A cold, rainy night calls for a freaking fun night of live music ... or a car with heated seats. But because I don't know how to install heated seats, I give you photographs from a freaking fun night of live music at Bob's Java Jive. Before a fairly full venue, The Ram Rams, Murder Party, MC Mike Kopf and the Tacomen rocked it, playing musical members as they swapped out keyboards and drummers here and there. Photography by Steve Dunkelberger
Saturday night, The High Rollers filled Dawson's Bar and Grill at 56th and South Tacoma Way with tight chords, jam riffs and classic rock from the Doors, Santana, and the golden age of rock. Photography by Steve Dunkelberger
The dodo's extinction didn't expire "The DODO show" at Mad Hat Tea Company. The bird graced Mad Hat's first tea label - Pai Mu Dan, a white tea from Fujian, China - so owners Maureen and Tobin thought, "why not center a show around the dodo."
And in true Mad Hat fashion, March 11 they kicked off the show with a big party featuring treats from Puget Sound Piazza and Corina Bakery, beer, wine, music by singer-songwriter Stephanie Johnson ... and the participating artists in the house.
Drop by Mad Hat Tea Company in the next month to see the show before it goes the way of the dodo.
Mad Hat Tea Company
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday
1130 Commerce St., Tacoma
253.441.2111
Photography by Steve Dunkelberger (crowd) and Pappi Swarner (art)
We draped scribe Steve Dunkelberger in beads and shoved him out the door to find a local Mardi Gras party. He ended up at the Peabody Waldorf Gallery's soiree. The crowd was light and subdued but grew as the evening progressed. A lull allowed Dunkelberger to jet over to The Mix to wish Johanna Gardner a happy birthday and catch up with other members of her burlesque troupe. Below are Dunkelberger's shots of the night.
Stonegate's Tuesday Blues Jam has been growing as news has spread about a place where blues fans can enjoy award-winning pizza, 10,000 different rums, and watch the area's best blues musicians riff, jam, experiment and practice outside their normal band or schedule. Guitarist Rafael Tranquilino keeps the jam on track in Stonegate's Rum Lounge, beginning around 8:30 p.m. Photography by Steve Dunkelberger
You know a neighborhood bar kicks ass if it doesn't sport video games, pool tables or foosball and people still hang around and drink beer. No one was even playing darts. Friday, a lively crowd stood around talking as if they were at a high school house party. Welcome to Doyle's Public House. Photography by Steve Dunkelberger
The Grand Cinema hosts its annual Academy Awards Party Sunday, Feb. 27 inside the Theatre on the Square in downtown Tacoma. Everything was running smoothly on the surface. Folks entered on the red carpet to discover free makeup sessions from Embellish MultiSpace Salon, a silent auction, beer, wine, Academy Awards ballot contest, a costume contest, raffle prizes - and a sold out event. Behind the scenes organizers were dealing with a failed primary over-the-air signal from Hollywood. Emcee Marty Campbell did a brilliant job entertaining the crowd - a crowd that was reduced by 90 percent once the announcement was made that the broadcast was going to be carried out on a backup Internet signal, which resembled watching video on aol in the early '90s. Those who left received their money back. Those who stayed enjoyed the show that often connected in real time, as well as a steady stream of free gifts. The night ended up being more fun than anyone who stayed imagined.
Photography by Steve Dunkelberger
After the Dockyard Derby Dames battled it out Saturday night at the Pierce College Health Ed. Center, the women's flat track roller derby league from Tacoma partied it up at the Steilacoom Pub and Grill. Photography by Steve Dunkelberger
Last night inside the Pierce College Health Ed. Center, Tacoma's roller derby league - the Dockyard Derby Dames - opened its fifth season with fierce battles. It was a sold out bout that had some of the closes scores on record. The Femme Fianna would pull away from the Marauding Mollys with incredible moves and strategy, only to have the gap diminished. In the end, the Fianna edged the Mollys 138 to 125. And how many times was Femme Fianna's Snickerbrutal in the penalty box?
The Trampires and Hellbound Homewreckers match was just brutal - the floor was littered with bodies. After around five minutes of tally, and tally again, the season four champions The Trampires bit the Homewreckers by one point, 145 to 144.
Photography by Steve Dunkelberger
The Weekly Volcano dropped in on the opening night of the 253Heart Music Festival Friday, Feb. 25. The Hub Event Space's all-ages crowd was light through most of the night, but the Hub and Harmon Tap Room held a large crowd act after act. Photography by Steve Dunkelberger
Thursday, Feb. 17 was the first annual Best of Olympia Issue party hosted by everyone's favorite free South Sound alternative weekly, the Weekly Volcano. And what a party it was. Held at The Brotherhood Lounge in downtown Olympia, this inaugural event had many things working in its favor. The Broho was voted Best All-Around Bar by our readers for a good reason. We provided free pizza from Oldschool Pizzeria. The music was rockin'. And there were lots of people enjoying themselves on a cold Olympia night.
