SATURDAY, NOV. 1 2014 >>>

1. You've had the mustache for a year now, and have been contemplating jumping from amateur to pro. Grab some friends, bearded or not, and head to O'Malley's Irish Pub at 7 p.m. in Tacoma for a 'stache-ogling Movember Kick Off Party in honor of whiskers. On the other hand, if you're competitive, there are prizes for "Best 'Stache" for male and female. Expect a raffle. Expect prizes for the Guess The Famous 'Stache trivia game. And expect to drop donations into a jar. After all, Aussie blokes conceived Movember in 1999 as a way of publicizing men's health issues, especially prostate cancer and depression. The Movember Foundation, which refers to participating dudes as "Mo Bros," says the purpose of those autumn mustaches is to "change the face of men's health."

2. They'll be there with their buckskins, their powderhorns and their tinware. Folks in period dress with monikers such as Chauncey, Jededian, Booshway, Eleanor, Bear Legs, Prudence and Huck will demonstrate blacksmithing, cooking, spinning, basket weaving and woodworking, along with a variety of music. All but Huck are re-enactor artisans assuming 19th century pioneer names as they share their talents and creations, such as intricate needlework and forged metalwork at Fort Nisqually Living History Museum during Arts of the Fur Trade from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Huck will try to score pelts to make a vest for his high school post-punk revival band, James Buchanan Side Shave.

3. Tacoma Brewing Co. celebrates its second anniversary from 2-9 p.m. Founder Morgan Alexander will have several anniversary stouts on the "Specials" board: sour stout, bourbon barrel-aged stout, licorice stout, vanilla stout and a coffee stout. On the IPA side, expect Fresh Mosaic Hop IPA, Fresh Citra Hop Broken Window IPA and Penalty Kick Triple IPA. "I will also have a fresh batch of Dr. Alexander's Hard Ginger Ale," says Alexander. "This will be the first batch that will be sold in local stores starting this week." The party will include hourly giveaways, and Finnwick's Food Truck will be parked outside from 4-8 p.m.

4. Sandwiched between Hilltop Loans and Pho Bac Cafe sits the quintessential neighborhood bar, Eleven Eleven. The Hilltop Tacoma sandwich and booze parlor carries a lovely selection of brewskis on tap. Tonight kicks off the 1111 Fest, featuring events, specials and giveaways every night through Nov. 11. Tonight, DJ Marcus will spin during the 1111 Fest Kickoff Party featuring Silver City Brewery and limited edition Heaven Eeven Cask Brew. A different brewery will be in the house every night until 11-11.

5. Formed by longtime Tacoma music fixture Justin Tamminga and his two children, Dahlia and Lucien, Pig Snout is a testament to the joy and universality of rock 'n' roll. If it can be believed, Dahlia and Lucien are 6 and 9, respectively, and they just started learning their instruments in earnest earlier this year. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on Pig Snout in the Music & Culture section, then catch the band with Hell's Belles and Clear Chaos for a 5 p.m. all-ages show at Jazzbones. Hell's Belles plays a 21+ version at 9 p.m.

LINK: Saturday, Nov. 1 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SUNDAY, NOV. 2 2014 >>>

1. The Magic Flute is set in an unnamed fantasyland, but this production benefits from local stylistic influences. Tacoma Opera drew inspiration from the art and culture of Pacific Northwest Salish tribes, with valuable assistance from the Puyallup tribe in particular. The event's web page notes the indigenous culture's "impish sense of humor and ... immense respect for nature, all of which blend perfectly with the transcendent music." It'll be interesting to note how these tribal elements are woven into set and costume designs, as The Magic Flute's expansive, episodic structure demands a unifying aesthetic perspective. Read Christian Carvajal's full feature on The Magic Flute in the Music & Culture section, then enjoy the opera at 2 p.m. in the Rialto Theater.

