MONDAY, SEPT. 2 2013 >>>

1. It's 8 p.m. on a quiet Labor Day Monday in Tacoma, but inside The New Frontier Lounge, the night is still cooking. Pianist Nate D., bassist Cameron and drummer Peter T. launch the city's newest jazz jam inviting talent to sit in with them as the house trio explores straight ahead, funk and space. Not all gigs qualify as a hang, but this one has the precise alchemy that could draw the area's best players: a high level of musicianship, a relaxed atmosphere and a sympathetic intergenerational crowd. Ask any working jazz musician, and the hang is what it's all about. Be a part of history. Join the inaugural Monday Jazz Jam from 8 to midnight at The New Frontier Lounge.

2. Ahhh yeah! It's that time of year! Time for getting it on! That's why Northwest Trek invites you to its "Get Out of the Rut Weekend," your chance to play peeping Tom on the breeding habits of moose, elk, deer and even sheep from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. You see, the "rut," refers to the breeding habits of hooved animals - and we all know hooved animals are the hottest of all! According to hype, "Watch and listen as they grunt, snort, bugle and spar. From wild romance to turbulent action, you won't want to miss this three-day kickoff to the most dramatic time of year at Northwest Trek." So hot.

3. NWCZ Radio's Monday radio show Mighty Mouth Blues will set up the mic inside Stonegate Pizza hosting Bex Marshall and The Delgado Brothers at 8 p.m.

4. Every Monday Jazzbones is packed to the brim with college kids. Party types. The type that wear tight shirts and trucker hats. Throngs of Chad Fratguys and Sarah Sororitysisters swarm the bar, line up for the bathroom and dance to the Rockaraoke - live band karaoke. The Rockaraoke band is skilled, too. Expect $2 PBR drafts, $3 Sinfire shots, $4 Smirnoff flavor vodka bombs.

5. The stereotype is racing through your head: Everyone is in all black, many are wearing dark and heavy eye make-up and every now and then, the DJ stops a tune with a vertebrae-shattering guitar riff for chants of, "Kill! Kill! Kill!" But O'Malley's new "Mondays For The Damned," is not some cartoon-like parody like you see in the movies. For the most part, the 9 p.m. Monday DJ night is just your typical above ground underground new wave, synth pop, goth, industrial and post-punk haven, and, if you're into it, it's one of the best places to find yourself in the company of the city's goth and industrial scene. Night Shift (Nicole and Aaron) and guest DJs will spin, while Rich Sumner screens videos and movies. Get dark over $3.25 micro brew pints and a pound of wings for $5.50.

LINK: Monday, Sept. 2 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SUNDAY, SEPT. 1 2013 >>>

1. We've raved about the Fab-5 and the L.I.F.E. Program plenty. For those not in the know, Fab-5 created the L.I.F.E. Program (Living In Free Expression) in 2005 as a means of providing "relevant creative outlets" for our area's young people. The L.I.F.E. Program is described as, "an intensive series of urban arts workshops designed to allow youth to develop and explore their unique voices through a variety of different mediums," like DJ-ing, breakdancing, visual arts and creative writing. From 4-8 p.m. at Tacoma's 21st Street Park, join L.I.F.E. and Fab-5 for AFTERLIFE, a celebration of the culmination of this year's L.I.F.E. Program, an event featuring a 2x2 breakdance competition, live painting graffiti fleet, art showcase, photo booth and more.

2. The Weekly Volcano is synonymous with fun, so there's no way we would ever let Olympia Harbor Days festival pass without trumpeting it. Why? Because we love the hell out of some tugboats. And if there's one thing Oly Harbor Days is synonymous with, it's tugboats. And history. And fun. Is there another way we could use the word synonymous in this blurb? Probably. But why push our luck. The important thing is that you head down to Oly's waterfront for the annual tugboat races, which go down at noon.

