NOW WITH MORE MAI TAIS >>>

A big change is afoot in Geeks Who Drink land.

As you have noticed, the Geeks Who Drink trivia game has disappeared from Paddy Coyne's. The downtown Tacoma Irish bar told Quizmaster Holland Hume, or as the teams at Paddy Coyne's called him - Holland the Wonder Boy, to grab his quiz sheets and leave. Standing outside the pub, Hume glances across the street and saw Tacoma Cabana's great big smiley aloha. One, two four, Hume had a score. The tiki bar will host the Geeks Who Drinks trivia game every Tuesday beginning Jan. 8.

The nationwide quiz game - held in several venues in Olympia and Tacoma - consists of eight rounds of eight questions and is played in teams of up to six people. Questions are read aloud by the quizmaster; teams write their answers on provided sheets and turn them in at the end of each round. The team with the most points after eight rounds is the winner.

"The Tacoma Cabana game will be the standard Geeks Who Drink formula, which is a two-hour live MC event," explains Quizmaster Hume. "There are eight rounds in the night. One is a visual handout that is given at the beginning of the quiz, two are audio rounds - one usually music-related and one usually movie/TV-related - and the other five are read by me over the mic. In addition to first and second place prizes - which will be in the form of gift certificates good for the next visit - there are five bonus prizes scattered throughout the night that each equate to a free beer."

The Tuesday night Geeks Who Drink game will be held in Tacoma Cabana's tropically tricked-out backroom, as to not interfere with the front room's enjoyment of Gilligan's Island re-runs and peaceful Zombie cocktail drinking.

I quizzed the quizmaster on his past games.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: What were your favorite moments from Paddy Coyne's game?

HOLLAND HUME: As much as a cop out answer as it is, it's hard to pick one moment. The quiz itself is very much a social gathering. The structure lends itself to countless repeat visits, and I run it with a focus on player interaction. We would be nothing without our quizzers' support, so I try to make them a part of the evening.  We celebrate birthdays and weddings. We have special theme nights with bonus prizes. I work to make it less a "two hour event" and more a "weekly gathering."

Our one-year anniversary quiz was pretty amazing. My scorekeeper and I dressed in drag - black evening gowns - and had lots of bonus prizes. Also, the then-manager Rory did a fantastic cross-promotion job and got us support from some local breweries for the evening. It was a pretty amazing night.  Halloween has also been a fun quiz night. Halloween is the only holiday I really care about, so I try to play it up at the quiz.  I encourage people to dress up and give awards - usually terrible horror movies inspired by the Tacoma Cult Movie Club - based on different categories.

VOLCANO: Was there a trivia night at Paddy Coyne's you wish you could take back?

HUME: Back when I first started, and was still wet behind the ears as far a Quizmaster/drunk crowd controller, I went along with an idea that involved a special cash prize, assuming people could and would police themselves. It was a nightmare. There was rampant cheating from several teams, finger pointing and slander-throwing from half the teams. I received lots of negative feedback. In the end, we lost the support of three veteran teams. I had to spend weeks rebuilding the trust of the remaining teams. It helped me develop my quiz mastering skills quickly and taught me a lot - most notably, cash prizes are generally a terrible and often desperate idea). Ultimately if I could hit a giant "redo" button I would have handled that night much differently.

VOLCANO: Is there an individual or group that is heads and shoulders above everyone else?

HUME: About two-thirds of our teams are repeat players, but we have a few that have been playing anywhere from six months to the entirety of the quizzes lifespan. Of those teams, we have two teams that tend to win more often than others. They always change their name, but I often call them "The Political Team" and "The Beard Team." You would think having the same teams win over and over would turn people off from playing, but really it adds another incentive. If you win you not only get a gift card, but also you beat "those guys." It's an extra level of satisfaction that can be shared by the whole bar.

TACOMA CABANA, TUESDAYS, 8 P.M., NO COVER, 728 PACIFIC AVE., TACOMA, 253.222-4184

LINK: We hung out at Paddy Coyne's Geeks Who Drink

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HIT THIS STAGE >>>

The ball drops in Times Square. People on TV are singing. Fireworks go off in the distance. Strangers are kissing. You're already in your pajamas when you and your dog, wearing matching party hats, exchange a glum look as the remote slips from your fingers and falls between the couch cushions. Is this how you want to celebrate the start of a brand-spanking-new year?

Anyone who says that New Year's Eve isn't worth the hype is just a loser in denial - it's like when ugly people say that true beauty is on the inside. Let's face it: New Year's is a big deal, and since it only comes around once a year, no amount of planning is too much to ensure a smooth and festive transition from old to new. The Weekly Volcano posted a guide to South Sound New Year's Eve parties three weeks ago. It's been constantly updated, including Masa's DJ party, Varsity Grill's live band karaoke and burger contest, and Morso's Spy Party.

What has caught Bobble Tiki's wooden eye is the return of the Duchess of Downtown Stage during First Night Tacoma - Angela Jossy's third year running her stage. Located on the hidden stairway between Commerce and Broadway, next to Mad Hat Tea Company, this stage is cool with its mini amphitheater seating and overhead viewing. Hot food vendors and local art will be close by.

Oh, and the three bands on this stage are killer.

Death By Stars kicks it off at 7:30 p.m. Guitarist Patrick Galactic recently rolled his car, but the show must go on for this electro-psychedelic three-piece.

Big Wheel Stunt Show, hot off its show tonight at Jazzbones, will rock a new song New Year's Eve, as well as dust off many an old BWSS classic, beginning at 9 p.m.

Back from recording in Nashville, SweetKiss Momma hits the stage at 10:30 p.m. showcasing its new songs - but still carrying the band's rootsy, Southern soul rock sound.

"I scoured all my lands for the bravest, the handsomest and the most rockinest knights in all the land and awarded this honor only to the most worthy," says Jossy with a laugh.

No, it's true. These bands do rock the good looks.

DUCHESS OF DOWNTOWN STAGE, MONDAY, DEC. 31, 7:30-11:30 P.M., NO COVER, 1113 BROADWAY ST., TACOMA

LINK: First Night Tacoma

LINK: South Sound New Year's Eve parties

CD RELEASE SHOW >>>

Be forewarned, pop-punk kiddos. There's no logical reason to miss Saturday's CD release party for one of Tacoma's favorites, Phasers on Kill. The new EP, Write Home, features five songs by bassist Dan (Danno) Rankins, guitarist/vocalist Chris Adkins, drummer Ryan Smith (Timebomb) and guitarist/vocalist Mikey Waco. The clean, poppy songs locked on heavy punk sound like something you'd hear on Fat Wreck Chords (NOFX, Teenage Bottlerocket).

While this is more of a preview for a killer show than an EP review, I will say that the mastering on the digital recordings I downloaded keep each piece of the song in it's own right, balancing out the vocals, guitar, bass and drums into a cohesive stream of radio-quality jams. I have Phasers on Kill on my calendar.

A quote from the Facebook event page reads, "It can also be assumed that anyone who went to high school in the early-to-mid '90s and still holds an affinity for the cavity causing punk rock of the period will find something to enjoy in Phasers on Kill."

Killer.

JAZZBONES, W/TRUE HOLLAND, AND BIG WHEEL STUNT SHOW, SATURDAY, DEC. 29, 8:30 P.M., $8, 2803 SIXTH AVE., TACOMA, 253.396.9169

A MELLOW WEEKEND >>>

This weekend looks to be pretty mellow as far as 253 hip-hop goes. There really are not any local shows and there are not many notable releases or videos that will be dropping this weekend either - except for Beanz & Rize (CONFLICT OF INTEREST!) So, let us delve into the Seattle Hip-Hop scene and other neighborly-areas to find something fun to do.

Tonight, ya could go up north to Mill Creek and land at The Jet Bar. There you will find a show put on by the Fated Empire record label. The cover is $10, which is a tad-steep. There is not much else to do in Mill Creek, so ya really do not have a choice. The show starts at 9 p.m. Fated Empire consists of Graves 33, Sarx and others. Sarx has history in Puyallup - that is the 253 connection. Fated Empire is a quality, underground, local hip-hop outfit. They are the thinking man's underground rap. They are Part Project Blowed, part Rhymesayers and part Oldominion ish. It makes for a deep and interesting group of artists.

Saturday, ya can take a shorter trip north to The Sea' and ya can catch local hometown Tacoma kid Qui Vive killing his live instrumental hip-hop mp3 set. Qui Vive is a frequent show rocker in Seattle. Seattle has more of an instrumental hip-hop scene, and they have embraced Qui Vive as one of their own. This man is straight-fonky. Check out his music on Soundcloud and Bandcamp. This show is at the Vermillion Art Gallery and it starts at 9 p.m.

That will do it. Sunday go down to the Graffiti Garages as usual at 1 p.m. Have a good time Family!

GO BIG, OR GO BIGGER >>>

Ed. note: The venue for the Big Beer festival has been changed to the Foss Waterway Seaport.

Beer brewers are constantly pushing the boundaries of their craft, often times brewing beers that defy mainstream beer styles and/or looking at other alcoholic beverages for inspiration. Strong, or big, beers are just one of the many byproducts of this artisanal approach to brewing. The processes involved to create such beers aren't simple. Brewers spend a lot of research time, money and trial and error to cultivate their super yeast strains that can survive the high-alcohol brewing environment and produce well-attenuated beers that have a minimum of six percent alcohol by volume.

These brewers should be rewarded for their big beer efforts. These brewers should be celebrated. More importantly, beer drinkers should be able to taste the big beers - maybe 60 or so of them under one, rustic roof.

Enter the Big Beer Festival. 

Bennett Thurmon and Roxi Lee, two forces behind the annual Tacoma Craft Brew Festival, will celebrate strong, big beers at their new, winter beer get-together, the Big Beer Festival. Twenty regional vendors and around 60 beers will be housed Feb. 16 in the Petrich Marine Dock Foss Waterway Seaport (705 Dock St.) along the Thea Foss Waterway. The festival will be divided into two sessions, one from noon to 4 p.m., the second from 4:30-8:30 p.m. The brewer list is still being finalized, but Lee and Thurmon said they received thumbs up 18 brewers including local brewers such as Engine House No. 9, Tacoma's Harmon Brewing Co., Wingman Brewers, Tacoma Brewing Co., 7 Seas Brewing, DUO Brewing, M.T. Head Brewing Company, Bremerton's Silver City Brewery, Eugene's Ninkasi Brewing Company, Deschutes Brewery from Portland and Edmond's American Brewing Company.

Advance tickets will be $20 at brownpapertickets.com, which includes a 5.5 oz., commemorative taster glass and six tasting tokens. Additional pours will cost $1.50 each. Admission will go up to $25 the day of the event. Proceeds will benefit YWCA. Northwest Mini is the main sponsor.

Big Beer Festival updates will be posted every Tuesday on the Tacoma Craft Brew Festival's Facebook where you may learn a thing or two about the brewers and beers participating.

The latest news out of the Big Beer Festival camp is a private, pre-festival party to be held 7-9 p.m. Feb. 15 inside the Petrich Marine Dock. Titled "The Works," this preview party will serve five to 10 beers brewed exclusively for The Works - beers not available at the Big Beer Festival. For $50, you may taste samples of these special one-offs, as well as gain access to both sessions the next day. Only 200 tickets will be available for The Works. Works tickets go on sale today at Brown Paper Tickets.

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

The end of the world is nigh. Unknown meteors are hurtling toward us. The poles are about to reverse. Global warming is about to kick into high gear. We don't know what's coming and that's not the point - the point is that it's coming and there's nothing you can do about it.

So why not party the night away?

Friday, Dec. 21, 8 p.m. to midnight, you could be trying to aim a telescope through our ever-present cloud layer to spot the incoming meteor hoard, or you could don your finest and go out in style at the End of the World Ball.

Dress can be anything from semi-formal to tuxes and ball gowns to Venetian masks. Like any good ball, this one will be in a ballroom - the Gothic Ballroom at the Landmark Event Center. There will be light refreshments and a no-host bar, as well as a toy drive for unwrapped gifts, cash or checks for Toys for Tots ... although, this seems to imply that the event hosts think we all might survive the night.

Fools! Naught but fools! The Mayans can't be wrong!

Tickets are $35 in advance via Brown Paper Tickets, Crescent Moon Gifts, Le Noir Bazaar and Meier's House of Clocks. If there are any tickets left (supply is limited), they will be $40 at the door.

LANDMARK EVENT CENTER, FRIDAY, DEC. 21, 8 P.M., $35-$40, 47 ST. HELENS, TACOMA, TACOMAZOMBPOCALYPSE.COM

ASKING QUESTIONS >>>

There are many unanswered questions in this world. For example, why don't heavier things fall faster? How did Dale Washam stay in office so long? How do I stop the kid from reaching puberty? Why have they not given the guy (duh, you know it was a guy) who invented HDTV the Nobel Prize? Why isn't TMZ called TBZ (The Bikini Zone)? Why was I searching TMZ (to find something clever for this paragraph - BTW no Xmas rap album from DMX this year)? And finally, when will the Shake Shake Shake burger joint finally open in Tacoma's Stadium District?

For the last five months brothers Steve and Gordon Naccarato (Pacific Grill) and partner Robert Stocker have been shake shake shaking a hammer remodeling the space that will host their retro-style burger joint Shake Shake Shake. We grabbed a look of its aqua blue set against electric orange interior during the Stadium Art & Wine Walk. We grabbed another look at its oversized sign that reads "Eat" during last weekend's Dickens Festival. And yet, the '40s vintage diner remains quiet at 124 N. Tacoma Ave.

When can we chow down on hamburgers, fries and shakes on a regular basis?

"We will open after the first of the year," says Stocker.

I guess the only thing we'll be shake shake shaking before Christmas will be gifts.

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

The warm and fuzzy feeling you get when in good company, complimented by a delicious and unique local beer, is what makes the Harmon Tap Room's 12 Beers of Christmas a worthy holiday merriment.

Dec 13-24, The Harmon Taproom is hosting 12 days of 12 different beers for customers to imbibe. If beer-lovers enjoy a brew for each of the 12 days, they will receive a complimentary engraved mug.

"I was just looking for something fun to do," says brewer Jeff Carlson. "Throughout the year people get excited about certain beers, and instead of making more, I hid them away. Now I can bring them out and let everyone relive their memories and drink the fancy stuff they've been dreaming about."

For some reason, the holiday lyrics "visions of sugar plums danced in their heads," just danced through my head. See, the thoughts of extra special beers are already invoking the spirit of the season.

While sugar plum beer is not on the menu, Sour Cherry ESB/Amber and Raspberry Blonde are. Oak aged Vanilla Porter and Candy Cane will also be on tap. Expect to also taste St. Helen's Anniversary IPA, Striker Stout and an Imperial infused with coconut.

Expect to also bump into Carlson, who says part of the fun of the event is making new friends.

"I will be here and around," he says. "Come say hi and share a beer."

Be sure to pick up the Weekly Volcano's print edition Thursday for the inside scoop on the 12 Beers of Christmas, as well as other local brew thoughts, from Harmon Brewing co-owner Pat Nagle.

HARMON TAP ROOM, 204 SAINT HELENS AVE., TACOMA, 253.212.2725

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The Weekly Volcano’s Afternoon Delight newsletter features breaking news, stories, calendar picks and more sent directly to your inbox Monday-Friday. It’s completely free to subscribers, but costs $10,000 if you don't like it. You will like it. It's sweet and sour and makes you pucker and swoon. Sign up here:

YOUR SOURCE FOR LOCAL HIP-HOP >>>

What is going down this weekend?

Well, to start things off, there's a big local heavy-hitting line-up at The Loch's tonight. Catch Tha Committee, Po Boxx, Second Family, Island Trybe and others in the former Hell's Kitchen space. The Committee is down with Second Family, and Po Boxx is down with the Trybe. When Second Family and Island Trybe get together ... ya can expect some of the most thorough hip-hop 253 has to offer.

Saturday will also have ya at The Loch's, which is beginning to book quite a bit of hip-hop. Another $5 will get ya in to the Tacnology Entertainment demo release where ya can also see Abom, Illizm, Controversy, Dip from The Nuggz, Serious Mak, Influential Minds, DJ Skrewball and the whole thing will be streamed-live by Shigg from shiggsaysradio.info. The Facebook page to dress-up - So get yo Curtis Mayfield on and help these guys celebrate!

Also, a few random things to throw in

Make sure ya are letting any third-grader - on up to 20 year olds - know about the Art of Hip-Hop program at the D.A.S.H. Center. Classes are Friday evenings and Saturday at midday. It is the perfect way to educate a young person on the culture of hip-hop, and all aspects of audio engineering, rapping, graphic-design, photography and videography. The class is a one-stop shop to teach any youth everything they need to know to be a successful hip-hop artist.

Lastly, the Graffiti Garages are getting active again. Make sure ya stop by on Sundays to soak-up the rich, underground culture of a rap cipher!

TOMORROW NIGHT >>>

After two-and-a-half years, the Tallhouse Arts Consortium is back in full swing with its first Wednesday of the month free performances at The Brotherhood Lounge in Olympia.

The aerialists, whose Facebook profile states, "Farting rhinestones since... ah, we can't even remember," will delight audiences with its strong and sturdy flips, flying and artistic trapeze. The group brings in interesting songs, unique performances, flirty fun and guest trapeze artists - all for free.

They do happily pass around a hat at the end of the show. Tipping is strongly encouraged.

"They were stoked to come back again," says Pit Kwiesinski, owner of The Brotherhood.

"I think what I love most is about the Tallhouse Arts Consortium is that it takes a good bar environment and turns it upside down. It's not a bar anymore; it's a circus!"

THE BROTHERHOOD LOUNGE, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 5, 8 P.M., NO COVER, 119 CAPITOL WAY, OLYMPIA, 360.352.4153