<<< VOTING CLOSED FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27 >>>

Well whaddaya know! It's still March, and dagnabit if all that "Madness" isn't still in the air! What's one to do with all that pent up "madness?" It can make for quite a dilemma. ...

Unless, of course, you've found something like the Weekly Volcano's Tournament of Sandwiches to help get you through. Throughout the month (and into early April, even) the Volcano's readers will be voting on the South Sound's best sandwiches through daily head-to-head matchups here on Spew. We started with 64 South Sound sandwiches, and only one can be crowned king.

Without further ado, let's get down to business.

Yesterday's Results

GAME ONE: Club House (Old Milwaukee Café, 3102 Sixth Ave., Tacoma) vs. Jake's Sandwich (Dirty Dave's Pizza Parlor, 3939 Martin Way E., Olympia)

For a relatively small town, Olympia has more than its fair share of top-notch sandwiches - which is going to make for some interesting battles down the road. With 5th Ave Sandwich Shop and Darby's grabbing most of the headlines, Dirty Dave's can fly relatively under the radar. Oh, but the eaters of the area know - which is probably why Dirty Dave's Jake's Sandwich took down the beloved Old Milwaukee Café's Club House, nabbing almost 60 percent of the votes.

GAME TWO: Reuben (Peterson Bros. 1111, 1111 S. 11th St., Tacoma) vs. Hammock Sandwich (Schooner Pub and Galley, 5429 100th St. SW, Lakewood)

The Eleven Eleven is a relatively newcomer on the sandwich scene, creating goodness and slinging drinks in a lively, neighborhood joint. The Schooner Pub has been a neighborhood hangout for years, where the game or your daily meeting with your old friends is more the focus than sandwiches. In terms of comparing the two joints, at least in regards to a hangout, it's a dead heat. Comparing the two sandwiches that battled yesterday, it's not even close. Eleven Eleven grabbed 75 percent of the votes, and moves onto the Second Round.

GAME THREE: Steak Torta (Vuelve a la Vida, 5310 Pacific Ave., Tacoma) vs. Ikonos Gyro (Ikonos Real Greek Souvlaki, 4920 Point Fosdick Dr. NW, Gig Harbor)

Vuelve A La Vida started up in 1995. Six months after its inception, the owner sold it to the mysteriously named Senor Douglas, who's owned it ever since. Most people know the joint for its authentic Mexican food, featuring prizes such as tongue and goat and featuring banners boasting no chips & salsa. That said, Tournament of Sandwiches officials were a bit surprised Vuelve's Steak Torta grabbed 71 percent of the votes over Ikonos Gyro, which is one tasty treat. It doesn't matter now, the Steak Torta moves onto the Second Round.

GAME FOUR: Vietnamese Banh Mi (Pacific Grill, 1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma) vs. Italian Grinder (Shamrock Tavern, 11118 Pacific Ave. S., Tacoma)

Unexpectedly, this was an epic battle ... the kind of thing Tournament of Sandwiches "instant classics" are made of. A surprisingly low scoring affair, with much of the action on defense, the fourth seeded Pacific Grill and the 13th seeded Shamrock Tavern were in a dead heat - literally tied - going into the final hours of the competition. Back at Weekly Volcano World Headquarters, Tournament of Sandwiches officials frantically discussed what to do in the case of a tie? Overtime? Coin flip? See which establishment could deliver a sandwich to our Lakewood office the fastest? Then, our guess is, the drinks kicked in at the Shamrock, phones came out and the Parkland tavern edged out the win, securing exactly 53 percent of the vote. This one will go down in the history books.

Stick a toothpick in them! The following are advancing to the next round:

• Dirty Dave's Pizza Parlor's Jake's Sandwich
• Peterson Bros. 1111's Reuben
• Vuelve a la Vida's Steak Torta
• Shamrock Tavern's Italian Grinder

The daily sandwich battles here on Spew are sponsored by Subway in Orting, Puyallup, Tacoma, Spanaway and Lakewood.

