SUNDAY OCT. 12 2014 >>>

1. The Tacoma Arts Month Studio Tour continues today. There are 61 artists within 37 studios to visit. Luckily, almost all of the studios are within Tacoma city limits, and a map is available online to assist you on this free, self-guided tour. These private sanctums of creativity will be open to the public from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and some will offer hands-on activities.

2. WILLO - Women's Intergenerational Living Legacy Organization - hosts its first annual WILLO Storytelling Festival at noon in Theatre on the Square, hosted by Amanda Westbrook. Celebrate the voices of women and girls in at this free event, full of storytelling, hands-on art-making and community engagement. Stick around after the event for author and activist Sister Helen Prejean's talk, "Dead Man Walking in Washington State," starting at 5 p.m.

3. Russian composer Alexander Glazunov is mainly remembered for his score for the ballet Raymonda, and his Violin Concerto gets occasional airings. Distinguished professor of music and head of the Puget Sound piano department Duane Hulbert has set out to champion Glazunov via the piano. Hulbert spent 30 years playing and marveling Glazunov. He has spent the last 15 years recording all 19 solo and duet piano works by the composer - five full hours of music. The new four-CD collection Glazunov: Complete Works for Piano was released last month, and Tacoma audiences will be the first to hear Hulbert perform a selection of the often magical and always enjoyable Glazunov compositions as part of the Jacobsen Series at 2 p.m. in Schneebeck Concert Hall. The concert also will feature guest pianist Yoshikazu Nagai '92, a professor at San Francisco Conservatory of Music and a former student of Hulbert's. The 4-CD set will be on sale at the concert.

4. Two South Sound threater productions end their run today beginning at 2 p.m. Whodunit? Criminal mastermind Agatha Christie's 1943 And Then There Were None (Ten Little Indians) - based on her best-selling novel of the same name - is a mind-bending murder mystery that asks that very question at the Lakewood Playhouse. Read Joann Varnell's review of And Then There Were None in the music & Culture section. Olympia Family Theater's Busytown, Richard Scarry's musical comedy for kids, was also reviewed by Varnell.

5. Amanda Schukle and Tracy Shapiro are Oakland rock duo Steel Cranes. With Schukle on drums and Shapiro on vocals, the two will showcase their debut album, Ouroboros, at Northern Pacific Coffee Company at 7 p.m. Wild Berries and Skates!, will open.

LINK: Sunday, Oct. 12 art and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SATURDAY, OCT. 11 2014 >>>

1. Olympia alt-bluegrass band The Pine Hearts, Tacoma old timey meets folk-punk band The Cottonwood Cutups and rustygrass band The Rusty Cleavers will pitch a tent inside Bob's Java Jive at 8 p.m. It will be a cacophony of spirited group-singing and hoops and hollers. Read Kevin Knodell's feature story on Forest Beutel, singer and banjo musician with The Rusty Cleavers.

2. The Tacoma Arts Month Studio Tour is this weekend. There are 61 artists within 37 studios to visit and only two days to accomplish the task. Luckily, almost all of the studios are within Tacoma city limits, and a map is available online to assist you on this free, self-guided tour. These private sanctums of creativity will be open to the public Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 11 and 12, and some will offer hands-on activities. For those who don't want to plan their tour, Duchess of Downtown Tours, best known for the Tacoma ART BUS, will be visiting eight diverse studios for $11, or $22 if you want the VIP swag bag.

3. Top Rung Brewing Co.'s Hoptober party will consume its taproom, front patio and the large parking lot behind the brewery from 2-9 p.m. Expect barbecue food, games such as cornhole, ladder toss and Jenga. As mentioned previously in the New Beer Column, Top Rung's Trashed Pumpkin Ale will be released at the party. Bluegrass trio The Outlanders will perform three sets beginning at 6 p.m. There isn't a cover charge.

4. Spectrum Dance Theater LOVE is Tony-nominated choreographer Donald Byrd's exploration of the most complicated of human emotions. LOVE returns Byrd to the grandness and aesthetic beauty of pure dance, with leaps, lifts, and extensions. Backed by a minimalist stage, the performers create the rawness of LOVE and all that it encapsulates with their motions - frailty, comfort, jealousy, passion, and more - the dance is an ever-evolving view of LOVE. See LOVE at the Tacoma Armory beginning at 8 p.m.

