SUNDAY, DEC. 1 2013 >>>
1. We've given trumpeter Rich Wetzel a lot of love over the years, not only because he's a groovy guy, but also because he's always playing a gig worth mentioning. Tonight is no exception as his Groovin' Higher Jazz Orchestra brings its annual jazzy holiday to a bar - Stonegate Pizza and Rum Bar this year, from 5-8 p.m. The high-note trumpeter promises three sets of jumpin' holiday tunes - "Winter Wonderland," "White Christmas," "Do You Hear What I Hear," "Let It Show," "The Christmas Song" and many more - as well as special holiday drinks egg nog, Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer and hot buttered rum.
2. Look, there's a decent chance you need a Christmas tree. Or, at the very least, you know someone who needs a Christmas tree. But acquiring said Christmas tree doesn't have to cost you at least $65 for anything that doesn't look ghetto, and more importantly it doesn't need to be a huge pain in the ass. Head on down to the rarely-used Tollefson Plaza and check out Two Five Trees. Today, in celebration of the Zip Cars in downtown Tacoma, Two Five Trees encourages you to walk or take transit to the Polar Plaza and the Two Five Trees elves with tie your Two Five Tree to the roof of a Zip Car and give you a lift home. The free rides will operate from noon to 6 p.m. Grab a cup of hot cocoa and chill.
3. At 1 p.m., storyteller Judy Cullen will join forces with Kevin Lee, a voice actor from Minnesota, and Shandon Loring, a Nevada storyteller. Together, the three will deliver a rendition of a Christmas classic in a way never before seen or experienced. Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. Three performers in vastly different zip codes. One show. One digital platform. Inside the Knights of Pythias Hall in downtown Tacoma.
4. They're still going strong, and still swarming The Swiss to do good, get loaded, raffle stuff off and enjoy the spirit of the season. The Friends of the Holidays benefit from 1-8:30 p.m. at The Swiss, and the T-town institution shouldn't disappoint: The Rectifiers, Little Bill Trio, Twang Junkies, Dean Reichert, Nolan Garrett, Boneyard Preachers and Tahoma Souls Alive will all be doing their part for underprivileged families this year. Look, these times are tough for everyone, but if you can have a fun night out while also making someone else's life a little better, We call that Yahtzee.
5. JLK is a band from Montreal. Babysitter is a band from Victoria, B.C. Together, they have joined forces to become: JLK & Babysitter. Well, OK, so their combined moniker may be somewhat lacking, but the sheer inventiveness of their music is liable to blindside you. Sounding at once timeless and utterly original, JLK & Babysitter reach back and draw both from the sparse blues of the 1910s and the sound experiments and free jazz that burst out of the '60s and '70s. The result of this mash-up is frequently disquieting while remaining strangely hypnotic. Catch the band with Happy Noose and Clayface at 10 p.m. in Le Voyeur.
PLUS: Holiday Events Calendar PLUS: South Sound Holiday Command Center LINK: Sunday, Dec. 1 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area