TUESDAY, AUG. 26 2014 >>>

1. From stories about sleeping on couches and siblings' deaths and to tales about being snubbed by producers who tend to forget they even exist and stars who'd do anything to avoid ceding the stage to a backup, The Standbys captures the unshakable grip live performing has on these Broadway understudies, as well as the personal and familial sacrifices that come along with their in-reserve roles. Catch the film at 2:15 and 7 p.m. at The Grand Cinema.

2. Contrary to popular perception, writing is actual work. No matter the frivolity of the piece, even if it be a mere 5 Things To Do Today blurb, you can rest assured true blood, sweat and tears were spilled during its composition. Perhaps not as much blood, sweat, etc., in this blurb, as say in a novel, or a poem, or an essay, or a radio jingle, but. ... This is not the point. The point is that now it's time for you to meet local author Lindsay Schopfer and get in on his Writing Workshop: Creating Original Worlds.at 5:30 p.m. in the Tumwater Timberland Library. He will guide you through creative world building methods, and shares a variety of techniques to make your worlds as original as possible. You can say he is the word on worlds. Or you can just write it.

3. Rolling Stones tribute band Tumbling Dice perform at 6:30 p.m. in the Red Wind Casino.

4. Last year, The New Frontier Lounge adopted a game night for Tuesdays, called Settlers of Kaletron. MC'd by Kale Iverson, the night revolved around tables of drunk revelers playing rounds of The Settlers of Catan, while Kaletron played ukelele and improvised looped electronica. For the month of August, the event has been revived, with game nights every Tuesday at 9 p.m. This time around, though, attendants are being encouraged to bring along board games of all varieties.

5. Sons of Hippies are a dark psych/space rock band from Florida who believe the moon landings were staged and that free love doesn't necessarily mean they won't charge a fee. Singer/guitarist Katherine Kelly meanders on topics such as post-apocalyptic wastelands, desertion, true love, and untimely death amid a sonic web of noisy, glitch psychedelia. Catch the band at 9 p.m. in Le Voyeur.

LINK: Tuesday, Aug. 26 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

MONDAY, AUG. 25 2014 >>>

1. As a band, Emby Alexander resemble Parenthetical Girls, who also dabble in experimental album structures and concepts. Combining chamber pop with modern affectations and unbridled energy is the calling card of Emby Alexander. The variety and depth of the bands to whom they're compared should say it all-among them being the Beach Boys, Van Dyke Parks, the Smiths and David Bowie - but the aggressive beauty denotes a restless worker behind all of these frantic sounds. While they don't quite possess the assertive experimentation of the Dirty Projectors, Emby Alexander don't lean on the inherent prettiness of their classical experimentation. Including looped samples and virulent percussion, Emby Alexander come prepared to attack. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on Emby Alexander in the Music and Culture section, then catch the band with Middlewave, The Straws and Crowd the Sky at 8 p.m. in Northern.

2. Weekly Volcano scribe Jackie Fender has created Creative Colloquy aiming to share Tacoma's rich literary talents and foster relationships built upon mutual admiration of the written word. Held at 7 p.m. on the last Monday in B Sharp Coffee House, the spoken word night has been so successful a print publication is in the works with a driving Indiegogo campaign. CC heads back to the B this week with Pierce County Prosecutor and author Mark Lindquist in the house as the emcee, keeping Joshua Swainston, Alec Clayton (performed by actor Steve Tarry), Aaron Flett and Dawn Ellis between the lines, reading from selected pieces of work and immediately followed by an open mic. Come imbibe in libations or sip on roasted bean concoctions and watch storytellers do the thing they do best - narrate their tales.

3. A fitting fanfare to the end of August, eight piece ensemble Trumpets Five are reuniting with standard jazz tunes, modern jazz classics, and a few original tunes all expertly arranged for five voices. Seattle jazz icons Jay Thomas and Thomas Marriott are joined by Jim Sisko and Olympia trumpeters Syd Potter and Andy Omdahl for an evening of excitement and lush, harmonious blends at 8 p.m. in Rhythm & Rye.

4. The Crazy Texas Gypsies will play The Swiss' Blues Monday series at 8 p.m. Founded in 1999 by vocalist and guitarist Kenny Williams and bass player and vocalist Kevin Fraser, this rockin' blues band has opened for ZZ TOP, Ted Nugent, Kenny Wayne Sheppard, The Ford Brothers and many others. With the addition of drummer Billy Barner and keyboardist Doug Skoog in 2012, the band is crazy good.

5. Full Moon Radio, Broken Water, Kt Spit and Underpass perform at 8 p.m. at Dumpster Values clothing store in downtown Olympia.

LINK: Monday, Aug. 25 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SUNDAY, AUG. 24 2014 >>>

1. During the Napoleonic war in 1814, Denmark lost control over Norway, a territory it had held for more than 300 years. Unable to cope, Danes hit the Copenhagen bars, a force that still has a hold on them, often times until 5 a.m. Sunday morning. Norwegian leaders quickly came together to craft a constitution that would establish their land as an independent country. Inspired by the still-relatively new Constitution of the United States (and by older French philosophy), Norway's constitution, signed in the mountain retreat of Eidsvoll May 17, 1814, created a democratic government with a balanced federal authority. With only a few amendments, it has been in continuous force ever since, making it the oldest such constitution in Europe. An exhibition celebrating this remarkable document opened on May 17, 2014 (the constitution's 200th anniversary), at the Eidsvoll Center in Norway - and now that same exhibition opens at 1 p.m. today in the Scandinavian Cultural Center at Pacific Lutheran University Aug. 24. The exhibition, "1814-2014: Red White and Blue-Norwegian Constitution, American Inspiration," is made up of works by 10 renowned Norwegian modern artists - together it's a visual exploration of themes ranging from freedom and stability to the struggles facing democracy and globalization. Each of the 10 chosen artists submitted several works: bold, colorful graphics; subtle ink drawings and photographs; and oil paintings, sculptures and mixed media.

2. Love Our Local Fest, in its fourth year, takes place from 1-9 p.m. at the corner of San Francisco Avenue and Bethel Street in Olympia. The eight-hour festival, which is free to the public, will include a couple new highlights this year. "Synergy Space," hosted by Imaginal Arts, is a 30-foot geodesic dome that will house workshops, community conversations and some musical experiences. There will be Evolutionary Astrology with Ari Moshe Wolf. The festival will include a talk given by West Central Park folks. Founder of Imaginal Arts Leon Janssen will host an "Imaginal Salon." A yoga class accompanied by the Bhava Tree Band is also new. Read Nikki McCoy's full feature on Love Our Local Fest.

3. The Social Bar and Grill's patio is a lovely spot to while away a weekend afternoon, sipping cocktails and old world red wine and watching condo residents walk their dogs. Come Sunday afternoon, resident DJ Mr. Melanin and guest DJs J-Justice, Futurewife, Radius (Chi) and TopSpin spin an eclectic and extremely tasteful selection of lounge, bossa nova and electro soul music 2-6 p.m. This triple threat of delicious happy hour specials, sun and hip tunes is known as Tacoma's only daytime summer party, "Dayclub."

4. Readers voted the Kareem Kandi Band Best Jazz Band in our 2014 Best of Tacoma issue, which is on the street today. Catch this amazing jazz band for no cover at 6:30 p.m. in the Cliff House.

5. Ballet Northwest's Young Choreographers Showcase, now in its 3rd year, features 10 world premiere dances created by aspiring young choreographers at 7 p.m. in the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center. The dances range from ballet to modern to jazz and feature a wide array of music styles.

LINK: Sunday, Aug. 24 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SATURDAY, AUG. 23 2014 >>>

1. Soak up the rays, suds and music at the Tacoma's Hilltop Street Fair from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. At the intersection of South 11th Street at Martin Luther King Jr. Way, fairgoers will choose between puppets and improv comedy, American pop band The Tenants and metal band Deathbed Confessions, the beer garden next to the BMX bike tricks demonstration team and the dunk tank, Dockyard Derby Dames demonstration and participatory drum circle, Peace Lutheran Choir and rockers The Fucking Eagles. Radio Disney, health screenings, Hilltop Heroes Awards (2 p.m.), Kids Area in People's Park with the castle of imagination, Buffalo Soldiers, booths up and down, and so much more. Sponsors include 1022 South J Cocktail Lounge, Eleven Eleven bar and Broken Spoke canned beer tavern, so that doesn't suck.

2. If little red Porsches are for emasculated middle-aged men and monster trucks are for tattooed mullet-heads in muscle shirts, what rides do cool guys roll in? The answer idles among the motorcycles in the third annual Vintage Motorcycles Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the LeMay Car Museum. That's right, see how they made them when they used to make them like they don't make them anymore - pre-1981 motorcycles, including BMW, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Indian, Lambretta, Moto Guzzi, Norton, Royal Enfield, Triumph, Vespa and Vincent. In addition to the 450 vintage motorcycles and scooters from across the nation, LeMay will host judged classes with an awards ceremony; used bike corral and swap meet; vendors offering apparel, bike accessories and restoration services; motorcycle brands offering new motorcycles for test rides; observed Trials demonstration (motorcycle balance and control through varied terrain) by the Puget Sound Trailers Club and precision group formation demonstrations by the Tenino Motorcycle Drill Team.

3. The city of Tumwater has had a long history associated with brewing beer. To celebrate and preserve the history, the Olympia Lacey Tumwater Visitor and Convention Bureau and the city of Tumwater have joined together to create the Tumwater Artesian Brewfest, a day of Northwest breweries and 10,000 games from 1-8 p.m. at the Tumwater Valley Golf Course. Read Pappi Swarner's New Beer Column for the full scoop.

4. For a band that was essentially formed on the whim of two people talking in a bar, with one of them not really knowing how to play an instrument, Killer Ghost is as tight of a band as is going on in the psych rock world. Their recent EP, Sad Boys Magic Club, is full of bright melodies and evocative vibes. All of the calling cards of today's psychedelia remain, but what matters is the amount of character the band can bring to the table, which is made in spades with Killer Ghost. Their touring partners, Gang Cult, take a different tact. As a pairing, they are somewhat reminiscent of The Odd Couple - two sides of the same depressive coin. Whereas Killer Ghost filter their anxieties through catchy rhythms and bouncy psych rock, Gang Cult confront their issues head-on and abundantly. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full story on Killer Ghost and Gang Cult in the Music and Culture section., then catch the bands at 8 p.m. in Bob's Java Jive.

5. Neutral Boy has been on the scene for years, punk rock staples. If you opened a fridge labeled Northwest Punk, Neutral Boy would be in the crisper, right next to the tall boys. Neutral Boy's catch phrase is "Ruining Lives Since 1992". That's how much these guys love living their shit-hole dream. South Sound punk rockers are peeing their dirty black skinny jeans, because the Olympia Track House, despite rumors, is still having shows, and Neural Boy is going to fill their filthy earholes with tight fast licks and raunchy lyrics at 10 p.m.

LINK: Saturday, Aug. 23 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22 2014 >>>

1. Here's a novel idea: Put rags and ribbons on the floor at the Museum of Glass. After all, there is breakable glass everywhere. Check that. Rags & Ribbons is actually a melodic rock band from Portland, Oregon. The band rocks the anthems, driven by classically-inspired piano. Progressive and post-rock influences by way of Queen, Muse, Arcade Fire and Sigur Ros color their intricate pop songs, expressing desire, yearning, regret and joy like only a band driving through Portland's business district can. The band's debut album, The Glass Masses, features elaborately structured songs with rich harmonies and dramatic hooks. Ah, there's the reason to haul a band up from Oregon: Glass. Rags & Ribbons will perform in MOG's Hot Shop in a party atmosphere featuring live glassblowing, food, drinkies and glass from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

2. Over a dozen local organizations and community projects are banding together for "Reach Out at the Well," a street outreach and volunteer recruitment fair from noon to 2 p.m. the Artesian Commons Park in downtown Olympia. Participating organizations include Community Youth Services, POWER (Parents Organizing for Welfare and Economic Rights), SideWalk, Thurston County Food Bank, Partners in Prevention Education, Stonewall Youth, the Olympia Free Clinic and others. The Olympia Downtown Ambassadors will also be present. The public can expect to find resources and volunteer opportunities for housing and shelter, youth services, back to school information, free food options, free health services, low-income pet care and more.

3. Kermet Apio is the kind of comic who doesn't feel the need to use graphic language and off-color jokes to get laughs. Apio's style, which blends observational comedy, sarcasm and satire, earned him the top spot at the Seattle International Comedy Festival as well as the Great American Comedy Festival based in Nebraska. He'll bring that crazy humor to Tacoma Comedy Club at 8 and 10:30 p.m.