5. Their most recent Jesus Rehab LP, The Zoo At Night, is described by band members and brothers Jared and Dominic Cortese as being about "mind-reading lizards, chubby 10-year-olds, and what its like to grow up in a world where no one is as they seem" - a fanciful and emotional description that, along with the heavy guitars and crashing drums, reminds once again of the Flaming Lips of the early '90s. For a two-piece, the Cortese brothers do an admirable job of creating an enormous sound that bounces and skips when it's not slashing and burning. The nimbleness of their minimalist setup means that the Jesus Rehab are free to careen anyplace, anytime. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on The Jesus Rehab in the Music and Culture section, then catch the band with Back From Hiatus, Terrapin and Trevor Peach at 8 p.m. in The New Frontier Lounge.

LINK: Saturday, Oct. 11 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

FRIDAY, OCT. 10 2014 >>>

1. While none of The Comic Strippers possess Chris Farley's shirtless je ne sais quoi, it's fair to say they'll never give Magic Mike a run for his sweaty singles. Truth be told, they may not even take off their pants. But once their shirts are off, they'll apply their trained torsos and minds to the sexy art of ... improvisational comedy. Read Christian Carvajal's full feature on The Comic Strippers in the Music and Culture section, then catch the Canadian improv comedians at 8 p.m. in the Rialto Theater.

2. The story of the von Trapp family who escaped Austria, moved to the United States and toured the world singing for two decades has inspired generations since the film The Sound of Music was released in 1965. The story continues as the great-grandchildren of Captain and Maria von Trapp take up the family tradition anew. Meet Sofi, Melanie, Amanda, and August von Trapp, four siblings that, for the last 12 years, have been singing on stages around the world to critical acclaim and packed houses. Check them out at 7:30 p.m. in the Washington Center.

3. Lucy Kaplansky has some fierce little tunes. The New York City singer-songwriter with the Fast Folk pedigree and the masters in psychology has a beautiful flair for harmony and eloquent in her assessment of human foibles and domestic dynamics. She released Reunion, her seventh solo CD, in 2012, reuniting with her with musicians Buddy Miller, Richard Shindell, Jonatha Brooke, John Gorka, Eliza Gilkyson, Duke Levine (Mary Chapin Carpenter, J. Geils Band), Jon Herington (Steely Dan) and producer/drummer Ben Wittman (Paula Cole, Don Byron). It's doubtful most of these folks will be with her at 8 p.m. in Morso wine bar in Gig Harbor, but you can be certain the night will be filled with deeply moving, joyful, meditative and rollicking stories of human foibles and domestic dynamics.

4. Steel Creek American Whiskey Co. knows if you listen to country music and fly a rebel flag everywhere you go and your neck gets burnt from exposure to the sun when you're out partying with friends while country rap band THE LACS blares in the background, you might be a redneck. Therefore, the downtown country/western joint hosts Rednecktoberfest from 9-11 p.m. Enjoy $2 cans of PBR, Hamms and Rainier, as you could win a pair of tickets to see THE LACS live at Steel Creek Nov. 16.

5. Amanda Schukle and Tracy Shapiro are Oakland rock duo Steel Cranes. With Schukle on drums and Shapiro on vocals, the two will showcase their debut album, Ouroboros, at Le Voyeur at 9 p.m. Lazy Animals and Coma Figura will open.

LINK: Friday, Oct. 10 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area.

THURSDAY, OCT. 9 2014 >>>

1. The 2014 Tacoma Film Festival is shaping up to be everything a good film fest should be. There are movies from around the world, flicks in a variety of languages, screenings exploring the margins of different societies, and films from the comedy, drama, and short film categories and local ditties. Yes, this festival hosted by The Grand Cinema packs quite the cinematic wallop. This year, the opening night festivities pulls a reverse - the party is after the film. The sweet, star-studded romantic comedy Laggies will screen at 7 p.m. at The Grand Cinema followed by a mixer and DJ Broam at 9 p.m. in the TFF Lounge. Read Jared Lovrak's feature on the 2014 Tacoma Film Festival here.

If you like drinking beer in public places, well you're in luck, our tippling exhibitionist friend, because there are some great opportunities tonight in Tacoma. The Swiss hosts an Oktoberfest battle royale, Pint Defiance shines a spotlight on Top Rung Brewing and The Copper Door invites No-Li Brewhouse through its door. Click here for details on these events.

