MORE LIVE THAN YOU'LL EVER BE >>>

4th Ave Ale House Olympia - Downtown. Gina Belliveau, Lijie, Focus Focus. 9 pm.

Bob's Java Jive Tacoma - Central. Shrouded In Veils, Atomic Bride, Aerglo. 9 pm.

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. Northwest Sons. 8 pm.

Eagle's Hall Olympia - Downtown. M.A.D.D. Benefit Show, featuring VIII Days Clean. All Ages. 7:30 pm.

Graham-Kapowsin High School Graham. Cancer Benefit Concert featuring Moneta, They Charge Like Warriors, Burning Twilight, Spare Me Poseidon, and Shoreline Drive. All Ages. 5-11 pm. $5.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. The Fun Police, The Graceland Five, Hopeless Jack & The Handsome Devils, Phasers On Kill. 9 pm. $5.

The Hub Tacoma - Stadium District. The Kim Archer Band. 9 pm. NC.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Randy Hansen. 9 pm. $8-$10.

JR's Hideaway Belfair. Relay For Life Benefit, with Chicken Joe & The Fabulous Cocks. 9 pm.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. The Artichoke Project. 9 pm.

Little Creek Casino Shelton. John Rich (of Big & Rich). 7 pm. $50-$65. Chance McKinney & Crosswire. 9 pm. NC.

The Loft on Cherry Olympia - Downtown. Hip Hop 4 The Homeless Benefit Weekend, with spoken word & live performances by Afrok, XP, Sista Hailstorm, Night Fox, Josh Rizeberg, Collective Love, Never Sleep, Hollywood Kill Krew. This event is family-friendly & proceeds benefit the Olympia-area homeless & vulnerably housed. All Ages. 7 pm. $5 or a donation of clothing, tent, tarp or hygein.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Scott Cook. All Ages. 6 pm. NC. Mary Win, Paula Boggs Band. All Ages. 8:30 pm. $5.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma. Musuji (Denver Band) with Pioneers West. 8 pm to Midnight. $5.

Pantages Theater Tacoma - Downtown. Nanci Griffith. All Ages. 7:30 pm. $30-$70.

Peabody Waldorf Gallery Tacoma - Downtown. Apache Chief Album Release Show, with The Drug Purse, Sam Olsen, Miles VanMatre, All Ages. 7 pm. $3.

Red Bicycle Bistro and Sushi Bar Vashon. Nick Vigarino. All Ages. 8:30 pm. NC.

Rock the Dock Pub & Grill Tacoma - Downtown. Billy Roy Duo. 9 pm. NC.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Fingertips. 8 pm. NC.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Fall From Grace, Atomic Outlaws, Plaster. 8 pm. $5.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Scott Cossu, with Jessica Blinn. All Ages. 8 pm. $8-$12.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Billy Shew. 8 pm.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

LIVE MUSIC ON A SUNDAY IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Dawson's Bar and Grill Tacoma - South. Blues Jam, hosted by Tim Hall. 8 pm.

Immanuel Presbyterian Church Tacoma - Northend. An Evening with Chad & Jeremy Benefit Concert. All Ages. 7 pm. NC.

Northern Olympia - Downtown. The Thermals, White Fan, Broken Water. All Ages. 8 pm.

• Indie pop-punk heroes the Thermals began in 2002, with Hutch Harris and Kathy Foster who, after several lineup changes, have remained the band's only constants. The Thermals built a following through their high-energy performances, both live and on record, and their emotionally charged and frankly political lyrics. Even when the subject matter gets almost overwhelmingly angry and heavy (as it most notably did on their third album, The Body, The Blood, The Machine), the bright levity of the music never allows an album to get bogged down in bitterness. Hutch Harris may sometimes sound like a punk-rock preacher, but the Thermals never quite sound preachy, if you get my drift. Read my full story on the band here. - Rev. adam McKinney
  

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Cris Stevens & The Surf Monkeys. 7 pm. NC.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Dinner Jazz Show. 5-8 pm. NC.

The Swiss Tacoma - Downtown. Mykel Spatz Memorial Open Jam. 3 pm. $10.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Sunday Blues Jam Night. Hosted by Shelly Ely. 7-10 pm.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

4th Ave Ale House Olympia - Downtown. No Living Witness, Lenore, Jean Grey, Evangelist, Super Happy Story Time Land. 9 pm.

