LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Capitol Theater Olympia - Downtown. Hell's Belles (all-female AC/DC tribute), Zero Down, Resident Kings. All Ages. 7:30 pm. $10-$15.

• For 12 years, Hell's Belles have been belting out the timeless classics of AC/DC. All the raunch and flair and sexiness of Angus Young and the rest of AC/DC are channeled beautifully through the five females of Hell's Belles. Every throaty lyric and bass line and rock stance is performed with the energy and exuberance of professionals. These women truly love what they do and it shows. They have not only partied with members of their idol band - but have toured extensively across the globe. Luckily for the Puget Sound, they will be making a stop at Olympia's Capitol Theater. The hype on Capitol Theater's web page reads, "There's not a HELL'S BELLES audience that hasn't been blown away by the raw power, attention to AC/DC details, and undeniable appeal that these belles deliver with undying devotion....It's an all out rock-n-roll assault that leaves you both satisfied and begging for more." - Nikki Talotta

Forza Coffee Fircrest. The Kari Ehli Band. 5-8 pm. Tin Man. 8 pm.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Like Lepers, Few Words For Comfort, Seeya, Space Bandit, To Die For. All Ages. 5 pm. $6-$10. Boomman & Mobbin CD Release Show. 9:30 pm. NC.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Midnight Salvage Co. CD Release Party with James Coates, China Davis. 7:30 pm. $6-$8.

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. Silver Dollar Circus, Cell Phone Parking Lot. All Ages. 9 pm.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Moss Brothers. All Ages. 6 pm.

Maxwell's Restaurant and Lounge Tacoma - Downtown. Lance Buller Trio. 7 pm.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Squeak and Squawk Music Festival featuring Derek Kelley and the Speedwobbles, The Sivas, The Riffbrokers. 9 pm. $5-$7.

• Sure, the Mayans had a lot to say about 2012, but one thing they forgot to mention was that it would reckon the return of Tacoma's Squeak and Squawk Music Festival, running April 5-9. When Squeak and Squawk originator Sean Alexander left Tacoma for New York, this third installment went through a spin-the-bottle style search for the right person to helm the ship, landing on Jena Stedtler, who was soon joined by the Weekly Volcano's own Rev. Adam McKinney. Read Jenni Prange Boran's full feature on the Squeak and Squawk Music Festival in the Music section at weeklyvolcano.com.

The Royal Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Crack Sabbath. 8 pm. $5-$10.

• Andy Geertson, who Volcano readers voted the best bartender in Olympia, has branched out his music booking skills, creating Andyinoly Productions. This weekend, he presents, along with the Royal Lounge, jazz music moguls Crack Sabbath. Smooth, powerful, emotional, these are just a few words that come to mind when listening to this unique band. WTF, no way, and really?! Also come to mind when I realize that these guys, who have graced the stage with Les Claypool and Wolves in The Throne Room, also pull off cover songs from James Brown and Nirvana, with a freshness and style that only a jazz band with the name Crack Sabbath can. Says Geertson, "Crack Sabbath is comprised of some of the best well established jazz musicians in Seattle ... a song will seamlessly go from a flawlessly flowing jazz tune into a full blown heavy metal grind ... see them once and you're hooked." – NT
  

The Space Tacoma - Triangle District. Squeak and Squawk Music Festival featuring Santee, Webelos, A Leaf, I Low. All Ages. 6 pm. $5-$7. Read Jenni Prange Boran's full feature on the Squeak and Squawk Music Festival in the Music section at weeklyvolcano.com.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Jerry Miller Jam. 9 pm. NC.

Tempest Lounge Tacoma - Upper Tacoma. Rafael Tranquilino, Farko Dozumov. 7:30 pm. NC.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. The Honey Dewdrops. All Ages. 8 pm. $10-$15.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Dawson's Bar and Grill Tacoma - South. Blues Jam, hosted by Tim Hall. 8 pm.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Little Tybee, Gina Belliveau, James Coates, River Whyless. All Ages. 6 pm.

• Shiny, happy people, unite. Atlanta-based orchestral-pop heroes Little Tybee brings its national tour to Tacoma's Mandolin Café on April Fools Day. It would probably be best to classify them somewhere between light-hearted orchestral pop and Tropicalia orchestral pop. Yes, it's a tiny space between the two genres, but this tight-knit bunch of friends enjoys existing in the little space - thus its name. April Fools! Yes, the six musicians ARE close friends, but they explore all 37 orchestral pop sub-genres. According to press release hype, "Little Tybee isn't afraid to experiment freely, even dangerously at times, to follow a musical idea to its ultimate end. This mentality has led the group to explore music that transcends genre and packs a much bigger punch than their modest title implies." If you have a cinder block dropped on your XBOX, or some horrible prank, find happiness at the Mandolin Sunday night. - Weekly Volcano
  

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Jim King & The Southsiders. 7 pm. NC.

Steilacoom Pub and Grill Steilacoom. Sunday open mic with Jeanlizabeth. 8 pm. NC.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Chicago Blues Jam. 8:30 pm. NC.

The Swiss Tacoma - Downtown. Dave Graham Benefit Show, with James Hilborne & The Painkillers, Snak Pak, Bandolier, Mr. Blackwatch, China Davis, DJ Melodica, Darren Selector. All Ages. 3 pm. $5 suggested donation.

• Recently, and very suddenly, Dave Graham was diagnosed with Stage 4 Melanoma, and has since undergone painful and costly treatment to battle this vicious cancer. Sunday's benefit show will hopefully provide a little financial relief for Graham. But the biggest aspect of the event is to show Graham how much he is appreciated in this town in which he has become a fixture. The band lineup is an eclectic collection of Tacoma mainstays, including the ghostly country of James Hilborne and the Painkillers, the grimy punk of Snak Pak, the retro AM pop of Bandolier, the space-alien-informed rock of Mr. Blackwatch and an acoustic set from China Davis. Interspersed amongst the days activities will be raffles of prizes from a huge assortment of Tacoma donors. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on Dave Graham's benefit show in the Music section at weeklyvolcano.com.

Tacoma Comedy Club Tacoma - Downtown. In The Pocket Blues/Soul/Jazz Night. Led by Pete Kirkland and Virginia. 7-11 pm. NC.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Peter Mayer. All Ages. 7 pm. $10-$15.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Backstage Bar & Grill Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Great White, Guns of Nevada, Black Diamond. 8 pm. $25.

C.I. Shenanigans Tacoma - Northend. KC Brakes. 8 pm.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Among Thieves, What Wings, OnceHeld. All Ages. 5 pm. $8-$10. Working Class Artists Tour. 9:30 pm. $10.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Current Swell, Flowmotion, The True Spokes. 9 pm. $10.

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. Larry Mitchell, The Rikk Beatty Band, Digital Chemistry. All Ages. 8 pm.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Fang Chia CD Release. All Ages. 8 pm.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness Nite Of Covers, featuring Colonies, Tex, Xylophones, Burle Haggard, Monogamy Party, Piko Panda, Smililng Politely, Michael Cooper, Kye Alfred Hillig, Garret Chavis. 6 pm.

• An album as astonishingly overblown as the '90s Smashing Pumpkins landmark, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, is uniquely suited for the astonishingly overblown treatment being given to it on Saturday. The over two-hour, 28-song concept album will be covered in its entirety by a cavalcade of local artists and bands. After the bands are done fighting over who gets "1979" and "Tonight, Tonight," the rest of the album will be divvied up between Tex, Colonies, Monogamy Party, Xylophones, Piko Panda, and members of Canon Canyon, Destruction Island, and Oh Dear! and more. Such a wide range of musical voices (from the whacked punk of Monogamy Party to the sincere singer-songwriter tones of Piko Panda) is ideal for presenting the sprawling sounds of Smashing Pumpkins and the band's towering double album. - Rev. Adam McKinney

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Fingertips. 8 pm.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Katya Chorover. All Ages. 8 pm. $8-$12.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. New York Death Metal Fest, with Nocturnal Slaughter, Truculence, God Denied, Future Disorder, American Wrecking Company. 9 pm.

Urban Onion Restaurant and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Benefit For Capital City Pride, with Greta Jane Quartet. 8 pm.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Capitol Theater Olympia - Downtown. Amy Ray, with Lindsay Fuller. All Ages. 8 pm. $10-$15.

• We love "Closer to Fine" as much as the next dirt-kicker, but only ridiculous amounts of cash would have persuaded us to label the Indigo Girls as hard rockers. Which is why Amy Ray's solo albums are such a mind-blower - they pit one half of the pleasant-harmony duo against her previous hold-hands template, opting for more aggressive guitars and cutthroat lyrics. Ray arrives at the Capitol Theater Thursday some Olympia's musician alumni - Kaia Wilson and Melissa York from Team Dresch and The Butchies. Come get your folk punk on. - Weekly Volcano

The Eagles Hall Olympia - Downtown. Bangs, Survival Knife, Old Wars. 8 pm. $5.

• Bangs, one of the more popular rock bands to emerge from Olympia - having toured extensively and forged connections with all the other great bands of the '90s and 2000s - broke up in 2004 when frontwoman Sarah Utter moved to L.A. A brief stint of fundraising shows in 2010 brought the band back together, and now Bangs will again grace the stage at Olympia's Eagles Hall for a benefit show for Northern All Ages Project.  "I'm super happy to be playing loud guitar with my friends Maggie Vail and Peter David," says Utter. "But, I'm MOST excited about the debut of Survival Knife, featuring one of my favorite drummers, Kris Cunningham, and favorite musicians, Justin Trosper from Unwound." She's right:  Bangs will be playing with other Olympia legends - Survival Knife and Old Wars (featuring members of Gossip.) It will be a star-studded night for sure, one full of favorite rock bands, old-school K kids and newbie underagers. The event is all-ages with a 21-plus bar, and is for members and invited guests of the Eagles Hall. - Nikki Talotta

Harmon Tap Room Underground Tacoma - Stadium District. Gen Obata. 9 pm.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Black Tusk, East of the Wall, Witchburn, C.F.A., Deathbed Confessions. 8 pm. $8-$10.

