WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27, 2010 >>>

1. Dancer and author Maggie Kast will read from her new book, The Crack between the Worlds: a dancer's memoir of loss, faith and family at 6 p.m. inside Orca Books.

2. The Tacoma Home and Garden Show kicks off today with more than 500 exhibits, display gardens and a full schedule of "how-to" seminars promise to inspire and inform the do-it-yourselfer from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. inside the Tacoma Dome.

3. The CLAW's (Cartoonists League of Absurd Washingtonians) monthly Open Swim doodling session - open to adult members and non-members - begins at 7:30 p.m. inside the Mandolin Café. Tonight's theme? You guessed it - Robots!

4. Masa Comida Mexicana hosts Golf Pros Rehab Party where every is encourage to dress like golf pros and hos and dance before DJ Niros like you just don't care beginning at 9 p.m.

5. Hell's Kitchen hosts Mic Control: The Emcee Battle featuring Sawchosiz, D-Hustle, Mak Noah and Unique at 9 p.m.

SUZY STUMP: HO HO HO A GO GO >>>

Here's the scene: It's getting late on Christmas night, the orgy of gift giving was over hours ago, and you have eaten enough to hibernate through the winter. Grandpa Freddy's head is beginning to bob, the Parcheesi game is coming out — and you are all out of spiked eggnog. Now is the time to get your young, vibrant self out of the family room and on to the dance floor. Now is the time to go to Lakewood.

Two clubs are open tonight featuring DJs in Santa hats and Naughty Little Ho Ho Hos with goodies for the naughty and the nice.

Happy Days Casino, Christmas Day DJ Dance, no cover, 9 p.m.

Last Call Bar, Christmas Day Party with DJ C-Luv spinning old skool, hip-hop, dance, Top 40, $5, ladies no cover, 8 p.m. $5.

MICHAEL SWAN: HAVE YOU DANCED YET? >>>

It's Dance Oly Dance time this Friday. The OlyBlog has details.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: MUSIC IN THE SOUTH SOUND TONIGHT >>>

After Thanksgiving, we can think of no better way to detune and unpressurize than to club hop. Don't know what to do tonight? Don't worry, we have you covered.

During the past 17 years as an international DJ, Lakewood-grown Donald Glaude has been responsible for seeding vibrant musical landscapes for audiences up and down the West Coast. He's back in his hometown tonight spinning with dAb, Omar and J-Fresh at The Swiss.

The one-man-folk-band thing is getting a wee-bit played out. That said, Ghostwriter is NOT played out - and the shtick is anything but boring. While Steve Schecter - the man who is Ghostwriter - has the country-fried, chicken feather bit down - there's also a gloominess to what he does that keeps things interesting. Check it for yourself tonight at The New Frontier with Brotherhood of the Black Squirrel and the Fun Police.

Hell's Kitchen continues its string of final shows at its Sixth Avenue location with all-female AC/DC tribute band Hell's Belles headlining with The Jet City Fix and Witchburn at 9 p.m.

MICHAEL "STANDISH" SWAN: THURSDAY, NOV. 26, 2009 >>>

1. Centre at Norpoint hosts a Turkey Trot featuring a 5K run, 2-mile walk, a kid's dash (ages 3-8) and a wheelchair division beginning at 9 a.m.

2. Fantasy Lights - the largest drive-through display of lights in the Northwest - opens tonight, 5:30-9 p.m., at Spanaway Park.

3. Gay-friendly Jake's On 4th in Olympia hosts a Thanksgiving DJ Spin-Off with DJ Becca and a Super-Secret Seattle Guest DJ at 8 p.m.

4. DJ Luvva J spins at Jezebels Bar & Grill during "YES" night beginning at 9 p.m.

5. Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn hosts ShoTyme at 8:30 p.m.

MICHAEL SWAN: THURSDAY, NOV. 19, 2009 >>>

1. South Puget Sound Community College art faculty - including Carol Hannum's work pictured above - is showcasing its wide range of works in a show opening today in the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts Gallery. Check it out from noon to 4 p.m.

2. Creative writing students of Tacoma's School Of The Arts will read their poetry and prose as part of Writers Bloc at 7 p.m. inside King's Books.

3. The newly remastered 1982 Godfrey Reggio film Koyaanisqatsi will screen at 7:30 p.m. inside the Washington Center.

4. The semi-finalists for 30th Annual Seattle International StandUp Comedy Competition will hit the Liberty Theatre stage at 8 p.m.

5. Fulcrum Gallery hosts a fundraiser featuring MC Alleon, Bobby Galaxy, Sax & Synth and DJ Broam at 9 p.m.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

JOSE S. GUTIERREZ JR.: THE KAOS BLOCK PARTY HELLA HYPE SHOW >>>

A dope hip-hop show is truly a treat.

Oh, here's one: DJ La Pointe has created one dope hip-hop show tonight to "hype" KAOS-FM's new Monday-Friday hip-hop programming - BLOCK PARTY. The Royal Lounge in Olympia will open its doors to this hella hype show featuring Harlem's own Zulu Nation OG and son of Afrika Bambataa, TC Izlam. 

TC Izlam is regarded as the father of the hip-step movement, an off-shoot hybrid of hip-hop, electronic and funk music.  The world-renown DJ will rock the show and make way for Olympia standout MC, Afrok along with female duo Canary Sing (Seattle), E-Real from legendary Tacoma representatives Black Anger, poet supreme Rajnii Eddins along with DJ La Pointe and me, LUVVA J, hosting the gig. 

Read my Live From I-5: Hip-Hop in the 25360 column for more information on KAOS-FM's new hip-hop programming.

[The Royal Lounge, Hella Hype Hip-Hop Show, Thursday, Nov. 5, 8-11 p.m., $5, 311 Capital Way, Olympia, 360.705.0760]

JENNIFER JOHNSON: BASS AT A SCARY PLACE >>>

More brains! More bass! Kip Hops, who has a twice-weekly radio program on KEXP, and veteran DJs dAb, D:FI, Suga Jones, Flat Black and Grym present Tacoma with a huge array of talent tonight.

Night of the Living Dub producer Matt Eklund of Pacific Fusion Productions shared via email that he’s super stoked for the DJ line up and also glad to be partnering with Lotus Inc. (Deron Suga Jones) to bring this full scale zombie party to Tacoma.

“All the music is strictly drum and bass, dubstep and raga,” says Jones, who sees Tacoma as “hungry” for a new sound.

Attending zombie partygoers will have plenty of musical “brains” to feed on. Non-stop chest and brain thumping bass, blazing visuals by DJ dAb, liquid potions, mingling with witches, vampires, ghouls, fiends, freaks defying description, and check it â€" Zombie Breakdancers.

It’s clear The Warehouse won’t be the scene of a typical house music party. 

MICHAEL SWAN: FRIDAY, OCT. 30 >>>

1. Arsenic and Old Lace - Joseph Kesselring's dark comedy about crazy aunts and poison starring Cary Grant - screens at 7:30 p.m. inside the Theatre on the Square.

2. Walk behind the scenes in an old ballet studio and see what kind of chills, thrills, and arabesques lurk as Tacoma City Ballet dancers are joined by the Bare Foot Collective - and maybe a couple of ghouls and goblins - in an interactive experience titled The Haunted Theatre: Backstage Tour and Eerie Dances at 5:30 and 7 p.m. at The Merlino Art Center.

3. Bring your kindergarten through sixth-grade kids out for Metro Parks Tacoma's Boo Bash, a safe night of trick-or-treating, from 6-8 p.m. at the South End Neighborhood Resource Center.

4. Vinum Coffee and Wine Lounge in downtown Tacoma throws a Halloween Party with games, prizes, costume contest and Brotherhood Of The Black Squirrel at 8 p.m.
 
5. Many Halloween parties in the clubs start tonight.

CONCERTS: On sale today

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

WEEKLY VOLCANO: FRIGHT NIGHT GUIDE >>>

The weekend of frights is upon us once again, and there are, as always, plenty of ways to spend the Devil's holiday. Below we list the links - it's up to you to decide where you'll go, and, of course, what you'll wear. Boo, South Sound.

LINK: Halloween Events

LINK: Friday Night Halloween Parties

LINK: Saturday Halloween Parties