5 Things To Do Today: Summer Dance Party, zine workshop, bubbly tasting, Strangely Alright ...

By Volcano Staff on July 2, 2014

WEDNESDAY, JULY 2 2014 >>>

1. You can't profess to love hip-hop without having, at the least, a passing appreciation for the foundation. You don't get Outkast or Dr. Dre without EPMD. There's no Jay Z without Rakim. The Geto Boys helped open up the South. Afrika Bambaataa, The Rock Steady Crew, Grandmaster flash, Kurtis Blow, Fab 5 Freddy, Public Enemy ... it's not just nostalgia; it's a history lesson you can't miss when DJ Fir$t Lady spins your favorite old school hip-hop, plus other eclectic and funky dance tunes Wednesday beginning at The Brotherhood Lounge's Summer Dance Party. Fir$t Lady will do all the heavy lifting for you so all that's left to be done is to fetch that headband out of the dryer and go freak out. Bonus: Twenty-five percent of the night's sales go to Planned Parenthood. It kicks off at 9 p.m.

2. Remember before the Internet when the only way to discover the local underground punk rock scene, slow food, yurt-builders, Kierkegaard or Shannon Doherty was to read bits of typed paper from someone pulling an all-nighter at Kinko's? Today, it's called Tumblr. Yet oddly enough, old school zines are experiencing a renaissance. How do people who've never existed in a world without the web create these handmade textures to express their unfettered opinions? In celebration of International Zine Month in July, the Lakewood Library will host several zine workshops throughout the month, the first one coming together from 6-8 p.m. Express your opinion between two staples! 

3. There will be an Elvis sighting tonight in Steilacoom when Danny Vernon's Illusions Of Elvis enters Pioneer Park at 6:30 p.m. The show is free. 

4. Here's a reason to toast: Scientists say drinking three glasses of Champagne per week helps stave off brain disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease. So head to Abby's on Broadway Bistro and Wine Bar from 5-7:30 p.m. for a bubbles tasting. Fill your brain with Veuve Ambal Blanc de Blanc Brut, Veuve Ambal Brut Rose, Veuve Ambal Cremant de Bourgogne Brut and Veuve Ambal Rose Cremant de Bourgogne Brut.

5. It's the first Wednesday of the month, which means Maurice the Fish Records will take over Jazzbones tonight. The monthly all-ages event showcases some of the best the Pacific Northwest talent, including established musicians as well as young up-and-comers. At 8 p.m., Brooke Lizotte, Strangely Alright and Torre take the stage.

LINK: Wednesday, July 2 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area