3. Harlequin Productions' Five Women Wearing The Same Dress is every inch a live situation comedy. Its jokes veer from issue to expected social issue. Much of its acting is in expository sitcom style. The show's language, topics, and brief implied nudity make it too hot for network TV. That's to be expected, as its playwright, Alan Ball, is known for Oscar winner American Beauty and two HBO dramas, Six Feet Under and True Blood. In all those scripts, the female characters' dialogue possesses a certain oratory cadence that sounds less like women conversing and more like Alan Ball delivering a statement. That said, Laura Hanson (as Trisha) elevates the material she was given. All six actors are well-cast as individuals. Catch the show at 2 p.m. Read Christian Carvajal's full review of Five Women Wearing The Same Dress in the Music and Culture section.

4. Paesan Kitchen and Bar's patio is a lovely spot to while away a weekend afternoon, sipping cocktails and old world red wine and watch condo residents walk their dogs. Come Sunday afternoon, tables mean nothing as resident DJ Mr. Melanin and rotating guests spin an eclectic and extremely tasteful selection of lounge, bossa nova and electro soul music 2-6 p.m. This quadruple threat of delicious pizza, booze, sun and hip tunes is known as Tacoma's only daytime summer party, "Dayclub."

5. Picture your perfect Sunday night: the drinks are flowing, the tunes are cranking and you and your friends are dancing it up, having a grand old time. Now picture that evening exactly the same except you are covered in foam. We are not talking about the type of foam that resembles squishy Nerf balls; this is foam that is caused by soap. Soapy foam! Jazzbones hosts Foam Fest 6 with Bring Tha Noize DJ Drummer Duo at 9 p.m. Bring your goggles.

LINK: Sunday, Sept. 1 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SATURDAY, AUG. 31 2013 >>>

1. Ahhh yeah! It's that time of year! Time for getting it on! That's why Northwest Trek invites you to its "Get Out of the Rut Weekend," your chance to play peeping Tom on the breeding habits of moose, elk, deer and even sheep. You see, the "rut," refers to the breeding habits of hooved animals - and we all know hooved animals are the hottest of all! According to hype, "Watch and listen as they grunt, snort, bugle and spar. From wild romance to turbulent action, you won't want to miss this three-day kickoff to the most dramatic time of year at Northwest Trek." So hot.

2. It's been said the quickest way to a geek's heart is through his or her USB 3.0 port, but that's not true. We pop-cultural enthusiasts occasionally do take a break from mainlining second breakfast, Hot Pockets, and fourthmeal to eat real food-by which, of course, we mean good old (Mexican-)American barbecue. A sustainable solutions group called Americans for a Better World, or AFABWorld for short, has been pitting pitmaster against pitmaster in runoff events all summer long. Now the time has come to step into the hickory-scented culinary Octagon and see whose cuisine reigns supreme. Four tongs enter! Two tongs leave! Beginning with a chili cookoff at 11 a.m., Columbus Park will host a saucy, porcine Labor Day massacre. There's plenty of live entertainment, and yes, there will be tastings until 5 p.m.

3. The Tacoma/Pierce County hip-hop community and the Z53 Zulu Nation (Tacoma Chapter) host a Back 2 School Jam from noon to 5 p.m. at the D.A.S.H. Center in recognition of education and community. Today is an opportunity to learn about the Z53 Chapter and Zulu Nation, donate food and clothing, experience live graffiti, live DJs, live B-Boys/Girls, live open-mic along with haircuts, face-painting, free school supplies - all for free.

4. The Black Door Wine Company in Tacoma's Proctor District will be hosting a wine tasting from 4-6 p.m. Featured wines will include flavors from the Greek, Santorinian, Macedonian and Cretian regions. Sip and smell like you have travel plans. Bottles will be onsite to purchase and the Black Door team is delightfully knowledgeable when it comes to wine. Tickets are $5 to attend.

5. From the Lindbergs to O.J. Simpson, America loves a high-profile murder trial. And why not? What could be more theatrical than a gruesome case presented by suave attorneys with celebrity witnesses? Such a trial is satirized in the steamy award-winning musical Chicago, which kicks off its national tour Saturday in Tacoma at 7:30 p.m. You've seen the movie, but do you really need to experience a touring musical production of Chicago? The deal-clincher could be the presence of the one and only John O'Hurley - known to many as the catalog-company entrepreneur J. Peterman on Seinfeld - in the role of Billy Flynn. Even if you didn't know he won on the television show Dancing with the Stars, the mental image of Peterman belting "All I Care About Is Love" from behind his corporate desk is too sweet. Before catching the vaudevillian circus of greed, corruption and violence, be sure to join the Broadway Sizzle, a communal table dinner in the heart of Tacoma on Broadway before the show.

