The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Res Deus, Rainier Dust Can. 9 pm.
Northern Olympia - Downtown. TisDass, Angelo Spencer, MGK Ultra. All Ages. 8 pm.
Kildjate Moussa Albadé is a singer-songwriter from Tuareg, Niger. He's currently touring through the U.S. under his TisDass moniker. What distinguishes Albadé is his soulful and pristine guitar work. Finger-picking out a melody that slowly insinuates itself into your head, he's content to let that progression ride out and form a groove. He doesn't sing in English, but everything that he needs to convey is communicated through his nimble guitar and endearing voice. When he performs in Olympia, he'll be backed by the experimental pop outfit Brainstorm, as well as iconoclastic K Records alumnus Angelo Spencer. It all sounds like an eclectic night of merging cultures, which is something that doesn't happen frequently enough in the indie scene. I'm thrilled to hear the new sounds made by TisDass and company. - Rev. Adam McKinney
Salty's at Redondo Beach Des Moines. Kurt Lindsay. 8 pm. NC.
The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Champagne Sunday. 8 pm.
Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Jim Page & Citizens Band. All Ages. 8 pm. $10-$15.
Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Belles Bent On Leather, Adrian Connor. 9 pm.
1. Starting at 4:20 p.m. (for some unexplained reason), there will be many delirious festivities to be had at The New Frontier Lounge. Returning local heroes and tireless road warriors the Night Beats will be performing, along with a cavalcade of psychedelic friends, including People Under the Sun, MILK, the Pharmacy, and out-of-towners Cosmonauts and the Black Seas. At press time, it's unclear what's so special about starting a show at 4:20 on April 20, but one thing is absolutely clear: this will be a long, sloppy day of psych-rock so blistering it'll blast the haze from your head. Every once in a while, it's a good idea to take a squeegee to your brain before coating it with some more smoke, liquor and other unsavory pastimes.
2. Two shows close today at the Tacoma Art Museum. "Optic Nerve" highlights a collection of works from its permanent collection - including works by Riley, Anuszkiewicz, Vasarely and others - that stretch the definition of optical art - including photo-realist paintings because paintings that look like photographs are a kind of optical illusion. "Sitting for History: Exploring Self-Identity Through Portraiture" is an exhibition of more than 60 paintings, drawings and photographs by artists such as Pierre August Renoir, Chuck Close, George Luks, Mary Randlett, Gilbert Stuart and Andrew Wyeth, plus some sculpture and jewelry. See both from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
3. Between 1853 and 1929, through both the American Civil War and World War I, the Orphan Train Movement shipped over a quarter of a million parentless children to the Midwestern states from overcrowded metropolises on the Eastern seaboard. Olympia Family Theater tells 12 stories from the Orphan Trains in its finally production of "Orphan Trains" at 1 p.m. Read Christian Carvajal's full review of Orphan Train in the Music & Culture section.
4. Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill hosts a 420 Smoker with the musical stylings of Church of Hate and others beginning at, yup, 4:20 p.m.
5. Aaradhna calls her sound "retro-metro," after studying R&B greats Ruth Brown, LaVern Baker, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and Little Anthone and the Imperials. Catch her silky voice and old-school soul at 7 p.m. with Sammy J and Stay Grounded in Jazzbones.
Painted wood saws by Mark Scherer are on display at the gallery in the Kenneth J Minnaert Center. Photo courtesy of South Puget Sound Community College
1. "The Meaning of Wood" at the gallery at South Puget Sound Community College is one of the best theme shows Weekly Volcano art critic Alec Clayton has seen in a long time. This spacious gallery in the Kenneth J Minnaert Center features sculptures, paintings and drawings from many artists in a wide range of styles, all commenting on trees, wood products and the ecology of our forest lands, and nearly all of excellent artistic quality. The curators of this show chose wisely. Read Alec Clayton's full review of "The Meaning of Wood" in the Music & Culture section, then catch it from noon to 4 p.m.
2. The University of Puget Sound's 2014 "Senior Show" features the artwork of 10 seniors who are graduating with their Bachelor's degrees in studio art. This group exhibition showcases a diverse range of subjects and media, and includes paintings, prints, mixed-media works, sculpture, and ceramics. The artworks on view offer a lively and engaging opportunity to see a variety of work by these emerging young talents. The show opens today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can meet the young lads and lasses behind the exhibition during a public reception 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, April 23. If you don't catch the reception, that's fine. Their artwork will be on display until May 17.
3. Ready for round two? The Barefoot Collective and MLKBallet perform, once again, in-process works for a small audience in a relaxed atmosphere, where the dancers show the audience how the dance was created. For audience members, this is an opportunity to experience live theater and get a rare glimpse into the creative process of artists in all types of performing arts. After the performance, the audience can ask questions and offer feedback. Check out Works In Progress at 7:30 p.m. in the Urban Grace Studio.
4. Olympia Jazz Tentette pays tribute to Charles Mingus at 8 p.m. in the Rhythm and Rye club in downtown Olympia.
5. Weekly Volcano music critic Rev. Adam McKinney says there are vocal similarities between Kurt Lindsay and late cult singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley. The Rev. says, "Lindsay's voice, like Buckley's is simultaneously full of bravado and wounded timidity. It quivers with feeling, though it might be noted that Lindsay's voice often comes across as more lost, searching, which adds a nice element to what is largely music that errs toward modern rock, with some detours to friendly mixers like R&B and folk." See for yourself at 8 p.m. when Lindsay performs at the Steilacoom Pub & Grill.
Conductor/arranger Brent Havens and his 30-piece orchestra plus a full rock band - featuring singer Randy Jackson's (lead singer of the rock band Zebra) - join forces to perform classic songs of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd in "The Music of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, A Rock Symphony," a brilliant combination of passion and power Sept. 19 at the Washington State Fair.
The Music of Led Zeppelin was first performed in 1996 and was transcribed and scored by Havens, who is guest conducting this performance. The performance features songs from the vast Zeppelin catalog, such as "Kashmir," "Black Dog," "All of My Love" and "Stairway to Heaven."
According to a news release, the "show will include Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album in its entirety for 45 minutes in the first half of the show. A 20-minute intermission follows, then the best of Led Zeppelin follows for 75 minutes in the second half of the show."
Tickets are $20-$45, and will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 26 on the Fair website, or by phone (888) 559-FAIR (3247) daily, 7 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Beer is delicious on its own. But when infused with coffee grinds, citrus fruits and hell - even doughnuts - it's that much better. That's why a Randall might be the best thing ever. A Randall is a ridiculously awesome filter system that runs beer through any number of flavorful additions to create one-of-a-kind concoctions.
Tonight, the ParkWay Tavern is running Tacoma Brewing Company's Broken Window IPA through its Randall. According to TBC founder Morgan Alexander, it's the first time one of his beers will be circulated through the ParkWay's filtration system.
"Randall nights are all about Sean the bartender there," says Alexander, who says he's leaving the chosen added ingredients in Sean's hands. "He decides what goes into the Randall. Usually it's just hops, but sometimes he gets a little crazy and puts in stuff like orange wedges, chocolate nibs, coffee beans, watermelon rind and Szechuan peppercorn."
The Broken Window IPA - named after roughians smashed TBC's large windows facing St. Helens Avenue - will be pouring out of the Randall from 6-9 p.m.
BEER HERE
Tuesday, April 22
Riding high off the news it scored an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) label for its beer, the Harmon folks have invited other EPD-labeled local brewers to celebrate Earth Day 2014 - the beer way. Beginning at 3:30 p.m., a parade of human-powered vehicles led by the famous Cycle Saloon - a 16-seat rolling bar - will deliver kegs of beer from the corner of South 25th and Martin Luther King Jr. Way to the Harmon Tap Room in Tacoma's Stadium District. There, Earth Day revelers can share in beer specials and other festivities, including a "Leaf your thumbprint" planting party in the new Harmon Garden, a 4,000 square foot outdoor living room just outside the Tap Room doors. People will have an opportunity to place a green thumbprint on the Harmon Garden Tree of Life mural. A partial list of participating breweries include: 7 Seas Brewing Co., Narrows Brewing, Engine House No. 9, Cliff's Beer, The RAM, Sound Brewing, Wingman Brewers and Valhalla Brewing.
Wednesday, April 23
American Brewing Company is taking the aluminum plunge for the first time. The Edmond-based brewery has filled flashy cans with its Breakaway IPA. Since ABC's founder and president Neil Fallon lives in University Place, neighboring Pint Defiance is the logical venue to introduce the South Sound to the ABC can. The ABC crew will show off their new six packs - as well as pour American Blonde Ale, Single-Hop Citra Experimental Pale Ale and Cabernet Barrel Aged Imperial Stout from the handles - from 5-7 p.m.
Let's look at scenes from Saturday's Wingman Brewers Third Anniversary Party:
Edward Lychik isn't running from something, he's running toward it. Lychik, who moved from the Ukraine to Puyallup when he was just a child, joined the Army because he'd always wanted to give back. Then, in a terrible twist of fate, he was grievously injured during a deployment to Afghanistan on what was his 21st birthday.
The injury resulted in the amputation of his left leg at the hip and during his early recovery, Lychik was told that he would walk again but probably need assistance.
"I used to envision that I was running while lying in bed with this new prosthetic leg. ... I realized that if I wanted to get there I had to start believing in myself, getting my physical fitness back on track and exploring what I could do," Lychik explained. "I knew my potential."
Today, Lychik, 23, is providing motivation to anyone he meets and defying odds by running routinely on a custom-designed prosthetic leg.
"Ed is very motivated and understands the way his body uses the technology attached to his body," said Ryan Blanck, a prosthetist from the Tacoma Hanger Clinic. "I benefit from working with him."
Blanck, who Lychik described as a prosthetic master, had worked previously with the wounded warrior at the Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio when he was doing rehab and first being fitted for a new limb.
Six months after first learning how to run with the prosthetic leg, Lychik decided to try a marathon in Austin and found that it was tougher than he'd anticipated.
"I began to question myself. Then I realized I wasn't running for myself but for the people who supported me and for other amputees who might be struggling to take the first step," Lychik shared.
Prior to the injury, Lychik liked to run but he was far from a competitive runner or marathon entrant. However, he is more active now than ever before and, according to Blanck, he is easy because of his dedication, yet challenging because his needs are more advanced.
"Running with a prosthetic is a whole other level," Blank said.
The run leg uses a spring blade as the foot to optimize advancement forward and drive the runner to the next step; it is harnessed around his hips and fitted with a socket at the top that will require updates as time goes by. With this leg, Lychik runs an average of eight miles a day on all sorts of surfaces at a competitive 9-10 minute pace.
"Ed has an infectious sort of drive and he puts out that life has more positive to offer if you just go forward and get past the challenges," offered Blanck, who typically meets with Lychik once a week and occasionally joins him for a run.
Lychik recently traveled to Boston to run in the 2014 Boston Marathon as part of the team running in honor of the Martin W. Richard Charitable Foundation, the non-profit created by the parents of Martin Richard, 8, who was the youngest person killed during the attack at the marathon last year. His younger sister was also injured that day, losing her own left leg.
"I am going to run because I want them to see that whatever adversity comes, there is a way to overcome it," Lychik stated. "The Richard family can see that hundreds of thousands support them and are there to offer encouragement."
Lychik completed the Boston Marathon today in 4:44.25 with a 10:51 average pace.
Feeling stupid and contagious, this is Nerd Alert, the Weekly Volcano's recurring events calendar devoted to all things nerdy. I myself am a Star Wars fan, mathlete, and spelling bee champion of long standing, so trust me: I grok whereof I speak.
FRIDAY, APRIL 25
As you may have gathered by now, I'm not that impressed by most horror movies. Over the years, I've seen enough Shatner-masked axe murderers and cats jumping out at me to last a dozen lifetimes. Yet I'm a bit intrigued by the setup for The Quiet Ones, in which a team of unethical psychologists try to induce telekinetic responses from a teenaged girl by scaring the Schlitz out of her. That's an interesting spin on Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, don't you think? Early critical responses are mixed for Hammer Films' latest effort; but it stars Jared Harris (Lane on Mad Men, may he rest in peace), and everyone seems to agree he's on point at least. I mean, it's got to be scarier than A Haunted House 2, right?
Right?
Hey, it's Olympia Arts Walk weekend! Among tonight's highlights are a Nirvana tribute concert featuring five local bands and a world of teen spirit. Yes, it really has been two decades since Kurt Cobain's untimely passing (on April 5, 1994). Memoria, my friends. Memoria.
NIRVANA TRIBUTE CONCERT, 9 p.m., Capitol Theater, 206 Fifth Ave. SE, Olympia, $5, 360.951.8728
If a heart-shaped box isn't your cup of tea, Vince Brown will be strumming away (with jazz vocalist LaVon Hardison) at Swing Wine Bar starting at 6:30 p.m., and WET Science Center will be open till 8. You could also drop by the Midnight Sun, where my wife Amanda Stevens will costar in an 8 p.m. revival of Chamber Music, a nuthouse dramedy directed by Pug Bujeaud of Theater Artists Olympia. Downtown will be crazy in general, so I recommend taking the bus. Plus it's eco-friendly!
If you've ever wanted to get levitated, drowned in a milk jug, or penetrated by Spikes of Doom, now's your chance. Married illusionists Kevin and Cindy Spencer were named "Magicians of the Year" by the International Magicians Society in 2009, and yes, they do call people up out of the audience to get ensorcelled within an inch of their lives. Kevin has a habit (swiped from Harry Houdini) of walking through brick walls, so catch his act now before he does himself any permanent craniofacial damage.
The 20th Procession of the Species proceeds at 4:30 p.m. in downtown Olympia, so make like Neil deGrasse Tyson and celebrate the awesome power of natural selection! - in this case, by yelling pleasantries at people in octopus costumes.
SUNDAY, APRIL 27
Local restaurateurs, vintners, and microbrewers bring their A games to the South Sound's premiere oyster chow-down, SLURP (Shellfish Lovers Ultimate Rejuvenation Party). It's a community auction and mollusk feed that benefits habitat restoration and community outreach programs. Duly adored for its Grand Oyster Bar, this is paradise for the bivalve-curious. Chris Schwarz, corporate executive chef for Tom Douglas Restaurants, will be leading all the shucking and jiving. VIPs who shell out (sorry) a thousand bucks get a private chef and oyster server. Hey, did you know Olympia oysters start their reproductive season as males, turn themselves female partway through, then might even become male again just for squirts and giggles? It's true! Boy, talk about a life form that's easy to shop for.
SLURP, 4:30 p.m., Fish Tale Brewery Warehouse, 515 Jefferson St. SE, Olympia, $60, 360.754.2744
How sad is it that ratings for Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. are dropping like a vibranium hang glider just as the show finally decides to get good? If you're looking for a reentry point, episode 16 ("End of the Beginning") worked for me. The show ties into Marvelverse movie continuity, so the chaos in Captain America: The Winter Soldier's third act pays off big time aboard Agent Coulson's Sassypants Airline.
Until next week, may the Force be with you, may the odds be ever in your favor, and may Agent(ish) Skye get shot all the way to death next time. Sorry, Bennet. I'm just not a fan. No T.A.H.I.T.I. for you.
Light rain, party cloudy, light rain is the pattern today at JBLM. Accu-Radar shaped like Buddha. Lost $30 to news team. Office Pilates instructors are concerned that I’m a liability with lightening bolt cutouts. High to hit only 53.
This Date in History: 1945
Adolf Hitler learning from one of his generals that no German defense was offered to the Russian assault at Eberswalde, admits to all in his underground bunker that the war is lost and that suicide is his only recourse.
GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 4.22.14 >>>
1. "Let every individual and institution now think and act as a responsible trustee of Earth, seeking choices in ecology, economics and ethics that will provide a sustainable future, eliminate pollution, poverty and violence, awaken the wonder of life and foster peaceful progress in the human adventure." So states John McConnell's original Earth Day proclamation. Begun in 1970 during the March Equinox (March 20, 21), Earth Day is a worldwide yearly celebration and call to action in order to sustain the natural beauty and viability of our world. Once again, in celebration of Earth Day, admission is free at all Washington state parks - meaning the Discover Pass is not required to visit a state park on designated free days. Do your part by ceasing all bathing activity beginning today. For more information, visit www.discoverpass.wa.gov.
3. A panel of academics in the early stages of their science careers will share their experiences as science scholars of color at a forum and panel discussion from 5-7 p.m. UW Tacoma's William W. Philip Hall.
4. Kimya Dawson and hip-hop artist Ian Bavitz (aka Aesop Rock) are The Uncluded and will perform music from their debut album, Hokey Fright, at 8:30 p.m. in the Olympia Timberland Library.
5. The "Month of Murray" at The Swiss Restaurant and Pub with a 9 p.m. screening of Rushmore on the projector. Expect food and drink discounts.
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