• The music world has given us Black Uhuru, Black Mountain, Black Angels, Black Flag and Rush. Now comes rock's Black Tusk to Tacoma. The band plays hard and heavy and roams the realm of stoner/sludge rock. Its members are not into last names, but they are into abrasive quasi-harsh vocals rolling along with the thundering fuzz-toned, bottom-end heavy riffs. The Savannah band is touring behind Set the Dial, the brand new, Jack Endino (Soundgarden, High On Fire, Skeletonwitch) produced disk of hardcore meets technical trash tendencies. Black Tusk rolls into Hell's Kitchen Thursday, March 29. We caught up with the band on the road. Read our Q&A with Black Tusk on our blog, Spew. - WV

The Hub Tacoma - Stadium District. Open Jam with Rafael's Gemini Trio. 8-11 pm. NC.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Micaela Cooley, with Justin + Ellie. All Ages. 6 pm.

Spar Cafe Olympia - Downtown. Louis Ledford. 8 pm. NC.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Billy Stoops Open Mic. 8 pm. NC.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Taco Thursdays with Jerry Miller. 7-10 pm. NC.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

4th Avenue Tavern Olympia - Downtown. The Tilted Stilts. 9 pm.

Capitol Theater Olympia - Downtown. "Have You Ever Had A Beard" screening & Q&A, with live performance by Hive Dwellers. All Ages. 9 pm. $5.50-$8.50.

• Calvin Johnson is an Olympia legend - a throaty mouthpiece for one of the most musically and artistically relevant and independent little towns in the history of the world. Seattle's Chris Estey is a much-loved music journalist known for his work with Three Imaginary Girls along with just about every other Seattle-based alt-media outlet that's worth two shits. The new film, Have You Ever Had a Beard? brings      Johnson and Estey together. Hype calls the film, "a study in contrasts," that shines a light on "the lyric-heavy songwriting of Calvin Johnson vs. the ebullient music journalism of Chris Estey." When the film screens tonight at the Capitol Theater, the film's directors, Kathy Wolf and Pat Thomas, will be on hand for a post-performance Q&A along with Johnson, who will also take the stage with his band, the Hive Dwellers. – Weekly Volcano
  

C.I. Shenanigans Tacoma - Ruston Way. Bagpipers 6:30-8 pm. Cottonwood Cutups 8 pm.

Dawson's Bar and Grill Tacoma - South. Billy Farmer & Sway (Rolling Stones tribute). 9 pm.

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. St. Patty's Day Celebration, with Blvd Park, Mighty High, The Fucking Eagles, Ben Union, SweetKiss Momma, The Excellent Gentlemen. Began at 3 pm.

• Over the years, The Fucking Eagles have worked hard to make a name for themselves, not only in the supremely ubiquitous genre of garage rock, but in a city like Tacoma - where garage rock bands seem to fall from trees. While many bands in these parts skew toward the psychedelic side of the '60s, the Fucking Eagles make their home in the stomping, shuddering footsteps of the Sonics, our blistering rock forefathers. It's relentless, pounding rock 'n' roll - the kind that kids with crew cuts and horn-rim glasses had to find in underground clubs, far from the prying eyes of grown-ups. Catch the Fucking Eagles along with SweetKiss Momma, Mighty High, Ben Union and the Excellent Gentleman as part of the big-ass St. Paddy's Day celebration that starts at 3 p.m. - WV

Harmon Brewery & Eatery Tacoma - Downtown. St. Patrick's Day party with food and drink specials, plus Pierce County Pipes and Drums. 7 pm.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma. Sok and the Faggots, Czar, Deathbed Confessions, South 11^th, Bloodhunger, I Earth Mother, Reptile Eurption. 8 pm. $5.

• Naming a band Sok and the Faggots is kind of the musical equivalent of setting a height requirement. If you're able to accept the name, you've passed the first of the many, deliberately offensive tests set by Sok and the Faggots. The Faggots are followers of a style set by G.G. Allin, the shock-punk weirdo famous for his unending envelope pushing and all-around gross-out live performances. He threatened, every year, to bring a gun to his Halloween show, with the intention of shooting as many audience members as he could before turning the gun on himself. People showed up every year. Sok and the Faggots may not take it to that extreme, but the band certainly does its part in upholding the wild and base Allin tradition. Saturday, join Sok and Co. at Hell's Kitchen for what's being billed as a "St. Paddy's Day Drink-A-Thon." - WV

The Hub Tacoma - Stadium District. St. Patrick's Day Party with Myles Crew. 6-9 pm.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. St. Paddy's Day Violin Vs. Vinyl Celebration, with Kytami, PhonoGraff, Jay Tablet. 7:30 pm. $10.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. St. Patty's Day, with Neil Pearlman. All Ages. 8 pm. $5 suggested donation.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. St. Patrick's Day Party, with OMG, special guests. 9 pm.

