Walkie Talkie Blog
BIKE TO WORK WEEK >>> May is "Bike Month," in case you hadn't heard. This means the City of Tacoma, Pierce Transit and Pierce County are pushing two-wheeled, pedal-powered transportation throughout May. Specifically, Monday, May 17 through Friday, May 21 is Bike to Work Week, wherein teams and individuals throughout Pierce
Walkie Talkie Blog
NEW-ISH SEATTLE BAND HITS THE NEW FRONTIER FRIDAY >>> Tomorrow night, Seattle's Smile For Diamonds will plug in at The New Frontier Lounge with the venerable Deborah Page. Sure, Tacoma knows Deborah Page - but what's up with Smile For Diamonds, self described as "loud and erratic" - an fledgling
Walkie Talkie Blog
FOLK ROCKER IS ALL OVER THE PLACE >>> If Tyler Fortier is one thing, it's an up-and-coming, present-tense folk rocker - in a complimentary sense of the notion - based out of lush (read: stony) Eugene, Oregon. If Tyler Fortier is two things, it's all of the above and a damn entertaining
Walkie Talkie Blog
FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>> We've come a long way. If you need proof, know that I just I wrote that while Skyping in a pizza order, text-messaging my grandma and Tweeting about my last bowel movement. However, sometimes it is nice to look back - as James Venturini and the Lakewood
Walkie Talkie Blog
COMING THIS WEEK >>> Rainier beer fan. New York Times bestselling non-fiction writer. Corner Bar patron. Magician. Father. Fox News Network endorsed wacko. Depending on whom you ask, University of Washington Tacoma professor Michael Allen is many of those things - if not all of them. The truth, of course, is not as
Walkie Talkie Blog
UMBER SLEEPING TO PERFORM SATURDAY AT THE NEW FRONTIER LOUNGE >>> Many times over the course of my career covering music in Tacoma, I've heard Umber Sleeping's Peter Tietjen referred to as the best drummer in town. Having seen Umber's magic live on more than ten occasions, it's hard to argue
Walkie Talkie Blog
LEGENDARY TACOMA BAND SUED BY OHIO'S GORILLA PRODUCTIONS >>> As we've documented before here at the Weekly Volcano, Girl Trouble drummer Bon Von Wheelie is no fan of "pay to play" - or, more accurately, companies she believes rope unsuspecting bands into paying to play shows or compete in battle
Walkie Talkie Blog
LIVE MUSIC IN THE SOUTH SOUND TONIGHT >>> Glam Metal: No, you're not just really high. You haven't just woken up after sleeping off some 96-hour meth bender and are now hallucinating that ‘80s glam metal band L.A. Guns is playing Jazzbones on a Wednesday night. It's real, dude. It's
Walkie Talkie Blog
SXSW EXCLUSIVE: FRANCE'S DEAD SEXY INC. >>> Bands come in all shapes and sizes - and they come from all over for the SXSW music festival. For example, France's Dead Sexy Inc. - best described as a Euro-style mix of disco, electronic and Stooges style rock. Never heard of Dead Sexy Inc.? Neither
Walkie Talkie Blog
SXSW SATURDAY, MARCH 20 RECAP >>> I think I need an IV. After three straight days of potent drinks in plastic cups, chain-smoked cigarettes and high-decibel rock ‘n' roll - this morning, the last official morning of SXSW 2010, it all came crashing down on me. Black saucers surround my eyes.
Walkie Talkie Blog
SXSW FRIDAY, MARCH 19 RECAP >>> It would probably be redundant to kick off two blog recaps in a row with sage wisdom from our new favorite Austin cab driver, Frederick - the Jamaican American who took us from the airport to our hotel upon arrival at SXSW - but I'm
Walkie Talkie Blog
SXSW SATURDAY, MARCH 20 ITINERARY >>> I realize the last thing people at home in the South Sound want to hear me do is complain, but a check of the trusty iPhone reveals it's beautiful today in T-town, and Austin is currently mired in the 50s with an ever-constant threat of
Walkie Talkie Blog
SXSW FRIDAY ITINERARY >>> If we learned anything from yesterday's experience, let it be that these early schedules I provide for the Weekly Volcano's SXSW 2010 coverage are VERY flexible. Depending on how much booze I've consumed, and how far I feel like walking at any given moment - coupled with
Walkie Talkie Blog
PUYALLUP'S SWEETKISS MOMMA REPRESENT >>> On the ride to our hotel late Wednesday night, the cab driver, a middle age Jamaican American, told us SXSW seems to have returned to its old form this year - after a down year last year thanks to the shitty economy. It makes sense, of
Walkie Talkie Blog
BRING ON THE WEEKEND >>> I know, I know. Enough already. On Monday I promised you an interview with Metal Sanaz in advance of her appearance at Hell's Kitchen tonight. It didn't happen, all right. Things sometimes go awry. Like a number of occasions in my life, she had my number -
Walkie Talkie Blog
MUSICALLY SPEAKING >>> It's a new week - and a new month, even - and it's a Monday. Some things never change. Cyclical monotony. Here we go again. ... Say, did you hear Rick Talbert is running for a seat on the Pierce County Council? Here's a look at what's coming up,
Walkie Talkie Blog
MUSIC IN THE SOUTH SOUND TONIGHT >>> INDIE POP: Like many others, and many of you, the devastation and suffering in Haiti has been too much for The Color of East to sit back and watch idly. The band wanted to do something - and since what they do is
Walkie Talkie Blog
BRING ON THE WEEKEND >>> You may have noticed I've changed paths this week. I decided to feature a cat getting tanked instead of my usual shot of a dog getting hammered. Here at The Prefunk, we're nothing if not equal opportunity. If you're looking for those pictures of Greg Oden's junk, this
Walkie Talkie Blog
MUSICALLY SPEAKING >>> Ah, Monday. So we meet again, my nemesis. Ripping me off the couch and out of my weekend "leisure attire," you rudely thrust me back out into the world, shouting things like, "Make something of your goddamn life!" and "Stop being so worthless!" I hate you, Monday. But you're unavoidable.
Walkie Talkie Blog
SNEAK A HIT >>> Through the magic of Twitter and the ever-presence of SOCIAL NETWORKING - I stumbled across some props for Tacoma, and specifically Todd Sykes and EvergeenOne, on The Stranger's LineOut music blog this morning. Snug, and much deserved. The post includes Sykes and EvergreenOne's new video for the