details of the attack unfold on the radio. Even though the report was simply Orson Welles' adaptation of War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, many listeners were convinced of the authenticity of the radio broadcast.

The genius of the performance was Welles' adaptation came across as a real news broadcast with interviews, weather reports, orchestras, announcers and newscasters. Anyone who listened from the beginning of the hour-long broadcast understood it as a radio play but those joining afterward would not have any indication the invasion was not real.

Lakewood Playhouse is producing War of the Worlds for its annual Halloween Radio Show Oct 25 and 26. Lakewood Playhouse is celebrating its 75th Anniversary. The show will open with an episode from the radio show "Lights Out" before commemorating the 75th anniversary, almost to the day, of The War of the Worlds broadcast.

Due to the popularity of the shows, both nights are already over halfway sold out. If last season's shows are any indication, War of the Worlds will be a success. Fellow Volcano theater critic Christian Carvajal is among the cast reenacting the live radio programs. True to the original production, all of the special effects will be done live in the classic '30s radio style. The show kicks off Lakewood Playhouse's Annual Friends Fund Campaign.

Tickets are $25 per person, or if you have a date, $40 per couple. Couples tickets are only available by calling the box office at 253.588.0042. Single tickets can be purchased visiting its website, or by calling the box office.

THE WAR OF THE WORLDS, 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 25 and Saturday, Oct. 26, Lakewood Playhouse, 5729 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd., Lakewood, $20-$25, 253.588.0042

See Also

Where to drink after the show

Giant South Sound Halloweeen Calendar

Filed under: Holidays, Lakewood, Theater,

October 24, 2013 at 6:13pm

Judging by the Trailer: "Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa"

"Bad Grandpa" will make you uncomfortable in theaters starting Oct. 25.

Look, if you're expecting me to get on my high horse about how the quality of entertainment provided by the Jackass movies and TV show, you will be sorely disappointed. Quite possibly one of the lowest-brow show concepts in the history of media, Jackass succeeded despite itself. In between visceral gags like self-inflicting paper cuts and defecating in Home Depot display toilets, there were genuinely ingenious stunts sprinkled about.

I have a lot of empathy for the Jackass crew. They're essentially professional wrestlers - bodies broken by the age of 40, with little to no transferable skills - so I applaud their attempts at second careers that don't involve injuring themselves, like Steve-O's foray into standup comedy. Unfortunately, Johnny Knoxville's latest stab at non-hospitalization takes the form of Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa, which highlights what were unequivocally the worst segments of Jackass: sub-Candid Camera pranks of social awkwardness, featuring Knoxville in disguise as an elderly man.

In a Borat-esque effort to combine hidden camera hijinks with a scripted story, Bad Grandpa centers around Knoxville's old man character, named Irving Zisman, going on a cross-country adventure with his precocious young grandson. What follows is a series of public goof-em-ups that take what little charm there was in the ultra-low budget escapades of Jackass' past and bulks them up with a bigger budget and less of that old gonzo energy.

The trailer ends with a legitimately troubling scene of the little boy posing as a girl and entering into one of those reprehensible child beauty pageants. While it's clear that the little actor is totally game - and while the scene ends with Knoxville throwing dollar bills at the kid, making it clear that this is meant to be satire what makes those pageants so gross - there's just no getting over seeing a child wearing negligee and crawling around on a stage.

Knowing what we know now about the futures of the Jackass crew, it'd probably be pretty hard to morally advocate ushering in the next generation of young dudes doing dangerous things (though there are undoubtedly those who would want to apply). Though they've aged themselves out of the game, the Jackass guys were always best when they took aim at themselves. Bad Grandpa seems a sad reminder of what happens when Jackass turns its attention outward.

October 25, 2013 at 7:28am

5 Things To Do Today: Scary stories, soccer legends, "Hamlet," pirates and more ...

“The terror, which would not end for another twenty-eight years - if it ever did end - began, so far as I know or can tell, with a boat made from a sheet of newspaper floating down a gutter swollen with rain.”

FRIDAY, OCT. 25 2013 >>>

1. This Halloween, Pimp 'n' Ho parties just aren't cuttin' it anymore, are they? Neither are the toga parties, the erotic costume contests or the naughty nurse costumes. So much bare flesh, so much cold weather. If Halloween is really to turn into The Day of Getting As Close to Naked As Possible, it should be moved to July. This is not the point. The Weekly Volcano apologizes. The point is, for you, today no longer holds the magic it once did. You seek alternative par-tays. May we suggest Bonfires, Beaver Pelts and Bogeymen from 7-9 p.m. at Point Defiance Park? Celebrate Halloween in the style of past centuries with ghost stories told around a roaring bonfire set to fiddle music.

2. At 7 p.m. the Tacoma Soccer Center will host the second annual Northwest Soccer Legends Night. Two teams of past professionals will compete in a grand indoor night match including local and international legends Alan Hinton and Jimmy Gabriel serve as captains and coaches of the match. Read Kim Thompson's full story here.

3. You have one chance to see The Acting Company's production of Hamlet so err not. The national touring company presents the tale of a young man who finds his father has been murdered and must avenge the horrid deed. Power politics, a haunting, a love story, murder, revenge and great fight scenes converge in one production. The show runs three consecutive nights at the Theatre on the Square beginning tonight at 7:30 p.m.

4. Tacoma Opera's season opener is the Gilbert & Sullivan comedy Pirates of Penzance, at 7:30 p.m. in the Rialto Theater. This will mark the first Gilbert & Sullivan show produced by Tacoma Opera. Bernard Kwiram, musical director and conductor of the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society, will conduct a cast that includes several Pacific Northwest Natives or residents. Read Joann Varnell's full story here.