2. Celebrating Day of the Dead in grand community style, the Tacoma Art Museum begins the month with a free community celebration today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Museum. Held in conjunction with Consulado de Mexico en Seattle, Centro Latino and Proyecto Molé, the festival celebrates Dia de los Muertos with traditional music and dance, art activities, sugar skull decoration and displays of art that include a traditional Tapete, or sand painting, and community altars honoring passed loved ones, as well as student artwork demonstrations. This family friendly event, the 10th in so many years, brings together cultural iconography with activities that bring to light how a grim subject can be celebrated - and enjoyed - by all ages, inviting conversation about loss, remembrance, and the rich fabric of diversity.

3. Seattle based brass band PugetBrass will perform pieces by Edward Gregson, as well as Ball, Downie and Richards at 2 p.m. in Building 2 at Tacoma Community College. Expect tuba soloist Andy Abel at this free concert.

4. Rich Wetzel's Groovin Higher Orchestra will drop in on Stonegate Pizza to perform a rockin' big band jazz dinner show from 5-8pm.

5. The Tacoma Comedy Club hosts another 5 for $5 Sunday night show featuring five of the best up and coming stand-up comedians, all performing for just $5. Scheduled to perform at 8 p.m. are emcee Monica Nevi, Cory Michaelis, Brett Hamil, Scott Losse and TBD. Oh man, the last time TBD played the Tacoma Comedy Club he unmercifully and hilariously shut down an extremely drunk, shoe-tossing heckler. The comic took the audience down unexpected roads as he wove intricate analogies about topics such as student loans and the realities of insomnia, which revealed more intelligence and insight than one might expect of a performer with a sports-bar demeanor and a gruff bark. In addition to TBD, TCC will also have Sunday Funday food and drink specials all night long.

LINK: Sunday, Nov. 2 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

MONDAY, NOV. 3 2014 >>>

1. Following the popularity of last winter's Poetry Above the Roar event, three Pacific Northwest artists - a poet, composer, and a singer - will again take the chill out of the season with a return performance at the University of Puget Sound at 7 p.m. in Commencement Hall. Mezzo-soprano Erin Calata will sing 10 works of poetry written by Tacoma's first poet laureate William Kupinse, who is a member of University of Puget Sound's English faculty. The 10 poems, from his 2009 collection Fallow, have been set to original music by composer Greg Youtz, professor of music at Pacific Lutheran University. Youtz's music will be performed electronically by a computer capable of sounding like a small jazz combo or a chamber orchestra. 

2. The "Fumiko Kimura/Rob Fornell Exhibit" opens today at The Gallery at Tacoma Community College. For Puget Sound Sumi Artists co-founder Kimura, exhibition represents nearly 60 years of her sumi paintings, mixed media sumi collages and Asian brush calligraphies. Ceramics artist Fornell created objects that are contemporary in their expression and concern, and which function to bind us in the expression of our humanity at this moment. Check out the exhibit from noon to 5 p.m.

3. The UWT Environmental Seminar features Kevin O'Brien, the chair of the Environmental Studies Program and an associate professor in the Dept. of Religion at Pacific Lutheran University discussing "Ecological Scale and Christian Ethics: Bringing Religion and Science Together to Think About Climate Change" at 12:25 p.m. in SCI 309 on the UWT campus.

4. Collins Memorial LibraryhostsBill and Vicky Stewartfor their fifth visit to Puget Sound. The Stewarts represent book artists across the United States. This one and a half hour informal"Show & Tell"will showcase some of their most recent acquisitions. Begins at 1 p.m. in the Library on the University of Puget Sound campus.

5. The Spin Quartet brings together four modern internationally touring jazz artists multiple-CMA-grant recipient and NIU professor Geof Bradfield on saxophone, Grammy-winning bassist Clark Sommers (Kurt Elling, Brian Blade, Darrell Grant), Kobie Watkins(touring drummer for Sonny Rollins) and is spearheaded by trumpeter, and newly appointed DePaul University faculty member Chad McCullough (Bram Weijters, The Kora Band). Recorded shortly after McCullough had relocated to Chicago, IL; their album, In Circles, captures the group's dynamic interplay and cohesion, showcasing the group's original repertoire. Catch the band at 8 p.m. in Rhythm and Rye in downtown Olympia.

LINK: Monday, Nov. 3 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

All right, all right, all right, 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.

THURSDAY, NOV. 6

The 2014 holiday movie season kicks off in a big way this weekend. That's right, Thursday brings Drafthouse Films' American release of the 2013 Japanese actioner Jigoku de Naze Warui, or, Why Don't You Play in Hell? (Technically, the Nipponese title translates to "What's So Bad About Hell?" Either English translation is chock full of awesome.) I quote the distributor's pitch word for word: "There's a war going on, but that won't stop the inexperienced but eager wannabe film crew The Fuck Bombers from following their dreams of making the ultimate action epic. Ten years ago, yakuza mid-boss Ikegami led an assault against rival don Muto. Now, on the eve of his revenge, all Muto wants to do is complete his masterpiece, a feature film with his daughter in the starring role, before his wife is released from prison. And The Fuck Bombers are standing by with the chance of a lifetime: to film a real, live yakuza battle to the death ... on 35mm!" Also, did I mention it's called Why Don't You Play in Hell? And there's a film crew of yakuza mobsters? And that crew name? And that apparently, the don is that sex-crazed atomic monster from last year's reboot of Godzilla?

OK, so maybe that won't be everybody's first choice at the cineplex; but it did get good reviews, despite a gleefully blood-soaked climax. If you prefer family-friendlier entertainment, your huckleberry this weekend is probably Disney's Big Hero 6, also known as Why Don't You Play in a Manga? You've seen the commercials and trailer by now, of course, but you may not be aware the movie's based on a recent Marvel Comics team. In the funny books, Japanese outfit Big Hero 6 was led by a mutant ronin dubbed the Silver Samurai, and - how cool is this? - based in a theme park called Cool World. (No, not the one animated by Ralph Bakshi.) Hiro's a tween-age boy who joins the ensemble along with his bodyguard, shape-shifting robot Baymax. The team also features super-chef Wasabi-no-Ginger, a woman named Honey Lemon who wields a magic purse, and a dude who transforms into a kaiju called Fredzilla. Amazingly, all these characters other than the Silver Samurai appear to have crossed the gap into the cinematic incarnation. Critics have fallen for the movie, despite its gleefully blood-soaked climax. Spoiler alert: Wasabi-no-Ginger gets diced, Honey Lemon is squeezed while searching fruitlessly for an Altoid, and Baymax goes POP under the tread of an incautious Fredzilla. There will be no Big Hero 7. It's an odd narrative choice, I feel, especially from The Walt Disney Company, aka The Fuck Bombers.

More cerebral viewers have been eagerly awaiting Jon Stewart's directorial debut, Rosewater, which launches its slow release schedule this weekend. If you're a regular Daily Show viewer, you doubtless know it's the film version of Iranian Maziar Bahari's book Then They Came for Me, which dramatizes Bahari's 2009 detention at the hands of Iran's state police under accusations of spying for the West. Among the clueless evidence presented was a tongue-in-cheek interview Bahari gave Daily Show correspondent Jason Jones. You might also want to check out Les Miz actor Eddie Redmayne, an early Oscar hopeful for his portrayal of the young Stephen Hawking, in biopic The Theory of Everything.

It's an amusing coincidence for the Hawking film to open the same day as Christopher Nolan's sci-fi opus Interstellar, as this perpetuates a longstanding (friendly) competition between Hawking and leading American astrophysicist Kip Thorne. In 1975, Hawking made a wager with Thorne that has since become notorious in space-nerdy circles. Thorne believed black holes are real and that X-ray-emitting object Cygnus X-1 is such a collapsed star. Hawking was also hopeful that Cygnus X-1 would turn out to be a black hole, but he bet on the converse as a way of covering all possible eventualities. The prize at stake? If Hawking won, he'd receive a four-year subscription to Private Eye magazine. Ultimately, however, Hawking conceded to Thorne. "I paid the specified penalty," Hawking writes, "which was a one year subscription to Penthouse, to the outrage of Kip's liberated wife." Chandrasekhar and marital limits aside, Thorne helped Carl Sagan with wormhole concepts for Contact, and now Thorne's the astrophysical brains behind Interstellar. This new film's said to be more 2001: A Space Odyssey than Gravity. Early reviews are somewhat mixed, but it's safe to assume we'll get killer visual effects along with the best-looking astronauts ever, Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway. Space madness!

