THE WEEKLY VOLCANO RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT >>>

6th Ave Farmers Market Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Blackbird Pie. All Ages. 4:30 pm. NC.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. The Brothers Comatose. All Ages. 8 pm.

O'Callahan's Pub & Grill Key Peninsula. Joe Faker Band, with Allen Alto. 21+. 7 pm. NC.

Northern Olympia - Downtown. Garotas Suecas, Arrington de Dionyso. All Ages. 8 pm.

• Go down to Brazil, though, and everything gets a little brighter, more colorful. Case in point: Garotas Suecas, or which happens to translate to Swedish Girls. Garotas Suecas take their cue from garage rock and funk. Read the full story here.

Red Wind Casino Yelm. Danny Vernon's Illusions Of Elvis. 21+. 8:30 pm. NC.

Sax Restaurant and Lounge Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Open Jazz Jam. Hosted by Kareem Kandi. 21+. 9 pm. NC.

Summit Pub Puyallup. Tim Hall & The Band Real Times. 21+. 7:30 pm.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Oly Songwriter Circle. All Ages. 7 pm. NC.

LINK: More live music in the South Sound tonight

THE WEEKLY VOLCANO RECOMMENDS TONIGHT >>>

Bob's Java Jive Tacoma - Central. Klondike Kate, Electrik Emily. 21+. 9 pm.

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. Destiny City Uprising. 21+. 9 pm. NC.

Happy Days Casino Lakewood. Saturday Night Soul Live, featuring LJ Porter Soul Revue. 21+. 8 pm. NC.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Unhailoed, M.T.F., Pure Hatred, Devils Of Loudon, Heir To The Throne. 21+. 8 pm. $8.

Gig Harbor Farmers Market Gig Harbor. Steve Stefanowicz. All Ages. 11:30 am. NC.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Vicci Martinez. 21+. 8 pm. $10.

Northern Olympia - Downtown. Derek Johnson, Dave Luxton, LA Lungs. All Ages. 8 pm.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Santee, Abraham and special guests. 21+. 9 pm.

• A quick shout-out to Heather Loepp and her band Santee, who will play The New Frontier Lounge with Abraham and special guests. As you'll recall, Loepp has contributed to the Volcano in the past, and her words are always mesmerizing. Plus, the entire Santee band is pretty freakin' amazing: it includes Heather's bro Josh, an outstanding standup drummer, and one of the most jaw-dropping bass players Bobble Tiki has seen in some time (if the band still has the same bass player it had at Squeak and Squawk, that is). – Bobble Tiki
  

O'Malley's Irish Pub Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Sofistokits. 21+. 9 pm. NC.

• What do we know about South Sound band the Sofistokits? No more than is necessary. The Sofistokits trudge in marshy, blues-laden hard rock bogs and rarely take their rock shoes off upon coming inside. Comprised of Dennis Byers, Justin McIntyre, Andrew Hilton and Dick Midnyte, the Sofistokits are a and well suited for the cheap beer fueled stage of O'Malley's in Tacoma - which is a good thing, considering that's exactly where the band will be plugging in Saturday night. They're not royalty. They're not the punch line to a raunchy as hell Gilbert Gottfried or Bob Saget joke. And they're not much for spelling. They're the Sofistokits! If you like an unpretentious good time, this band's for you. - BT

Swing Wine Bar & Cafe Olympia - Westside. Jazz In The Cellar, with Vince Brown, Paul Anastasio. 21+. 9 pm. NC.

LINK: More live music in the South Sound tonight

THE WEEKLY VOLCANO RECOMMENDS TONIGHT >>>

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. The Hollowpoints, Dylan Summers, Red White & Die, Noise, Walk The Plank. 21+. 8 pm. NC.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Studebaker John & The Hawks. 21+. 8 pm. $8.Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Ian McFeron, Alisa Milner. All Ages. 8:30 pm.

O'Malley's Irish Pub Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. The Dirty Change Up, Revengers. 21+. 10 p.m.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Junkyard Jane Reunion Show, the four-piece local favorite reunites with sax player Sue Orfield and trombonist Randy Oxford. All Ages. 9 pm.

• Junkyard Jane is one of the hardest working bands around, having blues-rocked up just about every joint this area has to offer. The band also has an impressive history, and many awards to its name. Junkyard Jane's history includes renowned trombonist Randy Oxford and saxophonist Sue Orfield, both of whom were part of the band for the acclaimed Washboard Highway record. Friday, Oxford and Orfield will reunite with Billy Stoops, Leanne Trevalyan and the gang for what should be an infectious show at Stonegate Pizza. – Michael Swan
  

Waterstreet Cafe and Bar Olympia- Downtown. Ocho Pies. Afro-Caribbean music. All Ages. 7 pm. NC.

LINK: More Live music tonight in the South Sound

THE WEEKLY VOLCANO SUGGESTS >>>

Bob's Java Jive Tacoma - Central. World History, Sugar Beats. 21+. 9 pm.

Cicada Restaurant Olympia. The Joe Baque Trio. All Ages. 8 pm. NC.

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. Big Friction Jam Re-Reunion, featuring members of Coldnote, Higher Vibes, All Night Yard Sale, Excellent Gentlemen. 21+. 9 pm.

Harbor Greens/Forza Wine Bar Gig Harbor. Jennifer Lind. 21+. 7 pm. NC.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. The Legend Of Bigfoot CD Release Show, with Big Wheel Stunt Show, Valis, Blanco Bronco, Bandolier. 21+. 8 pm. NC.

• The Legend of Bigfoot have a comfy position in the Tacoma music scene. Segregated though this scene may sometimes be, the Legend of Bigfoot successfully split their time between heavier venues like Hell's Kitchen and comparably more indie places like The New Frontier. Their sound is loud, but not really metal; it's poppy, but not indie-rock-sappy. Rather, their devotion is to old-school hard rock behemoths like Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath. Read the full story here.

The Hub Tacoma - Stadium District. Kim Archer Band. 21+. 9 pm. NC.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Megan's Birthday Party, with The Raineros, James Hunnicutt, Slack Eyed Jim. 21+. 9 pm.

Northern Olympia - Downtown. Lower Dens. All Ages. 8 pm.

• Music critic Mike McGonigal once compared the start of My Bloody Valentine's "Loomer" to the sensation he felt every time he got high back in the days when he was hooked on speedballs. And though Baltimore's Lower Dens share the shoegaze deities' affinity for graceful, diaphanous sounds, their music is hardly appropriate for binging on mega-potent drug cocktails. As with fellow Marylanders (and sound-alikes) Beach House, Lower Dens' vibe is deeply narcotic. I'm reminded of the over-the-counter cold medicines that came - in the days before litigation intervened - packed with mind-numbing Dextromethorphan, and the crust punks I knew who took it regularly and copiously. If you're feeling the need to zone out on sprinkles of mellow guitar, muted percussion and drowsy pop melodies (as if they were being broadcast, somehow, from the bottom of a swimming pool), this is your ticket. Highs like this are hard to come by anymore. - Jason Baxter

O'Malley's Irish Pub Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Lauren Lively. 21+. 9 pm.

The Royal Lounge Olympia - Downtown. KAOS Reggae Benefit. 21+. 7 pm. $15.

Salty's at Redondo Beach Des Moines. Cory Wilds Band. 21+. 8 pm. NC.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Ron Rustad & The New Orleans Cafe Quintet. 21+. 8 pm.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Perry Acker Band. 21+. 9 pm.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Molly Hatchet, Snootch, The Aury Moore Band. 21+. 7 pm. $24.50-$29.50.

• Bobble Tiki has the scoop on Molly in his Tiki Logic column.
  

The Vault Olympia - Downtown. Bow Wow Records present the Suite 420 Tour with Devin the Dude, Mr. D.O.G., Swag, Young Sash and more. 21+. 8:30 pm. $20 GA, $30 VIP.

• Jose Gutierrez has the scoop on Devon in his Non-Stop Hip-Hop column.
  

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

MORE LIVE THAN YOU'LL EVER BE >>>

Cedarwood Dome Milton. A Tribute To Sublime. 21+. 8 pm. (The recent fire hasn't affected any off their operations.)

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Church Of Hate, Koz Of Konfusion, Saydocarah, Jellyneck, The Curse Of Western Culture. 21+. 9 pm. $5.

HG Bistro Puyallup. Steve Stefanowicz. 21+. 8 pm. NC.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Stepkid. 21+. 9 pm.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Jam On My Muffin. All Ages. 6 pm. NC.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Save Sierra Benefit Show, with Basemint, Red Hex, Jason Freet. 21+. 9 pm.

• We take care of our own in Tacoma - or try to, at least. Last Wednesday, I was at The New Frontier when I heard that beloved Tacoma citizen, Sierra Venes, had just had her wallet stolen. She lost $400 in cash, and another $500 in checks. That's rent and then some, gone in a flash. Drinks were passed to her along with sympathetic pats on the back, and then Spencer Kelley of Basemint had an idea: a benefit show. And now - wouldn't you know it - that shit is happening. Tonight, get together in solidarity with a fellow Tacoman and watch as Basemint and Red Hex, Jason Freet (and perhaps more guests) assemble to rock your pants off. Have fun, have a drink and help someone out - a win-win-win. - Rev. Adam McKinney

Northern Olympia - Downtown. Christian Mistress, The Guild, Morgan & The Organ Donors. All Ages. 8 pm.

O'Malley's Irish Pub Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. One Up Two Down. 21+. 9 pm. NC.

SideBar Bistro Tacoma - Downtown. Saxophonist Michael Hershman. All Ages. 6-9 pm. NC.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Michal Miller Band. 21+. 9 pm.

The Swiss Tacoma - Downtown. Kry. 21+. 9 pm. $8.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. NW Harvest Benefit, with Prism (Pink Floyd tribute). 21+. 7 pm. $10.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

WE LIKE THESE LIVE SHOWS >>>

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Lyon Pride Music's Black & Blue Sundays. 21+. 8 pm. NC.

Johnny's Dock Restaurant and Marina Tacoma - Dome District. The Dana Lupinacci Band. 21+. 5 pm. NC.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Open Mic Night. All Ages. 6 pm. NC.

O'Callahan's Pub & Grill Key Peninsula. Leann Trevalyann & Billy Stoops. 21+. 12 pm. NC. Tammy Faye & The Thrill Billies. 21+. 4 pm. NC.

O'Malley's Irish Pub Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Outlaw Music Festival, featuring The Fun Police, Ten Miles Of Bad Road, Bullit County, Midnight Salvage Co., Johnson County, The Kings Of Outlaw Country, The Shivering Denizens. 21+. 12 pm. NC.

• Tongue-in-cheek is the best thing that could have happened to country music. Heartfelt lyrics about trucks and beer and dusty old dogs and the open road have long begged to be approached with just a little bit of humor. I don't mean full-on parody, but a loving tribute to the country heroes of the past with a little bit of a wink. This spirit more or less fuels the Outlaw Music Festival, returning Sunday for its second year. The lineup includes mostly bands that have a reverence for the form of country, but twist it in exciting ways. Ten Miles of Bad Road headlines a show that includes Johnson County, Midnight Salvage Co., The Fun Police, the Shivering Denizens, Built County and plenty of booze. - Rev. Adam McKinney
  

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Wheelies, Oh Dear, Where Sails Meet Rails. 21+. 9 pm.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Leroy Bell. 21+. 7 pm. NC.

Top of Tacoma Bar and Cafe Tacoma - Eastside. Mahnhammer, The Hands of Toil 6 pm.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Olympia Jazz Tentette performs A Tribute to West Coast Jazz. The music of Shorty Rogers, Marty Paich and Gerry Mulligan" directed by Syd Potter and featuring many outstanding musicians from around Puget Sound in a little big band setting. All Ages. 2-4 pm. NC.

LINK: More live music today in the South Sound

THE WEEKLY VOLCANO SUGGESTS >>>

Cedarwood Dome Milton. Green Jelly Tour, with Locally Disowned, Lost Cause, Sickamore, Super Geek League, The Fabulous Miss Wendy. 21+. 8 pm.

Harbor Greens/Forza Wine Bar Gig Harbor. Chicken Joe. 21+. 7 pm. NC.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Wide Eye Panic, In Lunar Blue, Rishloo, Blame It On The Girl. 21+. 9 pm. $5.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. The Return Of Pretty Boy Sean's Showcase, featuring Jobe Himself, The Black Sails, Monique Lanier. 21+. 8 pm. $6.

• Someone apparently thought it'd be a good idea to have Sean "my voice is effeminate but I'm really a tiptoeing communist" Culver back to Jazzbones, his former place of employment. As many will recall, Culver booked the Boneyard for years, specializing in comedy, his indie showcase nights and, most prominently disturbing facial hair. Friday "Pretty Boy Sean's Showcase" returns to Jazzbones with music from Jobe Himself, Black Sails and Monique Lanier. This will be a homecoming of sorts, with references to Hugo Chavez and midget porn for those within eavesdropping distance of Culver. – Weekly Volcano
  

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. One Nation Undereducated. 21+. 9 pm.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. State Of Murdoch CD Release Party. 21+. 9 pm. Bobble Tiki has a few more details here.

O'Malley's Irish Pub Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Hunting The Stork. 21+. 9 pm. NC.

The Peabody Waldorf Boutique and Gallery Tacoma - Downtown. Japanther, Muhummadali, the Wheelies. All ages. 3-7 pm. The Warehouse presents Sea of Bees, Fort Union and Colin Reynolds. All Ages. 7-9 pm. $6.

• When you think of art rock, bands like King Crimson and Genesis or Sonic Youth and latter-day Talk Talk tend to come to mind. The common thread that runs through most of these bands is a deadly seriousness. It's, you know, "art." It needs to be serious. And it needs to be taxing and difficult and all those other words we use to describe albums that just aren't any fun to listen to. Enter Japanther, an art rock band with punk leanings that's actually fun. The band (a duo) got their start in college, at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. They're a couple of art students who formed a band just to form a band. Before they knew it, they were opening up for bands like the Blood Brothers. On record, Japanther is lo-fi and noisy, and live it's not much different. Live, the duo play bass and drums, filling out the rest with their backing track on cassette. The rest I'll let you discover on Friday - a free, all-ages show that may be one of this year's best. - Rev. Adam McKinney

The Swiss Tacoma - Downtown. Spazmatics. 21+. 9 pm. $8.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Metal Effen Friday Gargoyles Benefit, with 5 local rock bands. 21+. 7 pm. $3-$5.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

COOL LIVE SHOWS AFTER A HOT DAY >>>

Big Whisky Saloon Tacoma - Downtown. Redneck Parking Lot Party Part II featuring The Nathan Ameson Band and Robbie Walden & The Gunslingers plus beer garden, barbecue, mechanical bull and more.  4 pm to 2 am. NC before 6 pm, $10 after.

• The last time Tacoma's newest and most energized country bar, Big Whisky Saloon, held a 100.7 FM The Wolf-hosted "Redneck Parking Lot Party" over 800 people showed up to suck up live country music, dance on the outdoor dance floor, drink cold beer, eat barbecue and ride "Bubba the Mechanical Bull." That's redneck success, and exactly why this Saturday the Big Whisky is holding the "2^nd Redneck Parking Lot Party Part II." Seems a bit redundant to us, but who are we to judge. – Michael Swan
  

Bob's Java Jive Tacoma - Central. Fine Slew, Hotter Than A Crotch. 21+. 9 pm.

Cedarwood Dome Milton. Daze Of Never, Eye In Time, A Sic End, Chelsea Speed Party, On Edge. 21+. 8 pm.

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. Hi Fi Reset. 21+. 9 pm. NC.

The Eastside Club Tavern Olympia - Downtown. Helltrout, The Noses, The Tide. 9 pm. $5.

• It has been 18 years since legendary Oly punk metal band Helltrout has played. In a development that started as joking about how funny it would be to have a reunion show like all old rockers, Helltrout is officially back for one glorious night. Four-fifths of the original band will be rocking out at Olympia's Eastside Club Saturday. Mike Clam, along with bandmate Don Stewart play in Seattle's Mico De Noche, but are excited to come together with early Nirvana drummer Dave Foster and bass player Jason Morales to reunite Helltrout! Along with The Noses and The Tide, (both with members from the North Shore Club era) a flashback to 1992 will be in full effect Saturday. "Luckily we wrote all the songs in a way that was easy to play wasted, so it was fairly easy to come back to," chuckles Clam.  Don't miss this epic show! - Nikki Talotta

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. No Bullshit Battle Of The Bands Finals. 21+. 8 pm.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Northwest Sons. 21+. 8 pm. $6.

Johnny's Dock Restaurant and Marina Tacoma - Dome District. The Dana Lupinacci Band. 21+. 7 pm. NC.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Morgan & The Organ Donors, Ghost Mom, Cat Fancy, The Maxines. 21+. 9 pm.

• Let's talk about some badass girl bands, shall we? Saturday at Le Voyeur you're going to see two of them: Morgan and the Organ Donors and Portland's Cat Fancy! (Exclamation point included.) About the latter: Cat Fancy! rides the art-punk line between pop songwriting and fuck-you dissonance. There are several signifiers that might be attached to the band, such as: riot grrrl (does that still exist?), electro-clash, and glam punk. What these made-up terms all try to express is that Cat Fancy! wear awesome outfits, blow out eardrums, and could probably kick my ass three ways from Sunday. To me, that sounds like a perfect way to spend a Saturday, and it comes to you live - without the aid of a drum. Put that in you pipe and smoke it. - Rev. Adam McKinney
  

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Alyssa Chambo Benefit Concert featuring traditional music of Scotland and Ireland with Jamie Marshall and Annie Henry of Jug of Punch, Red McWilliamst, violinist Sunnie Larson and cellist Betsy Tinney and group jam. All Ages. 6 pm. Donations.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Benefit For Music and Art In The Park, with The Speans, C.F.A. and Basemint with tons of raffle prizes. 21+. 9 pm.

• If you're at all interested in seeing next weekend's Music and Art in Wright Park festival, it'd be best for you to come to The New Frontier Lounge on Saturday, where you'll get to preview several of the bands that will grace the Wright Park stage - including Basemint, Cody Foster Army, and the Speans. One of these things is not like the other. Read up on The Speans here.
  

Northern Olympia - Downtown. No Babies, Broken Water, Wisdom Teef, Magic Johnson, Tiger Shower Caps. All Ages. 7 pm.

O'Malley's Irish Pub Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Brotherhood of the Black Squirrel. 21+. 8 pm. NC.

People's Park Tacoma - Upper Tacoma. 3rd Annual Hip Hop In The Park, with live performances, spoken word, dancers, vendors. All Ages. 12 pm.

• The third annual Hip-Hop In the Park Festival is set to go down in People's Park Saturday, filling the bowled grass and surrounding streets with all things hip-hop: dancing, rapping, poetry, singing, antique shopping. OK, so antique shopping isn't hip-hop unless you're Kanye West, but that's not the point. The point is Hip Hop in the Park - DIY and youth-led - is one of the best annual events Tacoma has going. Check it. – MS
  

Red Wind Casino Yelm. Jonathan Harris. 21+. 8:30 pm. NC.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Ben Union. 21+. 8 pm.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Michal Miller Band. 21+. 9 pm.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Atomic Outlaws, Roaming Soldiers, Inverse, Silent Therapy, Torture Box, Death Valley Murder Squad, Undersin 7 pm.

LINK: More live music in the South Sound

FEW LIVE MUSIC SHOWS TONIGHT THAT CAUGHT OUR EYE >>>

Capitol Theater Olympia - Downtown. Shemekia Copeland. All Ages. 7 pm. $15-$20.

• Weekly Volcano music columnist Bobble Tiki waxes Shemekia here.
  

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. The Northwest Convergence Zone's Summer Crush, with Jar Of Flies, Klover Jane, SweetKiss Momma, Vile Red Falcons, J. T. Philips, Rane Stone. 21+. 8 pm.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Billy Shew Band. 21+. 7:30 pm. NC.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Tiger Shower Caps, Jana Osta, Wisdom Teef. 21+. 9 pm.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. 41 Miles. All Ages. 8:30 pm. NC.

Northern Olympia - Downtown. C.L.A.W.S., Finesse, Joey Casio, Global Warming, Prints. All Ages. 8 pm.

• C.L.A.W.S. is the project of San Franciscan Brian D. Hock, an unlikely West Coast underground talent (and radio DJ) whose booming beats and wintry digital blips would sound right at home in the famed clubs of Cologne, the world capital for all things komische. Hock, who gleaned inspiration from time spent grooving in Berlin's inimitable electro scene, shares many qualities with the gifted gearheads of German über-label Kompakt (Justus Köhncke, Thomas Fehlmann, Ferenc, and Scsi 9, to name a few), including an appreciation of sub-bass rattle, 4/4 house rhythms and icy textural flourishes. Any low-key electronic aesthete capable of holding their own against Deutschland's microhouse heavyweights is definitely worth catching. The other performers on this bill are also sure to bring the heat-expect a well-rounded evening of narcotic digital sounds. - Jason Baxter

The Old General Store Steakhouse and Saloon Roy. Broken Trail. 21+. 9 pm.

O'Malley's Irish Pub Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Rad Touch, Canon Canyon. 21+. 9 pm. NC.

Red Wind Casino Yelm. Jonathan Harris. 21+. 8:30 pm. NC.

SideBar Bistro Tacoma - Downtown. Saxophonist Michael Hershman. All Ages. 6-9 pm. NC.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. High Noon Horizon, Blanco Bronco, Midnight Salvage Co., Kill Devil Rum Club. 21+. 9:30 pm.

The Swiss Tacoma - Downtown. Sammy Steele Band. 21+. 9 pm.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Soulstripper (AC/DC tribute). 21+. 7 pm. NC.

The Vault Nightclub Olympia - Downtown. Too $hort, Mr. D.O.G., Neema, Sec, Props, Hammond, Goldie Stac. 9 pm. $20.

• Too $hort, Oakland by-way-of South Central Los Angeles MC, has been rapping on the microphone and recording as a pioneer in hip-hop since the early '80s, spitting rhymes your parents would have never allowed you to listen to in that era - although Too $hort's work in the '80s was unique at the time, and contemporary rap borrows a lot from his heyday. Sometimes referred to as a misogynistic, womanizing, sinful lifestyle glorifying artist, Too $hort is much more. Click here for my thoughts. – Jose S. Gutierrez
  

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

LIVE MUSIC WE DIG TODAY IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Ben Moore's Cafe Olympia - Downtown. Saxophonist Steve Munger every Thursday. 21+. 7:30-10:30pm. NC.

The Den @ urbanXchange Tacoma - Downtown. SEACATS, the Masques, Safe and Easy. All ages. 7 p.m.

• Tacoma has a problem developing bands like SEACATS. It seems like if you want power pop you have to leave Tacoma, and probably even pass by Seattle. You have to hit Kelso. Or Bellingham. Or one of many other Washington towns that's unselfconscious enough to nurture a Weezer-esque pop rock act - a band so much more concerned with fun and sun and young love than our comparatively dour locals. In the middle of a typically bouncy SEACATS song, the band even finds time for a buzzy guitar solo. That should tell you something. SEACATS is a young band - and former Sound Off! Competitors - and they sound like it, in the best way possible. Their future's so bright they gotta wear shades. Optimism like that is a joy to listen to. - Rev. Adam McKinney

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Jucifer, Sleeper Cell, Mahnhammer. 21+. 9 pm. $5.

• In 1998, when the partners-in-love-and-rock duo Jucifer first broke out of the dark, sludgy Athens underbelly that gave birth to bands like Harvey Milk and The Martians, audiences took an immediate interest in guitarist/vocalist Amber Valentine and drummer Ed Livengood's loud - very loud - fractured art-metal. It didn't hurt that Valentine, with her flaxen hair, heavy black eye-makeup and mini-dresses, has all the makings of a modern-day Russ Meyer vixen. But they had the chops to back it up - deliberate sludge, backward loops and gigantic riffing. Now married, and performing tonight at Hell's Kitchen, the duo are touring on their April 2010 release, Throned In Blood, on their own label, Nomadic Fortress Records. Yes, there's a bit of cheesecake still there, but so is their perfected noise rock/sludge metal combination. – Michael Swan
  

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Marian Call. All Ages. 7 pm. NC.

Mary Baker Russell Music Center Tacoma - Parkland. Jazz Under The Stars, with Gail Pettis. All Ages. 7 pm. NC.

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

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Billy Stoops acoustic open mic. 21+. 9-11 pm. NC.

The Swiss Tacoma - Downtown. Revengers, Phil O'Sullivan, Parlor Hawk, The Dirty Changeup. 21+. 9 pm. $5.

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 and DJs in the South Sound