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Friday night, I bar hopped around Tacoma with my camera. It was a full-meal deal of live music and audiences wackiness.

The first course of the night was a family set at C.I. Shenanigans along the Ruston Way waterfront. Gina Belliveau and Cottonwood Cutups were in the Fireplace Room, performing before date couples, families and old dudes snapping their fingers to the down beat. A kid or two played games on cell phones as the music blasted the room. Belliveau packed a lot of power into a spritely frame while Cottonwood did ... well, what Cottonwood does ... brought the thunder. See more photos from the Shenanigans show in the Weekly Volcano's Photo Hot Spot.

The next morsel came with The Front featuring RJ Medeiros playing at Rock the Dock Pub & Grill. The band brought out the power ballads for a mix of over 50 rockers and those who love them. The jam proved that age is just a number - some of those folks can cut a rug with the best of them. See more photos from the Rock the Dock show in the Weekly Volcano's Photo Hot Spot.

My main entrée was a delicious set by the Kim Archer Band at Jazzbones. The band brought its signature soul and energy to the stage with a tight set of classic R&B covers. See more photos of the Jazzbones show in the Weekly Volcano's Photo Hot Spot.

For dessert, I went for the weird. After the KAB show, the Jazzbones crowd was well lubricated for BZ Productions' Mardi Gras Costume Contest, complete with full-on bead craving hotties. With $100 for best Mardi Gras outfit on the line, and DJ Switch behind the deck, BZ asked the Jazzbones crowd to stay away from the trashy look. It got trashy. Fast. See more photos from the Mardi Gras Party in the Weekly Volcano's Photo Hot Spot.

LINK: Weekly Volcano Photo Hot Spot

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BZ Productions knows how to throw a party, if the definition of party includes booze, fist pumping, short skirts and low necklines. BZ hosted a "Naughty or Nerd" contest Friday, Jan. 25 at Jazzbones in Tacoma. One hundred dollars was the prize money. Victor Menegaux was behind the turntables.

Suffice it to say, the audience cheered loudest for one naughty nerd because ... well, the beauty had blouse issues.

LINK: More photos from Naughty or Nerd night at Jazzbones

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Encore Boutique Nightclub in downtown Tacoma hosted Playboy's Ring Card Contest featuring Tacoma's Playmate and former St. Pauli Girl Stacy Fusion as a judge Friday night. The top ladies moved on to last night's EQC Battle at the Boat: 82 where one lucky girl was chosen be a ring card girl at a fight this summer at the world famous Playboy Mansion in California and a chance to be featured in Playboy Magazine.

LINK: See more in our Photo Hot Spot

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Remember when there used to be go-go dancers instead of come-come dancers? No, we're not talking about Circus Circus. We're spitting out all these doubles because there's something seriously wrong wrong with our head after Encore Boutique Nightclub's go-go dancer competition Friday. Our concentration hasn't been the same. "The Beautiful People" swarmed the dance floor, VIP lounges and, well, every nook and cranny.

LINK: More photos of the night

TUESDAY NIGHT TEAM TRIVIA >>>

At a typical trivia night one sits around drinking beer, occasionally feeling really smart, and mostly feeling pretty stupid. It's like your average night of drinking, but you can blame the game instead of your social skills. Every Tuesday night, Farrelli's Wood Fire Pizza on Tacoma's Sixth Avenue draws a mixed crowd to its trivia night, although the crowd generally has the same interests as Farrelli's posts the night's trivia topic on its Facebook. Last Tuesday's movie trivia session was hot with the younger set.

The cool thing about Farrelli's trivia night is they design it to be interactive and social with a team concept rather than a bury your head into a ballot sort of thing.

Trivia Night

9 p.m. Tuesdays, gift certificate awards
Farrelli's Wood Fire Pizza
3518 Sixth Ave., Tacoma
253.759.1999

LINK: More photos in the Photo Hot Spot

AIR GUITAR CONTEST >>>

The perfect outlet for people who think Rock Band requires too many real guitar skills will arrive in Lakewood Saturday night.

The folks from The Schooner Pub & Galley — who will host a Hot Legs Contest tonight at 11 p.m. — will host an Air Guitar Contest tomorrow night at 11 p.m.

Mastering the air guitar takes a lot - just not an actual instrument. Competitors will be judged on technical merit, because the more your invisible fretwork matches to the music, the more you might be able to convince people you're actually playing an invisible guitar, not an air guitar. (Call it the emperor's new Fender.) Not surprisingly, stage presence also matters, because, well, it's all you've got.

[The Schooner Pub & Gallery, Saturday, March 13, 11 p.m., 5429 100^th St. S.W., Lakewood, 253.584.1919]