5. Lakewood Playhouse presents a live, radio-style revival of Orson Welles's War of the Worlds at 8 p.m. Not only will we be performing the 1938 radio drama live before your ears to commemorate its - and the Playhouse's - 75th anniversary, but you'll also get sound effects created to order. That's not even the best part! No, they'll also be paying tribute to a certain expat Kryptonian Boy Scout for his silver birthday, plus a horror short called "The Giggler." It will be a fun night out, but beware: you only have tonight and Saturday to catch it. And stay away from that crater in Grovers Mill! There's something not at all right about that place. Read Joann Varnell's full preview of the production here.

BONUS: Giant Halloween events calendar for the South Sound

LINK: Friday, Oct. 25 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

October 25, 2013 at 11:03am

Night Moves: Halloween Weekend Edition

You've been there, seen it in person: tens of thousands of South Sounders keeping it weird, looping around the blocks, popping into bar after bar tossing back shots. Maybe you don't want to drink Flaming Dr Peppers and Irish Car Bombs this weekend. Maybe you want a little music to go with your Duck Dynasty costume. There's plenty of musical frights all weekend. For those looking for a complete Halloween events calendar, click here.

>>> FRIDAY, OCT. 25

Matrix Coffee House. Lewis County. Costume Party #2 Spooky Open Mic. 6:30 pm. Free admission. (434 NW Prindle St., Chehalis, 360.740.0492)

The Royal Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Halloween Party and costume contest. 8 pm. (311 Capitol Way, 360.705.0760)

Jazzbones. Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Late Night Fridays Halloween Bash & Costume Contest, with DJ Pedro. 10:30 pm. (2803 6th Ave, 253.396.9169)

>>> SATURDAY, OCT. 26

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge. Olympia - Downtown. Oly Freakdown - Halloween Hardcore & Metal Show with Eidola, Redeem the Exile, ThisTopia, Enclosures and T.H.O.R.5:30-10:30 pm. $5. (404 4th Ave. E., 360.943.5710)

JR's Hideaway Belfair. JR's Halloween Party, with DJ, costume contest, bobbing for bottles. 8 pm. (22540 NE St. Route 3, 253.275.4547)

Emerald Queen Casino. Tacoma - Eastside. Halloween Party with costume contest, hosted by Star 101.5 FM Curt Kruse. 9 pm. No cover (2024 E. 29th St., 888.831.7655)

Tides Tavern. Gig Harbor. Halloween Bash and Costume Contest, dress as your favorite yacht skipper. 7 pm. (2925 Harborview Drive, 253.858.3982)

Olympic Club Hotel and Theater. Centralia. Halloween at The Olympic Club, with Sassparilla.7 pm. Free admission. (112 N. Tower Ave., 866.736.5164)

Harmon Tap Room. Tacoma - Stadium District. First Degree The D.E.'s Halloween Horror Night hip-hop party hosted by Josh Rizeberg with Blue Nose Music, Shao Sosa and Awall aka 2piece featuring a dress to kill costume contest. 8 pm. $10 cover. (204 St. Helens, 253.212.2725)

The New Frontier Lounge. Tacoma - Dome District. Head Hunters Harvest Halloween Party with DJs D:Fi, Nathang and Partners in Grime, cash prize costume contest. 8 pm. (301 E. 25th St., 253.572.4020)

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill. Spanaway. Spanaway & Tacoma ABATE Halloween Bash, with Justice Creek. 9 pm. (16003 Pacific Ave., 253.507.7808)

Pints & Quarts Pub Westside. Olympia - Westside. Westside Halloween Bash, with costume contest.9 pm. (625 Black Lake Blvd SW, #560, 360.943.5611)

Summit Pub. Puyallup. Boos and Booze Halloween Bash, with costume contest.9 pm. (9502 Canyon Road East, 253.536.1588)

Westgate Bar and Grill Tacoma - Northend. Halloween party with Tumbling Dice band. 9 pm. (5928 N. 26th St., 253.756.7072)

Great American Casino. Lakewood. Nite Crew Halloween Party. 9 pm. Free admission. (10117 South Tacoma Way, 253.396.0500)

Stonegate Pizza. Tacoma - South. Pre-Halloween Party, with Crosswalk Band, costume contest.9 pm. Free admission. (5419 South Tacoma Way, 253.473.2255)

Capitol Theater. Olympia - Downtown. Night Of The Living Tribute Bands, featuring tributes to The Specials, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Beastie Boys, They Might Be Giants, The Pixies, Queens Of The Stone Age, Spinal Tap. 8:30 pm. $8-$10. (206 Fifth Ave. S.E., 360.754.3635)

Steel Creek Tacoma - Downtown. Pre-Halloween party DJs spinning country and rock, with $500 cash prizes costume contest. 9:30 pm. Free before 9:30 pm (1114 Broadway, 253.627.1229)

Encore Boutique Nightclub Tacoma - Downtown. Halloween Party with DJs and $1,000 costume contest. 10 pm. (1025 Pacific Ave., encorevip.com)

>>> SUNDAY, OCT. 27

Stonegate Pizza. Tacoma - South. Halloween Swing & Blues Costume Party, with Maia Santell & House Blend.6 pm. $7. (5419 South Tacoma Way, 253.473.2255)

See Also

Calendar: Arts and Entertainment

Calendar: Music and Nightlife

Filed under: Night Moves, Music, Olympia, Tacoma,

October 26, 2013 at 8:02am

5 Things To Do Today: Night of the Living Tribute Bands, Cuban music, Pioneers West and more ...

Like a lemon to a lime, a lime to a lemon / I sip the def ale with all the fine women!

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

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News and entertainment from Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s most awesome weekly newspapers - The Ranger, Northwest Airlifter and Weekly Volcano.

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2007
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2006
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December