O'Callahan's Pub & Grill Key Peninsula. St. Patrick's Day Bash, featuring The Whistling Oysters. 6 pm.

O'Malley's Irish Pub Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. St. Patrick's Day Party with The Fun Police, Shivering Denizens, Menace, Smoke Like Daddy, Firefighter Pipes and Drums, The Piping Duo. 11 am-1 am. $5.

• The Fun Police, it must be said, are one of those workhorse local bands that absolutely fucking brings it. They treat each venue the same, making sure the crowd leaves dazed, a ringing in their ears and smiles on their faces - because they've just seen a show. Through a dizzying mesh of styles including Celtic rock, punk, and reggae, the Fun Police have created a sound all their own. Saturday the band will be at O'Malley's Irish Pub, celebrating the beer-flavored holiday in quite possibly the most authentic place to fall down and get drunk (Irish style) that T-Town has to offer. - WV

The Red Room Tacoma - Downtown. This Is Treason, Strike To Survive, Matahari, For My Existence, Blood & Thunder. All Ages. 7 pm. $7.

Rock The Dock Pub & Grill Tacoma - Downtown. St. Patrick's Day Party with Triple Threat Band. 8 pm.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Paddy's Day with Mooncoyne. 8 pm.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. St. Patty's Day Party, with Kashmir. 9 pm.

Waterstreet Cafe Tacoma. The Joe Baque Trio, with Dennis Hastings. 9:30 pm. NC.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Dirty Oscar's Annex Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Phasers On Kill. 7 pm.

Harmon Tap Room Underground Tacoma - Stadium District. Automatic Theory, Bodybox. 9 pm. $5.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Righteous Vendetta, The Forerunner, Myself Aside, Kidsajoke, Through Darker Tides. All Ages. 6 pm. $8-$10. Madcap Reunion Show, with BND, Keeping The Gates. 10 pm. $5.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. VetsMeetVets Military Appreciation Fundraiser, with Cee Cee James, Voxxy Vallejo, Stacy Jones. Proceeds benefit VetsMeetVets.org. 20% off bar & food tab till 12 pm with Military ID. 7:30 pm. $10, $7 w/Military ID.

Le Voyeur Olympia. Stumblebum Brass Band, Vir, Levator. 10 pm. NC.

• The Stumblebum Brass Band is an entity that banks on novelty, but does its best to surpass it. The band succeeds in spades. Theirs is a collective of brass-band punk dudes, to put it bluntly. To incorporate marching/school assembly band elements into a punk outfit is not unheard of, but the Stumblebum Brass Band does well with making hay of the unlikely combination, and the band's recordings are lively fucking affairs. Having a gaggle of guys singing a rousing chorus in drunken unison, accompanied by belching tubas and squealing trumpets is something of a thing of beauty. One thing that the Stumblebum Brass Band can rightly be accused of is being more than the sum of its parts. Part of the band's M.O. is to melt your ears and brain, and they somehow manage it, in one gigantic swoop. - Rev. Adam McKinney

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. Half Of Infinity, Far From Given, Faces Pale. All Ages. 7 pm.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Cloud Chowder. All Ages. 6 pm. Sanjaya Malakar. All Ages. 7 pm. Rafael Tranquilino. All Ages. 8 pm.

Maxwell's Speakeasy Tacoma. Lance Buller Trio. All Ages. 7-10 pm. NC.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Sources In Code, Variety Hour, Tallest Tree, Loose Buoys. 9 pm.

The Red Room Tacoma - Downtown. Oblivion, Prestige, Dead Weight, White Heat, Bad Influence. All Ages. 7 pm.

Spar Cafe Olympia. Jabi Shriki. 8 pm. NC.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Blurred Vision. 9 pm.

Washington Center for the Performing Arts Olympia - Downtown. Playing For Change Band. All Ages. 7:30 pm.

• By now you may have heard the remarkable tale of Grammy Award-winning producer Mark Johnson's Playing For Change Band, set to hit Olympia and the Washington Center for the Performing Arts this Friday. Originally birthed as part of a PBS documentary Playing For Change: Peace Through Music, according to hype "Johnson traveled the world recording street performers of different faiths, backgrounds, and ethnicities and blended their contributions into a single unified, moving performance." In 2009 at SXSW a group of musicians from the film came together for a live performance as the Playing For Change Band, offering an "exhilarating mix of blues, gospel, reggae and Afropop," in addition to the straight-up neatness factor of seeing such a collection of varied street musicians jell. All of this will be on display tonight in Olympia. – Weekly Volcano
  

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. Felim Egan of The Chancers. 8 pm. NC.

Eastside Club Tavern Olympia - Downtown. McDougall, Sassparilla. 8 pm.

Harmon Tap Room Underground Tacoma - Stadium District. Jerin Falkner. 10 pm.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Sandlot. 9 pm.

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. December In Red, The Fail Safe Project, Riverbend, EROS. All Ages. 8 pm.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Charles Wilson. All Ages. 8 pm.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Sound Icons: Music, Art & Fashion with The Wheelies, Paris Spleen and Lozen. 10 pm.

• All right, so here's a thing that's happening: Saturday, an assemblage of Tacoma's most stylish bands will convene in one place, play music and have photographs taken of themselves in starkly fashionable rock 'n roll clothing, and you will be there to bask in all the ridiculous, trendsetting-ness of it all. Reader, if you'll allow me to be frank with you, I will be there with absurd bells on my discount-bin shoes. Bands in toe: Interpol/Walkmen-devotees, Wheelies; dance-punk Tacoma provocateurs, Paris Spleen; and the inimitably badass all-girl metal duo, Lozen. These are all unequivocally cool bands in these parts and, fashion-focused evening aside, this is a bill worth attending - even in the blandest of clothes. Pro tip: come naked, and let stylists Del Brown and Najamoniq do you up right. - Rev. Adam McKinney

The Olympia Ballroom Olympia - Downtown. Hip-Hop 4 The Homeless, with Antonio Pito Edwards, Afrok & The Movement, Collective Love Unlimited, Speaker Minds, DJ Budget Money, DJ Drastic, Khingz, OTOW Gang, DJ Tee, Free Whiskey, hosted by Luvva J. All Ages. 6 pm. food or clothing donation.

• Founded in 2002 by Olympia DJ and hip-hop activist Luvva J- real name Jose Gutierrez Jr. - in Vancouver, B.C., the non-profit organization Hip-Hop 4 the Homeless has now been spreading awareness of homelessness for a decade. Once a year, Luvva J and friends host the two-day event that includes one day of live performances by various hip-hop artists and offers free admission with donations of clothes, blankets, tents, food or anything that could be useful to the homeless. Day two of the annual event offers open doors to the homeless community, providing those in need the opportunity to take whatever necessities are available from the previous night's donations. A warm meal is also provided, along with a haircut and professional massage. In 2006 Luvva J decided he wanted to move the organization to the states and since then Olympia has happily become its home. "The purpose of this event is to not only spread awareness of the issue but to encourage folks to get involved and develop a deeper understanding surrounding poverty in America" says Gutierrez, who has written for the Volcano in the past. This year's Hip-Hop 4 the Homeless music showcase promises some of Olympia, Seattle and Portland's best, including DJs, spoken word and live performances by Khingz & OTOW Gang, Alex Duncan, Afrok & The Movement, Speaker Minds and many more. Read Nic Leonard's full feature on Hip-hop 4 the Homeless.
  

Oscar's Restaurant & Lounge Tacoma - South. Fingertips. Funk, blues and jazz. 6 pm. NC.

Pantages Theater Tacoma - Downtown. The Bad Plus Presents On Sacred Ground: Stravinsky's Rite Of Spring. All Ages. 7:30 pm. $24-$56.

• Everything is jazz. Or damn near everything. As The Bad Plus proves, bald heads and fu Manchu mustaches are pretty freakin' jazzy, too. But let us not trivialize this world-renowned jazz band, hitting Tacoma's Pantages Theater Saturday, as anything but remarkable. There's good reason why Billboard, and subsequently the Broadway Center's website, hypes the band as, "America's most "audacious, rule-breaking jazz trio." It's because all those aforementioned adjectives apply. Plus there's the facial hair. Catch The Bad Plus in Tacoma Saturday taking on Stravinsky's Rite of Spring - a pairing that should make for quite an evening of entertainment. – WV
  

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Still Got It. Rock, blues and funk from the 50s-80s. 8 pm. NC.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Atomic Outlaws. 9 pm.

• Nothing fancy is at play here, just straightforward, riff-heavy RAWK with a little eyeliner around the edges. The Atomic Outlaws have been rock workhorses since the band's inception in 2007. As time has passed, the band has experienced several lineup changes, including shuffling through three lead singers, but the mission statement has remained constant: Through the use of guitars, drums, bass and big-old amps, the Atomic Oulaws aim to hurl rock 'n' roll at your head. Most of it will get in your ears, but if some gets on your face, they're fine with that, too. The Atomic Outlaws do not work in light brushstrokes. - WV

Tahoma Tea & Co. Tacoma - Downtown. Allan Boothe, Piko Panda, Brandon Sagnella. All Ages. 7-10 pm.

• Saturday at Tahoma Tea and Co. (formerly the Den @ urbanXchange) brings about a showcase of three singer-songwriters, each of whom are accustomed to performing with a full band. The evening will strip these performers down, creating a tableau of three unique voices: Humble Cub's Allan Boothe, Oh Dear!'s Brandon Sagnella and Piko Panda (AKA Jacob Gosselin). "Piko Panda started out as me writing songs by myself when I was 15 or so," says Gosselin. "It's always kinda been something I do on the side, and every once in a while, I'll play. ...  I play with a live band, every once in a while, and I never used to do that. I'm just trying to mature, musically, and play with different people and have different people's ideas in the songs. I guess I would describe Piko Panda as pop music. I don't really know how to describe it." Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on this show.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Pandit Debi Prasad Chatterjee. All Ages. 8 pm. $10-$15.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Faces Pale, Tyranny Theory, Unhaloed. 9 pm.

Washington Center for the Performing Arts Olympia - Downtown. Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival. All Ages. 7:30 pm.

• The Harmony Sweepstakes may sound like a new dating service, but it's actually an annual event in Olympia featuring some of the region's best a cappella talent. No kidding. A night of music and awards, Saturday's festivities will include hosts and guest artists The Baudboys, the 2011 first-place champions, along with event emcee Smilin' Jay of Olympia's KGY AM/FM radio. Event hype available on the Washington Center's website promises, "an evening of impeccable harmonies and scintillation arrangements." Hard to go wrong there.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Amocat Cafe Tacoma - Triangle District. Amocat Live 1-Year Anniversary Music Night, with John Dolge, Jon Parker, Micaela Cooley, Sam Bogle, Russ Dahler, Gen Obata, The Collaborators. All Ages. 7 pm. NC.

• Time flies when you're having fun. Or so the saying goes - and fun is definitely one of the many great, hyper-local bits of awesomeness being served every day at Tacoma's Amocat Café, celebrating one year this Friday with the aptly titled, "Amocat Live." Expect an evening full of live music for all ages including John Dolge, Jon Parker, Micaela Cooley, Sam Bogle, Russ Dahler, Gen Obata, and The Collaborators. Best of all, it's free. Plus, the ambiance at Amocat can't be beat. This event is a win for all involved. Stop by and thank proprietor Morgan Alexander for a year of dutiful service to his community. — Weekly Volcano
  

Backstage Bar & Grill Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Klondike Kate, Automatic Theory, Riot In Rhythm, Attack With Care, Lucky Bunny Foot. 7 pm. $10.

Chris Knutzen Hall Tacoma - Parkland. University Jazz Ensemble, featuring Anton Schwartz. All Ages. 8 pm.

Harmon Tap Room Underground Tacoma - Stadium District. Science!, Chris Hyde, Kitt Bender. 10 pm. $5.

• The finger-plucking beauty and ease of Science!'s folksy, acoustic, storytelling is easy on the ear. Voted "Best New Band" in the Volcano's Best of Olympia 2012 Readers Poll, Science! has a rootsy vibe that goes a long way in a town like Oly. Comprised of vocalist Justin Stang and guitarist Jim Elenteny, "Science! is a musical pursuit of empirical evidence, using poetry and soundscapes to express the truth of daily life," according to the band's bio. Via phone, Stang and Elenteny have a more straightforward description. "We wanted something that was simple, that was universal, and that was truthful. That's a lot of how we view our music," says Stang. There's a familiarity with Stang's work in Olympia thanks to his contribution to the well known, nationally touring jam-rock outfit Sideways Reign. Elenteny, for his part, plays bass in the also-well-known Seattle-based jam act Nefarious Jones. Catch Science! in Tacoma this week when Stang and Elenteny hash it out at the Harmon Tap Room Underground along with show headliner Chris Hyde and Kitt Bender. - Matt Driscoll

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Thou Shall Kill, Days Armour, Vigilante Sol, Devil On A Leash. 9 pm. $5.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Too Slim & The Taildraggers. All Ages. 7:30 pm. $10.

• Take the modern alt-country blues sound of Drive-By Truckers, throw in the fun loving attitude and riff-blues-rock of ZZ Top, mix them all together and you get close to the vibe of Too Slim and the Taildraggers. This is real, down and dirty rock and roll - a delightful jumble of virtuosic slide guitar work from frontman Tim "Too Slim" Langford and the revamped rock sound of the Taildraggers. The band's vibe blends power-chord-driven, fun-loving nasty grooves with a new, indie-rock songwriting vibe. And it works. Don't worry, though, Too Slim and crew definitely infuse plenty of blues and Americana into their work. You dig? - WV

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. Nolan Garrett. All Ages. 7 pm.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Thea Wescott & Timberland Ridge. All Ages. 8 pm.

Medi's Pizza & Pasta Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Just Cuz. All Ages. 7 pm. NC.

Maxwell's Restaurant and Lounge Tacoma - Downtown. Lance Buller Trio. 7 pm.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Anthony & Anthony Dirty 30 Party, with Destruction Island, DJ Babycham. 8 pm.

• Destruction Island makes big sounds and big hooks with their guitars, but the band persists in being betrayed by small sound. As much as Destruction Island puffs out its chests with these arena sounds, the band always cheat a look of uncertain modesty - like a plunky piano line or a hollow snare tap - to lend an aspect of humility to the proceedings. Though they largely succeed in dealing up proper, confident indie rock, they have a nagging need to bare themselves in plaintive ways. Driving and lively though their songs may be, there is a definite sense of searching, unsure wanting. Even if these notions don't strike you upon listening to Destruction, the strength of the band's indie pop songcraft should do well in propelling you from one song to the next. - Rev Adam McKinney

Tempest Lounge Tacoma - Hilltop. Paul Kroeger. 8 pm.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Blacktop Demons, Breaking Quarantine. 9 pm.

Washington Center for the Performing Arts Olympia - Downtown. An Evening With Leo Kottke. All Ages. 8 pm. $30-$50.

• There are few, if any, guitarists like Leo Kottke. An acoustic fret master, tickling both the six and 12 string varieties, Kottke's blazing licks have inspired guitarists worldwide for nearly the entire length of his legendary four-decade career. With a wry, almost comical approach to life and songwriting, mixed with unfathomable skill, Kottke is one for the ages. Friday, Kottke returns to the South Sound for a show at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in Olympia. Come out and be amazed. — WV
  

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

4th Ave Ale House Olympia - Downtown. Elbow Coulee, Horse Bodies, Sebastian & The Deep Blue. 9 pm. $5.

Cork! A Wine Bar Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. James Coates. 8 pm.

Dorky's Arcade Tacoma - Downtown. SpinalCracker, Dead Peasants. 9 pm.

Forza Wine Bar Gig Harbor. Malcolm Clark Band. 7 pm.

Grove Street Brewhouse Shelton. Runaway Train, Oly Mountain Boys. 8-11 pm. $5.

Harmon Tap Room Tacoma -Stadium District. Tap Room Underground Grand Opening featuring Gina Belliveau, Kate Lynn Logan, Steve Stefenowicz, Pete Johnson, Ben Union, Travis Barker, Kim Archer Band. 6 pm. NC.

• Opened two years ago this June, the Tap Room, with its backroom brewery, was initially an answer to the overwhelming demand for Harmon beer, but struggled with its identity as a business. For one thing, the location proved to be a challenge. With the Tap Room located directly under The Hub, the Harmon siblings found themselves competing with one another. It soon became clear that the Tap Room needed to offer something that neither of the other Harmon locations could: it was soon decided that music of all genres in a 21-and-over setting, until 2 a.m. was the answer.  The concept of the Tap Room Underground was born. Read Jenni Prange Boran's full feature on the Tap Room Underground in the Music section at weeklyvolcano.com.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Listen Closely, Through Darker Tides, Signs, Among The Mayans, How We Fall. All Ages. 6 pm. $6-$8. Bravo Team, J Hill, Killas with Kindness, Neo, Isaiah, G Khan. 9 pm. $5-$10.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Missionary Position, SweetKiss Momma, Hot Bodies In Motion, Ape Machine. 7 pm. $12.

• As far as Jeff Angell goes in this world, Tacoma will always claim the born-to-be frontman as its own. And with good reason. Junior cut his teeth in T-Town, and the grit shows in his music to this day - even on his band's, the Missionary Position's, most recent effort - Consequences, which will no doubt be delved into heavily Saturday at Jazzbones in Tacoma. As groove-filled and sexed-up as ever, Angell's latest record - which benefits greatly from the mad keyboard skills of Benjamin Anderson - may have way more saxophone and '70s funk tinge than, say, Post Stardom Depression ever displayed, but Angell's swagger is as addictive as ever. With everything year that passes Angell hones his artistic craft, and Consequences may mark his best, most flushed-out work to date. - Matt Driscoll
  

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. Falling Blind, West On 18, Insuburban Avenue. All Ages. 8 pm.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Local Performers Of Tacoma Night. All Ages. 3 pm.

The Red Room Tacoma - Downtown. The Breaklites, Jai X Jrm, Chief Noo. All Ages. 7 pm. $7.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Taist of Iron and guests. benefit for Marcus Moore. 6 pm raffle, 9 pm music.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Bodybox, ResDeus, Tin Man. 9 pm.

Tahoma Tea & Co. Tacoma - Downtown. Shotgun Kitchen CD release party. All Ages. 7 pm.

