Americana music owes its existence to the collision of post-punk insurgency with a modern take on the often rude sounds of old-time country, blues and bluegrass, with singer-songwriter fetishes thrown in for good measure. If that sounds like a mouthful, it's meant to be: Americana covers a pretty wide range of styles and performers, and last night Forest Beutel covered all aspects of Americana.

Tacoma musician Beutel performed at the Franciscan Polar Plaza ice-skating rink in downtown Tacoma as part of the Weekly Volcano's "Rhythm & Ice: Down Home Holiday Hoedown" music series. The Tacoma Art Museum asked us to produce the live music stage at the rink every Saturday night during its run. In conjunction with the "Art of the American West" exhibit across the street at TAM, we have booked seven Saturday nights of bluegrass, country rock and old-timey bands.

Beutel - a fixture of Tacoma's bluegrass scene, playing banjo for The Barleywine Revue, punkgrass outfit The Rusty Cleavers and matching Julie Campbell's fierce fiddle in Dixie Highway - picked at his banjo, blew his harmonica, pumped his bass drum and hi-hat, performing a mix of high-energy bluegrass, down-tempo blues and introspective lyrics for the skaters going in circles. Beutel held an ice-skating trick contest throughout the night, pointing out potential candidates in between songs off his new solo CD, If You Label Me, You Negate Me.

I shot a little amateur video last night, which features Beutel's songs "Don't Know No Other Way" and Good Ol' Boy" at the rink, and "Angus' Romp" during my intermission session at The Social Bar & Grill.

The Franciscan Polar Plaza ice rink at Tollefson Plaza is open to public ice-skating sessions across the street from TAM daily through Jan. 11.

The Weekly Volcano's last Rhythm & Ice: Down Home Holiday Hoedown bluegrass concert stars The Oly Mountain Boys 7-9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 3. The quintet from Olympia will, no doubt, play tunes off their new bluegrass concept album, White Horse, which tells the story of a man named Charlie McCarver and his rough life in Washington state during the early 20th century. If you like your bluegrass complex, melodic and focused on weighty matters, then ice skate to this show Jan. 3. In the meantime, enjoy a few photos and a video (above) from Forest Beutel live at Polar Plaza Dec. 27.

SEE ALSO

Words, photos and video from Dixie Highway's live performance at Polar Plaza

Words, photos and video from The Rusty Cleavers' live performance at Polar Plaza

Words, photos and video from Shotgun Kitchen's live performance at Polar Plaza

Words, photos and video from SweetKiss Momma's live performance at Polar Plaza

Words, photos and a video from The Cottonwood Cutups' live performance at the Polar Plaza ice rink

The backstory and band schedule for the Weekly Volcano's Rhythm & Ice music series at the Franciscan Polar Plaza ice rink

Dixie Highway. Remember those words. You may already know them, but in a year you'll know them better. At the bluegrass family picnic, Dixie Highway is the loud and brash kid brother, the noisy upstart from down south who would just as soon stand on your sandwich and scream into your face as slink quietly back from whence he came - deep in the woods, behind the still.

Last night was no picnic. As 20 police cars chased bad guys past the Franciscan Polar Plaza ice-skating rink on Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma, Dixie Highway ripped through songs from The Barleywine Revue's repertoire and Forest Beutel's new CD, If You Label Me, You Negate Me. There were several times during Dixie Highway's two riveting sets at the rink when you had to remind yourself that this was only half and not a full-throttle Barleywine Revue. As a duo, Forest Beutel on banjo and Julie Campbell on fiddle - half of the Revue - craft some of the finest bluegrass around. Unfortunately, Forest and Julie don't book many gigs around the Sound, so here's hoping this duo gets the exposure they deserve.

Dixie Highway performed "Good Ol' Boy" off Forest Beutel's CD, which I sort of captured on video.

The word on the street is this year's Polar Plaza numbers will beat previously year's totals. Last night, the rink was packed with young and old - and a whole bunch in the middle as the photos below show.

The Franciscan Polar Plaza ice rink at Tollefson Plaza is open to public ice-skating sessions across the street from the Tacoma Art Museum daily through Jan. 11.

The Weekly Volcano presents Rhythm & Ice: Down Home Holiday Hoedown every Saturday night from 7-9 p.m. at Polar Plaza. Saturday, Dec. 27, banjo musician Forest Beutel tells his other bands - The Rusty Cleavers, The Barleywine Revue and new favorite band Dixie Highway - to take a flying leap as he's performing solo at the ice rink. Ice skate in front of Beutel and show him your new clothes you scored for Christmas. In the meantime, enjoy a few photos and a video (above) from Dixie Highway live at Polar Plaza Dec. 20.

SEE ALSO

Words, photos and video from The Rusty Cleavers' live performance at Polar Plaza

Words, photos and video from Shotgun Kitchen's live performance at Polar Plaza

Words, photos and video from SweetKiss Momma's live performance at Polar Plaza

Words, photos and a video from The Cottonwood Cutups' live performance at the Polar Plaza ice rink

The backstory and band schedule for the Weekly Volcano's Rhythm & Ice music series at the Franciscan Polar Plaza ice rink

Servicemembers and their families braved the cold water of American Lake when they took the plunge for the first JBLM Polar Skip & Dip 5k and 2k Fun Run or Walk at Shoreline Park at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Dec. 13.

The JBLM Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare & Recreation hosted the 5k and 2k run for more than 250 participants, nearly 40 of whom took the plunge into the cold water.

"With this run, the main focus is to bring something different to the families of JBLM; we want to spice it up, we don't want to just run," said Stephanie Parr, the recreation assistant from the DFMWR intramural sports office. "We want to make sure that each event has its own feature, which in this event will be the dip. In between all of our usual fun runs, the best thing to do is to offer something different, exciting and new like this race here. I'm glad to be a part of it."

Col. Charles H. Hodges, the JBLM commander, who brought the first ever zombie 5k run to the base Nov. 1, was pleased to see another unique activity offered to the servicemembers and families that make up the JBLM community.

"This is a new concept and we always want to be fresh in our ideas. This is a chance for people to come out and do something a little bit different than what they've done before," said Hodges. "JBLM is known for innovation and having a great imagination. It's good we can embrace that mindset throughout the entire community."

>>> Kayla Conriquez, 7, high-fives her mother, Amanda Bennett, after her mom braved the cold water during the first ever JBLM Polar Skip & Dip 5k and 2k fun run or walk at Shoreline Park, JBLM, Dec. 13, 2014. Photo credit: Staff Sgt. Micah VanDyke

Several families ran together and some children were experienced enough to run the 2k by themselves. Seven-year-old Kayla Conriquez runs weekly with her mother, Amanda Bennett, and she ran the JBLM Zombie Apocalypse 5k run by herself. So naturally she ran the 2k solo.

Conriquez said the race was fun and plans to do several races next year after completing three this year.

Two brothers, Ari and Eli Vitor, ages 12 and eight, ran the race together and braved the freezing water to complete every event.

"I found it fun even though it's cold, but it's still fun to do. I don't regret going in the cold water," said the older brother Ari.

"I liked the water part a lot and wasn't scared to go in," said Eli with a shivering smile.

Despite the race calendar becoming extremely full for the JBLM DFMWR 2015 race season, they are always looking for new possibilities to add variety, explained Parr.

"There is another race in the works for next summer, but I can't give any information about that one," she hinted. "We want to surprise JBLM with that race, it's going to be great."

For the 2015 race calendar, click here or email usarmy.jblm.imcom.list.dfmwr-sports@mail.mil for further information.

Staff Sgt. Micah VanDyke is with the 19^th Public Affairs Detachment.

>>> Ari and Eli Vitor, ages 12 and 8, warm up after taking a dip in the cold water during the first ever JBLM Polar Skip & Dip 5k and 2k fun run or walk at Shoreline Park, JBLM, Dec. 13, 2014. More than 200 adults completed the 5k and nearly 50 children finished the 2k and many braved the cold water of American Lake to complete the dip portion after the race. They had several door prizes given away during the dip in American Lake portion with two grand prizes, a Dell tablet and a Great Wolf Lodge gift certificate. Photo credit: Staff Sgt. Micah VanDyke

Mention the words "rusty cleavers" in the South Sound, and odds are responses will range more to the punk-grass spectrum than lazy chefs. The Rusty Cleavers write rowdy songs. They take their musical influences - folk, country and bluegrass - and punk them up. They add growls, and serve them with a cold Tacoma beer. Dec. 13, the Tacoma band served their music with cold weather. They delivered a Paul Bunyan-like boot heel clack before the ice skaters at the Franciscan Polar Plaza ice rink.

It's Saturday night at the ice rink plopped atop of Tollefson Plaza and the people are packed so tight it's amazing they can get find a spot to fall. But they can, and they do, and it feels like an earthquake, like the ice might crack. The Rusty Cleavers' singer and banjo player Forest Beutel announces he's keeping track of the wipeouts and the greatest spill recipient will receive a free band CD.

Often described as the Old Crow Medicine show meets the Ramones, The Rusty Cleavers' live shows have always been fist-pumping barnburners. Audiences can't help but cut loose as they pummel their string instruments with rhythmic abandon, layering husky harmonies overtop that swell to bursting. Saturday, the audience couldn't help but flat out fall down.

A big, thank you to The Rusty Cleavers and all who came out to watch the band and ice skate.

The Franciscan Polar Plaza ice rink at Tollefson Plaza hosts public ice skating sessions across the street from the Tacoma Art Museum daily through Jan. 11.

Tacoma Americana band Dixie Highway is up next at the ice rink, performing 7-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20. In the meantime, enjoy a few photos and a video (above) from Saturday's down home holiday hoedown with The Rusty Cleavers.

SEE ALSO

Words, photos and video from Shotgun Kitchen's live performance at Polar Plaza

Words, photos and video from SweetKiss Momma's live performance at Polar Plaza

Words, photos and a video from The Cottonwood Cutups' live performance at the Polar Plaza ice rink

The backstory and band schedule for the Weekly Volcano's Rhythm & Ice music series at the Franciscan Polar Plaza ice rink

Saturday night in downtown Tacoma children and adults danced on ice to "Field Sobriety Test." Rest assured, the Weekly Volcano isn't clever enough to be making this up. It happened. The crowd also danced to "Hopeless Love," "If Jesus Had A Gun" and chants of "Amphetamines." The band performing the songs, Shotgun Kitchen, crammed onto the stage of the Franciscan Polar Plaza outdoor ice rink for a weekly music series the Weekly Volcano likes to call "Rhythm & Ice: Down Home Holiday Hoedown." We can name it whatever we want. The Tacoma Art Museum asked us to produce the live music stage at the rink every Saturday night during its run. In conjunction with the "Art of the American West" exhibit across the street at the Tacoma Art Museum, we have booked seven Saturday nights of bluegrass, country rock and old-timey bands.

Saturday night, Tacoma's white trash soul band Shotgun Kitchen provided an awesome ice-skating soundtrack about white-trash-living and country-road-dying - performed with appealingly outlaw country-ish instrumentation and vocals. It was exciting music for butterfly jumps, cherry-flips and layback spins - but the music also inspired acrobatic moves such as the unstable skating, the fall, the skid and the mixed-gender collision. It was a hoot.

A big, thank you to Shotgun Kitchen and all who came out to watch the band and ice skate.

The Franciscan Polar Plaza ice rink at Tollefson Plaza hosts public ice skating sessions across the street from the Tacoma Art Museum daily through Jan. 11.

Tacoma punkgrass band The Rusty Cleavers is up next at the ice rink, performing 7-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13. In the meantime, enjoy a few photos and a video (above) from Saturday's down home holiday hoedown with Shotgun Kitchen.

SEE ALSO

Words, photos and video from SweetKiss Momma's live performance at Polar Plaza

Words, photos and a video from The Cottonwood Cutups' live performance at the Polar Plaza ice rink

The backstory and band schedule for the Weekly Volcano's Rhythm & Ice music series at the Franciscan Polar Plaza ice rink

You have to admire professional figure skaters. They squeeze themselves into skin-tight spandex jumpsuits and dance onto the ice in front of thousands of people - the women unconcerned about their thighs, the men fearless of shrinkage  - often accompanied by terrible show tunes and Cher remixes, all for a little bit of money and a Sunday afternoon television slot.

You won't find any of that Saturday nights at the Franciscan Polar Plaza ice rink. Nope, you'll find kids, middle and high schoolers, families, hipsters, date nighters and large groups of friends skating, laughing and falling on their asses to live, local music.

Last night, representatives from all categories hit the ice for an evening of laughs and rockin' music, thanks to SweetKiss Momma, the Southern rock band based in Puyallup. The band - hot off the heels of their Band In Seattle live taping (look for it in March on KSTW Channel 11) - took time away from planning their January/February European tour to perform songs off their lauded, Nashville-recorded CD, A Reckoning Is Coming, in front of ice skaters in downtown Tacoma.

It was a night of good sports. SweetKiss Momma performed with brand new guitarist Jack Parker. The band also braved temperatures in the mid-20s, shoving their hands in heat warmers so fingers wouldn't snap off. Ice skaters allowed SweetKiss lead singer Jeff Hamel to mess with them. He called out several skating direction changes throughout the night, and even stopped the action for a rousing game of Red Light, Green Light, which everyone joined in. Last, The band serenaded an 18-year-old woman who celebrated her birthday with a group of friends.

The frigid temperatures, holiday weekend and Apple Cup didn't prevent Polar Plaza from hosting the busiest day of ice-skating this season.

A big, WARM thank you to SweetKiss Momma and all who came out to watch the band and ice skate.

The Franciscan Polar Plaza ice rink at Tollefson Plaza hosts public ice skating sessions across the street from the Tacoma Art Museum daily through Jan. 11.

Tacoma Americana band Shotgun Kicthen is up next at the ice rink, performing 7-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. In the meantime, enjoy a few photos and a video from Saturday's down home holiday hoedown with SweetKiss Momma.

SEE ALSO

Words, photos and a video from The Cottonwood Cutups live performance at the Polar Plaza ice rink

The backstory and band schedule for the Weekly Volcano's Rhythm & Ice music series at the Franciscan Polar Plaza ice rink

Thanksgiving can be a difficult time for families struggling financially. The Yelm Food Cooperative is seeking to ease that burden for up to 125 local families during its annual "Feed a Family - Give the Gift of Gobble" campaign, which runs through the end of the month.

In its fifth year, the campaign raises money through donations, then purchases ingredients for a home-cooked turkey dinner for six, including a naturally grown turkey, organic vegetables and potatoes, stuffing mix, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, pie fixings and more.

"There's everything they need, even the onions and butter," said Andrea Levanti, outreach coordinator for the Yelm Food Cooperative.

The Thanksgiving dinner ingredients are delivered to nominated families by members of the cooperative, and the families prepare and enjoy the meals in their own homes and on their own schedule.

Last year, the co-op provided meals to 106 families, 20 of which were military. The organization is raising the bar this year and hopes to feed at least 125 families, including 25 military families.

To do this, the organization needs to raise at least $8,000. A contribution of just $65 provides ingredients for a hearty Thanksgiving meal for a family of six - with leftovers. All contributions - from individuals as well as area businesses - are welcome and appreciated.

In addition to raising funds, the co-op is looking for families who could benefit from the program this Thanksgiving. 

"We try to reach all parts of the community through Gift of Gobble, including people facing financial hardship, or people dealing with a serious illness or a death in the family," Levanti said. "We also support organizations that are dedicated every day to helping others, like churches, at a time of year when there's so much need that they can readily identify."

If you know of a family in need, nominate them by sending an email to yelmfoodcoop@gmail.com. The deadline to nominate families is Nov. 17.

The Yelm Food Cooperative is a nonprofit, 501 c(3) that includes the Yelm Food Cooperative, the Yelm Farmers Market and the Community Food Education and Community Gardens Programs. It works to create a "vibrant state of health for everyone by providing ways to obtain clean, wholesome and natural foods," Levanti said. Members strive to support a network of local, community and regional environmentally responsible farmers and small-scale sustainable food sources through farmer's markets, community gardens and more.

For more information about nominating a family or contributing to this year's Gift of Gobble, send an email to yelmfoodcoop@gmail.com or stop by the Yelm Food Co-op at 308 Yelm Ave. E., inside Gordon's Garden Center, in Yelm.

Military families needed!

Do you know a military family struggling financially this Thanksgiving? Is your battalion or unit looking for ways to help its soldiers? The Yelm Food Co-op would like to help.

"It's a priority for us to include many military families," Levanti said, "to show in some small way how much we appreciate what they do for all of us."

To nominate a servicemember or for more information about partnering with the Yelm Food Co-op to help soldiers in your unit, email yelmfoodcoop@gmail.com. Hurry! The deadline for nominations is Nov. 17.

Veterans Day can be described simply as the day set aside to honor our country's veterans.

"This is about service, about the sacrifices that give us our rights, liberty and environment," explained Lt. Gen. Stephen Lanza this afternoon to the student body of St. Francis Cabrini School.

Invited by the school to speak, the commander of I Corps at Joint Base Lewis-McChord arrived with his wife, Madeline, and without an entourage.

The first person he shook hands with was a veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

"Thank you for your service," Lanza said.

Soon surrounded by students wearing red, white and blue and waving flags, Lanza spoke about the need to remember the service and sacrifices of our nation's veterans. 

"This day of honor began on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918," he began.

During his remarks, a couple of first- and second-graders asked questions.

Without breaking stride and wearing a big smile, Lanza took the time to answer their questions - but with an enduring message to his young audience.

In talking about those who have sworn an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution, Lanza closed by quoting President John Kennedy.

"A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers."

Veterans Day is always officially observed on Nov. 11, the anniversary of the signing of the treaty that ended World War I in 1918. Originally called Armistice Day, it was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all American military veterans and their service.

On Saturday, the city of Auburn held its annual Veterans Day Parade. This year, the observance paid special tribute to the Military Order of the Purple Heart while also recognizing the 49 years that Auburn has honored veterans with its celebration and parade.

"It's very important for us to be here and show the community that we are both soldiers and citizens," said Sgt. 1st Class Duane Cruz, marketing manager for the Washington National Guard's Recruiting and Retention Battalion. "All of these guys who come out and dedicate their time are volunteers and eagerly do these events to show their own support, inform the public of what they do, and thank the community for all of their continued support."

Auburn has been designated by the Veterans Day National Committee and the U.S.  Department of Veterans Affairs as a regional site for celebrating Veterans Day. The parade has been hosted in Auburn since 1965 and is now one of the largest Veterans Day parades in the United States.

It focuses on honoring the country's veterans and active-duty military personnel, as well as honoring their military missions defending freedom around the world, such as World War I.

The 2014 Auburn Veterans Day Parade wasn't just about military vehicles traveling down a mile strip, however. The celebration was a daylong event and included an American Legion breakfast, static displays and seven exhibit showcases, a Remembrance Ceremony and the traditional Lighting of the Flame, the parade, a marching band competition, a veteran's luncheon and the Auburn VFW Post #1741 Open House. The day's celebrations concluded with Sweet Swing! A Tribute to Veterans, a one-of-a-kind show held in the Auburn Avenue Theater.

Before the actual parade started, a pancake breakfast was provided by American Legion Post #78, and a Remembrance Ceremony and Lighting of the Flame event took place at Veterans Memorial Park. 

Jim Sims of the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) was the parade's grand marshal. This year's parade theme was the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

With more than 200 individual military units participating and more than 20,000 spectators, it is apparent that the event continues to grow in the Pacific Northwest. The general public even had an opportunity to walk down a street loaded with military vehicles and equipment and could even climb a rock wall courtesy of the Washington National Guard.

Later in the day, during the Auburn Noon Lions Club Luncheon, the Joint Services Support Directorate of the Washington National Guard received the 2014 Service Team Award from the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs for, "Outstanding Service to Veterans and their Families."

Along with the team award, four Distinguished Service Awards were given to individuals who excelled in supporting veterans, one of whom was Robin Baker, manager of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord's Army Career and Alumni Program.

"A lot of people don't really know what we do, so it's nice to share some information about what we do and the equipment we use," said Spec. Justin Near from the 110th Chemical Battalion at JBLM. The unit conducts site exploitation, which is when service members use detector equipment to determine what exactly is on any particular site.

"We have detector information here used to detect radiation and chemical warfare agents. That way we can keep ourselves and our sites safe," Near said. "I think it gives the public a sense of security to see us out here, and we're honored to assist."

LINK: More photos from the 49th Annual Auburn Veterans Day Parade

MONDAY, NOV. 10 2014 >>>

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

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

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

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

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

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