WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2012 >>>

1. The Magic Lantern Society are not intergalactic peacekeepers led by a six-pack sportin' pretty boy with a lisp, but rather a group of Victorian-era lantern enthusiasts who will converge on Tacoma in June to project imagines on walls through hand-painted glass slides powered by candle or oil lamp powered lanterns. The magic lantern was the entertainment juggernaut of the 19th century, a familiar presence in theaters, schools, churches, even homes. Essentially, the magic lantern was a forerunner to the movie projector. Anyhoo, Lynette Miller, the Washington State Historical Society's head of collections, will cut the ribbon on a new exhibit, The Magic of Lantern Slides, full of these magical lantern slides, projectors and advertising materials at 10 a.m. inside the Washington State History Museum. Still, if you see the yellow energy of fear, do run.

2. The Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium will be offering free admission to anyone who shows up with picture ID or other proof of residency. That's awesome.

3. A penny saved is worth two in the bush. And your burning bridges have been gathering moss lately, anyway. The time has come to rework your literary life (or maybe, to create a literary life). Too long have you lingered in the annals of John Grisham; the Classic Book Club may be just what you need. You will save your pennies (because the book club's novels are long; therefore you will take longer to read them, and therefore, go book shopping less - such logic, eh?) and keep moss from burning, ahem, your brain. And you'll become hopelessly intellectual and never make lame, extended jokes involving metaphors, ever. At 7 p.m. inside King's Books, the Classic Book Club turns the pages of H. Rider Haggard's She.

4. Set on a street corner in Manhattan's Washington Heights - Upper West Side Story, if you will - the Tony-winning 2008 musical In The Heights introduces one-dimensional black and Latino characters, each striving to buy the winning ticket to the American dream, through a series of loosely connected vignettes depicting turning points in the characters' lives. In The Heights hits the Washington Center stage at 7:30 p.m.

5. Play bingo with those not just killing time before the Grim Reaper calls their number. Every Wednesday at 10 p.m. inside The New Frontier Lounge, bingo players are treated to a rather boisterous evening of number-calling by the lovely Brooke. The music rocks, the prizes are craptastic and sessions are free with $2 margaritas and $4 Cuervo Gold shots during bingo.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: South Sound happy hours

TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2012 >>>

1. It's Tuesday  - you should go support your local budding artists. The students of Hilltop Artists have created glass object based on the archaeological relics of a lost tribe of their own creation. We're curious if the Tempest Haggarty tribe will be represented. Wait. According to hype, "Each tribe has chosen its unique spirit animal and has created work reflecting the tribe's connection to nature, the cultural significance of food, the sacredness of water, and the values shared by all. The individual tribes have also created a petro glyph illustrating the mythos of their origin." Very cool. And creative. Lost Tribes of Hilltop opens today at 10 a.m. at the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory. Check out the world of the Raven, Wolf, Cheetah, Snake, and Iguana tribes. There's no better way to support the fine arts and the fine artists - you know, those 12- to 20-year-olds who keep getting their funding cut? Plus, who knows, you may see someone's art, who could be world famous tomorrow. Then you can say you saw them when, and annoy absolutely every one you know in the process.

2. Joy Eckwood - Diversity Program manager at the Washington State Bar Association and the founder of Emergnz, an effort dedicated to helping individuals along the continuum of self-actualization - will discuss "Empowered to Emerge: Moving beyond America's Power in defining the norms of Race, Gender and Sexuality through Religion" at 12:30 p.m. in the West Coast Grocery Building, Room 104, on the University of Washington Tacoma campus.

3. The Grand Cinema will screen The Times of Harvey Milk at 2 and 6:30 p.m. as part of its Tuesday Film Series. The documentary, obviously, centers on San Francisco's first openly gay politician, city supervisor Harvey Milk. Shown in coordination with the Tacoma Art Museum and its Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture exhibit, UWT Prof. Claudia Gorbman and Executive Director for The Rainbow Center Michelle Douglas will co-facilitate a discussion following the film's 6:30 p.m. showing.

4. Tacoma has a large segment of the population that is obsessively passionate and loves to read about and intelligently discuss food and restaurant-related topics. Feeding those hungry Tacomans are a group of food bloggers, who not only write on their own blogs, but also post and chat on each other's blogs and social media outlets. Tonight from 6-8 p.m. at Bluebeard Coffee, the Social Media Club gathers the local food bloggers for a panel discussion on the local food scene, social media and, yes, tasting the bloggers' favorite homemade treats. The panel of local food blogging aficionados includes Weekly Volcano scribe Adrienne Kuehl (A Big Mouthful), Marisa Mez (Clearance Cuisine) and Roxanne Cooke (RoxanneCooke.com) and will be hosted by SMC Tacoma board member Dawn Quinn (Vegan Moxie). RSVP: http://smctacomafood.eventbrite.com

5. Fireside Bookstore hosts a book launch party for Jim Lynch's new book, Truth Like the Sun, at 7 p.m in the Olympia Ballroom.  The book is an entertaining political novel about the cat-and-mouse story of urban intrigue in Seattle both in 1962, when Seattle hosted the World's Fair, and in 2001, after its transformation in the Microsoft gold rush. 

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: South Sound happy hours

And we're back! Nerd Alert is the Spew blog's recurring events calendar devoted to all things nerdy. I myself am a Star Wars fan, mathlete, and spelling bee champion of long standing, so trust me: I grok whereof I speak.

Monday, April 9

A week before two headline gigs at Coachella, Thom Yorke and company storm Seattle with their withering one-two punch of melodic melancholy and ornery ennui. I saw Radiohead play the Greek in Hollywood a few years ago, and they totally pull it off live. In related nerdy music news, Elvis Costello plays the Paramount on Thursday the 12th. Also, Martha Quinn is still adorable.

• Key Arena, Radiohead, $82.84 after fees (yikes), 7:30 p.m., 305 N. Harrison St., Seattle, 800.745.3000

Thursday, April 12

Justin Stang, usually of Sideways Reign, and Jim Elenteny, ordinarily of Seattle band Nefarious Jones, unite to form the side project Science! And yes, I am excited, but that exclamation point is in the name of the project and associated EP. (Feel free to pronounce it with a click like the Kalahari bush people.) I know three things about Stang and Elenteny: they were voted Best New Band in our 2012 Olympia poll, they're playing The Royal Lounge on Thursday, and their project is called Science! so they're OK by me (and, I suspect, Thomas Dolby). If you're busy Thursday night, they also play Saturday, April 14 at 4th Ave Tav.

• The Royal Lounge, Science!, $5, 9 p.m., 311 Capitol Way, Olympia, 360.705.0760]

Friday, April 13

Sorry, beloved wife, but you hate horror movies so I'll be seeing The Cabin in the Woods without you. It's a horror/sci-fi film co-written by Joss Whedon, who a.) is responsible for Buffy the Vampire Slayer (in its TV incarnation) and Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, b.) directed Serenity and The Avengers for the big screen, and c.) once called me a bastard to my face. That's a true story. Yes, I probably deserved it. Cabin is reminiscent of early Sam Raimi flicks starring the great and heroically-chinned Bruce Campbell, who was once very nice to me to my face. That's a true story. My point is I know people.

In other Friday the 13th cinema news, The Raid: Redemption opens at The Grand. Apparently it's Die Hard in Indonesia, with lusty, vivid top notes of Kickpuncher: the Movie. Ernest Hardy of the Village Voice says, "Redemption lives up to its viral hype." Your inner 12-year-old says, "Shooting guns PUNCHING explosions and KICKING! Explosions! Bam! GRAH!," then swoons from testosterone and sugar.

• The Grand Cinema, Raid: the Redemption, $5.50-$7, 606 S. Fawcett, Tacoma, 253.593.4474

Finally, did you know DC is making prequel comics about the Watchmen characters for release in June - and Dave Gibbons and Alan Moore are in no way involved? In the words of Nute Gunray: "Is that legal?!"

Until next week, may the odds be ever in your favor, the Force be with you, and your dreams be visited by Kari Byron.

MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2012 >>>

1. Had the British Establishment injected the female hormone oestrogen into London-born mathematician Alan Turing during World War II, the brilliant man wouldn't have broke the German military's secret codes, the British Navy wouldn't have won the Battle of the Atlantic and Hitler might have kept the upper hand. Instead, Turing was chemically castrated for being a homosexual in March 1952, and the man who laid the foundation of modern computers, and was named one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century by Time magazine, killed himself to escape the horror. In conjunction with the HIDE/SEEK exhibit at the Tacoma Art Museum, UWT's Queer Student Union and Diversity Resource Center present a 12:30 p.m. film screening of Decoding Alan Turing – the story of this great mathematician who was found dead at age 41 with a poisoned apple next to his bed – at the University of Washington Tacoma's Diversity Resource Center.

2. The Squeak and Squawk Music Festival closes out its run with two shows: Si Si Si, The Rusty Cleavers and Secret Wives at 6 p.m. inside Tahoma Tea and Co. and Row House Orad, N. Dybevik and others at 9 p.m. inside The New Frontier Lounge.

3. Drink craft cocktails with the Graphic Novel Book Club as it discusses The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb at 1022 South, Hilltop's book-themed cocktail lounge, beginning around 7 p.m.

4. The Jr. Hill Band will rock The Swiss beginning at 8 p.m.

5. The band Bandolier will perform and join DJ Melodica behind the turntables during the Monday Showcase at Magoo's beginning at 8:30 p.m.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: South Sound happy hours

Welcome to the first in a semi-recurring series of Spew blog entries devoted to all things nerdly. I myself am a Star Wars fan, mathlete, and spelling bee champion of long standing, so trust me: I grok whereof I speak.

Monday, April 2

Westeros hangover. Take it easy and drink plenty of fluids.

Tuesday, April 3

Technically issue #1 of Avengers Vs. X-Men doesn't street until Wednesday, but Nick Fury expects you to be better prepared. The Avengers movie is only a month away, so stifle your raging nerd boner by burying your nose in the glorious work of industry legends Brian Bendis and John Romita, Jr. Gabi's giving away free swag to early purchasers, so stick it to the Phoenix Force (and that smirking douche Cyclops) once and for all ... at least till issue #2.

• Gabi's Olympic Cards and Comics, Avengers Vs. X-Men Launch Party, free, 8 p.m., 4230 Pacific Ave., Lacey, 360.459.7721

I've never met a geek yet who didn't love a few hours of drunken trivia. Tuesday night is Quiz Night at The Swiss, and yes, that means cash prizes. The game room boasts foosball, an antique shuffleboard table, and an HD console hunting game called Big Buck Safari. Let's face it, fellow geeks: that's the closest we'll ever get to real danger. I still have PTSD from Atari Jungle Hunt.

• The Swiss, Quiz Night, free, 7 p.m., 1904 S. Jefferson Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.2821

Friday, April 6

Look, you can celebrate the vernal fertility rite however you want, but for my money, the Anglo-Saxon dawn goddess Eostre all but demands you join Lacey Parks & Rec at the Third Annual Adult Flashlight Egg Scramble. (My wife received the gift of an adult flashlight at her bachelorette party, and let me tell you, it enlivens any occasion.) The event boasts an over-40 field, a ladies-only field, and if things get crazy at the punch bowl, a clothing-optional field. Good Friday indeed!

• Regional Athletic Complex, Adult Flashlight Easter Scramble, $5, 9 p.m., 8345 Steilacoom Rd. SE, Olympia, 360.491.0857

On the other hand, I've seen Hell's Belles, the all-female AC/DC tribute band; and their guitarist, Adrian Conner, will blow your face bones clean out the back of your skull. This represents a Class Five "missing this event is not an option" type situation, so ... sorry, Jesus and Eostre. We'll catch back up with you on Sunday.

• Capitol Theater, Hell's Belles, $10-$15, 8:30 p.m., 206 Fifth Ave. SE, Olympia, 360.754.6670

Spoiler alert for next week: Radiohead plays Seattle next Monday. Why, yes, I can sing OK Computer from beginning to end from memory! ... which makes me even sadder than Thom Yorke.

SUNDAY, APRIL 1, 2012 >>>

1. You can't help be jealous of letterpress artists. They both intelligence and creativity, and when they collaborate, you get a massive-shot of talent. A massive shot is exactly what will go down from 6-8 p.m. when King's Books hosts Wayz and Means: Letterpress Film Festival screening short films celebrating letterpress and book arts. Tickets are $20 and include popcorn, liquid refreshments, and - of course - cake. The event will raise funds for the Stadium District bookstore's annual Wayzgoose: Letterpress and Book Arts Festival. Apparently, filmgoers will also have the opportunity to purchase early Wayzgoose raffle tickets.

2. This morning we woke up in this house where we're dog-sitting, and the thought crossed our minds that if I were an O'Malley or an O'Reilly, we'd be an Irish sitter.  Other random ideas raced around our brains like a dog chasing its tail before we could unleash ourselves from the warm covers of this foreign bed. You see, Ted must be walked by 10 a.m. (Hey, it's Sunday!) Anyway, we're going to kill two birds with one stone. Pet Connection Magazine's 5th Annual Dog-Gone Easter Egg Hunt runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Rainier Vista Park in Lacey. For $3, we can run the dog silly, and collect some food for an afternoon omelet. As a bonus, there's some sort of dog fashion show benefiting Old Dog Haven & Feline Friends.

3. Books are your friends. They are like theatric performances in your head. And the Bonney Lake branch of the Pierce County Library system is making it easier to see more mental plays, by holding book sale from 1-5 p.m. Expect crazy discounts on a great variety of materials for all ages and interests, including hardback and paperback fiction and nonfiction, children's books, cookbooks, reference books, audiobooks, music and movies.

4. Local fixture Dave Graham is at the center of a benefit show to aid in the cost of his cancer treatment beginning at 3 p.m. at The Swiss. Rev. Adam McKinney has the details here.

5. Some would argue that a dive bar like the China Clipper Club and Café is no place to party. But let us tell you something, friend: There's a little thing called class. Class is something you can't buy. Class is something inherited. Class is years and years of spilled drinks, double shots and drunken hookups. Class never goes away, no matter how dirty the carpet is or how dilapidated the karaoke stage becomes. Class makes drinking fun. And let us tell you, friends: the China Clipper oozes class. By the way, karaoke is nightly at 9 p.m.

PLUS: More awesome event suggestions in our Weekend Hustle

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: South Sound happy hours

FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 2012 >>>

1. Ludwig Van Beethoven was a badass. The German composer and pianist smashed the keys hard enough to break the strings. He used vulgar language. Franz Schubert, on the other hand, was the Tom Hanks of classical composers: a shy workaholic with an amazing body of work. Schubert, nicknamed "Mushroom" by his friends for his retiring personality, wrote almost 1,000 works of music before he died of typhoid fever at 31. These included more than 600 songs, nine symphonies, operas, liturgical music, and chamber and solo piano music. At 7:30 p.m., University of Puget Sound's School of Music will give its own bow to Mushroom with the Jacobsen Series concert Schubertiade, featuring a small sampling of the Austrian composer's immense portfolio of work.

2. Have you seen them? Homeowners are replacing sod with vegetable beds and building chicken coops by their garages. The Joneses are becoming the McDonalds, converting their prime North End Tacoma real estate into a miniature farm. South Sounders are fighting for their right to raise hens, ducks, goats and honey bees. Want in? Local author Dave Toht will pull his tractor up to Orca Books at 7 p.m. and tell all your wannabe Farmers in the Dell how to turn your yard into a productive and wholesome "homestead," rich in fruits and vegetables, and livestock, including chickens, ducks, and goats. Toht knows. He wrote the book, Backyard Homesteading, in which he covers the laws and regulations of raising livestock in populated areas and demonstrates to readers how to use and preserve the bounty they produce. He'll also tell you what to do about angry neighbors who are hating on your rooster. 

3. The animal workers of Manor Farm stage a glorious revolution and drive away Mr. Jones, their despised human ruler. They institute a new democratic regime, but it turns out, as the famous line goes, "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others." The pigs, you see, can read and write, and they use these abilities to dominate the other species and (pardon the expression) hog the fruits of their labor. Olympia Family Theater's Animal Farm tracks the rise to power of a ruthless porker named Napoleon, and if you know your 20th-century history, you'll have no trouble recognizing him as a stand-in for Stalin. See it go down beginning at 7 p.m.

4. The Liberty Theater in Puyallup hosts comedians Jubal Flagg, Susan Rice and Travis Simmons at 8 p.m.

5. At 8 p.m. Obscure Robot, Four Dimensional Nightmare and Bagger288 burst out of the gate at the Tacoma Noise Rodeo inside Metronome Coffee on Tacoma's Sixth Avenue.

PLUS: More awesome event suggestions in our Weekend Hustle

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: South Sound happy hours

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

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Rain, hi 52, lo 36

Saturday: Rain, hi 50, lo 37

Sunday: More mf-ing rain, hi 50, lo (our motivation)

>>> FRIDAY, MARCH 30: Edible Book Festival

The Weekly Volcano will eat anything. For instance, take Poppers Mini-Taquitos ... just not from us (bada boom). Sucking liquefied meat from an edible straw - a mere dream until recent advances in mini-taquito technology. Anyway, what we have never eaten are books. Why would we? Sure, we've eaten our words. And we've been in plenty of binds. But books? Well, people will eat books Friday at the University of Puget Sound. Collins Memorial Library at UPS dedicates itself to protecting books, but come Friday it will eat them at the University's sixth Edible Books Festival. What is an edible book? Duh. An edible book is made of food and inspired by literary titles, characters or authors - such as Lord of the Onion Rings.

• Collins Memorial Library, Friday, March 30, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., 3:30 p.m. awards ceremony, no cover (get it!), North 18^th Street and North Warner Street, Tacoma, 253.879.3669

>>> FRIDAY, MARCH 30: Tacoma Noise Radio

The Weekly Volcano is not here to make this stuff up. Truth happens. Reality pinches, rides up, makes you start and shiver in utter amazement. The Tacoma Noise Rodeo returns to treat the denizens of Sixth Avenue to experimental electronic music. No, not guitar feedback synced with loud Ultimate Fighting DVDs the neighbor kids cranks in his basement Friday nights. Rather, glorious modular synthesizers, patch cables and Commodore 64 machines producing extremely loudly, wicked alchemical magic, meaty pulsing rhythms, monster drone and giant washes of sound, all making you want to run a marathon while eating raw meat, naked. Show producer Chris Lehfeldt will showcase his band Bagger 288 along with Obscure Robot and Four Dimensional Nightmare at Metronome Coffee on Sixth Avenue.

• Metronome Coffee, Friday, March 30, 7 p.m., all ages, no cover, 3518 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.301.2375

>>> FRIDAY, MARCH 30 & SUNDAY, APRIL 1: La Boheme

Tacoma Opera will stage the classic, much-loved opera La Boheme in its original Italian, although there will be English subtitles provided for the unwashed heathens in the audience who don't know the story of young love with a tragic ending - as all operas seem to have. Uncultured Gen Xers will better know the story as Rent, a high-quality blockbuster knockoff of the earlier Puccini work.

• Rialto Theater, Friday, March 30 8 p.m., Sunday, April 1 2 p.m., $25 an dup, 310 S. Ninth St., Tacoma, 253.627.7789

>>>SATURDAY, MARCH 30: Dockyard Derby Dames season opener 

Derailed, like many things, by snowmaggedon 2012, the Dockyard Derby Dames will officially kick off season six Saturday night inside the Pierce College Health Ed Center in Lakewood. The Dames open with hot roller debry action featuring the Marauding Mollys battling Season 5 champions The Trampires, followed by the Hellbound Homewreckers taking on the Femme Fianna. Bring the whole family, won't you?

• Pierce College Health ed Center, Saturday, March 31, 6 p.m., doors at 5 p.m., beer garden, $12 advance, 9401 Farwest Dr. SW, Lakewood, www.dockyardderbydames.com

>>> SUNDAY, APRIL 1: Wayz And Means: Letterpress Film Festival

You can't help be jealous of letterpress artists. They both intelligence and creativity, and when they collaborate, you get a massive-shot of talent. A massive shot is exactly what will go down Sunday when King's Books hosts Wayz and Means: Letterpress Film Festival screening short films celebrating letterpress and book arts. Tickets are $20 and include popcorn, liquid refreshments, and - of course - cake. The event will raise funds for the Stadium District bookstore's annual Wayzgoose: Letterpress and Book Arts Festival. Apparently, filmgoers will also have the opportunity to purchase early Wayzgoose raffle tickets.

• King's Books, Sunday, April 1, 6-8 p.m., $20, 218 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.8801

WHAT SOME OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE UP TO

CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL Theater Critic
I need to devote quite a bit of time to opera rehearsals, but I'm also hoping to catch a performance of Someone Who'll Watch Over Me at Tacoma Little Theatre. I hear it's amazing.

ALEC CLAYTON Arts Critic
We're going to the Jazz Night Out fundraiser for Capital City Pride Saturday night. It's at the Urban Onion.

JENNI PRANGE BORAN Arts and Feature Writer
A bowling alley I walk by almost everyday reputedly has karaoke on the weekends. ... So the husband and I might be spending Friday night at Pacific Lanes revisiting '80s hits via cheap beer. Sunday will be spent, as April 1 is every year, thinking of ways to fool various family members.

NIKKI TALOTTA Music Writer
I'm slinging drinks for Friday happy hour then headed up to Hell's Kitchen to catch one of my fave bands of all time - Stone Axe! Saturday, the garden calls. And on Sunday, I plan to round off the weekend with a free aerialist show at the Brotherhood Lounge. Thank you Puget Sound for making my weekend stellar!

JOANN VARNELL Theater Critic
This weekend is the official start of my spring break! We'll kick it off with dinner with friends. Saturday morning will find us bleary-eyed and headed to SeaTac for an early flight to Colorado. Sunday we will pack up a car with the toddler and the in-laws for a 10 hour drive to South Dakota. Giant dogs and friends will hold down the home front until we return.

MOLLY GILMORE Arts and Feature Writer
I'm seeing Enchanted April at Harlequin Productions and Pina at
the Capitol Theater.

STEVE DUNKELBERGER Photographer
I have the kids through spring break, so the list of fun will include a trip to Gibson's for some fro-yo and then the Dave Graham love fest at The Swiss, followed by a movie or a walk around the waterfront.

JOSH RIZEBERG Music Columnist
This Friday at 6 p.m. I'll be teaching my Spoken-Word/Poetry class at the D.A.S.H. Center for the Arts. The class is available for students of all-ages to sign-up, drop-ins are also encouraged. After my class I'll hit-up the new Club In on 728 Pacific Ave. where I'll check-out the Reggae Rapfest, performing is D'Rocc and Second Family and others. It's $8 presale or $12 at the door. Saturday I'm keeping it local and hitting Hell's Kitchen for the "Working Class Artists Spring Tour" featuring AKA, Mike Drastic and The Krisis. This show starts at 9 and is only $5 to get in. On Sunday the Northwest M.C. League is getting-down on Ninth and Broadway at the Graffiti-Garages! This event is always free and always all-ages.

JOE IZENMAN Theater Critic
Beginning the most epic of all possible Risk campaigns with certain pillars of the Tacoma nerd community? Could be. Fishing for culture at Tacoma Symphony Chorus's presentation of Faure's Requiem? Might be. Trekking up to the geekstravaganza that is Emerald City Comic Con? Probably. Celebrating the commencement of Proctor Farmer's Market season? Definitely.

JOSHUA SWAINSTON Features Writer
Joshua Swainston will be dreaming of Tacoma while sailing around Prince
Williams Sound, Alaska. Oh ... and working on my next Volcano article, of
course.

LINK: Even more local events that we recommend

LINK: Comprehensive South Sound Arts & Entertainment Calendar

TACOMA'S NEW POP CULTURE COLLABORATION >>>

Very soon, a change will be upon downtown Tacoma. Box Top Vintage, a store we all know and love, will transform into something new. Something strange, and yet welcomed.

"It's all true. The rumors you've heard are true," says Jooley Heaps, owner of Box Top Vintage.

It will become a new store called Poison Apple, headed up by Heaps and Jason McKibbin, lead singer of I Defy and all around comic book guru. This dynamic duo is shaking up Tacoma's gift shop scene with Heaps's sense of novelty and McKibbin's knack for nerdiness.

"Poison Apple will be Tacoma's newest pop culture hotspot," says McKibbin.

The change will bring even more novelty retail, expanding Box Top's selection and augmenting it with vintage comics, toys, vinyl records, movie posters, out-of-print horror VHS, local music CDs, DVDs, and also gaming supplies.

"I will be bringing a whole new dimension in nerdom to the City of Destiny," says McKibbin.

But why change, faithful fans of Box Top may ask.

"I've sold vintage for about 17 years. Personally I'm just done with it," says Heaps. "If something stops being inspiring or fun or you're not super devoted to it anymore, change it. I've had fun novelties and retail for a while and I enjoy selling that more, so I wanted to branch out and go from there."

Heaps has plans to add more wacky products as Poison Apple really gets going, including everything from fun greeting cards to retro candy. Box Top already carried some Archie McPhee items, zombie stuff, and more - many of these items will be back in full force at Poison Apple.

While Box Top Vintage had occasional events, plans are in the works to have regular, scheduled events and perhaps something like a free comic book day each week. Scheduled events may include arts happenings, or writer or band signings.

Jason and I know a lot of people," says Heaps. "So say a band is coming to play Hell's Kitchen; we'll have them do a signing over here. There's so much we can do to really take advantage of our location."

"We are starting small, but plan on building Poison Apple into a giant corporation to be idolized by screaming throngs of rabid fanboys and girls," says McKibbin.

There is no specific date for Poison Apple's opening day yet, but keep an eye out for more details, coming soon to a Facebook fan page near you. Once a date is announced, soon after will follow an announcement for a grand opening party, and great celebrations punctuated by light refreshments will ensue.

The target date for this revelry is the beginning of April. The store may be closed for a few days before the grand opening.

"As we get closer to the opening time, we may butcher paper the windows for a few days until we get it all together - to build the excitement!" says Heaps.

Box Top Vintage Fan Page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Box-Top-Vintage/362018920891

Poison Apple Fan Page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Poison-Apple-Tacoma/112708192194186

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012 >>>

1. Every traveler has had that Moment. The Moment you know you will look back on six months (or a year, or 10 years) from now and laugh. Laugh and laugh and laugh, just laugh hysterically that you could be so wrong about a flight time, or that performing street monkeys could have such light fingers. If you'd like to remember that Moment when the young French fella stole all your cash while you were kissing along the Seine, and laugh to yourself, the Second City Chamber Series continues its "Hallowed Halls" season of exploration in regards to music with a program entitled "Paris Conservatoire" featuring works for wind instruments from the French tradition. At 7:30 p.m. inside The Great Hall of Annie Wright School, the Principal Winds of the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra (Mary Jensen, flute; Selena Greso, oboe; and John Ruze, bassoon) join pianist Oksana Ezhokina for compositions by French composers Jules Demersserman, Marin Marais, Francis Poulenc, and Alexandre Tansman, as well as by the Canadian/American composer, Bill Douglas. Go to expedite your transition to the laughing place. Just go.

2. Who serves the best Cloud Chowder in Tacoma? Tonight, the Mandolin Café does. The recently formed rockin' blues improv trio will explore the space at 6 p.m.

3. Metrosexual: (noun) "Of or pertaining to a straight, urban male who is eager to embrace and even show off his feminine side, especially when it comes to expensive haircuts, designer suits, and $40 face cream." At 7:30 p.m. inside Orca Books, poet Bill Kelly will sing the praises of th emetrosexual when he reads from Kindness Is In Me: Poems in Praise of Men. The poems in this book, and the photos accompanying them, offer a much needed corrective to the masculine images so prevalent in the media. All proceeds from the sale of the book at the event will go to the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound.

4. Jazzbones hosts the VetsMeetVets Military Appreciation Fundraiser with Cee Cee James, Voxxy Vallejo and Stacy Jones beginning at 7:30 p.m. All proceeds benefit VetsMeetVets.org, with 20 percent off bar and food tabs for those with military ID.

5. The Harmon Tap Room Underground continues to hone its new music room with an Automatic Theory and Bodybox show at 9 p.m.

MORE THINGS TO DO: The Weekend Hustle

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight in the region

LINK: South Sound happy hour food and drinks