Food Matters
Soft and savory breads, sweet and fun desserts, and homemade pizza crusts to-go are just a few local favorites at San Francisco St Bakery in Olympia. Summer adds something new to the menu – dinner. The beloved bakery has expanded summer hours and provides an open air restaurant
SouthSoundland
Markets in Olympia are all the rage right now. There is the weekend flea market by the Farmer's Market, there is the Westside Market, there is the recent opening of The Eagle's Club E-market. Enter Make Olympia, an outdoor seasonal flea market held at the newly vamped
Music
It looks like organizers of the annual Olympia Independent Music Festival are really beginning to hit their stride. This year, creators Jabe Jabberwock and Wylie Van Wenger - along with countless supporters from the community- have turned the volume on this festival to 11. In past years, the event was held
Music
Where The Dead Are, a metal grindcore band with roots in the Tacoma music scene (former Devils of Loudun and Goratorium) are set to take the stage Sunday at O'Malley's Irish Pub for the 14th annual Art on the Ave festival in Tacoma. Be there at 1 p.m. to witness the
Scene It
New Frontier: The New Frontier Lounge has been mentioned in many Weekly Volcano music features as the place that hot Tacoma and touring bands play. The venue is grungy, yet nice. Big enough for solid sound, yet intimate. Good drinks, good service. Yep, New Frontier is a music and alcohol
Music
Metal has got to be the most A-D-D music on the planet. Crash, slam, fast, slow, throaty howls, speed it up, slow it down, drums, drums, crash, anger, love, guitar solo, do it again. But that's what makes it so interesting and successful. Murder Your Gods, recently voted "Best Metal Band" and
Music
Full disclosure: I'm hyping my brother-in-law's dirty 30th birthday party. BUT, I'd write about it even if I didn't know the man, as this really will be a stellar night. Not only will it be a great opportunity to give out 30 spankings, but this show marks the return of
Music
The great Northwest has many cities that seem to be synonymous with music. From Bellingham to Eugene to Missoula, the entire region is dotted with indie record labels, budding bands, seasoned pros, legendary icons - not to mention studios, record stores, music shops and venues. While this network of music junkies
Music
Sitting down to write about Olympia's Broken Water, I'm tempted to get stoned first. Listening to the 3-piece and their fuzzy, shoe-gazing drone-rock, I'm nostalgic for contemplative thoughts that roll with the crescendos and crashes of the music. But I don't have to get stoned. They take me there anyway.
Arts
The Olympia Comics Festival, an all day event in downtown Olympia, takes place this Saturday, June 2. "There's something for every comic book fan," promises Frank Hussey, event director. Hussey says he began the Olympia Comics festival back in 2001 because he wanted to create something that was accessible and fun
Features
King Solomon's Reef in downtown Olympia is officially open. After two fires and 15 months of restoration, The Reef's curse has turned into a blessing. The restaurant hosted its grand re-opening May 18, complete with hundreds of Facebook posts and spotlights in the parking lot. "It was a really great day, everyone
Music
It's time again for Olympia's Spring Arts Walk. When the creativity of artists, performers and musicians brims so full that it spills into the streets of downtown Olympia and folks of all ages come to celebrate. Music is a central part of the party, bringing musicians to nearly every venue and
We Recommend
Just in time to celebrate 4/20, Andyinoly Productions brings in another stellar show. This time at the Olympia Ballroom, and all-ages, Polyrythmics will be keeping heads happy with their funky, world-beat music. According to dictionary.com, polyrhythm is the simultaneous occurrence of sharply contrasting rhythms within a composition. According to me,
We Recommend
Normally with these blurbs, we focus on one band. But, I'm torn about this upcoming show at McCoy's in Olympia. I absolutely have to give shine to both Canadian sludge doom band Mendozza, and local up-and-comer metal monsters Bone Sickness. Let's start with Mendozza. These heavy
We Recommend
For 12 years, Hell's Belles have been belting out the timeless classics of AC/DC. All the raunch and flair and sexiness of Angus Young and the rest of AC/DC are channeled beautifully through the five females of Hell's Belles. Every throaty lyric and bass line and rock stance is performed
We Recommend
Andy Geertsen, who Volcano readers voted the best bartender in Olympia, has branched out his music booking skills, creating Andyinoly Productions. This weekend, he presents, along with The Royal Lounge, jazz music moguls Crack Sabbath. Smooth, powerful, emotional, these are just a few words that come to mind when listening
We Recommend
Stone Axe claims to be "seventies rock preservationists," which is entirely true. Tony Reed and Dru Brinkerhoff's combined stoner-rock roots and classic rock inspiration lift listeners into that '70s realm - long and winding stories with soulful vocals and classic guitar riffs strummed with skill. Even UK's Classic Rock Magazine
We Recommend
Bangs, one of the more popular rock bands to emerge from Olympia - having toured extensively and forged connections with all the other great bands of the '90s and 2000s - broke up in 2004 when frontwoman Sarah Utter moved to L.A. A brief stint of fundraising shows in 2010
We Recommend
Saturday in Olympia Romanteek is back again, packing the group's unique sound of hypnotic vocals, sometimes breezy, sometimes moody melodies, layered with soul-soothing guitar riffs and dance-beat drums into the Capital Theater for an event called "All of the Shadows Open." For this performance Olympia's Romanteek will pair with another
We Recommend
The Midnight Sun has been an exceptional music, art and performance venue in downtown Olympia for the past 21 years. It has always been accessible, affordable and all-ages. Now, The Midnight Sun is on the verge of closing, and Olympia wants to do something about it. Thanks to the efforts of Elizabeth
