A FUNDRAISER FOR POWER >>>

In time for a swell 30^th anniversary appearance, Annie returns to the silver screen this Saturday, Feb. 18, at Olympia's Capitol Theater. But don't come looking for a 3-D reboot like some of these supposed "classics" Hollywood plans to dig up this year. (The Phantom Menace? Wow.) Instead, clear your throat, rehearse those pipes and get ready to belt out song after song from this feel-good musical, and all for a good cause to boot. Every suggested $10 donation collected at the door benefits Parents Organizing for Welfare and Economic Rights.

But please, call the organization POWER. Save that golden voice of yours for the singing.

With offices in Olympia and Seattle, POWER serves the oftentimes powerless (children, seniors, the disabled), working to ensure sufficient social programs exist for these groups. Interestingly, low-income parents comprise over 80-percent of the organization's membership, imbuing the public cry for action with a personal perspective.

"We work hard to get our voice heard," says Monica Peabody, Director of POWER (wish I had a job title like that). "We don't have money to hire lobbyists, but we do have our stories, and we do have our experiences, and we think that our stories and our experiences can challenge misconceptions and stereotypes."

Peabody's fundraising team has decided to tackle serious issues in a distinctive way - with a lighthearted, bubbly piece of movie magic involving one spunky redhead. "I love the character of Annie because she's ... fearless and fierce," says Sfirah Madrone, POWER's office manager and volunteer coordinator.

Tasked with injecting some fun into this fundraiser, committee member Jennifer Kenny recognizes in this hard knock life of ours the power of optimism, creativity and community - three necessary ingredients for any sing-along.

"There's a lot of gloom and doom in the news out there, and we're fighting a pretty big effort here for economic rights," says Kenny, "but it doesn't mean we can't come together and celebrate our own strengths."

With a theater full of voices shouting the lyrics to "Tomorrow" this weekend, gloom is definitely on notice. The show starts 2:30 p.m.. Discover more about POWER by visiting the organization's website at www.mamapower.org. 

[The Capitol Theater, POWER Presents Annie Sing-along Benefit, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2 p.m. doors, 2:30 p.m. screening, $10 suggested donation (pay what you can), 206 Fifth Ave. SE, Olympia, 360.754.6670, olympiafilsociety.org]

SO CLOSE YOU CAN SMELL THE COMEDY >>>

When The Second City, scheduled to hit Tacoma Thursday as part of its "Laugh Out Loud" tour, bills itself as the "world's premier comedy club and school of improvisation," it's a no shit statement. The Second City REALLY IS the world's premiere comedy troupe and school of improvisation, with 50-plus years of service since its 1959 inception in Chicago, and an alumni roster that includes the likes of John Belushi, John Candy, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Gilda Radner.

That's hard to top.

Thursday, the Second City returns to Tacoma. According to promotion the show is "by popular demand." That's also a no shit statement.

[Pantages Theater, 7:30 p.m., $29-$42, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5890, broadwaycenter.org]

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 2012 >>>

1. If you've got a wicked sensation right now in your music nerve, there's good reason for that: The Sammy Steele Band, SweetKiss Momma, Black Top Demon and Psycho 78 will take the stage at Jazzbones around 8 p.m. to crank it for Bill Rachal, who's battling cancer. Besides awesome music, your (suggested) $10 donation will score you an all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner plus the opportunity to win raffle prizes. Do it.

2. Park enthusiasts will gather at 1 and 5:30 p.m. inside the Tacoma Nature Center and go off on how much they love Point Defiance Park. At some point someone will funnel the happiness into a discussion about the anxiously awaited pedestrian connection between the Ruston Way promenade and Point Defiance Park. Then, like clockwork, someone will mention Never Never Land and the whole crowd will faint. A must see.

3. Community arts activist Bill Cleveland argues that in times of violence, upheaval, and cultural dislocation, art is a key tool for confronting darkness and eventually rebuilding communities. Do you dig? Drop by the University of Washington Tacoma's Joy Building at 5 p.m. and hear Cleveland explain himself.

