FRIDAY, OCT. 8, 2010 >>>

1. Vice President Joe Biden will hold Democratic Sen. Patty Murray's hand in the air during a get-out-the-vote rally at the University of Washington campus in Tacoma. The rally will take place around 10:30 a.m. on The Grand Staircase between Jefferson Avenue and Pacific Avenue. The vice-president is expected to arrive between 11 and 11:30 a.m.

2. Tacoma's resident from outer space Adam The Alien gathers his buddies from local comedy improv groups The Tokens, Norman Tweeter Productions and Small Change for a 6 p.m. improvaganza inside Tacoma's Amocat Café.

3. Seattle poet Nancy Dahlberg anchors the Distinguished Writer Series poetry open mic at 7 p.m. inside King's Books.

4. The Second City Chamber Series kicks off its Masterpiece Series concerts at 7:30 p.m. inside Annie Wright's Kemper Theatre featuring The Europa Chamber Ensemble and clarinetist Cindy Renander exploring the music of the Jewish diaspora, as well as the music of contemporary Israel.  There will be a touch of klezmer music (natch).

5. In the grand, and unusual, tradition of skinny English boys bopping about in even skinnier ties to American soul and jazz music, local DJs offer a night of soul, funk, jazz and rare grooves inside the Tempest Lounge under the tag Rare Groove. Back in the day, Brits loved obscure American soul records almost as much as they loved mayonnaise and cucumber sandwiches. Beginning at 9:30 p.m. DJs celebrate this phenomenon by playing authentic, obscure soul, funk and jazz records. It's the kind of music that would have been heard at all-night parties in Manchester or Blackpool back in the day. Bring your own skinny tie.

LINK: New movies open today

LINK: Concerts go on sale today

FRIDAY, OCT. 1, 2020 >>>

1. Here we go again. For the 39th time. Olympia Arts Walk. It's a madhouse of art, music and performance arts of all types. Arts Walk turns all of downtown Olympia into a very crowded and festive art gallery and performance space. Professional artists, amateur artists, students from elementary school through college, musicians, storytellers, and performers of all types show their stuff in galleries, cafes, barber shops, tattoo parlors and on the streets from 5-10 p.m. Be sure to catch the Silent Art Auction inside the Capitol Theater, as well as these highlights.

2. Throughout the month of October, you'll receive discounts - and help support the Breast Cancer Resource Center - after you purchase a $10 hot pink bra pin at participating Sixth Avenue businesses. The kick-off event featuring pink chick merchandise and pink hair extensions happens at 5:30 p.m. inside Cork! a wine bar located at 3012 Sixth Ave.

3. The Broadway Center opens its season with Cirque Mechanics' Boom Town, whichbrings together a number of great circus performers and tosses them onto a stage filled with 19th century mining equipment upon which they flip, twirl and twist about. Trust us: it's awesome. Taking audiences on a trip to the 1860s "small frontier town" of Rosebud, where two "ambitious saloon owners" are battling for the gold rush-fueled patronage of the townsfolk. The Cirque Mechanics explosiveness starts there at 7:30 p.m. inside the Pantages Theater and only gets better. 

4. Poet Chloe Bonnett headlines the Speak Your Soul open mic at 8 p.m. inside The Den Tea Bar. Donations go toward the Fund for Women & Grils.

5. DJ Broam and Chronie Diego will drop the latest in electro pop beats at the First Friday Dance Party at the Tempest Lounge beginning at 9 p.m. 

REMEMBER: 253Heart Film Festival is tonight

LINK: New movies open today

LINK: Concert go on sale today

FRIDAY, SEPT. 24, 2010 >>>

1. Beyond the Bridge Cafe on Sixth Avenue presents its first "Phoenix" show - a live performance combining movement, story and dance with local musician Vicci Martinez - beginning at 8 p.m. Call 253.572.9199 to make sure there's room for you.

2. You may see Illusion/Allusion: Paintings By Barlow Palminteri and Ron Hinson from noon to 4 p.m. at South Puget sound Community College's Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts Gallery. This isn't Hinson's first show at Minnaert Gallery, but then again, he used to teach art history there. (Membership has its privileges.)  According to the college website, "Palminteri often paints large, colorful narrative pieces highlighting domestic life, while Hinson works more in abstract painted constructions. ... Born of this relationship was Illusion/Allusion, allowing the observer to view the paintings for different aesthetic styles and themes, but also for their common artistic processes."  We think that means they paint big, awesome pictures (including one as a team) that look awesome and pretty and whatnot. We hope that's not too technical for you.

