The Sixth Avenue street fair bonanza known as the Art on the Ave returns to Tacoma Sunday, July 14 bringing all the corn on a stick, face painting and guys dressed as nuns on a pogo stick that comes with it. Also, look out for the Save our Sonics guy. Yes, Sixth Avenue traffic will have to find an alternate route that Sunday afternoon as the good times will be rolling all day.

Ignoring the Art on the Ave dunk-tank, the highlight of the annual event is the music. This year four stages will dot the asphalt, although one stage will house such acts as dance groups, grub crawl judging, maybe a choir and probably cute kids.

Here are the music acts scheduled to perform the second Sunday in July, beginning around 11 a.m.

Dirty Oscar's Annex (2309 Sixth Ave.): The Fame Riot, Ben Union, The Dignitaries, Not From Brooklyn, Bandolier and Roswell 

O'Malley's Irish Pub (2403 Sixth Ave.): The Fun Police, Ten Pole Drunk, Kramer, Northslope and Devil on a Leash 

Jazzbones (2803 Sixth Ave.): Nolan Garrett, Big Wheel Stunt Show, Randy Hanson, Mighty High, C-leb and Kettle Black ... with two headlines to be announced July 13.

Little Wings, aka Kyle Field, is an instantly engaging performer. Whether it is huddled under a blanket softly singing to a small handful of listeners, or bellowing out his caterwaul warbled yelp in small theaters, there is a striking intimacy in his approach.

You never know what to expect, or what Little Wings you are going to get, with a performance from Mr. Field. This isn't to say that he is the male equivalent of Cat Power, as I have read in the past, just that he is unpredictable in the grandest of senses. I personally have seen him dozens of times over the past decade and a half, and each time I think back on a particular performance I feel that I witnessed something special. This is said without reservation, without hyperbole. He is that good.

Wednesday May 15, Little Wings takes his roadshow to the "guesthouse" with guests Lee Baggett and Globelamp. It is a house show, so be polite, double check the Facebook invite for more information and most of all enjoy the experience.

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

Bay Area/New Zealand post-punk prodigies Legs dropped their album Pass the Ringo April 23 on LogLady Records. I was recently turned onto Legs, and a listen to their music nestles them comfortably in my repertoire between REM and The Vaselines.

With their vehicles full of music gear and road litter, the band is heading up the coast on tour behind their album with a stop at Olympia's Le Voyeur May 1.

"We are very pleased to have Legs performing," says John Manini, booker at Le Voyeur. "The stuff I have listened to is a pretty dreamy combination of the better elements of jangle pop, garage and a restrained wall of sound. It's not totally biting any of those in the ass so it doesn't sound tired or recycled and the vocal melodies and harmonies are fairly engaging."

Bringing in the local draw is below-the-radar rockers Vex, with their hot punk feel and aggressive female vocals.

"Every couple of years, downtown spawns a handful of bands that set the bar for what is going on in Olympia," says Manini. "They hit the kids hard with rad sounds and then go away for other projects or opportunities and make room for the next crop of bands and the cycle repeats. Vex is leading the charge right now."

LE VOYEUR, WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 6 P.M., ALL AGES, 404 FOURTH AVE. E., OLYMPIA, 360.943.5710

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

This year, Olympia Arts Walk overflows with music - at least according to the 20-something events on my Facebook page. Saturday and Sunday feature everything from indie to hip-hop, to hard rock.

On the grand scale, this weekend's Olympia's Arts Walk - the twice-yearly celebration of arts of all sorts by artists of all sorts, from kindergarteners to professional artists -  Offerings range from paintings, poetry and sculpture to films and performance art, plus face painting for the kids. And music - lots of it.

Capitol City Guitars, long known for their sidewalk performances, invites Gunslinger to start off the weekend with a 30-minute set of Judas Priest inspired metal Friday at 6 p.m., followed by Fitz of Depression at 9 p.m. Saturday at 4 p.m., singer/songwriter Scott Taylor will channel his mojo into the crowd, serenading passersby.

It's hard to believe it's already been four years since Old School Pizzeria created the Hard Rock Parking Lot to showcase Olympia bands during Arts Walk. This year, 13 bands will consume the pizza stage. I was going to highlight a few of the better bands, but heck, they are all awesome, so the full line up is as follows:

Friday, beginning at 5 p.m., there will be one band on the hour with the last band playing at 9 p.m., Lit End, Shoreline Drive, The Way Finders, HellBelly, In Between Days, and a Weekly Volcano 2013 Best Cover Band, Cure Tribute Band.

Saturday, beginning at noon, with the last band playing at 7 p.m., we have The Blue, Little Red Carwreck, Big Red Sun, The Lumen, The Have At Its, The Heyfields, Hurts Like Hell and Planetary People.

