SATURDAY, NOV. 2 2013 >>>
1. The 64th installment in the Warren Miller series, Ticket to Ride, will take filmgoers on an action-packed ride with the world's best skiers and snowboarders - from heli-drops in Alaska, to speed riding in Kazakhstan and even, um, ski babes in Iceland. One of the most awe-inspiring moments of the new Warren Miller flicks is a segment on a war veteran and ski enthusiast who had lost his legs in combat. This soldier was able to come back and do what he loved on his mono-ski, delivering a crowd-erupting backflip. See it at 6 and 9 p.m. at the Pantages Theater.
2. Happy Dale Chihuly Weekend, everyone! We know; we know. Dale Chihuly's dreamy color, glossy surfaces and flamboyant design are old hat for Tacomans, but as far as we're concerned, the Chihuly's contemporary glassmaking still draws. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, visitors to the Museum of Glass may watch Dale Chihuly and his team create pieces inspired by the "Irish Cylinders" - originally created in 1975 - with artist Seaver Leslie and glass artist Flora C. Mace in the cone. This weekend the Hot Shop will be running on all, um, Irish cylinders, or something.
3. Get ready, Tacoma. The 12th annual Tacoma Studio Tour is happening Nov. 2 and 3 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. - that's two full days to visit some of Tacoma's better artists where they create their work, talk to them, view their art and enjoy demonstrations. You might even get to use some of their stuff to make your own art. This year's lineup of artists is as good as it gets. With 39 participating artists or art groups, you will not be able to visit them all, so study the guide to decide which studios you want to visit. If you're looking for recommendations, click here to see the five artists whose studios Weekly Volcano art critic Alec Clayton would like to visit.
4. Tacoma City Ballet kicked off a scavenger hunt in January the likes of which Tacoma has never seen - a yearlong search for nuts. You heard right. Nuts. The nuts tie into the company's highly anticipated December performances of The Nutcracker and The Tale of the Hard Nut. November's scavenger clue dropped yesterday. The Hard Nut is a prequel to the original Nutcracker, which explains why a prince is trapped inside a nutcracker doll. Maybe you need a primer. The Tacoma City Ballet will open its rehearsal for the show at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., including a lecture presentation about the history of The Nutcracker and the creation of the new tale.
5. What does psychedelic hobo death trance sound like? Power Skeleton. Their song, "Vacuum{2}," is spooky sludge adorned with warbly effects that send the listener spiraling down a K-hole. "Robot Skulls in the Jungle Temple" is a 15-minute primal march into the heart of darkness. "Pwrcrnkn" is glitchy psycho jazz. All of these instrumental excursions of improvisational madness are aimed at melting brains and rendering flesh. If you're looking to stretch out Halloween, you could do worse than Power Skeleton with Regional Faction, Godzillian and Hand of Doom at 8 p.m. in Bob's Java Jive.
LINK: Saturday, Nov. 2 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area
