LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUTH >>>

4th Ave Tavern Olympia - Downtown. Horse Bodies, w/C-Leb & The Kettle Black, Nine 50 Nine. 9 pm. $5.

• I once wrote that Horse Bodies is the kind of band that gives you chills. Perhaps that wasn't the most accurate description. It's deeper than that - a kind of dueling-guitar, gritty-voiced, party-down kind of chill that saturates your being until you are fully engaged in the music. After releasing an impressive new music video, "Back Alley," and climbing their way in Hard Rock Rising, the band is back to rocking their hometown. Hawk Foxman, vocalist and guitarist for Horse Bodies, had this to say about their upcoming show at the 4th Ave Tavern in Oly: "Olympia let me hear you scream and shout! The Horse Bodies are gonna shake, rattle and rock 'n' roll, so don't forget your dancing shoes cause this show is gonna get rowdy!" - Nikki McCoy
  

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. St. Practice Day, with The Bog Hoppers. 9 pm. NC.

Harmon Tap Room Tacoma - Stadium District. NWCZ Presents: Ben Union, Perry Acker, The Furniture Girls. 9 pm.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Tim Hall Band, The Derivatives. 8 pm. $6.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Speck Mountain, Stranded Sullivan. 9 pm.

Maxwell's Restaurant + Lounge Tacoma - Downtown. Lance Buller Combo. 7 pm.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Bath Party, Mr. Tang. 9 pm.

Northern Olympia - Downtown. And And And, Sun Angle, Camp Wisdom. All Ages. 8 pm. $5.

• With their song, "Theme From Cheers," Titus Andronicus took a desire for alcohol as an escape from the pain of everyday living and turned it into one of the great anthemic rallying cries of 2010. Patrick Stickle's impassioned plea to "give me a Guinness, give me a Keystone Light, give me a kegger on a Friday night, give me anything but another year in exile," summed up this young, dumb need to find solace in chaos and blackouts. When he screams "I need a whiskey right now," he may as well be screaming "Love, reign o'er me." Portland's And And And has a spiritual cousin of "Theme From Cheers" with their song, "I Want More Alcohol (It Makes Me Sadder)." Except, instead of the bravado that Titus Andronicus uses to barely conceal the loneliness, And And And put their depressive neediness right up front and center. Musically, like Titus Andronicus - as well as the forefathers of bombastic drunk outcasts, the Replacements - And And And craft songs that sound big, riled up, and lively in the face of a world that always seems poised to knock you flat on your ass. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on And And And in Northwest Military's Music & Culture section.

Red Wind Casino Yelm. Jonathan Harris. 8:30 pm. NC.

Spar Cafe Olympia - Downtown. Tattered Dress. 8 pm. NC.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Crosswalk. 9 pm.

The Swiss Tacoma - Downtown. Space Band. 9 pm.

Tacoma Cabana and Rum Bar Tacoma - Downtown. Urban Art Fest benefit show with Death By Stars, Elbow Coulee and dancers. Wear Hawaiian garb or Fez and receive $5 Mai Tais all night. 9 pm. $5.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Three Quarter Minus. 9 pm.

Uncle Thurm's Finger Licken Ribs & Chicken Tacoma - Lincoln District. Maia Santell & House Blend. All Ages. 7:30 pm. NC. El Gaucho Tacoma - Downtown. Sandy Harvey piano lounge. 6 pm. NC.

LINK: More live music Friday, May 17 in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

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

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. The Walking Papers. 8 pm. $15.

• Pure blues rock 'n' roll, executed with the nimble fingers, creative minds and a sixth sense of boys who have been around the block, Walking Papers is headlining a nearly sold out show at Jazzbones Friday. A full European tour follows. Read Nikki McCoy's interview with Jeff Angell in the Weekly Volcano's Music section.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Palace Fiction. 9 pm.

Maxwell's Restaurant + Lounge Tacoma - Downtown. Lance Buller Combo. 7 pm.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Taxi Driver. 10 pm. NC.

Northern Olympia - Downtown. Lori Goldston, Marisa Anderson. All Ages. 9 pm.

The Olympia Ballroom Olympia. Hillstomp, Kendl Winter and the Summer Gold. 9 pm. $10.

