Northwest Military Blogs: South Sound at Night

Posts made in: 'Events' (9) Currently Viewing: 1 - 9 of 9

February 10, 2013 at 7:13pm

WORDS & PHOTOS: Live bands and Mardi Gras party in Tacoma

JAZZBONES: A Mardi Gras party took over Friday night. Photo credit: Steve Dunkelberger

WE SCENE IT >>>

Friday night, I bar hopped around Tacoma with my camera. It was a full-meal deal of live music and audiences wackiness.

The first course of the night was a family set at C.I. Shenanigans along the Ruston Way waterfront. Gina Belliveau and Cottonwood Cutups were in the Fireplace Room, performing before date couples, families and old dudes snapping their fingers to the down beat. A kid or two played games on cell phones as the music blasted the room. Belliveau packed a lot of power into a spritely frame while Cottonwood did ... well, what Cottonwood does ... brought the thunder. See more photos from the Shenanigans show in the Weekly Volcano's Photo Hot Spot.

The next morsel came with The Front featuring RJ Medeiros playing at Rock the Dock Pub & Grill. The band brought out the power ballads for a mix of over 50 rockers and those who love them. The jam proved that age is just a number - some of those folks can cut a rug with the best of them. See more photos from the Rock the Dock show in the Weekly Volcano's Photo Hot Spot.

My main entrée was a delicious set by the Kim Archer Band at Jazzbones. The band brought its signature soul and energy to the stage with a tight set of classic R&B covers. See more photos of the Jazzbones show in the Weekly Volcano's Photo Hot Spot.

For dessert, I went for the weird. After the KAB show, the Jazzbones crowd was well lubricated for BZ Productions' Mardi Gras Costume Contest, complete with full-on bead craving hotties. With $100 for best Mardi Gras outfit on the line, and DJ Switch behind the deck, BZ asked the Jazzbones crowd to stay away from the trashy look. It got trashy. Fast. See more photos from the Mardi Gras Party in the Weekly Volcano's Photo Hot Spot.

LINK: Weekly Volcano Photo Hot Spot

December 6, 2012 at 9:39am

PHOTOS: Repeal Prohibition Day Celebration in Olympia

REPEAL PROHIBITION DAY CELEBRATION: Olympia knows how to party. Photo credit: Red Williamson of Newspin Photo

RED SCENE IT >>>

When the country outlawed alcohol in 1920, millions of Americans turned to a clandestine network of speakeasies and bootleggers in search of a stiff drink. The 18th Amendment, which banned the sale, manufacture and transportation of alcohol, ushered in an era of prohibition and gave rise to organized crime, whose bootlegging operations flourished over the 13 dry years.

Dec. 5, 1933, passage of the 21st Amendment, brought an end to Prohibition. Last night at the Capitol Theater, Olympia celebrated Repeal Prohibition Day with a night of drinks, burlesque and music.

Photographer Red Williamson of Newspin Photo captured last night's gratuitous debauchery, lavish carousing and general tomfoolery. Below are a few of his photographs. To see his whole album of shots, which include many NSFW shots of the TUSH! Burlesque troupe, click here.

Olympia, you look awesome.

Filed under: Drinks, Events, Fashion, Olympia, Party,

December 4, 2011 at 1:59pm

PHOTOS: Steve Dunkelberger Birthday Bash

Steve Dunkelberger, left, celebrated his birthday with family and friends ... and the general public ... Friday night at Jazzbones in Tacoma. Photo credit: Abby Hooyer

WE SCENE IT >>>

Every week in the print version of the Weekly Volcano, right below our awesome crime column Ragnet, we predict the outcome of local events for the week ahead. Titled "Punching Up The Future," our predictions are compared with predictions by Zoltar, the mechanical fortuneteller. Zoltar always nails the outcomes of the events. We, on the other hand, suck at it – correctly predicting only 8 to 16 percent of what happens at the events.

In this week's issue, we tackled Weekly Volcano photographer Steve Dunkelberger's birthday bash at Jazzbones. We wrote,

It's the hottest party of the year, bitches!The one and only Steve Dunkelberger - photographer, journalist, Tacoma icon, geocaching nut - only has one birthday a year, and this Friday at Jazzbones he'll be celebrating 2011's rendition. Expect music from Deborah Page, the Dignitaries, Voxxy Vallejo and China Davis - with proceeds generated from the $7 cover benefiting AAUW, Emergency Food Lifeline, Tacoma Art Place and YWCA. Why? Because that's the kind of solid dude Steve Dunkelberger is.

PREDICTION: What happens at a Steve Dunkelberger birthday party, stays at a Steve Dunkelberger birthday party ... unless Steve Dunkelberger takes pictures and we post them on our website.

Again, our prediction sucked. Dunkelberger didn't take pictures, which also means he didn't post them to our website.

However, his friend, Abby Hooyer, did take photos.

What the hell, we'll post them below. We'll also stay true to keeping what happened at the bash a secret ... BUT we'll tell you the after party at Puget Sound Pizza was a karaoke-licious booze fest. Karaoke host Rev. Colin, sporting a Christmas sweater, kept the mic occupied throughout the night, which was impressive considering the amount of booze being downed. Singing highlights include Voxxy belting out Led Zeppelin, Doug Mackey nailing the Beatles and Cody Jones singing Neil Diamond's "Cracklin' Rosie" as if he toured as an Diamond impersonator. Steve, although taking on the roll as designated driver, danced wildly before the singers.

We're happy to report, after the last drink was downed and the numbers were tallied, Dunkelberger raise $1,200 toward his designated charities.

Nice work Steve.

Emcees Doug Mackey and Pretty Boy Sean Culver

The Dignitaries

China Davis

Voxxy Vallejo

Fire dancers!

Deborah Page

LINK: Steve's photographic handiwork can be seen in our Photo Hot Spot

June 5, 2011 at 10:32am

PHOTOS: "A Perfect Life" pre-screening party

Joe Rosati and Scott Stone return to Tacoma for the premiere of their film at the STIFF Film Festival. Photography by Steve Dunkelberger

WE SCENE IT >>>

We dropped by pre-screening party for "A Perfect Life," (which premiers at the STIFF Film Festival Tuesday, June 7) at Doyle's Public House and the Harmon Tap room. Fire dancers, China Davis and Ten Miles of Bad Road entertained.

LINK: See more in the Photo Hot Spot

Filed under: Clubs, Events, Screens, Music, Tacoma,

April 24, 2011 at 2:14pm

PHOTOS: Artifakt at Hell's Kitchen (NSFW)

Elbow Coulee whipped Hell's Kitchen into a frenzy. Photography by Steve Dunkelberger

WE SCENE IT >>>

Weekly Volcano photographer Steve Dunkelberger grabbed some great pictures at Friday's wacky Artifakt show at Hell's Kitchen. Some of the pics are posted on this page. The rest are in our Photo Hot Spot here.

While there was a good mix of dudes and dudettes, we couldn't help but notice most of the guys stayed in the music room ... where the live body painting was going down. Sip, sip, sip off the Pabst can, quick glace toward the nudity, sip, sip, nod the head toward the band, sip, sip, glance at the nudity - it was almost an aerobic activity.

Ignoring the long gaps between acts, and the long line at the booze counter due to the body painting blocking the upper level bar, it was a fun, wacky night.

Body painting in the upper level

Stoned Evergreen Traveler

Friends

Elbow Coulee

Gritty City Sirens

Pioneers West

Cheers!

LINK: Photo Hot Spot for more pics

Filed under: Events, Music, Photo Hot Spot, Tacoma,

March 9, 2011 at 1:23pm

PHOTOS: Mardi Gras 2011 in downtown Tacoma

The Peabody Waldorf Gallery held a Fat Tuesday party last night in their downtown Tacoma space. Photography by Steve Dunkelberger

WE SCENE IT >>>

We draped photographer Steve Dunkelberger in beads and shoved him out the door to find a local Mardi Gras party. He ended up at the Peabody Waldorf Gallery's soiree. The crowd was light and subdued but grew as the evening progressed. A lull allowed Dunkelberger to jet over to The Mix to wish Johanna Gardner a happy birthday and catch the Mardi Gras action at the popular gay-friendly bar.

More of Dunkelberger's shots have been downloaded to our Photo Hot Spot.

February 8, 2011 at 10:39am

TUESDAYS: Goldfish races at Tacoma's Harmon Tap Room (canceled)

Vertesia Olson and Aquafina race Elizabeth Gendron and Pink Taco. Photography by Steve Dunkelberger

WE SCENE IT >>>

Editor's note: Harmon Tap Room no longer hosts the goldfish races.

Don't look now, but goldfish racing has hit the Harmon Tap Room every Tuesday night.

The rules are very simple: 1) pick your fish 2) name it something vulgar 3) grab a water spayer 4) dump your fish in the trough 5) spray your fish across the finish line and 6) win $50 cash.

Last Tuesday a mixed-age crowd of flounder fans raced, cheered and pounded Harmon brews.

Losers don't always have to be eaten. I learned that a bit too late. Sorry Sushi, you were a noble racer and a tasty treat to go along with the Vanilla Porter on tap.

Goldfish Races

8 p.m., every Tuesday
Harmon Tap Room
204 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma
253. 212.2725

LINK: More photos from the event

Filed under: Bars, Photo Hot Spot, Events, Games, Tacoma,

December 24, 2010 at 12:28pm

Merry Stripmas

HOT TIME IN THE OLD SWISS LAST NIGHT >>>

On the 10th day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... a night of burlesque. And by "true love" I mean "my wife." She stayed home with the child so I could check out the official debut of the Tacoma burlesque troupe, Gritty City Sirens. Ava D'Jor, Tizzy Van Tassel, Rosie Cheexx, Funny Face Fanny and Polly Puckerup combated the cold weather with a hot show last night in front of a packed - and I do mean push, shove and wiggle your way through - mass of people.

The creative and beautiful women stripped through self-choreographed sets down to skivvies, stockings and pasties. The crowd loved it, and so did the performers.

I posted a few photos in our Photo Hot Spot.

September 28, 2010 at 12:50pm

Rock & Roll Bingo in Tacoma

Bartender Brook Pawlicki emcees the games. Photography by Steve Dunkelberger

A NEW WAY TO GET CARDED >>>

If your image of bingo is a sort of purgatory, a cafeteria filled with grannies clutching cigarettes with three-inch ashes as they listen to the numbers being called, you need to check out Rock & Roll Bingo Night at The New Frontier Lounge in Tacoma. Every Wednesday night sprightly bartender Brook Pawlicki emcees the games that offer the beer-chugging patrons chances to win campy prizes with every "Bingo" yell.

Last Wednesday brought a light crowd of regulars that ranged from members of Tacoma's music scene to 30-somethings out on the town tossing down $3 wells and $2 Session lagers with pizza and fries.

Prizes I saw dolled out included a Pillsbury Dough Boy doll, a Best of Country Music of 1968 record and low-budget porn from 1996.

The campy vibe allows patrons to mix and mingle while still concentrating on their Bingo cards. The music is low and steady but the pace of bingo can be fast and furious as the numbers drop toward the end of the card.

Rock & Roll Bingo

Wednesdays, 9:30-11:30 p.m., no cover
The New Frontier Lounge, 301 E. 25th St., Tacoma
253.572.4020


LINK: More bingo photos in our Photo Hot Spot

Filed under: Bars, Events, Games, Photo Hot Spot, Tacoma,

About this blog

A South Sound nightlife blog written in the clubs, on our smartphones, while dancing.

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