Bob's Java Jive Tacoma - Central. Dymstar Entertainment. 9 pm.

The Den at urbanXchange Tacoma - Downtown. Caleb Fahey EP Release Party with Stetson Curtis. All Ages. 7 pm. Donations.

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. Aaron Daniel: One Man Banned. 8 pm. NC.

• We've seen plenty of one-man bands in our day. Great ones like Phillip Roebuck come to mind. And plenty of not-so-great ones also come to mind. But when it comes to wow factor mixed with groove, few have the skills that Aaron Daniel has. Building intricate jams with beatbox and acoustic guitar backbones - utilizing foot controlled loop pedals - Daniel comes to the stage as only a single dude, but typically leaves seen more as a phenomena. Guitar solos, stomping beats, holy-crap vocals - Daniel has all of it in his bag of tricks. Saturday at Doyle's Public House, Daniel will almost certainly put it all on display. If you have yet to see him do his thing you're missing out. - Matt Driscoll

Firwood Rock Lounge Tacoma - Downtown. Show Devil "Enigma," Bedside Manner, Tsalve. 8 pm. $12 pre-sale, $15 day of show.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Sin, Open Rebuke, Deathbed Confessions, Osama Bin Rockin, Psycho 78, Devils Of Loudon. 9 pm. NC.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Heartless. 9 pm. $7.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Paul Mauer. 9 pm.Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. GraySkiesBlue. All Ages. 8:30 pm. $5.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Bodybox CD Release Show, with James Coates & The Lost Souls, The Dave Hannon Band. 9 pm. $5.

Northern Olympia - Downtown. Gumar & His Magical Midi Band, Brownbear, Citymouth, DJAO, Ghost Feet. All Ages. 8 pm.

• Gumar and His Magical Midi Band (spelled on their MySpace page with exclamation points in place of i's) are about as wacky as their name suggests. The instrumentation on songs like "Alien Groove Thang" is pretty exuberantly earnest (i.e. these musical pranksters are serious musicians, in the vein of, say, Electric Six). Their support on this Northern bill are less self-aware but no less talented, and most are conveniently found sharing space on Bandcamp comps like Dropping Gems. Cumulatively, they span the breadth of electronic music's figurative cosmos - from the atmospheric, Cuisinart-ed sounds of Citymouth, to Brownbear's subterranean dubstep, to the bifurcated beatsmith-ery of DJAO's high-end/low-end contrasts. Oly duo Ghost Feet, who are also playing, might just make the most ebullient and colorful music of this whole estimable lineup. - Jason Baxter

O'Malley's Irish Pub Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. The Whiskey Swillers. 9 pm.

Pastiche Wine Bar Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Aqua Velva plays the Grand Opening Party. 8 pm.

The Peabody Waldorf Boutique and Gallery Tacoma - Downtown. Apricot & the Beginners, Check Please and Battersea. All Ages. 8:30 pm. $5.

Rocket Records Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Electric Falcons, Mopper. All ages. 3-5 pm. NC.

• Let's do a little rock 'n' roll math, shall we? If we were to take members of Bacchus and Kill Cupid and put them together in a band, what would likely be the result? Keep in mind that Bacchus and Kill Cupid are both utterly ridiculous for very different reasons: Bacchus make monolithic heavy metal and chose a name that is this close to just calling themselves "Satan"; Kill Cupid are a Motorhead-ish pastiche of everything that leather pants and hairspray conjure up in your mind. They're two great tastes that taste great together. Members of these bands have joined forces as Electric Falcons - a name that couldn't be more perfect if it tried. I don't know what it'll sound like, but if ever there were a place to experience Electric Falcons, it'd have to be in a record store. Mind the head-banging. - Rev. Adam McKinney
  

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Wickerman. 8 pm. NC.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. New Jack City. 9 pm. NC.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Rod Cook. 8 pm.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

MORE LIVE TONIGHT THAN YOU'LL EVER BE >>>

4th Ave Ale House Olympia - Downtown. Humble Smile. 9 pm.

