THE FESTIVAL
Choo-choo
There are some hobbies better kept to yourself. You know, the ones you do alone in your basement late at night. And then there are some truly cool hobbies, like model railroads. These should be celebrated and dragged out in the open for all to admire. Which is why the 12th Annual Model Train Festival, downtown Tacoma’s biggest model railroad exposition (taking into account, of course, the relatively small size of the subjects at hand because they are, of course, models), is being held through Jan. 1, instead of like, a half-hour. This gives you plenty of time to enjoy every floor of the Washington State History Museum filled with operating modular layouts. But remember to look both ways before crossing, and keep your pennies to yourself. — Ron Swarner
[Washington State History Museum, through Jan. 1, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, $6-$8, 1911 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.272. 9747]
THE PARTY
Yo Huggy Bear!
Visiting family in Lakewood this holiday season? They probably don’t have this kind of thing back home in Boise, so you might as well soak in the weirdness. Oh! Gallagher’s hosts a Pimp And Ho costume party Friday night. Costumes are mandatory, and we suspect a T-shirt with the word “costume” scrawled across it in Sharpie marker isn’t going to cut it. So break out those garters and butt floss or toss on that chartreuse zoot suit. — Brad Allen
[Oh! Gallagher’s, Friday, Dec. 28, 8 p.m., 7304 Lakewood Dr. S.W., Lakewood, 253.476.8787]
THE POETRY
Art in the City
How about something that’s always reminded me of the importance of simply enjoying life: doing stuff? You know, stuff. Look around and you’ll see people who can serve as a source of inspiration in your quest to do more stuff. There’s that gal you know who’s always learning a new instrument or tracing the genealogy of her family. There are people who love poetry and art and want other people to love it too. So Friday night do something — go read poetry at Tully’s Coffee. Examine the art on the walls. Ask the poets and artists how they do that stuff. A person could learn to do her own home improvements instead of using the guy who lives downstairs; a person could start a book club with just one other friend; a person could get a leash for her homebound cat and take her for a walk, scornful looks from neighbors be damned! The world is filled with people who do interesting stuff. Why not be one of them? Go read. — Suzy Stump
[Tully’s Coffee, Friday, Dec. 28, 7-9 p.m., $3 suggested donation, Ninth and Broadway, downtown Tacoma, 253.921.1160]
THE NIGHT
The Eve
Yeah, right, like you need the Weekly Volcano Monday tonight. However, there’s that thing you told yourself you were going to investigate or learn about or take a class to study further, and yet you’ve never really gotten around to it. Oh sure, you bought that book two years ago and had a fascinating conversation with that guy who is sort of already doing the thing you would love to learn about, but that was last year, and you were a bit drunk and so was he. So here you are just looking at your shoes going, “Hmm, another year and I still don’t know squat about Taoist philosophy/chakra bingo.” Now 2008 is looking you right square in the Old Navy T-shirt and saying, “All right then, so what have we here? Are you ready to make the best of me and take me out and ply me with wine and soft and gentle yet commanding words, or shall I just shrug and sigh and watch you wither and whimper and say hey maybe next year for sure?” Or simply hie thee to the Weekly Volcano’s Music Calendar, honeychile, scan Monday’s listings and then party away your paltry ideals. — Bobble Tiki
THE PARTY
Broho’s ’80s bash
With New Years Eve upon us, a few questions are in the forefront of most people’s minds.
“What should I do? Where should I go? How drunk should I get?”
The Weekly Volcano is here to help. While this rag always (and I mean always) advocates one more cocktail, the question of what to do this New Years Eve isn’t as easily answered.
If you’re in Olympia, let me recommend the Brotherhood’s New Years Eve Party with DJ DeadAir. If you’re a seasoned Oly vet, you likely recognize DJ DeadAir from past parties at the Broho, not to mention many storied performances at Thekla back in the day. DJ DeadAir’s mastery at spinning and mixing ’80s hits is unmatched. Period. There’s no way his New Years Eve performance at the Broho will be topped anywhere in the Capitol City.
Even better, it’s cheap and for a good cause. Just two bucks at the door will get you in, and half of all proceeds will go to Safeplace. There’ll be party favors for the first 100 folks in the door, and Absolut drink specials will keep Oly’s finest groovin’ all night long — or at least into the wee hours of ’08.
“DJ DeadAir has DJ’d New Years Eve at the Brotherhood for the lat four years, and before that he did our New Years Eve Party at Thekla for, like, eight years in a row. There’s a bit of tradition going on here you might say,” says Brotherhood owner Pit Kwiecinski.
“(DJ DeadAir) makes it hard to leave the dance floor, you know what I mean? And half the money from the door goes to Safeplace, a shelter for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.”
As for New Years resolutions, the Broho has just a couple. Look for the club to “improve foreign relations” over the next year, as well as make a concerted effort to “keep gum off the floor.”
New Years Eve at the Brotherhood. If you find yourself in Oly when 2008 hits, now you have a plan. — Matt Driscoll
[The Brotherhood Lounge, Monday, Dec. 31, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., $2, 119 Capitol Way N. Olympia, 360.352.4153]