Down at The Olympia Ballroom, Saturday night, there is an Intergalactic Prom - fancy attire encouraged! - with dance party rocktronica by Elbow Coulee, hip-hop from Hollywood Kill Crew and AKA and the Heart Hurt Goods, plus DJs and more. It kicks off at 8 p.m.

Friday, Olympia Film Society presents Full Moon Radio and Glass Elevator both screening their new music videos at the Capitol Theater. The Hard Way joins the bill for a well-rounded indie set. This show begins at 5 p.m.

All shows listed are free and all ages, except Intergalactic Prom, which costs $3.

For a complete list of performers, artists, musicians and businesses participating in Olympia Arts Walk, click here.

Olympia Memes is more than a Facebook page. It's fast becoming part of Olympia's philanthropic fabric with one foot still firmly planted in the page's quirky sense of fun.

Case and point: the Meme Yourself Costume Party. Olympia memes asks its followers to dress as their favorite meme and come prepared to win prizes - if their costume rocks hard enough. Prizes include a wine-tasting party, dance classes, a snowboard and various gift certificates.

"I am hoping to see some girls rock the ERMAHGERD get up, maybe a Grumpy Cat rendition or two, Scumbag Steves, Bad Luck Brian's ... and then there's always the wide selection of Rage characters," says Olympia Memes' publisher. "If anyone is stuck they can always do a search online for meme costume parties or go to meme generators like quickmeme.com to look around for inspiration."

The party will raise funds - $5 cover charge and a raffle - with 100 percent of the proceeds benefitting SafePlace Olympia.  

"It's a sad fact that we need a place like SafePlace, but I know that because of this one organization, lives have been saved," says Olympia Memes' publisher. "Almost every conversation I have ever had where SP was mentioned, almost everyone has known at least one person that has had to use their services. They have had a huge positive influence on our community."

The Meme Yourself Costume Party will be at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 18 at Big Whisky Saloon in downtown Olympia. The event is 21+ only. The Big Whisky will spin tunes, with line dance lessons at 8:30 p.m. and the mechanical bull will be plugged in.

If you're lucky, Olympia Memes' mysterious publisher might show up out of disguise.

BIG WHISKY SALOON, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 8 P.M., $5, 425 FRANKLIN ST. SE, OLYMPIA, 360.357.4721

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

Few forgotten '90s alt-rock bands have reinvented themselves as successfully as Kara's Flowers - known these days as funky urban pop-soul outfit Maroon 5, a just-crazy-enough-to-work meld of Jamiroquai and Train.

Maroon 5 headlines the 2013 Honda Civic Tour with Kelly Clarkson and Rozzi Crane on the bus too. The tour rolls into the Gorge Amphitheatre Saturday, Sept. 28. Ticket prices haven't been announced, but they will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 6 through LiveNation.com, all Ticketmaster outlets and 800.745.3000.

GRAB A PREVIEW TODAY >>>

More than a decade ago Chris Titus had his very own critically acclaimed Fox sitcom, Titus, based on the true-life dysfunctional relationship he had with his father. It unfortunately only lasted two seasons. What followed was a focus on his stand-up career, delivering edgy, confrontational material - custody battles, mental illness, family suicides, heart attacks, domestic abuse and his relationship with his judgmental father - that obviously pushed the envelope instead of brushing the topic under the carpet.

When Titus performs April 11-13 at the Tacoma Comedy Club, you might hear a lot from the voice in his head. Today, his fifth stand-up special The Voice in My Head, drop on his website. For $9 you will discover his worst screw-ups for an hour and 45 minutes. Titus calls it the "Church of the Epic Fail," where every bad decision IS the religion." Turn on your computer, pop some corn and hear all about one sentence that cost him $30 million, his experiences playing Darth Vader at children's birthday parties, "playing" with military attack dogs and a 27 minute epic story about meeting Bruce Springsteen - all involving some sort of idiocy.

To download The Voice in My Head, click here.

TACOMA COMEDY CLUB, 8 P.M. THURSDAY, APRIL 11-SATURDAY, APRIL 13 (18+), ALSO 10:30 P.M. APRIL 12-13 (21+), $15, 933 MARKET ST., TACOMA, 253.282.7203

ANOTHER REASON TO LOVE SPRING >>>

Friday, March 29, 1022 South - the craft cocktail lounge in Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood - will throw a party to celebrate its fourth anniversary and spring menu release. Beginning at 4 p.m., patrons will be able to sip the new concoctions for $6 a pop, as well as taste new treats out of the kitchen.

