WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012 >>>

1. Writing from a lesbian and/or feminist perspective is easier today than it was 30 years ago, thanks in large part to the sustained work of women activists and by growing mass acceptance of their arguments. The level of anger and revolt and solidarity is not the same today as it was in the '70s or '80s. Or is it? Internationally acclaimed slam poet, full-time writer, performing artist and activist, Tony-nominated Staceyann Chin probably can answer the question. The strong and versatile self-described out-poet with a Caribbean-accent and huge, parted Afro has seen and experienced the light and dark of life of plantation-era Jamaica, and carries a worldly perspective, identifying with Caribbean and Black, Asian and lesbian, women and New Yorkers. She speaks about her experiences of growing up in Jamaica and the consequences of her coming-out at 7 p.m. inside Schneebeck Concert Hall on the University of Puget Sound campus.

2. A Hope Not Forgotten, Darasuum, I/Delilah, Beneath All Kaos and Silent Planet rock the all-ages Red Room beginning at 7 p.m.

3. As far as virtuosic young piano prodigies go, Ran Dank is totally dank, yo. And by that we mean he's the bomb. Even better, he's performing at 7:30 p.m. inside the Washington Center.

4. Watch 10-20 comedians try out their new material during Tacoma Comedy Club's open mic beginning at 8 p.m. It don't cost nutin'.

5. Want to get into the habit of doodling dudes? Tonight at 8:30 p.m. The Mix hosts live body painting giving Tacoma's creative community an opportunity to socialize, sip and scribble. Most succinctly described as figure-drawing sessions with a gay twist, the sessions are open to the public, as long as you're of drinking age. Oh, there will be drinks.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

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SUNDAY, MARCH 25, 2012 >>>

1. Hollywood has been responsible for some classic songs over the years - the combination of cinema and soundtrack joining forces to create a truly indelible moment. Today, coloratura soprano Diane Penning will be welcomed to Tacoma by the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra for a presentation of POPS: Hollywood's Greatest Melodies - a show featuring songs from Hollywood classics like Mary Poppins, Phantom of the Opera, Papa's Delicate Condition, West Side Story, The King and I, Porgy and Bess and Victor Herbert's Enchantress.

2. Tacoma artist Lynn Di Nino and her team of stalwart archeologists have found buried Hostess cupcakes under the ice in Antarctica. Tons and tons of cupcakes and other Hostess products, plus many other consumer products that have been popular throughout most of our lives. Those damn cupcakes last forever, and that's the point of their art-as-archeology exhibition, The Survivors, which has a reception today from 1-5 p.m. at Flow Gallery in the Tacoma Dome District. Read Alec Clayton's review of The Survivors in the Arts section at weeklyvolcano.com.

3.Olympia will be blessed with an East Coast legend tonight when Wu Tang Clan member Raekwon hits the state capitol for the first time, playing the Royal Lounge.  Since officially joining Wu Tang in 1992, over the years Raekwon has become one of the more recognized names in the group and continues to consistently release his Mafioso style of hip-hop. 

4. It's an all-ages bonanza today at Jazzbones as the Spring Rockcital, featuring Diet Love, Le Pomme De Terre, Selling Out Seattle, Nuclear Weapons, Angry Beavers, Gelatin, Case Of Fire, Thirty Years After, Shadow Sythe and Pain Haunts Me. It all starts at 2 p.m.

5. Glasses Malone will be all up in the Backstage Bar and Grill at the end of Sixth Avenue. Here's what Volcano hip-hop columnist Josh Rizeberg has to say about.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

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FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012 >>>

1. Peter motherfucking Frampton and his talk box are headed to Tacoma tonight, bringing the 35^th anniversary tour for Frampton Comes Alive to the Pantages Theater and delighting a whole generation of mid-70s kinda-sorta rockers in the process. As part of the celebratory vibe for the 35^th anniversary of Frampton Comes Alive, the Grammy award-winning guitarist will bust out the entire album. Boom! It's talk box time.

2. Cut. It. Out. Former Full House semi-star Dave Coulier continues his weekend run at the Tacoma Comedy Club tonight.

3. The Reduced Shakespeare Company is a three-man comedy troupe set to be holed up in Tacoma tonight at the Rialto and  offering a show that promises to, "cover every sport from every continent ever played in 90 minutes." Pretty bold stuff, we know, but that's pretty much what you'd expect from an outfit like the Reduced Shakespeare Company - which touts on its resume, "seven stage shows, two television specials, several failed TV pilots, and numerous radio pieces."  

4. Dancer-turned-comedic-filmmaker Mitchell Rose has plenty of notches on his belt. He's been awarded five fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, for example, and has seen his work grace the gigantic screen in Times Square. Dude's accomplished, in other words. Tonight, Rose hits Olympia's Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts with The Mitch Show, billed as, "a fast-paced evening of comic films and audience-participation pieces," and "maniacally funny, often poignant, and always surprising." We'll get behind anything that's maniacally funny.

5. The Lance Buller Trio will class up Maxwell's on St. Helens Avenue tonight, busting out tunes starting at 7 p.m.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

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THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012 >>>

1. 100th Monkey is set to invade Tacoma Art Museum tonight, offering a chance to mingle and bear witness to the Hide/Seek exhibit at TAM. Described as and, "ongoing artists' schmoozefest," 100th Monkey events are always a good time. Even better, according to hype, "Claudia Riedener, Lynn Di Nino and Di Morgan-Graves are creating a limited edition of tiles on the theme of "gender identity and sexual orientation" to be available for $5 each the night of the ape fest."

2. Catch jazz saxophonist Kareem Kandi, who recently composed and recorded the new CD, See What I'm Saying, tonight at the SOTA Theater.

3. It's OlyBlues Dance Night at the Eagles Hall! Head to the third floor and be ready to have some fun. Find more info here.

4. For the all-ages crowd, Lo' There Do I See My Brother, Code Red, Drag Me Under, Merciless and Blunt Force will play Tacoma's Red Room this evening, plugging in at 7 p.m. There's an $8 cover charge.

5. The Ram Restaurant and Brewery on Ruston Way hosts the Geeks Who Drink pub quiz, which consists of eight rounds of eight questions and is played in teams of up to six people. Questions are read aloud by the quizmaster; teams write their answers on provided sheets and turn them in at the end of each round. The team with the most points after eight rounds is the winner. Oh, and there's drinking involved, too. The fun begins at 8:30 p.m.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

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TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012 >>>

1. There's a rare yet very worthy Tuesday-night indie rock show at the New Frontier this evening featuring everyone's favorite T-Town boys Makeup Monsters along with up-and-comers Learning Team. We've gushed over both bands (here and here).

2. Tuesday night means it's time again for Barstool Bingo at the Westgate Bar and Grill in Tacoma's North End.

3. At the Mandolin Café, a special all-ages evening of "In the Round" is in store, starting at 6 p.m. and featuring Geoffery Klok, Nick Sandy and Nick Deonigi.

4. Get your swing dance on tonight at the Eagles Club in Olympia. Every Tuesday night OlySwing holds a rollicking swing dance, and you're invited. Even better - there's a quick beginning swing class prior to the dance hosted by Christine Corey. The beginners class kicks off at 7 p.m., and the dance runs from 7:30 - 10:30 p.m. Admission is $5.

5. Get your groove on tonight in Parkland. DJ Adam Ant spins during "Twisted Tuesday" at Lady Luck Cowgirl Up, offering Top 40 action and karaoke. The good times start at 9 p.m.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

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MONDAY, MARCH 19, 2012 >>>

1. Comedian Alysia Wood remembers getting her start at the house emcee at Tacoma's Comedy Underground. While these days Wood lives in L.A. and is prepping for the release of her debut comedy album on Standup! Records, Princess, she returns to the Northwest tonight for a celebratory (and sure to be laugh-filled) show at Stonegate Pizza. Produced by Grammy award-winning producer Dan Schlissel, Princess may well be the start of even bigger and better things for Wood.

2. As a popular poet once noted, "Makin' your way / in the world today / takes everything you've got." Yes, it's back to the coal mines, tired already from late partying at the BroHo. You need something to soak up that beer, and an artist with mad flow to screw your head on straight. We float you home, Gentle Reader, on the soothing cadences of Poetry Night at al Forno Ferruzza. That's right, it's a full-on poetry slam, slathered in delicious mozzarella. Your lingering hangover demands this. An offshoot of a beloved Portland pizzeria, al Forno offers hearty calzones and pies, a range of wines at $7 a half-carafe, and now, THE KNOWLEDGE. Preach it.

3. Catch rising Tacoma band Death By Stars tonight at Magoo's as part of Showcase Monday. DJ Pocket Square will also be in the house, with the action kicking off at 8:30 p.m.

4. Tonight at the Swiss drink beer and behold Dakota Bob & The Businessman Band, starting at 8 p.m. and featuring absolutely no cover charge.

5. Drop in on Tap Room Trivia tonight at the Harmon Tap Room on St. Helens Avenue. Look for a $50 cash prize for the winner of each round and too much fun to contain - running from 6 - 8 p.m.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight in the region

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

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Rain showers, hi 48, lo 39

Saturday: More showers, hi 46, lo 34

Sunday: Chance of even more showers, hi 43, lo 34

>>> FRIDAY, MARCH 16: PLAYING FOR CHANGE BAND

By now you may have heard the remarkable tale of Grammy Award-winning producer Mark Johnson's Playing For Change Band, set to hit Olympia and the Washington Center for the Performing Arts this Friday. Originally birthed as part of a PBS documentary Playing For Change: Peace Through Music, according to hype "Johnson traveled the world recording street performers of different faiths, backgrounds, and ethnicities and blended their contributions into a single unified, moving performance." In 2009 at SXSW a group of musicians from the film came together for a live performance as the Playing For Change Band, offering an "exhilarating mix of blues, gospel, reggae and Afropop," in addition to the straight-up neatness factor of seeing such a collection of varied street musicians jell. All of this will be on display Friday in Olympia.

• Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 7:30 p.m., $11-$42, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia, 360.753.8585

>>> FRIDAY, MARCH 16: PIERCE COUNTY MATCHUP

Studies show that if you get a bunch of fat people together and inspire them to compete at losing weight it makes for great entertainment and often great success. Such is the rationale behind the Pierce County Matchup, a county-wide weight loss competition kicking off Friday and running through June 8. Teams of five will compete for $18,000 in cash and prizes, not to mention the right to wear smaller pants. According to promotion, the winning team will be the one that loses the greatest percentage of weight during the three-month contest. Contestants start by getting their weight verified at one of several Pierce County locations, including local YMCAs. Details are available online at healthywage.com/Pierce.

>>> MARCH 16-17: NUCLEAR COWBOYZ

So, the guys in sales were trying to describe it to us the other day - telling us all about the Nuclear Cowboyz FMX tribes, the Soldiers of Havoc and the Metal Mulisha, who return to the Tacoma Dome this weekend for an action-packed show set in the war-torn city of Los Angeles during the year 2150. Or something. From what we're told, the motorcycle tale unfolds as the two tribes' survival is threatened and besieged by an evil force, The Tempest, and her "electrifying" Cyborg Army. Again, this is the dudes in sales talking. On top of all this, we're told, the Nuclear Cowgirlz are catapulted into the heart pounding fury and frenzied excitement, whose allegiance to their tribes only intensifies the Tempest's rage to destroy the Nuclear Cowboyz. Naturally, the Soldiers of Havoc and the Metal Mulisha's battle is fought through fearless freestyle gravity defying stunts, combined with outrageous pyrotechnic and laser displays synchronized to heavy metal, rock alternative and electronic dubstep music. Got it? As for the cast of characters, we're told the Nuclear Cowboyz 2012 has assembled a great cast of freestyle motocross, trials and quad riders, including recent X Games 17 medalists Ronnie Faisst, Adam Jones, Mike Mason and Winter X Games medalist Caleb Moore.

• Tacoma Dome, main event 7:30 p.m. each night, $15-$125, 2727 E. D St., Tacoma, 253.272.3663

>>> SATURDAY, MARCH 17: HIDE/SEEK OPENING

The internationally-acclaimed exhibition Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture caused a ruckus when it debuted at The Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery in 2010. David Wojnarowicz's unfinished film, A Fire in My Belly, was removed from the exhibition, sparking a national controversy, demonstrations and renewed discussions about censorship and artists' rights. Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Virginia) called the exhibition "an outrageous use of taxpayer money," and a spokesperson for House Speaker John Boehner told The Hill newspaper "Smithsonian officials should either acknowledge the mistake or be prepared to face tough scrutiny beginning in January." Tacoma Art Museum will proudly include A Fire in My Belly along with photographs and paintings by a slew of famous American artists with an eye toward issues of gender and sexual identity over nearly 150 years of American art. Yes, this is the queer show. And despite outrage by a few people such as Cantor and Boehner, it has been a stupendous success with audiences across the country. Read Alec Clayton's full feature on Hide/Seek in the Arts section at weeklyvolcano.com.

• Tacoma Art Museum, through June 10, Wednesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Third Thursdays 5-8 p.m., adult $10, student/ military/senior (65+) $8, family $25 (2 adults and up to 4 children under 18), 5 and younger free, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, tacomaartmuseum.org

>>> SATURDAY, MARCH 17: HAVE YOU EVER HAD A BEARD?

Calvin Johnson is an Olympia legend - a throaty mouthpiece for one of the most musically and artistically relevant and independent little towns in the history of the world. Seattle's Chris Estey is a much-loved music journalist known for his work with Three Imaginary Girls along with just about every other Seattle-based alt-media outlet that's worth two shits. The new film, Have You Ever Had a Beard? brings Johnson and Estey together. Hype calls the film, "a study in contrasts," that shines a light on "the lyric-heavy songwriting of Calvin Johnson vs. the ebullient music journalism of Chris Estey." When the film screens Saturday at the Capitol Theater, the film's directors, Kathy Wolf and Pat Thomas, will be on hand for a post-performance Q&A along with Johnson, who will also take the stage with his band, the Hive Dwellers.

• Capitol Theater, 9 p.m. screening, all-ages, $5.50 - $8.50, 206 Fifth Ave. SE, Olympia, 360.754.6670

>>> SATURDAY, MARCH 17: ANNUAL WOMEN'S LEAGUE FLEA MARKET

The Women's League of University of Puget Sound Flea Market will be awesome. Expect more than 50 booths of antiques, not to mention: collectible dolls, oversized calculators, his and hers chocolate mummies, little plastic models of 747 airplanes, a griffin's toe, three rectangular-block-shaped wooden Santa Clauses, bouncing ice cubes, a copy of Rubber World magazine, four condiment trays, lots of walnuts - and more. For information regarding this event please contact Grace Mills, 253.752.4789.

• UPS Memorial Fieldhouse, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., $2, North 11th Avenue and Union Street, Tacoma, 253.752.4789

>>> SATURDAY, MARCH 17: TCHAIKOVSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO

The Northwest Sinfonietta bills itself as, "an orchestra to be reckoned with," not to mention an orchestra of, "passion, vision, thrill, and creation." Anyone who has seen the Northwest Sinfonietta in action would have trouble arguing with these statements, as the musical body routinely wows audiences in Tacoma, Puyallup and Seattle. Saturday the Northwest Sinfonietta will be joined by violinist Marié Rossano for Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, referred to as a great violinist's rite of passage on the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts' website.

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

>>> SUNDAY, MARCH 18: TITO PUENTE JR.

Sure, we're kind of bitter that our parents didn't have any amazing talents to pass along to us. The genetic ability to down an entire box of pink wine in one sitting may prove beneficial in some settings, but we would have much rather had a parent with jaw-dropping musical skills to follow on the coattails of. Sunday, Mambo musician Tito Puente Jr., following in his father's footsteps and drawing from his musical catalogue, will hit Tacoma and the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts. According to hype, Puente, "brings the sounds of Latin jazz bursting with energetic rhythms and contagious melodies for a new generation." In addition to the music, Puente and KCTS 9 educator Antonio Gomez will take part in a pre-event lecture.

• Broadway Center for the Performing Arts, 3 p.m. pre-show lecture, 4 p.m. performance, $34-$46, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5890

>>> SUNDAY, MARCH 18: TITLOW TRAILS MUD RUN

Has it been a while since you got muddy? Like, really muddy? Or, if that sounds scary, just kind-of, sort-of muddy? Either way Metro Parks Tacoma has you covered Sunday with the annual Titlow Trails Mud Run, inviting participants of all ages to slog through the puddles and trails near Titlow Park. According to hype, the "course is muddy, and full of obstacles to crawl under, jump over, or get your attention!" However, the Metro Parks website also goes on to say, "The quantity of mud depends on the weather and the amount of slop that mother nature creates. We aren't planning on making any mud ourselves. At no time will participants be required to crawl through mud. (Unless you really want to, please feel free to do so.)" So that's good to know. Best of all: the $15 entry fee includes free running socks! There is no day-of-race registration, so anyone interested in participating is encouraged to sign up online at metroparkstacoma.org/races.

• Titlow Park, check in 11 a.m., race at noon, $15, ages 4+, 8425 Sixth Ave. Tacoma, metroparkstacoma.org/races

>>> SUNDAY, MARCH 18 & 25: TALL TALES AND SILLY SONGS

Entertainer and storyteller extraordinaire Elizabeth Lord returns to the stage this weekend in support of the venue she's been such a huge part of over the years - the Midnight Sun. Designed as an interactive variety show geared toward young audiences featuring the wit of Lord and the musical contributions of local favorites Scuff & Al, "Tall Tales and Silly Songs" is part of the "Save The Sun" benefit series, with proceeds going to Prodigal Sun Productions, the managing non-profit organization for The Midnight Sun Performance Space.

• The Midnight Sun Performance Space, 2 & 4 p.m., $5 youth, $10 adult, all ages, 113 N. Columbia Street, Olympia

WHAT SOME OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE UP TO

CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL Theater Critic
We're seeing Enchanted April at Harlequin and Hello, Dolly! at Capital Playhouse. Then it's time for an Irish-themed "secret supper" with friends and, time permitting, the rest of Game of Thrones Season 1. Nerds!

NIC LEONARD Olympia Hip-Hop Writer
College baketball.  That is all.

.

ALEC CLAYTON Arts Critic
My big plans are for a very busy Saturday. I'm going to the opening party for HIDE/SEEK at Tacoma Art Museum and to check out Lynn DiNino's new show at Flow, and Saturday night we're going to see Enchanted April at Harlequin Productions in Oly.

JENNI PRANGE BORAN Arts and Feature Writer
I get to spend Saturday driving Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Dani Menkin around for Seattle's TheFilmSchool, and will sit in on his interview with Warren Etheredge at the SIFF film center. Sunday is catch-up day, writing and rewriting, then Irish nachos and dinner with friends at A Terrible Beauty in Renton.

NIKKI TALOTTA Music Writer
Going to eat corn beef and cabbage on Saturday and take the kiddos to see Tall Tales and Silly Songs at the Midnight Sun on Sunday. Other than that, maybe some reading and laundry. I will also be hoping for some damn sunshine.

JOSEPH IZENMAN Theater Critic
I don't know if I've made it properly clear recently that I am a huge nerd, but I'm volunteering at the state Knowledge Bowl (high school academic trivia competition) tournament on Saturday, and it'll bring back memories. Not as many as if it were still in Camas, as was the case the two years our team competed, but still. A multitude of good times were had on those trips, back in the day.

STEVE DUNKELBERGER Photographer
Lorax, and Lorax, and maybe take in Lorax.

.

LINK: Even more local events that we recommend

LINK: Comprehensive South Sound Arts & Entertainment Calendar

JESSE HARRIS DID, AND STARTED SEATTLE'S NFFTY >>>

Let's talk numbers.

21

Jesse Harris' age when he co-founded the National Film Festival for Talented Youth (the cool kids call it NFFTY) in Seattle with Jocelyn R.C. and Kyle Seago. What had YOU accomplished by that time in your life? Probably starting your career and/or going to college, you sad underachiever you.

Actually, Harris also heard the higher calling to higher education, but ultimately listened to the moviemaker within and completed his first feature (shot mostly in Puyallup) at ...

17

But first Harris' parents had to help bankroll the project, which meant dipping into the college fund. "It took a little convincing, but I think finally they realized that no matter what they said, I was going to do it anyway," Harris laughs.

Harris wasn't going at it alone, as he soon found out. When other teenage filmmakers began taking notice and seeking him out for distribution advice, Harris started NFFTY. "There's so many other young people other there ... who have films (but) nowhere to have them screened," he says.

Like so much in life, the movie industry plays its own numbers game, doling out respect and acceptance only to those who reach some nebulous age of maturity. And despite the quality of their work, the youngest typically get overlooked. NFFTY turns six in 2012, itself a baby in the film festival universe. Yet a look at its figures for this year show otherwise.

700 - The approximate number of submissions

200 - Roughly the number of films shown at this year's fest, hailing from almost a dozen countries besides the U.S.

10,000 - The projected attendance

22 - The maximum allowable age of the films' directors

Jesse Harris

Even if he wanted to, ironically Harris can't enter the festival he started. Now 26 and relishing his role as NFFTY's artistic director, Harris firmly believes the works screening April 26-29 can hold their own against more adult-oriented festivals. "We really have the next Spielbergs and the next Scorseses (at NFFTY)," he says. Time for an all-out film fest turf war!

Nah, let's just unite and breakdance instead. Harris says you definitely must see this amazing film from Germany that he calls "breakdancing storytelling ... I can't even describe it; you just have to see it!" And En Route, a jaw-dropping visual spectacle from Baltimore's 22-year-old Colin Levy, has effects that could make John Carter look like Coach Carter.

Number of reasons you still need to check out NFFTY: 0

Find the festival schedule and purchase tickets at http://www.nffty.org. Tune into my interview with Harris this week on Volcano Radio, which airs Thursday, March 15 from 8-9 p.m. on www.nwczradio.com and is available as a podcast at www.weeklyvolcano.com directly following. 

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 2012 >>>

1. Today brings a chance to join the Olympia Symphony Orchestra and guest pianist Wolfgang Wortberg for "By Audience Request," a performance promising Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15, Verdi's Overture to NabuccoI, Grainger's Irish Tune from County Derry and Stravinsky's Suite from The Firebird. While the Olympia Symphony Orchestra rarely-if-ever disappoints, much of the pre-show hype for this events centers on Wortberg's piano skills, and rightly so. As the Symphony's website notes, "Known for his musical insight, beautiful tone, and technical command, pianist Wolfgang Wortberg has performed in venues across the United States and Europe.  Audiences and critics alike acclaim his unique concerts: portraits of a single composer, interweaving music with insightful reflections on the life and work of the composers themselves and their contemporaries."

2. Rabbit Hole continues at PLU today, hyped on the school's website as "a story of loss, heartbreak, and forgiveness as a family attempts to move on after a life-shattering accident." Find more info here.

3.If you find yourself in Fife for some reason, consider dropping by Freddie's Club of Fife for another Sunday Jam Sessions featuring  Butch Harrison & Good Company. And let us not forget about Keely Whitney and friends. The music runs from 6 - 9 p.m. and there's no cover.

4. It's Service Industry Night at Rock the Dock Pub & Grill - meaning Lena with Songbird Karaoke will be in the house along with drink specials, games, contests and giveaways.

5. It's another Sexy Sunday in Puyallup (really, every day is sexy in Puyallup), with DJ El Guapo breaking out the hip-hop and R&B at O'Henry's Sports Bar.

MORE THINGS TO DO: The Weekend Hustle

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SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 2012 >>>

1. Presented by the Washington State Arts Commission, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation, today's Poetry Out Loud State Finals will pit winners from seven regional finals held across Washington state in an ultimate throwdown of poetry recital. Along with ultimate statewide bragging rights, competitors will be vying for an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Poetry Out Loud national finals.

2. Ariana Throne's one-woman "dance drama" Collision looks at rape culture in American college life. She herself was involved in two such collisions, and much of her performance is uncomfortably autobiographical. Throne uses a variety of performance skills to examine our views about rape - and to tell her own story - from multiple angles. She brings much to the table: self-penned guitar ballads, a black-light dance routine, tongue-in-cheek vignettes. Throne's show runs today and tomorrow at the Evergreen State College. Read Christian Carvajal's full feature on Collision in the Arts section at weeklyvolcano.com.

3. There's not much that's funnier in this world than Dave's of Milton. See for yourself when Dave's hosts its "Comedy Night," tonight featuring Jay Wendell Walker and Rodney Sherwood. The laughs are hosted by Stephen Morton Jr., and expect musical guest O Dark 30.

4. It's Grown Folk Saturday at Last Call Bar in Lakewood. Expect DJ C-Luv to bust out all sorts of "old skool," hits from the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s  dance hits.

5. Join Tacoma's master of Karaoke, the Rev. Colin, at Engine House No. 9 tonight. The tunes start getting belted out at 9:30 p.m.

MORE THINGS TO DO: The Weekend Hustle

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