SATURDAY, APRIL 20 1013 >>>

1. In case this weekend already seems too hectic, allow us to complicate matters by quietly mentioning The Grand's historic first 24 Hour Movie Marathon, starting at 10 a.m. and wrapping one day and 20 flicks later. The ‘Thon features the cherished (Hitchcock!), the new (Ryan Gosling!), and a movie called Hands On A Hard Body (not what you think!). This exhausting vegging out supports a superb cause: helping The Grand turn its celluloid projectors into shiny (and industry-required) digital ones. Both 12- and 24-Hour Passes are still available at the box office or through grandcinema.com.

2. Drinking at noon? Why yes, Wingman Brewers' 2nd Anniversary Party, we'd be happy to. Imbibe on 10 taps, including some special brews just for the occasion? Of course we will. Settle into one of your many new seats and enjoy good company? Absolutely.

3. For events geared toward children, check out The Earth Day Extravaganza at the Tacoma Nature Center where families can celebrate wiggly worms, creepy crawlies and buzzing bees with fun activities that help teach about the earth and how we can all keep it healthy from noon to 4 p.m.

4. Enlarge your geo-wareness this weekend at the Capitol Theater's Environmental Film Festival (April 19-21). Sure, we must face a few inconvenient truths on the road to eco-lightenment - mankind's relationship with soil (Symphony of the Soil, April 20), our simultaneous buildup of harmful global waste (Trashed, April 21). But we also get to share in the stories of individuals and groups taking steps to reverse these trends in their own communities and lives. EFF may just inspire your metaphorical pants off - purchase tickets through olympiafilmsociety.org.

5. We need to get our hot little hands on the upcoming split 7-inch release by Mos Generator and Ancient Warlocks. If they can put all the power and straight fucking rock they pull at their live performances onto a little piece of vinyl, then we're sold. Both of these badass bands are playing The New Frontier at 9 p.m., along with C.F.A. and Furry Buddies. Yes, it's a record release party, and yes it's going to rule. Read Nikki McCoy's full feature on Ancient Warlocks in the Weekly Volcano's Music section.

LINK: Saturday, April 20 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT'S UP THIS WEEKEND >>>

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Rain, hi 54, lo 45

Saturday: Chance of rain, hi 52, lo 41

Sunday: Mostly cloudy, hi 55, lo 41

>>> FRIDAY, APRIL 19: SCEINCE!

Did you make it to the Weekly Volcano's 2013 Best of Olympia party? If so, then you had the chance to see Science! perform live on stage in between an entourage of scantily clad burlesque girls. Friday, the rising duo will perform a free set at The Pig Bar on Legion Way. Expect warmth and positive energy bouncing between their singer/songwriter performance and the cozy walls of one of the better small venues in town. Science! has a clean performance, their fingers whittling their guitars, carving out genuine jams and complex chords. The band has an easy-going vibe and leaves you wanting more. - Nikki McCoy

• Pig Bar, 8 p.m., no cover, Southbay Dickerson's BBQ, 619 Legion Way, Olympia, 360.943.6900

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TUESDAY, APRIL 16 2013 >>>

1. Receiving a lot of hype and mostly deserving it, Savannah's Cusses dual-twist punk angst/frenzy and down and dirty southern rock like rosy, freshly-pierce nipples. Born star Angel Bond belts it and struts like product of a Siouxsie Sioux/Karen O/Mick Jagger three-way. This is a festival band, folks. Their explosive, crushing riffs and powerful, fiery vocals will knock the New Frontier sign off the wall at 9 p.m. The real stunner will be when Bond kicks the sign hitting the kid with tight pants in the front row ... and he won't take his eyes off her for a second.

2. The Diversity Film Festival begins today at The Grand Cinema with each film a meditation on the theme of cultural diversity. The concept began a few miles (and years) away from The Grand, at Tacoma Community College. Dr. Scott Earle, a TCC English and Humanities instructor since 1999, along with fellow teachers and staff, has hosted on-campus film screenings of this sort for some time. A suggestion was made to Earle and his colleagues in late 2010 to graduate their young program - let it leave the classroom and test its wings in the community. Today at 2 and 6:15 p.m., the Grand will screen Mosquita y Mari, A coming of age story that focuses on a tender friendship between two young Chicanas.

3. If hearing the sound of your own cackling voice echoing off the walls of your shower stall has you craving the sound of something a bit more harmonious, check out the local songbirds and storytellers at Victory Music Open Mic from 7-10 p.m. inside the Antique Sandwich Co. It's guaranteed to be jam-packed with gorgeous sounds and humbling verses, as the South Sound's greatest up-and-coming acoustic musicians bare their souls impromptu-style.

4. We might not see the High Five'n White Guys or the Lame List, but a couple Almost Live! veterans will Billy Quan their way onto Tacoma Comedy Club's stage at 8 p.m. John Keister, who hosted and much of the writing the regional sketch comedy TV show from 1984 to 1999, will be joined by fellow "Almost Live!" star and well-known as a Seattle radio personality Pat Cashman, and Cashman's son, Chris, host of the game 1 vs. 100, for a "Gluten free evening of laughs and sneak previews of the TV show." The trio is producing The [206] - a new TV show shot in front of a live standing audience at Mighty Media Studios in a former fire station in Bellevue.

5. Two of our favorite Tuesday night trivia are at Fish Tale Brew Pub in Olympia and Farrelli's Wood-Fire Pizza in Tacoma, both start at 8 p.m. In terms of food, Farrelli's pies are hand-tossed, firm but chewy with a flop at the tip. The Jack & John Pizza - Italian sausage, Provolone/mozzarella blend, green and black olives, green onions, artichoke hearts, mushrooms - is so yum! At Fish Tale, go for the ham and Brie. Loaded with deli ham, smothered in nutty melted Brie and nestled between two slices of grilled sourdough, this one takes the trophy with the inclusion of sliced granny smith apples and mellow horseradish.

LINK: Tuesday, April 16 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SUNDAY, APRIL 14 2013 >>>

1. Sadie and the Blue-Eyed Devils specialize in reviving the sounds of Dust Bowl-era music. In addition to the folk, bluegrass, and country trappings that come with this musical era, Sadie and the gang incorporate elements of less-frequent touchstones like ragtime and bossa nova. Catch the band 10 10 p.m. inside Le Voyeur in downtown Olympia.

2. The Diversity Film Festival begins today at The Grand Cinema with each film a meditation on the theme of cultural diversity. The concept began a few miles (and years) away from The Grand, at Tacoma Community College. Dr. Scott Earle, a TCC English and Humanities instructor since 1999, along with fellow teachers and staff, has hosted on-campus film screenings of this sort for some time. A suggestion was made to Earle and his colleagues in late 2010 to graduate their young program - let it leave the classroom and test its wings in the community. Today at 2 p.m., the Grand will screen The First Grader, a heartwarming ture story about a Kenyan farmer who goes to school for the first time at the age of 84.

3. The playful, imaginative, and meaningful work of local children's and young adult authors from the Seattle7Writers will be highlighted every Sunday through May 5 at the Tacoma Art Museum. At 2 p.m. the authors will discuss where ideas come from and how art informs their writing in realms from the visual to the verbal and more. At 3:30 p.m. the writer will lead a hands-on art making workshop. Today, author Kit Bakke will discuss her middle grade novel Dot to Dot, a story about the healing powers of books and travel. In her art activity participants will map their own personal journeys using words and cut paper.

4. The second leg of Olympia Restaurant Week kicks off today. Celebrate Thurston County's unique fine dining scene. Following in suit with its neighbors to the north, the inaugural Olympia Restaurant Week is happening Sunday-Thursday. Ten Thurston County restaurants will be serving up special $25 three-course dinners, with some eateries offering a three-course lunch menu for $15. See the menues here.

5. Little Bill Engelhart is soul on wheels. He’s also probably one of the most inspirational musicians that you’re likely to meet in person. He grew up on Hilltop Tacoma and learned rock ’n’ roll by playing rhythm and blues with the black musicians’ downtown, which was unusual for a young white kid at the time. He formed a band with some of his teenage friends and had a national hit when he was just 19 titled “I’m in Love with an Angel." These days, Little Bill & the Blue Notes play all over the South Sound - from destination Harley Davidson to Johnny's Dock. But they always make time for the Spar in Old Town, and the quintessential Tacoma restaurant's Sunday Night Blues. Little Bill and the Blue Notes will stop in again at 7 p.m., making it the perfect time for you to drop in.

PLUS: Check out the event recommendations in our Weekend Hustle

LINK: Sunday, April 14 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SATURDAY, APRIL 13 2013 >>>

2. Spring Zing is a festival of performances put on by the Associated Students of the University of Puget Sound and the Proctor District merchants. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Proctor District expect free horse drawn carriages rides, four food trucks and at least two main stage performances including LeRoy Bell and his Only Friends, as well as the awesome Proctor Farmers Market.

3. Months and months of rain. Bad traffic. A high suicide rate. The not-so-subtle odor of pulp hanging in the air. With all of this, is it much of a surprise that Tacoma spawns some damn fine blues? "Some of the best blues artists in the country come from the Pacific Northwest," says Gary Grape, the president of the South Sound Blues Association. "We hope to show some of them to the people of Tacoma." Show they shall. The Gray Sky Blues Music Festival once again graces downtown Tacoma. The festival features over a dozen different acts playing at multiple venues. Attendees can grab a beer at one club and eat a sandwich another, all while listening to some of the best blues in the around. Read Timothy Grisham's full feature on today's festival in ithe Weekly Volcano's Music section.

4. Ordinarily, writing a short play takes weeks or even months. As it moves into production, everyone from the cast to the director to the guy who delivers sandwiches has editorial input. What began with a clear authorial vision might veer off in any number of unexpected directions. The Double Shot Festival of Overnight Plays takes a different approach: it hands its writers a theme, about which they compose a 10-minute play over a single night. Then, at 8 the next morning, these scripts are passed to a director and cast of stock actors to be performed that very night, fully memorized, at 7:30. The festival rehearses and first performs at 7:30 p.m., followed by a matinée tomorrow at 2. The shows are hosted by Capital Playhouse. More than 50 local actors and directors are taking part in the festival. Read Christian Carvajal's full feature on The Double Shot Festival of Overnight plays in the Weekly Volcano's Arts section.

5. At 9 p.m., KAOS 89.3 FM celebrates their big 4-0 at the Olympia Ballroom with AfroMassive and Kasata Sound, two groups that will get into your bones with their funk, jazz and rhythm. Read Nikki McCoy's full feature on KAOS FM in the Weekly Volcano's Music section.

PLUS: Check out the event recommendations in our Weekend Hustle

LINK: Saturday, April 13 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT'S UP THIS WEEKEND >>>

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Showers tonight, hi 50, lo 39

Saturday: Showers, hi 50, lo 39

Sunday: Showers, hi 50, lo 37

>>> FRIDAY, APRIL 12: STORIES OF BEING DOWNTOWN

Tonight, bear witness to the amazing Playback Theatre as they delight audiences with their one-night performance of Stories of Being Downtown.  Sounds intriguing already. This is in collaboration with Olympia's Downtown Ambassador Program. And remember folks, Playback Theater is a form of improv where the group or audience members tell stories to be enacted. Sounds awesome. - Nikki McCoy

• Traditions Cafe, 7:30-10 p.m., 300 Fifth Ave. SW, Olympia, 360.705.2819

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THURSDAY, APRIL 11 2013 >>>

When Chris Titus performs April 11-13 at the Tacoma Comedy Club, you might hear a lot from the voice in his head. His fifth stand-up special The Voice in My Head, dropped on his website. For $9 you will discover his worst screw-ups for an hour and 45 minutes. Titus calls it the "Church of the Epic Fail," where every bad decision IS the religion." Catch him live at 8 p.m. in downtown Tacoma.

3. Today marks the end of the first week of the inaugural Olympia Restaurant Week - the celebration of Thurston County's culinary scene happening April 7-18, Sundays-Thursdays. Ten Thurston County restaurants are serving special $25 three-course dinners, with some eateries offering a three-course lunch menu for $15.

4. Maxwell's Speakeasy and Lounge in Tacoma joins delicious forces with 21 Cellars and Wingman Brewers to present a pairing dinner tonight. Nibble on local cheeses, produce and meat while sipping on locally concocted vinos and brews. Tickets are limited, so call 253.683.4115.

4. MediaLab, the award-winning student run organization at Pacific Lutheran University, hosts the primer of their latest documentary Beyond Burkas & Bombers: Anti-Muslim Sentiment in America at 7 p.m. at the PLU Studio Theater. The film will be followed by a small reception and panel discussion.

5. Reading by NW traveler, Artist Trust fellowship winner and participant in the San Miguel Poetry Week in Mexico Peter Rudwin will read his poetry at 7 p.m. inside the Gig Harbor/Peninsula Library.

LINK: Thursday, April 11 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

TUESDAY, APRIL 9 2013 >>>

1. When fine-art photographer Eric Schwartz set out to photograph people with tattoos, he didn't expect to find a detailed history underneath the artwork. After a chance meeting with California tattoo legend Edward "Chuco" Caballero at a national tattoo show, the story for Schwartz's first film, Tattoo Nation, began to reveal itself - the documentary profiles some of the biggest artists and tattoo recipients to come out of the early Los Angeles-based, Chicano black-and-grey tattoo scene. The film screens at 1:45, 7 and 9 p.m. at The Grand Cinema.

2. Twenty five percent of Washington state children live in food insecure households. At 6:30 p.m. inside the Wheelock Student Center Rotunda, executive director and founder of Hilltop Urban Gardens Dean Jackson, executive director of FISH Food Banks Beth Elliot, folks from Canyon Little Mother Earth Farm and the Emergency Food Networks and sustainability manager of city of Tacoma Kristi Lynett will discuss this problem and other hunger issues.

3. This might be hard to believe, but you can't go see The Beatles live anymore, unless you have some sort of resurrection or time traveling technology. If you do have said technology and are using to see The Beatles, you've got some problems, so let Red Wind Casino help you out. It hosts Beatles tribute band British Export at 8 p.m. Go scream your head off.

4. GOAT, Overboard and IDefy will rock Malarkey's Pool & Brew at 8 p.m. as a benefit for Puget Sound Pizza bartender Theresa Pino who has been out of work due to health issues.

5. Cosmonauts share time equally in mind-melting squalls of Doors-esque acid rock and bursts of sweet, jumpy garage pop confection. It would be more than advisable to bring some earplugs for the band's show with The Garden Of Burgers at 9 p.m. inside The New Frontier Lounge.

PLUS: It's Olympia Restaurant Week! enjoy three-course dinners at fancy restaurants for only $25.

LINK: Tuesday, April 9 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

WILL THE "HARLEM SHAKE" BE INCLUDED? >>>

You know how sometimes you watch a particularly crappy movie and you think to yourself, "Even I could make a better film than that." The brain trust at Tacoma's Grand Cinema agrees with you, and that is why they are giving anyone with a video camera and a few bucks a chance to write, shoot and screen a 5-minute film at the Rialto Theater in Tacoma.

Yes, it's that time again: The Grand Cinema's 72-Hour Film Festival will inspire registered filmmakers to bring a film from conception to completion April 25-28. What started as 11 teams gathering at The Grand has ballooned into a totally legit happening. Every year some 30 teams of filmmakers collectively spill out of the woodwork to be met with the challenge of creating a five-minute film in only three days. As if that weren't enough of a task, they are also required to somehow fit in a designated line of dialogue, a prop, a location, and an action. Then they all get together at the Rialto - which is invariably sold out - to watch their creations.

This year the teams will assemble the night of Thursday, April 25, submit their films Sunday, April 28, and the movies will be screened Friday, May 10 at the Rialto. Some will rise to the occasion, some will fall short. Watching all three hours of the event is to witness the thrill of victory as well as the agony of defeat. Expect shocks, laughs, maybe even a few tears shed. Then judges will hand out awards, as well as the coveted audience favorite award.

For more details and to sign up, call The Grand at 253.572.6062.

THURSDAY, APRIL 4 2013 >>>

1. EMA, aka Erika Anderson of defunct psych-folk outfit Gowns, is all about contradictions. She's lo-fi and blown-out, folk-minded but tentatively danceable, ethereal and explosively percussive. The reductive way to describe her music would be to say that it's experimental, but, well, dammit everything's experimental now. Catch her with Arrington de Dionyso's Malaikat Dan Singa and The Mother Ruckus at 9 p.m. inside the all-ages venue Northern.

2. The Bayview School of Cooking hosts two free classes on cooking with eggs. Barb Agee, a long-time instructor at BSC, will demonstrate how to make a hearty dish of Migas, Rosemary-Parmesan Popovers and more using ... eggs. Jump in at 9 a.m. or 1 p.m.

3. The Olympia Farmers Market opens today at 10 a.m. and produce vendors and artisans aren't the only ones preparing for the onslaught of strollers and tourists. Food vendors are busy stocking coolers and napkin holders in order to help happy shoppers make it through a trip to the market with tempting treats like soba, chowder, Belgian waffles and more. "It's cool - everyone is excited to be back open," says Matt Cummings, who runs the rock 'n' roll themed HeyDay Cafe with his family. "It's like a tribe down here." Read Nikki McCoy's full interview with Mike Cummings of HeyDay Cafe in the Weekly Volcano's Restaurants section.

4. As part of National Poetry Month, and specifically Tacoma Poetry Month, four acclaimed Northwest poets — Derek Sheffield, Arlene Kim, Marjorie Manwaring and Rebecca Hoogs — as well as host and TCC professor Allen Braden will read from new works at the crossroads of clarity and magic at 7 p.m. inside King's Books.

5. For generations, Southern prisons have been a key incubator of American music, from gospel, folk, and country to - mostly famously - the blues. Ben Harbert's film Follow Me Down: Portraits of Louisiana Prison Musicians explores music and culture focusing on the "serious, sad, and politically frustrating stories" of today's prison inmates, revealing the role music plays in personal expression, entertainment, escape and camaraderie behind bars. Catch it at 7 p.m. in Rausch Auditorium at the University of Puget Sound. The man behind Follow Me Down, Ben Harbert, will introduce the film and host a Q & A after the screening.

LINK: Thursday, April 4 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area