SATURDAY, MARCH 29 2014 >>>
1. The appeal of roller derby for onlookers is sort of similar to that insane, vicarious excitement many experience through watching ultimate fighting, only these tough ladies are on skates, and they're going really-really fast. The four roller derby teams that call Dockyard Derby Dames home will be battling against each other, and you can bet these dedicated derby girls won't let up against each other. The 6 p.m. bout will be back at Pierce College in Lakewood. Following the match, meet up at The Fan Club (8315 83rd Ave. SW, Lakewood) for an afterparty, which also promises to be fast-paced and full-contact.
2. With Coachella on the horizon and SWSX respectfully behind us, it can only mean one thing - 54 music fest season is officially in swing. The Olympia Acoustic Festival is just one of many in the South Sound, and it's a good one. In its second year, the all-ages, two-stage festival is from 1 p.m. to midnight at the historical Olympia Ballroom inside the Urban Onion in downtown Olympia. More than 15 acts are slated to play; headliners are Juniper Circus, Sansel and the Skirt, Oly Mountain Boys, Shawn Smith and Science! Read Nikki McCoy's full feature on the Olympia Acoustic Festival in the Music and Culture section.
3. Sliders know no boundaries when it comes to the diverse flavor that can be found between two mini buns, and the crew at Museum of Glass celebrating their 3rd annual Slider Cook-Off proves that we just can't get enough of the little guys. MoG kicks off "Shake Rattle and Grill" at 6:30 p.m. pitting seven of Tacoma's best restaurants against each other in an epic cook-off battle featuring the fine art of slider concoctions. Read Jackie Fender's full story on the Slider Cook-Off in our restaurant section.
4. Featuring original choreography by Faith Stevens and the world premier of commissioned music for cello, violin, piano, and electronics by local composer Brad Hawkins, MLKBallet's CHAMBER blends contemporary dance with new music and bold 20th century works by Claude Debussy, Olivier Messiaen and John Cage at 7 p.m. inside the Urban Grace Church in downtown Tacoma. CHAMBER joins old traditions with new and explores the visual aspects of music and dance performance, as performing artists share the stage.
5. There was a moment in my conversation with Jima, frontman of Seattle band the Purrs, when I expressed how inadequate it is to simply call the Purrs a psychedelic indie rock band. While that might be ultimately accurate, it just doesn't quite do justice to what the band does. Let's take a moment, for instance, to consider the bands that the Purrs have shared stages with: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Pearl Jam and Okkervil River, just to name three markedly disparate acts. The Purrs are able to drift among scenes in a manner befitting of their intangible sound. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's interview with Jima in the Music & Culture section, then catch the band with Trees and Timber, People Under the Sun and DJ Melodica at 9 p.m. in The New frontier Lounge.
LINK: Saturday, March 29 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area