Since this lounge opened in March 2009, then bar manager now owner Chris Kiel,bartender Corey Lund and crew have entertained drinkers with discussions ranging from fermentation yeasts to ice density - offering a vibe and drink menu that suggests a throwback to the pre-Prohibition era when tempting cocktails and stimulating conversation highlighted a cosmopolitan American nightlife. With ingredients such as housemade bitters, botanical infusions and herbs including yohimbe, damiana and tulsi gracing the stemware, it's safe to tag the folks behind 1022's bar as apothecary rather than bartenders.

Kiel says the new menu will be a lot lighter and more refreshing that the current winter menu, which leans toward the spirit-driven - boozy - and comforting.

"Unlike previous years, we've changed the entire menu with only three favorites coming back," says Kiel. "We also dug deeper into the classic cocktail books to showcase more obscure or overlooked drinks.

"A couple of the new ones that I'm really excited about are the Tarragon Rickey, which is gin, yellow chartreuse, lime, tarragon, goji berry and soda water, and the classic De Rigueur, which we're making with blended scotch, blackberry honey and grapefruit," adds Kiel.

The food menu will be tweaked a little bit as well. Expect a few more sandwiches, including a vegan option and a couple more salads.

1022 SOUTH: Maria Jost's collage-drawings of 1022's botanical ingredients now hang at in the Hilltop Tacoma bar.

Those who haven't attended past menu release parties at 1022 South should know the cozy, handsome joint will be a popular spot Friday. While waiting for your craft cocktails, be sure to browse Maria Jost's seven permanent collage-drawings paying homage to 1022 South's botanical ingredients.

Also, 1022 South's Beet and Blue Sandwich is currently competing in the Tournament of Sandwiches. It squares off with Darby's Café's Tempeh Reuben Saturday, March 30.

1022 SOUTH, SPRING MENU DEBUT, FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 4 P.M. TO CLOSE, 1022 S. J ST., TACOMA, 253.627.8588

FUTURE THINGS ARE COMING >>>

Last December, right after Christmas, Tacoma lost a whole lot of awesomeness when Tricky's Pop Culture Emporium closed down after six years of ensuring Tacomans had plenty of pop culture goodies to purchase. Hair was torn with great sorrow. Tears were shed.

But ... Tricky's is coming back! Next Monday, April 1, Tricky's will reopen at 17 Tacoma Ave. - a mere few blocks from the old location, but now with no leaks and with much more space. Tricky's will have twice the space to be exact, which means twice the awesome.

"I'm right there on North Tacoma Avenue so I'm right on the street, as opposed to the armpit of Tacoma where I used to be," says owner Eugene Kirk. "In addition to more stuff, I have partnered with Northwestshirts.com to be Tacoma's exclusive provider of the coolest new T-shirts and apparel. The additional space means that Tricky's will get just a little bit weirder."

The new Tricky's - trickier? - will have more wall space where Kirk intends to highlight local pop culture artists.

"I'll have a marvelous window display with which to delight and confuse Tacomans," he adds. "New to this location will be a toy boneyard, where random toy parts and accessories will be located."

Expect a soft opening April 1. Kirk doesn't expect to be all the way ready, but will be ready enough to take your money.

A comforting drink is just what we crave during this rainy time of the year. When it comes with an excellent bite, even better. Here are several noteworthy South Sound drink and food pairings.

Jameson pairing

Thursday, April 18 Chef-owner Tom Pantley of ToscanosCafe & Wine Bar hosts a Jameson Irish Whiskey pairing dinner at 6:30 p.m. Four Jameson whiskeys - including a rare 18-year-old whiskey - will pair with Pantley's talents. Let's break it down:

• Jameson Irish Whiskey - Thyme and Sweet Vermouth Poached Salmon Sliders;
• Powers Gold Label Irish Whiskey - Mushroom Ravioli with whiskey and butter sauce;
• Red Breast 12 Year Irish Whiskey - Prosciutto Wrapped Beef Steak, Fig Sauce, Fried Potatoes and Onions;
• Jameson 18 Year Old Limited Reserve - Chocolate Toffee Torte.

The cost is $79 per person, tax and gratuity included. Reserve your spot at 253.864.8600.

Kestrel meets Dirty Oscar's

March 26 and 27, Dirty Oscar's Annex will hold its monthly pairing dinner, this version featuring Chef Aaron Grissom's new twists on American dishes paired with Kestrel Vintners. The menu is still a mystery, but the $50 dinner always sells out. Reserve your spot at 253.572.0588.

Taste Tacoma

Maxwell's Speakeasy and Lounge will host the Taste Tacoma food and drink pairing dinner Thursday, April 11. A matrimony of beer and wine from Tacoma winery 21 Cellars and the brewmasters of Wingman Brewers will match with a seven-course dining experience, which will include artisan cheeses from Backcountry Creamery and organic produce and eggs from Terry's Berries. The cost is $85 per person. Reserve your space at 253.683.4115.

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide