MONDAY, JAN. 7 2013 >>>

1. Rich Wetzel's Groovin' Higher Jazz Orchestra has been popping up in local bars and restaurants, introducing folks to jazz of years gone by, as well as a few current numbers. Lately, the big band has put more emphasis on the jazz-rock fusion, some hot Latin jazz and some big band rock tunes from Chuck Berry and James Brown. That said, Maynard Ferguson hovers above the band like Obi-Wan Kenobi. Wetzel and crew visit The Royal Lounge's Monday Jazz Series at 8 p.m.

2. Dale Croes, wet archaeological site specialist, talks about a 10,700-year-old Northwest Coast wet site discovery on small Ellen Island in southernmost Haida Gwaii, off the west coast of British Columbia at noon inside the Washington State Capital Museum.

3. Director Roger Michell’s Hyde Park on Hudson supposedly chronicles the momentous first meeting of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Britain’s King George VI, but all that’s just background noise. Really, the movie is about how FDR’s dowdy distant cousin, Daisy Suckley (Laura Linney), had a schoolgirl crush on the commander-in-chief.? Hyde Park on Huson screens at 2:05, 4:15, 6:50 and 9 p.m. inside The Grand Cinema in Tacoma.

4. "In the Family centers on one of the notable performances I've seen — if, indeed, it is a performance. ... This is his first feature, and may signal the opening of an important career." So wrote Roger Ebert of Patrick Wang, the writer-director and star of a drama whose plot could scarcely be more topical in these parts: A gay parent in Martin, Tenn., faces losing his son when his dead partner's sister files a custody challenge.In The Family screens at 6:30 p.m. inside the Capitol Theater in Olympia.

5. The Olympia Area Square Dancers will be offering a free Introduction to Square Dancing class with a 10-week set of lessons starting at 7 p.m. inside Lac-A-Do Hall, 1721 46th Ave. NE in Olympia. 

LINK: Monday, Jan. 7 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SUNDAY, JAN. 6 2013 >>>

1. You know what we like? Movies. You know what we like even more? Action movies. You know what we like even more than that? Action movies and drinking! Brace yourself for the grueling week ahead by taking in a flick, a cold beer, and all the free popcorn you can stuff down your gullet at the Brotherhood Lounge's Sunday Movie Night. You'll be treated to such inherently silly filmmaking as Premium Rush, all on the Brotherhood's nine-foot-screen with surprisingly intense sound. Then hang around after the movie discuss the finer nuances of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance till it's officially Monday.

2. Today is the last day to bundle up, pinch your cheeks until they glow and strap on a pair of silver skates, Hans Brinker, for a glide across the frozen expanse at Tollefson Plaza. The Franciscan Polar Plaza, located on the corner of Pacific Avenue and South 17th Street ends today. Hit the ice from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

3. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. inside the Puyallup Fairground's Showplex, the Puyallup Home and Garden Show will serve up the best in home design, landscaping and decorating. Expect product demonstrations and guys in Janet Jackson headsets slinging vinyl siding. It just might be enough to inspire you to make that kitchen island or storm door a reality.

4. For every adult male that never outgrew smashing his matchbox cars into each other, the Tacoma Dome brings back Grave Digger, Bounty Hunter, Captain America and more, in (ahem, let me change to my commercial announcer voice) an OUTRAGEOUS display of monster truck POWER, watch them FLIP, JUMP and SMASH!!  The final day of Monster Jam begins at 1 p.m. inside the Tacoma Dome.

5. A big band at Stonegate Pizza on a Sunday night? Hell yes. Rich Wetzel's Groovin' Higher Jazz Orchestra will cram together on the South Tacoma Way joint's stage beginning at 8 p.m. Let's swing, baby!

LINK: Sunday, Jan. 6 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

TACOMA ON NATIONAL TV AGAIN >>>

Tacoma rockers The Legend of Bigfoot will make an appearance on Animal Planet's reality TV series, Finding Bigfoot. The show airs Sunday, Jan. 6 at 10 p.m. Legend of Bigfoot guitarist Jason Flom gives us a rundown on the long wait, and how it all happened.

November 2011: The Legend of Bigfoot was featured on KISW's Loud and Local band of the week as part of Van Conner's (Screaming Trees) new record label, Strange Earth. A couple days later, a production assistant - a local guy and a rock fan - contacted the group via Facebook.

"As communication opened up the topic of using our music on the show came up," says Flom. "I seized the opportunity and said ‘Hey, if you ever want to use us on the show. ... A few months later, after you start to wonder if they'll even get back to you, they contacted us."

June 2012: "I hear from him that they would be filming an episode up here in the Northwest and maybe we could be a part of it. So we ended up finding out on a Tuesday that filming would commence on Friday - at a bar down in Olympia. So we had to kick it into high gear. Van Conner, who is the head of our record company Strange Earth Records, came through with a huge banner to hang behind us, along with T-shirts made especially for the event.

"We showed up on Friday night, set up, the cast and crew arrived and we were filmed playing a mini-set with the cast sitting in front of us. At one point Cliff from the cast grabbed a guitar and jammed with us during ‘The Fire.' It was insane! The place was packed. I only hope the cool vibe of that night shows through on television - national television!

December 31, 2012: Flom finds out the show will air in six days. "I announced it on January 1 - started the year off right!"

January 6, 2013: The show airs! "We're not sure what to expect from the finished product, but whether it amounts to 30 seconds or 5 minutes, we're extremely grateful for the national TV exposure and honored that we were chosen to be part of the show. I for one am a huge fan of it. I'll just be sitting there as it airs, with my wife by my side, my dog in my lap, and a glass of champagne."

Spring 2013: "Our new album, Door To The Sky, will be out this spring, available worldwide online via Strange Earth Records. We will also have an album release party.

THIS JUST IN >>>

The city of Tacoma just sent this exciting news to the Weekly Volcano World Headquarter:

TV Tacoma, the City of Tacoma's government access television station,  is now utilizing web streaming technology and services provided by Granicus Corporation.  This technology provides support for PC and Apple users, as well as support for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.  And it provides closed captioning online on programs where closed captioning has been made available, for viewers who are hearing impaired. ??The City of Tacoma began utilizing this technology Jan. 1 for TV Tacoma's live web stream, and will also use it moving forward for all newly produced TV Tacoma programming content that is made available on tvtacoma.com.

TV Tacoma is carried on both the Click! Cable TV and Comcast Cable systems. TV Tacoma can be seen on Channel 12 in the Tacoma City limits and in Pierce County on Click!, with the exception of University Place, where it can be found on Channel 21. On Comcast, TV Tacoma can be seen on Channel 12 in the Tacoma City limits and on Channel 21 in Pierce County. For programming information or program streaming, visit tvtacoma.com.

TUESDAY, JAN. 1 2013 >>>

1. Here at the Weekly Volcano we take our showers warm. We're kind of wimps. But there are plenty of tough, adventurous, rosy-cheeked folks out there who live on the edge, no doubt partaking in activities like today's Polar Bear plunges at Long Lake in Lacey (noon) and Point Defiance boat launch in Tacoma (11:30 a.m.). According to hype, the New Year's Day cold-water fiasco presents a chance to get 2013 off on the right foot.

2. If you have yet to check out the ice skating adventures in currently being offered in Tollefson Plaza, today might just be your chance to do so. With its stay recently extended through Jan. 6, The Franciscan Polar Plaza, located on the corner of Pacific Avenue and South 17th Street, is a covered outdoor rink is about half the size of a hockey rink. It will have real ice and hold about 150 skaters at a time. And it's pretty awesome.

3. Nursing a hangover? Find your way to The Grand Cinema in Tacoma for a great movie in a dark room. Anna Karenina, Hitchcock, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook and The Big Picture are currently playing. In Olympia, the place to hit is the Capitol Theater, where Side By Side and The Perks of Being A Wallflower are playing.  

4. There's a ton of football on today. New Year's Day is synomous the pigskin. Browse the Weekly Volcano's bar listings and find the perfect place to watch whatever game interests you.

5. So far, it's a pretty nice day. And since one of your New Year's resolutions undoubtedly involves being healthier (read: less fat), try an enjoyable walk through one of Tacoma's parks or along the Ruston Way waterfront. In Oly, a jaunt around Capitol Lake is always a good time. Or, if you're looking for more than just a walk, in Tacoma get in on at the Metro Parks New Year's Day Dance inside the new STAR Center.

LINK: Tuesday, Jan. 1 arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

SATURDAY, DEC. 29 2012 >>>

1. Kurt Lindsay blew away the crowd at the Jeff Buckley Tribute Night several weeks ago. The BODYBOX frontman's voice, like Buckley's, is simultaneously full of bravado and wounded timidity. BODYBOX - a three-piece rock band from T-town made up of singer and guitarist Lindsay, drummer Belal Anwar and bassist Nick Kennedy - plays a mix of funk, folk, bass-driven soul and alternative rock. The trio performs from 7-9 p.m. at the Franciscan Polar Plaza ice rink.

2. While enrolled at Evergreen State College's Tacoma campus, film student Ronald Lagman saw heavy doses of sex and violence - a la Quentin Tarantino style - grace the screen in several of his classmates' films. Lagman knew he wanted something different out of his work. After seeing a documentary about a Filipino World War II veteran in 2002, Lagman instantly knew he'd found a great subject for his first movie. Lagman's Lolo, a short film about a 77-year-old Filipino World War II veteran who lives with his family, will screen at 1 p.m. at the Tacoma campus of The Evergreen State College.

3. Saxophonist Kareem Kandi will be joined by organist Delvon Lamarr and drummer Adam Kessler for a night of jazz at Uncle Thurms Finger Lickin Ribs & Chicken in Tacoma's Lincoln District beginning at 7 p.m.

4. Tahoma Souls Alive and The Remains will rock The Spar in Old Town Tacoma at 8 p.m. in celebration of Gary Martin's 50th birthday. If you love classic rock ...

5. Feel like you need a little Holidaze? How about a lot of Holidaze? Mighty High will add a psychedelic element to original dub music popular in Europe in the '70s and '80s at 9:30 p.m. inside Doyle's Public House. Weekly Volcano readers named Mighty High the best jam band in Tacoma.

LINK: Saturday, Dec. 29 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Yesterday's comment of the day comes from Heather in response to our video of protesters beating hide drums and singing coastal tribal songs during a flash demonstration yesterday in the Tacoma Mall to support First Nations peoples who are lobbying Canada's government. Heather was among many who commented on the video.

Heather writes,

The shops closing their doors is a silly response to native people gathering peacefully to draw attention to issues that are generally ignored by the rest of the world. Why on earth would there be arrests or evictions as a result of store owners overreacting? This was a brilliantly planned and executed moment of illumination. Well done, to those who planned and participated.

Local teens and teen dance groups have the chance to shine in a dance competition hosted by MultiCare Center for Healthy Living. The competition is open to teens ages 14 to 18 in groups of three to each people. You don't have to be a pro dancer. The competition is open to all styles and skill levels of dance. Have fun with it. Get crazy. Or show off your serious side. Whatever the spirit moves you to do.

To enter, make a one-minute video of your performance. Post that video to YouTube. Then send the video link to Trixy Dorn at trixy.dorn@multicare.org. You must do this by Friday, Jan. 18.

Groups will be judged by a panel - which includes at least one professional dancer - on their cool use of clothing and accessories, innovation in dance style and overall creativity. The top three will go head to head on Feb. 6 at MultiCare Center's 13th annual "Do Something Healthy" event.

"The best part is a chance to perform in front of our celebrity judge, Derek Hough, from Dancing with the Stars," says Trixy Dorn, community events coordinator for MultiCare Center for Healthy Living.

"Do Something Healthy" is an evening event that includes a health fair, health screenings and a presentation by a special guest speaker. In the past, guests have included Jillian Michaels and Shaun White. This year, Dorn hopes to bring in at least 1,200 community members to the event.

BREAK FROM CHRISTMAS CHAOS >>>

You know you're already humming "If I Were a Rich Man" in your head. If you aren't, I am.

Once again, Olympia's Capitol Theater screens the classic musical film Fiddler on the Roof Christmas day. But beyond simply watching, you will be immersed in the total If-I-Were-A-Rich-Man experience - you will have the chance to sing along.

Or at least you can move your lips to the words to pretend like you're singing along. That part is up to you.

If you've never seen the film before, it is an adaptation of a popular Broadway musical. The plot revolves around a 1905 village in the Ukraine ghetto of Anatevka and the rich and often humorous cast of characters who live there - including, of course, a dude who likes to play his fiddle on a roof.

But what is a show on Christmas without giving back? Along with enjoying the snazzy tunes and general revelry with your fellow show-goers, the Olympia Film Society and Temple Beth Hatfiloh ask you to bring warm coats and blankets to donate to the Emma Goldman Youth & Homeless Outreach Project, or EGYHOP. EGYHOP is a mission dedicated to delivering direct service items and resources to youth, homeless and those with low income in Olympia at absolutely no cost to recipients. Coats and blankets can be used, but must be clean and in good condition.

There will also be a costume contest, if you wish to join in. Wear your best Fiddler-related costumes. If you are an especially convincing Ukrainian peasant, you may even win a prize.

CAPITOL THEATER, TUESDAY, DEC. 25, 5 P.M., 206 FIFTH AVE. SE, OLYMPIA, 360.754.6670

12 SLAYS OF CHRISTMAS >>>

Admit it, Santa can be down right creepy sometimes. We've seen him walking down the street with droopy eyelids, boozy breath and unrecognizable stains on his fluffy white cuffs, or posing in pictures of yore, some awkward looking child perched on his velvet covered knee, the off-white beard clinging to his chin like a tobacco-stained stalactite, and his skeleton-like hands, all loose skin and arthritic, wrapped around a candy cane, a supposed gift of goodwill.

Now, it's time to take creepy to the next level with Silent Night, Deadly Night, where, instead of gifts and stockings and the occasional bottle of Mickey's, Santa wields an ax and employs a twisted method of checking off the naughty list.

Playing at The Grand Cinema tonight and tomorrow, as part of the Grindhouse Theater series, the Silent Night, Deadly Night showing also features the extra gimmicks that film programmer, coordinator and host Justin Giallo adds as a signature accompaniment to his screenings. And of course, it will be played in 35mm film, just the way Giallo and other cult-classic followers prefer.

Before the film - an appetizer if you will - is David Walker's (BadAzz MoFo magazine) festive mini epic holiday short, Black Santa's Revenge, which will be hosted by Giallo.

There will also be a raffle and trivia with prizes and giveaways from creepy sponsors Cult Collectibles - Figures From The Fringe!, Rotten Cotton, RaroVideo and Fangoria. Limited edition posters by Creepycult will be for sale as well as goods from local indie vendors SKULLCLOWN, Nerdy Stuffs, String Theory: Knitted & Crochet Gifts, Poison Apple Tacoma and others.

When I asked Giallo how it felt to provide a much-needed service to Tacoma, he replied, "In my opinion, it feels spooktastic! It's awesome knowing that so many horror/cinema fans and misfits from all different ages come together and get to have the experience of seeing these films, most for the first time and more importantly in 35mm. 35mm is something to be treasured and I never thought I would have so many people supporting, loving it and digging all the films we've been programming and my gimmicks! It's the best feeling in the world! To quote the classic cult flick, Freaks, ‘Gabba Gabba We Accept You! We Accept You! One of Us!'"

The festivities begin at 8 p.m., film starts at 9:09 p.m. Tickets are $9 at the door or online.

THE GRAND CINEMA, FRIDAY, DEC. 21-SATURDAY, DEC. 22, 8 P.M., $9, 606 S. FAWCETT AVE., TACOMA, 253.593.4474