Weekly Volcano photographer Steve Dunkelberger dropped in on Masa restaurant on Tacoma's Sixth Avenue Saturday night to check out the scene. He found a packed house dancing to DJs spinning Latin rhythms.
Nosh League, the Weekly Volcano's foodie and drinkie group, tasted chocolate paired with wine, port and beer at Thursday, Feb. 10 inside Beyond the Bridge Café in Tacoma. We snapped a few pics below. To join the group, click on the Community link at the top of this website.
Don't look now, but goldfish racing has hit the Harmon Tap Room every Tuesday night.
The rules are very simple: 1) pick your fish 2) name it something vulgar 3) grab a water spayer 4) spray your fish across the finish line and 5) win $50 cash.
Last Tuesday a mixed-age crowd of flounder fans raced, cheered and pounded Harmon brews.
Losers don't always have to be eaten. I learned that a bit too late. Sorry Sushi, you were a noble racer and a tasty treat to go along with the Vanilla Porter on tap.
Photography by Steve Dunkelberger
Saturday, Jan. 29, Voxxy Vallejo played its last gig before the local rocking juggernaut takes a break for a few months to compose and record a new, as yet untitled CD. Expect the new songs to come out in late spring or summer. This will be the band’s second album.
The Road to South By 2011 battle of the bands contest ??" a joint effort between Seattle-based Brave New World Media Group and Joe Gingerella’s Black Ice Booking & Entertainment ??" took a break from its home at El Corazon in Seattle to stop by Tacoma’s Hell’s Kitchen last night. Rock duo All Eyes Closed, rapper Perry Porter and hip-hop group Black Stax battled it out before a sparse crowd ??" at least in the music room. A large, lively crowd of Tacoma Thursday Runners held a post-run celebration in the adjoining restaurant section, briefly appearing in the other half of the venue before, well, running out the door. Porter won the contest and will compete at El Corazon in Seattle. The highlight of the night was a special performance by Brave New World Founder Shyan Selah and his band The Republic of Sound.
Jeanne Hopkins, the singer and songwriter better known as Jeanlizabeth, hosts an open mic at 8 p.m. every Sunday in the Steilacoom Pub and Grill. For a bar far from downtown Tacoma holding a new event after a big football game, the night went well. Damn some of the locals can play their six strings.
The night’s entertainment included poetry readings, original songs and rock covers from Pink Floyd to modern hits.
Jeanlizabeth performed several songs off her forthcoming spring release, All Kinds of Love.
Photography by Steve Dunkelberger
Colin Sannes turned the big 40 on Friday with an epic time at Puget Sound Pizza, where he normally hosts weekend karaoke and holds court as king of the mic. The kilted wonder received his share of free shots and well wishes. He also got more tackle hugs than a Seahawks wide receiver, one of which left a knot on his head when he took a digger in the parking lot. But that is a story for another time. Imagine, a birthday party for Colin and only one ambulance was called. That is moderation in Tacoma terms.
Colin also hosts the Tacoma Cult Movie Club 7 p.m. every second Sunday and third Monday at the Acme Grub Cage in downtown Tacoma.
Photography by Steve Dunkelberger
We sent photographer Steve Dunkelberger to The Mix last night to check out their Monday Bar Stool Bingo night. He discovered the standard bingo game matched with witty banter between host Charles Jaffries felt like Thanksgiving dinner at his house. The sea of mostly gay chaps joked around like they were in their own living rooms, the sort of fun a great bar offers. Such is the case for The Mix, even for a lone straight dude like Dunkelburger.
Bar Stool Bingo
Mondays, 9 p.m., no cover
The Mix, 635 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma
253.383.4327
Photography by Steve Dunkelberger
Wikipedia says, "Sunday night blues is an acute condition, mostly affecting nine-to-five workers and students."
Wikipedia is full of crap.
Sunday night blues is an awesome condition, mostly affecting a graying crowd of music lovers. For as long as we can remember, the Spar in Old Town Tacoma, with the help of promoter Ted Brown and his crew, has hosted blues bands every Sunday night from 7-10 p.m. This past Sunday, the Dana Lupinacci Band commanded the far left corner, inspiring the crowd to tap their feet as they downed bowl after bowl of chowder.
Photography by Steve Dunkelberger