3. It's the fourth Friday of the month and that means the Free Ya Mind Open Mic takes over Tully's Coffee at the Bostwick Building at Ninth and Broadway beginning at 7 p.m.

4. Olympia's Washington Center for the Performing Arts is kicking of its 25^th season in style, with a whole weekend of entertainment and celebration planned. Tonight at 7 p.m., the Culture Vultures, a proudly under-40 comedy group, will throw a bash billed to include plenty of music, snacks, comedy by Travis Simmons and (drum roll please ...) a no host bar!

5. DJ Eric spins before a queer-friendly crowd beginning at 9 p.m. inside Club Silverstone. We know it's off the hook.

LINK: New movies open today

LINK: Concerts go on sale today

MONDAY, SEPT. 20, 2010 >>>

1. The Classic Greek Theater of Oregon stages Oedipus, the King with elements of classic Japanese kabuki at 7:30 p.m. inside Schneebeck Concert Hall on the University of Puget Sound campus - for free.

2. Puyallup Fair gate admission is free to active, reserve, and retired military and their dependents, and disabled veterans from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

3. Historian and author Drew Crooks will tell three strange tales of old Olympia at noon inside the State Capital Museum. Copies of Olympia, Washington: A People's History, edited by Crooks, will be available for signing.

4. The Tacoma Cult Movie Club will screen films around the theme "In space no one can hear you sue" at 7 p.m. inside the Acme Grub Cage. Watch films, trailers, shorts, serials, and participate in a raffle with a bunch of like-minded wackos.

5. The Mix hosts Monday Night Barstool Bingo at 9 p.m. featuring prizes and host Charles aka Jerrica.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

THURSDAY, SEPT. 16, 2010 >>>

1. The offspring of Northwest Garden Guru Ed Hume, James Hume, typically specializes in acrylic on canvas, but for his latest exhibit, Not Painting Flowers, opening today at the Sandpiper Gallery; he's abandoning typical crutches and going all out. Inspired by a trip to Paris, and the "fleeting masterpieces" Hume saw from street artists in the Metro, Hume says, "With my new work I'm breaking all my old habits and experimenting with stencils, spray paint, Photoshop and even my iPhone." Hang out with Hume and his art in a party atmosphere from 6-9 p.m. at the Sandpiper.

2. Once again, it's Tacoma Third Thursday Artwalk from 5-8 p.m. in downtown Tacoma, and the galleries, museums, storefronts and restaurants will give a huge wet kiss to the arts-loving community with free admission and treats. Vashon Island landscape painter Victoria Adams will lead a tour of her exhibition, Where Sky Meets Earth: The Luminous Landscapes of Victoria Adams from 4-7 p.m. at the Tacoma Art Museum (free admission). Fulcrum Gallery opens Object Permanence: Installation and Temporary works by Joe Penrod from 6-9 p.m. And the ART BUS has a full tour planned leaving the Speakeasy Arts Cooperative at 5 p.m.

3. Carla Barragan - an Ecuadorian-American choreographer who's known for inventive, thoughtful site-specific work - will join her troupe, BQDanza, for a site-specific dance piece at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. at Tollefson Plaza. Title Thick, the piece "mourns the loss of and also celebrates the beauty and grace of birds, sea creatures, micro-organisms and other non-human victims" of the Gulf oil spill. Lucas "Vanilla Soul" Smiraldo will enhance the piece with spoken word.

4. Pecha Kucha Night V. 07 is all about "portraits" and how Stephanie Stebich, Steve Davis, Doug Mackey, Amy McBride, Marilyn Strickland and Connie Walle - some of Tacoma's finest folks - interpret the theme through 20 slides shown in 6 minutes and 40 seconds inside the Tacoma Art Museum beginning at 5:30 p.m. Each frame should be fabulous.

5. Tacoma School of the Arts celebrates its 10th anniversary with four alumni bands rocking the Pierce Transit Park (Ninth and Broadway) Urban Grace Church from 6-9 p.m. Hail, Tall Girl, Freeze and Fur Coat and The Makeup Monsters will provide the soundtrack for the group hug featuring current and past SOTA families, students, staff and fans.

UPDATE: The SOTA 10th Anniversary Party has been moved inside the Urban Grace Church due to rain. Expect the four SOTA bands, same celebration, same $5 ticket ($10 for non sota students).

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

FRIDAY, SEPT. 10, 2010 >>>

Just like Puyallup as a town has grown exponentially from its small, humble beginnings - from field plowing, porch talking and cow milking to cheap beer, high school football and dusty trucks right into full-size SUVS, flat-screen televisions and suburban sprawl - the Puyallup Fair has grown up beside it. What started as a three-day "Valley Fair" in a vacant lot has exploded into a monster spectacle - occupying 169 acres and 17 days, regularly drawing crowds of 1.1 million per year and generally shocking the senses with a staggering array of ShamWows, sit-down foot massage machines, big ass cows, hot tub demonstrations, Funtastic carnie people, Krusty Pups, onion burgers, giant stuffed panda bears, hypnotist shows, guys with Janet Jackson headsets trying to sell stuff, live concerts, elephant ears, and "fun for the whole family." The Puyallup Fair opens today at 10 a.m. Read our Hipster's Guide to the Puyallup Fair here.

2. Justen Ahren, director of the Martha's Vineyard Writers Residency, will be the Distinguished Writer Series' featured poet at 7 p.m. inside King's Books. An open poetry mic will follow Ahren's performance.

3. Sleuth is a mystery. Kind of. Maybe. Which is to say, it might come down to a death that could have happened, depending upon whose account you believe. Including your own. Tacoma Little Theatre stages Sleuth at 7:30 p.m. Read our review of the show here.

4. George Winston looks like a perfect, well-proportioned pianist. Not too big, and not too small, George Winston is the type of pianist everyone can embrace. He's an inviting pianist. And a masterful pianist. Hell, he invented his own goddamn playing style, folk piano. Wait! What did you think we were talking about? Winston will perform at 8 p.m. inside the Rialto Theater, and if you're lucky he'll bust out one of his interpretations of Frank Zappa. That's no pianist joke, either.

5. Chalet Bowl hosts Rock ‘n Glow bowling featuring black lights, bumpin' music and sharks with freakin' lasers on their heads beginning at 10 p.m.

Oh, and there's a Back To School party at the Speakeasy Arts Cooperative tonight, too.

LINK: New movies open today

LINK: Concerts go on sale today

FRIDAY, AUG. 27, 2010 >>>

1. Masa is in for a treat during its Latin America Meets North America night, which begins at 9 p.m.. House DJ Deejay Sessions is bringing in NYC friend DJ Eloy, a chap who's spun at the Big Apple's hottest clubs, SNL cast parties, and even for Ludacris and Busta Rhymes. Triggering music video samples from DVD, keeping time with layered audio backbeats, and introducing wax-based polyrhythms with the skill of a scratch master, Eloy will introduce his multimedia mash-ups to T-town.

2. It's Freak Friday at Tacoma's 12,000 square foot urban Airsoft facility Tacoma Tactical, which means its just $5 for two hours. That's a freaking good deal!

3. Stella Haloulani hosts Free Ya Mind Open Mic from 7-9 p.m. inside Tully's Coffee at the Bostwick Building.

4. The Tacoma Little Theatre kicks off its new season with Sleuth, the ultimate game of cat-and-mouse played out in a cozy English country house owned by celebrated mystery writer - at 7:30 p.m.

5. Christian Mistress, The Guild, Morgan & The Organ Donors play an 8 p.m. all-ages show at Northern in Olympia.

LINK: More recommended events in The Weekend Hustle

LINK: New movies open today

LINK: Concert go on sale today

FRIDAY, AUG. 20, 2010 >>>

1. This year's 25 New Faces, as chosen by Filmaker Magazine, will be showcased at The Grand Cinema, beginning today at 2, 4:15, 6:45 and 8:30, in what is apparently the first film festival modeled after the magazine's list.

"It's kind of a built-in festival, if you wanted to put it together, but I was curious if anyone had ever tried to do that," says Philip Cowan, executive director of The Grand Cinema. "I assumed someone probably had, but I got in touch with Filmmaker Magazine, and nobody had ever done that. They had talked about it, but nobody had ever tried to pull it together. So they were on board."

The idea is to assemble the work of these 25 New Faces - or most of it, anyway - and there you have a festival. Most of these filmmakers are young, innovative people whose daring projects impressed early on. Read the full story here.

2. Billed appropriately as a "Countryside Freak-out! (in the gentlest of ways)," the annual Helsing Junction Sleepover happens this weekend in rural Thurston County. One of the best ideas K Records has probably ever had - which is saying something - the Sleepover is a multi-day music fest partnering purveyors of local, free-range, organic music (K Records), with purveyors of local organic sustenance (the Helsing Junction organic farm). It kicks off today with Gary May, Human Skab, The Maxines, Angelo Spencer, The Curious Mystery, Japanther, Arrington De Dionyso's Malaikat dan Singa and a bunch of films from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

3. Is anyone else just a wee bit sick and tired of hearing about how AWESOME Portland is? Every time you turn around someone is talking about Portland and something the Rose City is doing right, or something Tacoma is trying to copy in one way or another. Of course, PDX (Damn! It even has a nifty abbreviation thingy!) is pretty cool, but let's not let the facts interrupt a good anti-Portland rant! It smells like Kombucha down there! At 7 p.m., Sustainable Tacoma Pierce, in conjunction with its Tacoma Permaculture Design Course, will host a discussion at King's Books featuring Matt Bibeau talking about "Inspiration from Portland's City Repair Project." Portland's City Repair Project spawned a nationwide movement of "placemaking" - a kind of DIY urban beautification. You see potholes. Bibeau sees community gardens.

4. Spoken word open mic Mouths & Mics hosted by the 2009 Soul of the City Tacoma Poet Laureate and Speak Your Soul Poet Antonio Edwards runs 7-9 p.m. inside Café Messina on Market Street.

5. The Best of Musical Broadway, or BOMB - a musical revue of Broadway hits performed by students of Lakewood Playhouse's Youth Theatre program - hits the stage at 8 p.m.

More suggestions in The Weekend Hustle.

LINK: New movies open today

LINK: Concerts go on sale today

FRIDAY, AUG. 6, 2010 >>>

1. Gig Harbor resident David DePatie created the Pink Panther cartoon character that starred in the opening credits of Blake Edwards' Pink Panther flicks. The opening was the perfect tip-off to the silliness that followed. At 8:30 p.m. DePatie will show two or three Pink Panther clips followed by the original 1963 Peter Sellers Pink Panther film as part of CinemaGig Outdoors, which takes place at Donkey Creek Park.

2. Ben Union performs at 5 p.m. inside the Harmon Brewery & Eatery in downtown Tacoma.

3. Tacoma's Telephone Room Gallery, the world's second smallest gallery, hosts an opening reception for talented painter and letterpress artist Chris Sharp from 6-9 p.m. Sharp's show, I don't hate anyone, runs through Aug. 29 at the very tiny gallery. You'll feel at ease during the reception as Sharp will take a liking to you. He doesn't hate anyone.

4. Ariel Zimmer will perform inside The Den Tea Bar at 7 p.m. as the featured poet for the Speak Your Soul open mic. You and your poem Let's Ruin Irony For Everyone will follow.

5. The Human jukebox Steve Stefanowicz performs at 7 p.m. inside the Harbor Greens/Forza Wine Bar in Gig Harbor.

LINK: New movies open today

LINK: Concerts go on sale today

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

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Partly cloudy, hi 79, lo 53

Saturday: Partly cloudy, hi 73, lo 54

Sunday: Partly cloudy, hi 74, lo 54

>>> FRIDAY, JULY 30: FRIDAY AT THE FORT

Over the years, the Weekly Volcano has heard tales of an inexplicable summertime condition.  When the sun is shining, we're told, some people lose their appetites. They all have some ridiculous excuse. Some refuse to sweat and eat at the same time. Sissies. Others say they're too busy. Whatever. Still others pull out the old "it's swimsuit season" excuse. Foolish vanity.  The best we can figure is that they all have heatstroke and aren't quite right in the head. After experimenting, we have reached an indisputable scientific conclusion - When the sun is shining, things just taste better. Prove our theory at the Friday at the Fort event inside the Fort Nisqually Living History Museum's fence. Pampeana will serve their delicious empanadas, 7 Seas Brewing will be pouring pints full of goodness while Irish band Mooncoyne jams.

• Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, 6-9 p.m., $5-$7, Point Defiance Park, 5400 N. Pearl St., Tacoma, 253.591.5339

>>> SATURDAY, JULY 31: BEST OF THE NORTHWEST COMMUNITY FESTIVAL

The Tacoma Art Museum hosts a free community arts celebration Saturday centered around a "Best" theme. Hey(!) Copycats. Anyway, hear a dozen local performers under the wing of Billy Farmer, build and fly a kite, create outdoor chalk art, create a landscape, and more.

• Tacoma Art Museum, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., free, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.272. 4258
  

>>> SATURDAY, JULY 31: ART-A-THON

Mobilize the Proctor Art Gallery into artistic and social action; reserve some booths at the Proctor Farmers' Market, and do it all to benefit one of the most worthy causes you'll find - F.I.S.H. Food Banks - and you have an event worth repeating. Following the success of last year's inaugural run, the Proctor Farmers' Market Art-A-Thon is back this weekend, where artists will once again display their work and techniques in hopes you'll be inspired enough to donate - with the money going to F.I.S.H.

• Proctor Farmers' Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 27^th and North Proctor Street, Tacoma, fishfoodbanks.org

>>> SATURDAY, JULY 31-SUNDAY, AUG. 1: 24 HOUR ZINE THING

Magazines have been around in one form or another throughout history. In Elizabethan England, there were small chapbooks of Shakespeare's text. In colonial America, there were pamphlets by people like Thomas Paine. In this modern world, with its easily accessible technology, print media has morphed into zines, a sort of alternative, personalized media. Come see how other people express themselves during the 24 Hour Zine Thing, hear zinesters read from their work (3:30 p.m. Sunday) and maybe even make your own zine - in 24 hours. Yup, the event runs for 24 hours straight.

• Northern, 5:30 p.m. Saturday to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, 321 Fourth Ave., Olympia, 360.352.0595

>>> WHERE OUR STAFF IS GOING

MATT DRISCOLL Editor and Don Draper Hair Double
Sadly, I wont be doing anything terribly exciting this weekend. Even more distressing, I can't even make jokes about mowing my lawn anymore as my lawnmower was stolen last weekend, surely by a pack of metal-scavenging tweakers. My wife leaves for a month in Germany on Sunday, so all-in-all it's lining up to be a crap-sandwich of a weekend. Not to be a downer or anything. Party on, Wayne.

PAUL SCHRAG Senior Contributor
I'm spending the weekend camping with all the Olympia-Seattle-Portland homies. There will be debauchery.

NIKKI TALOTTA Feature Writer
This weekend I will be kicking myself in the ass for not making the Best of 2010 3-D party at Masa and devising a way to use duct tape and PBS to babysit my kids for any future parties with the Volcano. I will also be serving up delicious drinks at one of the best bars in Oly.

THE REV. ADAM MCKINNEY Feature Writer
I will work on several projects including, but not limited to, practicing my breathing in an effort to expunge the experience of having watched Cats & Dogs: Revenge of Kitty Galore. At some point, I will no doubt end up at the New Frontier, as per usual. Rock and drink.

On Saturday night I will be driving a Weekly Volcano and Sparks Firehouse Deli sponsored yellow school bus while hosting a good ol' Tacoma bar crawl. The bar crawl was purchased at an auction benefiting the Children's Museum of Tacoma and will visit some of my favorite bars including Top of Tacoma, The Swiss, Meconi's, Harmon Tap Room, Doyle's and The Red Hot.

JOE IZENMAN Music/Theater Critic
Saturday night and 6th Ave is where it's at: catching Jake Westhoff's acoustic stylings at Cork (Volcano-confirmed Best Wine Bar In Tacoma) at 9 p.m., then following him down the street to O'Malley's for Where Sails Meet Rails and Sordid Sentinels at 10. Rock music will be balanced by extreme nerdery as I spend Sunday moving Comic Book Ink to its new location and playing Dungeons & Dragons. Because that's how I roll. With a d20.

KRIS BLONDIN Food/Wine Writer
Co-chillin' Mason County style at Philips Lake with some friends. Drinkin', eatin', swimmin' and perhaps some pyrotechnics will be involve. Most likely in that order. We will try to wait a proper 30 minutes after eating before we swim.

CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL: Theater Critic
My beloved turned 30-plus Monday, so we'll be celebrating by – well, that's a surprise. I'm indulging in some top-secret shenanigans for an upcoming cover article. And last but not least, I'll be rippin' and tearin'.

ALEC CLAYTON: Visual Arts Critic
I'm going to the Funkin' Fun Benefit Dance with Func Pro Tunc for Olympia Therapist Beth Fischer at the 4th Ave Tav.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound