FRIDAY, NOV. 12, 2010 >>>

1. This one's so big they're literally going to shut down the street in front of the Capitol Theater. Help launch the 27th Annual Olympia Film Festival in style beginning at 5 p.m. at its Opening Night Gala. Acrobats, artists, dancers, freaks, psychics and geeks are promised - along with the unmatchable Romanteek and a showing of Fritz Lang's ultra-classic Metropolis. It's going to rule. Trust us. And it kicks off nine days of Olympia Film Fest magic.

2. The Tacoma Weavers' Guild celebrates its 75 anniversary with a huge textile show opening today inside Handforth Gallery and historical displays in the Northwest Room - both at the Tacoma Public Library Main Branch from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. What originated around campfires hundreds and thousands of years ago lives on as an important art form. And the Tacoma Weavers' Guild's show isn't just for weavers. It's really for anyone that loves fiber. And we're not talking about Wheaties, folks.

3. Poet Jody Zorgdrager will take the spotlight at 7 p.m. for the monthly Distinguished Writer Series gathering inside King's Books. After Zorgdrager demonstrates why she's been published in numerous journals, the floor opens up for everyone to lay some words down.

4. Comedian Geoff Lott performs at 8:30 pm. inside the Big Whisky Saloon as part of the Tacoma Comedy Underground show.

5. Rare Groove, a night of intelligent soul, funk, jazz and rare grooves spun by DJs Bobby Galaxy and dAb every second Friday of the month, kicks off at 9 p.m. inside the Tempest Lounge.

LINK: The Furniture Series dance performance is in The Weekend Hustle

LINK: Tacoma Art at Work events

LINK: Concerts go on sale today

LINK: New movies open today

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

THURSDAY, NOV. 11, 2010 >>>

1. If you can't say it in 6 minutes and 40 seconds, don't say it at all. That's the theory behind Pecha Kucha, a sort of mini lecture series that started in 2003 when Tokyo architects invented it to make their PowerPoint presentations less dreadful. Tacoma's version of Pecha Kucha Night - volume 8 - hits the Harmon Taproom at 5:30 p.m. featuring some of PK's favorite past presenters. Michael Sullivan, Derek Lunde, Michael Stoddard, Antonio Edwards, Jeremy Gregory, Kris Crews, Patricia Lecy-Davis and Geoff Weeg.

2. The Tacoma Freedom Fair Patriotic Pizza Party to raise funds for the Fourth of July celebration runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Round Table Pizza locations in Tacoma and University Place. The Round Table franchises are a big supporter and has committed a large percent of today's sales to support next year's Freedom Fair.

3. As in conjunction with their Street Botany show, Maria Jost and Bobby Smith will discuss their art and ecology in reference to, and possibly inside, their recently installed geodesic dome interpretive center at 6 p.m. inside Fulcrum Gallery.

4. Chandler O'Leary is kind of infatuated with Mt. Rainier - and this is a good thing. For one, it resulted in Local Conditions, O'Leary's interactive book. With 120 image flats and a viewing box, Local Conditions allows readers to literally create millions of Rainier-related scenes. From 7-9 p.m. O'Leary will chat about her work and love of the mountain in Room 020 in the Collins Memorial Library's basement.

5. DJ Toner spins vintage rock and soul beginning at 8 p.m. inside The Brotherhood Lounge in Olympia.

LINK: It's Art at Work month!

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

WEDENSDAY, NOV. 10, 2010 >>>

1. Farrelli's Wood Fire Pizza in Lacey wants wishes the South Sound would turn into a giant snow globe, sealed off and insulated from the rest of the world - but with a whole lotta beer drinking and pizza eating going on. To help prepare for such an event, they'll host a Prepare For Winter Party at 7 p.m. featuring a bunch of Fish Tale Ales, Leavenworth Biers and Alpine Experience, plus ski and snowboard flicks and raffle prizes. We like how they think.

2. While the suits put the final touches on their morning presentations, the kids will head for a mini-wacky-wiki-Waikiki inside The Den at urbanXchange in downtown Tacoma. The Tropical Trio will lay down some kitschy-koo Hawaiian fusion for some mongrel carefree vacation sensation from 4-6 p.m. Humahumunookienookie bitches!

3. The Tacoma Food Co-op and University of Puget Sound Sustainability Advisory Committee presents a special viewing of the documentary King Corn at 6 p.m. in the Rausch Auditorium inside McIntyre Hall on the University of Puget Sound campus in Tacoma. The event is free, however any donations to the Tacoma Food Co-op would be cool.

4. Botanical busybody David Douglas was attacked by millions of stinging nettles as he explored the Pacific Northwest in the 19th century. He didn't care. He discovered hundreds of western plants, most notably the iconic Douglas Fir. Author Jack Nisbet documents his journeys through forests and marshes, up mountains and across rivers in his book The Collector: David Douglas and the Natural History of the Northwest. At 7 p.m. inside Wheelock Library in the Proctor District, Nisbet will discuss and sign the book.

5. Rock the Dock Pub & Grill's Old School College Wednesdays features DJ Contagious spinning '80s dance tunes. It sometimes gets nutty at Old School College Wednesdays. See what we mean here.

LINK: Lots of Art at Work events today

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

SATURDAY, NOV. 6, 2010 >>>

1. Justin Hillgrove's Tim-Burton-meets-Edward-Gorey sense of fantasy can be seen at his solo show Black and White And Read All Over at the Mineral gallery. His love of literature, pop music and cinema pop up through a phantasmagorical cast of characters. If you haven't seen the show, today would be the day as Hillgrove will paint live with his buddy Mike Capp from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. inside Mineral.

2. Experience how everyday works of art played an important part of the life of mid-1800's. Fort Nisqually re-enactors and artisans demonstrate spinning, silversmithing, blacksmithing, woodworking, open-fire cooking and Native American basketweaving from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Experience what life was like in the 1800s (hint: they, too, couldn't stand the goddamn rain).

3. The second annual fundraising extravaganza that is Dancing with the Tacoma Stars is obviously a riff on not one but two popular TV shows. But who cares about originality when you can see Marilyn Strickland attempt the foxtrot? Raising money for Tacoma Musical Playhouse, tonight's Dancing with the Tacoma Stars at 5:30 p.m. inside the Temple Theater (akin to both "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dancing with the Stars," with local celebs learning the ropes from Studio 6 Ballroom) will be a production you don't even have to bus the seniors in for. It'll be entertaining as hell.

4. Tacoma's theater company Gold from Straw opens the comedy Almost, Maine by John Cariani at 8 p.m. inside the Theatre on the Square.

5. The newly-built Gruv Lounge and Nightclub at Sixth and Proctor is expertly decorated: a chic bar, colorful-yet-unobtrusive lighting, a high-ceilinged dance floor adjacent to private karaoke rooms with comfortable seating. Gruv manager Calvin Murphy, who launched his DJ conglomerate Ocean Grooves in the same space in 1999 when it was the 6th & Proctor Bar & Grill, will reunite three DJs who spun in the same building 11 years ago - Donald Glaude, Omar and dAb - beginning at 9 p.m.

LINK: Art at Work Tacoma Studio Tours details in The Weekend Hustle

LINK: Warren Miller's Wintervention information in The Prefunk

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

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

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Mostly cloudy with a shower, hi 56, lo 44

Saturday: Mostly cloudy with a little rain, hi 57, lo 52

Sunday: Mutha fuckin' rain, hi 52, lo 39

>>> FRIDAY, NOV. 5: DANCE OLY DANCE

It's the first Friday of the month and that means only one thing: Dance Oly Dance. Head on over to TCTV Studio A on Olympia's Westside and dance to Hannah Montana, Black Flag, La Roux, Major Lazer, B-52's, Q-Tex, 7 Seconds, Hollywood Kill Krew and other local and national songs – on TV! As always, DJ PhilosoBitch spins the groove.

• TCTV Studio A, 8-9 p.m., 440 Yauger Way SW, Suite C, Olympia

>>> SATURDAY, NOV. 6-SUNDAY, NOV. 7: ART AT WORK TACOMA STUDIO TOURS

Some people just make you curious. You want to see how their minds work, what their thought processes are. You want to go through their stuff. Now's your chance. Tacoma Studio Tours - part of the bitchin' cool Tacoma Art at Work month - offers you the chance to see where artists (some of the most fascinating people among us, and with the most interesting stuff) work, as well as how they work. See how Amy Reeves works her metal magic, or what RR Anderson has in his Holistic Forge Works museum. It's a nosy, artistically inclined person's dream!

• Greater Tacoma area (click here for map), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., free, more information here

>>> SUNDAY, NOV. 7: DIA DE LOS MUERTOS COMMUNITY FESTIVAL

It may seem weird that in Mexico, bus drivers decorate their buses with skeletons or that children feast on skull-shaped candies at funerals. Mexicans aren't death-obsessed, but as the Web site Mexico OnLine (explains, "[T]hey recognize it, mock it, even defy it. Death is part of life and, as such, it's representative of the Mexican spirit and tradition which says, 'Don't take anything lying down-even death!'"

The holiday was Nov. 2, but the Tacoma Art Museum is bringing it back to life with a Dia de los Muertos community festival Sunday. Kiddies (and the young at heart) will love sugar skull decorating, mask-making, live music, traditional foods, the tapete and checking out more than a dozen altars created by community members. Everyone can celebrate the cost - it's all free.

• Tacoma Art Museum, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., then car parade to Centro Latino, free, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.4258

>>> WHERE OUR STAFF IS GOING

MATT DRISCOLL Editor and Self-made Hundredaire
I'll be dropping by the Northwest Convergence Zone podcast Sunday for my monthly visit with Darrell and the gang. I got real high a few months back and dreamed up this alt-sport/entertainment column - Cup Check. Amazingly it managed to come to fruition, as you may have noticed online or in the classified section of the print Volcano. Now I go on the Convergence Zone once a month and pimp the thing, which typically results in some pretty entertaining podcast fun.

STEPH DEROSA: COLUMNIST
Since I'm feeling a little generous (or a little drunk), I plan on giving you a peek into not only my weekend plans -  but through next week's plans as well.  Today I leave for Westport with Mr. DeRosa, Kris Blondin, and her significant other, Chilly D.  Returning Sunday evening after enjoying copious amounts of fresh seafood, smelly cheese, evening clam digs, horrible dancing, sand in the buttcrack, and red wine, I plan on laying low Monday and Tuesday only to revisit DeRosa Manor pt. Deux in Westport for the remainder of the week.  Oh, and sometime in there I'm going to watch the movie Halloween because I've never seen it.  I'm also going to start calling Kris Blondin "Kriserilla".  Let's see if I can get it to catch on.

REV. ADAM MCKINNEY Features Wirter
Another weekend spent at the New Frontier. Tonight, I'll be catching a couple of my favorite local bands, the Makeup Monsters and Humble Cub. Tomorrow, of course, it'll be a full night of garage rock for Sonic Shakedown, with proceeds going to the American Diabetes Association.

NIKKI TALOTTA Features Writer
Tonight, I'm busting ass at the bar, Saturday, I'm making bacon potato chowder and eating as much of it as possible, sopping up the bottom of the bowl with sourdough rolls, and Sunday I'm watching cartoons and sleeping. There you have it folks, my fabulous weekend plans.

JOE IZENMAN Music/Theater Critic
While I'm busily watching The Hangover on DVD and recent release Due Date in a theater somewhere, I shall devote equal time convincing people that if they REALLY want to see Zack Galifianakis being awesome, they should go to The Grand Cinema for It's Kind Of A Funny Story. Do it. Really.

KRIS BLONDIN Food/Wine Writer
Hangin' in Westport with the DeRosa gang ALL weekend. Razor clam diggin', food, booze, and oh, so much leftover Halloween candy. You don't even know.  

JENNIFER JOHNSON: Lifestyle/Leisure Writer
I'm headed to the Sanford and Son grand opening party for "Get Well Tacoma" tonight at 7 p.m. after 6 p.m. yoga at Serenity on St. Helens. Saturday, I'll pick apples in Nisqually, check out "New Collection Event," head to Gig Harbor for tasty-as-heck teppanyaki, drop by La Fondita for some karaoke fun and swing in to Tempest to hear some smooth grooves. Sunday, I'm off to the Dia de los Muertos celebration at TAM followed by church dinner and fireside.

CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL: Theater Critic
I'm seeing How I Learned to Drive (Prodigal Sun Productions) and Cradle Will Rock (UPS), plus helping my sister and brother-in-law celebrate the grand re-opening of their barbecue restaurant, Smoking Mo's, in Union. Smoked meat for everyone!

STEVE DUNKELBERGER Meat Market Correspondent
It is a kiddo weekend for this single dad: Fall Youth Theatre performances at Lakewood Playhouse. Sunday, it's off to the Suffrage Centennial Tea inside the State Capital Museum. This historic event will come alive at the reenactment of a Pink Tea, which were held as fronts for suffrage activities in the early 1900s.

ALEC CLAYTON: Visual Arts Critic
 Going to see How I Learned to Drive at the Midnight Sun in Olympia. 

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

FRIDAY, NOV. 5, 2010 >>>

1. While the Weekly Volcano loves shopping in a boutqiue as much as the next girl, there's nothing like the rush we get from uncovering a hidden treasure at a local fashion party. So after you've thumbed through Vogue, Nylon, Elle, or wherever you go for your style fix, check the Ethereal Showcase at 8:30 p.m. in Tacoma's Opera Alley (729 Court C). The evening centers around the launch of Athena Renee Artistry, a local female owned business that excels at makeup services. When you're not having your face done at Ethereal, you'll enjoy the MLK Ballet troupe, burlesque, a fashion show featuring six local designers - including Vixens, Halter Hotties and Lisa Fruichantie - and music spun by Flat Black, Broam and Trevor Dickson. The $55 price tag includes cocktails with proceeds benefiting MLK Ballet.

2. The conceit of this production of Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare's bloodiest and most incoherent of plays, is that Shakespeare In the Parking Lot Theatre Company doesn't present the play in a parking lot but rather an empty storefront as part of Spaceworks Tacoma. Titus All Rightus! Check it out at 8 p.m. at 913 Pacific Ave. in downtown Tacoma.

3. Picture shoppers dancing in the street, vendors humming a tune as they weigh their shiny apples and L&I agents stomping toward smelly fish stands, tapping their clipboards to the beat. Sound absurd? Don't be too quick to discount it; this shit's totally going down at 8 p.m. inside the Rialto Theater. Tacoma Opera presents Gaetano Donizetti's comic opera of love and love potions The Elixir of Love - a bright and colorful comedy for these dull, rainy days. The story concerns peasant boy Nemorino's abject helplessness after he is  love-struck by the rich (and seemingly unattainable) village girl, Adina. To make matters worse, the local army sergeant, Belcore, also has his sights on the lovely Adina, making Nemorino's quest seem ever more futile.

4. The strength of a play cannot rely on a good script alone. Likewise, good actors cannot make up for terrible writing. Thankfully, eleemosynary, hitting the Tacoma Little Theatre stage at 8 p.m., features a great script with a trio of delightfully talented actors bringing it to life. Written by Lee Blessing, eleemosynary alternates between narration and dialogue to tell the story of three generations of women. It is a smartly written script that covers the range of emotions and family experiences. Read a full review of the show here.

5. The formula looks something like this: One part gay-friendly Hilltop club staring its fifth anniversary right in the face; two parts tasty cocktails; three parts remixes, mashups and electro messes; one part back patio with heat lamps; one part soul music expert DJ Bobby Galaxy; one part DJ Broam hot off his Tacoma Arts Commission Amocat Award; one part DJ Chrome Diego; three parts sparkling clean bathrooms; one part awesome. The sum equals First Friday dance party at 9 p.m. inside the Tempest Lounge.

LINK: It's Art at Work month!

LINK: Concerts go on sale today

LINK: New movies open

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

THURSDAY, NOV. 4, 2010 >>>

1. Chandler O'Leary is kind of infatuated with Mt. Rainier - and this is a good thing. For one, it resulted in Local Conditions, O'Leary's interactive book. With 120 image flats and a viewing box, Local Conditions allows readers to literally create millions of Rainier-related scenes. The release of the book (a limited run of 26 hand-bound pieces of art) will be celebrated by an opening reception at UPS Collins Memorial Library from 4:30-6:30 p.m., which is kicking off a solo O'Leary exhibition at UPS through January.

2. November marks the ninth anniversary of Art at Work: Tacoma Arts Month - a community celebration of the arts that includes hundreds of community-hosted arts and cultures events, exhibits and workshops, taking place daily throughout the month - packaged by the Tacoma Art Commission. Once again, the Weekly Volcano is a proud sponsor of the celebration. The whole kit and kaboodle officially kicks off tonight at 6 p.m. with an "Opening Celebration" at the Tacoma Art Museum. The event will include the AMOCAT award ceremony for Oliver Doriss, Fab-5 and Urban Grace Church., performances by the Tacoma Youth Symphony, Tacoma Opera, Tacoma Symphony, and Tacoma Musical Playhouse, the TAM galleries will be open – which includes Mighty Tacoma, hors d'oeuvres, dessert, and a no-host bar.

3. The Tacoma Science Café kicks off its monthly science chat, over beers, with University of Washington Tacoma research scientist Julie Masura at 7 p.m. inside the Harmon Brewery and Eatery. Masura - huge into microplastics studies - will discuss how these teeny tiny particles are destroying our oceans.

4. Tacoma's theater company Gold from Straw opens the comedy Almost, Maine by John Cariani at 8 p.m. inside the Theatre on the Square.

5. The Big Wheel Steakhouse and Lounge in Parkland hosts "Ladies Club Nite Out" with DJ J-Fresh beginning at 9 p.m.

LINK: It's Art at Work month!

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

MONDAY, NOV. 1, 2010 >>>

1. Are you looking for a place to satisfy your unquenchable desire to dance? Check out the open adult ballet class at 7:15 p.m. inside the Urban Grace Church. It's pay what you can. It's also dance what you can.

2. Halloween is dead. People are now dragging out the Christmas lights and hanging mistletoe. Rehashings of Christmas standards by the likes of Mathis, Streisand, Jerry Vale - even that damn "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" - will soon fill ever second of our lives. Don't fight it. The Northwest Repertory Singers will rehearse their Christmas concert at 7 p.m. inside the Mason United Methodist Church. Surely, these songs will make us see the error of our Scrooge-y ways! At the very least, it will drive us to the same point of insanity, where it's always 1955 and sugarplums not only dance, but hold 9-to-5 jobs and vote (Republican, natch).

3. Folk music rules at the Mandolin Café tonight. First Garret Gue fills the Tacoma cafe with progressive folk from 7-8 p.m. Then, Pete Mason follows with a little more down-tempo at 8 p.m.

4. The Greta Jane Quartet will fill the Royal Lounge in Olympia with jazz beginning at 8 p.m.

5. DJ Jason Diamond spins roots reggae during Rebel Monday/Industry Night at O'Malley's Irish Pub beginning at 9 p.m.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

SATURDAY, OCT. 30, 2010 >>>

1. What does a costume party on South Tacoma Way look like? You'll want to check out Stonegate Pizza tonight to find out. Frequent bill companions Big Wheel Stunt Show, Brotherhood of the Black Squirrel, SweetKiss Momma and Vile Red Falcons will be rocking the crap out of Stonegate's Halloween themed Saturday night extravaganza. In addition to the rock - served classic and searing - expect a hotly contested costume contest with a $200 "Best Costume" prize. We'll be going dressed as the men of "The Men of Puyallup" beefcake calendar. Wait?! What? SweetKiss Momma beat us to it? Crap.

2. With all of us Generation X and Y-ers who used to listen to Offspring now having offspring, it's important that we have an alternative to the usual Barney or Bob the Builder ditties. Good thing there's Caspar Babypants. Caspar Babypants is fun. Caspar Babypants rocks. And Caspar Babypants is Chris Ballew, co-founder of the Presidents of the United States of America. He's in Oly today, playing Wind Up Here Toy Store at 11 a.m. and the Loft on Cherry at 4:30 p.m.

3. Find out if all that old stuff your grandma left you when she died on that whitewater rafting trip is worth anything. Or just drink wine. It's the Tacoma Community House Antique Craft and Wine Fest tonight.

4. Honestly, if you're in Oly, you know what to do. It's Night of the Living Tribute Bands. L7, Heart, Pat Benetar - the list is incredible as usual. There's a reason this thing's an Olympia institution. Check into the Capitol Theater at 8 p.m.

5. We let the Rev. Adam McKinney write a blurb about Dead Man's Feast tonight at The New Frontier. Turns out he knows nothing about electronic music. In fact, it turns out none of us do. Except maybe Jason Baxter, because that guys just kind of a show off. Anyway, luckily the always-astute Tacoma icon Laura Eklund showed up in the comment section of Adam's blurb to set the record straight. We have no idea what she's talking about, but she's surely correct. To quote:

FYI: Dub Step, Drum and Bass, Folk Glitch and House are all different types/styles of techno music. As far as I know none of the DJ's playing at Deadman's Feast will be spinning House music. So if you're really into House or Side Trance or Speed Garage you might be disappointed because you won't be hearing any of that. There will be some awesome Folk Glitch, Dub Step and Drum and Bass though.

Thanks, Laura!

Got that, everyone? Good. New Frontier tonight, people.

LINK: More good stuff in the Weekend Hustle

LINK: Check The Prefunk for the scoop on the BroHo's Halloween Bash tonight

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

SATURDAY, OCT. 23, 2010 >>>

1. The Robert Daniel Gallery in Tacoma is relocating. To send the cool art space off in style DJs Dizzy Dave, Big Chuck, Bilori, Chris Savenetti, DefCon1, Nitren, Matinee Cowboy and Altern8nrg will spin beginning at 9 p.m. The Doom Clap, a live drum and DJ duo that step on the dub, will also be part of this "Out With A Bang!" show.

2. Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) arrives early at the Tacoma Art Museum as community groups create ofrendas (altars for departed loved ones) upstairs and artists create traditional tapete (sand-painting) downstairs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

3. Tacoma's Dockyard Derby Dames roller derby league presents its All Stars Bout #4 at 5 p.m. inside Pierce College in Lakewood. While this is an all-ages event, there is a beer garden.

4. In celebration of Arts Crush, 2 Ravens Studio (2502 Commerce St., Tacoma) presents "Three Ravens At Two Ravens" with master storyteller Rebecca Hom sharing three raven stories of Northwest origins from 7-9 p.m.  Free admission for all ravens.

5. The Top of Tacoma Bar and Café continues its third-anniversary celebration with a free 9 p.m. show featuring CFA Disarmed (which is the acoustic-sexy version of the regular, high octane CFA), DickEd and Looking for Lizards? (Carl Zook along with Damien Simard, also rocking acoustics).

LINK: The Reaper Ride is tonight.

LINK: Tacoma Holiday Food & Gift Festival in our Prefunk

LINK: Hoot ‘N' Howl, Black Cat Five-Mile Fun Run, Friends Book Sale and salsa dancing in our Weekend Hustle

LINK: Concerts go on sale today

LINK: Taste some wine

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound