TASTY! >>>

Simple beer math, courtesy of Tacoma Brewing Company: November is cold and alcohol makes you warm, so by way of booze logic, the TBC beer tapping Friday night was equivalent to the warmest snuggle-buddy in all the land!

Morgan Alexander tapped several of his brews in a tasting party environment at his St. Helens neighborhood cafe, Amocat Cafe.

If you're a fan of doppelbock, oak aged imperial stout, ginger ale, port and IPA, you might want to befriend Alexander.

Photographer Steve Dunkelberger snapped, and sipped, at the tasting party. Check out his work here.

WE SCENE IT >>>

DJ Broam's Future Bass night was where Tacoma gathered to hear innovative electronic beats - at least the first Saturday of the month. When its home — Tempest Lounge — closed this summer, the 4-year-old dance night searched for a new home.

For several months Broam has taken residency at The New Frontier Lounge, grabbing the first Saturday and renaming his experience "Midnight Snack," offering glitch hop, heavy electro dance, indie electroclash remixes and the whims of his guest DJs.

Saturday, I popped in on Broam and his guest DJs Bobby Galaxy, Mr. Melanin and DJ Habit. While the crowd has yet to grab the night, the DJs spun infectious, soulful beats backed by lush visuals and classic breakdancing videos.  

The Weekly Volcano will remind you when the next first Saturday rolls around. It's a worthy Snack.

WE SCENE IT >>>

The Saturday before Halloween is when the parties go down. Seems every place is town boasts some kind of scary dance party or costume contest.

Well, how about an event where you can really let loose, stay the night if you want, and possibly win $1,000?

Enter the Red Lion Hotel in Olympia. Saturday the hotel hosted the Haunted Westwater on the Hill Halloween Bash. Westwater on the Hill was the name of the hotel back in the 80s, and the hotel found it fitting to resurrect the past on a night to celebrate the dead.

The whole hotel was decorated, and the entire downstairs was transformed into a Halloween haven. The ballroom, where most of the festivities went down, featured 8,000 square feet of ghoulish delight.

The staff really got into it. Red Lion Sales Manager Kyla Cavanagh dressed as a sexy nurse.

The Joker grabbed the $1,000 top prize.

My vote went to the Derby Girl/Boy.

Below are a few more pics I snapped during the party.

WE SCENE IT >>>

Down at Olympia's Eastside Club, the party was in full swing. Zombies, pharaohs, kitty cats and more packed the dance floor as The Brown Edition played their hearts out at their Soulpocalypse CD release Halloween party.

The band members were also dressed up. My favorite was Animal on the drums. Voted Best of Olympia two years in a row, it's easy to see why when you catch The Brown Edition in action.

How do they pack all those instruments on one stage?

Hoots and hollers and serious booty shaking was how the crowd showed their appreciation for the all the soul, funk and good vibes the band dished out.

Did you make it to the show?

IT'S HAPPENING TONIGHT >>>

It's Saturday, so that means DJs invade the Tempest lounge  - but hark! 'Tis not just any Saturday, my young lad, it is the first Saturday, which means DJ Broam and Bobby Galaxy drop their Future Bass on the swanky cool Hilltop Tacoma lounge. The bass will swoop down and kill you, especially with guest DJ Nick Francis - music director at KPLU/Jazz24 - and his Choppertone in the house. According to hype, expect "a night of Trick Controllers and Baller Beats."

So don't sit against the wall like a loser... or they'll feast on your rotting entrails as well. Enjoy that one!

[Tempest Lounge, Saturday, April 7, 9 p.m. sharp, 913 MLK Way, Tacoma, 253.272.4904]

LINK: NPR story on Nick Francis and his Choppertone

Its Old West saloon style facade and jutting awning are nothing that will ever land it onto some glossy magazine pages extolling the best in Tacoma design. If it weren't for the yellow lettering, you wouldn't notice it at all as your car sails on by.

Well, that place is Buffino's Golden West Restaurant and Lounge. There's nothing surprising or unexpected about the Golden West. It looks on the inside exactly as you would picture it upon viewing the outside. Interesting carpeting, funky smells, low lights, beer signage, pull-tabs and dart machines. It's the sort of neighborhood joint where people just walk in, saddle up to the bar and see what movie is playing on the DVR.

Gailene Donovan shows off the wall of names at Buffino's Golden West Restaurant and Lounge in Tacoma.

A rite of passage - from a casual patron to a "regular" - is the ritual of writing your name on the back of the bar. Yes, you have to ask for the Sharpie by the cash register, but you have to be bold enough to ask for it. Regulars have been writing then names there for decades.

Other draws to the South Tacoma Way watering hole are the $1.75 Rolling Rocks and tasty 100-year-old spaghetti recipe.

Barry Hall tossed down another whiskey at Buffino's Golden West Restaurant and Lounge in Tacoma.

Friday and Saturday nights bring the owner out with his band, the Back Porch Band, to play blues and jazz.

[Buffino's Golden West Restaurant and Lounge, 5228 S. Tacoma Way. Tacoma, 253.471.9892]

LINK: More photos from Buffino's Golden West Restaurant and Lounge

We've come to the point in rock history that there are actually "punk classics," and you know you want to slam a few brewskies, climb on a stage and belt out something - hell, anything - by the Ramones.

This scenario can play out every Thursday and Saturday night at the historic Engine House No. 9 in Tacoma. You pick a tune out of the songbook, host Rev. Colin loads it, you're Joey for three minutes.

Bonus: Rev. Colin possesses a wealth of oddball musical knowledge and a disarming ease for calling everyone "baby."

[Engine House No 9, 10 p.m. Thursday and Saturday, no cover, 611 N. Pine St., Tacoma, 253.272.3435]

WAY BETTER THAN PHOTOS OF SNOW >>>

It's late Friday evening - actually 1 a.m. Saturday - and Weekly Volcano photographer Steve Dunkelberger snaps shots of the 30-something crowd lined up outside the Last Call Bar stretching down to the karate dojo in the Lakewood strip mall. Most of the ladies don slim dresses, which means their entry fee will be waived as part of "Freakin' Dress Fridays."

In the main area, everyone is chill with a martini.

Behind the wall that hides the dance floor. DJ C-Luv has replaces the soul and R&B that dominated the early evening with hip-hop and rap. Yes, there's booty shaking and dry humping, but many ladies really let it loose too on the packed dance floor. It's ear-bleeding loud with heavy bass lines, but there's still a huge chill in the room.

LINK: More photos from the Last Call Bar Friday night

LINK: We scene it

SOMETHING TO SING ABOUT >>>

Sorry we didn't hear about this yesterday, but check the repeat button on your smartphone calendar ... for discounted buckets of Full Sail Session Lagers every Wednesday. Hellz yes.

The Loose Wheel Bar and Grill offers a bucket of five Session lagers for $12. That's a good deal.

The sports bar also discounts its wings and prime rib dinner Wednesdays.

Get there early to Loose-en up for the 9 p.m. karaoke.

[The Loose Wheel Bar and Grill, 6108 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.301.1647]

WATCH OUT FOR SHARP OBJECTS >>>

Laid-back is the essence of Sunday. That means a lazy mid-afternoon brunch, no work, phone off the hook, sweats ... you know the routine. The mere thought of lifting a finger to wash the mountain of dishes in the sink should make you shudder. Only as the sun starts to slip down should you attempt any activities. Then, you should hightail it to Dawson's where Tim Hall opens up it.

The Tim Hall Band hosts the Sunday Night blues Jam at Dawson's Bar and Grill on South Tacoma Way. Frontman "Too Tall" Tim Hall is a towering, workingman  blues guitarist who originally rocked it psychedelic with Jerry Miller in the Bay Area during the '60s. Hall switched to the blues after opening for legendary guitarist Albert Collins at an all-ages venue in South Tacoma called The Break Thru. Gigging with Robert Cray and Jho Blenis, and fine-tuning his chops in several blues groups, he eventually found his home under his own name and has been recording albums and playing every clubs in the Pacific Northwest as the Tim Hall Band for the last 25 years.

Warning: Besides awesome rockin' blues, you'll find hot dart league action Sunday nights at Dawson's. Weekly Volcano photographer Steve Dunkelberger thought his flash would be the death of him. Apparently, dart throwers don't enjoy distractions.

Other than that bar faux pas, Sunday nights at Dawson's are filled with blues originals and covers – and tipsy middle-aged folks swaying to the music.

[Dawson's Bar and Grill, Tim Hall Band Open Jam Session, 8 p.m., 5443 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma, 253.476.1421]

LINK: More photos of the open blues jam