Is it just me, or does saying “2008” fell weird to anyone else? Am I the only one who thinks “2008” sounds like cars should be flying and robots should be making my bed?



Whether it sounds funny or not, there’s nothing we can do about it. It’s 2008 now. There’s no going back. New Year’s Eve has come and gone yet again. If you’re lucky, you even remember it. I was out and about on the least inhibited holiday of all, and I saw a lot of drinks and even more drunkenness. I’d like to commend the good people of Tacoma for giving it their all once again this year, and starting off ’08 the same way we start every year in T-Town — hung over and confused.



There’s no doubt about it. New Year’s Eve is by far the drunkest holiday we have. It’s not appropriate to flash your surgically enhanced rack on the baby Jesus’ birthday, or Hanukah either (I assume), but on New Year’s Eve there’s no holding back. That’s the alcohol doing its job.



I’d like to take a moment before launching into this week’s column to give mad props (or whatever the hell kids are saying these days) to the Liquor Control Board and local tow truck companies.



I know. I know. Just hear me out.



I overheard the same liquor control board officer I’d grown to fear while working the door in T-Town, telling patrons and bar employees at a local watering hole this New Year’s Eve to spread the word about a program where local tow companies were volunteering to tow your car and your drunk ass home on New Year’s Eve free of charge. If you were too drunk to stand (or control your own bladder) when the clock struck midnight, a tow truck driver would make sure you and your Dodge Charger arrived home in one piece — out of the kindness of his heart.



It’s not often I compliment the folks at Liquor Control, or tow truck drivers for that matter, but I thought the idea was pretty cool, and worth saluting. It’s a given that people are going to get s***faced on New Year’s Eve — especially in Tacoma. Who knows how many broken faces, dead drunks and needless pain they prevented this year.



Another idea worth saluting this week is the relatively new all-ages venue that recently moved to South Tacoma Way. It’s called the Viaduct, and at least at the moment — considering how fast venues come and go in our lovely city — things seem to be heading in the right direction.



You may have already read about it here in the Weekly Volcano. The press has taken note of the Viaduct, and the club’s calendar is filling with noteworthy shows. Such is the case this Friday, Jan. 4, when Don’t Tell Sophie pumps the quintessentially Tacoma club full of homegrown indie goodness.



There’s something completely satisfying about Don’t Tell Sophie’s brand of power pop. It’s the kind of stuff you can get stuck in your head for days and it won’t make you want to hang yourself. The same can’t be said for most power pop. With Don’t Tell Sophie it’s the norm.



The Viaduct, at least for the time being, is one of the most promising developments in Tacoma‘s all-age’s scene. It seems almost natural to see one of Tacoma’s most promising bands set to play there. I contacted Don’t Tell Sophie’s guitarist and lead singer, Brandt Dettling, to discuss the band’s upcoming show this week.



WEEKLY VOLCANO: Does Don’t Tell Sophie have a New Year’s resolution?



BRANDT DETTLING: Take over the world.



VOLCANO: Where are you at with making the record? How many records do you have? When will the new one to be released, and what can people expect?



DETTLING: We have put out basically two different recordings, and this next one will be our third. It is taking a long time to get this record in the shape we want it to be in, so we are anticipating another five or six months.



VOLCANO: How does the songwriting process work for Don’t Tell Sophie?



DETTLNG: The songwriting process basically is me writing a skeleton of a song, just chords and lyrics, and then bringing it to the band and seeing what they think and finding out what should be changed. Then I will make revisions and bring it back to the band, and we just start hashing it out — coming up with new parts and a lot of constructive criticism and months of playing it over and over. We have a general goal of trying to make good pop songs, songs that are accessible.



VOLCANO: Is the Viaduct a good thing for the Tacoma scene?



DETTLING: I think the Viaduct is great for the Tacoma scene. The all-ages scene in Tacoma has been suffering for the past couple of years, and it is really cool to see a venue coming up that is down to have shows throughout the week and not pinhole themselves to just hardcore or dance or any one thing. And the guys at the Viaduct have been working so hard for the Tacoma scene for so long, and it is great to see them in a space that they can make permanent. They are giving Tacoma a chance to be a great place for live local music.



VOLCANO: Where do you feel like your band fits in Tacoma? Is there a solid audience for your sound?



DETTLING: I don’t know exactly where we fit. There is a really cool group of bands coming up in the scene, like Ghosts and Liars, Colonies, and Trans Union, that are playing music in the same vein as us and are just such cool dudes. I think that we are making our own scene, and there seems to be an audience for it.



Don’t Tell Sophie will play the Viaduct on South Tacoma Way Friday.



Don’t tell. Just go.





[The Viaduct, with Fashion, Trans Union, The Lonely Forest and Colonies, Friday, Jan. 4, 7 p.m., all ages, 5412 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma, www.myspace.com/viaductvenue]

   

I'm creepin with my secret and that's how I wanna keep it, peep this via e-mail to mattd@weeklyvolcano.com.