• Hey kiddies, lace up your most comfortable shoes, coat your throat with some whiskey and get ready for some serious dancing and hollering 'cause Hillstomp is back in Olympia. The rowdy, washtub, bucket band, rock 'n' roll duo are taking over the Olympia Ballroom Friday for a night of old time enjoyment, with a funky twist. Andy Geertsen, voted best booker in Oly, who's throwing the show, describes Hillstomp's style: "When they play they bring an energy to the crowd that is infectious and reciprocated right back to them ... as if there was one communal heartbeat bouncing between fan and musician. It's like high energy therapy - when Hillstomp plays Oly it's not just another show it's an event." You heard the man, it's not just another show, so get down there and get some Hillstomp healing. - Nikki McCoy
  

Rock the Dock Pub & Grill Tacoma - Downtown. Whiskey and Roses. 8:30 pm.

The Swiss Tacoma - Downtown. DoctorfunK CD Release Party. 9 pm.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Hookerfist (Tool tribute). 9 pm.

Uncle Thurm's Finger Licken Ribs & Chicken Tacoma - Lincoln District. G Street Jazz Series featuring Kareem Kandi Band. 8-11 pm. NC.

Urban Onion Olympia - Downtown. Afrok's 30th Birthday Party. 8 pm. $5.

• Friday at the Urban Onion Lounge, Afrok and his band, The Movement, will lead a musical charge followed up by plenty of other organic hip-hop talent he's bringing out for his 30th birthday celebration. Afrok handpicked local rappers Akeem, MC Swamptiger and Sky Hatter - who just dropped a dope new video for his single "She's My Hip-Hop" - to perform at his historic event. In addition to the Olympia area rappers, Afrok also invited his friend and OG Seattle native Gabriel Teodros to be a part of the fun filled evening. Teodros has been a staple in the Seattle hip-hop scene since it first REALLY started bubbling in the early 2000s and has been putting in work since then, including the release of a new album last year, Colored People's Time Machine. Teodros is a very unique and talented individual that also happens to be a strong community organizer and overall, a very good, humble dude. Oh and kids, this show is all ages until 11 p.m. and ... (whisper voice) he's a good friend of Macklemore. Read Nic Leonard's full feature on Afrok's birthday bash in the Weekly Volcano's Music section.

LINK: More live music tonight 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

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Ben Moore's Olympia - Downtown. Sour Owl. 9 pm. NC.

• Ooh! Another free show! This time at Ben Moore's in Olympia - a few-and-far-between music venue that's known more for its Best $3.75 Fish and Chips than hosting a show. But, Saturday, you can enjoy a live set from Sour Owl in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. Rock, pop, jazz, fusion, whatever you want to call Sour Owl's sound, just know that it's sweet. - Nikki McCoy
  

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. The Flat 5. 9:30 pm.

Harmon Tap Room Tacoma - Stadium District. St. Patrick's Day In A Tent: James Coates and Fleur Jack. 8:30 pm. $5. Inside: Halcion Halo, High Noon Horizon, Lund Bros., Blacstahl. 8 pm. $5.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. The Family Affair Tour, with E. Pruit Band, Klyntel, Brandon Willis. 8 pm. $10.

Le Voyeur Olympia - downtown. The Saturday Giant, Bent, Unnatural Balance. 10 pm. NC.

• There's a spot in my musical life that has been left dormant since the days of Bright Eyes and Death Cab For Cutie - these sensitive indie bands that constructed perfectly poppy songs that somehow managed to sum up how I felt as a lost, confused young man. I didn't know what girls were all about. I didn't know what it meant to be crushed by a day-to-day job. These artists did their part to tell me. At some point, though, I passed them by. I didn't need someone to tell me how hard relationships were, or what dicks bosses could be. I knew all that. Listening to The Saturday Giant - a one-man project of Philip Cogley - I'm brought back to those confusing days of heart-felt indie rock. Come to think of it, girls are still a little confounding. - Rev. Adam McKinney
  

Little Creek Casino Shelton. 2nd Annual Spring Fest, with Clint & The Eastwoods, Humptulips, Ready Or Not. 6 pm. $5-$25.

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. Leona X, American Wrecking Company, Mechanism, Step Daddy. All Ages. 8 pm.

McCoy's Tavern Olympia - Downtown. AKA & The Heart Hurt Goods, The Funk Agency. 9 pm. $3.

• If you've seen AKA and The Heart Hurt Goods perform, you've seen how much the band loves its art. You can see it in the band member's fist pumps and facial expressions; in their hip shakes and smiles and in the way they administer their music, be it through a microphone, keyboard, guitar or turn table. Catch the group before it rakes its new album on tour at 9 p.m. inside McCoy's in downtown Olympia. - NM
  

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Wheelies. 8 pm.

Northern Olympia - Downtown. Dear Rabbit, Mythologies, Generifus, Pilots. All Ages. 8 pm. $5.

• Look, I'm going to level with you: Live performances are where it's at. This is the thing that I'm trying to persuade you to do. To see live shows. What sounds more fun to you: some chillwave band that will allow you to contact the douchiest and most reposed part of your subconscious, or this carnival freakshow that will bring you out of your dumb, useless shell and make you drink quantities of liquor of which you are unfamiliar and dance your dumb brains out? The answer must be obvious, but I'll tell you anyway that Dear Rabbit has the sleazy accordion and weirdo swaying energy to make your Saturday self finally open up and be somebody for once in your dance-less life. It's the least you can do to make yourself a complete and freaky person. - Rev. AM
  

Oakhouse Restaurant & Bar Lakewood. Dine & Dance with Renaissance Jazz. 7 pm. $10.

Rock the Dock Pub & Grill Tacoma - Downtown. Zero Down Blues. 9 pm.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Too Many Cooks, featuring Steve Stefanowicz. 9 pm.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Pearl Django. All Ages. 8 pm. $10-$15.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Hot & Bothered, Bleed Together, Seventh Silence. 9 pm.

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

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

4th Ave Ale House Olympia - Downtown. Horse Bodies CD Release Party, with Elbow Coulee, I Like Science. 9 pm. $5.

• Horse Bodies is celebrating its CD release at the 4th Ave Tav. With Elbow Coulee and I Like Science, the show will certainly entertain. Horse Bodies have been jamming for more than five years and continue to clippity-clop its way into the ears and music libraries of South Sound rock hounds. - Nikki McCoy
  

Ben Moore's Cafe Olympia - Downtown. Chung Antique, Tired Joke, SSRIs, Clayface. 9:30 pm. $5.

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

Columbia City Theater Seattle. Bodybox, True Holland, In Cahoots. 7:30 pm. $8 pre show $10 at door.

Doyle's Public House Tacoma - Stadium District. Eddie Spaghetti, Metal Marty. 9 pm.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Hells Belles (AC/DC tribute). All Ages. 5 pm. Hells Belles (AC/DC tribute), The Graceland Five. 21+. 9 pm.

• Hell's Belles returns to Jazzbones Saturday, where last November they blasted Bobble Tiki's eardrums and raised the Jazzbones' temperature to hell-like heat with its all-female brand of chugging, riffing rock. The all-female AC/DC tribute band gets 'em in the door, but guitarist Adrian Connor (Angus incarnate with more energy!) and singer Amber Saxon from Australia (belting Bon and Brian with Tina Turner sass) keeps 'em coming back.  The onstage exuberance shown by these gals could pummel a brick wall into submission. Whether strutting, swaying, or the most important of all true r'n'r rituals, soloing, Hell's Belles makes it known that it came to shake things up. It's classic cock-rock without the, uh, receding hairline. - Bobble Tiki
  

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Full Moon Radio Anniversary Party, with The Deep Wile, The Have At Its. 9 pm.

• I've made it no secret that I'm a fan of the 2013 Best of Olympia Best New Band Full Moon Radio. Saturday night they will host a free EP release and one-year anniversary party at Le Voyeur. Copies of the new EP, Drop Off, will be available, and auditions for a roadie are still open for when the ladies head off on tour in March. Catch 'em with The Deep Wile and The Have At Its for a night of luscious rock 'n' roll. - NM

The Loch's Tacoma - Downtown. Fresh Blends Reblended. DJs Reign and Iceman, Auraswon, Lofton and Beans & Rize. 9 pm. $5-$10.

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. The Saints Of Damnation, Riot In Rhythm, Tyranny Theory, Degree Of Disorder. All Ages. 8 pm.

Magoo's Annex Tacoma - Northend. Taxi Driver. Farewell show for Ricky German featuring Najamonique on vocals. 8:30 pm. NC.

McCoy's Tavern Olympia - Downtown. Pet Products, Fitz of Depression. 9 pm.

Morso Wine Bar Gig Harbor. Americana Music Series, featuring Kevin Fisher. 8 pm. $25.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Santee Record Release Show. 8 pm.

Northern Olympia - Downtown. Grand Jury Resisters Benefit, with Sharkpact, Dogjaw, The Chain, Box, Prank War, MXL JXN, We Play Quiet. All Ages. 4 pm. $5-$100.

The Olympia Ballroom Olympia - Downtown. Balkan Brass Massive Meets Klezmer Funk! Orkestar Zirkonium of Seattle vs. Erev Rav of Olympia. All Ages. 8:30 pm. $10/$8 student.

• The 2013 Best of Olympia Best Band winner Erev Rav performs Saturday night in downtown Oly. Erev Rav pulls together with Seattle's great Orkestar Zirkonium, a brass-and-drum band, for an unforgettable night of perfectly executed dance and rhythm. With Erev Rav weighing in at seven members, and Orkestar Zirkonium with 13, the layers of instruments, the influences of sound, and the personal style of each musician heard, will surely touch each listener's soul. - NM

Rock the Dock Pub & Grill Tacoma - Downtown. Accidental Heroes. 9 pm.

The Royal Lounge Olympia - Downtown. DBST, Funk Agency. 7 pm. Pass Out VIP Party, with JRoc, QParris, Yung Zakk, Zikki Carr. 10 pm.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. The Bog Hoppers. 8 pm.

Track House Olympia - Downtown. Mos Generator, Black Pussy. 8 pm.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. ABATE Benefit Soup Cook-Off, with MPB Band. 9 pm.

Waterstreet Cafe Olympia - Downtown. The New York Trio Plus One. 9:30 pm. NC.

LINK: More live music Saturday, Feb. 23 in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

4th Ave Ale House Olympia - Downtown. The Fail Safe Project, December In Red, Keeping Secrets, High Noon Horizon. 9 pm.

Capitol Theater Olympia - Downtown. 4 MCs By MCs: Freestyle Rap Battle, hosted by Heretic & Remex. All Ages. 7:30 pm. $5.

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

Dirty Oscar's Annex Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. The Breaklites, Kung Foo Grip. 9 pm. NC.

• The ever-popular Tacoma hip-hop group The Breaklites just recently released the video for the title track from its fourth, full-length In The Trunk, which dropped in the summer of 2012. The video is the culmination from being on the road capturing the group in grainy, minimalistic black and white footage that compliments the song's simplistic, yet driving beat. The crew, which came together in 2008, has spent the last two years pushing forward with a growing group of musicians, and an ever-expanding fanbase. From rocking sold out shows to their first adventure down to SXSW, 2012 saw The Breaklites begin to enjoy some of the fruits of its labor, in that regard, the video for "In the Trunk" is a celebration of the work the band put in over the last several years. To celebrate the whole deal, the group is throwing a homecoming party at DOA Feb. 15 with Seattle rap trio Kung Foo Grip. - Timothy Grisham
  

Forza Coffee Fircrest. Nolan Garrett. All Ages. 7 pm. NC.

Harmon Tap Room Tacoma - Stadium District. Deborah Page, Christine Salazar. Science! 9 pm. $5.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. The Fat Tones. 8 pm.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Broken Water, Black Marble, Happy Noose. 9 pm.

Maxwell's Restaurant + Lounge Tacoma - Downtown. Lance Buller Combo. 7 pm.

McCoy's Tavern Olympia - Downtown. Mico De Noche, Vanguard, Bloodhunger. 10 pm. $5.

• This upcoming weekend both Tacoma and Olympia get to taste the sweet dank metal of Mico De Noche, with thrash duo Vanguard and T-town metalheads Bloodhunger. Come to either show and have access to Mico De Noche's brand spanking new 7-inch set to release in stores Feb 26. The blood red disc features cover artwork by Eugene based Sean Schock, who does work for handfuls of bands, including YOB and Brothers of the Sonic Cloth. In other words, that 7-inch is sexy as hell and will look good in your collection. Come to the show and let the metal take over.  - Nikki McCoy
  

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Shotgun Kitchen. 9 pm.

Pantages Theater Tacoma - Downtown. Roberta Flack. All Ages. 7:30 pm. $49-$109. Read Nikki McCoy's interview with Roberta Flack in the Weekly Volcano's music section.

Rock the Dock Pub & Grill Tacoma - Downtown. 80s Night featuring Height Requirement. 9 pm. NC.

Spar Cafe Olympia - Downtown. Tattered Dress. 8 pm. NC.

The Track House Olympia. Shadows Tape/CD Release Show, with Huldrekall, Bison Bison, Lichen. 9 pm.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Gimp Bus. 9 pm.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Jim Malcolm. All Ages. 8 pm. $10-$15.

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

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Capitol Theater Olympia - Downtown. An Evening with ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro. All Ages. 7 pm. $30.

• The ukulele has had a moment over the course of the last half-decade. Unfortunately, to some, this has come in the form of tweeer-than-thou renditions of classic songs that are so disgustingly adorable your ears and heart melt. But, the "Jimi Hendrix of the ukulele" Jake Shimabukuro is not resigned to over-simplistic chord based apathy. Shimabukuro uses the micro-instrument to its full potential - beautifully interweaving instrumental odes with a maestro's touch. It is no wonder the Hawaiian born Shimabukuro has racked up untold millions of plays on Youtube. With a legion of fans, that include even the Queen of England, Shimabukuro is his generation's master of the ukelele. His latest album, Peace, Love, Ukelele, brings a lush orchestral accompaniment, produced by Alan Parsons no less!, and helps cement Shimabukuro firmly where he belongs - in a cannon of great, virtuosic musicians. Shimabukuro brings his nimble fingers and affable personality to Olympia's Capitol Theater Saturday; for anyone looking for a performance that may change their preconceived notions of the instrument, this is it. - Timothy Grisham
  

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. The Staxx Brothers. 9:30 pm. NC.

Forza Coffee DuPont. Champagne Sunday. All Ages. 8 pm.

Harmon Tap Room Tacoma - Stadium District. Juice Radio 7th Anniversary Celebration. Featuring Bryce Bowden, Heather Gin, Ol Small, Beanz N Rize. 9 pm. $5.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Heartless (Heart tribute). 8 pm.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. The Living Deadbeats, Vex, Waste. All Ages. 4 pm. Uncle Pooch, Devil Hunts Me Down. 10 pm.

The Loch's Tacoma - Downtown.Rappin 4 Tay, Tim-Me, MC Controversy, $krilla. 9 pm. $15-$20.

• Saturday, the choices just keep coming. At The Loch's in downtown Tacoma, California legend Rappin 4 Tay is back. He has a good network going with Tom Hutch and P.M.E., as this is at least the second or third time they have brought up the Bay-Area MC. Tim-Me, MC Controversy and $krilla, as well as others, will be on hand to host and open. Show is $15 before 9:30 p.m. and $20 after, so get there early. - Josh Rizeberg
  

The Olympia Ballroom Olympia - Downtown. Love Our Local 2013 Winter Festival & Fundraiser, featuring Sean Gaskell, Rag Dharma, Flamenco Dancing, Erev Rav, Sara Sparrow & Kymberly Cardamom, Red & Ruby, The Hinges. All Ages. 7 pm.

• Read Nikki McCoy's full feature on Love Our Local Fest Saturday, Feb. 9 in the Weekly Volcano's Arts section.

The Rose House Olympia - Westside. Eleanor Murray, Kendl Winter, Sawtooth, Woolen Warrior. All Ages. 8 pm. $5-$10.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Billy Farmer, Sway (Rolling Stones tribute). 8 pm.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Crosswalk. 9 pm.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Bill Evans. All Ages. 8 pm. $10-$15.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Sons Of Palmer. 9 pm.

LINK: Saturday, Feb. 9 live music, DJS and comedy in the greater Tacom and Olympia area

FRIDAY, FEB. 8 2013 >>>

1. For its 2012-13 season, Tacoma Opera is all about girl power. Its next installment of feminine mystique is La tragedie de Carmen staged at 8 p.m. inside Rialto Theater. Peter Brook’s La tragedie de Carmen is a stripped-down version of the famous Georges Bizet opera Carmen. The story focuses on passionate gypsy girl Carmen, who seduces a very naïve soldier named Don Jose. Jose leaves his steady and faithful girlfriend, but then Carmen in turn ditches poor Jose for someone else. Pimpin' really truly ain't easy. As the show's title suggests, much tragedy ensues.

2. Distinguished writers, poets, playwrights, short story writers, and people who scribble on cocktail napkins will step up to the mic from 7-9 p.m. as part of the Distinguished Writer Series and Open Mic at King's Books. Kelli Russell Agodon, author Letters from the Emily Dickinson Room, winner of the White Pine Press Poetry Prize, will take lead.

3. There are some hobbies you should just pick up. Stamp collecting is not one of them. Neither is anything involving plastic model kits. Now, these pastimes have nothing inherently wrong with them; they've just become rather, well, mockable over the years. They just can't be taken seriously anymore. They're not cool. And we all know you have to be cool. And these just don't cut it. Not like ice skating does. It's cool, both literally and figuratively.  Think about it: you get to go really fast; there's a high potential for injury; and if you get really, really good, really, really, really quickly, you'll probably end up winning a Gold Medal in the next Olympics. The ice skating show returns to a new ice arena at Sprinker Recreation Center Feb. 8-10 for five performances.  The theme of this year's show is Once Upon A Dream and features Olympic Silver Medalist Ben Agosto and United States Ladies Champion and Olympian Rachael Flatt. Take that, loser bird-watchers!

4. American pianist William Ransom headlines the University of Puget Sound's 23rd Annual Piano Festival at 7:30 p.m. inside Schneebeck Concert Hall. The Boston-born and technically perfect pianist has performed everything and done everything. The fact that he's going to take time and teach budding talent the next day in workshop settings is pretty cool.

5. It's a hot summer evening and Julie Rodgers has had a bad day. She's lost her job, and is broke and disillusioned. Her roommate Alice has lost her boyfriend and is in the midst of an eating frenzy. Enter a pizza delivery man who agrees to come in and share a beer with them. Little does he know what's in store for him. The evening gets crazier, wilder, angrier, and very funny. That's what you can expect at 8 p.m. inside the Midnight Sun Performance Space when Prodigal Sun Productions presents Pizza Man.

LINK: Friday, Feb. 8 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

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

Cryptatropa Bar Olympia - Downtown. Dark Disco, with Philip Grass, Citymouth, Jffry Dhmr, Komakatt. 10 pm. NC.

Harmon Tap Room Tacoma - Stadium District. Bog Hoppers, Stoned Evergreen Travellers. 9 pm.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Glass Elevator, Alex's Hand, Tri-Anglr. 9 pm.

Live Room Sumner. Oaklawn, Fall City, Just Cuz, Audentia. All Ages. 8 pm.

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. Champagne Sunday, The Frosted Hearts, Dave Hannon, Torre. All Ages. 8 pm.

• With a rotating cast of contributors and performers over the past seven years, the core of Champagne Sunday is the creative brain of Jessi and Jared Fredeen. Jessi's huge, soulful vocals could star on Broadway, on tour with Garbage or in your church choir. Her voice - which draws comparison to Chrissie Hynde and Ani Difranco - ranges from a hushed lullaby to a soaring celebratory wail. Jared, armed with a James Taylor-ish voice, David Gilmore guitar skills and a passion for raw music, can rock star pose when Jessi goes big, then float on a cloud when she takes it into the ethereal edges. As the duo's recent release Heaven Knows proves, you can add Champagne Sunday to any bill, and it works. Unless you are the others bands on the bill, then you'll have to go to work. - Ron Swarner
  

Lucky Eagle Casino Rochester. Randy Linder. 9 pm. NC.

Morso Wine Bar Gig Harbor. Steve Kim Quartet. 8 pm. $8.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District.Wes Sp8, Stewie Crockett, Jarrod Paul Bramson and Emily Madden. 9 pm.

• Wes Sp8 (aka Wes Speight, natch) strikes me as a ravenous consumer of pop music. Though he nonchalantly identifies himself as a singer-songwriter, he seems eager to experiment with just what the term means. From song to song, he tests out different personas of the classic singer-songwriter - whether showing off the swagger and oppressive distance of a Jim Morrison, the chilly command of an Ian Curtis, or the rough, masculine soul of Greg Dulli. As a singer, Speight possesses a soulful voice, which he bends and distorts to fit whatever effect he's going for. Though he plays with a band, it's hard to say if he'll be going solo this evening. The night is dedicated to singer-songwriters, including members of Trees Without Leaves and the delightful solvents. It'll be interesting to see which Wes Sp8 ends up emerging. - Rev. Adam McKinney
  

The Olympia Ballroom Olympia - Downtown. The Polyrhythmics, AKA, The Heart Hurt Goods. All Ages. 9 pm. $10.

Rock the Dock Pub & Grill Tacoma - Downtown. Ghost 211. 9 pm.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Reggae Night. 8 pm.

Swing Wine Bar & Cafe Olympia - Westside. Vince Brown, Greg Ruby. 8 pm.

Tacoma Tea Room Tacoma - Downtown. Grand Opening Party with Shogun Barbie, Shebear and Thee Samedi. All-Ages. 6:30 pm.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Skinny White Samoans. 9 pm.

Vinum Tacoma - Downtown. Lil Ripp and guests. 9 pm.

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

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

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. All Night Yard Sale. Jesse Turcotte's birthday show featuring All Night Yard Sale his Gypsy/Latin/jazz/junk thang. 9:30 pm. NC.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. The Missionary Position, Deborah Page. 8:30 pm. $7.

• The idea of soul and rock becoming increasingly intermingled and on the mainstream radar, with bands like The Heavy and the Black Keys, is one that I've wrestled with over the past couple years. Of course, the issue of credibility and appropriation are always going to be present in the discussion, but to my ears the bigger issue is something much more intangible - a bristling that comes up my back, and I can't help but picture Blueshammer from Ghost World. Better than the large part of rock bands incorporating soul touchstones, The Missionary Position manage to emerge relatively unscathed from these comparisons. Their combination of alt-rock, post-grunge influences and '70s soul flourishes is tasteful and seemingly completely sincere, which helps a great deal in avoiding that bristling feeling. - Rev. Adam McKinney

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Soccer Babes, Statue & Cowboy. 9 pm.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Santee. 8 pm.

• After living and traveling in Europe for the past year or so, singer-songwriter Heater Loepp has finally made her return to Washington. As the frontwoman for indie folk-pop outfit Santee, she started turning heads with her intimate lyrics, endearingly scratchy vocals and the warm bed of instrumentation provided by the rest of the band, which now includes Joel Myers and Conor Sisk from the Speedwobbles, and Spencer Kelley from Basemint. Word is that Santee is in the Swoon Records studio working on their long-awaited debut LP. It'll be about time for a band that has garnered as much good will as Santee has. In the meantime, their return to Tacoma is bound to be a joyous homecoming, full of drunken group hugs and even drunker dancing. — Rev. AM
  

The Pig Bar at South Bay BBQ Olympia - Downtown. The Oly Mountain Boys. 8 pm.

The Red Room Tacoma - Downtown. Bad Influence, Cowardice, No Choice, Malice. 7 pm.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Reggae night with Vibe Project, The Approach. 8 pm.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. Crosswalk. 9 pm.

Tollefson Plaza Tacoma - Downtown. Electric Salchow Stage at Polar Plaza: SweetKiss Momma. The Weekly Volcano presents live music at the Franciscan Polar Plaza every Saturday. All Ages. 7-9 pm. NC for music.

Traditions Cafe and World Folk Art Olympia - Downtown. Vince Brown, LaVon Hardison. All Ages. 8 pm.

Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill Spanaway. Negative Inside. 9 pm.

Westgate Bar and Grill Tacoma - Northend. True Holland, China Davis. 9 pm. $5.

LINK: More live music Saturday, Jan. 5 in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area