4. Citing musical influences like Cream, Elvis Costello and Tom Petty, Daniel Kirkpatrick puts a premium on composing songs people can sing to. For him, melody is king. Kirkpatrick and his band, The Bayonets, join Kara Hesse and Whitney Monge for a night of meaningful music at Jazzbones, beginning at 8 p.m. This is the night you drink from the top shelf.

5. Theater Artists Olympia present An Improbable Peck of Plays 3D, a night of one-act plays featuring the directing prowess of Mark Alford, Pug Bujead, Christian Carvajal, Elizabeth Lord, Morgan Picton and Vanessa Postil combined with a stellar cast at 8 p.m. at The Midnight Sun Performance Space.

LINK: Friday, Aug. 22 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

THURSDAY, AUG. 21 2014 >>>

1. We love "Closer to Fine" as much as the next dirt-kicker, but only ridiculous amounts of cash would have persuaded us to label the Indigo Girls as hard rockers. Which is why Amy Ray's solo albums are such a mind-blower - they pit one half of the pleasant-harmony duo against her previous hold-hands template, opting for more aggressive guitars and cutthroat lyrics. Ray performs at the Capitol Theater at 8 p.m. Come get your folk punk on.

2. The Tacoma Post office Building ART WALK! unleashes marauding gangs of craftspeople, artisans and their multitudinous admirers on the genteel people of Tacoma and the surrounding city under one, very old but bitchin' roof. In June, 300 to 400 people walked through the halls, discussing art, sipping beer and wine and wiggling a little to DJ music. Expect the same vibe from 5-9 p.m., with DJ Schematik in the Office, artwork by Mod Curio, Just Two Guys Creative, Perry Porter, Kristin Giordano, Alex Schelhammer, Abby Kok and Katlyn Hubner, just to name a few. Isaac Olsen and Nick Bulter will screen their films. Willow Eskridge, Kate Monthy and Daniel Martin present the "Ballerina Project Tacoma." Run for your art!

3. The ParkWay Tavern hosts Get Rowdy For Rhinos fundraiser benefiting Drinking For Conservation and Point Defiance AAZK. All you have to do is show up between 6 and 10 p.m. and pour alcoholic beverages down your throat. Fifty cents from each drink will be donated to the cause. There'll also be a donation bucket available, and contributions can be made online.

4. Dustin Lynch grew up listening to neo-traditional country singers Alan Jackson and Clint Black. Although born in Nashville, Lynch was raised in the small town Tullahoma, 70 miles to the southeast. In 2003, he returned to the city of his birth to make it as a country singer. At 7 p.m. Lynch will perform songs off his new album, followed by a Q&A with the audience, at Steel Creek American Whiskey Company. The all-ages show is free.

5. The lo-fi indie rock of San Diego trio Buddy Banter is the kind of laidback pop that comes across as utterly effortless. Elastic guitars call to mind the slacker goof-off rock of Mac Demarco. Much like many other artists in this era of Nostalgia, Buddy Banter make music that could've easily dominated the college radio charts in the early '90s, even as songs like "Little Devil (Come Kick It)" and its bouncy guitars almost sound like the dusty rock of the '70s. What really makes Buddy Banter shine, though, is the purely sunny air that permeates their music. Catch the band with Hot Rush, Lures and Soccer Babes at 8 p.m. in Northern.

LINK: Thursday, Aug. 21 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 20 2014 >>>

1. Smooth jazz isn't just for sick people in medical-office waiting rooms. Besides one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, Darren Motamedy blends jazz with pop, funk and blues to create a contagious sound. Grab a lawn chair for his 6:30 p.m. show in Steilacoom's Pioneer Park.

2. The public is invited to spend an afternoon at the Lacey Museum, located at 829 Lacey St. SE in the historic neighborhood of Lacey, from 4-6 p.m. Want more Lacey? The Lacey Historical commissioners will be in the house, the house being the Lacey Museum. A presentation will be given on the current status of the new museum project, the "Lacey Museum at the Depot," beginning at 5:15 p.m. Lacey, get to know it ... all of it.

3. Pint Defiance is hosting a Mini Hop Fest with Laurelwood, as the Portland brewery takes over half the beer and taproom's taps with their hop-centric brews. On draft from 5-7 p.m. will be some of Laurelwood's hoppiest concoctions including Pale Pony ISA, Workhorse IPA, Green Elephant IPA and a rare appearance of Megafauna Imperial IPA.

4. They say never talk politics at the bar. The Black Angus in Lakewood encourages it. With the dismal low voting in the recent primary, there is bound to be some interesting conversations beginning at 6 p.m. Drinking Liberally Lakewood is an informal gathering of like-minded left-leaners and true hardcore lefties who want to trade ideas, get more involved, to rant, or just share each others company ... over drinks.

5. What happened to Freckles Brown? The Olympia quartet is now Ko Ko Jo, will perform rock and country covers, as well as their own tunes, at 7 p.m. in Sylvester Park.

LINK: Wednesday, Aug. 20 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

MONDAY, AUG. 18 2014 >>>

1. Golf is an infuriating sport, that's why we have switched to FootGolf - a golf-style game that's not a sequel to the derp-filled fest that was the movie BASEketball. In the vein of disc golf, it replaces the tiny white ball and bag of expensive clubs with a soccer ball and our good kicking leg. Meadow Park Golf Course on the edge of Lakewood has an 18-hole FootGolf course with tee boxes, green bunkers, hazards and 21-inch diameter cups. The game scores just like a regular round of golf on stroke play and each full kick counts as one swing. Putting works the same way except our leg has to make a full motion no matter how close it is to the hole. Basically, if you can kick a golf ball in a fit of spittle-filled rage, you can easily pick up FootGolf.

2. Today is the last day the Olympic Flight Museum hosts the B-25 "Maid In The Shade" airplane. The B-25 Mitchell was made famous by the Doolittle Raiders, when 16 of these medium bombers took off the deck of the USS Hornet and bombed Tokyo just four months after Pearl Harbor. The B-25 served in both theaters of war in many roles from bomber to transport. After the war, it continued service best known for its role as a fire bomber.  The aircraft will be on display for the public, offering cockpit tours and ride, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

3. The Grand Cinema has been taking advantage of the simultaneously obvious and genius concept of taking Filmmaker Magazine's yearly list and turning it into a film festival celebrating rising talent. Actors, writers, directors, animators and other facets of filmmaking are honored by the magazine, and then in turn are celebrated during the five-day festival at The Grand Cinema. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on the 25 New Faces in Independent Film in the music and Culture section, then catch today's films, including a 6 p.m. roundtable indie film discussion with several filmmakers.

4. Saxophonist Cliff Colon, keyboardist Peter Adams, bassist Rob Hutchinson and drummer Brian Smith are known as Velocity, a jazz fusion and Latin funk band that will bring it at 8 p.m. in The Swiss.

5. Saxophonist John Croarkin's group, Scattered Light, returns the Rhythm and Rye club with more refracted sounds and musical sun salutations at 8 p.m. The quintet, plus vocalist LaVon Hardison and Olympia's tenor saxophonist Chuck Stentz , will be exploring a wide range of contemporary Brazilian grooves from composers such as Joyce Moreno, Dori Caymmi, Hermeto Pascoal, A.C. Jobim, Clare Fischer, Roland Kirk, Pixinguinha and Egberto Gismonti.

LINK: Monday, Aug. 18 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SATURDAY, AUG. 16 2014 >>>

1. The summer calendar is already cluttered with festivals and daylong events, so what's one more to cause you paroxysms of worry about how to manage your free time? And trust us, the Downtown Block Party will have you begging Siri to clear your weekend calendar. Primarily because it's about connectivity and community. Tacoma isn't big, and with a positive (albeit uniquely T-town) mindset it's easy to get channeled into all sorts of brilliant creativity and progressive momentum. Saturday, organized by Downtown Tacoma Neighbors and the nonprofit Local Life, the Downtown Block Party will engulf Opera Alley from 4 to 10 p.m. Expect a street full of arts activities, lots of goodness for the kids, music, life-sized Operation game, DJs, awesome demonstrations, wonderment and even a beer garden. It'll be the place to be - guaranteed.

2. Despite whatever other confusing ideas its, ahem, rather unfortunate name might bring forth, clogging is an underappreciated art form.  So come spread the love - as well as the funds - from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. as the Eclectic Cloggers join The Cottonwood Cutups, BarleyWine Revue, The Dodgy Mountain Men, The Clumsy Lovers and many other bands for a day of bluegrass and clogging at the Olalla Little League Field on Olalla Valley Road. The Olalla Bluegrass & Beyond Festival offers a full day's excitement, including a pie contest (difficult to judge with all that clogging going on) and old-time crafts demonstrations (traditional clog making, we imagine). So clog on down (sorry, sorry) and kick up your, er, never mind.