Interstellar, of course, is an adjective that means "between stars." It's what lay people mean, more often than not, when they say intergalactic ("between galaxies"). Nolan hopped on board the Interstellar crew when Steven Spielberg, who first developed the project along with Thorne, lost interest. Originally, the script was called Why Don't You Play in a Wormhole?, in which Anne Hathaway morphed into a singing, sobbing kaiju.

Until next week, may the Force be with you, may the odds be ever in your favor, and may you never get hired as a production assistant by The Fuck Bombers. As résumé credits go, it'd look shady.

TUESDAY, NOV. 4 2014 >>>

1. Over the course of Margaret Cho's ever-evolving career, the world has watched her blossom from an insecure comedian into an empowering yet still-hilarious feminist icon. Flirtations with drugs, kicking the habit and confronting her sexuality - all before the eager eyes of her fans - have transformed Cho into a hilarious force to be reckoned with. Her stand-up films - notably Notorious C.H.O., Assassin and I'm The One That I Want - are among the better examples of the genre, balancing blunt, painful confessional with the political activism that has always been less parallel to and more tangled with her comedy career, into all of which is woven a welcome strain of good old-fashioned folly. Catch her at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. at the Tacoma Comedy Club.

2. If your short attention span craves something friendlier than the standard 90-minute film, then you're in luck, because The Grand Cinema has been chosen to a set of short films, courtesy of one of the most highly regarded film festivals in the land. Showcasing a wide variety of story and style, the 94-minute Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour features both fiction and documentary short films and includes three films that won awards at the 2014 Festival. See the shorts at 1:45 and 6:35 p.m.

3. Kat Cullman, Curtis Koller and Teri Wolf called themselves the Finally Found Trio. They perform traditional country, folk, Americana and acoustic based music, while thinking a lot about Townes Van Zandt, John Prine, Neil Young and Steve Earle. See what the trio is all about from 5-6 p.m. at B Sharp Coffee House in Tacoma.

4. Chris Dixon will talk about his new book, Another Politics: Talking Across Today's Transformative Movements at 7 p.m. in Orca Books. Amidst war, economic meltdown and ecological crisis, a "new spirit of radicalism is blooming" from New York to Cairo, according to Dixon. In his book, he examines the trajectory of efforts that contributed to the radicalism of Occupy Wall Street and other recent movements.

5. Votes have been cast, stickers have been uploaded to Facebook, and now it's time to wait. Stakes are high, so perhaps a little distraction is in order. Don't spend it watching results at some boring, pricey cash-bar party. A good election bash has to have it all: decent, cheap drink options; barbecue ribs; a Bloody Mary called "Devil's Spit"; and a dark room with taxidermy to cry if your candidate isn't elected. The Pierce County Democrats will be watching election results at Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que in Tacoma beginning at 7:30 p.m.

LINK: Tuesday, Nov. 4 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Monday, Nov. 3, the Lakewood City Council celebrated Veterans Day early with its annual Veterans Day Proclamation.

The council honored Lt. Gen. William Harrison (Ret.) - Lakewood's mayor emeritus, President of the AUSA's Captain Meriwether Lewis chapter and of the Pierce Military and Business Alliance Carlene Joseph and Rally Point/6 founder and CEO Anne Sprute. They also proclaimed November to be Veterans Appreciation Month.

The ceremony featured members of Clover Park High School and Lakes High School ROTC programs as color guards, and a video presentation honoring veterans. Each service was recognized as veterans were asked to stand as their service anthems were played.

Lakewood Deputy Mayor Jason Whalen spoke about the contributions the honorees have made to the community, and congratulated them for their accomplishments over the course of the year. The council thanked Harrison for his service to the city and congratulated him on the recent dedication of Harrison Hall, the new 7th Infantry Division headquarters at Joint Base Lewis-McChord named in his honor.

