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Matt Driscoll on July 10th, 2012
I really like Pao, and I really, really like his donuts, but to be completely honest the huge pictures hanging in his donut shop (you know, the ones that each feature one of his three kids, at age one, propped up and smiling next to - quite literally - a
Features
Matt Driscoll on May 9th, 2012
I really like Pao, and I really, really like his donuts, but to be completely honest the huge pictures hanging in his donut shop (you know, the ones that each feature one of his three kids, at age one, propped up and smiling next to - quite literally - a
Cup Check
Matt Driscoll on March 14th, 2012
There was no Cup Check column last week. I was sick. Sometimes when the body says rest, all you can do is listen.
But missing a column never feels good, so I did manage to drag myself over to Twitter and apologize to Cup Check's seven faithful readers for the interruption
We Recommend
Matt Driscoll on March 13th, 2012
There was a time when the Big Friction Jam at Jazzbones was THE place to be for Sunday night maxin', relaxin' and jammin'. Powered by the groove-heavy leanings of saxophonist Brett "Big Friction" Cummings, and aptly backed by a rhythm section the South Sound knows well - drummer Darin Watkins
We Recommend
Matt Driscoll on March 7th, 2012
The finger-plucking beauty and ease of Science!'s folksy, acoustic, storytelling is easy on the ear. Voted "Best New Band" in the Volcano's Best of Olympia 2012 Readers Poll, Science! has a rootsy vibe that goes a long way in a town like Oly. Comprised of vocalist Justin Stang and guitarist
Cup Check
Matt Driscoll on March 1st, 2012
Look out Twitter, the rednecks are coming.
Appropriately enough, Jeff Gluck, the Motorsports Editor at SBNation.com, summed the situation up on Twitter.
It's becoming clear the Daytona 500 will be remembered for two things: The jet dryer explosion and Keselowski's tweet.
He was nearly dead on. He probably should have said tweeting, as
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Matt Driscoll on February 29th, 2012
As far as Jeff Angell goes in this world, Tacoma will always claim the born-to-be frontman as its own. And with good reason. Junior cut his teeth in T-Town, and the grit shows in his music to this day - even on his band's, the Missionary Position's, most recent effort
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Matt Driscoll on February 29th, 2012
This blurb officially marks the 87th time I've written about Guttermouth coming to Tacoma. Something tells me that while I may be running out of things to say about the iconic Huntington Beach punk rockers, Tacoma's many fans of the band aren't getting tired of seeing them. This Friday, Guttermouth
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Matt Driscoll on February 23rd, 2012
Brotherhood of the Black Squirrel's second record, The Dust Bowl Ghosts, released last April, is described as "a trip through the dreams and nightmares of a down-on-his-luck circus comedian with a bum leg and child support payments." If that doesn't sound like a musical good time, I don't know what
Cup Check
Matt Driscoll on February 22nd, 2012
I went to The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash. As Washingtonians know, it's a small liberal arts school in the middle of the woods, full of hippies. Simpsons creator Matt Groening, Kramer from Seinfeld (the racist one), Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker of groundbreaking riot grrl band Sleater-Kinney and
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Walkie Talkie Blog
Matt Driscoll on February 22nd, 2012
IT'S GOING TO BE NUTS >>>
Brotherhood of the Black Squirrel's second record, The Dust Bowl Ghosts, released last April, is described as "a trip through the dreams and nightmares of a down-on-his-luck circus comedian with a bum leg and child support payments." If that doesn't sound like a
Walkie Talkie Blog
Matt Driscoll on November 3rd, 2011
TUNE IN FROM 8-9 PM OR REGRET IT FOREVER >>>
Last night was big for us. Tonight will be even bigger.
Crossing a long-desired item off our collective bucket list, last night the Weekly Volcano recorded the very first episode of Volcano Radio - the Volcano's new Internet radio show and podcast.
It
Walkie Talkie Blog
Matt Driscoll on October 14th, 2011
ZEROING IN >>>
Sure, it may seem easy to scoff at miniature golf, or "Putt-Putt Golf" as it's been called (and trademarked).
But that wouldn't be doing the sport justice.
Yes, I did just call miniature golf a "sport."
While that classification may seem debatable (and, OK, it probably IS debatable), there's some
Walkie Talkie Blog
Matt Driscoll on September 9th, 2011
THE FAIR OPENS FOR BUSINESS >>>
More than simply cows, crowds and cotton candy, the Puyallup Fair has grown up alongside the town it calls home. Featuring a vast array of livestock, rides, booths, games, foods (of course) and big-name concerts, the 17-day Puyallup Fair, Sept. 9 - 25, promises enough
Walkie Talkie Blog
Matt Driscoll on June 6th, 2011
TRANSPARENCY IN MEDIA >>>
Making editorially decisions for SPEW isn't always easy. Sometimes, tough ethical and practical situations arise that require careful contemplation.
For instance, sometimes Robert "the Traveller" Hill sends me a press release.
What to do? Post or ignore? Acknowledge or disregard?
The predicament is tricky, and a number of factors
Walkie Talkie Blog
Matt Driscoll on November 11th, 2010
SCORE ONE FOR OLYMPIA >>>
Last night at Northern in Olympia, Wild Flag - perhaps at least momentarily better known as Carrie Brownstein, Mary Timony, Janet Weiss and Rebecca Cole - played its first show ever. As Brownstein noted (herself and Weiss Sleater-Kinney alums) most of her bands have played their
Walkie Talkie Blog
Matt Driscoll on November 8th, 2010
CHECK IT >>>
On the first Sunday of every month I visit the Northwest Convergence Zone - a South Sound based podcast orchestrated by the venerable Darrell Fortune. It's "kind of a big deal," for lack of a better description, as the pro bono, weekend warriors behind the Northwest Convergence Zone
Walkie Talkie Blog
Matt Driscoll on October 15th, 2010
BRING ON THE WEEKEND >>>
Admittedly, I'm sick. I'm snotty. My throat hurts. And I'm not even at the office today.
Yet, The Prefunk - a regular weekend primer for you and your liver - waits for no one ... not even the sick. The show must go on - and so
Walkie Talkie Blog
Matt Driscoll on September 24th, 2010
BRING ON THE WEEKEND >>>
Last week I was on vacation. There was no Prefunk. Your weekend still happened, of course, and I assume you still figured out a way to occupy yourself. But, you didn't start things off with tasteless whip-it jokes from the Weekly Volcano, and there was no
Walkie Talkie Blog
Matt Driscoll on September 3rd, 2010
BRING ON THE WEEKEND >>>
Well, O. M. G. The workweek is drawing to a close, and not only is the weekend upon us - but it's of the THREE-DAY variety! That's cooler than the other side of the pillow, as they say; the bee's knees (so to speak). It's groovy,
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Recently Reviewed Movies
Matt Driscoll on May 6th, 2010
The Oly Rollers are badasses. There's no doubt about it. You don't become a national champion roller derby team without having a little badass up your sleeve.
Filmmaker Bob Ray, from Austin, Texas, is also kind of a badass. Ray, though, just happens to be the kind of badass that
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