3. Music and Art in Wright Park is back with a musical line-up that will rock yours, your mom's and your kid's socks off. Mos Generator, Girl Trouble, Red Hex, Bandolier and Shotgun Kitchen are just a few of the 14 bands set to play this from noon to 7 p.m. in Tacoma's Wright Park. The family-friendly aspect of the event has expanded even more this year to include kids' activities involving music, and two of the bands have under-agers in them - the all-girl group Fist of Fire and Pig Snout. Read Nikki McCoy's full feature on Music and Art in Wright Park in the Music and Culture section.

4. The second annual Celebrating Military Service Parade will be held in downtown Tacoma to honor military past and present. The parade, hosted by the Daffodil Festival, will launch at 6 p.m. from South 17th and Pacific Avenue and travel eight blocks. The parade will include several military bands, large military vehicles and, of course, servicemembers.

5. Olympia's Doctor Sleep is a glam-pop swirl of synths and chip-tune blips. There's a relaxed charm to the music of Doctor Sleep, even as electronic arpeggios whirl about. The vocals of Max Gorbman recall the cheesy excellence of Spandau Ballet, in the best possible way. Listening to Doctor Sleep can sometime inspire images of a tuxedoed crooner adrift in the dayglo-nightmare of Tron. Catch the band with Other Jesus and guests at 8 p.m. in Northern.

LINK: Saturday, Aug. 16 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

FRIDAY, AUG. 15 2014 >>>

1. Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist's fifth annual Signed Book and Wine Auction will be held at 5 p.m. inside King's Books. New York Times bestselling author Garth Stein will attend. His new novel, A Sudden Light, will be available for auction six weeks before it appears in bookstores. Other signed books on the auction list include bestsellers by Ann Rule, Maria Semple, and Bret Easton Ellis. For music fans, Peter Buck of R.E.M. and actress/singer Molly Ringwald have donated signed CDs. Lindquist, after being elected by a landslide in 2010, is up for election again this year, although he lacks an opponent. Thankfully, this tall, handsome novelist/prosecutor with cool friends is throwing a party anyway. It's our one chance a year to feel like an A-lister.

2. Since 2010, The Grand Cinema has been taking advantage of the simultaneously obvious and genius concept of taking Filmmaker Magazine's yearly list and turning it into a film festival celebrating rising talent. Actors, writers, directors, animators and other facets of filmmaking are honored by the magazine, and then in turn are celebrated during the five-day festival at The Grand Cinema. Frequently, the honorees in question show up to introduce their films and participate in Q & A's. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on the 25 New Faces in Independent Film in the music and Culture section, then attend the opening films today at The Grand Cinema, including a mixer with DJs at 9:30 p.m.

3. "Awesome coffee on a farm in the middle of pretty much nowhere, group photo on the haystacks every year ... swimming in the river, eating food that was grown on the land, standing in the back field late at night, watching the bands play (really loud), or watching from the hay bales under the stars." These are musings from Mariella Luz, K Records general manager, as she reflects on some of her favorite things about Helsing Junction Sleepover. In its 10th year, the Helsing Junction Sleepover is bigger than ever, with plenty of room to grow. The three-day party takes place on a 30-acre-farm. Tonight kicks off with eight performances, including Spider and the Webs, Arrington De Dionysio and Tender Forever. For more info and a complete list of bands, visit www.krecs.com/helsingjunction.

4. If the music of Voxxy Vallejo were the soundtrack for your life, you'd be guaranteed a good time and a crazy ride. Heavy blues laced southern rock and roll that is perfect for sweaty summer nights and back yard barbecues. Hot and sticky ... Voxxy's vocals entice and forbid while Gene's guitar licks interplay with her voice, both teasing and encouraging the song right out of her. It's Gene's Vellejo's birthday so the back will tear it up at 7:30 p.m. in Jazzbones.

5. As you know the CannaCon cannabis convention is going down at the Tacoma Dome. Those with CannaCon credentials or tickets can get into see local, original bands Mighty High and Ethan Tucker at 9 p.m. in The Swiss Restaurant and Pub at a discount, which of course is probably the entire city.

LINK: Friday, Aug. 15 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area