TAMALES IN A SPEAKEASY >>>

As far as I'm concerned, any excuse to eat Mexican food is a good one. But the celebration of Cinco de Mayo - usually observed over a period of days, not just on the 5^th - provides folks with even more ammunition for gorging on tacos, chile peppers, mole, pozole, menudo and burritos, while of course washing it all down with frosty margaritas and Mexican cervezas.

Contrary to common assumptions, the 5th of May - Cinco de Mayo - is not Mexico's day of independence. That's Sept. 15, the day in 1810 when Mexico declared its independence from Spain. What Cinco de Mayo actually commemorates is the defeat of the French army of Napoleon III in the battle of Puebla, when 4,000 poorly equipped Mexicans defeated an army nearly twice the size. That battle ended on May 5, 1862, and Cinco de Mayo is now celebrated on May 5 all throughout Mexico but with added gusto in the state of Puebla, not to mention in U.S. cities with large Hispanic populations.

Wednesday most folks will migrate to a Mexican restaurant to celebrate the French ass kicking. I'd like to suggest an alternative. Chef Matt Colony, bartender David Benefiel and staff at Maxwell's Speakeasy has created a special menu for Cinco de Mayo. Colony grew up in San Diego and surfed in Mexico. Maxwell's Sous Chef Jesus is also from Mexico. Here's their special menu for Wednesday:

Bebidas (drinks)

Loco Show de Burro

Cazadores silver, ginger beer, muddled lemon on the rocks with grilled pineapple $6

Chupacabra

Sauza Gold muddled with red jalapenos, cilantro and lime served up with black sea salt rim and float of goslings dark rum $9

Cinco de Maxwell's Margarita

Cadillac margarita on the rocks with a little coronita tucked right inside of it $12

Comida (food)

Local Rockfish Ceviche Tostadas 

Marinated in citrus, finished with pico de gallo, avocado and lettuce $6

Homemade Tamales        

Your choice pork or chicken on cabbage slaw with cilantro lime dressing and spicy pickled carrots $5

Staff Meal Tacos

With cilantro, onion and lime and choice of meats: beer marinated carne asada or housemade spicy chorizo or adobada charred chicken or chile butter braised lobster $3each or $7for two with rice and beans

Tender Pork Pozole

Pork shoulder slow braised in a mild dried pepper red sauce with hominy and finished with cilantro, onions, avocado, jalapenos, sour cream and grilled corn tortillas $9

Mexican Flan

Creamy caramelized custard  $4

Pastel de Tres Leches

Decadent dulce de leche cake $5

[Maxwell's Speakeasy, 454 Saint Helens Ave., TAcoma, 253.683.4115]

NEW-ISH SEATTLE BAND HITS THE NEW FRONTIER FRIDAY >>>

Tomorrow night, Seattle's Smile For Diamonds will plug in at The New Frontier Lounge with the venerable Deborah Page. Sure, Tacoma knows Deborah Page - but what's up with Smile For Diamonds, self described as "loud and erratic" - an fledgling indie rock force coming from the north but born in the thin air of Denver (kinda - you'll see ...)?

Well, you should find out. Not only will Smile For Diamonds be bringing their well-honed road show to Tacoma Friday, they'll be back this summer, set to play the Weekly Volcano sponsored Grit City Fest.

It should be awesome.

This week I caught up with Ryan Looman, the band's ringleader, to get the lowdown on Smile For Diamonds. Enjoy.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: Seeing as you've only been together since the summer of '09, and it sounds like you all come from different backgrounds - why don't you start by telling folks who you are and how you got here (as a band, of course).

RYAN LOOMAN: Technically SFD started in February of last year. I was in a band called Fallen Stars Forgotten from Denver and after we broke up I planned a road trip to Seattle with my long-time friend and drummer Ian Murray. Four months later I moved out here and friends Pat Scanlan (Guitar) and Zack Morwicki (Bass) moved out the following year. We started playing shows using a laptop as our drummer until Ian made it out here in July. Zack left the band in September to go back to school and we we're lucky enough to have Mike Walker take his place.

VOLCANO: You may be somewhat new, but it's not like you don't have a record. You guys digitally released a self-titled EP earlier this year (boom!). Is that record physically available yet?

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FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

We've come a long way. If you need proof, know that I just I wrote that while Skyping in a pizza order, text-messaging my grandma and Tweeting about my last bowel movement.

However, sometimes it is nice to look back - as James Venturini and the Lakewood Players will help us do Sunday, May 2 when they present The Maltese Falcon and The Red Wind in classic, old time radio form at King's Books. The classic mysteries - in old school radio form - should hold audiences captive, if not completely Twitter-free.

[King's Books, 1:30 and 3:30 p.m., free, registration required call 253.591.5666, 218 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.8801]

LINK: Reserve space online

LINK: Tacoma Reads Together The Maltese Falcon

SNEAK PEEK IS OUR MIDDLE NAME >>>

Consuming the old Stadium Bistro space, and sitting just below The Hub - in Tacoma's Stadium District - The Harmon Tap Room is slated to be open for business mid-May according to restaurant owner, Pat Nagle. Bandito Betty and I were given a tour by Nagle and Hub manager Jason Gatliff as we were prodded for opinions such as, "Are two pool tables, one Golden Tee, some dart boards, a pinball machine, and a trivia game going to be enough entertainment in this back room of the Harmon Tap Room?"  As we smiled in happy anticipation at the thought of it all, we both suggested at least one more pinball machine. 

Whether they take our gaming advice or not doesn't matter, these guys are pros by now. (Harmon Brewery and Restaurant, The Hub, and now this?  They must have some balls.)

What was made abundantly clear during our tour was that the soon-to-be-open

Harmon Tap Room was created out of sheer desire to have some sort of downtown beer establishment where Tacomans could either stop by an outdoor pick-up window for a quick fill up of a non-disposable growler, or drop in to hang out with friends for a while.  Not to mention a large, kick ass outdoor beer garden. Note the word: LARGE.

Two, 500 pound 14-foot tables - made from a single tree by some dude in Olalla, Wash. - fill the front room, which resides beside an area reserved for counter service (where you will order your goods), and in front of a glassed-in, fully viewable brewery.  Seating approximately 50-60 people, with room for 100 when standing, I have a feeling this place will quickly become Tacoma's new hot spot for beer, friends, and fun nights out.

I freakin' can't wait to do a 3 Drink Minimum there.

A SEND UP OF ALL THINGS TACOMA >>>

Fabulous Tacoman Doug Mackey has retool his Fab Four-themed variety show that he staged at the City Club of Tacoma's 25th Anniversary Gala last October and will present it for the general public Thursday, May 6 at the Tacoma Musical Playhouse.  Accompanied by keyboardist Terry O'Hara and a chorus of talented young singers/performers, Mackey ­- sporting a Beatles accent and wig - will take the audience on a musical journey through Tacoma's dark side. Mackey has reworked famous Beatles songs changing the lyrics to poke fun at the Luzon building, Frank Russell, The proposed spire, Tollefson Plaza, Bicentennial Pavilion, downtown condos, LeMay Car Museum, Rep. Norm Dicks, potholes, and unfortunately for Tacoma, much more.

Here's a sneak peek:

"ALL YOU NEED IS CASH" (sung to the Beatles' "All You Need is Love")

There's nothing you can do that can't be done

No museum downtown that can't be funded

A four hundred foot spire built at the bottom of a hill?

It's easy

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FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

The Lakeside Group, Live Nation and STG announces the following Marymoor Park concert will go on sale Saturday, May 1, 10 a.m., through Ticketmaster:

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COUNTDOWN TO THE GRAND'S 72-HOUR COMPETITION >>>

Big Jim had close to two decades, a budget as rare as unobtainium, and a crew of hundreds to bring his space cat opera to the screen.

You, on the other hand, have three days.

Welcome to The Grand Cinema's 72-hour Film Festival. As one of the 30 teams signed up, you begin your mission Thursday, April 29 and have until the night of Sunday, May 2 to complete your magnum opus.

In short, prepare yourself for one exhilarating - and maddening - weekend.

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UMBER SLEEPING TO PERFORM SATURDAY AT THE NEW FRONTIER LOUNGE >>>

Many times over the course of my career covering music in Tacoma, I've heard Umber Sleeping's Peter Tietjen referred to as the best drummer in town. Having seen Umber's magic live on more than ten occasions, it's hard to argue against it. Tietjen, behind the kit, is a consummate pro - not to mention a badass. He's the rhythmic visionary behind Umber Sleeping's extraterrestrial synths, two tons of reverb - and crapload retro chic.

Oh, and Umber Sleeping is mildly infatuated with Three's Company - which makes things even better.

I caught up with Tietjen this week to get his thoughts on Umber Sleeping's upcoming show this Saturday at The New Frontier Lounge with Seattle's The Little Penguins, and local favorites Blanco Bronco and The Dignitaries. Since it's a bill he helped put together, it only seemed fitting.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: First of all, since you put the bill together, talk a little about the upcoming show and what you were going for. Do these bands compliment each other, or is there a common thread that runs through what this show is about? OR will it just be a mish-mash of damn fine music?

PETER TIETJEN: Well, for me it'll be a refreshing blend. Blanco Bronco is one of our favorite local groups, and The Dignitaries I haven't heard, but a little garage rock is always fun. All these groups are good people and that makes for a good night from our point of view.

VOLCANO: What is new with Umber Sleeping? I feel like I haven't caught up with you guys in forever. Can you give me a rundown of the recent history, and where you guys are at as a band?

TIETJEN: For the last few months Andrew has been bringing his keyboard skills to the group and Steve is also new on bass guitar. James, who played keyboards and/or guitar with the group since about 2005, abruptly moved to Portland - so we though we'd experiment and have bass guitar instead of moog bass that we'd always had. So, I think we rock a bit more now. Also, we've started a new CD that is more live and is being recorded very close to how the group sounds live - with more guitar going on and new deeper songs subjects like MacGyver, those little dinosaurs from Pee-Wee's Playhouse, the tri-clops from the He-Man series, etc. ...

VOLCANO: I've heard you called the best drummer in Tacoma. Thoughts? 

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ON SALE NOW >>>

VIP tickets are now on sale for the GritCity Fest to be held June 17-19 in downtown Tacoma. The $50 tickets are only available at urbanXchange. For more information on participating festival venues and bands, visit the GritCity Fest Web site here.

CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE RELEASES ITS SUMMER CONCERT SCHEDULE >>>

The Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville hosts outdoor concerts in the summer. It's quite lovely, especially when the wine flows like beer. The schedule is listed after the break. All shows, unless noted, go on sale Saturday, April 24, 10 a.m., at all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com, the Chateau Ste. Michelle wine shop, or charge by phone at 800.745.3000.

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