MONDAY, MAY 6 2013 >>>

1. It's Monday. Yesterday's awesome weather is still on your mind, and in about eight hours, you're going to be facing the eternal first-night-of-the-workweek dinner dilemma. We dunno about you, but hell no, we're not going to come home and start slicing and chopping and stirring and dirtying four pans on a Monday night. Yet there's the voice in the back of our heads reminding us that we ate out three times over the weekend, and the tired, drag-ass part that just wants to slouch on the sofa with a bowl of something. Don't do it. Head to Olympia for a chill dinner then hit Le Voyeur at 10 p.m. to see San Francisco's One F band. Gigging since 2006, One F has been described as listening to "Dinosaur Jr. vs. Pink Floyd, while being refereed by Pavement." One minute they're soothing with sincere balladry; next minute they're all-out rocking. We're so there. You?

2. The flowers at Lakewold Gardens are going nuts. It's an explosion of color and fragrances. There's not better time to visit as the Lakewood garden celebrates MayFest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through May 12. Check out the displays, exhibits and activities in the Wagner House. Smell a flower. Enjoy life.

3. It's Military Spouse Appreciation week on Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The Cascade Community Center will give spouses a free slice of cheesecake with purchase of lunch through Friday.

4. The OverDrive Digital Bookmobile - a 74-foot semi-truck and trailer equipped with computers and mobile devices - will be parked outside the Tumwater Timberland Library from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors can navigate the Gadget Gallery, Audiobook Alley, the eBook Experience, Digital Catalog and Video Lounge and learn how to access the library's digital titles for free.

5. Composer/guitarist Joe Mailhot, bassist Erich Hahn, saxophonist Scott Reed and drummer Mo-weee Mailhot, aka Malhotia Unit, will fill The Royal Lounge with original jazz tunes inspired by John Coltrane, Sun Ra, Albert Ayler and Jimi Hendrix beginning at 8 p.m. Special guest Charles Adler will contribute spoken word to this performance.

LINK: Monday, May 6 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SATURDAY, APRIL 27 2013 >>>

1. David Sedaris' highly imaginative, ridiculous, true and frequently heartbreaking content is derived from commonplace observations and events. The invitation you'll have at 7:30 p.m. inside the Pantages to pull up a chair and hear the stories Sedaris has to tell is a wonderful thing. Listening to Sedaris on This American Life is always entertaining, and we adore his books, but seeing David Sedaris live and watching his facial expressions and gestures as he reads and speaks is just awesome.

2. The 5th annual Alder Arts Walk — technically independent from the University of Puget Sound and ASUPS - happens around the university today and tomorrow at five houses along or near Alder Street, and carryies the theme "Apocalypse." Each house engages an idea inherent to the overarching End of Days theme, an idea that will be explored by acts and activities throughout the day: with the exception of Brunch, the houses are named for the Horsemen of the Apocalypse—Conquest, War, Famine and Death. Check the schedule for a detailed line-up of art and bands, live updates and some apocalyptic historical anecdote at alderartswalk.tumblr.com.

3. Last night the Olympia Arts Walk was off the hook with beautiful weather, awesome music and the streets and clubs packed with people. The festivites conitnue today, including the main event - the thing that has made Olympia's Arts Walk legendary - the Procession of the Species (elaborate animal costumes, no motor vehicles allowed). The 19th annual Procession of the Species begins at 4:30 p.m. Maps with complete listings of shows and events are available throughout downtown.

4. We saw the bluesy, power pop band Liar's Club perform numerous times during the early '90s. One of my favorite Liar's Club shows was when the band opened Pandemonium mag's 1993 Christmas party at the Red Roof in Lakewood. The Rhino Humpers, Running with Scissors, Tramps of Panic were on the bill. KGRG DJ Christine McLeod celebrated her 21^st birthday that night during the Malchicks' set. Tacoma TV star Spud Goodman announced a few acts while his sidekick Accordion Joe, donning an Elvis suit, performed classic rock hits between bands. Liar's Club performed their hit, "Espresso Girl" that night. Just shy of 20 years later, Jayson Jarmon, Scott McPherson and Kevo X. Thomson have reformed Liar's Club for a new poplicious album, Come and Go, with Sean Gaffmey and Dana Sims. The band will host a record release party at 8 p.m. at The Harmon.

5. Inspired by the lack of variety in dance music in Tacoma, Calvin Murphy and Omar Stokes founded Ocean Grooves Entertainment in January 1999. They started off strong that February with Monday night shows at the 6th & Proctor Bar & Grill (later became Hell's Kitchen) and dedicated Mondays to underground dance music showcasing various DJs from Seattle, plus Tacoma favorites such as Donald Glaude and DJ dAb. Speaking of Ocean Grooves and Glaude, the two pair up again at 9 p.m. for a show at Jazzbones. 

LINK: Saturday, April 27 arts and entertainmetn events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

FRIDAY, APRIL 26 2013 >>>

1. Dropping Gems is a Pacific Northwest record label that specializes in various forms of electronica. Fittingly, in their showcase produced by NW Sounds and KUPS, Dropping Gems will be featuring several flavors of electronic music beginning at 7 p.m. isnide Oppenheimer Cafe on the University of Puget Sound campus. Most immediately appealing, perhaps, is Natasha Kmeto, whose soulful vocals liven and enrich her nominally snaky beats (and who, it must be noted has been gaining a very respectable following on YouTube with her song, "Pleasure Delay"). Ghost Feet favor disorienting glitches and ethereal field recordings, while filters hip-hop through liquid-smooth IDM. DJAO's ambient drone and Brownbear's beat-centric bombast round out what will be an eclectic night of dance and texture-based electronica. It'll all be no doubt rather heady and perfect accompaniment for any of a wide variety of interesting substances. Dancer's choice on that one. - Rev. Adam McKinney

2. As you all know, Olympia Arts Walk is this weekend, which means more art than you can shake a paintbrush at, tons of people crowding the streets in costume and character, and music at every venue. Friday evening, Full Moon Radio, Glass Elevator and The Hard Way will be rocking a free performance at 5 p.m. inside the Capitol Theater. Accompanying the indie rockers will be a debut screening of both Full Moon Radio and Glass Elevator's new music videos. Please do yourself a favor and take advantage of this special performance. It's not everyday you get to see local talent as good as these bands grab the stage at Capitol Theater for free. Plus, it's an early show, giving plenty of time for other Arts Walk activities - including the luminary procession, which will be right outside the theater's front door. - Nikki McCoy

3. Bring your "A" game and retro tennis apparel (optional) to the 4th annual 2013 AIASWW Wii Tennis Tournament at 5:30 p.m. inside BLRB architects in downtown Tacoma. Join Spaceworks Tacoma, friends and supporters for a fun night of Wii Tennis at the cool offices of BLRB. Spaceworks will appreciate your support through your entry fee (at the door) of $20 for players or $10 for spectators, which includes both food and drink.

4. Well, it's almost here. The end of the season. No more plays, no more dance recitals, no more spoken word standing on a cube, ever. OK, not ever. However, it will be one looonnng summer of American Idol reruns, we tell you what. How about one more, just for old time's sake? Pacific Lutheran University Dance Ensemble presents Dance 2013, a collection of dances in the style of jazz, modern, ballet and hip-hop at 7:30 p.m. inside Olson Auditorium. In all, the performance features nine student choreographers, 72 dancers and musicians and that dude working the lights. You might want to check those numbers. Aaahh, let's end the season by giving each other a big hug.

5. It's a weekend of anniversaries for one of the most popular pubs in Tacoma. The Swiss celebrates the 100th anniversary of the building it inhabits, 20 years of ownership by Jack McQuade and 10 years since Vicci Martinez first hopped up on its stage. By some sort of mathematical property, three anniversaries logically equates to three days of music. A diamond who shined even brighter after landing a spot on reality show The Voice local girl Vicci Martinez will anchor The Swiss' weekend events with a show tonight at 7 p.m. Read Nikki McCoy's feature on The Swiss' anniversary here.

LINK: Friday, April 26 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

THURSDAY, APRIL 25 2013 >>>

1. American Voices: Invisibility, Art, and Educational Justice is a three-part series presented by Puget Sound University's Race and Pedagogy department. The series features educators, scholars, artists, and activists whose work stimulates critical intellectual engagement about issues of racial justice and educational reform. Today, the series culminates in a collaboration between Tacoma's Fab-5 and poet, writer, activist and teacher Walidah Imarisha. The spoken word performance, New Faces, New Voices: The Role of Youth in Educational Justice, will take place at 7 p.m. in Schneebeck Concert Hall. Entrance is free and everyone is welcome. Tickets are not required.

2. More than 50 establishments will be participating in Dining Out for Life today. During this large scale culinary fundraiser 25 percent of your bill will go directly to benefit the Pierce County Aids Foundation funding AIDS and HIV advocacy care and prevention programs. All types of cuisine are available from the rise of the sun until that late night nibble in Pierce County. Check out full details and a list of participating restaurants at diningoutforlife.com.

3. bella balls will be hosting a social to celebrate their newest fleur-de-lis adornment from 5-8 p.m. Co-owners glass artist Diane Hansen and designer Lesli Jacobs-McHugh will be in attendance and cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served.

4. "Look Here," a salon style art exhibition of 14 Tacoma visual artists, will be held from 5:30-9:30 p.m. at 1215 Earnest S. Brazill St. - a Tacoma building scheduled to be listed on the real estate market for sale. Showing will be works by Bill Colby, Karen Doten, Kristin Giordono, Lisa Kinoshita, Lynn Di Nino, Janet Marcavage, Yuki Nakamura, Nicholas Nyland, Frederic Quinn, Betty Sapp Ragan, William Turner, Emily Wood and Otto Youngers. Victoria Johnson curates the show, as well as contributes work. "Artists are gentrifiers in Tacoma along with innumerable harbingers in a city poised for cultural tourism to booster private commerce," states Johnson in a release.

5. Balto formed in winter of 2010 as a document of young men traversing the landscape of Siberia. Appropriately, their folk-rock sounds barren, lonely and searching. The guitars and voices mingle together in the wide, scary expanse of an unfamiliar environment - countless, inconceivable miles away from loved ones. Beyond this air of being so helplessly lost, Balto also possesses an admirable musicality and liveliness that helps to buoy the songs and fight back those aggressive gusts of cold foreign wind. Join their jounrney at 10 p.m. inside Le Voyeur.

LINK: Thursday, April 25 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

It's a weekend of anniversaries for one of the most popular pubs in Tacoma. The Swiss celebrates the 100th anniversary of the building it inhabits, 20 years of ownership by Jack McQuade and 10 years since Vicci Martinez first hopped up on its stage.

By some sort of mathematical property, three anniversaries logically equates to three days of music. A diamond who shined even brighter after landing a spot on reality show The Voice local girl Vicci Martinez will anchor The Swiss' weekend events with a show Friday night. Saturday, long-standing house band Kry will bring their familiar flavor of rock 'n' roll to the stage. Sunday brings eight different bands, including youth rockers, Insubordinate. 

Surely all this music will make a person hungry and thirsty, so McQuade added special touches to the menu, including commemorative pint glasses for the first 500 beer drinkers, and the return of a few original recipes, including Gayl's Lasagna, The Helluva Mozzarella Sandwich and the Mozzarella Salad.

McQuade opened The Swiss after a six-month remodel with partners Bob Hill and Gayl Bertagni - who McQuade calls "the heart and soul of the kitchen." Bertagni passed away four years ago. Hill retired January of this year.

McQuade says he plans to continue bringing in a variety of live music, including more youth groups, benefit shows and themed nights - such as garage rock, bluegrass and alt-country. 

Twenty years is an admirable milestone. McQuade wants to thank all his lifelong customers - and fresh faces - that frequent the Swiss and help keep it strong.

"A pub is a public house, you treat it like your own house," says McQuade. "You're only a stranger but once." 

THE SWISS, VICCI MARTINEZ, FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 7 P.M., $15/ADV, $20/DOOR; SATURDAY, APRIL 27, KRY, 8 P.M.; SUNDAY, APRIL 28, EIGHT BANDS, 2-11 P.M., ALL AGES, 1904 JEFFERSON AVE., TACOMA, 253.572.2821

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24 2013 >>>

1. Slip on your Cleopatra Jones afro or your dad's toupee and slide on over to The Brotherhood Lounge for a night of old school R&B, funk and soul with DJs Whistle Punk and Paul Shrug. Beginning at 8 p.m. the Broho will be full of rubbery grooves, slick licks and hi-tech keys caked in stardust. Expect booty-shakers, heart-breakers, spinal-cord-manipulators and epidermis-manglers in the form of rare and popular selections from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and, wait for it, 1980s. It's gonna be more fun than selling fake insurance on closeout cell phones at a mid-mall kiosk.

2. Downtown Tacoma residents are encouraged to gather at 7 p.m. inside The Social Bar and Grill to celebrate their urbaness. It's a chance for condo and apartment dwellers to meet their neighbors and hug it out over street projects, parking issues, light rail schedules and new crepe businesses. Expect door prizes and good conversation.

3. In 2011, Weekly Volcano readers voted the Top of Tacoma Bar and Cafe the best bar in Tacoma. This was due in no small part to their well drink Wednesdays. Two dollar well drinks after 7 p.m. Are you kidding? That's, like, riding the train to funkytown for only eight bucks. Yes, please. The kitchen stays open to midnight. Choo, choooo!

4. Held every Wednesday at 8 p.m., Trivia for Dorks is a free, all-ages affair at Dorky's Arcade in downtown Tacoma. Sure, the prizes are nice, but even better is dropping your win at your next round table D & D discussion.

5. When you build your act and your music around theatricality, you quickly realize after making a few recordings that there is eventually no place to go but bigger and bigger. More hooks, more color, more eccentricity. Sabrina Chap has backed herself against this wall, but she continues to imbue her music with as much flair as one can muster. She performs at 10 p.m. with Romanteek at Le Voyeur.

LINK: Wednesday, April 24 arts and entertainment events in the greater TAcoma and Olympia area

Olympia Arts Walk runs two days - Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27 - with shows and events throughout downtown Olympia. It's one of the biggest arts celebrations anywhere, rivaling the Freemont Solstice Parade for fun, entertainment and colorful sights (the only thing missing is the naked bikers).

The following are a few events happening during the Olympia Arts Walk.

Susan Aurand's monotypes and Lisa Sweet's etchings, engravings and drawings are on display at Childhood's End, along with prints by Sherry Buckner, Kristen Etdumd, Mimi Williams, Yoshiko Yamamoto and Stephen McMillan. Aurand and Sweet are featured in the current show at The Evergreen State College, which I reviewed in last week's Volcano. The Gypsy Jazz Trio will fill the gallery with music from 6-9 p.m. Friday.

Read more...

TUESDAY, APRIL 23 2013 >>>

1. Tacoma Community College has joined forces with The Grand Cinema for a third year to celebrate its Diversity Film Festival. The DFF runs until April 25, and seems particularly bent on revealing beauty in the unlikeliest of places. Haven't seen Rome in awhile? You haven't seen it like this - Caesar Must Die transports viewers to lovely Rebibbia Prison, where criminals quoth the Bard at 2 and 6:15 p.m. 

2. Former Tacoma Community College Librarian Mark Bieraugel's chosen art form is embroidery, but his creations diverge wildly from the classic flower-patterned throw pillow. Check out his embroidery work during an opening reception of his exhibit from 5-7 p.m. at the TCC Gig Harbor campus.

3. Tacoma Arts Commission and current Tacoma Poet Laureate Josie Emmons Turner officially introduce the new, 2013-15 Tacoma Poet Laureate Lucas Smiraldo at 6 p.m. inside the Tacoma Public Library Main Branch. Former Tacoma Poet Laureates Bill Kupinse and Tammy Robacker also will read. Light refreshments following in the library's Handforth Gallery.

4. You are getting sleepy, v-e-r-y sleepy. Now, go see the hypnotist show at 8 p.m. inside the Red Wind Casino. Whether a skeptic or believer, the show will be sure to entertain with its comedy, rock and roll and outrageous hypnosis, like people sneezing and having orgasms(!) when Ron Stubbs, the man behind the magic, utters the word "pepper."

5. Loves It, Manzanita Falls and Scatter Gather rock Le Voyeur at 9 p.m.

LINK: Tuesday, April 23 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

This year, Olympia Arts Walk overflows with music - at least according to the 20-something events on my Facebook page. Saturday and Sunday feature everything from indie to hip-hop, to hard rock.

On the grand scale, this weekend's Olympia's Arts Walk - the twice-yearly celebration of arts of all sorts by artists of all sorts, from kindergarteners to professional artists -  Offerings range from paintings, poetry and sculpture to films and performance art, plus face painting for the kids. And music - lots of it.

Capitol City Guitars, long known for their sidewalk performances, invites Gunslinger to start off the weekend with a 30-minute set of Judas Priest inspired metal Friday at 6 p.m., followed by Fitz of Depression at 9 p.m. Saturday at 4 p.m., singer/songwriter Scott Taylor will channel his mojo into the crowd, serenading passersby.

It's hard to believe it's already been four years since Old School Pizzeria created the Hard Rock Parking Lot to showcase Olympia bands during Arts Walk. This year, 13 bands will consume the pizza stage. I was going to highlight a few of the better bands, but heck, they are all awesome, so the full line up is as follows:

Friday, beginning at 5 p.m., there will be one band on the hour with the last band playing at 9 p.m., Lit End, Shoreline Drive, The Way Finders, HellBelly, In Between Days, and a Weekly Volcano 2013 Best Cover Band, Cure Tribute Band.

Saturday, beginning at noon, with the last band playing at 7 p.m., we have The Blue, Little Red Carwreck, Big Red Sun, The Lumen, The Have At Its, The Heyfields, Hurts Like Hell and Planetary People.

Down at The Olympia Ballroom, Saturday night, there is an Intergalactic Prom - fancy attire encouraged! - with dance party rocktronica by Elbow Coulee, hip-hop from Hollywood Kill Crew and AKA and the Heart Hurt Goods, plus DJs and more. It kicks off at 8 p.m.

Friday, Olympia Film Society presents Full Moon Radio and Glass Elevator both screening their new music videos at the Capitol Theater. The Hard Way joins the bill for a well-rounded indie set. This show begins at 5 p.m.

All shows listed are free and all ages, except Intergalactic Prom, which costs $3.

For a complete list of performers, artists, musicians and businesses participating in Olympia Arts Walk, click here.

MONDAY, APRIL 22 2013 >>>

1. Guy Fieri visited Puyallup when he blasted through the South Sound in November. His show, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, filmed at six popular locations, including Darby's Cafe, Fish Tale Brew Pub, Crockett's Public House and Crown Bar — all of which have aired on Fieri's Food Network show. Tonight, Dirty Oscar's Annex receives the spotlight with the episode screening at 7 p.m. In celebration, Dirty Oscar's Annex invites everyone to join them at 6 p.m. to watch the show and enjoy lots of specials — drinks, food and giveaways.

2. Standup comedy hasn't evolved much since the glory days of ventriloquist and puppet. Every so often, there's a Gallagher smashing watermelons or a musical funnyman like Jack Black, but for the most part, comedy is a dude on a stage with a microphone, plodding through a joke-punchline-new-joke routine. You're funny. You need to change the course of comedy forever. Every Monday at 8 p.m. the Grit City Comedy Club opens its stage to the public for a comedy open mic. Explore the space. Head for space.

3. Soulful viscereal blues singer Linda Myers  and her band will perform at 8 p.m. inside The Swiss.

4. Every Monday Jazzbones is packed to the brim with college kids at 9 p.m. 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 Carrions, Little War Twins and White Fang will rock Le Voyeur at 9 p.m.

LINK: Monday, April 22 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area