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

ONE WAY TO GET YOUR DRINK ON >>>

Remember five years ago when the media were predicting the rise of white trash culture? Well, that was before the real estate crash, which forced some of us to live in trailer parks, not joke about them. So perhaps the whole white trash chic just hits too close to home these days.

The Backstage Bar & Grill has given this market a home. Every Monday night, while DJ Lo spins Top 40, the Sixth Avenue rock club offers $5 40-ounce PBRs, $2 wells, $3 domestic pitchers, $1 Hamm's drafts, $2 mac and cheese and $5.95 steak dinners under the banner White Trash Mondays.

Backstage Bar & Grill

6409 Sixth Ave., Tacoma

LINK: Maybe you'll see these people there tonight

A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE >>>

Do the early-workweek doldrums have you down? Feeling a little groove sensation rising in your blood? Sounds like dance-party time to us. Head over to Magoo's Annex right now for their new Micro Monday's with Dj Melodica aka John Hodgson. He'll be spinning out an ear- and an ass-ful of great punk, post punk, New Wave, early electronica, psychedelia, garage - basically everything but the kitchen sink. It's every Monday at 8 p.m. thing so hit it up tonight. Who really cares if you have poli sci at 8 a.m.?

Magoo's Annex

2710 N. 21st St., Tacoma
253.759.0467

WE DROPPED IN ON LATIN NIGHT >>>

Vanity, the new club to take over the former warehouse turned night spot near the corner of South Tacoma Way and 56th Street, was hopping Saturday night. DJ Mauro has found a new home for his Saturday Latin Night, which spews salsa and Mexi-pop dance music to above-average dancers. The mixed age and ethnic crowd was a constant flow of dancing and chatting over wells and fries. The VIP ($10 bracelets buys access and $5 drinks all night) balcony was empty, largely because the dance floor was full.

LINK: More Vanity photos in our Photo Hot Spot

THIS IS HOW THEY ROCK IT AT ROCK THE DOCK >>>

Last Wednesday, I dropped in on Rock The Dock Pub & Grill's new Old School College Wednesdays with DJ Contagious. And while I wouldn't call it a meat market, and only a few people danced to the dance hits from years past, I still had a rockin' good time. Reps from Snake River Stampede Whiskey were on hand to showcase its new distilled goodness. And tight-jeaned 20somethings in tank tops had to stretch over the pool table to "make the shot."

An added bonus was trading shots and laughs with bar owner Gwendolyn Stence. She said that Tacoma's music scene makers gather there Thursday nights for the open mic.

Oh, and the best part, was carpenter Zachary Tippett's challenging his boss, Jeff Larsen, to dive into the 34 degree neighboring Foss Waterway. Here's a photomontage of how that went down"

The Challenge pregame show

The Challenge throwdown

The Challenge is accepted. Larsen shattered his hand in a fight a week ago.

The Challenge hug

The Challenge paceoff

The Challenge dive!

The Challenge dismount

The Challenge shrinkage

LINK: More photos of the night in our Photo Hot Spot

THE KINGS OF TACOMA NIGHTCLUBS ARE AT IT AGAIN >>>

Jon Tartaglia and Roger S. Rahil, the forces behind popular downtown Tacoma nightclubs The Loft, 21 Commerce, Big Whisky Saloon and countless others, opened their new venture last Friday in the site formerly occupied by The Vault at 1025 Pacific Ave. Designed by award-winning architect Marcelo Rocha, the swanky Encore Boutique Nightclub offers modern elements, mood lighting, leather seating, a state-of-the-art-sound system, European bottle service, private restrooms, and private champagne couches roped off by black velvet ropes and guards in ties for those clubbers willing to pay extra ($350) to ensure they always have fresh drinks and places to sit.

The Weekly Volcano dropped on Encore's grand opening party last Friday. Surrounded by cocktail dresses and men with collars and sport coats, we attached a clip-on and snapped a few shots.

Encore Boutique Nightclub

1025 Pacific Ave., Tacoma
206.335.9139

LINK: More Encore photos here

UNDER THE LIGHTS >>>

The Hype: Thanks to Calvin Murphy, the South Sound has danced its ass off for the last 11 years. Murphy's DJ conglomerate Ocean Grooves produced many popular DJ shows and weekly series over the years, including its initial series at Tacoma's 6th & Proctor Bar & Grill in 1999 featuring regulars Donald Glaude, Omar and dAb. Last night, Murphy launched a whole new venture as manager of Jason Rim's new Gruv Lounge and Nightclub - in the same spot once occupied by the 6th & Proctor B&G, as well as the more popular Hell's Kitchen. Besides booking and running the show, Rim allowed Murphy to design the club - the DJ booth, lighting, video screens and color schemes. To give Gruv's grand opening an extra boost, Murphy hosted his annual Ocean Grooves Halloween Bash in the joint featuring Los Angeles DJ Uberzone and local DJs dAb, Jason Diamond and Mr. Clean. Read more on the new club here.

The Show: Based on last night's grand opening don't expect lots of v-neck-t-shirt-wearing guys doing that up-and-down motion with their arms in appreciation of the music, and perfectly groomed and tanned girls dancing in circles around their purses as that drunk girl high-fives the DJ for playing "Fantasy" by Mariah Carey while she sucks on a rock-candy ring. Instead, a very unpretentious crowd danced, chatted and drank – when they weren't hugging Murphy saying, "It's about time you brought this to Tacoma." The DJs riled up the crowd with fearsome house music and boogie-man beats while Murphy's LED lights constantly changed the interior colors of the club. Oh, and local artist James Allan Tucker's mural in the dance room is very cool. The Weekly Volcano Meat Market correspondent Brett Cihon was in the house. Look for his review in next week's rag.

The Crowd: A large crowd including curious local DJs scoping out the place, plus Bert and Ernie, Spock, Ron Burgundy, Mr. Heatmiser, Iron Man, cats, and a bunch of scary guys.

Overheard: "Man, I should've gotten stoned for this!"

By The Way: Donald Glaude, DJ dAb and Omar will spin Saturday, Nov. 6 at the Gruv.

LINK: More Gruv photos in our Photo Hot Spot

SAX ON A SATURDAY NIGHT >>>

SAX Restaurant and Lounge slaps a big ol' FUZION logo on their Saturday nights, hosting three DJs spinning Top-40, some house and hip-hop. They toss in "The FUZION Girls" and their ridiculous furry boots, Jell-O shots and drink specials bringing in a crowd more concerned about dancing, hooking up and having a great time than frontin'. It's a diverse crowd, which included the gay community and one grandmother this past Saturday.

DJ Mike Yoda and guests will spin during The FUZION Oct. 30 Halloween Party, which includes a costume contest with $500 in prizes, and no doubt more ridiculous boots worn by the FUZION chicks.

FUZION

Saturdays, 9 p.m., $5 cover after 10 p.m.
SAX Restaurant and Lounge
2309 Sixth Ave., Tacoma
253.572.0588.

LINK: More photos of last Saturday's FUZION

I SCENE IT WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 8 >>>

I dropped in on Masa to witness the mating dance of the homo sapiens. The females of the species paradeD in their colorful plummage, while the males showED off their bravado. It was a sparce crowd for Masa's College Night Wednesday.See more photos of the night here.

PLEASURE DOME >>>

Summer is in the air, and all the little boys and girls are wondering with bleary eyes where their next nightlife fix is coming from. We suggest the Cedarwood Dome in Milton.

Levi Lyon of Lyon Pride Music has loaded the nightclub up through June with reggae on Friday nights and rock music on Saturdays. You can peruse the schedules here.

The more interesting note regarding these nights is what's happening around the music stage: glassblowing, fire dancing, drum circles and a Hookah Lounge.  Yup, the Cedarwood has gone Arabian Nights on Milton.

Lyon has opened the Dome's loft to give you a taste of Persian decadence. I caught up with him for the details.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: Tell us about the Hookah Lounge.

LEVI LYON: Its on the third floor overlooking the stage, the Tinder Box has sponsored the nearly 30 flavors of tobacco and our other friends at the Green Room have donated several of our hookahs. Lyon Pride Music provides the free tobacco.

VOLCANO: Describe the feel of the Lounge.

LYON: It's very loungey with five to six table with four to six seats at each table. The prime seats over look the stage so for patrons that get there early they get the hookah experience with a show.

VOLCANO: Is there a cost to get into the Lounge?

LYON: Just admission into the show which ranges from $5-25 usually depending on the talent. The Hookah Lounge is free if you become a VIP member. Patrons can sign up at the club or Text LPM to 68398 to receive VIP treatment.

This weekend the Vinyl Tribe and Dub Lounge International will be working the deck during "Reggae Fridays," and Third Law of Motion, Blue Helix, Ice On The Wing, Actual Depiction and Level rock the Dome's "Smokin' Saturdays." Both nights begin at 8 p.m.

Cedarwood Dome

7404 Pacific Hwy. E., Milton
253.922.5727