SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER >>>

A cold, rainy night calls for a freaking fun night of live music - or a car with heated seats. But because I don't know how to install heated seats, I give you photographs from a freaking fun night of live music at Bob's Java Jive. Before a fairly full venue, The Ram Rams, Murder Party, MC Mike Kopf and the Tacomen rocked it, playing musical members as they swapped out keyboards and drummers here and there.

I was most impressed with the way the Tacomen worked the Jive's entire stage.

For photos of the other bands, jump into our Photo Hot Spot.

WE SCENE IT >>>

Saturday night, The High Rollers filled Dawson's Bar and Grill at 56th and South Tacoma Way with tight chords, jam riffs and classic rock from the Doors, Santana, and the golden age of rock. The dance floor stayed full.

Check out more shots from the night in our Photo Hot Spot.

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.

RUM AND BLUES ARE ON TONIGHT >>>

Last week I dropped in on Stonegate Pizza's Tuesday Blues Jam. Blues fans can enjoy award-winning pizza, 10,000 different rums, and watch the area's best blues musicians riff, jam, experiment and practice outside their normal band or schedule. Guitarist Rafael Tranquilino keeps the jam on track in Stonegate's Rum Lounge, beginning around 8:30 p.m.

LINK: Check out the photos

WE SCENE IT >>>

The Tacoma-based band Voxxy Vallejo played its last gig last night at Cheers West in University Place before taking a few months off to compose and record a new, as yet untitled CD. Expect the new songs to drop in late spring or summer. This will be the band's second album.

"You really don't know how long it is going to take when it comes down to producing," explained lead vocalist Sherrie Voxx Minter between sets at Cheers.

Minter, who many call the "Janis Joplin of Tacoma," performed a high-energy and spirited performance last night, owning every power ballad or classic rock tune she covered. Minter's musical partner, guitarist Gene Vallejo, rocked his six strings like they owed him money. Commanding the skins was the always-cool Markal Harris. Newcomers John Sommer on bass and Paul Coleman on drums rounded out the band. Their addition also prompted the band's hiatus to tap into their creative musical talents.

"We only thought it was fair to bring them in on our previous material," Vallejo said, noting that some of their songs they performed last night will be on the album, while others are still works in progress. "We have enough for two CDs."

LINK: More Voxxy photos in our Photo Hot Spot

A NIGHT OF A THOUSAND SHOTS >>>

Colin Sannes turned the big 40 Friday with an epic time at Puget Sound Pizza, where he normally hosts weekend karaoke and holds court as king of the mic. The kilted wonder received his share of free shots and well wishes. He also got more tackle hugs than a Seahawks wide receiver, one of which left a knot on his head when he took a digger in the parking lot. But that is a story for another time. Imagine, a birthday party for Colin and only one ambulance was called. That is moderation in Tacoma terms.

Colin also hosts the Tacoma Cult Movie Club 7 p.m. every second Sunday and third Monday at the Acme Grub Cage in downtown Tacoma.

LINK: More photos of Colin's party

BLUES NIGHT >>>

Wikipedia says, "Sunday night blues is an acute condition, mostly affecting nine-to-five workers and students."

Wikipedia is full of crap.

Sunday night blues is an awesome condition, mostly affecting a graying crowd of music lovers. For as long as we can remember, The Spar in Old Town Tacoma, with the help of promoter Ted Brown and his crew, has hosted blues bands every Sunday from 7-10 p.m. This past Sunday, the Dana Lupinacci Band commanded the far left corner, inspiring the crowd to tap their feet as they downed bowl after bowl of chowder.

Dave Macord and Jewel McCart shared a dance Sunday night.

This coming Sunday The Spar hosts the "3 Ms" - Jerry Miller, Jay Mabin and Tom Murphy. That's a helluva blues show right there.

LINK: Live music in the South Sound

WE SCENE IT >>>

Anyone who remembers Drake's from back in the day will enjoy the Firwood Rock Lounge, the new club that now commands the Drake's spot at 734 Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma. Drake's circa 2000 was the skanky dance club complete with thunderously loud music, strong drinks that were over served and fights every 15 minutes or so. It eventually went the way of the Dodo bird and shut its doors to sit vacant for a few years. In its place the Firwood is cleaner, less skanky and more enjoyable. The 50-or-so member crowd for the Shifter show last Friday was mixed but mostly graying hair retreads out for a night of rock covers and whiskey sours. But there were a good share of hot bodies out for girls' night out fun.

Su Hong mixed the drinks.

Britney Anderson and Renae Kimball give girlie hugs

LINK: More photos in our Photo Hot Spot

UNDER THE LIGHTS >>>

The Hype: Thanks to Calvin Murphy, the South Sound has danced its ass off for the last 11 years. Murphy's DJ conglomerate Ocean Grooves produced many popular DJ shows and weekly series over the years, including its initial series at Tacoma's 6th & Proctor Bar & Grill in 1999 featuring regulars Donald Glaude, Omar and dAb. Last night, Murphy launched a whole new venture as manager of Jason Rim's new Gruv Lounge and Nightclub - in the same spot once occupied by the 6th & Proctor B&G, as well as the more popular Hell's Kitchen. Besides booking and running the show, Rim allowed Murphy to design the club - the DJ booth, lighting, video screens and color schemes. To give Gruv's grand opening an extra boost, Murphy hosted his annual Ocean Grooves Halloween Bash in the joint featuring Los Angeles DJ Uberzone and local DJs dAb, Jason Diamond and Mr. Clean. Read more on the new club here.

The Show: Based on last night's grand opening don't expect lots of v-neck-t-shirt-wearing guys doing that up-and-down motion with their arms in appreciation of the music, and perfectly groomed and tanned girls dancing in circles around their purses as that drunk girl high-fives the DJ for playing "Fantasy" by Mariah Carey while she sucks on a rock-candy ring. Instead, a very unpretentious crowd danced, chatted and drank – when they weren't hugging Murphy saying, "It's about time you brought this to Tacoma." The DJs riled up the crowd with fearsome house music and boogie-man beats while Murphy's LED lights constantly changed the interior colors of the club. Oh, and local artist James Allan Tucker's mural in the dance room is very cool. The Weekly Volcano Meat Market correspondent Brett Cihon was in the house. Look for his review in next week's rag.

The Crowd: A large crowd including curious local DJs scoping out the place, plus Bert and Ernie, Spock, Ron Burgundy, Mr. Heatmiser, Iron Man, cats, and a bunch of scary guys.

Overheard: "Man, I should've gotten stoned for this!"

By The Way: Donald Glaude, DJ dAb and Omar will spin Saturday, Nov. 6 at the Gruv.

LINK: More Gruv photos in our Photo Hot Spot

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TONIGHT? >>>

Paddy Coyne's is a traditional Irish Pub with a Northwest spin. Its Tuesday night fair includes dark ales flowing from the tap on a regular basis and emceed trivia courtesy of Joe Korbuszewski. For the last two years Korbuszewski has tossed questions to the Coyne's crowd that range between home improvement tips and politics to geography, pop culture and automotive repair. No subject is out of reach, which makes sense since the average score on his 25-question rosters hovers at about 60 percent.

Last Tuesday, Alexander Scotland Wilson brought his bagpipes and belted out a few tunes during the lulls in trivia. He has been playing pipes for 12 years after blowing the sacks under the pipe major of the Black Watch and pipe major of the senior Scottish Regiment of the British Army, Alexander "Sandy" Hain. Anyone who knows pipes knows that such training is a big deal.

Tuesday Night Pub Quiz

7 p.m. Tuesday, no cover
Minimum of two people and a maximum of 6 people per team
$2 per person entry fee and the winning team takes all
Paddy Coyne's Irish Pub
815 Pacific Ave., Tacoma
253.272.6963