FRIDAY, OCT. 18 2013 >>>

1. Oh Kylesa, how you reek of sludge and doom, yet co-mingle with the heaven of drums, riffs and vocals hammering down a mighty force of pleasure. How your psychedelia and metal create a blistering twist of emotion on the soul. This is why tens of thousands of people flock to your shows, sporting Kylesa insignia and banging heads. Kylesa is touring in support of their newest release on Season of Mist Records, Ultraviolet, which Pitchfork magazine claims to be darker lyrically and sonically than previous works, containing more vocals from singer/guitarist Laura Pleasants. Ultralviolet is Kylesa's sixth studio album. Taking their name from "kilesa mara," a Buddhist term denoting delusory mental states, Kylesa will rumble Olympia's Capitol Theater with their Black Sabbath meets Tool meets Mastodon sound at 9 p.m. with Pinkish Black, Sierra and Witchburn.

2. BJ Shea celebrates his 14th year on the air with a listener party from 7-9 p.m. at the Great American Casino in Lakewood. Hang with all of the BJ Shea Morning Experience crew, and possible win tickets to the sold out Pearl Jam Dec. 9 show at KeyArena.

3. They danced before mammoth floating neon dragons and grand desert sculptures and hissing Mad Max-ish art cars shooting flames 396 feet into the air, and every single thing around them smelled like some combination of body odor and sand and bud and urine and fire and rum and glue. And when they weren't tailing the all-female all-topless bike procession, they were snapping photos. They were Steve LaBerge, Lisa Fruichantie and a mystery guest and they'll each present a slideshow of their Burning Man experiences at Lynn Di Nino's TRIPOD Slide Show at 7 p.m. in the Madera Furniture Company showroom.

4. When's the last time someone read you a story? If it's been a while, check out the Broadway Center's Free For All featuring the play reading of Southbridge, written by playwright Reginald Edmund at 7:30 p.m. its Rehearsal Studio II. Actors will transport you to Southbridge where a young woman has been brutally killed and an angry mob is at the jailhouse door demanding the sheriff lynch the accused murderer. The only way to untangle the truth is for the accused, a young man called "Stranger" to relive the events that led him to the hangman's tree in Athens, Ohio, in the year 1881. Afterward, the director of Southbridge, C. Rosalind Bell, and Bryan Willis, playwright in residence at Northwest Playwrights Alliance, will host a Q & A.

5. Vive la révolution! Meet me at the barricade, comrades, and we'll overthrow the nasty French aristocracy! But first, let's sing about it for three hours. Tacoma Musical Playhouse stages Les Miserables, the story about this guy named Jean Valjean, who was jailed for stealing a loaf of bread and 17 years later is still being chased by Inspector Javert. (That Atkins Diet really screws you up.) Along the way Valjean adopts a little girl, dedicates his life to God and ends up fighting in a French Revolution that's not the one you're thinking of.

LINK: Friday, Oct. 18 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SLAINTE, YO! >>>

Start the weekend off by supporting SP's brand new "We Out Here" battle league tonight. MC battles are experiencing a popular resurgence - thanks partly to Alliance Battle League and the healthy battle attitude of Olympia MC's. The first "We Out Here" battle begins at 7 p.m. inside the Olympia Ballroom. Scheduled to perform are Tacoma-area MC's Patron, Stuey Newton, Hushhush, Nu Empire, Yak Nasty That Nilla (for some reason I don't like writing the word "Nilla") and Abom. This show looks good, as there are also a lot of well-known Olympia MC's on the bill.

Does hip-hop go well with St. Patrick's Day? I guess it does if ya are House of Pain or Macklemore. If ya want to have St. Patty's Day and hip-hop fun, then Saturday is yo night. Starting at 9 p.m., for $12 (I know, ouch!), Bremerton's The Garage Bar and Grill hosts Island Trybe.

Sunday is a busy day for 253 hip-hop heads. Blue Nose Music has a show in Portland, so tell yo Oregon friends to go check them out. Congratulations to Blue Nose for getting the heck out of the state. Also Sunday, the Breaklites will be performing live on KEXP at 8 p.m. Ya can stream it. KEXP has been showing some proper love to Tacoma artists as of late. The radio station based in Seattle has recently hosted in-studio performances by ILLFIGHTYOU and Bruce Leroy. Thank ya KEXP for shining some light on the talent we have down here in The Tac'!

SATURDAY, JAN. 26 2013 >>>

1. We couldn't think of a better way to spend a winter night than on a hot date with ourselves listening to loud rock and roll and watching tough-as-nails roller derby chicks knocking each other on their ass.Beginning at 6 p.m.  will be spent cheering on Dockyard Derby Dames characters such as Brat Capone, Booty Trapp, Ethel Vermin, Stranger Danger, Jail Bait Kait, Ida Spyze-Her and Harm A Knee inside the Pierce College Health education Center. Tonight's expo bout features members of all four DYDD teams competing against the Rainy City Roller Dolls and the Rat City Rollergirls' Sockit Wenches in a double-header smackdown.

2. Today marks the opening of the action-packed exhibit "Let's Ride! Motorcycling the Northwest" at the Washington State History Museum. Displayed through June 2013, the exhibit - a celebration of the region's never-waning motorcycle culture - will include interactive exhibits, videos and impressive displays of machines from 1906 to the 21st century. It's open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

3. Spencer Abersold, a.k.a. The Walrus, sat before the KGHP radio station console for 200 hours - nine days - attempting to beat the Guinness Book of World Record's previous continuous broadcasting record of 187 hours. What Abersold also did was raise $16,000 for the radio station, which is inside Peninsula High School in Gig Harbor. KGHB's funds were on the chopping block after being supported by the school district for 23 years. KGHP 89.3/93.7FM invites the public to tour the studio, check out equipment, and maybe even get your voice on the air Saturday afternoon. 

4. The Buffalo Soldiers Museum in Tacoma preserves the artifacts and history of the Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th and 10th (Horse) Cavalry - all-African-American cavalry units that served in America's wars from 1866 through the end of WWII. They participated in cross-country cattle drives, escorted wagon trains and stagecoaches through often volatile territories of the Wild West and fought in the Spanish-American War and both world wars. The museum was founded by Buffalo Soldier William Jones of Tacoma. From noon to 4 p.m. the Buffalo Soldiers Museum will host its first open house, welcoming everyone in to learn and explore. Local poet Elijah Muied will be on tap with a reading of a work inspired by the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. Muied's poems have been published in "Threads" and he has showcased his work at his own open mic events as well as multi-poet happenings such as Hope in Hard Times at WSHM. There will also be refreshments and tours of the museum. The open house is free.

5. Hip-Hop 4 the Homeless is a weekend long extravaganza of music, poetry and social work. Olympia's homeless population is invited to come get clothes, toiletries, haircuts, food and other social services. While at the event, they are given one of the best hip-hop shows in Washington state.  This year you can catch Afrok and The Movement, Xperience, Motamouth Jones, Free Ya Mind, 206-Zulu, Heretic and others, plus the 25360 Awards at the Olympia Ballroom. It begins at 6 p.m.

PLUS: Tacoma Home & Garden show and the Westside Tavern Bash in our Weekend Hustle

LINK: Saturday, Jan. 26 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympi area

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

Spencer Abersold, a.k.a. The Walrus, sat before the KGHP radio station console for 200 hours - nine days - attempting to beat the Guinness Book of World Record's previous continuous broadcasting record of 187 hours. 

"I didn't lose my voice," he Abersold, "but I did go crazy."

What Abersold also did was raise $16,000 for the radio station, which is inside Peninsula High School in Gig Harbor. KGHB's funds were on the chopping block after being supported by the school district for 23 years. 

"After the buzz got going and people realized their radio station was at stake, the community got together and made sure it persevered," he adds.

Another $2,000 was raised from Abersold's "Sound to Summit" walk, where he attempted to walk from Owen Beach to Mount Rainier.

The efforts of Abersold and other community supporters brought in much needed money for new equipment and operating costs for the radio station.

Abersold explained the old setup was like building a car and using Volkswagen, Mercedes and Ford parts all rolled into one - all the equipment was either donated or salvaged.

"Now," he says, "it's like a Chevy Camaro with a Hemi."

KGHP 89.3/93.7FM invites the public to tour the studio, check out equipment, and maybe even get your voice on the air Saturday afternoon. 

KGHP STUDIO, SATURDAY, JAN 26, 11 A.M. TO 4 P.M., 14105 PURDY DR., NW, GIG HARBOR, 253.857.3589

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

So two bands, five comedians and one radio host walk into a bar.What sounds like the start of a joke is really this Friday's Rocking Comedy Extravaganza at The Backstage Bar and Grill in Tacoma.

A string of comedians including Travis Simmons aka "The Big Funny," Justin Hayes, Greg Baldonado, Jeremy Whitman and Eric "Puddin" Lorentzen will start off the night followed by Hookerfist, a Tool tribute band, and local rockers C.F.A. The event is a NWCZ Radio sponsored listener's party, with on-air host Darrell Fortune playing emcee.

The Weekly Volcano caught up with C.F.A. vocalist/bassist Cody Foster for the lowdown on Friday's extravaganza.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: It's about time comedy and rock music melded in the South Sound. Don't you agree?

CODY FOSTER: It makes sense. People watch us and tell us we are funny. We don't find us to really be funny. We think of ourselves as more, well, challenged. But all three of us are comedian fans. So we are excited to get to watch comedians, then do a set. It will be very surreal. Never done that in the 27 years as musicians.

VOLCANO: Why do you think shows like this are important to Tacoma?

FOSTER: This is a great hybrid of entertainment. Who doesn't like to laugh and get rocked? The big deal comes from not having your eardrum pounded all night. There is definitely a place for that. We have been talking with Eric and Travis and if this goes well we will do something else.

VOLCANO: What can people expect from C.F.A?

FOSTER: The usual, dumb controlled chaos. Loud.

VOCLANO: Since we're talking comedy, I got a nerdy Star Wars joke for you: What temperature is it inside a Tauntaun? It's "Luke" warm! Aha ha!

FOSTER: That is F'n great! We will be using that one for sure.

VOCLANO: Do you have any good jokes or one-liners?

FOSTER: I don't think my rubber pants will fit you. Come on, the safe word can't be ouch! Better to ask forgiveness than permission.

VOLCANO: Nice. What would you say to somebody to get his or her butt out to the show?

FOSTER: I would start by letting everybody know that this is an independent show put together by comedian Eric Puddin Lorentzen. Which means a comedian picked the other comedians. The best booked shows start this way.

VOLCANO: Anything else you'd like to add?

Foster: Come down and get loose. We are filming for a video!

BACKSTAGE BAR AND GRILL, FRIDAY, JAN 18, 8 P.M., ALL AGES UNTIL 11 P.M., $9 AT BROWNPAPERTICKETS, 6409 6TH AVE, TACOMA, 253.564.0149.

LINK: Rocking Comedy Extravaganza on NWCZ Radio

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Today's comment of the day comes from J.J. Syrja in response to KAOS 89.3FM being named "Best Radio Station" by readers in the Weekly Volcano's Best of Olympia 2012 issue.

J.J. Syrja writes,

Thanks to all who voted for KAOS--please visit the website, kaosradio.org, to get show times for your favorite music, news and public affairs programming.
Nearly 40 years on, we've still got an incredible array of shows and DJs--we call them programmers--who care deeply about their audience. Pass it on.

UNDERGROUND HIP-HOP >>>

Unlicensed radio broadcasts, popularly referred to as pirate radio, come and go by necessity. Stations surface only to disappear without notice, generally because operators get information that the authorities are closing in or the Federal Communications Commission has physically pulled the plug and seized their equipment. Somehow, though, Free Radio Olympia, an Olympia signal, has managed to remain a part of the landscape on and off since 2002, thanks to loyal listeners, frequency changes, benefit shows and weekly rag cover stories written by blindfolded writers.

Another benefit concert for Free Radio Olympia will be held tonight at Le Voyeur in downtown Olympia. The underground hip-hop show will feature Smear, Purgatory, Drey Payton, Xero Ours, Vizual Noize, 12:12, Beats Me and Crazy Monk. A donation of $3 is requested. The event begins at 9:30 p.m. At midnight a dubstep, drum 'n' bass dance party will fire up.

[Le Voyeur, Thursday, Jan. 12, 9:30 p.m., $3, 404 4th Ave. E., Olympia, 360.943.5710]

ACTOR-PRODUCER TONYA YORKE PUTS THE WESTERN IN WESTERN WASHINGTON >>>

Growing up, did you go through that cowboy phase? You know - the oversized hat and boots, plastic sheriff's badge, popgun, the works. You'd hoot and holler through all the rooms in the house and imagine every sibling and/or pet was a villainous land baron. Truthfully, I always saw myself more as a Ghostbuster or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. (Leonardo really rocked the blue.)

These days, I can't help but enjoy a good Western movie that idealizes a period in American history while showing off this country's natural beauty.

When it comes to gorgeous vistas, the Pacific Northwest has plenty, just not the arid, evergreen-starved variety we've seen in countless films from this genre. Or does it?

Tonya Yorke of Tacoma seems to think so. Yorke is currently producing a short Western called The Shootout, shot entirely here in Washington state. Craig Muller's script takes a page from history and looks back at legendary outlaw Jesse James. Though rooted in the past, The Shootout transmits themes relevant to today.

"It's a story about faith and choices, and the paths that those choices lead us down," says Yorke.

Location scouting meant finding both interiors and exteriors true to the time, which posed some difficulty. "You're working in the Northwest, (so) you got to work around things," Yorke admits, but believes in her crew's ingenuity. "Creative camerawork will save us."

Beyond producing, she will also appear in front of the camera, playing wife to Seattle actor Ernie Joseph's U.S. Marshal assigned to hunt down James. Get the lowdown on The Shootout here. And if you feel mighty kind this holiday season, donate some moola to the production here.

Yorke moseyed into the studio this week - hear us chat and stuff on Volcano Radio, which airs Thursday from 8-9 p.m. on www.nwczradio.com and is available as a podcast at weeklyvolcano.com directly following.

WHAT IS ACTIVE ROCK? >>>

Clear Channel Radio - the folks that send Sports Radio 950 KJR-AM, KUBE 93 FM, Oldies 95.7 and 106.1 KISS FM through your noggin' - have launched "The Brew" 104.9 FM calling it a station of "Active Rock." You probably noticed the change when your favorite Halloween music station "Freddy" died at midnight, giving way to Metallica, the Foo Fighters, Green Day, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and AC/DC.

You might remember the Funky Monkey 104.9 FM held that spot on the dial for years.

According to a press release, "during the launch period, "The Brew" will play 10,000 songs in a row and once that concludes, will continue to deliver on a more music promise; playing only one commercial break per hour."

Here are more words from the release:

"We're extremely excited to have The Brew join the Clear Channel Radio family.   South Sound listeners have been missing a rock station that actually plays MUSIC ... and by design, the Brew will ROCK!" explains Shellie Hart, The Brew 104.9 Program Director. "It will be the best of all worlds for guys ... familiar rock hits, a good mix of new music and sports updates ... all served up with a brew!"

They will also take advantage of their sister station, Sports Radio 950 KJR AM by providing listeners with hourly sports updates.

ADVICE GODDESS RADIO >>>

Nationally syndicated advice columnist and author Amy Alkon (I See Rude People) graces more than 100 newspapers across the U.S., including your beloved Weekly Volcano. Apparently her Advice Goddess column is going global. Alkon will now take your questions and advice requests and bat around issues on love, dating, sex, relationships and manners from 7-8 p.m. every Sunday on her new Internet call-in advice radio show.

You may call Advice Goddess Radio live Sunday at 347.326.9761.

You may listen at this link starting at 7 p.m. Pacific Time Sunday.

There will also be a podcast you can download later here.

LINK: Read her columns