SUNDAY, MARCH 30 2014 >>>

1. Most people recognize Mark Pickerel's name from his drumming with Van Conner, Gary Lee Conner and Mark Lanegan in this little band from Ellensburg you may have heard of called the Screaming Trees, but in reality he's done much more than man the skins for the band that crafted "Sweet Oblivion" and "Nearly Lost You."  Pickerel has played and recorded with Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic, the Dusty 45's, His Praying Hands and Truly. Pickerel will emcee a poetry slam in Tenino. No, it's true. Scatter Creek Winery in the little town of Tenino plays host to the biggest throw-down of romantic and cynical poetry and songs in the known world from 4-6 p.m. Pickerel will keep the peace among the poets from both sides of the love aisle as they duel to the finish to convince the crowd that their position on love represents the truth. Rumor has it Pickerel may even play a few of his own love or heartbreak songs during the event.

2. Pint Defiance continues its popular Sunday Sampler series, this week offering tastings of San Diego beers: Lost Abbey Red Barn Saison, Ale Smith Nut Brown, Ballast Point Big Eye IPA and Stone Imperial Russian Stout. From 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., flights of four 4-ounce pours will be served for the cost of a normal pint.

3. Mitch Reems, singer for several Northwest bands, including portraying Elwood Blues in the New Blues Brothers Band, has been undergoing treatment for stage four non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. He's damn near kicked it. The music community is celebrating, as well as helping pay his bills, with a benefit show at 3 p.m. in Tacoma's Temple Theatre. Bump Kitchen, Champagne Sunday, and Gabriel with Merrilee Rush will join the New Blues Brothers onstage.

4. Huntsville, Alabama, band Nightmare Boyzzz win points for not sounding anything like what their name might suggest. This is a band that is built of brittle sugar, constantly threatened at every turn with crumbling. While the riffs are firmly in the garage rock vein of bands such as the Black Lips, the vocals are consistently on point and prettier than necessary. Here, again, is a band that values melody, even as it streaks its songs with distortion. This is the kind of garage pop that goes down easy, but might give you heartburn. Catch them at 9 p.m. in The New Frontier Lounge.

5. Survival Knife is Kris Cunningham on drums, Meg Cunningham on bass, Brandt Sandeno on guitar and Justin Trosper on guitar and vocals. Yes, Meg and Kris are married, and yes, Sandeno and Trosper are two of the original three members of Olympia's infamous '90s indie rock predecessors, Unwound. The band rocks, and with Broken Water and Hungry Ghost on the 9 p.m. bill at The Brotherhood Lounge, this show really rocks.

LINK: Sunday, March 30 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Bob's Java Jive Tacoma - Central. CZAR, Breag Naofa, A God or An Other, the Vatican. 8 pm. $5.

• Recently, a band called Skinny Puppy sued the U.S. government for playing their music at Guantanamo Bay. The price? $666,000. The crime was to use Skinny Puppy's music as a form of torture. We've heard many stories of these practices, over the years, of various bands (Metallica, Van Halen and Red Cross have all reportedly been used to break down interrogation subjects). I'll admit something right here: A 50-second song from CZAR played twice is enough for me to give my Social Security Number. I'm a perfectly decent fan of loud, aggressive, compositionally strange music, but CZAR take it to a different degree. The vocals make my throat hurt, the music pummels my tender ear drums, and it all leaves me crawling for an easy listening station. That being said, I'd spill all of my secrets if "Piano Man" played on repeat, so there's that. - Rev. Adam McKinney
  

The Half Pint Pizza Pub Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Marcha Marcha Marcha Birthday Bash with live funk. 10 pm. NC.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. The Reallionaire Beat Battle Part 2, hosted by Bruce Leroy, with LRoc, Frankie Hustle. 8 pm. $10-$15.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Benefit For Shilo, with Captain Algebra. All Ages. 7 pm.

Louie G's Pizza Fife. Ted Brown Music Fundraiser featuring Stolen Society, Fistful of Dollars, Nolan Garrett Band and SweetKiss Momma. All Ages. 7 pm. $10, include spaghetti feed.

• Ted Brown Music Outreach was introduced in 2007 by Ted Brown Music store in Tacoma, with the mission to provide children throughout the South Sound access to music through scholarships, instruments and education. Saturday, at Louie G's Pizzeria in Fife, TBMO is throwing a fundraiser and instrument drive. The event is all-ages, and features the Nolan Garret Band, SweetKiss Momma and two of TBMO's Live Out Loud! alumni bands - Stolen Society and A Fistful of Dollars. In addition to the awesome music, expect a raffle, silent auction and a dessert auction, with all proceeds going toward the 501c3 nonprofit TBMO, which works to put music in the lives of young people. The $10 cover includes an all-you-can-eat spaghetti feed. For more information visit www.tbmoutreach.org.

McCoy's Tavern Olympia - Downtown. Endino's Earthworm, Hellbelly, Mosquito Hawk 9 pm. $3.

• It's been nearly a year since Endino's Earthworm played Olympia. I'm stoked they are making a much-needed return. Jack Endino, whose music-producing career includes Nirvana, Zeke, Soundgarden, etc., takes his ear for detail and his soul for sound to his own band, Endino's Earthworm. Blistering? Heavy? Punk/grunge/old-school? Sometimes words are too bland for what good music does. While reading about an awesome band is a static experience, what should really be done is to watch a band live, and let your being tell the description. Is it the cosmic rocking of neurons? The physical sensation of vibrating chords? The internal centering that shifts into play when a band has your full attention, keeping you from worry of the daily grind, allowing a more authentic existence to emerge? Show up to McCoy's Saturday night and find out. - Nikki McCoy
  

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. The Purrs, Trees & Timber, People Under the Sun, DJ Melodica. 9 pm. $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.

Northern Olympia - Downtown. Rise Of The Underdogs, with Third Eye, Taylor Martin, Jason Redd, Kidd Jurnee & Trace, Sky Scraper, Vette, R.E.A.L., Taylor Made, B-Lethal, K-Dawg The Ace, DJ Ben Pasquan, hosted by Heretic & Remex. All Ages. 7 pm.

Oly Ballroom Olympia - Downtown. Olympia Acoustic Fest, with Shawn Smith, Oly Mountain Boys, Aaron English, Bradford Loomis, Science, Juniper Circus, Paul Mauer, Samsel & The Skirt, James Coates, Kat Jones, Mark Macminn, The Grey Wharf, Kari Newhouse, The Brothers Jim, Anna Gordon, Elk &. All Ages. 1 pm. $12-$15.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Tatoosh. 8 pm.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Rumble Underground. 9 pm.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Pearl Django. All Ages. 8 pm. $10-$15.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Hambone Blues Band. 9 pm.

LINK: Live music Saturday, March 29 in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SATURDAY, MARCH 29: SECOND ROUND BURGER ACTION >>>

Burger construction isn't rocket science. Take some beef, mold it into a patty, throw on some cheese, lettuce, tomato and condiments, serve and enjoy. But hidden within those folds is a complexity that defines the short ingredients list. Building a burger is child's play; making a great burger is another thing entirely. Opening a discussion on which South Sound burger joints offer a great burger serves as our mission for the Tournament of Burgers - that and trying to score free burgers from the competitors.

Before we examine today's Second Round burger battles, let's take a look at yesterday's burger-building results.

Yesterday's Results

Game 1: Eastside Big Tom vs. Steel Creek American Whiskey Co.

Eastside Big Tom's was voted Best Burger recently in the Weekly Volcano's 2014 Best of Olympia issue. Home of the "goop," a delicious blend of mayo, mustard, pickle relish and secret salad dressing sauce, Eastside Big Tom's is an Olympian favorite, and the whiskey-drinking cowgirls and cowboys at Steel Creek couldn't line dance fast enough. Eastside Big Tom grabbed 78 percent of the vote and moves into the Sweet 16.

Game 2: Chalk Talk Bistro vs. Pick-Quick Drive-In

Everyone is, er, talking about the conversation of Mary's Burger Bistro into Chalk Talk Bistro. There have been theories written, of course written in chalk. It doesn't matter. Fife's longstanding, popular Pick-Quick Drive-In snapped all the chalk with 62 percent of the vote, and moves into the Sweet 16.

Game 3: The Westside Tavern vs. Pacific Grill

Pacific Grill, the downtown Tacoma bastion of Northwest culinary staples and forward thinking dishes that explore some of the most buzzed about national food trends, met its match yesterday. The Westside Tavern might not serve meat candy and "Freaking Delicious Beef Carpaccio," but it does specialize in burgers and uproariously good times. And that combination paid off yesterday as the beloved Westside Olympia joint grabbed 59 percent of the vote and a spot in the Sweet 16.

Game 4: Bootlegger's Bar & Grill vs. Best Burgers

It isn't certain the patrons of Bootlegger's knew the Buckley restaurant was in the Tournament of Burgers. Its Facebook claims their Ladies Night is going to be "nuts," but it's void of tournament chatter. Best Burgers knows they're in, and received remarkable play from their Triple Cheeseburger. With 70 percent of the vote, Best Burgers moves into the Sweet 16.

Let's weed through the condiments. The following are advancing to the Sweet 16:

• Eastside Big Tom
• Pick-Quick Drive-In
• The Westside Tavern
• Best Burgers

The daily burger battles on Walkie Talkie are sponsored by Ricky J's Restaurant and Lounge in Puyallup.

OK, let's dive into today's Second Round burger battles. Vote for one burger joint per game. Voting for today's burger battles ends at 11:45 p.m. 

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

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 3.29.14 >>>

Obama asked the Russia leader to withdraw troops during a phone call initiated by Putin.

A primal instinct was behind Russia's annexation of Crimea, and its one shared by other powers.

Pentagon to adapt drones for tougher aerial battles.

The U.S. Army's top leaders defended their proposal to strip the Army National Guard of its AH-64 Apaches attack helicopters as part of a cost-saving move.

Jeremiah Denton Jr., who as an American prisoner of war in Vietnam made the world aware of the abuse POWs were suffering, died Friday at 89 in a Virginia Beach hospice.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has paid tribute to retiring Army Gen. Keith B. Alexander, who is stepping down as head of U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency.

Air Force looks to cost-effective technologies to sustain future operations.

Defense officials have ordered a review of options that include consolidating commissaries and exchanges, as well as having commissaries adopt an "Exchange-like business model."

A New York congressman is calling for a presidential review of the Medal of Honor cases of two Marines who in 2008 gave their lives to halt a suicide bomber with a truck full of explosives in Ramadi, Iraq.

A veteran of the war in Afghanistan died of a heroin and cocaine overdose last year while receiving treatment at a Miami Veterans Affairs residential treatment facility, according to a VA inspector general report released.

Government stalwart mobility provider BlackBerry got some additional leverage in the form of full operational capacity for its BlackBerry 10 to run on Defense Department networks.

Abby Martin's exclusive interview with former NASA Astronaut and ISS Commander, Leroy Chiao, about U.S.-Russian cooperation in space, life on other words and the reality of the film Gravity.

Watch a lost interview with philosopher Michel Foucault on madness and history.

Patatap lets you make tunes and pictures with your computer keyboard (instead of boring old words).

New York magazine's "100 Years of New York Music" issue celebrates everyone from Debbie Harry to Billie Holiday and includes a portfolio of new photos.

Chrissie Hynde's Dark Sunglasses, her new record, arrives June 10.

Silicon Valley, HBO's delightful new Mike Judge comedy, which stars T.J. MIller, Kumail Nanjiani and other funny dudes, premiere's April 6.

This may not make a lick of sense but it sure is pretty...

Friday, April 4, Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist will kick off his bid for re-election with what we can only be described as a star-studded "kick off party" - which in the business of politics, is code for warm and fuzzy fundraising event. Lindquist promises the event will feature Peter Buck of R.E.M., actress and singer Molly Ringwald, The Beatniks, as well as speakers Gov. Jay Inslee, Sheriff Paul Pastor, Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland, and Detective Ed Troyer, executive director of Crime Stoppers.

Below is the news annoucement out of the Lindquist Camp.

Read more...

That big collective ache you may have heard or felt reverberating throughout Tacoma Tuesday, and obviously for years to come, was for the loss of one of the city's most beloved citizens, everyone's friend John O'Gara. The 52-year-old Parkway Tavern long-time manager passed away from health issues, although those close to him still were in shock. O'Gara had been at the Parkway for around 20 years, although he did take a leave in 2000 and Barry Watson stepped in for a brief time until O'Gara returned after a year or so.

Watson, who after selling the Rosewood Café in Tacoma opened Pint Defiance beer store and taproom with his wife, Renee, mentored under O'Gara at the Parkway. "This is a huge loss, not only to those who loved him, but to the community as well," Watson said Wednesday night, eyes filled with tears. "No one knew more about craft beer. O'Gara knew before everyone else. He was my mentor. He was my friend."

The Parkway has been filled with mourners since the sad news, sharing stories and hoisting beers.

"John was the kind of guy that inspired loyalty. In his employees, business associates and customers," says Mick Wilcox, and brand manager with Click Wholesale Distributing. "What he did to raise the profile of craft beer in the South Sound was immeasurable. In a time not so long ago when bars were balking about putting anything but a 120.00 keg on tap John would try anything. He wasn't afraid. He turned his love of barleywine into a two-day festival complete with an exclusive brunch.  This is a big deal.

"He put 32 handles of just IPA on tap because he liked it and he knew you would too, says Wilcox. "And why not roast a whole pig to go with it? These weren't your typical brewers nights. It took him months of planning with his team to make sure everything was perfect and it was. And he did it for us."

Wilcox explained in a time when Russian River was by far the most sought after beer on the market, O'Gara took a keg of Pliny the Younger - easily the most highly sought after beers - that he could have sold for $15 a pint and gave it away in four ounce samples. Why? Because O'Gara believed everyone deserved to try the best beer in the world.

"What John did best though was bringing out the best in others. He took me from a guy that got a job selling a portfolio of insane beer I didn't know anything about and pushed me, sometimes a bit too hard, to give him my best and I am thankful for it. He gave everyone at the Parkway Tavern a purpose and that is why he was so great. He made you feel like you had a reason to be there. He treated us better than we deserved and we know it and the thing I will miss the most is coming into the Parkway and seeing him standing at the corner of the bar intensely pondering something on his yellow tablet and seeing him turn and look at you and smile." 

O'Gara is survived by his wife of 22 years, Marit Berg-O'Gara; 7-year-old daughter Maeve; siblings Angela, Nicola and Stephen Geary; and mother Lois Geary.

A memorial for John O'Gara will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 30 at Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 901 N. J St., in Tacoma.

What do you do when you meet a man with straight answers and a crooked nose?

You listen.  Carefully.

"Don't settle for someone else's expectations," Maj. Nate Conkey said as he rested between weight repetitions at the Wilson Sports & Fitness Center early yesterday morning.

"Through your efforts you learn what you can achieve.  Through a sense of urgency you can push yourself to be great."

Then he turned and began to do push-ups.

>>>  Maj. Nate Conkey, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, works out at the Wilson Fitness Center. AUSA recently named him the 2013 Army Male Athlete of the Year. Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

To that end, Conkey, who is assigned as the executive officer to 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, has worked hard to excel in rugby at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

In his sixth All-Army rugby team appearance in 2013, Conkey helped lead Army to a 19-14 victory over Air Force at the Armed Forces Rugby Sevens Championship.

The expectation and urgency to do well paid off.

Earlier this year, All-Army Sports named Conkey the 2013 Male Athlete of the Year at the Association of the United States Army Winter Symposium in Huntsville, Ala.

Conkey, who rowed on West Point's crew team, first played rugby while stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky. He immediately took to the sport.

"It was one of those things I was missing," Conkey said.

"You do PT every day, but there's that extra camaraderie and extra competition of sports; that's what I fell in love with," added the native of Virginia.

He works out five days a week for about 90 minutes. Workouts vary from sprints and anaerobic exercise to weight lifting. Conkey plans on playing in this year's Army Forces Rugby tournament in August.

Conkey is married to Maj. Kate Conkey, who is assigned to the 22nd Military Police Battalion. He added that he is committed to his unit and that he appreciates the All-Army program because it allows him to play a sport he loves.

"So why not be great? Why not pursue your dream now? Why not go to work on what you want right now?

These are good questions from one who gives - and lives - straight answers.

>>> Maj. Nate Conkey, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, makes notes of his workout. Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

<<< FRIDAY, MARCH 28 GAMES CLOSED >>>

Now it's getting exciting. The pickles are really starting to fly, and the patties are getting so thick you could cut it with a knife. OK, so that's a horrible analogy.

Point is: This is serious.

Today the Tournament of Burgers officially kicks off its Second Round, meaning 32 South Sound burger joints remain, and the competition is as hot as ever. Who will be crowned champ Monday, April 7? The path to burger greatness starts today.

Here's a look at today's Tournament of Burgers action and a recap of yesterday's results. Squirt some mustard on it if you know what's good for you and get rolling.

Yesterday's Results

Game 1: Lefty's Burger Shack vs. Bob's Burgers & Brew

Bob's Burgers & Brews, an 11th, is the youngest burger joint in the Tournament of Burgers, opening a franchise in South Hill two months ago. Inexperience could have been a factor in its loss to popular Lefty's Burger Shack in University Place. Behind solid play of its bacon cheeseburger on a warm Kaiser bun and the surprise play from their bacon dog (is that legal?), Lefty's moves easily into the Second Round with 84 percent of the vote.

Game 2: Alfred's Café vs. Twisted Kilt Irish Pub

Everyone loves a good comeback, and this may have been one of the better clutch performances in the (obviously short) history of the Tournament of Burgers. Down by a substantial margin at midday, Alfred's Café, was able to rally the troops at halftime, and by troops I mean the Port of Tacoma. By the time the final buzzer sounded the Puyallup Avenue, speakeasy-ish, often colorful characters loaded Alfred's walked away with an impressive victory, racking up 59 percent of the vote. Next up for Alfred's Café, a Second Round dogfight with Lefty's Burger Shack.

Game 3: Shake Shake Shake vs. Terry's Office Tavern

It's safe to say it would have been an upset of monumental proportion has Terry's Office Tavern somehow managed to defeat Shake Shake Shake, but - alas - it was never meant to be. Shake Shake Shake dominated from tip-off to the final seconds yesterday, collecting votes at almost a three to one ratio and securing 72 percent of the vote.

Game 4: Han's Burger & Teriyaki vs. Frugals

Fruglas has been serving custom, workingman's burgers in Tacoma since 1990. Their experience showed during yesterday's game against Han's. Ignoring the late-afternoon penalty Han's received for excessive catsup, Frugals' 66 percent of the vote victory came from the one-two punch of fresh mushrooms and a sesame seed bun. Sometimes, you have to go with what you know. Frugals moves into the Second Round for a March 31 game against number one seed Shake Shake Shake. Oh, baby!

Let's weed through the condiments. The following are advancing to the Second Round:

• Lefty's Burger Shake
• Alfred's Café
• Shake Shake Shake
• Frugals

The daily burger battles on Walkie Talkie are sponsored by Ricky J's Restaurant and Lounge in Puyallup.

OK, let's dive into today's Second Round burger battles. Vote for one burger joint per game. Voting for today's burger battles ends at 11:45 p.m. 

FRIDAY, MARCH 28 2014 >>>

1. Five fetching females will pay homage to that sweatiest, ugliest, manliest rock 'n' roll band of all time at 9 p.m. in the Capitol Theater. It's classic cock-rock without the, uh, receding hairline. If you haven't seen the balls-out (in every sense) rock explosion of Seattle's Hell's Belles, do whatever or whomever it takes to witness it Friday.  The "all-female AC/DC tribute band" gimmick gets 'em in the door, but guitarist Adrian Conner (Angus incarnate with much better legs) and Aussie singer Amber Saxon (belting Bon and Brian) deliver the goods note-for-sweaty-note with no mercy given. Prophets of Addiction open.

2. Check out the Washington Center's new Gallery show, "Memoir: Portrait of a Moment," from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The show features local artists focusing on the impact of memory on an individual artist. See the Center's fancy remodel, meet the artists and enjoy local talent.

3. Jeri, Kate and Linda join forces once again to commit manic mayhem over at Tacoma's Perky's Coffee House. This time, a suave but untrustworthy stranger enters their lives. Could this mean romance for one of our ladies, or a reason for comic revenge? Loosely inspired by William Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor, JAVA TACOMA is a celebration of friendship, middle-aged womanhood and all things Tacoma in The Merry Wives Americano beginning at 7:30 p.m. in The Dukesbay Theater above The Grand Cinema.

4. University of Puget Sound's celebrated student vocal group, the Adelphian Concert Choir, is heading home after a tour of the state. The 48-voice ensemble will give a free public concert at 8 p.m. on its home turf at Kilworth Memorial Chapel. Expect sacred songs, old-time favorites, choruses from Buddhist, European, and South African traditions, and modern innovations in music. No word yet if the choir will hand out apples picked in Wenatchee.

5. Man of La Mancha finds Miguel de Cervantes in a dungeon with other prisoners, defending his life by narrating the story of Don Quixote, the naïve but faithful Sancho Panza, and the scrappy Aldonza. The treatment of Aldonza/Dulcinea in the musical, as opposed to the novel, is deeply disturbing. Cervantes's brawny farm girl becomes a prostitute who's brutally gang-raped in a barn. Quixote trounces the rapists ... then ministers to their wounds. But what of Aldonza's? What's the point of this added scene? Why not have Quixote - hell, Aldonza - prevent the attack? Find out at 8 p.m. when the undeniable talent, especially in the lead roles, of Tacoma Musical Playhouse stages the show. Read Christian Carvajal's full review of Man of La Mancha in the Music & Culture section.

LINK: Friday, March 28 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area