OK, let's check out today's First Round sandwich battles. Vote for one sandwich per battle. Voting for today's sandwich battles ends at 11:45 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27 2013 >>>

1. Derde Verde continues the grand journey set forth by bands such as Radiohead and Hawkwind. The LA-based band's new EP, Let Me Be A Light, glows with the organic warmth of the band's indie-electronica, while possessing the mechanical propulsion of Krautrock bands like Neu!. If those names don't pique your interest, then we can't help you. Intentionally dense, minimalist, electronics-heavy, post-rock opera with layers of blips and synthetic sounds blending into lush orchestral pieces and starkly original compositions just isn't your thing. Therefore, we don't expect to see you at 9 p.m. when Derde Verde joins The Hard Way and Babysolf at Le Voyeur. 

2. Seattle-based glass artist Ginny Ruffner spent five weeks in a coma followed by five years in a wheel chair after a car crash. And as the film A Not So Still Life, the misfortune that left her with speech and mobility problems didn't make her bitter, it made her stronger. Ruffner is this week's visiting artist at the Museum of Glass. She's probably going all mixed-media on the folks in the Hot Shop from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

3. The Washington Center board of directors and the city of Olympia will unveil the new exterior design for the Center during an open house from 5-7 p.m. The construction timeline, architectural renderings and a historical perspective of the theater building will be on display. I think the new exterior siding that will keep the rain on the outside is the biggest improvement and the most needed," Washington Center Marketing Director Anne Larson told the Weekly Volcano.  "But staff is most excited about the new grand entrance. It will be a beacon for patrons and help lead the revitalization of downtown."

4. So you're three months into 2013 and that Dec. 31 vow to quit carbs is already starting to feel onerous. Here's a better idea: How 'bout you actually go out and, like, learn something. C.L.A.W. presents Northwest illustrator, cartoonist and game designer Chuck Knigge for a digital painting and drawing workshop at 8 p.m. inside King's Books.

5. Every Wednesday at 8 p.m. Dorky's Arcade hosts Trivia for Dorks — a free, all-ages affair with such prizes as gift certificates to Dorky's. Sure, prizes are nice, but even better is dropping your win at your next round table D & D discussion. Teams can earn bonus points for correctly identifying the night's theme.

LINK: Wednesday, March 27 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

MOVING ALONG >>>

Lisa David, owner of the Nineveh Assyrian food truck on the corner of Plum and Fourth in Olympia is about to go national. Yes, the local bartender, DJ and artist - who serves outstanding Fattoush and fried cauliflower from Nineveh - will star in a web series based out of Chicago. The interactive cooking talk show Assyrian Kitchen launches Wednesday, March 27 as an eight-part series featuring David cooking 10 popular Middle Eastern appetizers.

David has been working with Assyrian Kitchen over the last year, flying out to Chicago for live and taped shows.

"The taped version is for a greater audience that can't make it to the live shows. The Assyrian community is spread out all over the world, so this will reach out to many of them this way. On top of that it crosses over well to a general audience who is genuinely interested in our Assyrian cuisine."

This opportunity puts David in a unique position to share a passion.

"Many of the participants in the live demonstration are non-Assyrians with a love for good food," she says. "I think that has been a major part that is really exciting for me, reaching out to people and introducing them to the food I grew up with and love so dearly. Seeing the enjoyment they get from tasting it and the satisfaction they get from learning to make it. This is an aspect of what makes our Nineveh Assyrian food truck so dear to me, that feedback you get from someone who has never tried something like a shawarma before and who is truly tasting something unique for the first time."

David is also excited to preserve her culture.

"Assyrians are a very small indigenous minority in the Middle East and are spread out wide in a Diaspora due to political persecution and ethnic cleansing in our homelands," she explains. "Any culture that is so spread apart is bound to assimilate into the adopted countries where people have settled. I think an effort like Assyrian Kitchen will help preserve an important aspect of being Assyrian, and that is the food we eat. Creating these videos, doing the live shows, and posting recipes online will go a long way in helping people, especially so many young people who were born or raised outside of our traditional native lands, to maintain this part of our cultural identity. That is something that brings me great satisfaction."

