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November 11, 2014 at 7:52am

5 Things To Do Today: Veterans Day, Washington's 125th birthday, 1111 Fest, Jonny "2 Bags" Wickersham ...

Guitarist Jonny "2 Bags" Wickersham will rock Tumwater's Pints Barn with bassist Brent Harding tonight.

TUESDAY, NOV. 11 2014 >>>

1. The historical epoch of Armistice Day began with the Nov. 11, 1918, signing of a ceasefire between Germany and the Allied powers of World War I. President Woodrow Wilson initiated it. In the South Sound, we're reminded of war's impact more often than people in most other cities. But even so, it's not often enough. Our freedoms, our heritage and the way of life we enjoy today are made possible because of our military veterans. Today's 96th anniversary of Veterans Day honors all of America's veterans for their patriotism, service and sacrifice. And for their families, there is no better time than now to recognize them and give thanks for the remarkable sacrifices they have made. For stories and events honoring our local veterans, visit our Veterans Day section.

2. The opening line of Awake: The Life of Yogananda may serve as a general barometer of how viewers will receive this documentary about the revered titular yogi: "I was conscious in my mother's womb." Surely the film will be sought out by disciples of the meditative and (intendedly, at least) deeply spiritual practice of yoga, and they might drag along some skeptics. The former will gasp at the revelation; the latter will snicker. And those who thought they were open-minded will raise eyebrows that may remain continuously arched for the next 86 minutes. Catch the film at noon, 2:15 and 7 p.m. in The Grand Cinema.

3. Nov. 11, 1889, President Benjamin Harrison signed the proclamation admitting Washington to the Union and, with this year marking Washington's 125th anniversary, the Washington State Historical Society and the Office of the Secretary of State are hosting a celebration to honor the milestone from 1-4 p.m. in the State Capital Museum. The event will feature a re-creation of the telegram delivery that announced Washington's statehood at 3:09 p.m. making it precisely 125 years ago, along with music by The Total Experience Choir, Kim Archer and The Oly Mountain Boys, dancing by breakdancers and square dancers, plus speeches, exhibits, cake and more.

4. Have you been enjoy the 11 days leading up to tonight's 1111 Fest? Of course you have. The Peterson Bros. 1111 joint on Hilltop Tacoma has hosted a different brewery since Nov. 1. Tonight, it all aligns into one huge party with live music, raffles and beer.

5. If the music scene in Orange County, California, has one iconic figure, it's Social Distortion. From the first wave of OC punk bands, Social D were initially one of the more ambitious ones, recording several sides of what would become self-defining classics: "The Creeps (I Just Wanna Give You)," "Moral Threat," "1945," "Playpen," and the song (and album) that would've become archetypes no matter what county they were made in. Social D guitarist Jonny "2 Bags" Wickersham and bassist Brent Harding will perform at 7 p.m. in Pint Barn.

LINK: Tuesday, Nov. 11 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

November 10, 2014 at 6:44am

5 Things To Do Today: The Bylines, Vet Day at Zoo, Evergreen Country Dancers, Rod Cook ...

The Bylines host a record-release party at Rhythm and Rye tonight.

MONDAY, NOV. 10 2014 >>>

1. Portland band Marianna and the Baby Vamps are now the Bylines, but much of the band's doo-woppy, soul and swing sound remain. Marianna Thielen and Reece Marshburn perform swingy 1960s radio-pop tunes, adding a healthy dose of musical theater and vintage bubblegum to the mix. The group has perfected an all-access pop sound that samples generously from its past, but has trudged into the future filling a keen sonic niche all its own. The Bylines hold an album release party featuring Daven Tillinghast at 8 p.m. in Rhythm and Rye in downtown Olympia.

2. In observance of Veterans Day Nov. 11 - you know, that day we honor military vets for, oh, we don't know, risking their lives for the freedoms we have, protecting our country and things like that - Weekly Volcano would like to thank all those men and women who have served and are serving our country. So ... thank you! The folks at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium are also grateful for your service. Celebrate Veterans Day with the animals at the zoo Nov. 10-11. The zoo is offering free admission to active-duty servicemembers and veterans (military identification and proof of service required).  Family members of servicemembers or veterans that attend the zoo will receive half off their admission rate.

3. Weather, When the, Sun Leggs and Gines perform an all-ages show at 6 p.m. in Le Voyeur.

4. Get out your dancing shoes and join in the whimsy of a country western shuffle dance, hosted by the Evergreen Country Dancers from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Olympia Elks Lodge. What is a shuffle, you say? It's the country western version of polka - the primary difference being that the style of shuffle is less hoppy than the polka. The basic step consists of a triple to the left followed by a triple to the right.  The shuffle is sometimes called double two-step or traveling swing, for it also uses components of two-step and the popular East Coast swing. This makes shuffle a very versatile dance, allowing a mix and match of patterns, which can result in some exciting variations - and there's nothing wrong with that.

5. Rod Cook is a well respected, in demand Seattle area guitarist known for his stylistic versatility and soulful, melodic playing. Best known for his work with folk/funk, Americana artist Laura Love in the 1990s and the early part of this decade, guitarist, vocalist Rod Cook began the guitar at the age of 9. Check him out and his band at 8 p.m. in The Swiss.