Joseph received the AUSA's 2014 Maj. Gen. Anthony J. Drexel Biddle Medal, an award for members who've significantly contributed to advancing the interests of the AUSA. The council thanked Sprute for her tireless efforts in support of veterans through Rally Point/6, one of the most ambitious veteran support organizations in the state.

>>> Lakewood Deputy Mayor Jason Whalen honors Rally Point/6 CEO Anne Sprute at the Lakewood City Council meeting Monday, Nov. 3. Photo by Kevin Knodell

All the honorees received a city of Lakewood challenge coin. The coin, a military tradition, is meant to symbolize the community's military roots. The young city of Lakewood has deep military roots indeed.

>>> Lt. Gen. William Harrison (Ret.) / photo credit: Kevin Knodell

After leaving the Army, Harrison was one of the leading members of the campaign to incorporate the city in 1996, and was elected Lakewood's first mayor shortly after. Owing to its proximity to JBLM and Camp Murray, Lakewood has a large population of both active-duty military members and their families. Many decide to reside there permanently after leaving the service, with a large veteran population as well.

I'm a hairy guy; there's just no getting around it. Thanks, ample testosterone! With one infuriating exception - my scalp - I can grow hair pretty much anywhere, seemingly just by flexing for a few seconds. My face sprouts a beard at the speed of a Play-Doh "spaghetti" extruder. Thus, autumn's a special time for me, when I'm free from theatrical obligations and can allow my cheeks a break from the razor. I'm happy when others join me in my yearly "No Shave November" ritual, a phrase our culture has since portmanteau'd to "Noshember." Like many, I tend to conflate Noshember and Movember, but did you know the latter has a very specific purpose? It was conceived by Aussie blokes in 1999 as a way of publicizing men's health issues, especially prostate cancer and depression, and applies only to the growing of mustaches. All those other facial hairs are just you and me being lazy. Hey, no shaving, no shame!

The Movember Foundation, which refers to participating dudes as "Mo Bros," says the purpose of those autumn mustaches is to "change the face of men's health." And while the phrase "Mo Bros" or the practice itself may seem silly, they have laudable goals. As you read this, I'm recovering (I hope!) from surgery to repair an inguinal hernia. Inguinal (pronounced ING-gw'n'l) is a fancy medical term for "groin stuff," so, as you can imagine, men's health is very much on my mind these days. My father's a survivor of prostate cancer, and it's highly probable I'll deal with similar issues down the road. According to the CDC, more than 200,000 men each year are diagnosed with the disease, and it kills over a tenth of those men. Next to non-melanoma skin cancer, it's the most prevalent form of cancer in American men, especially among men of Hispanic extraction. Depression's a bit different: men are only half as likely as women to experience it, and more women than men attempt suicide. So why, then, do at least three times more men than women die from suicide each year? One hates to say men are more "successful" at killing themselves than women, but those are the facts. In some years, the male-to-female ratio of suicide deaths is closer to 10:1.

Obviously, it's more fun to read (and write) about wacky fall mustaches than "the true meaning" of Movember. But as you're trimming and styling your fancy soup strainer this month, try to remember we're all in this together. This has been a pivotal year with respect to men coming to grips with issues faced by #YesAllWomen, and that's terrific. In fact, it's long overdue. But it's also a good time for all of us, male and female, to consider men's particular mental and physical health risks. So the next time you see a dude walking down the Ave with a still-growing mustache, remember to shoot him a friendly thumbs-up. He may be a survivor of something far more embarrassing and intense than bad facial hair.

To read about or contribute to the Movember Foundation, check out US.Movember.com.

South Sound Movember

The Handlebar Cycling Studio is challenging men to grow the best 'stache during November to help raise awareness of men's health issues. Snap a photo of your 'stache at the Handlebar, send it to them or post it on Facebook and tag The Handlebar and be entered in a drawing for free gear and rides. Ladies, snap a photo with a fella and his mustache at The Handlebar, post it on Facebook and you'll be eligible for the same awesome prizes. 715 Commerce St., Tacoma

Red Wind Casino is promoting Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in November with Movember Moustache. If you wear a real or fake mustache to the casino Monday-Friday, you'll qualify for the 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. drawings for $125. Red Wind will donate another $25 to the Movember Foundation for each winner. For those without a moustache, fake moustaches will be available at Club Red inside the casino. 12819 Yelm Hwy. SE, Olympia

The staff at Fisher Jones Family Dentistry grows out its ‘staches to raise awareness for men's health. If you would like to join the Fisher Jones staff's annual cultivation of upper lip caterpillars, you may join its Olympia Moustache Militia.  For more details, call 360.943.4644. 2415 Pacific Ave. SE, Olympia

Do you know of a South Sound Movember event? Give it a shout out in our comments section.

A zombie apocalypse took over part of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, forcing hundreds to battle through hordes of zombies. Luckily, these zombies didn't have a taste for human flesh; they only wanted the blood red flags each runner wore around their waist.

Halloween excitement at JBLM reached the zenith with the inaugural JBLM Zombie Apocalypse 5k Run Nov. 1, bringing servicemembers and families together for this ghoulish and heart-pounding event hosted by the JBLM Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare & Recreation.

More than 200 people joined in the scary fun, and tried their luck surviving in the face of 100 volunteers dressed as zombies.

"Everyone's on a big hype of zombies, right now, with shows like Walking Dead, they're huge and it's great to take part of something that's so big right now in our generation," said Spc. Bruce C. Svendsen, a military policeman assigned to the 66th Military Police Company, 504th MP Battalion, 42nd MP Brigade.

>>> Photography by Staff Sgt. Micah VanDyke/19th Public Affairs Detachment

Lizza Lockett, an intramural coordinator with JBLM's DFMWR, broke down the unique aspects of the 5k run compared to others and how the zombie interaction was planned out. She pointed out how the run is not going to be like the movie World War Z, which had fast zombies, but rather it will be slow moving zombies trying to snag the runners flags.

"The goal is to complete the course with at least one flag left and you'll be entered in a special door prize to win a Dell laptop," said Lockett. "We have other door prizes, such as tickets to (LeMay - America's Car) museum, tickets for tattoos and gift certificates from AAFES."

>>> Photography by Staff Sgt. Micah VanDyke/19th Public Affairs Detachment

Many participants brought their children to compete in the run and dress up as zombies.

"It's awesome. We're trying to keep our kids active and it's fun to be a part of the first (zombie run) on the post," said Sgt. Patrick Moorer, who is in Bravo Company, 47th Combat Area Support Hospital, 62nd Medical Brigade, JBLM. "They really enjoyed it and had a great time."

The appeal of this type of event encouraged many people to put down their tablets or smartphones, and children to hold off on picking through Halloween candy until after the run.

"It's great to see everybody outside getting away from the TV and other technology; staying active and being fit," said Moorer. "So, it was a good time for the family."

Svendsen was excited about the role of playing as a zombie and really enjoyed the evening.

"It's a riot. I love it, and I have my own make-up on. I wanted to use it for something and this gave me a chance to do it," said Svendsen. "People are getting some exercise and we're getting the screams and scares."

>>> Photography by Staff Sgt. Micah VanDyke/19th Public Affairs Detachment

Everyone, young and old, survived the run but only a few kept at least one flag to compete for the grand prize and bragging rights. The JBLM Zombie Apocalypse 5K Run is set to be a yearly post-Halloween event. If this year's run was any indication, it will quickly become one of most the anticipated DFMWR events.

Staff Sgt. Micah VanDyke is with the 19th Public Affairs Detachment.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 5 2014 >>>

1. Remember when as a kid you sat on a swing, pumping your arms for all they could muster to get a motion going that felt like flying? Your mother was always worried that you'd go off and join Ringling Bros. Circus, but you went on to become an elementary school yard monitor. Other swing fanatics went on to perform aerial dance inside bars. The Brotherhood Takes Flight aerial show is back, featuring Jenn Johnson taking to the air with whimsy, strength and artful grace at The Brotherhood Lounge. The performance above the drinking crowd is just plain beautiful. A dance party with DJ Fir$t Lady follows the 8 p.m. performance.

2. Rear Admiral Eleanor Valentin, the first Filipino American female to be the Commander of Navy's Medicine Support Command and the first female director of the U. S. Navy's Medical Service Corps, will be the guest speaker at 6 p.m. in the Worthington Conference Center at Saint Martin's University. The areas under Valentin's command include the Naval Medical Logistics Command, the Navy Medicine Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education Command, the Navy Medicine Information Systems Support Activity, the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center and the Naval Medical Research Center.

3. Margaret Cho is back for another night of two shows at the Tacoma Comedy Club. Cho is a fierce and funny ambassador for the Korean American community who makes amazing jokes about her parents, loves the gay community, loves sex (sometimes with women) and has starred in more TV shows at 46 than most comics will in a lifetime. Catch her at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m.

4. Every Wednesday Doyle's Public House hosts Knowledge Night, its version of a pub quiz, at 8 and 9 p.m. It is free to play. Speaking of free, Doyle's co-owner Russ Heaton is free to roam the room and look over your shoulder, crack wise and punch you in the arm.

5. Montana-based garage pop band Buddy Jackson sure know their way around a good "woh-oh." While there's certainly a good amount of fuzzed-out thrashing, Buddy Jackson always give you plenty of sugar to let the medicine go down. Melody and a good sing-along chorus seem to always be at the front of their minds, even when the lead vocals get pushed to the edge of a scream. Catch the band with Chasing Hornets and Hold Fast at 10 p.m. in Le Voyeur.

LINK: Wednesday, Nov. 5 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

THURSDAY, NOV. 6 2014 >>>

1. Seattle-based Americana artist Kate Lynne Logan's smooth, ethereal tone of her voice draws comparisons to Allison Kruass and The Wailin' Jennys' Ruth Moody - gentle, but evocative. Paired with that steady-like-a-train guitar playing, her sound further blurs the lines between pop, Americana and alt-country. Logan will share her talent with The Swiss Restaurant and Pub beginning at 9 p.m.

2. Bill Bonnie, owner of Tacoma Wine Merchants and connected Enoteca Wine Bar in the Stadium District, has been searching and fighting Tacoma for years for a spot to open his Northwest centric upscale pub meets bistro concept. A former antique store next to the former blues club Coles in the town of Ruston is where he and his business partner, Donn Frostad of North Slope Construction, landed. After many months of renovation, the Point Defiance Tap and Grill will open today for lunch and dinner. Northwest beer is on tap.

3. The tragic, yet ultimately inspiring story of Rachel Corrie made its way from Olympia to around the world in a matter of days back in 2003, when The Evergreen State College student made her way to the Gaza Strip to protest the destruction of homes of Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli government. An Israeli bulldozer killed her when she stood between the heavy machinery and the house only to be crushed to death as the bulldozer went about its business. Her death sparked not only international attention and outrage but highlighted the struggle of the Palestinian people. My Name is Rachel Corrie is a one-woman play composed from Rachel's own journals, letters and emails creating a portrait of a messy, articulate, Salvador Dali-loving chain-smoker - with a passion for the music of Pat Benatar. Tacoma Little Theatre presents the emotional piece, directed by Niclas R. Olson, and featuring Lauren Nance for a one-night performance at 7:30 p.m.

4. The Keith Henson Octet is an eight-piece, five horn South Sound-based band featuring arrangements of jazz and popular danceable and listenable standards. Check them out at 8 p.m. in the B Sharp Coffee House.

5. Every Thursday night at Puget Sound Pizza, the Volcano's music critic Rev. Adam McKinney hosts a karaoke session showcasing a Tarantino-like mix of downtown denizens seriously singing Bill Withers and glasses-wearing gals squawking out punk rawk, plus appearances by local rock stars. McKinney, always looking dapper in his sportcoat, has a mellifluous singing voice, perfect for "Disco 2000" by Pulp, "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" by Tom Lehrer, "Little Green Bag" by the George Baker Selection, "Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)" by Squeeze and his standard closing song, "Bottle of Wine" by the Fireballs.

LINK: Thursday, Nov. 6 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area