The Gritty City Sirens, a burlesque troupe from Tacoma, will host an "evening of panties and scanties" with a performance on Thursday, July 21, at The Swiss, 1904 Jefferson St., in Tacoma.

The lusty ladies of burlesque will be bumping and grinding to an array of American classics spun by DJ Broam with special guests Lusty Zins of Poledello, Hard Money Saints and Dessi De Vine.

At the end of the night, three lucky guys will have a chance to win a date with three of the Sirens. There will also be a raffle, bake sale and auction. A portion of the evening's proceeds will go to support post-traumatic stress disorder treatment for local Servicemembers. The show starts at 8 p.m., and tickets are $12 at the door.

The USO Puget Sound Area and KMPS 94.1 FM are joining forces to salute military heroes.

If you have a family member or friend in the service that you would like to recognize on The Candy + Potter Show on KMPS, e-mail the following info to solider@kmps.com: Your Name, Solider's Name, Relation to Solider, Your Phone, Any Additional Info on Your Soldier.

Various salutes have already been posted on the station's website.

To see the page, click here.     

As a thank you to military members for their service and sacrifice, Grammy Award-nominated musician John Ondrasik and 13 other artists are contributing their talents to "For the Troops IV."

Beginning today, CD is available for free download to active duty Service members, veterans and their families worldwide with a valid military ID at www.shopmyexchange.com. Another 200,000 hard copies of the CD are being sent to military bases, USO Centers, and other locations across the nation and overseas, courtesy of TriWest Healthcare Alliance and Operation Homefront.

"I'm excited to launch CD ‘For the Troops IV' with a new roster of fantastic artists and great songs," said Ondrasik, who performs under the pseudonym Five For Fighting and spearheaded the CD's development. "This year's CD has a bit more pop and a few surprises, but at its core is a thank you to those whose sacrifices secure our freedom and that of our children."

The complete track listing of "For the Troops IV" is:

• Matchbox 20 - "If You're Gone"
• Wynonna - "What the World Needs"
• Mat Kearny - "Nothing Left to Lose"
• Brandi Carlile - "Before It Breaks"
• Five For Fighting - "Note to an Unknown Soldier"
• Our Lady Peace - "Paper Moon"
• 12 Stones - "We Are One"
• Ingrid Michaelson - "Mountain and the Sea"
• Barenaked Ladies - "Four Seconds"
• Gavin DeGraw - "Free"
• Rocket Club - "One Beautiful Thing"
• Finger 11 - "Gather and Give"
• Ryan Star - "Last Train Home"
• John David Kahn - "American Heart"

"Like John Ondrasik, we strongly believe that music can be an effective and healthy mental break during times of stress or family separation," said TriWest President and CEO David J. McIntyre, Jr. "We are exceptionally grateful for individuals like John and the other contributing artists who are driven to thank our Service members in memorable ways and who encourage others to do the same. It is an honor for TriWest to partner with John and Operation Homefront to distribute the CDs."
Ondrasik previously released music compilations of CD "For the Troops" in 2007 and 2008, and a comedy version in 2009. To date, more than 1,000,000 tracks featured on the CD have been downloaded at www.shopmyexchange.com, and another 800,000 CDs were pressed and delivered to Service members and veterans worldwide.
  

The Broadway Center for the Performing Arts in Tacoma brings military families an evening at the theater. The Broadway Center is hosting a "Welcome Home Heroes" event in conjunction with Jo Dee Messina.

To honor those serving the country, tickets are buy one, get one free when you show your active military ID at the time of purchase. The show is Sunday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m., and tickets run from $34 to $64.

For more details, click here.

MICHAEL SWAN: ROCK OF AGES >>>

Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen and his wife, Lauren Monroe, talk about the band's current tour on Command Performance on the Pentagon Channel. They also discuss their Raven Drum Foundation, which helps veterans, their families and others through recovery from trauma.

BOBBLE TIKI: THE ANNUAL BLUES COMPETITION KICKS OFF TODAY >>>

It's Back to Beale Street time again - which for Bobble Tiki feels a little more like Back to back to back to back to Beale Street.

Every year the Back to Beale Street competition, which is sponsored by the South Sound Blues Association, is one of the highlights of Bobble Tiki's year. For blues fans not content to sit at home with Robert Johnson recordings, the yearly Back to Beale Street competition is just about as hot as it gets. Every year since the SSBA created the Back to Beale Street competition in 2005, Bobble Tiki has covered it like a moth to a flame - which makes this year's fifth annual event feel a little like déjà vu - in such a good way.

What is the Back to Beale Street blues competition, newbies may be wondering. Read the full story here.

[Jazzbones, Back to Beale Street Blues Competition,
featuring Malcolm Clark, Heather B Blues & Hurricane Andrew, JD
Hobson, Junkyard Duo, The Randy Oxford Band, Stacy Jones Band, The
Wright Brothers, The Mary McPage Band, Cold Shot, The Al Earick Band,
The Wired Band, Blues Redemption, The Cody Rentas Band, Sunday, June 7,
2 p.m., $10, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169]

Photo: Randy Oxford Band/MySpace

MATT DRISCOLL: LUSHY UPS THE SWANK AT THE NEW FRONTIER LOUNGE >>>

Not only does Lushy have a name I can relate to - having once woken up after a night of college binge drinking with the same thing written in Sharpie on my forehead - but the band, as close as musically possible, at least - personifies, '60s lounge coolness. As a musical entity, Lushy is like a Rat Pack-ready, cocktail toting, cha-cha trotting swinger - ready for whatever comes its way. Be it breezy bossa nova jams or well dressed pop, Lushy is Sean Connery-era Bond, making whatever room they're in exponentially sexier and swankier. Read the full story here.

[The New Frontier, Lushy with Greenfield, Saturday, June 6, 9 p.m., $5, 301 E. 25th Street, Tacoma, 253.572.4020]

MARK THOMAS DEMING: TEN MILES OF BAD ROAD AT THE JAVA JIVE >>>

It's the stories. Inspired by great musical raconteurs like Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard, they sing 'em and they've got 'em. Read the full story here.

[Bob's Java Jive, with Brotherhood of the Black Squirrel and Johnson County, Saturday, June 6, 8 p.m., $5, 2102 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma, 253.475.9843]

MICHAEL SWAN: HE TAKES TIME OFF FROM TWEETING TO TALK >>>

Chris Cornell, the driving force behind Soundgarden and Audioslave, talks about his new solo album and about music therapy in a conversation with the Pentagon Channel.