4. An reception for Tacoma artist Mark Hoppmann's show Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crows: The Art of Mark Hoppmann will be held from 6-8 p.m. at the Collins Library on the University of Puget Sound campus. At 7 p.m. Hoppmann will most likely discuss how The Book of Kells inspired him to create his awesome illustrations.

5. Beginning at 7 p.m., DJ Sc fires up his laptop and mixer stocked with old school soul ballads and new school pop during ladies night at the Tempest Lounge.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight

LINK: South Sound happy hours

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

School Tax Measures: Early election returns showed most tax measures passing in seven Pierce County school districts Tuesday. (News Tribune)

Big-Box Restrictions In Tacoma: The new rules call for more public notice and an additional conditional-use permit, among other things. (News Tribune)

Local Community Colleges: The schools have cut staff, frozen salaries for five years, eliminated programs, made other efficiencies - and still were able to serve 19 percent more students since 2008. (News Tribune)

Oh The Economy Is Just Fine: U.S. beer sales climb to nearly $100 billion. (Huffington Post)

Honduras Prison Fire: "Everyone ran for their lives." (CNN)

Oh Crap: Iran says it has for the first time used domestically-made nuclear fuel rods in one of its reactors. (BBC)

Mashup: Niggas in Paris at Midnight. (Kottke)

Groovy: Bill Cosby sings "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." (YouTube)

Wayne's World 20th Anniversary: 25 things you didn't know about Mike Myers' classic comedy. (Moviefone)

Most Expensive Starbucks Drink of the Day: Logan A. Warren of Geek on Call has reportedly set a new world record for most expensive Starbucks drink. Congrats? (The Daily What)

ONE GIANT HUG >>>

Coffeehouse audiences aren't known for their exuberance. And coffeehouses aren't typically known as rock venues. At best, the dimly lit textbook folkie with a guitar earns a smattering of applause over the din of cappuccino steam and chatter.

Yet when Kurt Lindsay and Daniel Blue took to their guitars in front of a Metronome Coffee crowd last night, the place was abuzz. People were on their feet applauding and cheering. Each crescendo, highlight and solo was acknowledged with whistles and shouts.

And there was plenty of kissing, too.

Couples must have opted for dessert as the crowd didn't reach near capacity until halfway through Blue's headlining set. And there was a lot of love in the house. Couples held hands. Lindsay acknowledged his admiration for Blue and his talent. Blue dropped love notes several times to the crowd, which, as expected, contained many of his friends from the city he left several years ago.

There was also a lot of chatter, and you could see the disappointment on Blue's face toward the end of his set about this noise. Both singers wailed throughout their sets – although the crowd noise wouldn't have altered those moments.

Lindsay opened the show with his take on Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," leaning toward Jeff Buckley's version. Buckley's influences are evident in Lindsay's music, although Lindsay is definitely an original. The lead singer and guitarist for local band Bodybox performs with passion, displaying emotionally bare songwriting and plenty of charm. Catch Bodybox in April at the Hard Rock Café up north.

There was no skirting around the "homecoming" feel of Blue's appearance. Hugs shared equal time with stage presence. Blue has honed his craft. Gone are the awkward moments between songs. His wit and charisma are razor sharp. And so is his voice - with another nod toward Buckley, in regard to passion and range.

As the music raged forward, from the dark "LA" to "Howdoyoudoit Man" to "Doom," Blue's face changed into his signature stare contortion, his voice screaming, musing, and then roaring into a wall of sound. Through it all, the crowd responded with adoration, happy to indulge even the tales of doomed love and alcoholism.

Blue and his band, Motopony, will hit the road in the coming weeks, with a slew of industry party performances during SXSW in mid-March.

LINK: More photos from the show

BEGINNING ON THE RIGHT NOTE >>>

Sure, maybe you're accustomed to venturing to Lakewood Playhouse for theatrical performances. Maybe you even caught a recent production of Play It Again, Sam? But chances are you haven't seen a concert at Lakewood Playhouse - something that can change this week with the start of Lakewood Playhouse's Concert Series. According to hype, renowned Celtic singer Colleen Raney, billed as "among the best young Celtic singers of her generation," will perform at Lakewood Playhouse Thursday along with Colm MacCárthaigh and Christine Traxlerfor Traxler - offering an evening of musical enjoyment the likes of which are rarely seen in Lakewood Towne Center.

[Lakewood Playhouse, Thursday, Feb. 16, 8 p.m., $15, 5729 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd., Lakewood, 253.588.0042]

THURSDAY, FEB. 16, 2012 >>>

1. The Weekly Volcano Best of Olympia 2012 issue is on the street. Now it's time to party. We feel more than comfortable saying tonight's Best of Olympia 2012 Party at the 4th Avenue Tavern is going to be, for all intents and purposes, "off da hook." Music from Scott Taylor and the Fond Farewells and headliners Glass Elevator, $2 Oly draft all night long, a huge raffle, Olympia trivia, a large percentage of the Volcano's esteemed staff in one spot (and available for mass ridicule), and the debut of the Volcano's Best of Olympia 2012. What else could you want? Probably nothing we can deliver. What we can deliver is all the aforementioned goodness for free beginning at 6 p.m.

2. When The Second City, scheduled to hit Tacoma tonight as part of its "Laugh Out Loud" tour, bills itself as the "world's premier comedy club and school of improvisation," it's a no shit statement. The Second City REALLY IS the world's premiere comedy troupe and school of improvisation, with 50-plus years of service since its 1959 inception in Chicago, and an alumni roster that includes the likes of John Belushi, John Candy, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Gilda Radner. That's hard to top. At 7:30 p.m., the Second City returns to the Pantages Theater. According to promotion the show is "by popular demand." That's also a no shit statement.

3. Half the Hapa Hillbillies - steel guitar master Ben Bonham, mandolinist Kerry Williams and uke and guitar specialist Rick Hulett -will join vocalist/violinist Jessica Blinn and jazz guitarist Vince Brown for an impromptu swing jam from 9-11 p.m. at Adesso, 109 Legion Way SW in Olympia.

4. Here at the Volcano we absolutely love anything described as "an entirely indie horror/cheese fest." Since that's just such the description event organizers for tonight's 9 p.m. debut of the locally made horror flick Unsound chose for the film, we feel entirely comfortable recommending it. Worst-case scenario you'll just find yourself at The New Frontier forced to enjoy the tunes of Sleepy Pilot and Smoking Bill - which is no sad fate. With raffle prizes and drink specials also planned, as well as other shorts from Greater Wealth Productions - the local movie crafters behind Unsound - this is likely one of the more entertaining options tonight in Grit City.

5. The Deltan Club's Thursday night Beat Fetish! bass music explosion will be a special "Wright Night" birthday bash featuring DJs Omarvelous, DJ Flave, Jess E Bomb, Cyphers and guests, beginning at 10 p.m. We have no idea what that means, but exciting!

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight

LINK: South Sound happy hours

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Not Good: 6.0 quake recorded off Oregon coast. (UPI)

Opening: After two decades of crap, the 5,000-acre Tehaleh planned community will open in Eats Pierce County. (News Tribune)

Closing: After years of crap, the Rainier Inn motel in Lakewood will close. (News Tribune)

It's ship Has Come In: Tacoma's J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Co. will build a ship. (News Tribune)

In The Driver's Seat: GM posted record earnings in 2011, just two years after a federal bailout and bankruptcy reorganization. (CNN)

Bangkok Blast: A group of Iranians detained after prematurely exploding bombs in Bangkok on Tuesday planned to target two Israeli diplomats, Thai police believe. (BBC)

Rock And Roll Legends: Van Halen comes clean. (NPR)

Green Day: Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong tweets that recording sessions have begun in their new album. (NME)

In Honor Of The Simpsons 500th Episode This Weekend: Here is every single sentence Bart has ever written on Mrs. Krabappel's blackboard. (Buzz Feed)

Extreme Fashion: let's take a look. (Web Urbanist)

WTF

BEST LOCAL MUSIC COVERAGE IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

The Weekly Volcano never sleeps. It's true ... or very close to true. We average only a few hours of shut-eye a night, be it because we're hard at work pumping out Best of Olympia 2012 (like this week), or simply because we're strung out on Parks and Recreation on DVD and can't stop watching.

What have we accomplished during all this time spent not sleeping? As always, another shining installment of the Weekly Volcano music section. This week the Volcano looks at the Shotgun Kitchen and the band's new record, local hip-hopper Mae Dali, Brotha Lynch's show in Olympia, the True Spokes and more.

It's just further proof that the Weekly Volcano music section is your every-Thursday chance at the best in local music coverage anywhere in the South Sound.

Here's a look at the sonic goodness coming at you in print and online in this week's Volcano ...

FEATURE: SHOTGUN KITCHEN

I've always been jealous of people who can pick up an instrument and just f*** around on it with their friends until something amazing starts to come out in the wee hours of the night. In the forming of Shotgun Kitchen, guitarist and vocalist Joe McInnis clearly had a similar appreciation for these casual jam sessions.

"We're just a group of friends that like playing 'kitchen music,'" says McInnis. "You know, music from people just sitting around a table in the kitchen." ... -- Rev. Adam McKinney

HIP-HOP: MAE DALI & OTHERS

One of the founders of Gonzo Family is the artist Mae Dali - and a true-artist he is. Mae MCs with some of the most intelligent word play I've heard locally in a while. There are plenty of dope MCs in this region - many true, hard street spitters, and many true-school backpack slappers. However, I haven't come across too many MCs locally that are on their vocabulary game. ... -- Josh Rizeberg

WE RECOMMEND: BROTHA LYNCH

... Since releasing his debut album, 24 Deep in 1993, and his sophomore release Season of da Siccness in 1995 (one of my favorites), Brotha Lynch has been a popular name in the world of gangster rap. In 2009 he signed a deal with Kansas City rapper Tech N9ne's Strange Music and has now released two albums with the label. Come see Brotha Lynch Thursday night at The Royal Lounge in downtown Olympia for a delightfully un-tasteful evening of horrorcore hip-hop. - Nic Leonard

WE RECOMMEND: OLY MOUNTAIN BOYS

... When the Oly Mountain Boys proclaim the band's mission is to "reinvigorate the bluegrass genre by bringing the original bluegrass sound of the 1950s to a new generation of fans," we kind of believe them, especially after taking a listen to the passion guitarist Chris Rutledge, mandolin player Derek McSwain, banjo player Tye Menser, bassist Phil Post and fiddle player Josh Grice get down with. Yep, we're taking the high road on this one. As mentioned, Saturday's show will be a celebration for the release of a new Oly Mountain Boys live CD, recorded at the High and Dry Bluegrass Festival in Bend, Ore. - Weekly Volcano

WE RECOMMEND: THE TRUE SPOKES

Flowmotion is now the True Spokes. Got it? Good. According to the band's website, the change was made at the beginning of the year to allow the Seattle-based quintet more artistic freedom and wiggle room when writing songs. "The music the band is writing and recording has reached a point where the name Flowmotion is an unsuitable description for who the band is now. With a solidified line up and many members writing material, transitioning to a new band name allows us to evolve into whatever it is we want to become," reads an ultimately reassuring letter to fans. ... -- Matt Driscoll

WE RECOMMEND: J. PINDER

Quite simply, if it wasn't for all those awesome presidents of the past, and the National Holiday we made to honor them, this Sunday's opportunity to catch Seattle hip-hopper J. Pinder at the Royal Lounge In Oly would be far less appealing. Sure, Pinder's swag and skill would still be abundantly evident on the mic, whatever day the show falls on, but the fact that you likely have no school or work on Monday makes this banger one not to miss at any cost. ... -- WV

PLUS: BETTER LIVING THROUGH MUSIC - Hell's Belles, Aelotrope, Halcion Halo, Dungeon Science and more ...

