EVERY SECOND FRIDAY AT THE TEMPEST >>>

In the grand, and unusual, tradition of skinny English boys bopping about in even skinnier ties to American soul and jazz music, local DJs Bobby Galaxy and dAb offer a night of are soul, funk, jazz and rare grooves under the tag Rare Groove.

Back in the day, Brits loved obscure American soul records almost as much as they loved mayonnaise and cucumber sandwiches. Galaxy and dAb celebrate this phenomenon by playing authentic, obscure soul, funk and jazz records. It's the kind of music that would have been heard at all-night parties in Manchester or Blackpool back in the day.

Bring your own skinny tie.

Rare Groove

Second Fridays, 9:30 p.m. to close, no cover
Tempest Lounge, 913 Martin Luther King Junior Way, Tacoma,
253.272.4904

TRIPLE SHOT OF THE SURREAL >>>

Thursday, May 27

AMBI3NT N1GHT: Avant-garde musicians Ben Paris, Phil Harty, Lucas Webster and Nicholas Hartzell will mess with time, space and dimension via ethereal soundscapes and minimalist tones while Kris Crews' abstract video commands the wall space tonight at the Fulcrum Gallery.

"I plan to screen a mixed bag. Several of the featured artists are providing video to accompany their sets," explains Crews.

For example, Ben Paris will bring a multi-media collage of found video samples that Crews will mix between Paris' eccentric video clips with a live video mixer that allows Crews to tweak and distort the video in real time. He calls the Paris project Ethereal Weeping.

"For Lucas Webster And Nicolas Hartzell's sets, I will be doing more of the same, but mixing between clips that I have personally produced. Phil Harty has shot and self-produced a video to accompany his set. Harty calls his multi-media project Smile For The Sky, which will be his first live performance of the work."

Fulcrum's Ambi3nt N1ght provides an opportunity for Crews to get really abstract with visual effects.

"It is a kaleidoscopic eye-candy explosion within an expanding universe of sound," he adds. "I really do show kaleidoscopic video; that's not just a fun adjective. 7 p.m., all ages, $5, Fulcrum Gallery, 1308 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma, 253.250.0520

Friday, May 28

VINONLY: Tacoma DJ collective Vinly Tribe resides at the Tempest Lounge every Fourth Friday. This week they'll spin strictly vinyl concentrating on the ‘90s. 9:30 p.m., no cover, Tempest Lounge, 913 Martin Luther king Jr. Way, Tacoma, 253.272.4904

Saturday, May 29

ARTIFAKT: The Artifakt folks are back at Jazzbones with another packed night of artwork and hip-hop. Logics, Fatal Lucciauno, State Of The Artist and DJs Hanibal and Reign provide the tunes. Artwork by Tyler Haney, Xavier Lopez, Jeremy Gregory and Julie Luke will don the walls. Luke will also be performing live art. 9 p.m., $5 before 10:30 p.m., $8 after, Jazzbones, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169.

LINK: South Sound music calendar

WHO NEEDS A LAUGH? >>>

Earthquake, tsunami, economy, oil spill ... Let's face it, we could all use a good laugh. So do yourself a favor and enjoy a little levity courtesy of Ty Barnett tonight at Jazzbones' Ha Ha Tuesdays night. This talented comedian was inspired by Chris Rock and Richard Pryor and has appeared on The Tonight Show many times. The Army vet and single parent found breakthrough success in 2006, when he was the runner-up on season 4 of the NBC reality show Last Comic Standing. Hosted by Ralph PoRter, Ha Ha will also feature Rodger Lizaola.

And after you're good and loose from laughing, why not stick around for DJ Omar and dancing?

Ha Ha Tuesdays

With Ty Barnett and Rodger Lizaola
Tuesday, June 1, 8 p.m., 21 and older, $10
Jazzbones, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma
253.396.9169