<<< VOTING CLOSED FOR TUESDAY, MARCH 26 >>>

Favorites or underdogs, fancy restaurants or dive bars, it's all the same. In the end, they all have one chance to put some tasty morsels between two slices of bread that can take the prize. Sixty-four South Sound sandwiches were selected and seeded by readers throughout February for the Tournament of Sandwiches, which is now six days into the competition. Apparently sandwiches were on the minds of South Sounders yesterday as it was the second largest voting day for the Tournament of Sandwiches behind Thursday's opening bell.

Yesterday's Results

GAME ONE: TLT (Quickie Too, 1324 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma) vs. Fishwich (Spar Tavern, 2121 N. 30th St., Tacoma)

Cod filet rolled in crispy panko breading served on a Kaiser roll: The Fishwich at The Spar sound easy enough, but alas, it's not. Coddies - those who live for cod filets - claim The Spar has one of the best fish sandwiches in the South Sound. Yesterday, voters agreed. Tacoma's oldest tavern moves into the Second Round after beating Hilltop's beloved Quickie Too by 20 votes.

GAME TWO: Catfish Sandwich (Fish House Café, Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma) vs. Lobster Sandwich (Oliver's Sandwiches, 900 Meridian Ave. E., Milton)

Oliver's Sandwiches turned out the troops to propel it into the next round of the tournament, despite Fish House Café's exceptional Catfish Sandwich. Although it's what sandwich experts call a "hidden gem," Oliver's Sandwiches treats diners like family, and that had to be a factor against the Hilltop Tacoma cafe. With 93 percent of the vote, Oliver's moves on.

GAME THREE: The All Star Grilled Frenchy Cheese and Ham (Babblin' Babs Bistro, 2724 N. Proctor St., Tacoma) vs. Nutty Chicken Sandwich (Varsity Grill, 1114 Broadway, Tacoma)

Babblin' Babs Bistro doesn't have a mini theater in the middle of its restaurant. It doesn't have a huge happy hour menu. And kids don't eat free. Those are the attributes of the Varsity Grill sports bar in downtown Tacoma. What Babs does have are gourmet sandwiches and an ownership that can squeeze ever bit of goodness out of a Chardonnay seed. Babblin' Babs and its famous All Star Grilled Frenchy Cheese and Ham moves into the Second Round after grabbing 64 percent of the votes over the Varsity Grill.

GAME FOUR: Stinker (STINK - Cheese & Meat, 628 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma) vs. Papa Bair (Bair Bistro, 1617 Lafayette St., Steilacoom)

STINK owner Kris Blondin has found the perfect formula. Create gourmet comfort food recipes, teach hip kids how to recreate them, play kick ass music and serve big beers and soft wines to movers and shakers in Tacoma. Yesterday, this formula paid off when STINK's famous Stinker sandwich beat Bair Bistro's delicious Papa Bair - and all the history the town of Steilacoom could muster up - by 70 votes.

Stick a toothpick in them! The following are advancing to the next round:

• The Spar's Fishwich
• Oliver's Sandwiches' Lobster Sandwich
• Babblin' Babs Bistro's All Star Grilled Frenchy Cheese and Ham
• STINK Cheese & Meat's Stinker

The daily sandwich battles here on Spew are sponsored by Subway in Orting, Puyallup, Tacoma, Spanaway and Lakewood.

OK, let's check out today's First Round sandwich battles. Vote for one sandwich per battle. Voting for today's sandwich battles ends at 11:45 p.m.

TUESDAY, MARCH 26 2013 >>>

1. The village of Bakhtia sits on the Yenisei River in the Siberian taiga, a vast sub-Arctic ecosystem larger than the continental United States. No roads or train lines traverse the region. Bakhtia, a community of 300, is reachable only by helicopter or boat, and is completely isolated during the long winter when the north-flowing Yenisei freezes solid. In Bakhtia there are no Link light rail expansion meetings, gunfire near malls or baristas. Also, no telephone, running water or medical aid. And yet residents and their families make a living there in a way that prompts documentary filmmaker Werner Herzog to declare them "happy people" in his film Happy People: A Year in the Taiga, screening at 2:15 and 6:55 p.m. at The Grand Cinema.

2. Tacoma native Diane Bonciolini and her husband Greg Messmer have been known for generations for their functional dishware and art glass. Working with techniques of slumped and fused glass, their repertoire ranges from condiment trays to bird houses to architectural installations. See their new works and their old favorites from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. inside The Art Stop.

3. Every Tuesday, Maxwell's Speakeasy in Tacoma serves two chef's choice appetizers and two house wines or draft beers for $15.

4. Good news. There's a Japanese movie series going down in Wyatt Hall on the University of Puget Sound campus. At 6 p.m. catch the drama/mystery Dear Doctor.

5. Singer/songwriter Dyllan Hersey was born in Marin County, Calif. She tried to live in Portland, Ore. but has since returned to California and now lives just north of San Francisco. She joins New Slang at 9 p.m. inside Le Voyeur.

LINK: Tuesday, March 25 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

CRITICAL MASS >>>

Spew sifts through the Internets for local arts stories so you don't have to.

The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame's children's classic about the adventures of four animal friends was hit the stage at the South Puget Sound Community College, as part of the Olympia Family Theater season. In late 2012, OFT captured the 1908 novel's whimsical charm and injected just enough cheek and gentle satire to keep the grownups along for the ride. OFT turned it into a musical with 11 songs, but the group also sought to bring Grahame's classic into modern day a bit. This included adding in more relevant female characters - in Grahame's original, only three out of 60 characters were female. They also softened up Mr. Toad's character, giving him more of a connection to his friends. Now, the original four Olympia-based artists who readapted the play are teaming up with a sound engineer to create an audio version. Weekly Volcano scribe Kristin Kendle has the scoop on the recording, including details on its Kickstarter.

It is no easy feat to bring the naturalistic violence and dialog cadences of Quentin Tarantino from screen to stage. His films are masterpieces of jangly editing and shocking violence in the tradition of Peckinpah and Scorsese. Theater Artists Olympia and director Pug Bujeaud will give it a shot, opening Reservoir Dogs Friday, April 5 at The Midnight Sun in downtown Olympia. "I have always loved words. Quentin Tarantino is one of modern American cinema's greatest wordsmiths. I love the movie, but more than the cinematic reality of the thing it is it's bones that compel me. As iconic as the performances of Keitel, Roth, Buscemi et al have become, strip it all away and you have one hell of a script," writes Bujeaud on the blog, One Heist Told Twice. Jump on the blog for profiles of the actors, behind the scenes shots and more.

News Tribune arts critic Rosemary Ponnekanti reports Dance Theatre Northwest is taking its Swan Lake on the road.

Yesterday afternoon the Weekly Volcano attended the artist reception for Maria Jost at 1022 South. Jost's seven permanent collage-drawings paying homage to 1022 South's botanical ingredients are stunning. Post Defiance has the scoop on the show, as well as what makes Jost tick.

PLUS: Weekly Volcano theater critics review The Joy Luck Club, Philadelphia Story and Oliver!

MONDAY, MARCH 25 2013 >>>

1. The film Ocean Frontiers: The Dawn of a New Era in Ocean Stewardship takes viewers on an inspiring voyage to seaports and watersheds across the country where an intermingling of unlikely allies, of industrial shippers and whale biologists, pig farmers and wetland ecologists, sport and commercial fishermen, port operators, reef snorkelers and many more embark on a new course of cooperation, to sustain the sea and ocean economies. The will make its Tacoma premiere 6:45 p.m. at UWT's Phillips Hall as part of a symposium at University of Washington Tacoma.

2. George Smith, M.A., a state licensed mental health counselor, will offer a free training workshop on the Columbia University 30-second self-hypnosis method from 1-2 p.m. at the Lacey Timberland Library. This clinically tested and proven self-hypnosis system can be used to stop smoking, lose weight, reduce stress, resist 64 sandwiches, control anxiety, and much more.

3. Seattle-based world music ensemble The Kora Band will combine elements of jazz and West African music at 8 p.m. inside The Royal Lounge in Olympia.

4. Standup comedy hasn't evolved much since the glory days of ventriloquist and puppet. Every so often, there's a Gallagher smashing watermelons or a musical funnyman like Jack Black, but for the most part, comedy is a dude on a stage with a microphone, plodding through a joke-punchline-new-joke routine. You're funny. You need to change the course of comedy forever. Every Monday at 8 p.m. the Grit City Comedy Club opens its stage to the public for a comedy open mic. Explore the space. Head for space.

5. Every Monday at 9 p.m. Jazzbones is packed to the brim with college kids. Party types. The type that wear tight shirts and trucker hats. Throngs of Chad Fratguys and Sarah Sororitysisters swarm the bar, line up for the bathroom and dance to the Rockaraoke - live band karaoke. The Rockaraoke band is skilled, too. Expect $2 PBR drafts, $3 Sinfire shots, $4 Smirnoff flavor vodka bombs.

LINK: Monday, March 25 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SUNDAY, MARCH 24 2013: FOUR SANDWICH BATTLES ON THE DOCKET >>>

Sure, most of us look at lunch as an excuse to escape the desk for an hour (or two), unwind with friends and talk smack about everyone else at the office. But to many South Sounders, lunch is the most important meal of the day. This is when deals are well done, potential employees are informally grilled and the dirtiest dirt is dished from the backroom to the boardroom. Have your people call our people.

Of course the sandwich is the star of most lunches, as well as this year's Weekly Volcano food tournament. We have the results from yesterday's games and a preview of today's matches. Be sure to vote for the four sandwiches below.

Yesterday's Results

Game 1: Tempeh Reuben (Darby's Café, 211 Fifth Ave. SE, Olympia) vs. Mushroom Panini (Toscanos Café and Wine Bar, 437 29^th St. NE, Puyallup)

Darby's Cafe turned out the troops to propel it into the next round of the tournament, despite Toscanos Cafe's exceptional Mushroom Panini. Darby's wall of hot sauces, shelves full of Wizard of Oz memorabilia and a starring role on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives could have been factors against the Puyallup Italian bistro. With 51.5 percent of the vote, the Tempeh Reuben moves on.

Game 2: Beet & Blue (1022 South, 1022 S. J St., Tacoma) vs. Tempeh Reuben (Wally's Sandwich Bar, 2106 Harrison Ave. NW, Olympia)

Tacoma loves 1022 South. Where else can you drink craft cocktails and discuss fermentation yeasts and ice density? So it's a bit of a surprise that Wally's sandwich Bar with its boxed lunches and build your own option lost by only three votes to the Hilltop Tacoma lounge. However, Wally's has "Sandwich" in its name and creates crazy good sandwiches so you knew the race was going to be tight, which it was. The fancy Beet & Blue moves on to the Second Round to face Darby's Tempeh Reuben on March 30.

Game 3: The Comanche (Rock The Dock Pub & Grill, 535 Dock St., Tacoma) vs. Southwest Chicken Sandwich (Loose Wheel Bar & Grill, 6108 Sixth Ave., Tacoma)

Rock The Dock's Comanche put the hurt on Loose Wheel capturing 61.4 percent of the votes. Inside, Rock The Dock doesn't have the fancy giant wall of pull tabs or the hundreds of televisions found inside the Loose Wheel. However, The Comanche with its grilled chicken breast and zesty white sauce is a beautiful thing.

Game 4: Mom's Sloppy Joe (Crockett's Public House, 118 E. Stewart Ave., Puyallup) vs. Ancho BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich (Masa, 2811 Sixth Ave., Tacoma)

A trend has emerged in the Tournament of Sandwiches. Guy Fieri. If the host of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives visits drops in on South Sound restaurant, the restaurant and its sandwich has emerged victorious in this food tournament. Yesterday, the trend continued as Crockett's Public House and its Mom's Sloppy Joe edged out Masa's pulled pork sandwich by four votes. Masa will have the last laugh when hordes show up for the Tournament of Sandwiches Championship Party Monday, April 8 and drink loads of margaritas.

Stick a toothpick in them! The following are advancing to the next round:

• Darby's Cafe's Tempeh Reuben
• 1022 South's Beet & Blue
• Rock The Dock's The Comanche
• Crockett's Public House's Mom's Sloppy Joe
  

The daily sandwich battles here on Spew are sponsored by Subway in Orting, Puyallup, Tacoma, Spanaway and Lakewood.

OK, let's check out today's First Round sandwich battles. Vote for one sandwich per battle. Voting for today's sandwich battles ends at 11:45 p.m.

SUNDAY, MARCH 24 2013 >>>

1. Rich Ridenour, a 54-year-old Michigan native, has been playing the piano most of his life. He wasn't old enough to drive when he joined his first rock band. He met his future wife, Stacy, who is in the front office at the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, when both were students at the University of Michigan. She went into musical administration, he went on to a master's from Juilliard and a career as a pianist that has taken him from piano bars to the nation's finest concert halls, such as the Pantages Theater at 2:30 p.m. when he join the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra in concert. Expect the greatest hits of Elton John, Billy Joel, George Gershwin, Rachmaninoff, Beethoven and more with a pinch of Victor Borge humor, a grand Steinway and the full Tacoma Symphony Orchestra. 

2. Heritage Park and Capitol Lake are great to visit for more than just the people watching. An abundance of ducks provides ample opportunity to impersonate David Attenborough with your own narration of their activities, and the dog watching is always entertaining. Where else would you find a Chihuahua dressed as an Ewok in March? (True story. Outdoor Addict columnist Whitney Rhoades saw it on her last visit.) And the scenery is stunning. From one side of the lake you can admire the Capitol Dome, from the other the Olympic Mountains peek out at you.

3. Orca Books in Olympia hosts local author Anthea Sharp at 3 p.m. to celebrate the release of her newest book, Feyland: The Twilight Kingdom.  This is the final installment and thrilling conclusion to her Feyland Trilogy.

4. Saxophonist Kareem Kandi's sound is virtually unrelated to the roomy traditions of soul saxes, honking saxes or deep-chested boudoir ballad saxes. It derives from the classic, free, often enthusiastic tradition of Joshua Redman as filtered through Dexter Gordon and Sonny Stitt, all of whose shadows can be traced-Redman in Kandi's funky organicism, Gordon in his dynamic harmonics, Stitt in the intensity that coats his every note with a Gritty City finish. Catch the Kareem Kandi Band from 3-6 p.m. at Uncle Thurm's BBQ in Tacoma's Lincoln District.

5. Tacoma artist Maria Jost has created an eight-piece permanent installation for the 1022 South lounge. Each of this commissioned series' eight collage-drawings pays homage to one of the natural ingredients featured in owner Chris Keil's distinctive cocktails. A reception will be held at 4 p.m.

LINK: Sunday, March 24 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

4th Ave Ale House Olympia - Downtown. Halcion Halo, Blacstahl, Deborah Page. 9 pm.

Bob's Java Jive Tacoma - Central. SleepyPilot, Psycho 78 & Devil On A Leash. 9 pm. $.

C.I. Shenanigans Tacoma - Northend. KC Brakes presents pop folk rock night. All Ages. 7-10 pm. NC.

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. Kareem Kandi Band. 9 pm. NC.

Harmon Tap Room Tacoma - Stadium District. Half Of Infinity. 9 pm.