What goes into the production of a quarter pound burger? According to J.L. Capper in The Journal of Animal Science, 6.7 pounds of feed, 52.8 gallons of drinking water, 74.5 square feet of grazing, and the equivalent amount of energy it takes to run a microwave for 18 minutes. The average American eats approximately 271 pounds of meat a year - or three, quarter pounder burgers a day.  Meat is a tasty part of culture; it's a part of our special holidays and our daily meals, but is the product worth the cost? Pacific Lutheran University's Ruth Anderson Public Debate asks, is it right to eat animals? Chime in at 7 p.m. in Xavier Hall.

4. Prepare yourself for a theatrical extravaganza, a thespian feat seldom seen before! Think of it, 37 (ish) plays, from 400 years ago performed in 97 minutes (or so), a virtual cast of hundreds brought to life by three brave men in tights! Duck and weave on this madcap journey through the canon of the Bard's immortal works. You'll laugh, you'll cry (probably from laughing too hard) and dodge the occasional vomit as Scott Douglas, Dennis Worrell and Patrick Gilmore bring to forth the power, the glory, the hilarity of the when Theater Artists Olympia presents Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)[revised] at 8 p.m. in The Midnight Sun.

Olympia-based DJ Pasquan has arranged another night of hip-hop and rap for his frequent joint, The Cypher. At 9 p.m., Pasquan will host a night of MCs on the microphone at the quaint and intimate eatery/nightspot, Le Voyeur. An Oly mainstay and favorite for out of town acts, the Voyeur will open its doors and its floor for performers Tripple Three, Dr. Roks, Lazlo Steele, Lega C Jones, MC Swamptiger and special guest, Kyle Mclin.

LINK: Thursday, Oct. 9 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8 2014 >>>

1. It's been a couple decades, but third wave ska revival giants Less Than Jake have remarkably stuck around with essentially the same line-up. Even though they've kept up with releasing album after album, things haven't fundamentally changed about the band; the order of the day remains the sort of bright, upbeat ska-infused pop-punk that you most likely came to know as a teenage dirtbag. Even if nostalgia is the only thing that brings you to Jazzbones at 8 p.m. - not that we doubt that you've been keeping strict tabs on Less Than Jake - you probably shouldn't pass on the rare opportunity to skank with impunity. Big D and the Kids Table and The Interrupters open.

2. University of Puget Sound Associate Professor of Painting Elise Richman creates innovative, process-based paintings that explore elements of the material world and states of flux. Janet Marcavage, also an Associate Professor of Art at UPS, specializes in printmaking, such as lithography, etching, relief, and intaglio, plus experimental, photomechanical and digitally-augmented methods. The two professors share a show, "Ripple and Unfold," at the Kittredge Gallery on campus. Ripple and Unfold explores their shared interests in pattern and visible process, juxtaposing Richman's paintings, drawn from natural forms, with Marcavage's prints, which investigate the manmade, both deliberate and accidental. The artists' reception is from 5-7 p.m.

3. The second annual Frank Herbert tribute, Stillsuit Cocktails, is undoubtedly the coolest and nerdiest thing happening tonight - uniting the fierce passions of booze and science fiction. The Dune author and Tacoma native is honored by Hilltop Kitchen and Post Defiance (on his birthday, no less) with cocktails inspired by his works beginning at 7 p.m. Drinks with names such as Duncan Idaho and Harkonnen should dredge up images for Herbert fans.

4. The KMPS 12 Man Jam featuring country and western musicians Randy Houser, Scotty McCreery, Jon Pardi, RaeLynn, Katie Armiger, Frankie Ballard, Dean Alexander, Kristian Bush and Josh Thompson begins at 7 p.m. in the Emerald Queen Casino.

5. Saxophonist Kareem Kandi has hosted an open jazz session for years, a backyard patio for his music school friends, fellow musicians and newbies to jam out standards - fresh, fiery and exciting. The jam now resides every second Wednesday at 8 p.m. in The Swiss.

LINK: Wednesday, Oct. 8 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

TUESDAY, OCT. 7 2014 >>>

1. The man who gave us A Christmas Carol - not to mention an adjective used for describing everything from working conditions to an episode of The Wire - receives a big toast in Tacoma's Stadium District every holiday season. This year marks the 10th edition of the Dickens Festival. The man who gives us the yearly Lumins Festivus illuminated parade - not to mention tacomasoutsidersguide.com, an alternative guide to Tacoma - will illuminate this year's Dickens Festival at Stadium. Adam Martin will hang luminaria stars throughout the district this season. From 6-9 p.m. he's holding the first luminaria star-making workshop at Gibson's Frozen Yogurt in the Stadium District. You'll need to remember two things. First, Martin is a deep thinker so the stars will have alternative meaning. Second, keep it together if you run into an illuminated Tiny Tim.

2. The last time we heard a car story, it was a rare Pixar dud and turned out to be the end of the road, more or less, for both Paul Newman and George Carlin. We're due for another car story. Each first Tuesday of the month, a staff member from LeMay - America's Car Museum picks a car and offers a fascinating peek into its history. The discussion at 11:30 a.m. will be "Cars as Metal Art Part 1: Automotive Body Sculpting," with Scot Keller, ACM chief curator. This program is part of Tacoma Arts Month's Metal Urge series.

3. The One I Love marks Mark Duplass' most high-profile film in two years, and he's joined by Mad Men's Elizabeth Moss. Together the pair portray a husband and wife on the outs who head to the countryside to reconnect at the behest of their marriage counselor (Ted Danson). There, they find a guest cabin that ... well, we're not going to spoil what's in that cabin. Catch the film at 2:15, 6:55 and 9:10 at The Grand Cinema.

4. Sherilyn Lightner runs the bar at Dillingers Cocktails and Kitchen, the Prohibition-era speakeasy in downtown Olympia. She has been bar mistress at Dillingers since it opened Jan. 28 of this year. You already know this as you read Lightner's Q&A yesterday. She joins Dillingers Chef Denise Alsonso for a night or Roaring '20s food and drink at Bayview School of Cooking, beginning at 6 p.m. It's $55 a person; RSVP here.

5. "Now Wally, I want you to go in the living room and pick up those orange peels that you left on the coffee table. If your father comes home and sees them he'll be in a terrible mood all through dinner and won't let you and The Beaves rock the Red Wind Casino at 6:30 p.m." - June Cleaver

LINK: Tuesday, Oct. 7 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

MONDAY, OCT. 6 2014 >>>

1. University of Puget Sound Associate Professor of Painting Elise Richman teaches painting, drawing, and 2-dimensional design courses as well as the 2-D senior seminar every other year. Her innovative, process-based paintings explore elements of the material world and states of flux. Janet Marcavage, also an Associate Professor of Art at UPS, specializes in printmaking. She teaches studio courses incorporating a range of print media such as lithography, etching, relief, and intaglio, plus experimental, photomechanical and digitally-augmented methods. Today, the two professors open a shared show, "Ripple and Unfold," at the Kittredge Gallery on campus. Check it out from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

2. Oktoberfest is dead. Halloween is dead. The Day of the Dead is dead. Even Thanksgiving is dead. Well, at least to the Northwest Repertory Singers. The Tacoma-based organization has just nudged out the department stores in the race toward Christmas. The choral group is currently rehearsing for its annual December concerts, and like every year, opens the singing sessions to the public. So exchange your pumpkin sweater with that candy cane ditty in the back of your closet, because the sugarplums are rockin, and there's no need for any knocking, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in Mason United Methodist Church.

3. Jazz and blues band Maia Santell & House Blend will perform at 8 p.m. inside The Swiss.

4. Bay Area clarinetist and saxophonist Harvey Wainapel has been making yearly musical pilgrimages to Brazil since 2000, and has no plans to stop. The variety of musical traditions across cultures and regions is practically inexhaustible, he says, with perhaps only a single common thread: "they all swing like hell." Naturally, that irrepressible, infectious rhythmicality will be on display as Wainapel hosts a CD release party for his new CD, Amigos Brasileiros Vol. 2, at 8 p.m. in Rhythm and Rye. Pianist and frequent collaborator Jovino Santos Neto will join him.

5. While there have been a few bars that have tried hosting karaoke nights with live bands, Jazzbones' Rockaraoke live band karaoke is one of the ones that's lasted. It can be fun as hell singing along with a live band. Expect $2 PBR drafts, $3 Sinfire shots and $4 Smirnoff flavor vodka bombs beginning at 9 p.m.

LINK: Monday, Oct. 6 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SUNDAY, OCT. 5 2014 >>>

1. Midday Veil takes cues from krautrock without explicitly copying it. There's experimental improvisation and rigid beats, but the '70s were a long time ago. What remains with Midday Veil is an exploratory way of approaching an inscrutable subgenre dipping into different cultural influences to provide an mélange of textures and atmosphere. Catch the band with Swahili, Total Life and Lost Integrity in 8 p.m. at Northern.

2. The town of Steilacoom will host their annual cider squeeze from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. offering to press apples for folks, or having jugs of fresh squeezed cider available. And if the cider isn't reason enough to go, then go to sample fresh baked apple pies, cider floats, apple fritters, pony rides and music by Barleywine Revue and Steve and Kristi Nebel.

3. Matika Wilbur's "Project 562" is an ambitious and fascinating photographic study of Native American culture and an equally ambitious artistic project of which Tacoma Art Museum is fortunate to be able to present to the world the inaugural exhibition. Today is the last day to see the exhibit. Read Alec Clayton's full review of Matika Wilbur's Project 562" in the Music & Culture section., then see the show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

4. Shakespeare can be a bit inaccessible for the average Joe and many a community theater company has butchered it so badly as to make the audience loathe ever catching another production of The Bard's works. So leave it to director Suzy Wilhoft and Tacoma Little Theatre to stage something that could go so, so wrong. Fortunately it doesn't and the audience is presented a modest start and a whiz-bang finish in A Midsummer Night's Dream, which closes today at 2 p.m. Read Joann Varnell's full review of A Midsummer Night's Dream in the Music & Culture section.

5. Fans of Comedy Bang! Bang! rejoice! James Adomian will be at the Tacoma Comedy Club at 7 p.m. You've no doubt heard his voice on the podcast, doing spot-on impressions of Jesse Ventura, Tom Leykis, Dov Charney, Alan Rickman and Paul Giamatti, among others. While Adomian is nominally an impressionist, what makes his characters so special is that he takes them and spins them into surreal and inspired territory. It's a crime that he hasn't been cast on Saturday Night Live, where he is destined to become a post-modern Darrell Hammond. He's only appearing for one night, so consider this a can't-miss.

LINK: Sunday, Oct. 5 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SATURDAY, OCT. 4 2014 >>>

1. If you like your bluegrass complex, melodic and focused on weighty matters such as the hard life of Washington state living in the early 20th century, have we found something you're going to love. Olympia bluegrass outfit The Oly Mountain Boys has released their new, epic concept album, White Horse, for your consideration. Comprised of Menser (banjo, piano, lead vocals), Derek McSwain (mandolin, vocals), Chris Rutledge (guitar, vocals), Phil Post (bass, dobro, pedal steel, vocals) and Josh Grice (fiddle), The Oly Mountain Boys dwell in the musical (and conceptual) neighborhood inhabited by outfits such as the Who, Tool, Queensryche and the more operatic rock groups. Join the Boys for a CD release party with The Hollerbodies and The Warren G. Hardings at 9 p.m. in Rhythm and Rye.

2. Wood-fired pizza and goats: Do you need any more reason to drive to Orting? At Terra Organic's annual Harvest Fest, you can also pick the perfect pumpkin to carve. The crisp air of the fall in the country and the sunchoke maze are pretty good reasons for getting in a little farm-browsing, too. If it's warm, leave the jackets at home and dig into the flavors from Ice Cream Social; if it's cool, dance up a gig in front of the Pine Hearts, Dysfunction Junction, Squirrel Butter and Roosevelt Road. Shop the market area. Take a hay ride. Modern farm-to-table take on Mediterranean food ... Primo Grill is there, too! Join in from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Tahoma Farms.

3. More than 15 breweries, three wineries and a couple cideries will stretch along the esplanade from the Museum of Glass to the entry of the Foss Harbor Marina for Yachtoberfest, running 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. German food will be served from The Social Bar and Grill, Paesan Kitchen and Bar, Fleischkuechle food truck, Hess Bavarian Deli and Choripan By Asado. Moorage will be available at Delin Docks, Dock Street Marina, Foss Harbor Marina and the Foss Waterway Seaport. Tickets are $20 at the gate. Beverage tickets will be five for $10. Each ticket is worth a 5-ounce beer pour; two tickets will put a 12-ounce pour. Limited edition commemorative beer steins and apparel will be available for purchase. Read Pappi Swarner's full story on Yachtoberfest in the New Beer Column.

4. The New York-based Heritage Blues Orchestra plays traditional blues backed by a classic jazz horn section. Young vocalist Chaney Sims has been compared to jazz/blues legend Nina Simone. The band's 2012 debut album, And Still I Rise, which included covers of Son House and Muddy Waters classics alongside traditional material, was Grammy-nominated. Catch the band at 7:30 p.m. in the Rialto Theater.

5. Zeahorse is a band that does not stumble blood-crusted out of the outback. They're from Sydney, which, one imagines, could not be without at least a couple air-conditioned fast food restaurants. The prospect of losing one's mind in the wasteland of the desert would likely be far from the minds of the members of Zeahorse. Still, the legacy of groundbreaking Australian acts is a heavy load to carry. Zeahorse, being a band that trades in heavy psych-rock, must be particularly aware of how they enter into the conversation of heavy bands that come from down under. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on Zeahorse in the Music & Culture section, then catch the band with Sok and the Faggots, Blanco Bronco and MILK at 8 p.m. in Half Pint Pizza Pub in Tacoma.

LINK: Saturday, Oct. 4 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

FRIDAY, OCT. 3 2014 >>>

1. Largely because of its abundance of offerings, the Olympia Arts Walk is a bit of a cross between a scavenger hunt and a grab bag. Local businesses - 96 of them this weekend - become galleries for the weekend, week or month, showing paintings, sculptures, photographs and more. Some serve as performance spaces, too. The streets are filled with people and the occasional juggler. But where to go? What to see? There's the fun. Read Molly Gilmore's full feature on Olympia Arts Walk XLIX in the Music & Culture section, then hit downtown Olympia from 5-10 p.m. and have the time of your life.

2. Born and raised in Tacoma, Noah Struthers is a unique product of this "blue collar" environment. His particular mechanic-laborer experiences were tainted early on by artistic explorations, resulting in a unique hybrid of outsider-illustrator art. His work addresses themes of local identity, mechanical structures, nature, and wildlife, which can be seen at the Fulcrum Gallery. Struthers will hang at Fulcrum from noon to 6 p.m. to discuss his art, or the Second Cycle Community Bicycle Shop, which he co-founded.

3. The three-day Oktoberfest Northwest Bavarian celebration at the Washington State Fair and Events Center officially kicks off at 6:15 p.m. with the taping of the Firkin, although the gates open at noon. In its 10th year, this Oktoberfest celebration includes a Munich-inspired Festhalle Biergarten, authentic entertainment, traditional German food, Hammerschlagen Tournament of Champions, the always-popular Weiner Dog Race, and the Sunday morning Oktoberfest Northwest Stein Dash 5K. Manuela Horn, the 6 foot 2 "Australian Amazon" and the Oktoburlesques will headline authentic German entertainment featuring performers crooning everything from Edelweiss to polka versions of popular rock songs.

4. Mudhoney, while beating its fellow flannel-powered pedigree to the punch - Sub Pop released vinyl anthem "Touch Me, I'm Sick" and Superfuzz Bigmuff 12 months before Nirvana's Bleach and three years before Nevermind and Pearl Jam's Ten - has never had a chart topper, but the group has a following more loyal than a mob family. A 6:30 p.m. screening of I'm Now: the Story of Mudhoney film in the Capitol Theater should get folks chatting up Mudhoney again. Full of the same nasal yowls and shag-carpet riffs that made the band a Northwest favorite during the grunge daze, the film will screen with one of the greatest cult flicks of all time - 1979's Rock & Roll High School featuring The Ramones in their prime. Mudhoney guitarist Steve Turner and I'm Now director Ryan Short will hang for a post-film Q&A.

5. Strangely Alright's power pop awesomeness will invade The Swiss Restaurant and Pub for the first time, with Brian James opening at 8:15 p.m. and a celebration of Shannon Kristine Rachel Briggs' birthday all night long. If you haven't seen Strangely Alright, expect ringing, triumphant chords and lyrics that allude to conquered tribulations. Frontman Regan Lane's charismatic presence and ability to get asses out of their seats and the underlying lyrical message of hope, empathy, and love rightly live up to the title of the band's album, Forever Is Right Now, a tireless and persistent group of catchy, edgy rock songs that are sugar coated with the band's love of all things rock.

LINK: Friday, Oct. 3 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area