SUNDAY, MAY 19 2013 >>>

1. Germany's Oscar submission for Best Foreign Language film, Barbara paints a picture through its striking cinematography and tension-building plot. The film tells the story of a woman named Barbara during the height of the Cold War in Germany in 1980. Barbara is a doctor who is punished for applying for an exit visa and forced to work in an East German hospital where she remains under intense scrutiny.  Winner of Best Director at the Berlin Film Festival, Christian Petzold creates an incredible amount of tension that leaves the viewer on edge. The artistic opening shots are well composed and full of purpose. Each shot is beautiful in a different way than the previous one. Read Cassady Coulter's full feature on Barbara in Northwest Military's Music & Culture section. See the film at 1:55 and 6:45 p.m. in The Grand Cinema.

2. Over the years the Lacey Spring Fun Fair has grown into a great weekend. There are much bigger festivals — Taste of Tacoma, Harbor Days, Freedom Fair — and much smaller neighborhood fairs, bu the Lacey Spring Fun FAir is just the right size, every inch and minute packed with entertainment, car shows, the wacky Kid's World and tons of food. Spring into it from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at St. Martin's University.

3, What started as Paul Manuel's outgrowth of monthly youth jams at Jazzbones on Sixth Avenue has turned into something much more involved; kids of all ages are forming bands, learning to play new instruments, performing and competing through their affiliation with the Puget Sound Music For Youth Association. See it in all its glory at 3 p.m. when Puget Sound Music For Youth Youth-A-Palooza hits The Swiss.

4. Seattle jazz vibraphonist Susan Pascal has taken her music through four tours of Singapore and concerts, workshops and clinics across the United States. Add the Live Jazz @ Marine View show to the list as she performs at Marine View Prebyterian Chuch at 5 p.m.

5. The Lloyd Jones Struggle will showcase their latest original R&B and swingin' blues at their CD Release Show in The Spar at 7 p.m.

LINK: Sunday, May 19 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SATURDAY, MAY 18 2013 >>>

1. "Since the earliest days of our Union, America has been blessed with an unbroken chain of patriots willing to give of themselves so their fellow citizens might live free. Whenever our Nation has come under attack, courageous men and women in uniform have risen to her defense. Whenever our liberties have come under assault, our service members have responded with resolve. Time and again, these heroes have sacrificed to sustain that powerful promise that we hold so dear - life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And on Armed Forces Day, we honor those who serve bravely and sacrifice selflessly in our name," said Pres. Barack Obama in his Armed Forces Day proclamation. So, let's celebrate.

2. Get your Gilligan from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. when the Port of Olympia resurrects the Swantown Boatswap and Chowder Challenge. Boat connoisseurs will be able to peruse boats listed for sale, pick up parts and accessories all while enjoying a little bit of live music and chowder from Thurston County eateries. The chowder contest starts promptly at 12:30 p.m. when 12 local restaurants - including Fish Tale Brew Pub, The Sidewalk Café, Tugboat Annies and Lucky Eagle Casino - will serve their finest clam chowder and compete for "best chowder" honors, voted buy the eating public.

3. The Olympia Youth Chorus is one of those organizations you just can't help but feel good about supporting. With an end goal of nurturing an appreciation for music and choral art in kids as young as kindergarten age, the Olympia Youth Chorus has been going strong for over 16 years. At 4 p.m. in the Westwood Baptist Church, the chorus presents "Bach to Rock" - billed as "a sampling of choral music from J.S. Bach and Hildegard von Bingen to Sister Act's 'Joyful, Joyful.'"

4. Weekly Volcano music critic Rev. Adam McKinney says there's vocal similarities between Bodybox frontman Kurt Lindsay and late cult singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley.  The Rev. says, "Lindsay's voice, like Buckley's (though, of course, no one can truly touch Jeff Buckley, vocally), is simultaneously full of bravado and wounded timidity. It quivers with feeling, though it might be noted that Lindsay's voice often comes across as more lost, searching, which adds a nice element to what is largely music that errs toward modern rock, with some detours to friendly mixers like R&B and folk." See for yourself over a glass or three of wine at 8 p.m. in Cork Wine Bar. 

5. There's a full, complicated backstory of the mARMITs, involving an "inter-dimensional long shoreman/neon harvester named Wildcat," of which the mARMITs are captives. The rest of the narrative we'll leave for them to describe at 10 p.m. in Le Voyeur, but what we will mention is the music, which is a delirious concoction that calls to mind other insane innovators like Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart, with a distinctively populist bent (music-wise) in search of artistic abstraction.

LINK: Saturday, May 18 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

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

INTERN REPORT >>>

When I, Keegan Patterson, the new intern for the Weekly Volcano, was asked if I wanted to write a story, I had to steady myself for fear of collapsing under the weight of my enthusiasm and curiosity. What would I be writing about? Would I get to attend some awesome all-ages show and report on it? Would I meet interesting Tacoma icons and engage them in intellectual interviews? As if to stop my pondering dead in its tracks, Pappi Swarner, the editor, explained the story is about a benefit show in a tiki bar Friday, May 17 - and I had less than 12 hours to finish it.

I'm an innocent, dewy-eyed 18-year-old intern. It's my first story and I can't even go. Ah yes, I thought, so that's how the Volcano rolls. ...

Though I can't go myself, I hope I can convince some of the less age-challenged readers out there to attend an exciting night full of tasty Mai Tais and performances by two skilled and spacey Northwest bands at Tacoma's tiki bar, Tacoma Cabana. The bards in attendance for this tropical bash will be the Olympian electronic bass-synth-synth trio Elbow Coulee and Tacoma natives Death by Stars, a band described as a "21st century Hüsker Dü" by Downtown Joe from KJR Seattle's Bob Rivers Show. DBS guitarist Patrick Galactic describes their sound as "Electropunk," while Andrew Tuller from Elbow Coulee classifies his band as "Northwest Rocktronica." Andrew told me tonight's event is "a meeting of two bands who have the notion to push the boundaries of music as far as we can." When I asked Galactic how he feels about playing a show on the home front, he told me, "In Seattle a Tacoma band can get weird looks" and Death by Stars is "definitely Tacoma proud."

Read more...

Although Yelm is a small town, it is filled with a huge military presence that is best exemplified through the actions of its residents, such as the town's participation in the Memorial Day running event, wear blue: run to remember.

Amanda Huston, an avid runner and longtime military spouse, had seen a similar run described in DuPont. Last year she decided to organize a Yelm version to honor those who've given the ultimate sacrifice.

Though she has not tallied up the RSVPs or pledged miles just yet, Huston is certain that the numbers will far exceed those from last year, especially since there is still time for more to join. To register or pledge miles, visit the run's Facebook. The run - though you are welcome to walk or bike too - will begin at 9 a.m. Monday, May 27 at the head of Tenino Trail. A barbecue lunch, courtesy of donations, will begin at 10:30 a.m., across the street at Yelm City Park.

How far is the run? There is no finish line, although stopping for the barbecue lunch seems like a solid plan.

>>> The group from 2012's first annual wear blue: run to remember Memorial Day run. Planners hope to double attendance this year.

"I am touched everyday by a Goldstar family in my daily life. I know of two more that also live in Yelm who just want their soldiers sacrifice remembered," Huston explained. "That is what our group does. We meet monthly in Yelm to call the names of the Fallen and of our friends, then we run for those who can no longer run."

FRIDAY, MAY 17 2013 >>>

1. Talented artists command the Madera Architectural Elements Showroom semi-monthly, illuminating their work and creativity with the visually aided enhancement implied by the name of the series, TRIPOD Slide Shows. Created by Tacoma artist Lynn Di Nino, the night of digital slides features three artists and one creative theme.  The next TRIPOD Slide Show slides into Madera tonight from 7-8:30 p.m. featuring 15-minute slide shows by Mady Murrey will show slides of art hidden at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital, nationally syndicated political cartoonist Chris Britt and Oregon’s "Barbie Lady" LaVonne Sallee.

2. The annual Military Retiree Appreciation Day event runs from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Hangar 9, building #1166, on JBLM-McChord Field. Event officials are expecting approximately 2,000 military beneficiaries to attend, who will enjoy the Madigan Healthcare System Health Fair, ID card issuance and replacement opportunities, the Legal Assistance Station, Vehicle registration fun, the VA Compensation Review Station and the Veterans Information Expo.

3. Grit City Comedy Club will be closed for three weeks while Malarkey’s Pool & Brew hosts the APA League Championship for Pierce County May 17-June 1. Winners will move onto the Nationals in Las Vegas.

4. Paula McLain wrote The Paris Wife, a novel that captures the love affair between Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley Richardson. McLain paints a real sense of their daily life - Hemingway's charisma, genius, stinginess and cruelty that apparently could erupt with no warning - and the citizens of Pierce County know this. For the past two months, thousands have been reading the book as part of the Pierce County READS program. At 7 p.m., McLain will drop in on the McGavick Conference Center to discuss the book, and the life of the famous couple.

5. Local Internet NWCZ Radio knows music. It's not only obvious from their daily shows, but also in the live shows they produce — as in the case of the 9 p.m. presentation of Ben Union, Perry Acker and The Furniture Girls at the Harmon Tap Room in Tacoma.

LINK: Friday, May 17 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

THURSDAY, MAY 16 2013 >>>

1. Rose Windows evokes the sounds of American and British psychedelia of the late '60s, while also incorporating elements of proto-metal acts like the Gun and Black Sabbath, even managing to emulate those earlier psych bands' cannibalizing of world music. Catch the band at 8 p.m. with La Luz and Happy Noose at Northern in downtown Olympia.

2. It's bike night at the Tacoma Art Museum. Ride your bike to Tacoma Art Museum and enjoy an evening of art activities that you can combine to your bike. Learn about Bike to Work Month and see a collection of photos as part of 253bike. Enjoy free admission to the Tacoma art Museum from 5 to 8 p.m. and receive a free Eric Carle bookmark at the Admissions Desk.

3. At 5:45 p.m., Tacoma Deputy Mayor Marty Campbell will jump on the Tacoma ART BUS as its celebrity tour guide. It's Campbell's second or third tour as host. He knows the routine. He knows jokes. And he knows the city like the back of his hand, so if something happens to the bus driver, Campbell could drive the bus to the designated stops: Rampart, Art Stop, FabLab, Bleach, Mica, 253 Collective and The Social. Reserve your spot here.

4. Film reviewer Robert Horton will pull up a bale of hay at 7:30 p.m. in the Olympia Timberland Library. Horton will explain how the Western movie was America's bedrock mythology for the first 70s years of film history, but during the hippie era the genre the "revisionist" Western took up a fiercely critical argument with the past: In the disillusioned age of the counterculture and Vietnam, you could no longer distinguish heroes from villains by the color of their hats. Horton thinks because of the dramatic changes seen in Westerns, the genre forces us to look critically at our own myths: Why do we need the clarity of "good guys" and "bad guys" at certain times? Why do we sometimes embrace a more ambiguous view of human nature? How do these movies challenge us - and what happens when a movie forces us to question our long-cherished beliefs? Will Horton hear from you?

5. The Twang Junkies will fill The Swiss with rockin' country tunes beginning at 9 p.m.

LINK: Thursday, May 16 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Watch E.T. croak out "Ell-i-ot" and fly across the moon in his iconic bicycle basket at Olympia's historic Capitol Theater tomorrow, then head out and scope Sigourney's bald head on the big screen in the classic creeper Alien from the comfort of your car at Shelton's historic Skyline Drive-In Theater.

ET shows 6:30 p.m. and Alien shows at 9 p.m.

Both screenings are a benefit to raise money to convert to digital cinema equipment -essential in keeping the theaters alive. Well, technically Skyline Theater just met their goal of $40,000 through a kickstarter campaign, but the show must go on.

"By the end of 2013, most Hollywood film studios will stop making 35mm film and convert entirely to digital distribution," reads the event hype. "This conversion will save billions for studios, which no longer need to make and distribute film prints, but has left historic theaters scrambling to finance equipment in excess of $60,000-$80,000."

Since 1964, Skyline has provided a place for families to enjoy first-run Hollywood movies from the backs of their pickups or with driver seats reclined. This special event includes a beer and wine garden for those older than 21 and a "special treat" for those that attend both screenings.

The Capitol Theater has been at the heart of the Olympia community since its incarnation in 1924 and Olympia Film Society, owners of the theater, have been a beacon in the film community since 1980.

Proceeds will be split between the two groups.

E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, 6:30 p.m., Thursday, May 16, Capitol theater, 206 Fifth Ave., Olympia, $8, website

ALIEN, 9 p.m., Thursday, May 16, Skyline Drive-In, 180 SE Brewer Road, Shelton, website

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15 2013 >>>

1. Why go on a beer run when you can participate in a beer walk. We don't know what that means, but we do know this: Downtown On the Go's Walk Tacoma tours are awesome, and at 5:15 p.m. local historian Michael Sullivan will lead the tour through Tacoma's Brewery District. For 45 minutes Sullivan will point out interesting buildings in the downtown Tacoma historic district, drop Tacoma historical facts and drink Tacoma beer with the group at the post walk party at Harmon Brewery & Eatery. The walk, sponsored by Union Bank, begins at the top of the University of Washington Tacoma stairs at South 19th and Jefferson then weaves through the district like a person drunk on beer.

2. Australian artist Nick Mount with American artist Richard Marquis will be inaugurating the 2013 Visiting Artists Summer Series in the Hot Shop at Museum of Glass today through Sunday, May 19. Since working amongst the pioneers of hot glass in Australia in the early 1970s, Mount has been one of that country's pre-eminent glass artists. His work combines virtuoso technique with a keen instinct for design. He has exhibited in Europe, South America, the United States and Japan and is recognised internationally for his exhibition work, commissions and teaching. He's kind of a big deal.

3. The "World War II" exhibit is on display at Karpeles Manuscript Museum housing the Japanese flag captured at the Battle of Okinawa and the navigator's flight log of the Enola Gay Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber at the time of its dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. It's open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

4. Held every Wednesday at 8 p.m. at Dorky's Arcade, Trivia for Dorks is 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.

5. Little Wings, aka Kyle Field, is an instantly engaging performer. Whether it is huddled under a blanket softly singing to a small handful of listeners, or bellowing out his caterwaul warbled yelp in small theaters, there is a striking intimacy in his approach. At 8 p.m., Little Wings takes his roadshow to the "guesthouse" with guests Lee Baggett and Globelamp. It is a house show, so be polite, double check the Facebook invite for more information and most of all enjoy the experience.

LINK: Wednesday, May 15 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

If you're going to celebrate Armed Forces Day Saturday with the family, you might skip the breastaurant Hooters. Hanging out with the kids at Hooters makes as much sense as watching as gathering The 40 Year Old Virgin on Christmas morning. However, if it's just you and your fellow Soldiers looking for some wings after festivities at Joint Base Lewis-McChord or the big parade in Bremerton, Hooters with its orange interior and 1984-era wind shorts could hit the spot. Hooters is giving away 10 wings to all active and retired military personnel with a beverage purchase.

Now that's something to salute.

ARMED FORCES DAY, Saturday, May 18, Hooters, 6812 Tacoma Mall Blvd., Tacoma, 253.476.9464