Live Room Sumner. Innocent Bystander, The Informal Gentlemen, I for Eye, Front Seat Fiasco, Destination Unknown, and Cosmic Avenue. All Ages. Doors 6:30 pm. $8 adv, $12 at door.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Leroy Bell & His Only Friends. 8 pm. $15.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. The Chain, Fridge Scum. All Ages. 6 pm.

The Lochs Tacoma - Downtown. Jobe Himself demo release show with Poorsport, Omega Moo, DJ Reign. 9 pm. $5.

• Oh yeah, I almost forgot about The Loch's. You know the place - the old Hell's Kitchen in downtown Tacoma. Well, here's a good reminder that this venue is still cranking out shows. This Saturday, enjoy some quality, melt your face punk rock with a Jobe Himself demo release show with Poorsport, Omega Moo and DJ Reign. - NM

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. Clear The Chaos, Fistful Of Dollars. All Ages. 8 pm.

Morso Wine Bar Gig Harbor. Anais Mitchell, Jefferson Hamer, 8 pm. $25.

• To ask if you have been paying attention to Michael ONeill's Americana Series at Morso Wine Bar in Gig Harbor would be a bit reckless, since the concerts regularly sell out. But have you been paying attention?! Tommy Tutone, Peter Case, Grant Peeples, Susan Gibson, Jaime Wyatt, Ian Moore, the Bobs, Lucy Kaplansky, Steve Poltz ... the list goes on. Saturday, ONeill hosts Vermont-born songwriter Anaïs Mitchell who has been pushing the conventional parameters of modern folk with her epic, allegorical themes and, most recently, lush, impressionistic arrangements. She's touring behind her new release, Young Man in America, which has enough raw-nerved, psychedelic balladry to rattle your Cabernet glass. - Ron Swarner
  

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Olsen Brothers Present: A Night Of Sights & Sounds: Red Hex & Ich Hunger, plus Ace Tone Fuzzmaster. 9 pm.

• For weeks, now, I've been trying to shake the images of Ich Hunger from my brain. Made by local filmmaker Isaac Olsen, Ich Hunger is a German expressionist freakout concerning a "creature boy" who lives in the forests of Germany and eats people. Saturday, as if Ich Hunger wasn't visually and aurally stimulating enough, the film will be screened along with musical accompaniment by the onslaught of local garage-rockers Red Hex (featuring Isaac's brother, Sam Olsen), as well as original electronic music. Afterward, the melted brains of the audience will be invited to disco dance. It'll be an experiment in (slightly) ordered chaos. How far can your ears and eyes be stretched, and when that breaking point is reached, will you ever really be the same? Wear a helmet to this one, dear reader. - Rev. Adam McKinney
  

Olympia Ballroom Olympia - Downtown. Olympia Acoustic Festival. 1 pm to 1 am.

• Saturday, a new celebration hits the area - the Olympia Acoustic Festival. The event, held at the increasingly popular Olympia Ballroom, is sponsored by KAOS and features local vendors such as Tamale Fusion and La Dee Dee Da Jewelry. And, of course, a regional line up of many great acoustic acts, including Olympia bands Erev Rav, The Pine Hearts, Oly Mountain Boys and Oly singer-songwriters Gabriel Wolf Child, Jonah Tolchin, Paul Mauer as well as musicians from Seattle and Portland such as Aaron English, Impossible Bird and others. "Anyone who comes will have their ears filled by a potpourri of really talented musicians," says Jabi Shriki, co-coordinator of the event. Sounds awesome. - NM
  

The Red Room Tacoma - Downtown. Alarms. All Ages. 7 pm.

Rock the Dock Pub & Grill Tacoma - Downtown. Man Shower for Eddie Flores featuring bands Trees Without Leaves and Stay Grounded. 5:30 pm.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Tatoosh. 9 pm.

Tacoma Cabana and Rum Bar Tacoma - Downtown. Big Huge with vocalist Kayla Snell. All ages until 10 pm. All Ages. 8 pm. NC.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Killing Dove. 9 pm.

LINK: More live music tonight in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area