First Christian Church Olympia - Eastside. Olympia Community Bluegrass Show, with Runaway Train, Oly Mountain Boys, Blackberry Bushes. All Ages. 6:30 pm. $5 or $3 with 2 cans of food.

Firwood Rock Lounge Tacoma - Downtown. DSD1, Lawrence and House Six, DJ Chill. 9 pm. $5.

Harmon Tap Room Tacoma - Stadium District. China Davis. 8 pm. NC.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. The Flight Of Phanuel, Zoo Animal, A Leaf, The Merry Way, Magic Mirrors. 8 pm. $5.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Big Wheel Stunt Show, Voxxy Vallejo. 8 pm. $5.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Judd Wasserman. All Ages. 6 pm. NC. Luke Sayers. All Ages. 8:30 pm. $5.

Maxwell's Speakeasy Tacoma. Lance Buller Trio. All Ages. 7-10 pm. NC.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. The Horde & The Harem, Fox & The Law. 9 pm.

Northern Olympia - Downtown. The Solvents, Letters. All Ages. 8 pm.

• Minus the violin, the Solvents would still be a band worth watching and listening to - earthy, melancholy, lively in the face of heartache. They draw from indie rock godfathers who innovated by veering closer to the heart of pop music, not running away from it (Big Star, the Replacements, etc.). But the ever-present, beautifully expressive violin work provided by Emily Madden offers the perfect counterpoint to Jarrod Bramson's gruff, mournful lead vocals and steadily strumming acoustic guitar. Bramson's vocal ticks, if not his tones, owe a bit to John Lennon in the way he can express regret, shame, remorse and vulnerability without sacrificing masculinity and a cynical bite. And all the while, Madden's violin sweetens and gently badgers Bramson in a game of musical one-upmanship that elevates Solvents into something special. - Rev. Adam McKinney

Personal Power Company Tacoma - Downtown. Slashed Tires, Allan Boothe, Seed, Morgy Pepper and Battle Stations in this Spaceworks Tacoma space. All ages. 7:30 pm. Donations.

• Personal Power Company is the latest entity granted corporealness by the Spaceworks Tacoma project. Kris Crews and his fiancée, Bridgett Nicol (who identify under the titles of artistic director and executive director, respectively), were given a space from which to operate what is essentially a video production company/multimedia gallery/community gathering place/occasional venue. Their first official live show will be happening tonight, featuring the music of Allan Boothe, Margy Pepper, Seed, Battle Stations and Slashed Tires (who will be performing in that shower room I mentioned earlier). Read the rest of the story here. – Rev. AM
  

Schneebeck Concert Hall Tacoma - Northend. Saxophones & Friends. All Ages. 7:30 pm.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Fade to Black. 9 pm.

Washington Center Olympia - Downtown. Loudon wainwright III, Shawn Colvin. 7:30 p.m. $19.25-$46.50.

• Loudon Wainwright III is many things. To some in my generation, he's known as a minor comedic actor, having appeared in M*A*S*H and Judd Apatow productions like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up and the short-lived college comedy Undeclared (as well as more dubious cinematic fare like 2009's G-Force - the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced family romp about CGI gerbil secret agents). Decades earlier, Wainwright was a singular and widely admired folk talent that critics eagerly labeled "The New Dylan," back when that honorific was still fresh and hadn't been devalued through overuse by unimaginative journalists. Others might know him best as the patriarch of a preternaturally talented brood (his son Rufus and daughters Martha and Lucy are acclaimed singer-songwriters in their own right). Read the rest of the story here. – Jason Baxter
  

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

GOOD LUCK DECIDING WHAT LIVE SHOWS TO SEE TONIGHT >>>

4th Ave Ale House Olympia - Downtown. The Missionary Position. 21+. 9 pm.

Cassidy's Pub & Mini Golf Tacoma - Eastside. The Gone Daddies. 21+. 9 pm.

Cicada Restaurant Olympia - Downtown. Pianist Joe Baque and his trio. 8 pm. NC.

C.I. Shenanigan's Tacoma - Northend. Collaborative Works Jazz Trio. 21+. 8 pm. NC.

The Den at urbanXchange Tacoma - Downtown. Ghost To Falco, Dragging An Ox Through Water. All Ages. 7 pm.

• Portland multi-instrumentalists Dragging an Ox Through Water and Ghost to Falco make enveloping, hard-to-categorize music. Dragging an Ox Through Water (Brian Mumford) colors his folky jams with circuit-bent flourishes from tweaked oscillators and light-dependent resistors. Historically, Ghost to Falco (Eric Crespo) has played his eclectic, Elverum-esque compositions solo, but for his show at The Den, he'll be joined by Ryne Warner (of Castanets) and Aan's Bud Wilson. I sought out these two friends and co-founders of the DIY imprint Infinite Front for a joint interview. Read it here. – Jason Baxter
  

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. Coldnote. 21+. 8 pm. NC.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Potluck, Jay Barz, Partners In Chryme, Island Trybe, Sawchosiz, Strik & Krusal. 21+. 8 pm.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Dustin Darnold. All Ages. 6 pm. Paul Mauer, Karl Penn. All Ages. 8:30 pm. $5.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Neil's Birthday Party, with The Fucking Eagles, Goldteeth, Wheelies. 21+. 9 pm.

• To celebrate the birthday of Neil Harris, owner of The New Frontier Lounge, the venue has booked pizza-loving indie rock bikers Wheelies (no strangers to The New Frontier), caffeinated 253 veterans Gold Teeth ("the most rock and roll band in Tacoma") and ecstatic Tacoma punks the Fucking Eagles. Maybe you've spied the eye-catching Xeroxed poster for this show online or ‘round town. It's infused with a deliciously ‘90s kind of self-deprecating blasé-ness ("It's Neil Harris' BARF-day Bash!" "Mystical! Barbaric! Boring!"), that's even funnier when you consider that there's no doubt this show will be, to cite the title of a Fuck*ing Eagles jam, "out of this world." – JB

Peabody Waldorf Tacoma - Downtown. A Leaf, The Merry Way, Hail. All Ages. 8 pm. $6.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. 9 Lb Hammer. 21+. 8 pm. NC.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Holly Gwinn Graham. All Ages. 8 pm. $8-$12.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Amigo AJ Party, featuring Push. 21+. 8 pm. $5.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

MORE LIVE THAN YOU'LL EVE RBE >>>

4th Ave Ale House Olympia - Downtown. Cody Beebe, The Crooks. 21+. 9 pm.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Zael Zura, Looking For Lizards. 21+. 9 pm. $3.

• There's something about a true troubadour - a road-tattered, singer-songwriter that's so basic it almost seems like a necessity. Originally from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and complete with the country, rhythm and blues and indie-acoustic leanings you'd expect, Zael Zura is just such a performer. And we're not the only ones to have taken note. KEXP named Zura one of the top 10 singer-songwriters to see live, and Zura's homespun, throwback style has won him fans up and down the West Coast over a 10-year career. Tonight, Zura will be at Hell's Kitchen with Looking for Lizards also on the bill. Chances are, you've got nothing better to do (because this show should be a good - albeit underappreciated - one). Do yourself a favor and see what Zura is about. - Matt Driscoll

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Tin Man. All Ages. 7 pm. NC.

Northern Olympia - Downtown. Liz Janes, Greylag, Tattered Dress. All Ages. 8 pm.

• Liz Janes' new album for Asthmatic Kitty, Say Goodbye, is pretty close to flawless. Regardless of whether or not her Starbucks-friendly instincts tickle your earholes, it's hard to deny that her voice is gorgeous and supple, her lyrics insightful (even when they're talking about pixels - seriously! - as on her "__", and the arrangements sublime, thanks in no small part to the contributions of Jason Crane (Rocket From the Crypt) and acclaimed avant-jazz guitarist Chris Schlarb. Say Goodbye is rich in detail and depth, and lives up to the years of creative gestation (which saw Janes migrating from Philadelphia jazz clubs to the wild and wooly world of Olympia noisemakers) that preceded it. It may not be everyone's cup of Tazo Tea, but goes down great regardless. Read up on Greylag here. - Jason Baxter

O'Callahan's Pub & Grill Key Peninsula. Tim Hall Band. 21+. 7 pm. NC.