• Typically, you'll see a band grow and grow as the years go on, adding more elements until the product is as massive as the band's history itself. Sort of like rings in a tree. With Shotgun Kitchen, it's been the opposite. The band found a more humble sound suited them better. "I really wanted to go stripped-down, back to an acoustic sound," says Shotgun Kitchen's Joe McInnis. "That's the sound I really like, and that's where we are now. We've just finished a CD, and it's almost all acoustic. The bass is the only thing with amplification." Conceptually, this acoustic sound certainly fits with the whole feel of Shotgun Kitchen. The band has always leaned in a folky direction, drawing inspiration from people like John Prine, Woody Guthrie and Randy Newman. Saturday at Tahoma Tea & Co. Shotgun Kitchen celebrates the release of a brand new album. - Weekly Volcano

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Fellowship Of Reconciliation Benefit, featuring Tom Rawson. All Ages. 7:30 pm. $10-$25.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Ale House Sports Pub & Grille University Place. Steve Stefanowicz. 8 pm. NC.

Backstage Bar & Grill Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Guttermouth, Boldtype, Neutralboy, The Unevil, South 11th. 8 pm. $12-$15.

• This blurb officially marks the 87th time I've written about Guttermouth coming to Tacoma. Something tells me that while I may be running out of things to say about the iconic Huntington Beach punk rockers, Tacoma's many fans of the band aren't getting tired seeing them. This Friday, Guttermouth again returns to T-Town, this time hitting up the Backstage Bar & Grill. The band has typically played Hell's Kitchen in the past, but this time around it appears former Hell's Kitchen booker Flash Connel - now a show-making free agent of sorts - has lured the band to the ass-end of Sixth Avenue and the Backstage. I expect the results of the show to be similar: loud, fast and balls-to-the-proverbial-wall. - Matt Driscoll

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Psycho 78, Artimus Maximus, Triple Sixes, Dead Giveaways. 9 pm. $5.

Jazzbones Tacoma. The Green reggae show. All Ages. 4 pm doors. $10. With Mighty High. 21+. 7 pm. $15.

Lucky Eagle Casino Rochester. George Jones. 8 pm. $45-$65.

Little Creek Casino Shelton. Glen Campbell. 8 pm. $30-$50.

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. High Noon Horizon, River Of Disdain, Jobe Himself. All Ages. 8 pm.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Ches Ferguson, Julie Campbell. All Ages. 6 pm. Ravin' Wolf. All Ages. 8 pm.

Maxwell's Speakeasy Tacoma - Downtown. Lance Buller Trio. All Ages. 7-10 pm. NC.

McCoy's Tavern Olympia - Downtown. Resident Kings, Last Watch, Hong Kong Banana. 9 pm. $5.

• Resident Kings (an Oly band featuring members of Dirty Birds and Fitz of Depression), Last Watch (featuring John Johnson of Hillstomp), and Hong Kong Banana were all set to play the Eastside Club in Olympia this week. But, last minute changes have put Oly's most reliable weekend venue on hiatus until further notice. Lucky for Olympia, we have each other's back - and McCoy's will host Friday night's hoorah. Expect a variety of sounds from these three bands, from the heavy melodic rock of Resident Kings, to the punk rock and roots of Last Watch, to the garage and soul of Portland's Hong Kong Banana. Eat it up, South Sound. It's good for the soul. - Nikki Talotta

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Crypts, DBC, Bronze, DJ sets by Delicious Brown, Ninja Monique. 9 pm.

• Upon first being confronted with Crypts, the most immediate impression is a blast of non-directional aggression. Crypts is a band that seems intent on creating a vibe of barely contained chaos and vicious noise. Crypts want the audience to be conflicted, to be challenged. If you make it past those first intense minutes, however, Crypts has a way of revealing surprisingly beautiful compositions - bathed, as it always is, in scuzzy shock and awe. Read my full feature on the Crypts in the Music section at weeklyvolcano.com. - Rev. Adam McKinney

Olyphant Art Supply and Gallery Olympia - Downtown. Christian Mistress. 8 p.m., $5.

• For Oly home-towners, there's a lot of pride when people you see in your daily life - people who've made you a killer pizza pie, who you've listened to at house parties, or who've rocked your head in the middle of Fourth Ave - are on the cusp of greatness. Such is the case with Olympia's Christian Mistress, preparing to celebrate the release of their debut effort on Relapse Records, Possession, with a show Friday at Olyphant Art Supply and Gallery in Olympia. The music of Christian Mistress speaks straight to the heart. It's nostalgic, yet eye-opening. It's metal, yet soul. It's a twisted, yet straightforward way of playing good fucking rock music. See all of this firsthand Friday in a show that will also serve as a release party for the latest installment of Nuts Magazine. - Weekly Volcano

Southbay Dickerson's BBQ Olympia - Downtown. Oly Mountain Boys CD release Party. 8 pm. NC.

Spar Cafe Olympia. Vince Brown. 8 pm. NC.

Tempest Lounge Tacoma - Hilltop. Raeanne Phillips. 7:30 pm. NC.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Holly Gwinn Graham, Joe Baque. All Ages. 8 pm. $8-$12.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound