If you grew up during the late '70s and early '80s in the South Sound, you were blasted with Southern rock - such touchstones as The Allman Brothers' 1971 At Fillmore East and Lynyrd Skynyrd's first album were on constant rotation on "Seattle's Best Rock" KISW 99.9 FM, shuffling in a little Molly Hatchet, Creedence, ZZ Top and the Marshall Tucker Band in between hijinks from DJs John Langan and Mike West. Maybe that's why I have such a sweet spot for Puyallup's SweetKiss Momma. The popular country-rock band takes me back to joyous, carefree times hanging out with friends. Or, it could be the fact SweetKiss Momma is a truly awesome band. Often sliding into country, sometimes stretching into blues, usually jamming live, turning some songs into opuses, the band touches on all the conventions of the Southern rock genre without turning them into cliches.

For the third year in a row, SweetKiss Momma will perform live at the Franciscan Polar Plaza ice rink. The band will perform all facets of Southern rock from 7-9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29 at the ice rink across from the Tacoma Art Museum. Lead singer Jeff Hamel, his brother Jeremy on bass, Aaron Arnold on lead guitar and Jimmy Hughs on drums bring it every year, giving shout outs to skaters and freakin' rocking' the ice.

In 2013, the Weekly Volcano readers named SweetKiss Momma "best band" in our Best of Tacoma issue.

This year, the band has been on fire, which Ernest Jasmin explains in his piece that posted today. E.J. details the band's success this year, including their upcoming spot on regional rock TV show Band in Seattle, which tapes at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14 at Victory Studios in Seattle. Open to the public, tickets for the all-ages show are $5 to $10, and are available online at brownpapertickets.com. Former Weekly Volcano editor and current Seattle Weekly scribe Matt Driscoll will fire questions at SweetKiss during the taping. Australian-born roots rocker Blake Noble are also on the bill. The show will air on a Saturday night in February 2015 on KSTW Channel 11.

SEE ALSO
Franciscan Polar Plaza Ice Rink 2014 live music schedule

It shouldn't be necessary for us to tell you why Fleetwood Mac is one of the greatest bands of the rock era, but we love our young readers so here goes: if the only album Fleetwood Mac ever released was 1977's Rumours, it would still have been plenty. Like Michael Jackson's Thriller or Adele's 21, Rumours in its day was an album that pretty much half the U.S. population owned. At least seven of its tunes were, and in some cases still are, radio fixtures around the English-speaking world. Even Glee dedicated an entire episode to ruining such otherwise unimpeachable singles as "Go Your Own Way" and "You Make Loving Fun." Fun fact: singer Christine McVie composed the latter song for the guy with whom she was cheating on bandmate John McVie, then told John she wrote it about their dog. As the social media put it, it's complicated.

Funny thing is, Fleetwood Mac would still be a household name even if Rumours had never existed. They'd already released 10 albums, including the megahit self-titled effort that gave us such perennials as "Landslide" and "Rhiannon." Lindsey Buckingham joined for that album, on the condition that his girlfriend be allowed to come aboard as well. Her name? Stephanie Nicks - though the world knows her better as "Stevie." After Fleetwood Mac and Rumours, the hits kept on coming; but behind the scenes, things were dicey. It's hard to sustain a band when both its key couples are going through acrimonious breakups. Even the lyrics on Rumours are essentially beautiful F-U's; yet the follow-up album, Tusk, was an idiosyncratic masterpiece. Fleetwood Mac remained a hit factory even after Buckingham went solo in 1987. It seemed at times the band could hardly stand to be in the same room, and Christine McVie went her own way in 1998, ostensibly for good, saying she'd had it with touring.

There were rumours for a while that Sheryl Crow, a Nicks disciple, would join the band in place of Christine McVie, but those never panned out. Instead the band launched a world tour with neither performer in 2009. But guess what? That damn Glee episode worked. It brought FM back into the public eye, reinstalling Rumours on the Billboard chart three years ago. From then on it was only a matter of time till Christine McVie came back into the fold, writing or co-writing over half the tracks for an upcoming, as-yet-untitled album. That gives you the chance to do something few have been able to do in over a generation: catch the reunited Fleetwood Mac, live and harmonious. We guess it's true what they say: "Don't stop thinkin' about tomorrow."

FLEETWOOD MAC: ON WITH THE SHOW, 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, Tacoma Dome, 2727 E. D St., Tacoma, $60 and up ... way up, 253.272.3663

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 12 2014 >>>

1. Dock Ellis is best known as the Major League Baseball player who pitched a no-hitter (aka a "no-no") while tripping balls on acid. He couldn't really see the players, he recalls, just which side of the plate they were standing on. Ellis was baseball's first "militant black athlete," a black player who wasn't simply so grateful to be allowed in the game that he would overlook slights and slurs. Refusing to tamp down his outsized personality and style just to fit in meekly was his contribution to the black pride movement; refusing to temper his drinking and drugging was his downfall. Catch Director Jeff Radice's take on Ellis in the film No No: A Dockumentary at 9 p.m. at the Olympia Film Festival.

2. Simon Kogan is locally famous in Olympia for his World War II memorial on the Capitol Campus and for the larger-than-life statue of a pregnant woman, "Motherhood," at Percival Landing.  He is also well known as a teacher of private art classes. Today is the last day to check out artworks by his students in the art gallery at Pacific Lutheran University. Read Alec Clayton full review of the "Art Students of Simon Kogan" show in the Music & Culture section, then see the show from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

3. Super-team Dr. Erik Demaine, Martin Demaine and Shandra McLane will complete their collaborative Visiting Artist Residency at Museum of Glass today through Sunday, Nov. 16. Assisted by the Hot Shop Team, they will be experimenting with new techniques that blend together printmaking and glassblowing. The Demaine duo is well known in their respected fields at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Martin Demaine has multiple roles at MIT, from Resident Artist to Technical Instructor at the Glass Lab, while his son, Dr. Erik Demaine, is a professor in Computer Science. Their collaborator, Shandra McLane, learned the art of glassblowing at the renowned Pilchuck Glass School, where she served as Print Shop Coordinator for 18 years. MOG opens at 10 a.m.

4. The Taylor Guitars Road Show is all about guitars, giving you a chance to talk shop with a team from the company's factory in El Cajon, California. At each event, Taylor's Road Show team shares insights on the company's guitar-making process and the award-winning Expression System pickup, and demonstrates how body shapes and woods affect tone. After the demonstration, guests are invited to sample a variety of different models, along with rare and custom Build to Order guitars, as part of Taylor's "Petting Zoo." The Road Show hits Music 6000 in Olympia at 7 p.m.

5. Comedy open mics are where comedians cut their teeth, develop their chops and other folksy idioms meaning "possibly suck to get better." Polish is traded for rawness. Comedians nervously testing out premises they thought of while parking. It wouldn't be a true comedy open mic without a few rookies floundering or even some industry veterans filling the room with crushing awkwardness, but Vomity features some damn good performers who more than balance it out every Wednesday at 9 p.m. in Le Voyeur. Host Sam Miller has an infectious enthusiasm for what he does, and the result is a well-organized but natural open mic that doesn't take itself too seriously.

LINK: Wednesday, Nov. 11 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

TUESDAY, NOV. 11 2014 >>>

1. The historical epoch of Armistice Day began with the Nov. 11, 1918, signing of a ceasefire between Germany and the Allied powers of World War I. President Woodrow Wilson initiated it. In the South Sound, we're reminded of war's impact more often than people in most other cities. But even so, it's not often enough. Our freedoms, our heritage and the way of life we enjoy today are made possible because of our military veterans. Today's 96th anniversary of Veterans Day honors all of America's veterans for their patriotism, service and sacrifice. And for their families, there is no better time than now to recognize them and give thanks for the remarkable sacrifices they have made. For stories and events honoring our local veterans, visit our Veterans Day section.

2. The opening line of Awake: The Life of Yogananda may serve as a general barometer of how viewers will receive this documentary about the revered titular yogi: "I was conscious in my mother's womb." Surely the film will be sought out by disciples of the meditative and (intendedly, at least) deeply spiritual practice of yoga, and they might drag along some skeptics. The former will gasp at the revelation; the latter will snicker. And those who thought they were open-minded will raise eyebrows that may remain continuously arched for the next 86 minutes. Catch the film at noon, 2:15 and 7 p.m. in The Grand Cinema.

3. Nov. 11, 1889, President Benjamin Harrison signed the proclamation admitting Washington to the Union and, with this year marking Washington's 125th anniversary, the Washington State Historical Society and the Office of the Secretary of State are hosting a celebration to honor the milestone from 1-4 p.m. in the State Capital Museum. The event will feature a re-creation of the telegram delivery that announced Washington's statehood at 3:09 p.m. making it precisely 125 years ago, along with music by The Total Experience Choir, Kim Archer and The Oly Mountain Boys, dancing by breakdancers and square dancers, plus speeches, exhibits, cake and more.

4. Have you been enjoy the 11 days leading up to tonight's 1111 Fest? Of course you have. The Peterson Bros. 1111 joint on Hilltop Tacoma has hosted a different brewery since Nov. 1. Tonight, it all aligns into one huge party with live music, raffles and beer.

5. If the music scene in Orange County, California, has one iconic figure, it's Social Distortion. From the first wave of OC punk bands, Social D were initially one of the more ambitious ones, recording several sides of what would become self-defining classics: "The Creeps (I Just Wanna Give You)," "Moral Threat," "1945," "Playpen," and the song (and album) that would've become archetypes no matter what county they were made in. Social D guitarist Jonny "2 Bags" Wickersham and bassist Brent Harding will perform at 7 p.m. in Pint Barn.

LINK: Tuesday, Nov. 11 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

MONDAY, NOV. 10 2014 >>>

1. Portland band Marianna and the Baby Vamps are now the Bylines, but much of the band's doo-woppy, soul and swing sound remain. Marianna Thielen and Reece Marshburn perform swingy 1960s radio-pop tunes, adding a healthy dose of musical theater and vintage bubblegum to the mix. The group has perfected an all-access pop sound that samples generously from its past, but has trudged into the future filling a keen sonic niche all its own. The Bylines hold an album release party featuring Daven Tillinghast at 8 p.m. in Rhythm and Rye in downtown Olympia.

2. In observance of Veterans Day Nov. 11 - you know, that day we honor military vets for, oh, we don't know, risking their lives for the freedoms we have, protecting our country and things like that - Weekly Volcano would like to thank all those men and women who have served and are serving our country. So ... thank you! The folks at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium are also grateful for your service. Celebrate Veterans Day with the animals at the zoo Nov. 10-11. The zoo is offering free admission to active-duty servicemembers and veterans (military identification and proof of service required).  Family members of servicemembers or veterans that attend the zoo will receive half off their admission rate.

3. Weather, When the, Sun Leggs and Gines perform an all-ages show at 6 p.m. in Le Voyeur.

4. Get out your dancing shoes and join in the whimsy of a country western shuffle dance, hosted by the Evergreen Country Dancers from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Olympia Elks Lodge. What is a shuffle, you say? It's the country western version of polka - the primary difference being that the style of shuffle is less hoppy than the polka. The basic step consists of a triple to the left followed by a triple to the right.  The shuffle is sometimes called double two-step or traveling swing, for it also uses components of two-step and the popular East Coast swing. This makes shuffle a very versatile dance, allowing a mix and match of patterns, which can result in some exciting variations - and there's nothing wrong with that.

5. Rod Cook is a well respected, in demand Seattle area guitarist known for his stylistic versatility and soulful, melodic playing. Best known for his work with folk/funk, Americana artist Laura Love in the 1990s and the early part of this decade, guitarist, vocalist Rod Cook began the guitar at the age of 9. Check him out and his band at 8 p.m. in The Swiss.

LINK: Monday, Nov. 10 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SUNDAY, NOV. 9 2014 >>>

1. The sweet, soothing, and sentimental sounds of mariachi music are an effective antidote to an overdose of loud, searing, angst-ridden rock or rap. Music, lest we forget, can be delightful, gay and harmonious; for many centuries it was actually prized for these very qualities! Mariachi music is unabashedly sweet, with heart-melting harmonies; do yourself a favor and help yourself to beautiful music at the Fiesta, Familia, Folklore! music and dance show at Tacoma's Pantages Theater at 3 p.m. The event promises to provide an authentic regional representation of Mexican music through the use of traditional songs and dances. Feed off of the inspiring youthful exuberance of Mariachi Huenachi. Witness the vibrant pageantry of ballet folklórico of Bailadores de Bronce. Hear the young singer from San Antonio, Sebastien de la Cruz, who has won the nation's heart. Fall off the mechanical bull. Wait! Apparently, no bull.

2. Tacoma Art Museum's "INK THIS" exhibit ends today. It's the last day to see prints that are not what they used to be. Not that artists do not still make etchings, lithographs and silkscreen prints, but what they do with these and other print media - often in inventive and never-before-thought-of combinations and employing new digital technologies - can be like nothing ever before seen. See the exhibit from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

3. The last show of Tacoma Little Theatre's staging of the classic tale of crime and betrayal, Dial "M" for Murder, is at 2 p.m. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full review of Dial "M" for Murder in the Music & Culture section.

4. The last show of Olympia Little Theatre's Red Herring is at 1:55 p.m. Read Amanda Stevens' full review of Red Herring in the Music & Culture Section.

5. Jubal Flagg is back with his Super Secret Show at 8 p.m. in the Tacoma Comedy Club. What is his Super Secret Show? Well ... its super secret. Watch Jubal force six comedians to do some crazy stuff. What kind of crazy stuff? It's a secret. We can't tell you.

LINK: Sunday, Nov. 9 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SATURDAY, NOV. 8 2014 >>>

1. Forged in the fires of Mount Doom then relocated to Seattle,the D20 Brass Band plays all of your favorite music from the video games, movies, and television you love, and whips it all up into a funky groove reminiscent of old school classics such as James Brown, The Meters and Sly & The Family Stone. We're talking music from the games, TV shows, movies, cartoons, and anime you love played to a deep funky groove. The D20 Brass Band will hit the streets of downtown Tacoma today. Beginning at noon, D20 will hop on the Tacoma Link at the Tacoma Dome station then will the University of Washington-Tacoma Steps with their funky Nintendo beats. Then, the band will hop back on the Link to the Tacoma Convention Center to perform for the crowd at the Jet City Comic Show. Last, it's back on the Link to the end of the line for a performance at Dorky's Arcade at Ninth and Pacific Avenue. We imagine it could be a short set as, well, the joint is filled with video games.

2. Speaking of the Jet City Comic Show, the second annual celebration of pop culture, tights, zombies and the arts runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Tacoma Convention Center. Comics are the stars of the show; it's bringing a wide array of artists, writers and publishers to the South Sound. There's also a little something for TV and film nerds. Actors Dirk Benedict of The A Team and Battlestar Galactica and Richard Hatch - who featured prominently in both the original Battlestar Galactica and the 2000s reboot - will be in attendance for photo ops and autographs. Author/screenwriter Peter Beagle of the cult classic The Last Unicorn will also be on hand.

3. We have a hankering for bluegrass tonight. Maybe it's the rain, the flannel shirts and the switch from summer's gin to autumn's whiskey. Whatever the case, it's nice. Tacoma's The Cottonwood Cutups are bringing that satisfying pluck and twang and funk to The Spar in Old Town Tacoma for a hot 8 p.m. set. The three brothers - who enjoy Dr. Dre, campfires and the Hoh Rainforest - deliver toe-tapping Americana, tickled by mandolin and banjo, with guitar and an upright bass to root it all down. The Spar is the perfect backdrop - intimate, wood floors, nice people, warm food and cold beer.

4. For years, both in the Puget Sound area and in Brooklyn, Ben Roth has been a career musician, collaborating on countless projects and lending his guitarist talents to tons of bands. Taking a break from his role in Oberhofer and Crater, Roth has formed his own band, giving him the opportunity to step into the spotlight and showcase his songwriting talents. His new band, Bod, brings his intricate guitar-playing to the fore, making it the backbone of a hazy mix of math-rock, psych, and grunge. Catch Bod with Burning Palms, Jarvis Clayton and BS System at 9 p.m. in The New Frontier Lounge.

5. The late-night mini-fest of blood-injected spazzmatic anti-cinema All Freakin' Night is sure to cause at least one of your major organs to fail when the projector is flicked on at midnight. As part of the Olympia Film Festival, and running through early morning Sunday at the Capitol Theater, Morbius, The Burning, Mr. Magoo Meets Frankenstein, The Incredible Melting Man and The Fog will flicker with enough carnage to terrify, not just sicken. Host Sam Miller will pass out enough coffee to keep your head spinning - completely around. Wedged between the movies will be contests with plenty of putrid prizes.

PLUS: The Harvey Girls are in the South Sound for the second night in a row. The Portland band joins the Wheelies, Neighbors and Fruit Juice at 8 p.m. in Bob's Java Jive.

LINK: Saturday, Nov. 8 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

FRIDAY, NOV. 7 2014 >>>

1. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band have perfected their blend of jug-band tunes, folk-rock and bluegrass over the past four decades, scoring a number of chart-topping singles on the Billboard country charts, weaving its California sound into the history of country music with "Mr. Bojangles" and "Fishin' in the Dark," the band's most recognizable songs. After many personnel changes over the years, today the core Dirt Band - a quartet now - features original founders Jeff Hanna (guitar) and Jimmie Fadden (drums), along with longtime alums John McEuen (banjo/mandolin, etc.) and Bob Carpenter (piano/keyboard). The band will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the Pantages Theater.

The Olympia Film Festival enters its 31st year with style. Opening with a performance from Girl Trouble and Mudhoney tonight, the Olympia Film Festival has an embarrassment of riches with regards to the breadth and variety of the films coming to the Capitol Theater. "The opening night movie is going to be awesome," says Olympia Film Society Marketing and Events Coordinator Harry Reetz. "It's called My Last Year With the Nuns. It's sort of a memoir-comedy-documentary. Sort of like a Spalding Gray movie, where it's basically just a monologue, but it's surprisingly good. It didn't look like something I would enjoy, but it's really funny." The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m.

3. It's too bad Little Women has a stigma for being a "chick" story. Once you get past the four sisters at the center of Louisa May Alcott's novel-turned-stage play, it's hard for everyone - regardless of gender - not to enjoy the sweet, timeless story. Enjoy the Lakewood Playhouse's rendering of the story at 8 p.m. - and if you're a dude who ends up having to wipe a little something out of your eye, there's no shame in it.

4. There's a slinkiness to the Harvey Girls that damn near undeniable. The Portland trio combines a music history lesson's worth of influences into something that resembles a soul-singing diva fronting an art-pop group from the UK or New Zealand. The arrangements are simple and sprightly, forming a skeletally charged structure that hums with energy. Catch the band with Blackstone RNGRS, Tender Age and No Body at 8 p.m. in Northern.

5. Fresh from reincarnating Courtney Love and Hole for Night of the Living Tribute Bands 2014, Oly's all-grrl rock trio Full Moon Radio will blow the roof off the Midnight Sun at 9 p.m. (That's a shame, as Theater Artists Olympia just repaired and repainted the joint.) Even better, the event is free! Even better better, Full Moon Radio kicks major ass, as evidenced by the band's recent album Best Mother. It's also a good chance to catch up-and-comers Globelamp and Jupiter Stripes on the bill.

LINK: Friday, Nov. 7 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

THURSDAY, NOV. 6 2014 >>>

1. Seattle-based Americana artist Kate Lynne Logan's smooth, ethereal tone of her voice draws comparisons to Allison Kruass and The Wailin' Jennys' Ruth Moody - gentle, but evocative. Paired with that steady-like-a-train guitar playing, her sound further blurs the lines between pop, Americana and alt-country. Logan will share her talent with The Swiss Restaurant and Pub beginning at 9 p.m.

2. Bill Bonnie, owner of Tacoma Wine Merchants and connected Enoteca Wine Bar in the Stadium District, has been searching and fighting Tacoma for years for a spot to open his Northwest centric upscale pub meets bistro concept. A former antique store next to the former blues club Coles in the town of Ruston is where he and his business partner, Donn Frostad of North Slope Construction, landed. After many months of renovation, the Point Defiance Tap and Grill will open today for lunch and dinner. Northwest beer is on tap.

3. The tragic, yet ultimately inspiring story of Rachel Corrie made its way from Olympia to around the world in a matter of days back in 2003, when The Evergreen State College student made her way to the Gaza Strip to protest the destruction of homes of Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli government. An Israeli bulldozer killed her when she stood between the heavy machinery and the house only to be crushed to death as the bulldozer went about its business. Her death sparked not only international attention and outrage but highlighted the struggle of the Palestinian people. My Name is Rachel Corrie is a one-woman play composed from Rachel's own journals, letters and emails creating a portrait of a messy, articulate, Salvador Dali-loving chain-smoker - with a passion for the music of Pat Benatar. Tacoma Little Theatre presents the emotional piece, directed by Niclas R. Olson, and featuring Lauren Nance for a one-night performance at 7:30 p.m.

4. The Keith Henson Octet is an eight-piece, five horn South Sound-based band featuring arrangements of jazz and popular danceable and listenable standards. Check them out at 8 p.m. in the B Sharp Coffee House.

5. Every Thursday night at Puget Sound Pizza, the Volcano's music critic Rev. Adam McKinney hosts a karaoke session showcasing a Tarantino-like mix of downtown denizens seriously singing Bill Withers and glasses-wearing gals squawking out punk rawk, plus appearances by local rock stars. McKinney, always looking dapper in his sportcoat, has a mellifluous singing voice, perfect for "Disco 2000" by Pulp, "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" by Tom Lehrer, "Little Green Bag" by the George Baker Selection, "Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)" by Squeeze and his standard closing song, "Bottle of Wine" by the Fireballs.

LINK: Thursday, Nov. 6 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 5 2014 >>>

1. Remember when as a kid you sat on a swing, pumping your arms for all they could muster to get a motion going that felt like flying? Your mother was always worried that you'd go off and join Ringling Bros. Circus, but you went on to become an elementary school yard monitor. Other swing fanatics went on to perform aerial dance inside bars. The Brotherhood Takes Flight aerial show is back, featuring Jenn Johnson taking to the air with whimsy, strength and artful grace at The Brotherhood Lounge. The performance above the drinking crowd is just plain beautiful. A dance party with DJ Fir$t Lady follows the 8 p.m. performance.

2. Rear Admiral Eleanor Valentin, the first Filipino American female to be the Commander of Navy's Medicine Support Command and the first female director of the U. S. Navy's Medical Service Corps, will be the guest speaker at 6 p.m. in the Worthington Conference Center at Saint Martin's University. The areas under Valentin's command include the Naval Medical Logistics Command, the Navy Medicine Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education Command, the Navy Medicine Information Systems Support Activity, the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center and the Naval Medical Research Center.

3. Margaret Cho is back for another night of two shows at the Tacoma Comedy Club. Cho is a fierce and funny ambassador for the Korean American community who makes amazing jokes about her parents, loves the gay community, loves sex (sometimes with women) and has starred in more TV shows at 46 than most comics will in a lifetime. Catch her at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m.

4. Every Wednesday Doyle's Public House hosts Knowledge Night, its version of a pub quiz, at 8 and 9 p.m. It is free to play. Speaking of free, Doyle's co-owner Russ Heaton is free to roam the room and look over your shoulder, crack wise and punch you in the arm.

5. Montana-based garage pop band Buddy Jackson sure know their way around a good "woh-oh." While there's certainly a good amount of fuzzed-out thrashing, Buddy Jackson always give you plenty of sugar to let the medicine go down. Melody and a good sing-along chorus seem to always be at the front of their minds, even when the lead vocals get pushed to the edge of a scream. Catch the band with Chasing Hornets and Hold Fast at 10 p.m. in Le Voyeur.

LINK: Wednesday, Nov. 5 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area