LINK: Monday, Nov. 10 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

November 9, 2014 at 9:34am

5 Things To Do Today: Mexican music, theater runs end, Super Secret Comedy Show ...

Sebastien de la Cruz will command the stage at the Pantages Theater today.

SUNDAY, NOV. 9 2014 >>>

1. The sweet, soothing, and sentimental sounds of mariachi music are an effective antidote to an overdose of loud, searing, angst-ridden rock or rap. Music, lest we forget, can be delightful, gay and harmonious; for many centuries it was actually prized for these very qualities! Mariachi music is unabashedly sweet, with heart-melting harmonies; do yourself a favor and help yourself to beautiful music at the Fiesta, Familia, Folklore! music and dance show at Tacoma's Pantages Theater at 3 p.m. The event promises to provide an authentic regional representation of Mexican music through the use of traditional songs and dances. Feed off of the inspiring youthful exuberance of Mariachi Huenachi. Witness the vibrant pageantry of ballet folklórico of Bailadores de Bronce. Hear the young singer from San Antonio, Sebastien de la Cruz, who has won the nation's heart. Fall off the mechanical bull. Wait! Apparently, no bull.

2. Tacoma Art Museum's "INK THIS" exhibit ends today. It's the last day to see prints that are not what they used to be. Not that artists do not still make etchings, lithographs and silkscreen prints, but what they do with these and other print media - often in inventive and never-before-thought-of combinations and employing new digital technologies - can be like nothing ever before seen. See the exhibit from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

3. The last show of Tacoma Little Theatre's staging of the classic tale of crime and betrayal, Dial "M" for Murder, is at 2 p.m. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full review of Dial "M" for Murder in the Music & Culture section.

4. The last show of Olympia Little Theatre's Red Herring is at 1:55 p.m. Read Amanda Stevens' full review of Red Herring in the Music & Culture Section.

5. Jubal Flagg is back with his Super Secret Show at 8 p.m. in the Tacoma Comedy Club. What is his Super Secret Show? Well ... its super secret. Watch Jubal force six comedians to do some crazy stuff. What kind of crazy stuff? It's a secret. We can't tell you.

LINK: Sunday, Nov. 9 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

November 8, 2014 at 8:05am

5 Things To Do Today: D20 Brass Band, Jet City Comic Show, The Cottonwood Cutups, All Freakin' Night ...

Downtown Tacoma will be blasted with funk as the D20 Brass Band rides the Tacoma Link from the Tacoma Dome to Dorky's Arcade today. Photo credit: Kevin Freitas

SATURDAY, NOV. 8 2014 >>>

1. Forged in the fires of Mount Doom then relocated to Seattle,the D20 Brass Band plays all of your favorite music from the video games, movies, and television you love, and whips it all up into a funky groove reminiscent of old school classics such as James Brown, The Meters and Sly & The Family Stone. We're talking music from the games, TV shows, movies, cartoons, and anime you love played to a deep funky groove. The D20 Brass Band will hit the streets of downtown Tacoma today. Beginning at noon, D20 will hop on the Tacoma Link at the Tacoma Dome station then will the University of Washington-Tacoma Steps with their funky Nintendo beats. Then, the band will hop back on the Link to the Tacoma Convention Center to perform for the crowd at the Jet City Comic Show. Last, it's back on the Link to the end of the line for a performance at Dorky's Arcade at Ninth and Pacific Avenue. We imagine it could be a short set as, well, the joint is filled with video games.

2. Speaking of the Jet City Comic Show, the second annual celebration of pop culture, tights, zombies and the arts runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Tacoma Convention Center. Comics are the stars of the show; it's bringing a wide array of artists, writers and publishers to the South Sound. There's also a little something for TV and film nerds. Actors Dirk Benedict of The A Team and Battlestar Galactica and Richard Hatch - who featured prominently in both the original Battlestar Galactica and the 2000s reboot - will be in attendance for photo ops and autographs. Author/screenwriter Peter Beagle of the cult classic The Last Unicorn will also be on hand.

3. We have a hankering for bluegrass tonight. Maybe it's the rain, the flannel shirts and the switch from summer's gin to autumn's whiskey. Whatever the case, it's nice. Tacoma's The Cottonwood Cutups are bringing that satisfying pluck and twang and funk to The Spar in Old Town Tacoma for a hot 8 p.m. set. The three brothers - who enjoy Dr. Dre, campfires and the Hoh Rainforest - deliver toe-tapping Americana, tickled by mandolin and banjo, with guitar and an upright bass to root it all down. The Spar is the perfect backdrop - intimate, wood floors, nice people, warm food and cold beer.

4. For years, both in the Puget Sound area and in Brooklyn, Ben Roth has been a career musician, collaborating on countless projects and lending his guitarist talents to tons of bands. Taking a break from his role in Oberhofer and Crater, Roth has formed his own band, giving him the opportunity to step into the spotlight and showcase his songwriting talents. His new band, Bod, brings his intricate guitar-playing to the fore, making it the backbone of a hazy mix of math-rock, psych, and grunge. Catch Bod with Burning Palms, Jarvis Clayton and BS System at 9 p.m. in The New Frontier Lounge.

5. The late-night mini-fest of blood-injected spazzmatic anti-cinema All Freakin' Night is sure to cause at least one of your major organs to fail when the projector is flicked on at midnight. As part of the Olympia Film Festival, and running through early morning Sunday at the Capitol Theater, Morbius, The Burning, Mr. Magoo Meets Frankenstein, The Incredible Melting Man and The Fog will flicker with enough carnage to terrify, not just sicken. Host Sam Miller will pass out enough coffee to keep your head spinning - completely around. Wedged between the movies will be contests with plenty of putrid prizes.

PLUS: The Harvey Girls are in the South Sound for the second night in a row. The Portland band joins the Wheelies, Neighbors and Fruit Juice at 8 p.m. in Bob's Java Jive.

LINK: Saturday, Nov. 8 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

November 7, 2014 at 7:57am

5 Things To Do Today: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Olympia Film Festival, "Little Women," the Harvey Girls ...

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band performs at the Pantages Theater tonight.

FRIDAY, NOV. 7 2014 >>>

1. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band have perfected their blend of jug-band tunes, folk-rock and bluegrass over the past four decades, scoring a number of chart-topping singles on the Billboard country charts, weaving its California sound into the history of country music with "Mr. Bojangles" and "Fishin' in the Dark," the band's most recognizable songs. After many personnel changes over the years, today the core Dirt Band - a quartet now - features original founders Jeff Hanna (guitar) and Jimmie Fadden (drums), along with longtime alums John McEuen (banjo/mandolin, etc.) and Bob Carpenter (piano/keyboard). The band will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the Pantages Theater.

The Olympia Film Festival enters its 31st year with style. Opening with a performance from Girl Trouble and Mudhoney tonight, the Olympia Film Festival has an embarrassment of riches with regards to the breadth and variety of the films coming to the Capitol Theater. "The opening night movie is going to be awesome," says Olympia Film Society Marketing and Events Coordinator Harry Reetz. "It's called My Last Year With the Nuns. It's sort of a memoir-comedy-documentary. Sort of like a Spalding Gray movie, where it's basically just a monologue, but it's surprisingly good. It didn't look like something I would enjoy, but it's really funny." The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m.

3. It's too bad Little Women has a stigma for being a "chick" story. Once you get past the four sisters at the center of Louisa May Alcott's novel-turned-stage play, it's hard for everyone - regardless of gender - not to enjoy the sweet, timeless story. Enjoy the Lakewood Playhouse's rendering of the story at 8 p.m. - and if you're a dude who ends up having to wipe a little something out of your eye, there's no shame in it.

4. There's a slinkiness to the Harvey Girls that damn near undeniable. The Portland trio combines a music history lesson's worth of influences into something that resembles a soul-singing diva fronting an art-pop group from the UK or New Zealand. The arrangements are simple and sprightly, forming a skeletally charged structure that hums with energy. Catch the band with Blackstone RNGRS, Tender Age and No Body at 8 p.m. in Northern.

5. Fresh from reincarnating Courtney Love and Hole for Night of the Living Tribute Bands 2014, Oly's all-grrl rock trio Full Moon Radio will blow the roof off the Midnight Sun at 9 p.m. (That's a shame, as Theater Artists Olympia just repaired and repainted the joint.) Even better, the event is free! Even better better, Full Moon Radio kicks major ass, as evidenced by the band's recent album Best Mother. It's also a good chance to catch up-and-comers Globelamp and Jupiter Stripes on the bill.

LINK: Friday, Nov. 7 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

November 6, 2014 at 7:33am

5 Things To Do Today: Kate Lynne Logan, new restaurant, "My Name Is Rachel Corrie," Keith Henson Octet ...

Kate Lynne Logan will perform tunes off her "Animal Dreams" album at The Swiss tonight. Photo courtesy of Facebook

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

November 5, 2014 at 7:12am

5 Things To Do Today: Aerial show in a bar, Knowledge Night, Margaret Cho, Buddy Jackson ...

Jenn Johnson will soar above the crowd at The Brotherhood Lounge tonight. Photo courtesy of Facebook

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

November 4, 2014 at 7:38am

5 Things To Do Today: Margaret Cho, Sundance Film Festival Shorts, Finally Found Trio, election night party ...

Margaret Cho performs twice at the Tacoma Comedy Club tonight.

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

November 3, 2014 at 7:23am

5 Things To Do Today: Poetry Above the Roar, Fumiko Kimura/Rob Fornell Exhibit, Environmental Seminar, Spin Quartet ...

Mezzo-soprano Erin Calata will sing 10 works of poetry written by Tacoma's first poet laureate, William Kupinse, tonight.

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

November 2, 2014 at 10:25am

5 Things To Do Today: "The Magic Flute," Dia de los Muertos, PugetBrass, cheap comedy ...

A celebration of true love conquering all, "The Magic Flute" transports us into an enchanted world where good faces the forces of darkness. Photo credit: Peter Serko

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

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