WEDNESDAY, NOV. 2, 2011 >>>

1. Author and musician Alice Bag is presented tonight at the Olympia Timberland Library under the billing of former "lead singer of The Bags, the first female-fronted punk band to play the Masque during the West Coast punk revolution of 1977." Bag will play three songs and sign copies of her latest book, Violence Girl. For more info go here.

2. Test your smarts and wittiness tonight at the Harmon Brewery during the restaurant and bar's appropriately named, "Trivia Night." The action is hosted by Gordon Adams and gets going at 6 p.m.

3. Volcano visual arts critic Alec Clayton says that the latest show at Childhood's End Gallery seems to be geared toward gift buying - a prequel to the holiday season and a celebration of the gallery's 40^th year in Olympia. Everything is decorative, colorful and safe almost to the point of blandness, but very well done. It's a group show, and all of the artists display well-honed skills. Check it out for yourself today, or any time before the exhibit wraps up Nov. 13.

4. Tatoosh will bust out the classic rock at Stonegate Pizza on South Tacoma Way tonight. Swing by, have some pizza, maybe some rum, and enjoy the Hump Day good times. There's no cover and the music kicks off at 9 p.m.

5. Stuck at home with a small child in the Graham area? Don't go crazy ... go to this afternoon's "Play To Learn" event at the Graham Library. From 1:30-3 p.m., the weekly "Play To Learn" festivities offer "parents, grandparents, neighbors, family, and friends who nurture children ages six and under." According to hype expect individual play, fun group activities, songs, and circle time for children and adults.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight

TUESDAY, NOV. 1, 2011 >>>

1. It's true! Santee will perform at Tacoma's New Frontier Lounge tonight with Portland's CORDUROY and special guests. This show should be a good one. The action kicks off at 9 p.m.

2. Work off your Halloween hangover tonight at the delicious and hip Dirty Oscar's Annex on Sixth Avenue during the club/restaurant's weekly "Musician's Industry Night." The good times are chaperoned by host Steve Perez.

3. So, you've been telling yourself: "One of these days I'm finally going to make it out to the Midland Tavern ... or Lil Vic's ... or whatever it's called. Well, make tonight that night! Action the bar bills as "Crazy Vegas Barstool Bingo" runs from 7 - 9 p.m.

4. The scene is pretty messed up right now. Life provides more questions than answers. There's a lot to discuss ... a lot to worry about. In Olympia, luckily, Last Word Books opens up its doors on Tuesdays (and, really, every day) for encouraged and lively discussions about politics, contemporary issues and the world around us. It's called the "Tuesday Read-In," and the free event runs from 5 - 7 p.m.

5. Across the Narrows Bridge, drop in on the Harbor History Museum exhibit The Artistry of Quilts, described as a "beautiful collection of both antique and new quilts displaying the fine artistry of this centuries old craft." The Artistry of Quilts is available for viewing all day, from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., and runs through Dec. 4.

EXTRA CREDIT: Give a woodchuck a tuna melt

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight

LINK: Freebies this week

SPOOKY HALLOWEEN EDITION: MONDAY, OCT. 31, 2011 >>>

1. It's not every year that the Tacoma Cult Movie Club and the spookiest of all days, Halloween, intersect. But this year we just happen to be lucky! Tonight at the Acme Grub Cage join the Cult Movie Club in all its glory as classic horror films are screened, a night no doubt filled with gems of cinema culled by the Rev. Colin. Admission is free and the fun starts at 5 p.m. Expect raffle prizes and a potluck.

2. It's "Dia De Los Muertos Part 2" at El Perron on Tacoma's East Side tonight. Catch performances by folks and artists you've been hearing about on almost a weekly basis in Volcano's hip-hop correspondent Josh Rizeberg's column, including Illizm, J.Money, Cam & Mae, Blue Nose Music, Lost Soul The Emo-Kat, Yak Nasty and AR Mastermind. The party gets cracking at 10:30 p.m. and it'll cost you $5 at the door (or $3 if you're in costume).

3. Get spooky looking back at this year's Weekly Volcano Halloween Issue. Find all sorts of creepy stories as well as plenty of info for the big night.

4. Drop in on a special Halloween night of blues at The Swiss in downtown Tacoma tonight.

5. Go trick or treating at Freighthouse Square.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight

THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT'S UP THIS WEEKEND >>>

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Rain, hi 53, lo 44

Saturday: Cloudy, hi 57, lo 43

Sunday: More rain, hi 51, lo 43

>>> FRIDAY, OCT. 28: FALL BREW FEST

Your routine come fall is fairly predictable. The flannel shirts come out. Your motivation level slows to that of a nearly-hibernating American black bear. And your consumption of beer goes WAY up. That's why Friday's annual Fall Brew Fest at Varsity Grill in downtown Tacoma is so perfect for you. Entry fee earns you nine fall beer samples, a variety of appetizers and all sorts of fun. Plus, 950 AM KJR sports radio will be broadcasting live until 7 p.m., and the always awesome RockBot live-band karaoke will take over after that. A good time will be had by all.

• Varsity Grill, 5:30-8:30 p.m., $10-$15, 1114 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.627.1229

>>> FRIDAY, OCT. 28: WALKING WITH ERIK HANBERG

On Friday the Downtown On The Go-sponsored fall walking series will conclude with a stroll from downtown to Hilltop with Metro Parks Commissioner and City Club Executive Director Erik Hanberg. Yes, it's true, you probably remember visiting with Hanberg in a park not long ago. Now is your chance to walk with him in the flesh. Ask questions. Keep pace. Compliment his beard. The world is your walkable oyster. Friday's walk meets at noon and begins at 11th and Broadway in front of the Woolworth Building

• Woolworth Buidling, meets at noon, free, 11th and Broadway, Tacoma,downtownonthego.org

>>> SATURDAY OCT. 29: 3 GLORIAS FLAMENCO EN VIVO

For the uninitiated, there are apparently three main components of flamenco: cante (voice), toque (guitar) and baile (dance). From what we understand it takes all three to make flamenco magic, and that's just what 3 Glorias Flamenco en Vivo should offer up Saturday at the Broadway Center in Tacoma. Bringing singer Saray Muñoz (all the way from Spain) to the stage, along with accompaniment from renowned guitarist Pedro Cortes, 3 Glorias Flamenco en Vivo should entertain and provide a bit of culture - which is way better than anything another Saturday night in front of the boob tube is going to do for you.

• Theatre on the Square, 8 p.m., $12-$25, 915 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5890

>>> THROUGH NOV. 6: THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

Despite three good actors and a director I respect, signs augured trouble as the metaphorical curtain rose on Theater Artists Olympia's co-production (with the Outfit Theatre Project) of The Hound of the Baskervilles in TAO's quirky new digs, the Eagles Ballroom basement. I relaxed within seconds, I'm happy to report, because Baskervilles is instantly funny and stays that way. It owes as much to Monty Python's Flying Circus as it does to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. If you've seen Shakespeare Abridged or, for that matter, Airplane, you have a feel for its tone: linear narrative cohesion has been sacrificed gleefully at the altar of one goofy joke after another. It even follows the Shakespeare Abridged model to the extent of restaging previous scenes in fast-forward, probably in the hope that this will help us make sense of the plot. It almost does. ... -- Christian Carvajal

• Eagles Ballroom basement, 8 p.m. Fri-Sat, 2 p.m. Sun, $12, 805 N. Fourth Ave., Olympia, 360.790.1138

>>> SUNDAY, OCT. 30: LE NOIR BIZARRE

Julia Jones may have found Tacoma's Halloween Pulse. She's the mind behind Le Noir Bizarre, a three-floor, dark holiday extravaganza happening Sunday at Sanford and Son Antiques. Jones has a couple dozen craftspeople, performers and assorted weirdoes lined up for this romanced/goth/steampunk celebration, and promises there will be plenty of skulls, goggles, lace, fire, demons, devils and tons of stuff made from pieces of animals and old clocks.  Surprisingly, Le Noir Bizarre does not translate as "the new weird." It means "The Dark Market," which only describes about half of what Jones has lined up. Expect all sorts of creepy and mysterious goodness. To read Paul Schrag's full feature, click here.