LINK: Saturday, Aug. 31 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

FRIDAY, AUG. 30 2013 >>>

1. If you're a geek of a certain age or, for that matter, anyone who loves cinematic comedy, you know exactly what happens when someone says the name "Frau Blücher." You know how to bring home the chorus of "Puttin' on the Ritz." You know who made a yummy sound, and you suspect Mel Brooks's 1974 masterpiece Young Frankenstein may be one of the greatest comedies in American cinema history. Whether you've seen it or not, we insist you follow your grentfadda's footshtops to the Washington State Capital Museum, at 9 p.m. where "Movies at the Mansion" presents an outdoor screening of the film. If it's brisk that night, some varm milk, perhaps?

2. The Weekly Volcano is synonymous with fun, so there's no way we would ever let Olympia Harbor Days festival pass without trumpeting it. Why? Because we love the hell out of some tugboats. And if there's one thing Oly Harbor Days is synonymous with, it's tugboats. And history. And fun. Is there another way we could use the word synonymous in this blurb? Probably. But why push our luck. The important thing is that you head down to Oly's waterfront 5-8 p.m. as well as Saturday and/or Sunday and get in on a late-summer rite of passage. Of particular interest are the annual tugboat races, which go down Sunday at noon.

3. The Odd Life is a Very Special Movie about a Very Special Boy who has Very Special Leaves growing out of his legs, and who helps a Very Special Town save its Very Special Pencil Factory. This Special Film screens at dusk - after a Special Performance by jazz guitarist Michael Powers, which begins at 5 p.m. at Point Defiance Park. Special.

4. "I'm on a boat!" Any bets if that's an artwork title at the 11th Annual Open Juried Art Show at the Harbor History Museum, which opens today? The museum nestles the water in downtown Gig Harbor. You can't walk the length of a plank without stumbling into a nautical reference. It seems like a safe bet for at least one of the 150 works by the 90 artists the Peninsula Art League curated would have a sense of humor. The show represents the second component of the 2013 Museum Art Series and follows the Maritime Art Exhibit which closed Aug. 25. An artists reception will go down 6-8 p.m. Why not be on a boat when you arrive?

5. No one ever accused the Night Beats of being a lazy band, and their most recent activity has been no different. With the release of their wild-eyed music video for their song, "The Seven Poison Wonders," off of their upcoming LP, Sonic Bloom, the psych-rockers have kept themselves very busy. Their show tonight at The New Frontier will be their last in these parts before the road warriors take off on yet another extended tour of the U.S. and Europe in support of their new album. Hang with MILK, Bath Party and the Night Beats beginning at 9 p.m.

LINK: Friday, Aug. 30 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

TUESDAY, AUG. 27 2013 >>>

1. Alain Resnais, 91, began his directorial career shortly after the Liberation of Paris from the Nazis, so to say he has played a bit of a role in French cinema over the years is putting it mildly. His film, You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet!, opens with the sudden death of (fictional) playwright Antoine d'Anthac, (Denis Podalydès).  A cavalcade of legendary French actors, (playing themselves), are summoned to d'Anthac's home for the reading of his will. Via a prerecorded statement, d'Anthac asks that this his colleagues evaluate an experimental theater company's taped performance of his play Eurydice, a play in which each actor in attendance performed a role at some point in their career. However, as the viewing progresses, the actors find themselves slipping back into the roles they played years earlier, reenacting scenes from the play as they unfold onscreen. In some cases, actors who played the same role in different productions of the play decades apart from one another reenact identical scenes, but their individual idiosyncrasies make both performances unique and equally valid. Things take a turn for the dreamlike when the viewing room gradually transforms into stage sets to fit the scenes being performed and the actors in the viewing room give pointers to the actors onscreen, and the onscreen actors answer them, but their performances are so captivating, you just don't question it. You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet! screens at 2 and 7 p.m. in The Grand Cinema. Read Jared Lovrak's full review of You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet! in the Music and Culture section.

2. Look! Over by the cucumbers! It's Superman! Spider Man! Wonder Woman! A super-sized knitted Mr. Fantastic costume! And they're all dancing at the 6th Ave Farmers Market! Holy organics, Batman! That's right, Superfriends. The 6th Ave Farmers Market hosts a Homemade Superhero Costume Contest and dance party from 3-7 p.m. Superheroes will need to be prepared to answer two questions: What is your super power and what is your super name?

3. The Tacoma Rainiers kick off its final 7-game homestand, with its collective focus on the next three games, starting tonight at 7 p.m. against Salt Lake. The Bees - the Triple-A affiliate of the Angels - have a four-game lead on the Rainiers in the division. The only chance of making the playoffs is to take this series.

4. Speaking of superheroes, for many people around the South Sound, venturing into a comic book store for the first time can be a terrifying experience. Don't worry, the super hero-centric Capes & Cowls Book Club - billed as a "... book club adapted to mutants, aliens, technogeeks and puny humans who like to read superhero comics" - holds its monthly meeting at 8 p.m. in King's Books. This book club will ease you into the superhero comics genre with support and friendship. August's selection is Prophet Vol. 1: Remission by Brandon Graham where John Prophet is a genetically engineered super-clone sent by the Earth Empire on a mission to restore humanity. Boom! Biff! Biochemistry, beyotch!

5. On any night of the week, one can meander past the main bar in Olympia's China Clipper Club Cafe, to the back room where a disco ball, stage, stellar PA system, extensive song list, savvy DJ and lively, often tipsy, crowd scribbles on tiny, colorful paper then waits ... for Clipper Karaoke. There are number karaoke nights around the South Sound, but only one karaoke night that has been named Best Karaoke in Thurston County three years running in the Weekly Volcano's Best of Olympia issues. The China Clipper is the only lounge in Thurston County that hosts karaoke seven days a week. It's also the only lounge that uses state-of-the-art sound equipment rather than the typical karaoke set-up with a cordless mic that's passed from table to table. It goies down at 9 p.m. Read Nikki McCoy's full feature on Clipper Karaoke in the Weekly Volcano's Bars/Clubs section.

LINK: Tuesday, Aug. 27 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Growing up in the Puget Sound, many of us remember local commercial jingles and catchphrases - "Sleep Country USA, Why Buy a mattress anywhere else?" and "Honk when you drive by Vern Fonk" are a couple that come to mind.

But perhaps none resonated the way "Do the Puyaaaallup" did when it cut through the clamor of TV or radio programs. It's as if those three words epitomized what it meant to be a kid.

Luckily, the jingle was kept as the Washington State Fair's tagline when it made the switch this year from the Puyallup Fair - a testament to being the state's largest fair, bringing in more than a million people each year.

"It's about keeping the tradition," said Karen LaFlamme, public relations for the Washington State Fair. "People love the jingle - it just makes sense to carry it on."

For the first time in 50 years, an all-military parade passed in downtown Tacoma yesterday evening.

The Daffodil Festival committee worked with community officials in coordinating the parade.

"It is great to honor those who serve," Joe Bernstein, a Daffodil Festival volunteer said moments before the parade began.

"This is just awesome!"

While thousands lined both sides of Pacific Avenue from 13th Street to 24th Street, more than 70 entries - comprised of active duty members, patriotic organizations, motorcycle units, historical groups and National Guard Soldiers - passed in review as Mayor Marilyn Strickland emceed.

Col. Joe Jackson, a Medal of Honor winner, served as Parade Grand Marshall.

The Daffodil Festival Royalty gave up their seats on the Queen's Float to 24 wounded soldiers from the Warrior Transition Battalion from Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

"It's good to see that some people around here care," said Army veteran Paul Bradshaw. 

>>>  Zoie Creso of Tacoma got up close with members of the Army's 56th Band as it played at Tollefson Plaza.

>>> American Gold Star Mothers marched in remembrance of those service members who have fallen.

>>> A veteran shakes hands with a Marine before the beginning of the Military Parade, which was hosted by the Daffodil Festival.

Read more...

SUNDAY, AUG. 25, 2013 >>>

1. Imagine sitting close enough to a stage to feel the breeze off a dancer's pirouette, or to hear the shuffle of feet and the sound of bodies as they rise and fall. Now imagine watching these dancers on a 4-by-4 foot stage. This is the appeal of Ten Tiny Dances, a stripped down format where 10 dance artists demonstrate astonishing inventiveness and variety on a stage about the size of a coffee table from 6-8 p.m. at Jazzbones. Based out of Portland, the contemporary dance series has been adopted by many Northwest production companies, including Tacoma's MLKBallet. Read Nikki McCoy's full feature on Ten Tiny Dance on the Walkie Talkie blog.

2. Sand in the City, Washington state's largest sand sculpting event with 240 tons of sand, nationally known sand sculptors, features 40 different hands-on art and science activities and a live entertainment stage from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in downtown Olympia. All proceeds from Sand in the City directly support the Hands On Children's Museum's free and reduced admissions program. Show up with a shovel, a bucket and an idea.

3. The 21st annual Maritime Fest continues today around Dock Street in Tacoma. Expect harbor tours, seminars, tall ship cannon battles, music, Kids Zone, boat building, Knights of Veritas' medieval-period pavilion with handgonne demonstrations and a beer garden.

4. People like eating outside, and they'll stop at almost nothing to do it. They will choke down steaming food as mysterious water droplets rain down from air conditioners above. Crowd a party of eight into one pitiful corner of shade. Inhale exhaust fumes along with aromas of fine wine. At Paesan Kitchen and Bar next to the Museum of Glass, the only negative aspect of dining on its patio is trying to find a table. It's patio is a lovely spot to while away a weekend afternoon, sipping cocktails and old world red wine and watch condo residents walk their dogs. Come Sunday afternoon, tables mean nothing as resident DJ Mr. Melanin and rotating guests spin an eclectic and extremely tasteful selection of lounge, bossa nova and electro soul music 2-6 p.m. This quadruple threat of delicious pizza, booze, sun and hip tunes is known as Tacoma's only daytime summer party, "Dayclub."

5. The Vancouver, B.C., band The Plodes's debut album, A Foot Was As Long As... A Foot!, is packed to the brim with odd ideas and unbridled energy. The songs whip by, with none of them even approaching the two-minute mark, riding high on punk rhythms and fiery accordion. "I'm stimulated by the absurdity and the stupidity of something," says lead singer and guitarist Reid Blakly. "I just put out what I think is an interesting idea for a song." The Plodes join Gay Ghost and November Witch at 6 p.m. in Le Voyeur. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on the Plodes in the Music and Culture section.

LINK: Sunday, Aug. 25 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SATURDAY, AUG. 24 2013 >>>

1. The Washington State History Museum is taking a step back in time to study one of America's greatest unsolved mysteries: the 1971 disappearance of skyjacker D.B. Cooper from a plane traveling from Portland to Sea-Tac. A grand opening public event of the "Cooper" exhibit will take placetoday . The celebration will include behind-the-scenes tours throughout the morning; at 11 a.m., Gary Young, a parachute expert and professional stuntman, will demonstrate what it's like to jump out of a Boeing 727 at night - and survive, and at 2 p.m., Citizen Sleuth investigator Tom Kaye will present his notorious search for Cooper.

2. The Weekly Volcano gears up for the annual Tacoma Maritime Festival like the Super Bowl. We just can't get enough of celebrating Commencement Bay, and the "Working Waterfront" as it's known. This year marks the 21st annual Maritime Fest - and it might host the most fighting ever. Expect harbor tours, seminars, tall ship cannon battles, music, Kids Zone, boat building, Knights of Veritas' medieval-period pavilion with handgonne demonstrations and a beer garden. The action runs Saturday and Sunday. That's why they call it a "Working Waterfront" - weekends off are for pussies.

3. We can't pass up a glass of wine. Just ask our rehab counselor. But stir it up in a bowl along with some local art, shopping the Stadium District, and all to benefit the Historical Stadium District - you've made a dinner we'll heat 'n' eat any day of the week. The Stadium District shops in conjunction with some Washington wines and local artists have put together a Saturday evening titled the Stadium District Art & Wine Walk. A $35 ticket includes 10 wine tastes at 21 host businesses, savory hors d'ouvres and a commemorative wine glass that we're sure will end up on the shelf at Goodwill Industries next spring. The best part of it all is there's a wine garden for people who don't enjoy walking for their wine. It runs from 4-9 p.m.

4. The Olympia Pub Crawl begins with a 5k run from Swantown Marina, then leads to a kick-off party at the 1230 Room and pub crawl along Fourth Avenue and culminates with live music at the Capitol Theater. Participants can attend one or all of the events. Full Moon Radio, 10 Cents in Oklahoma, Horsebodies and Hurts Like Hell will be rocking the Last Call Party, and Mr. Frank from Evergreen College radio, KAOS, will be playing emcee. The Olympia Pub Crawl kicks off at 2 p.m. at the 1230 Room in downtown Olympia. Day of tickets are $40, which includes T-shirt, if available, kickoff party at 1230 Room and the Last Call Party at the Capitol Theater. For the show only; it's $20. Read Nikki McCoy's full feature on the Olympia Pub Crawl in Bars and Clubs section.

5. Tonight, a tradition is being revived in downtown Tacoma and everyone is invited to come and take part. The city of Tacoma and the Daffodil Festival will partner to host the inaugural Celebrating Military Service Parade. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Air Force Reserves, Army National Guard, Navy Reserves, Washington Air National Guard, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion have all entered into the parade. The festivities will kick off at 5 p.m. in Tollefson Plaza, on South 17th and Pacific Avenue, with a performance by the 56th Army Band. Then, at 6 p.m., the parade will start out down Pacific Avenue and head throughout downtown. Read Melissa Renahan's full feature on the Celebration of Military Service Parade.

LINK: Saturday, Aug. 24 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

See Also

>>> Live music tonight in the South Sound

FRIDAY, AUG. 23 2013 >>>

1. There comes a time when you realize there are a lot of things you've never had a chance to do.  You've never painted with artichokes, run with the salmon, tasted garlic ice cream or spent a little face time with a llama.  But as sure as Mel Gibson has kicked sand in many faces, you are determined not to miss this year's Sand in the City. Washington state's largest sand sculpting event with 240 tons of sand, nationally known sand sculptors, 40 different hands-on art and science activities and a live entertainment stage are all held in downtown Olympia from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All proceeds from Sand in the City directly support the Hands On Children's Museum's free and reduced admissions program. Show up with a shovel, a bucket and an idea.

2. Stumped for holiday shopping ideas? Start early and take the fam on over to Tacoma's Stadium District (717 N. D St.) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and score some pottery by Susan Thompson (earthy, hobbit-type vessels), Barbi Lock Lee (functional brights) and Charan Sachar (Indian fabric-inspired) and others. The sale also runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

3. The merengue, as well as the bachata and salsa, are taught in mini-versions, with or without partner, at varying levels of experience, every Friday night at 8:30 p.m. in Studio 6 Ballroom in Tacoma. After the last instruction, the club lights flip on, disco ball drops and Studio 6 fills with cross body leads, hand throws and hammerlocks. Read Nikki McCoy's full feature on Studio 6 Ballroom's Latin dance Night in the Weekly Volcano's Clubs/Bars Section.

4. Spokane native Meghan Flaherty has been a stand-up comedian for the past eight years, dropping her clean, edgy, relatable style on crowds throughout the Northwest, including 8:30 p.m. at the Grit City Comedy Club, which is now in the basement of the 502 Downtown.

5. Tacoma's Argonaut is Brandon Boote on drums, Matt Sader on bass and vocals and Dave Takata and Chad Baker on guitar. Van Conner of Screaming Trees fame owns Strange Earth Records. Together, they have dropped a much-anticipated EP What's Your Perfect Day? into the South Sound this past winter. The heavy rock band is still asking, performing Dead, Burning Gnats and Towers at 9 p.m. in The New Frontier Lounge.

LINK: Friday, Aug. 23 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area