Rock the Dock Pub & Grill Tacoma - Downtown. Open Mic/Musicians' Night. Hosted by Big D of 9 Pound Hammer. 21+. 9 pm. NC.

The Royal Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Olympia and Seattle Hip-Hop Allstars: Hollywood Kill Krew (oly) Free Whiskey (oly) Double B & Dan Fajans (oly) Night Fox (oly) State Of The Artist SOTA (sea). 21+. 9 pm. $5.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Open Jam, with The Billy Roy Danger Trio. 21+. 8 pm.

Tempest Lounge Tacoma - Upper Tacoma. Come Out And Play Open Mic. Hosted by Kim Archer and Nick Sandy. All Ages. 7-10 pm. NC.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Red Molly. All Ages. 8 pm. $10-$15.

LINK: More Live music tonight in the South Sound

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WE RECOMMEND THESE LIVE SHOWS TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

4th Ave Ale House Olympia - Downtown. Audacity. 21+. 9 pm.

C.I. Shenanigan's Tacoma - Northend. Collaborative Works Jazz Trio. 21+. 8 pm. NC.

Cork! A Wine Bar Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Drew Pine & Peter Schilling. 21+. 8 pm.

D4 Sumner. Autumn Awakening, Athena (ep release), legendhasit, Hands of Gabriel, Buried On The Shore, and Mr. Death Hoax. Local metal bands. All Ages. 6:30 pm. $8-$10.

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. Missionary Position. 21+. 9 pm. NC.

Harbor Greens/Forza Wine Bar Gig Harbor. The Shy Boys Christmas Concert. 21+. 7 pm. NC.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Dirty Hollywood (Motley Crue tribute), The Pete Moss Band, Bone Flower, Keg. 21+. 9 pm. $5.

• Oh, folks. Are you ready for something absolutely ridiculous? You may look no further than KEG. I can't do his act justice by merely describing it - he is a one-man hair metal band. Sure, it sounds kind of funny, but to watch it is a thing of eye-rubbing, snort-inducing beauty. It may be possible to effectively replicate the sound of an entire hair metal band through the use of a looping pedal, much like the kind that KEG utilizes, but that's not KEG's M.O. He wants to replicate the feeling of a hair metal group, and in that case musicianship comes in a far second behind balls-to-the-wall theatrics. He breathlessly pulls out every trick in the hair metal playbook: high kicks, spitting water, gesturing with his crotch, etc. KEG is a tornado of absurdity. - Rev. Adam McKinney

The Hub Tacoma - Stadium District. Eric Miller Trio. 21+. 9 pm. NC.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. The Paperboys. 21+. 8 pm. $13-$15.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Hot Rush, The Rainiers. 21+. 9 pm.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Nightgowns, Tall Girl. 21+. 9 pm.

The Peabody Waldorf Tacoma. Apricot & the Beginners, Check Please, Trevor Dickson, Nickelson Nicklesby. All Ages. 7 pm. $3.

• Part of the appeal of Apricot & the Beginners' gentle indie lies in the way their impeccable instrumental arrangements interact with huskily delivered, domestically minded - and sometimes silly - lyrics ("BLTs at 2 AM / Nothin' better than preemptive hangover medicine"). There's an undeniable winsomeness in the raw sound of their recordings, which juxtapose banjos with xylophones, synthesizers, acoustic guitar and faint or uncomplicated percussion (if any at all).  More fully realized tracks like "Darling" (not to be confused with Baltimore dream-pop duo Beach House's "D.A.R.L.I.N.G.") demonstrate a savvy understanding of how a single, well-conceived melody can carry an entire song if properly fleshed-out and matched with heart-on-sleeve, down-to-earth lyrics. The inclusion of background chatter and between-song ad-libs makes their songs feel that much more intimate, like a window in on the warmest winter sweater party ever. - Jason Baxter

Rocket Records Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Rooftop Warrior, Broken Twigs, Midnight Bears, Bucky Virginia, 3-6 p.m. NC.

• Kids these days are way cooler than you ever were. Trust us. Or don't - just check out Rooftop Warrior, set to play a free all-ages show Saturday at Rocket Records. This one should be a fine snapshot into the lives of Tacoma's youth, as well as a prime chance to catch some searing new tunes from a band with a sound wise beyond its years that meshes varied influences into a modern mélange of new fangled yet reverent rock swagger. – Michael Swan
  

Rock the Dock Pub & Grill Tacoma - Downtown. The Trevalyan Triangle. 21+. 9 pm.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Hi-Fi Reset. 21+. 8 pm.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Voxxy Vallejo, Deborah Page. 21+. 9 pm. $5.

• On Tacoma singer and songwriter Deborah Page's impressive website, after clicking on a fire-engulfed guitar, you're taken to a page where quotes from reviewers scroll across the top of the screen. Naturally, the chosen quotes are positive, all (rightfully) coloring Page and the five-piece band that bares her name as a truly unique South Sound act on the up-and-coming list - a ‘90s-bred yet contemporary take on the rock we all grew up on. Well ... except for one. Amidst all the well-earned praise from local journalists of every ilk, there's a quote in there that is typical of the juvenile and somewhat low-brow author given credit for it. "Deborah Page is hot," it says - credited to yours truly. Well, you know what? I stand by that statement. It's not the smartest thing I've ever written, and surely not the most insightful, but facts are facts and I won't back down from my previous assertion - even if there's probably a strong possibility I was high when I wrote it. Not because it's not true, mind you - because it is - rather, I'm just high much of the time ... and so I craft website-ready quotes like, "Deborah Page is hot." Look at me, mom! - Matt Driscoll

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Bryan Bowers. All Ages. 8 pm. $8-$12.

LINK: Live music tonight in the South Sound

LIVE MUSIC SHOW TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

4th Ave Ale House Olympia - Downtown. Wide Eye Panic, Witchburn, Deathbed Confessions, The Willow Collective. 21+. 9 pm.

C.I. Shenanigan's Tacoma - Northend. Collaborative Works Jazz Trio. 21+. 8 pm. NC.

Capitol Theater Olympia - Downtown. Rock The Holidays Benefit, with Gebular, Jellyneck. Proceeds benefit BHHS "Schools For Schools" Club. All Ages. 8:30 pm. $7.

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. St. Practice Day, with Ockham's Razor. 21+. 9 pm. NC.

Eagles Club Room FOE 21 Olympia - Downtown. Saul Tannenbaum's "Claus for Celebration" featuring the Jingle Belles with special guest Mona von Horne. 8 pm. $10.

• In Olympia, the name Saul P. Tannenbaum is synonymous with holiday cheer ... or at the very least that's the way it's going. After momentous success last year, the bearded and blatant Tannenbaum is back with Claus For Celebration, a yuletide fun-ride full of "ho-ho-holiday cheer." With special guests like Dottie, the Jingle Belles, and at least a few references to Saul's insufferable sister-in-law Esther, this is one show that proves Christmas doesn't have to be boring as all get out. As Saul says, Claus for Celebration is an, "extravagaaaaaaanza." Don't miss out. – Michael Swan
  

Harbor Greens/Forza Wine Bar Gig Harbor. The Shy Boys Christmas Concert. 21+. 7 pm. NC.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. The Ellis Armor, Monsters Scare You, Pink Bead Federation, Crowd War, Life Long War. 21+. 8 pm. NC.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Holiday Show, featuring Maia Santell & House Blend. All Ages. 7 pm. $8.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Blackbird Pie. All Ages. 7 pm. NC. J Minus. All Ages. 8:30 pm. NC.

McCoy's Tavern Olympia - Downtown. The Hard Way, Glass Elevator, The Mona Reels. 21+. 9 pm. $3.

• The Hard Way's new album, Tell Me When You Can't Breathe, has beautiful artwork on the cover. A fluffy, yet hearty-looking dog rides on the bow of a sailboat, eager and attentive. The sailboat dog is brave as a giant wave looms ahead and black clouds sit heavy in the sky, cushioning the backlash of an angry lightning bolt. But as much danger as the scenario presents, there is a child-like calm that prevails. I have not heard the new album, but I do have intuition. And something tells me that all those descriptive words could be used interchangeably with the music the Hard Way so deftly crafts. See for yourself at their CD release party, tonight at McCoy's. - Nikki Talotta

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Basemint, The Shivas, My Friend Wallace. 21+. 9 pm.

• The Shivas (Portland, Ore.) and My Friend Wallis Vancouver, B.C.) are two bands that are evocative of a time in music that is gone forever, but is still persistently resurrected and updated for new audiences. At The New Frontier, My Friend Wallis and the Shivas will share a bill and be joined by local surf-rock favorites Basemint. It will be a travelogue of approaches to the water mark that the '60s left on music. It's as if the music of the '60s was a massive earthquake, and the Shivas and My Friend Wallis are just some of the tremors that we still feel to this day. Read my full preview here. – Rev. Adam McKinney
  

O'Malley's Irish Pub Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Rafael Tranquilino Band. 21+. 9:30 pm.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Pandit Debi Prasad Chatterjee. All Ages. 8 pm. $10-$15.

Viceroy Art Gallery Tacoma - Downtown. Rad Santa Party. Features live music from The Rotten Wreaths (Dana Turner of Green Apple Quick Step, 3DS&M and John Sackett of The Stinky Pinkys) and music by DJ Johnny Falcon. 21+. 8 pm. Donations to DJ.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

RECOMMENDED LIVE MUSIC SHOWS TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

4th Ave Ale House Olympia - Downtown. Arnie Aasen & Guests. 21+. 9 pm.

Charlie's Sports Bar and Grill Olympia - Downtown. Scott Taylor & The Fond Farewells, Jeffrey Williams. 21+. 7 pm.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. The Liberterrorist, Rosie Cheex Burlesque, Dies Drear, Ten Miles Of Bad Road. 21+. 8 pm.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Haggis For The Holidays Benefit, with The McKassons. All Ages. 7:30 pm. $15.

• The McKassons are way more talented than your family. Of course, your dad did beat a speeding ticket that one time, and your brother did show the perseverance to overcome his paint-huffing addiction, but - to be blunt -  brother and sister Ryan and Cali McKasson put those accomplishments to shame, and put their Celtic/Scottish magic on full display every time their feet touch the stage. Throw in Ryan's wife Brooke McKasson and Cali's husband Matt Jerrell (no doubt suffering from total last name envy) and you've got the makings of one of the tightest bands we've come across. The McKassons offer up their annual holiday show this Thursday at the Mandolin Café in Tacoma. Dig fiddle? Get there. – Michael Swan
  

O'Callahan's Pub & Grill Key Peninsula. Tim Hall Band. 21+. 7 pm. NC.

Rock the Dock Pub & Grill Tacoma - Downtown. Open Mic/Musicians' Night. Hosted by Big D of 9 Pound Hammer. 21+. 9 pm. NC.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Billy Stoops Acoustic Jam. 21+. 9 pm.

The Swiss Tacoma - Downtown. The Fabulous Wailers. 21+. 8 pm. $15.

Tempest Lounge Tacoma - Upper Tacoma. Come Out And Play Open Mic. Hosted by Kim Archer and Nick Sandy. All Ages. 7-10 pm. NC.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

CHECK OUT THESE LIVE MUSIC SHOWS TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Bob's Java Jive Tacoma - Central. Battersea, Goldie Wilson. 21+. 8 pm.

• Goldie Wilson is a band that is in the business of making super clean, sunny, AM radio pop. Sometimes, like in "Starlight Express," lead singer Mike Ball's voice snarls and sounds dryly aggressive, but most often he sings with the bright amiability of a pop singer from the British Invasion (another very strong influence on Goldie Wilson). The idea of a band resurrecting the music of the '60s is not a new one, but Goldie Wilson does an admirable job of keeping the tropes fresh and the songwriting brisk and unpretentious. Occasional forays into the styles of American alternative rock help to broaden and deepen their sound. This will be Goldie Wilson's first time performing in Tacoma. Let's hope it's not their last. - Rev. Adam McKinney

C.I. Shenanigans Tacoma - Northend. Collaborative Works Jazz. 21+. 8-11 pm. NC.

Cork! A Wine Bar Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Suzanne Brewer. 21+. 8 pm.

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. Blvd Park. 21+. 9 pm. NC.

Harbor Greens/Forza Wine Bar Gig Harbor. Rick Gonzalez. 21+. 7 pm. NC.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Roy, Pioneers West, Destruction Island, Goldwing, Colonies. 21+. 9 pm. $5.

• It's not every day that you get a show from Ben and Dave Verellen's band Roy. In fact, as Tacoma music fans know all too well, it hasn't happened in three years. A veteran of notable recent-rock stalwarts like Helms Alee, These Arms are Snakes and Harkonen, Ben Verellen makes music the way he makes amps - big, sturdy and with an ability to get really loud (no, seriously, Ben owns Verellen amps, makers of the "Meat Smoke" amp, among others). Loud isn't the only trick up Verellen's sleeve, however. Often pictured in woodsy settings, guitars and antique guns in hand, Roy has been described as "an ongoing experiment," an "in-joke" and an "excuse to indulge in guilty pleasures." In reality, what it ends up being is an un-nauseatingly epic, plodding roll through post-post-hardcore-folk - all while wearing a flannel. Any show with Roy set to take the stage is one to catch. Throw in Pioneers West, Destruction Island, Colonies and a CD release from Goldwing, and you've got the kind of stuff dreams are made of. Or, as the man who put the show together - Destruction Island's David Bilbrey (Rural Wolf, Xylophones) - puts it, you've got a "doozey" of a show. I'll say so. - Matt Driscoll

Firwood Rock Lounge Tacoma - Downtown. Toy & Clothing Drive Show, with Restruct, Under Sin, From The Sea, Red Abbey, Corson Swift. 21+. 8 pm.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Cold Note, The Stax Brothers. 21+. 8 pm. $8.

• If you're looking for a show worth supporting this weekend, fans of soul, funk and the blues need look no further than Saturday night at Jazzbones in Tacoma, when Seattle's the Staxx Brothers, a strange and intriguing cross-breed of classic style rock tropes, spazzed-out funk and straight-up soul share a bill with the throwback, Motown-style groove of fellow Seattle band Cold Note. With a number of tricks up their collective sleeve, Cold Note can't be pegged as one thing - and certainly have the ability to funk it up and turn it up - but the band's best quality is perhaps its most obvious: the slow, smooth groove that seems to come pouring out of the five-piece when at its most natural. Bobble Tiki's talking about some real dank stuff here, the kind of shit you could burn some serious candles to ... dunk some serious strawberries in chocolate to ... draw a serious bath to. Read mor eon this show in Bobble Tiki's column. – Bobble Tiki
  

JR's Hideaway Belfair. MoJo Blues. 21+. 9 pm.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Robert Boyd, Chara Chamie. All Ages. 8:30 pm. NC.

Matrix Coffee House Chehalis. Kaitlinn Heminger, Zach Kynaston, Chris Shultz. All Ages. 8 pm. $6.

Northern Olympia - Downtown. Kenseth Thibideau, Trawler, Bycatch. All Ages. 8 pm.

• Kenseth Thibideau's name may sound familiar from the Pinback and Three Mile Pilot portions of his resume, or it may not, but whether you've heard of the dude doesn't necessarily matter - he'll be in Olympia at Northern this week, so it'd be wise to familiarize yourself. Utilizing minimalist tendencies, a few pop sensibilities, a subtle wash of reverb and a guiding bassline that achieves a chill-factor reminiscent of completely on-point soundtrack work - making for an atmospheric sound perfect for late night driving - the solo Kenseth Thibideau is an artist and composer not to take lightly. Whether adding hushed lyricism or going instrumental - he does both on his solo debut, Repetition - Thibideau has something to offer that most can't claim: individuality and hook. The all-ages gig with Thibideau and Trawler Bycatch at Northern Saturday would be an excellent way to round out your evening - or get it started. Your call. - MD
  

Rocket Records Tacoma. Thank You Darling, Pleasure Coma, OhMe! OhMy! & Heidi Vladyka. All Ages. 3-7 pm. NC.

Rock the Dock Pub & Grill Tacoma - Downtown. Billy Roy Danger & The Rectifiers. 21+. 9 pm.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Tatoosh. 21+. 8 pm.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Baby Gramps. All Ages. 8 pm. $8-$12.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Blue 55. 21+. 8 pm.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound