A few weeks ago, Bobble Tiki made an offhand remark about Jazzbones. This offhand remark caused a level of general hysteria that Bobble Tiki usually only stirs up after seven cocktails. Jazzbones didn’t take kindly to the remark, and frankly, many at the Weekly Volcano haven’t either. In fact, the guy who designs the ads the Volcano runs for Karaoke a go go with Colin, (Sponsored by the Weekly Volcano, Tuesday’s After Comedy!) recently stole Bobble Tiki’s parking spot. To the untrained eye, it didn’t look like much of a burn, since Bobble Tiki’s parking spot is much further away than his, but Bobble Tiki has the only parking spot at the Volcano’s office that’s on an incline – intended for the seventy-five percent of the time when Bobble Tiki is driving a car that needs push started.
   
Ouch.
   
Bobble Tiki’s crack team of legal counsel – a former mall security guard, a disbarred barista, that short fat guy from L.A. Law, and a monkey – have advised Bobble Tiki not to comment any further on the offhand remarks he made about Jazzbones. Bobble Tiki’s not a smart Tiki, but he knows enough to listen to his lawyers.
   
That said, Bobble Tiki wants to make it abundantly clear that he’s not, Bobble Tiki repeats NOT, writing about Tinsley Ellis’ show at Jazzbones because of the uproar he caused. This is not Bobble Tiki’s way of making his friends back. Bobble Tiki would have written about Tinsley Ellis if he was playing in a Fred Meyers parking lot.
   
Why? Because anywhere Tinsley Ellis plays is going to be a good show. Bobble Tiki supports good shows. Tinsley Ellis will not disappoint this Saturday, August 4th.
   
Bobble Tiki loves a man who wields a powerful axe, and Tinsley Ellis is just such man. In the entire big bad world of contemporary blues, Ellis’ Barry Bonds-like chops – all swollen and unnatural, yanking chords out of the park with a flick of a wrist – are in a league of their own. Very few blues guitarist play the way Ellis plays. He’s ferocious, and has built a reputation for leaving it all on the table. These are the things that make Bobble Tiki tingle with excitement in anticipation of Ellis’ upcoming stop in Tacoma.
   
If you don’t follow the world of blues, there’s a good chance you have no idea what Bobble Tiki is making such a big deal about. Then again, if you don’t follow the world of blues, there’s a good chance you’re not reading this anymore. Your loss, I suppose, but if by chance you are, here are a few of Tinley Ellis’ vital stats:

Ellis was born in Atlanta in 1957. He grew up in Florida, but moved back to Atlanta and considers Atlanta his home.

Ellis first played guitar at age eight.

When Ellis was 14 he saw B.B. King perform. Tinsley sat in the front row. When B.B. broke a string on Lucille he and handed the broken string to Ellis. Ellis still has the string, and has been quoted as saying that his fate was sealed at that moment. He was so impressed by King that he had to become a blues guitarist.

The Washington Post has called Ellis “A legitimate guitar hero.”

Ellis recently released his eleventh solo record, Moment of Truth on Alligator. After an early career spent playing in bands (the Alley Cats, the Heartfixers), Tinsley Ellis released Georgia Blue, his first solo record, in 1988. It was also released by Alligator, as the majority of Ellis’ records have been.

Peter Buck from R.E.M. performed on Ellis’ 1992 Trouble Time record.

NBC Sports ran a feature on Atlanta\'s best blues guitarist during their 1996 Summer Olympic Coverage. Ellis was included. It remains his biggest audience to date.

Saturday at Jazzbones will not be as big, but it will still be one hell of a show. Besides, you’ll get to be a lot closer. And maybe, just maybe, Tinsley will break a string

As is typical, Bobble Tiki doesn\'t give a hoot what you do this week because he doesn\'t even know you.  Besides, given Bobble Tiki’s recent remarks about Jazzbones, if you do know Bobble Tiki you probably don’t talk to him anymore. Unless you can love Bobble Tiki unconditionally like his golden retriever, and help Bobble Tiki push start his car from time to time, he probably doesn’t want to meet you anyway. Besides Bobble Tiki just bought a Wii and he’s gearing up for a month straight in front of the tube. Where is there time for actual human to Tiki contact?