SUNDAY, JULY 27 2014 >>>
1. Born Warren Anderson Mathis, Bubba Sparxxx grew up in Georgia, where a black friend turned him on to New York mail-order mix tapes. His introduction to rap was dominated by the booty-shaking grooves of 2 Live Crew and the brutal truths spit by N.W.A. Later, when he discovered ATL pioneers OutKast, Sparxxx was inspired to write his own rhymes and started battling at school. Sparxxx made a major bang with solo-debut Dark Days, Bright Nights, which featured the single "Ugly" and went gold with the help of Shannon Houchins, a staff producer for Jermaine Dupri's So So Def label. Sparxxx's "Ugly" video put him in overalls and created some frustration for the Southern white rapper when the public pegged the video as satire. Sparxxx responded that the video depicted his Southern roots. Touring behind his 2014 release, Made on McCosh Mill Road, Sparxxx will rap about living in the country, loving women, cars and booze with Mike Drastic, Mr. Von, A King Also x The Royal Coat at 8 p.m. in Jazzbones.
2. The Social Bar and Grill's patio is a lovely spot to while away a weekend afternoon, sipping cocktails and old world red wine and watching condo residents walk their dogs. Come Sunday afternoon, resident DJ Mr. Melanin and rotating guests spin an eclectic and extremely tasteful selection of lounge, bossa nova and electro soul music 2-6 p.m. This triple threat of delicious happy hour specials, sun and hip tunes is known as Tacoma's only daytime summer party, "Dayclub."
3. The great irony of the original Gong Show was that the program itself would have gotten gonged. And to its credit, it - and its creator, Chuck Barris - wore that fact like a badge of (dis)honor, creating a space in television where it could be proud of showcasing the misplaced pride of the American populous. At 3 p.m. in The Swiss, the Music and Art in Wright Park folks will host a Gong Show to raise funds for their August concert. It will match the zaniness of the original show. Bands Speakerbox and The Jilly Rizzo will warm up the crowd for when the "talent" hits the stage at 5:30 p.m. The master of ceremonies will be local comedian Eric Puddin Lorentzen, which will be worth the price of admission alone. After the $100 prize is awarded, The Nitrogen Lion Society will rock.
4. Friends and talented musicians will hold a benefit concert for Christopher Brant Anderson at the Antique Sandwich Co. at 7 p.m. Anderson was diagnosed with asbestosis in 2004, which is a progressive condition and leads to heart-related complications along with other symptoms. Scheduled to perform are Steve Beck, Steff Kayser, Larry Murante, Kevin Jones, Mark Filler, Jim Moore, Bill Glover and Rob Kneisler.
5. Remember that time in high school when your parents went away? You know, plot line of every teenage movie ever made - except this time, you blew up the house. Standing in the ashes as your parents roll up, what do you do? Say it with us now -iiiiiimprovise. Take notes at 8 p.m. in the Tacoma Comedy Club when male and female comedians battle with improve and sketch skills.
LINK: Sunday, July 27 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area