PLUS: COMPLETE SOUTH SOUND LIVE LOCAL MUSIC LISTINGS

PLUS: CONCERT ALERT

PLUS: GOOFY STUFF LIKE THIS

ARTS COVERAGE TO END ALL ARTS COVERAGE >>>

At this point it goes without saying. If you're looking for coverage of local arts in Tacoma, Olympia, and all points in between, the Weekly Volcano is THE place to find it. Our goal is to consistently provide the best local arts coverage possible to our fantastic readers. We're  always on the lookout for ways to shine a light on all the awesome creativity we see around us.

This week's Volcano arts section includes a feature on South Sound Academy Awards parties, a review of the Paul Gauguin exhibit at Seattle Art Museum and Volcano theater critic Christian Carvajal's take on South Puget Sound Community College's production of ENRON.

Here's a look at the Volcano arts coverage waiting for you this week in print and online.

FEATURE: SOUTH SOUND OSCAR PARTIES

Oscar has quite the history (and for 84 he looks pretty good). So does The Capitol Theater. This year the Olympia Film Society continues its tradition of mixing cinema with live spectacle in a big way. For starters, guests at this year's Capitol Theater Oscar Party will walk down a real red carpet to the theater while two fashion shops, Yolli Shoes and Hot Toddy, pose as paparazzo. Your runway repartee then appears directly on the Capitol's gargantuan screen for all to see.

To entertain the crowd, OFS has brought in folks who know their way around a microphone - Mona Von Horne (aka The Belle of Berlin) and Josh Anderson. Last year the latter received his own local version of an Oscar, snagging Best Actor in the Volcano's Best of Olympia Readers' Picks. For this year's Oscar party, Anderson disappears under the beard and cheap suit of his popular persona, Saul Tannenbaum. ... -- CHristohper Wood

VISUAL EDGE: GAUGUIN IN SEATTLE

It's the biggest thing since the Picasso show. It's Gauguin and Polynesia: An Elusive Paradise at Seattle Art Museum. If that can't make Tacomans head north for an afternoon nothing can.

Paul Gauguin is one of the greatest and most romanticized artists of the modern era. His story - abandoning family and a successful business career to find a primitive paradise in Tahiti - is as romantic and far-fetched, yet mostly true, as the story of his good friend Vincent Van Gogh cutting off his ear. And like Van Gogh, Gauguin made paintings that were as revolutionary and exciting as anything yet seen in Europe. ... -- Alec Clayton

THEATER: ENRON

I feel guilty knocking this production, as I'm told it lost weeks of rehearsal to Snowpocalypse. It shows. The cast seems unprepared for each succeeding scene, and there are dozens. That having been said, when ENRON fails, it fails with ambition. The show employs vaudevillian touches (like stuffing the Lehman brothers into a single pair of pants) and upstage projections to keep the math understandable. Justin Smith has grown considerably as an actor, and he nails a closing monologue as Jeffrey Skilling. He can't play rage effectively yet, but that has to flow from a tempo the show never achieves. ... -- Christian Carvajal

LOCAL FILM BUZZ: ANNIE SING-ALONG

In time for a swell 30^th anniversary appearance, Annie returns to the silver screen this Saturday, Feb 18, at Olympia's Capitol Theater. But don't come looking for a 3-D reboot like some of these supposed "classics" Hollywood plans to dig up this year. (The Phantom Menace? Wow.) Instead, clear your throat, rehearse those pipes and get ready to belt out song after song from this feel-good musical, and all for a good cause. Every suggested $10.00 donation collected at the door benefits Parents Organizing for Welfare and Economic Rights. ... -- CW

PLUS: COMPREHENSIVE ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

PLUS: MORE SOUTH SOUND THEATER COVERAGE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE

PLUS: RIDICULOUSNESS LIKE THIS