• Sanford & Son Antiques, noon to 5 p.m., 744 Commerce St., Tacoma
  lenoirbizarre.com

>>> WHERE OUR STAFF IS GOING

ALEC CLAYTON Visual Arts Critic
I'm going to see the Folk Treasures of Mexico at Tacoma Art Museum.

.

REV. ADAM MCKINNEY Music & Features Writer
This weekend will be a mad dash to try and fit in as many Halloween-y shows as possible. In addition to the shows I wrote about, there's the Nightmare on 25th St. DJ show at the New Frontier, and Not From Brooklyn, I Will Keep Your Ghost, Umber Sleeping at the Space--all on Saturday, to say nothing of the Night of the Living Tribute Bands in Olympia. Tough call.

BRETT CIHON Features Writer/Meat Market Correspondent
Halloween is like the meat market's Christmas. Sexy costume this and sexy costume that. Tacoma clubs, here I come.

NIKKI TALOTTA Features Writer
It's my first Halloween weekend off in nine years! So Saturday night me and the hubs are gonna hit every party in town, especially The Brotherhood's Halloween Bash! I'm dressing as Flo from the Progressive commercials and he's Keith Stone from the Keystone commercials. Together, we're gonna bundle that smoothness. Cheers!

CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL: Theater Critic
Amanda and I are finally going on our honeymoon! We're flying to Orlando this weekend, where we'll catch Blue Man Group and occupy Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios plus Islands of Adventure and all four boroughs of Disney World. Y? Because we like to.

JOANN VARNELL: Theater Critic
My amazing husband snagged a Living Social (or Groupon or something) for a family getaway to Vancouver, BC where we will eat crepes and do some shopping on Robson Street. The drive there and back will be the most amount of time our nearly 15 month old will have spent strapped to a car seat. Thankfully, he doesn't know how to say, "Are we there yet?"

JENNIFER JOHNSON: Food & Lifestyles Writer
Friday Forum luncheon at the LDS church. Homework. October birthdays dinner that night. Homework. Gladiator Run event in Kent Saturday morning with "Team Stinkin Rushforth Wheels." Homework. Wedding reception that evening. Homework. Church on Sunday. Fall into an exhausted comma Sunday night. Homework.

STEVE DUNKELBERGER Meat Market Photographer
I will be doing the St. Mary's Harvest Fest and the Marcus Walker Way dedication at Lakewood Playhouse with the kids on Friday, the Comcast movie morning at the Grand Cinema Saturday, followed by the Tacoma Youth Choir family performance in the afternoon and the "Bogey men and Beaver Pelts" ghost stories at Fort Nisqually that night. Sunday will bring church and a screening of "Puss in Boots 3-D" in the comfy chairs at the Lakewood Towne Center.

STEPH DEROSA Person, Place or Thing Correspondent
Believe it or not, I will be participating in the Gladiator Rock N Run this Saturday at Kent Speedways.  (And I use the word "participating" loosely.)  I am part Team Stinkin' Rushforth Wheels.  If you can guess which two business entities developed our team name I will award you with a lavish tongue kiss just moments after eating forty cloves of raw garlic and a bag or Doritos.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

FRIDAY, OCT. 21, 2011 >>>

1. With a few cable comedy specials under her belt, a role in Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector, and even a memoir - 2009's Chocolate, Please: My Adventures in Food, Fat, and Freaks - to her name, insult comic Lisa Lampanelli is riding high and headed to Tacoma's Temple Theatre tonight looking for laughs.

2. Part of a benefit show at Hell's Kitchen tonight, along with the heavy rock of Tummler and Solomon and Sleight of Man, expect the expansive post-rock of Goldwing and the bizarro punk jug-band that is Swampy Draws. This show's got just about all the bases covered.

3. In solidarity with the ongoing Occupy Wall Street movement and protests, and Occupy movements all across the country, T-town is getting in on the action and letting its voice be heard. Occupy Tacoma has been growing stronger by the day, and last weekend's march was just the start. Today, Occupy Tacoma supporters will march from People's Park to McCarver Park starting at 4 p.m. - bringing Occupy Tacoma to Hilltop. Next weekend look for Occupy Tacoma to march in the Lincoln District.

4. It's Friday, which means it's the perfect time to get your groove on when Bump Kitchen tears it up at Jazzbones in Tacoma tonight.

5. Comedian Carlos Alazraqui busts out two performances tonight at the Tacoma Comedy Club - one at 8 p.m. and one at 10:30 p.m.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight

TUESDAY, OCT. 18, 2011 >>>

1. As part of both the University of Washington's Grad School 2011-2012 public lecture series, and the Tacoma-based Paulsen Lecture Series, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour M. Hersh will visit UW Tacoma tonight. Hersh, who writes about the military and national security, is best known for his work exposing the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War. Writing predominantly for the New Yorker, Hersh has also spilled plenty of ink over the Iraq War and the Abu Ghraib prison scandal.

2. Billy Farmer's Diamond Experience show will be staged tonight at the Red Wind Casino. This is definitely one event that should make your Tuesday less mundane.

3. It's Tightwad Tuesday and Casey's birthday at Tacoma's iconic Hell's Kitchen today. Check out bands Sok & the Faggots, South 11th, Absence of Grace and Deathbed Confessions while throwing a few cheap ones back.

4. In this week's Volcano, which drops Thursday (of course), visual arts critic Alec Clayton reviews Beyond Crayons & Finger Painting 2.0 Youth Art Exhibition at B2 Fine Art Gallery. Spoiler alert: there's a ton of good stuff. See for yourself today.

5. See Tucker & Dale vs. Evil tonight at Tacoma's Grand Cinema. Here's what Volcano film critic Rev. Adam McKinney had to say about the film.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight

THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT'S UP THIS WEEKEND >>>

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Cloudy, hi 58, lo 42

Saturday: Chance of sun, hi 59, lo 42

Sunday: Partly cloudy, hi 57, lo 43

>>> OCT. 14-16: GIG HARBOR FILM FEST

Just can't get enough local film festival action? Neither can we. That's why we'll pony up the bridge tolls this weekend to venture to Gig Harbor, where the annual Gig Harbor Film Festival will run all weekend. An endearingly quaint endeavor, despite the cushy, stadium style seats of the festival's home (the Galaxy Theatre at Uptown), the Gig Harbor Film Festival shines a spotlight on independent film while simultaneously inviting the entire Gig Harbor community to come together and connect through the power of cinema.  This year's festival highlights are sure to include the screening of A Perfect Life including a Q&A with director Chad Ruin and actor Joe Rosati, the Kids Fest and Gig Harbor 72 Hour Film Competition awards ceremony on Sunday, and the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award, which will go to Blake Edwards and be accepted by his wife, Julie Andrews, on Saturday.

• Galaxy Theatre at Uptown Gig Harbor, three-day pass $40, individual tickets $6-$8, $6 Kids Fest, Julie Andrews event sold out, 4649 Point Fosdick Dr. NW, Gig Harbor, gigharborfilmfestival.org

>>> FRIDAY, OCT. 14: ROTATOR DEBUTS

ROTATOR, set to debut Friday with a kickoff event at Fulcrum Gallery, is at once a periodical and a piece of art. Headed up by Lance Kagey, Tom Llewellen and the collaborative efforts of plenty of other local talent, ROTATOR will cover topics relevant to the Pacific Northwest, largely focused on urban life. Its creators refer to it as a "quarterly portfolio of Pacific Northwest anti-suburban arts and industry." To Read Kristin Kendle's full feature, click here.

• Fulcrum Gallery, 7 p.m., free, 1308 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma, 253.250.0520

>>> FRIDAY, OCT. 14: THE LAMB LIES DOWN AT THE BROADWAY CENTER

Concept records and rock operas aren't what they used to be. Hell, records in general aren't what they used to be. But Friday, the Musical Box - a Quebec-based Genesis tribute act that bills itself as the only band in the entire world to cozy up to Genesis and Peter Gabriel enough to acquire the performing rights and access to archives, audio tracks and the original images for The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway - will perform the classic rock opera, in its entirety, in Tacoma, at the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts.

• Pantages Theater,  7:30 p.m., $29-$75, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5894

FRIDAY, OCT. 14: SYMPOSIUM ON CONTEMPORARY NATIVE AMERICAN ISSUES IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Now in its fourth year, the annual UWT Symposium on Contemporary Native American Issues in Higher Education is designed to increase college enrollment among Native Americans and help open new education doors for tribal communities. The event invites native students, their families, teachers and advisors to "learn about what it takes to become a successful college student. Participants may participate in workshops, campus tours and discussions about the college experience." Well-known and respected filmmaker Sandra Sunrising Osawa will deliver the keynote address.

• UWT - Philip Hall, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., 1900 Commerce St., Tacoma, tacoma.uw.edu

>>> FRIDAY, OCT. 14: SIDE SHOW SPOOK-TACULAR

A proper burlesque show - in the vaudevillian sense of the term, not the hipster reclaiming sense - is all about excess and spectacle. It's a variety show, featuring not just the burlesque dancers, but music, comedy and oddities. Tacoma's resident burlesque troupe, the Gritty City Sirens, will be throwing a Halloween-themed "Side Show Spook-tacular," which does well to reflect these different aspects of burlesque. In addition to the Sirens' always engaging performances, there will be appearances by Tacoma artist/juggler Jeremy Gregory, a fire dance display and magic. Thrown on top of all of this will be musical sets from DJ Buckets the Pony and the country/reggae/punk rockers, the Fun Police. It will be a night of sensory overload and, perhaps, just a little bit of spectacular chaos. 

• The New Frontier Lounge, with Dessi De Vine, Heather Hostility, Dean Jameson, DJ Buckets the Pony, the Fun Police, the Mesmerizing Magic Steve, Jeremy Gregory, Tacoma Eclectic Flame, 301 E. 25^th St., Tacoma, 253.572.4020

SATURDAY, OCT. 15: NORTHWEST SINFONIETTA >>>

The Northwest Sinfonietta bills itself as an "orchestra of passion, vision, thrill, and creation - an orchestra that awakens the musical spirit in all of us, performing to sold-out crowds of youngsters, hipsters, and connoisseurs alike." You see that? They're talking to you, hipsters. Saturday, the Sinfonietta delves into Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 at the Rialto Theater, inviting pianist John Novacek into the mix and letting the magic happen. The concert will also feature works from Wagner and Fauré.

• Rialto Theater, 7:30 p.m., $19-$49, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5890

SATURDAY, OCT. 15: OCCUPY TACOMA DAY OF ACTION MARCH >>>

In solidarity with the ongoing Occupy Wall Street movement and protests, and Occupy movements all across the country, T-Town is getting in on the action and letting its voice be heard. Occupy Tacoma has been growing stronger by the day, and Saturday - as part of the National Day of Action - Occupy Tacoma protestors, aiming their wrath at rampant corporate abuse of democracy, will march from People's Park to Tollefson Plaza to show support for "the 99-percent."  Find all the info you need right here.

• People's Park to Tollefson Plaza, 1 p.m., occupytacoma.org

>>> WHERE OUR STAFF IS GOING

ALEC CLAYTON Visual Arts Critic
I'm going to see Jekyll & Hyde at Tacoma Little Theatre. I hope it will be as good as it was at Harlequin. Sunday I just might Occupy Olympia's Sylvester Park.

NIKKI TALOTTA Features Writer
Going to Lattin's Cider Mill for apple slingshots, wagon rides and apple fritters. I wonder if they have any hard cider? If not, a stop by the liquor store is in my future, because, the other task on hand, is a mean jam session between my keyboard and I as I work on a variety of holiday article delights just for Volcano readers. To have a little lubrication always helps the motivation. Cheers!

CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL: Theater Critic
We have absolutely zero plans, but the weather will be nice so I'll probably do some yard work. Also, we're in physical training for an upcoming week in Orlando.

REV. ADAM MCKINNEY: Music Writer
Friday, I'll be attending Basemint's first show in quite a while. But earlier that day, I'll be helping to make a ridiculous amount of pretzels for my Saturday activity, Maltoberfest.

JOANN VARNELL: Theater Critic
Wait, weekend? Already? Oh, um, I'm thinking of baking some cookies for the baby and finishing a baby blanket for a friend whose baby is now two. Most exciting is a trip to Renton to take one of my favorite people to get dim sum for her recent birthday. YUM!!!

JENNIFER JOHNSON: Food & Lifestyles Writer
Friends' 50th Wedding anniversary party Friday, Church conference Saturday, Church Sunday. And the never ending homework.

JOE IZENMAN: THeater Critic
Theater, theater, music. Friday night brings the opening of Tacoma Little Theatre's Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, marking that rare occasion where I will be both reviewing the show and listed in the program as crew. Saturday night we truck out the ol' alma mater, PLU, to see their new theater space and opening production of The Fantasticks. And Sunday, anyone who knows what's good for them will get their asses to Neumo's in Seattle to catch English songwriting badass Frank Turner belting out tunes like there's no tomorrow.

STEVE DUNKELBERGER Meat Market Photographer
I have the kiddos, so we are doing whatever they want to do. That said, it might involve some walking, lounging, laughing and general dingo wrangling.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

SUNDAY, OCT. 9, 2011 >>>

1. All across the world, but particularly in the Pacific Northwest - and especially in Tacoma - the influence is still felt. The impact of certain bands called the Sonics, the Wailers, the Ventures and others still reverberates. These were groundbreaking bands in the late '50s and early '60s that helped pave the way for punk, grunge and everything generally loud that came to follow. The Sonics poked holes in their amps to attain that sweet level of distortion, and out of those holes burst decades of garage rock spirit and punk rock attitude. Tonight, the Tacoma Historical Society will gather for its 5^th Annual Destiny Dinner, although this time the focus will rest on the rock 'n' roll pioneers of the Pacific Northwest. To read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature, click here.

2. Julia Massey & The Five Finger Discount will perform today at Metronome Coffee in Tacoma. The Jesus Rehab and Terrapin are also on the all-ages bill. Show starts at 7 p.m.

3. Catch the second day of Fall Free For All at the Broadway Center, featuring the musical likes of Voices Of The City, Professor Humbug's Flea Circus, CityHall, Hurtbird, Gina Belliveau, Pearly Gates Music, Muh Grog Zoo, Sons Of Warren Oates, Kelli Schaefer, Koncrete, Theatre Simple, Vaud Rats and Laura Gibson.

4.The Tacoma Film Festival continues today. It's a packed schedule, including family and international shorts, along with the TFF Closing Weekend Showcase.

5. It's Swing Dance Night at the Urban Onion in Olympia, meaning lessons at 7 p.m., and music at 8 p.m. There's a $7 cover.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight

SATURDAY, OCT. 8, 2011 >>>

1. Join poet, author, editor and spoken word performer Quincy Troupe tonight at the Museum of Glass for what's being billed as a night of poetry and jazz. It runs from 7 - 9:30 p.m. and also features poetry readings by Tacoma's poet laureate Josie Emmons Turner and a performance by the Kareem Kandi Band. The event is presented in conjunction with Parenthetically Speaking: It's Only a Figure of Speech by Mildred Howard, currently on display at MOG.

2. It's finally here! The Donkey Creek Chum Festival that is! A celebration of salmon incubated and released as fry into Gig Harbor by the Gig Harbor Commercial Fishermen's Club now returning to span as mature salmon, and also a party for all who admire and cherish the role salmon plays in our local ecosystem, The Donkey Creek Chum Festival is always a good time. It starts at 10 a.m. and goes down where Harborview meets North Harborview along Gig Harbor's waterfront. The Chum Burgers hit the grill beginning at noon, and the kayak races are from 2 - 3:30 p.m.

3. Acoustic artist Sarah McQuaid plays Traditions Café tonight in Olympia. The all-ages action starts at 8 p.m.

4. It's become tradition. Beautiful, lederhosen-centric, malt-liquor-fueled tradition. Every year, customarily at Bob's Java Jive, co-creator Craig Egan and his cast of dedicated, party-making cohorts put together one of the coolest and most unique nights of the year - mixing ghetto culture, all things German and large quantities of Old E (or similarly malt adult beverages) to make Maltoberfest - thee place to be tonight. With music coming from prime sources like Saucy Yoda, Kramer and DJ Melodica (among many others) you know the tunes will be banging. And seeing as the $15 entry gets you all the malt liquor you could possibly drink (not to mention lots of German food), there's really no better bang for your party buck either. Remember to drain a forty for your toten Freunde. 

5. India.Arie's voice is known the world over. Over the course of a decade-spanning career (so far), Arie has managed to touch more than most with her equally inspiring and intimate musical efforts. Tonight, Arie and composer Idan Raichel will perform at the Washington Center in Olympia. Hype describes the teaming as a, "dynamic collaboration," that "bridges cultural divides and exemplifies the strength of raw, unadorned production." But see for yourself.

LINK: Even more things to do featured in The Weekend Hustle

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight

FRIDAY, OCT. 7, 2011 >>>

1. Olympia's Arts Walk happens twice a year, but the fall edition has always been the little sister, bundled up and toting her umbrella, not as glamorous as spring's costumed, sandaled walk. This time around, though, the autumn version of Arts Walk has grown to two days. Waterproof gear is still a good precaution, but there's twice as much time to see the art. There are also more businesses participating (106 compared to last fall's 101) and performances happening both days. Besides visual art, music, dance and street performance, Arts Walk, which runs today and tomorrow, offers the chance to see and be seen. And many participating businesses offer snacks, desserts and even wine. (That's not listed in the guide, though; think of it as a scavenger hunt of sorts.) Click here to discover some of the outrageous offerings.

2. When you hear Charlie Musselwhite is a "harmonic master," as the promotional material for Friday's show at the Broadway Center in Tacoma suggests, it's no lie. Dude is that good. He's a blues legend. With a career that's spanned nearly five decades, and with more notches on his accomplishment belt than could possible be noted in this small space, Musselwhite has done just about all there is to do in the blues music business. Tonight, as part of a show co-presented by the Immanuel Presbyterian Blues Vespers, Musselwhite plays the Rialto Theater.

3. It's Friday, and it's time for another awesome Downtown on the Go walking tour, this one featuring fantastic Tacoman, architect, and City Councilman David Boe leading a group through the Brewery District and south downtown. The walk runs from noon - 1 p.m. and starts in front of the Swiss. Find all the Downtown on the Go walking tour info you could possibly desire here.

4. Flowmotion will throw down the genre-bending rock at the 4th Ave Ale House in downtown Olympia. Take a break from gazing at visual art during Art Walk to take in some sonic art.

5. Tin Man and the Moss Brothers Band will be in Fife tonight, doing it right at Louie G's Pizzeria. If you're looking for something to do with the tweens, this might fit the bill --- as the action at Louie G's is all ages, and ears young and old can usually dig on Rusty Parrish's Tin Man.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight