THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT'S UP THIS WEEKEND >>>

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Rain showers, hi 54, lo 41

Saturday: More rain, hi 48, lo 39

Sunday: Even more rain, hi 50, lo 37

>>> FEB. 10-12: ENRON

Nothing makes for better theater than tragedy. And satire. And maybe a splash of dark comedy. South Puget Sound Community College's presentation of ENRON, running Feb. 10-12 and 16-19 at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts, should have all three. According to hype, British playwright Lucy Pebble's 2009 play "uses a mix of timeless themes, including classic tragedy and dark comedy, to explore the inner workings of one of the country's largest financial collapses from several new points of view." Who doesn't love watching a good financial collapse live on stage?

• Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts, Feb. 10-12 and 16-19, all performances at 8 p.m. except Feb. 12 and Feb. 19 - both at noon, $13 for the general public and $7 for students, 2011 Mottman Road SW, Olympia, 360.753.8586

THROUGH FEB. 19: THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH

The Phantom Tollbooth, a children's adventure novel by Norton Juster published in 1961, is loved to this day by children and adults alike. While it's easy to see why children connect to young Milo's tale, it also doesn't take much pondering to see why many adults still harbor a soft spot for the book. Luckily for all parties involved, Olympia Family Theater opened a three-week run of the stage version of The Phantom Tollbooth last week at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts - Black Box. Read Christian Carvajal's Weekly Volcano review of The Phantom Tollbooth.

• Washington Center for the Performing Arts - Black Box, Friday - Saturday 7 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m., "Thrifty Thursday," Feb. 9 at 7 p.m., $16 adults, $13 senior/military/student, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia, 360.753.8586

FEB. 10-12: ARTS OLYMPIA SHOW & SALE

Now in its 21st year, the annual Arts Olympia Show and Sale this weekend at the Capital Museum Coach House promises, according to hype for the event, to be the best ever. And we're inclined to believe said hype. Why? Well, this year's event hype includes mention of Olympia's new mayor, Stephen Buxbaum, kicking off the festivities during a Friday-night opening reception (a definite plus), and - more importantly - Volcano arts writer and critic Alec Clayton delivering a lecture Saturday afternoon. And did we mention Sunday promises a poetry event featuring members of the Olympia Poetry Network? The three-day show comes under the header Perspectives 2012 and will include the work of nearly 40 local artists. This one's a no-brainer - which is probably why, year after year, the Arts Olympia Show and Sale keeps coming back for more.

• Capital Museum Coach House, Friday, Feb. 10 5-7 p.m. opening reception with Olympia Mayor Stephen Buxbaum, Saturday, Feb. 11 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Alec Clayton speaks at 1 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 12 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. poetry event at 1 p.m., 211 W. 21^st Ave., Olympia, artsolympia.org

FEB. 10-12: THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES AT EVERGREEN

Each year The Vagina Monologues is performed at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, and each year the event is one of the year's most memorable collegiate stage shows. Performed by Greeners, presented by the school's Women's Resource Center, and this year directed by Sam Cori and Cari Pendergrass, The Vagina Monologues of 2012 at Evergreen should live up to tradition. According to Cori, this year an effort is being made to get more non-students to attend - so do your part this weekend.

• The Evergreen State College - Lecture Hall 1, 7-9 p.m., $7 student, $10 general, 2700 Evergreen Pkwy NW, Olympia, 360.867.6000

SATURDAY, FEB. 11: TAHOMA AUDUBON SOCIETY PARTY

Birding just doesn't get the props it deserves. For one, birding and bird watching are fun for geriatrics and non-geriatrics alike. Most folks assume it's only something the old can get into, but they're wrong. Second, birding vests with a bunch of crazy pockets are hella sexy. Just trust us on that one. Saturday, the Tahoma Audubon Society celebrates its 43^rd year with its annual membership banquet and awards ceremony at the Tacoma Landmark Convention Center. According to hype, at the Tahoma Audubon Society Banquet, "Wildlife biologist and photographer Vasiliy Baranyuk will present "Snow Geese and other Wildlife of the Wrangel Island Nature Reserve." And that's just the start of the awesomeness (which, yes, does include a live dessert auction and the 2012 board elections).

• Landmark Convention Center's Temple Theater Ballroom, 5:30 - 9 p.m., $50 per person, 47 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, tahomaaudubon.org

SATURDAY, FEB. 11: CHIPTUNE DISKO

There is a certain segment of the population that is way too into eight-bit video games - specifically, the way those games sounded. These weirdoes have banded together to utilize those primitive sounds in the creation of new music. Their bands are chiptune bands; their members have seemingly uncovered brand new depths of obsession. Saturday, Dorky's Arcade will host several chiptune bands because, well, of course chiptune bands would play at Dorky's. Performers include Awesomecat, Shellshock, Firedrill and Ovenrake, and all the bands will be accompanied by vintage gear like Game Boys. How surreal will it be to dance to fake video game music while - all around you - real video games are lighting up, all abuzz and a-chirp? It'll be like a snake eating its tail. -- Rev. Adam McKinney

• Dorky's Arcade, with Firedrill, Ovenrake, Awesomecat, Shellshock, 9 p.m., $3, 754 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.4156

FEB. 11-12: BERLIN TO BROADWAY WITH KURT WEILL

The Tacoma Opera - and more specifically its "Young Artists" - will take you on a musical journey of space in time this weekend, delving into the works of renowned German-Jewish stage composer (and socialist) Kurt Weill. Weill - who was most active in the 1920s and '30s - is perhaps best known for his collaborations with Bertolt Brecht, including The Threepenny Opera, which will be included in the Tacoma Opera's performances this weekend. Tacoma Opera will also take on selections from Weill's Lady in the Dark and Street Scene.

• Theatre on the Square, 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, $30, 915 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5890, broadwaycenter.org

FEB. 11-12: PASSIONATE PUCCINI

Like emotions? Like, REALLY like emotions? Then you just might go nuts for Giacomo Puccini. The bad news is Giacomo Puccini, championed and ridiculed for his overly-emotional flare, died in 1922. The good news is the Northwest Sinfonietta is bringing Puccini's three great works, Madama Butterfly, La boheme, and Tosca to stages in Puyallup and Tacoma this week just in time for Valentine's Day. Offered under the titling Passionate Puccini, the Northwest Sinfonietta, which self-describes itself as "(a)n orchestra of passion, vision, thrill, and creation - an orchestra that awakens the musical spirit in all of us, performing to sold-out crowds of youngsters, hipsters, and connoisseurs alike," says to expect a an "evening of love, passion, and intrigue" from of Passionate Puccini. The Northwest Sinfonietta also promises its "guest vocalists will fire your imagination with the beloved arias and duets from three of Puccini's most famous masterpieces." That's hot. And it includes the impressive soprano Shana Blake Hill. Catch Passionate Puccini in Tacoma at the Rialto Theater Saturday, Feb. 11 and in P-Town Sunday, Feb. 12 at Pioneer Park.

• Rialto Theater, Saturday, Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m., $19-$49, 310 S. Ninth, Tacoma, 253.591.5890, broadwaycenter.org
• Pioneer Park Pavilion, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2 p.m., $30, 330 Meridian Ave., S, Puyallup, 253.383.5344

FEB. 11-12: FUN IN THE SNOW

Didn't quite get your fill of the white fluffy stuff during Snowmaggedon 2012? A glutton for punishment? Metro Parks Tacoma has you covered with two snow-related happenings going down this weekend. Saturday is one of four scheduled Metro Parks "Family Snow Days," which invite family groups of two or more to head up to Mt. Rainier for a day of sledding and fun in the snow. Of course, families must provide their own sleds and equipment, but the transportation and abundant chances for memory making are provided. Then, Sunday marks the Metro Parks Tacoma Adult Snowshoe Hike, which promises adventurers 21 years of age and older a chance to meet new friends while "learning the basics of cross-country skiing," on a groomed, level trail on Snoqualmie Pass. According to hype the trail is "just right for beginners," but you can be the judge of that.

• Family Snow Day, Saturday, Feb. 11, Pre-registration required by calling 253.594.7847, $20 for family of four, $4 per additional person, trips depart at 9 a.m. from various community centers and return at 4 p.m., find more info at metroparkstacoma.org/outdoor
• Adult Cross-Country Skiing, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 12, Pre-registration required by calling 253.594.7847, $60 for Tacoma residents, $65 non-residents, includes equipment and instruction, trip departs from Metro Parks Headquarters, 4702 S. 19^th St., Tacoma, metroparkstacoma.org/outdoors

FEB. 11-12: CELEBRATE WITH METROPOLITAN BALLET OF TACOMA

This weekend Metropolitan Ballet of Tacoma celebrates 25 proud years with three limited performances at the MBT Studio. Looking back on a quarter century of ballet in T-Town, Metropolitan Ballet of Tacoma's presentation of choreography will include favorite dances like "Army, Navy, Airforce, Baby," "Female of the Species," "Shanti Mantra," "Broken Hearted Melody," "Mission," and "Monkey Puzzle." If you call Tacoma home, and your passionate about ballet, there's a good chance you've already been touched by the work of Metropolitan Ballet. Take an opportunity to pat the studio on the back this weekend.

• MBT Studio, Saturday, Feb. 11 2 and 6 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 12 2 p.m., $8 general admission - limited seating, 5435 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma, 253.472.5359

SUNDAY, FEB. 12: RICH WETZEL'S SUPER BOWL OF LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

Big band leader Rich Wetzel, no stranger to snappy sports coats and even snappier jazz numbers, isn't afraid to make a big promise. So, when he proclaims Sunday's performance at Stonegate Pizza as "the Super Bowl of live entertainment," we shouldn't be surprised. Does this mean we should expect four-plus hours of pomp and Madonna at halftime? Probably not. But what we can expect is a damn entertaining show from Wetzel and his 15-piece jazz rock orchestra.

• Stonegate Pizza, 5-8 p.m. 5421 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma, 253.473.2255

>>> WHAT SOME OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE UP TO

CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL Theater Critic
We're seeing what promises to be a quirky show about Enron at SPSCC. Also, we're in a secret supper group (not so secret now, I guess), so we're cooking a sexy feast in honor of St. Valentine and his chubby, cherubic aides de l'amour.

STEVE DUNKELBERGER Photographer
I quite literally have nothing planned by serving Communion at church on Sunday. Rock Star!

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JOANN VARNELL Theater Critic
Another weekend with not much happening EXCEPT I get to go have tea with a friend (and my adorable toddler as a tag along). We'll go to church on Sunday and maybe watch a movie or two. I will probably try to talk my husband into cooking something fabulous.

ALEC CLAYTON Visual Arts Critic
Saturday I'll be the guest speaker at the Arts Olympia exhibition opening and Sunday I'll be attending PFLAG meeting.

NIKKI TALOTTA Music and Features Writer
This Friday I'm slingin drinks and taking care of the kids. You know - the usual. But Saturday is date night! Ricardo's steakhouse and Tush! Burlesque. Talk about primal delights! Sunday is writing and R&R.

JENNI PRANGE BORAN Arts and Features Writer
The usual: dancing with Camp 6 at New Frontier Friday night, and a vampire tour of Pioneer Square in Seattle on Saturday night. And laundry.

REV. ADAM MCKINNEY Music and Features Writer
We're putting on two all-ages shows this weekend at the Space to help raise money for April's Squeak and Squawk festival. Friday Santee, Makeup Monsters and a whole slew of other great bands will get on stage, and Saturday Calvin Johnson's Hive Dwellers will be in town.

JOSH RIZEBERG Tacoma Hip-Hop Writer
Friday at 6 p.m. at D.A.S.H. Center I'll be teaching my spoken-word/poetry class. Saturday I'll be rocking at Jazzbones with Ra Scion, City Hall and The Breaklites!

NIC LEONARD Olympia Hip-Hop Writer
Gonna open up for Too $hort at The Royal on Saturday followed by getting drunk.

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MOLLY GILMORE Olympia Arts and Features Writer
I'm spending all weekend dancing at a workshop with Michael Molin-Skelton, a teacher who is visiting from Los Angeles.

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JENNIFER JOHNSON Food & Lifestyles Writer
Friday Camp 6 Dance Party at The New Frontier with artist James Allan Tucker. Saturday gym then beachcombing in Gig Harbor. Sunday church and family time.

PAUL SCHRAG General Assignment Writer
Clown wrestling! I'm putting my money on Blocko. 

.

LINK: Even more local events that we recommend

LINK: Comprehensive South Sound Arts & Entertainment Calendar

ARTS COVERAGE TO END ALL ARTS COVERAGE >>>

At this point it goes without saying. If you're looking for coverage of local arts in Tacoma, Olympia, and all points in between, the Weekly Volcano is THE place to find it. Our goal is to consistently provide the best local arts coverage possible to our fantastic readers. We're  always on the lookout for ways to shine a light on all the awesome creativity we see around us.

This week's Volcano arts section includes a feature Tacoma band Goldfinch teaming with Spaceworks Tacoma to record a new record, a review of Olympia Family Theater's The Phantom Tollbooth and words on the big art show at Washington Center for the Performing Arts.

Here's a look at the Volcano arts coverage waiting for you this week in print and online.

FEATURE: SPACEWORKS TACOMA AND GOLDFINCH

The Spaceworks Tacoma program, described as a joint initiative of the City of Tacoma, Shunpike and the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, strives to match creative groups and empty spaces in downtown Tacoma. Recently, local band Goldfinch took up residence at 1310 Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

"We look for artists, groups, and creative businesses that produce quality work, can engage the community, and can use a vacant space to take their project to the next level," says Rebecca Solverson, Spaceworks Tacoma coordinator.

While Spaceworks is most known for working with visual artists, the program has jumped into the world of music before, including collaborating with the Red Hex- and Slushy-powered The Coma Collective.

Goldfinch is an eclectic band, often classified as indie folk rock. Founded by Aaron Stevens, Goldfinch has changed significantly since the band's one-and-only previous album. Now, with an entirely new lineup of musicians (aside from Stevens), Goldfinch plans to record a second album with the help of Spaceworks. ... -- Kristin Kendle

THEATER: THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH

Given my lifelong adoration of facts and figures, it's a wonder I've never read The Phantom Tollbooth. Written by Norman Juster and illustrated by Jules Feiffer, this 1961 kid-lit classic is oft referred to as an American Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It tells the story of Milo, a boy given to ennui, who finds himself the recipient of an interdimensional portal in the shape of a tollbooth. He's transported to "the Lands Beyond" - specifically, the Kingdom of Wisdom, which is governed by dueling monarchs, King Azaz the Unabridged (lord of all things literary) and the Mathemagician.

Dorothy had her Scarecrow and Tin Man; Milo has Tock and Humbug. Tock (Emmalene Ryle) is a watchdog, obsessed with time. Humbug's a kind of insectile Newt Gingrich, a role Sara Geiger squeezes for all it's worth. ... -- Christian Carvajal

VISUAL EDGE: GOLD WE HAVE SPUN FROM STRAW!

There's a really big show at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, and it's not on the stage. It's called Gold we have Spun from Straw! and it stretches throughout the Washington Center lobby, mezzanine and the upper balcony. The place is full of art. Really big art.

Especially big is a piece by Bil Fleming and Christine Malek called "Polyethylene Fiend." It's a giant dragon made of used plastic bags and packing materials, bamboo, packing tape, thread, a bath exhaust fan and annealed wire. The piece is also referred to by Fleming in an email as a "Hydrocarbon Leviathan" or a "Petrochemical Problem."

The dragon is huge (45' x 20' x 4') and colorful. It looks like something that should be carried through the streets by a dozen people in costume at a Chinese New Year's celebration or at Olympia's Procession of the Species. The dragon fills the stairwell. Its tail wraps around the railing on the upper balcony and its face almost touches the floor of the ground-level lobby. It is so big that you cannot see the whole thing from any one point of view.

Making "Polyethylene Fiend" must have been a huge undertaking, and it is fun to look at; but sorry, folks, I just can't call it art.

In addition to the big dragon Gold we have Spun from Straw! features selected works from Matter Gallery artists. I'm tempted to say Matter owner Jo Gallagher has picked the cream of the crop, but it may be more accurate to say she has selected the pure art and left out the craft and utilitarian art. No lamps or coat racks or any such, just paintings and sculptures made from, mostly, recycled materials. ... -- Alec Clayton

LOCAL FILMMAKING: THE GRAND'S TUESDAY FILM SERIES

Thanks to its Tuesday Film Series, The Grand Cinema has spent the last six months ramping up the number of titles marching through its doors. The program kicked off on July 26, 2011, with the American documentary Lords of Nature. The theater has since used each subsequent Tuesday to bring in a different film beyond its regular weekly run, amounting to a unique experience for viewers every time.

Executive director Philip Cowan handpicks the growing list, noting that the series "gives me a chance to play 52 more films a year ... that (The Grand) otherwise wouldn't have had a chance to play." ... -- Christopher Wood

PLUS: Comprehensive Arts and Entertainment Calendar

PLUS: South Sound Events the Volcano Recommends

BEST LOCAL MUSIC COVERAGE IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

The Weekly Volcano never sleeps. It's true ... or very close to true. We average only a few hours of shut-eye a night, be it because it's hard to sleep when you're so busy searching for videos of squirrels riding dogs horseback-style on the Internet (Matt Driscoll), or simply because there's just so much to do.

Included in all this doing? As always, another shining installment of the Weekly Volcano music section. This week the Volcano looks at the Variety Hour's new record, Tacoma hip-hopper Logics, Daniel Blue's return to the 253 and much more.

It's just further proof that the Weekly Volcano music section is your every-Thursday chance at the best in local music coverage anywhere in the South Sound.

Here's a look at the sonic goodness coming at you in print and online in this week's Volcano ...

FEATURE: THE VARIETY HOUR

As I noted back in those early, heady days of 2010, the Variety Hour is largely indebted to the sounds of shoegaze and Britpop. Bands like Swervedriver and Teenage Fanclub live in the Variety Hour's blood. Listening to Transmissive, though, it's clear the Variety Hour has doubled down its focus and drive, creating a much more direct and even record. While some of the variety, so to speak, of the band's first EP might be missed, Variety Hour's latest release has a verve and clarity of intent that leads to a more rewarding listen, top to bottom (as opposed to the picking and choosing that might have gone on in the listening of the first album). ... -- Rev. Adam McKinney

HIP-HOP: LOGICS, ABOM THE KID AND MORE ...

One of the breakout artists of 2011 was Abom the Kid. Abom is a solo MC who rides with Gonzo and Blue Nose. He's one of the more lyrically serious MCs of the two crews, and his stage performance is also energetic and intense. If I had to make a formal selection, I'd choose Abom as 2011's "Rookie of the Year." He dropped four mixtapes last year, each one more buzz-worthy than the previous. Abom's last mixtape, which he dropped Dec. 31, 2011, is titled 4 Kornerz, and it represents his most advanced, mature and introspective work to date. The album is available on abomkid.bandcamp.com. It is well worth paying $5 for, considering it comes stacked with 21 tracks and packing guest verses from Cam the Viking, Illizm, Awall A.K.A 2-Piece, Lost Soul the Emo-Kat, Mae Dali, Nuvo The1 and me. Lately, I've been making my rounds throughout the scene and nearly everyone I bump into asks me if I've heard 4 Kornerz. It ended up being one of the biggest local releases of 2011. ... -- Josh Rizeberg

WE RECOMMEND: SANTEE

Santee makes scratchy, lovesick, indie folk-pop. The band has a way of tentatively coming around to these walloping choruses and emotionally resonant refrains. Over the years, what began as the bedroom folk duo of Heather Loepp and Josh Vega has grown and developed into a larger, fuller band with a richer sound to match. -- Rev. AM

WE RECOMMEND: SOLVENTS

Jarrod Bramson and his pop-rock band, Solvents, come from Port Townsend. And, aided heavily by the violin-work of bandmate Emily Madden, the band, often compared to Big Star, even sounds a little like the little postcard town at the end of the road they call home. Exterior beauty, boatyard grit, small-town honesty: the Solvents brim with all of it. ... -- Weekly Volcano

WE RECOMMEND: TOO $HORT

For the record, pimpin' ain't dead. It ain't even close to dead, in fact. We know this because legendary Bay Area rapper, Too $hort, returns to Olympia Saturday, bringing his official "Pimpin' Ain't Dead" tour with him. Joined on the bill by Dubbleoo, Steady the Boss and Free Whiskey, Too $hort's stop in Oly promises to be nothing short of epic, a show adding itself to the growing list of major hip-hop happenings to have recently rocked our state capital. ... -- WV

WE RECOMMEND: CHERRY POPPIN' DADDIES

It's best not to think too much about the possible connotations behind the Cherry Poppin Daddies' name. We tried, on accident, and it kind of made us squeamish. Instead, we'd focus on the rambunctious mix of pomp and nostalgia that powers the Cherry Poppin Daddies' swinging ways. We'd focus on the ska, skank and swing rather than the creepy, Matthew-McConaughey-in-Dazed-and-Confused innuendo. Friday, the Cherry Poppin Daddies return to Tacoma and Jazzbones, a venue, and likely crowd, with which the band is already familiar. ... -- WV

PLUS: BETTER LIVING THROUGH MUSIC - Dub Lounge International, The Hive Dwellers, Daniel Blue, Chiptune Disko and more ...

PLUS: CONCERT ALERT

PLUS: COMPREHENSIVE LIVE LOCAL MUSIC LISTINGS

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 8, 2012 >>>

1. Pacific Lutheran University and the school's School of Arts and Communication kick off the fledgling SOAC Focus Series today with an exhibition of printmaking from around the country. Designed as an annual event, this year's first-ever SOAC Focus Series will center on a theme of compassion. According to hype, the series will have a goal of bringing together "talented students and faculty each year," with "a common theme will be selected and discussed through a multi-disciplinary approach. ...  Each year, the theme selected will be relevant, timely and appropriate to the mission of SOAC and PLU." Today sees the opening of the National Print Exhibition: The Human Experience, a collection of juried printmaking entries from around the country that are apparently, "as varied as the human experience," and feature, "many touchstones that speak to us in different ways and tie one individual to another through the love of art and a broader understanding of each other."

2. Do you enjoy comedy? Do you like bliss? Then you'll want to catch the musical Newsday called "blissfully funny," Mel Brooks's adaptation of Young Frankenstein, in its final day today  at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in Olympia. The production, developed in Seattle in 2007 and hit Broadway two years late, is a mostly faithful translation of the 1974 movie. It includes all your favorite moments: "Abby Normal," "Puttin' on the Ritz," Frau Blücher's way with horses and one enormous schwanzstucker. (Voof!)

3. There was a time when the Big Friction Jam at Jazzbones was THE place to be for Sunday night maxin', relaxin' and jammin'. Powered by the groove-heavy leanings of saxophonist Brett "Big Friction" Cummings, the Big Friction house band took the stage, laid down the funk and groove, and magic ensued, with a cast of talented locals streaming through to take the stage and get down. TonightJazzbones will welcome back the Big Friction Jam for an evening that's sure to blow your usual Hump Day plans out of the proverbial water. If you're down to jam on it (or enjoy when others jam on it) this one's for you.

4. In all-ages musical action, tonight at the Mandolin Café Really Old Airplanes will play from 6 -7 p.m., and singer/songwriter Gina Belliveau will lay it down from 7-8 p.m.

5. The Northern Pacific Coffee Co. in Parkland holds its renowned open mic tonight from 8 - 11 p.m. There's no cover, and sign-ups star at 7:30 p.m. Bring the kids, because the NPCC open mic is totally all-ages.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight

SEE SOMETHING NEW EACH WEEK >>>

Hey, me again. With the first month of the year already gone, just thought I'd check in and see how those New Year's resolutions were coming. Maybe your list looks a lot like everyone else's - exercise more, drink less, actually start reading the Buzz and send its tireless author some fan mail.

But how about bulking up your IQ? No, the other one - your Indie Quota. Do you get enough alternative cinema in your weekly diet? If Mom said eating your carrots sharpened those eyeballs, consuming enough indie film will indeed change how you see the world.

Thanks to its Tuesday Film Series, The Grand Cinema has spent the last six months ramping up the number of titles marching through its doors. The program kicked off on July 26, 2011, with the American documentary Lords of Nature. The theater has since used each subsequent Tuesday to bring in a different film beyond its regular weekly run, amounting to a unique experience for viewers every time.

Executive director Philip Cowan handpicks the growing list, noting that the series "gives me a chance to play 52 more films a year ... that (The Grand) otherwise wouldn't have had a chance to play."

Since a movie shows only twice before moving on (typically afternoons and evenings), it pays to plan ahead. Reviewing options for the next several weeks on the Grand's website, grandcinema.com, I'd say the locally-shot doc Grounds for Resistance (Feb 7), followed by rom-com Medianeras for Valentine's Day, may start making Tuesday the new day for film.

Watch the Grounds for Resistance trailer below.

TUESDAY, FEB. 7, 2012 >>>

1. Bring your love of the bagpipes out of the closet and into full view today when Dick Hensold, billed as "one of America's finest traditional bagpipers," drops in on Tacoma for a performance brought to us by the Old Town Music Society and Puget Sound Revels. Dabbling in Northumbrian smallpipes, reel pipes, seljefloyte, sackpipa and piborn according to promotion - in traditional and historical styles including Cape Breton, early Scottish, Northumbrian, Scandinavian, Irish and medieval - Hensold seems certain to blow the roof off the joint.

2. Tonight at Varsity Grill join the United Way of Pierce County's Project:U for a fundraiser and food drive event. The Varsity Grill will donate 20-percent of all sales proceeds to the United Way of Pierce County cause, and canned food donations will be collected for area F.I.S.H. food banks.

3. Saint Martin's University in Lacey will celebrate the 200^th birthday of Charles Dickens today with what's described as "a marathon reading of the renowned author's works." According to hype, Saint Martin's English Department and the English honor society Sigma Tau Delta will host the event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Harned Hall. Expect excerpts from Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities and more.

4. Tuesday means it's time for another Ha Ha Tuesday at Jazzbones, a night of comedy hosted by the venerable Ralph Porter. After the comedy, stick around for Jazzbones' hot weeknight DJ action.

5. It's open mic night at Tugboat Annie's in Olympia. Bring your geetar or your best songs and show the world what you've got (and by "world" we mean the collection of Thurston County folks on hand at the favorite local watering hole).

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight

MONDAY, FEB. 6, 2012 >>>

1. Catch the Greta Jane Quarter tonight at the Fourth Ave. Tavern in Olympia, as, after a long run at the Royal Lounge, Ms. Greta Jane Pederson's jazz combo featuring Cary Black, Vince Brown, and Andrew Dorsett reclaims Monday nights at a new downtown Oly locale.

2. Throw on your best aging t-shirt and limber up your devil horns, because Monday means it's time for yet another Metal Monday at The New Frontier Lounge. The head-banging starts at 9 p.m.

3. Monday night is trivia night at the Tacoma Comedy Club on Market Street. There's no cover to get in, and the questions kick off at 7 p.m. In addition to the general thrill of victory, cash and prizes are also advertised.

4. Speaking of trivia, one of the best trivia nights in the area goes down each Monday at the Harmon Tap Room in Tacoma's Stadium District. It runs from 6 -8 p.m., with the winner of each round a $50 cash prize according to hype.

5. Common sense might suggest getting loaded on a Monday night and singing your ass off at the China Clipper's "Late Night Karaoke" might be a questionable idea. But screw common sense. With the karaoke starting at 9 p.m., we suggest sucking down a couple of the Clipper's notoriously strong drinks and then letting it all hang out.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight

THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT'S UP THIS WEEKEND >>>

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Partly sunny, hi 54, lo 34

Saturday: Partly sunny, hi 54, lo 30

Sunday: Partly sunny, hi 54, lo 32

>>> FRIDAY, FEB. 3: LOVE PANEL & DESSERT PARTY

Very few of us fully comprehend the intricacies of love and relationships. Dessert, on the other hand, is something most have a firm grasp on. Friday in Olympia both aspects of our existence will be combined for the scrumptious (and enlightening) sounding Love Panel & Dessert Party at the Olympia Mahayana Buddhist Center. According to event hype, "[t]he evening begins with a decadent dessert and appetizer party featuring an array of irresistible treats," before "The Love Panel" - consisting of three Buddhist teachers (Olympia's Kelsang Tsoglam, Portland's Kadam Heather Rocklin and Seattle's Patrick Meagher) - answers the crowd's questions about love and relationships "from a Buddhist point of view." Should you hit that? Let Buddha guide you.

• Olympia Mahayana Buddhist Center, 6:30-8:30 p.m., $12, free for supporters, 211 Legion Way SW, Olympia, 360.754.7787, meditateinolympia.org

>>> FEB. 3-19: THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH

The Phantom Tollbooth, a children's adventure novel by Norton Juster published in 1961, is loved to this day by children and adults alike. While it's easy to see why children connect to young Milo's tale, it also doesn't take much pondering to see why many adults still harbor a soft spot for the book. Luckily for all parties involved, Olympia Family Theater opens a three-week run of the stage version of The Phantom Tollbooth this week at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts - Black Box.

• Washington Center for the Performing Arts - Black Box, Friday - Saturday 7 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m., "Thrifty Thursday," Feb. 9 at 7 p.m., $16 adults, $13 senior/military/student, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia, 360.753.8586

>>> FRIDAY, FEB. 3: WISH YOU WERE HERE

Derailed, like many things, by snowmaggedon 2012, the opening reception for South Puget Sound Community College's Wish You Were Here postcard exhibit has been rescheduled for Friday. As Volcano arts critic Alec Clayton noted in his review of the show, "There are a lot of artist-made postcards in the Wish You Were Here postcard exhibit at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts Gallery at South Puget Sound Community College. More than 75 local and regional artists submitted more than 250 works. ... [T]hey run the gamut, from sweet and sentimental to corny, wise, clever, beautiful, stupid and amateurish. The postcards include paintings, prints, photography, drawing, ceramics, sculpture and mixed media. A few of the postcards in this show are clichéd, and there are some that are badly done; but for the most part the works are very inventive and skillfully executed." Wish You Were Here runs through March 2 at the SPSCC Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts Gallery.

• SPSCC Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts Gallery, opening reception, Friday, Feb. 3, 6-8 p.m., free, 2011 Mottman Rd. SW. Olympia, 360.596.5527 or email artgallery@spscc.ctc.edu

>>> FRIDAY, FEB. 3: SCREWING MOTHER NATURE

Screwing something for profit gets a negative connotation when taken in its most basic form, but - if you think about it-it's also the American way. Or at least the American Capitalist way. Friday at Orca Books in Olympia, local author and television producer Elaine Smitha will delve into her recent book, Screwing Mother Nature for Profit. (But what about fun?) According to event hype, "Ransacking pristine forests, vandalizing sacred lands and exploiting nature the world over: there are no limits to what Big Business will do to turn profit. But in this revelatory book, renowned businesswoman Elaine Smitha takes on the corporations and governments, showing them how to clean up their act by adopting the characteristics of the one thing they are damaging the most: Mother Nature herself. Will they listen? Only time will tell. The one thing that's certain is you should listen to Smitha in person at Orca Friday.

• Orca Books, 7 p.m., free, 509 Fourth Ave. E, Olympia 360.0123

>>> FRIDAY, FEB. 3: TACOMAPOCALYPSE II

We'll be frank. Apocalypse-like events usually only happen once. If an apocalypse-like event ever returns, it's either really bad news, or a sign that things weren't that apocalyptic in the first place. The good news about the Treefish Studio-produced Tacomapocalypse II, set to inhabit Amocat Café during the month of February starting Friday, is neither statement is true. A collection of two and three-dimensional art that's heavy on the zombie, and designed to offer a gruesome alternative to the usual Valentines-style lovey-dovey crap that's everywhere else this time of year, Tacomapocalypse II is the sequel to last year's successful Zombie Tacomapocalypse. Stuart M. Dempster of Treefish Studio in Tacoma spoke to the Volcano prior to last year's event, saying, ""While other shows will be talking about how they want you for your heart or your body, we're only out for your brains." We imagine the same, or something very similar, holds true this year. Friday's opening party will include snacks, live electronic music from Gibson Starkweather and quite possibly a zombie horde.

• Amocat Café, Tacomapocalypse II opening party,5:30 - 9  p.m., free, Tacomapocalypse II runs  through Feb. 29, 7 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Monday -Friday, 625 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma

>>> FRIDAY, FEB. 3: STYX

Styx will never fucking die. The band is like a dated, long-haired, tight-jeaned, effeminate Energizer Bunny, stuck in a era long gone but still chugging along like nothing has changed. And, for many of the band's fans, as those in attendance Friday night at the Emerald Queen Casino will see firsthand, nothing has changed. Especially when it comes to fashion sense. Sing along to the hits or just revel at the bald spots when Styx hits the EQC. Later, blow a few dollars on the slots.

• Emerald Queen Casino - I-5 Showroom, 8:30 p.m., $40-$70, 2024 E 29^th St., Tacoma, 888.831.7655, emeraldqueen.com

>>> SATURDAY, FEB. 4: SCRAPARTSMUSIC

Like banging on s***? So do the folks behind ScrapArtsMusic, a Canadian performance outfit coming to Olympia this week to blow your mind. On the group's website, ScrapArtsMusic is described thusly: "An earth-friendly, Vancouver-based company that creates unforgettable percussion performances using kinetic instruments skillfully crafted from industrial scraps. 2. An entertaining contemporary invented instrument ensemble. 3. Five extraordinarily virtuosic and innovative drummers. 4. The result of transforming ‘scrap' into "art,' and ‘art' into'"music.'" Intrigued? You should be. The brainchild of percussion freak Gregory Kozak and designer Justine Murdy, ScrapArtsMusic may well prove to be the week's grandest spectacle.

• Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 7:30 p.m., $7.50-$35, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia, 360.753.8586

>>> SATURDAY, FEB. 4: TWO TRAINS RUNNING

Playwright August Wilson is best known for his Pittsburgh Cycle - a series of ten plays each set in a different decade recalling the struggles and comedies of the African American experience in the Twentieth Century. That's what happens when you win two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama for something. Saturday, the Broadway Center, Northwest Playwrights Alliance and Washington State History Museum bring us Two Trains Running, part of Wilson's Pittsburgh Cycle recalling Civil  Rights Era Pittsburgh in 1969.Hype on the Broadway Center website describes the play, saying "In spite of the political and social change that sweeps through the nation, many of the characters are too cynical and down-trodden to experience hope for the future or even rage for the ongoing tragedies."

• Washington State History Museum, Two Trains Running, Saturday, Feb. 4, 3 p.m., $14, 1911 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.9747, broadwaycenter.org

>>> ALL WEEKEND: THE SEAFARER

Olympia's Harlequin Production's celebrates the opening of Conor McPherson's The Seafarer Thursday, a production running through Feb. 18 at Harlequin's home, The State Theater. According to hype, McPherson "has a stunning ability to remind us that logic and reason are but weak weapons against the myth and magic that permeate our lives," and The Seafarer, "is an incredibly beautiful and rewarding story of redemption that may put people off initially, because who wants to watch a bunch of alcoholic losers celebrating Christmas?" We do! We do!

• Harlequin Productions - The State Theater, through Feb. 18,Thursday - Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m., "Pay What You Can" Wednesday, Feb. 1 8 p.m., "Ladies Night" Friday, Feb. 3 7 p.m., $31, 202 Fourth Ave. E, Olympia, harlequinproductions.org

>>> WHAT SOME OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE UP TO

CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL Theater Critic
I'm seeing The Phantom Tollbooth at Olympia Family Theater, followed by a trip to Seattle on Saturday. I'm feeling Lunchbox Labby this weekend.

STEVE DUNKELBERGER Photographer
I will be the emcee at the St. Mary's Church and School on Saturday so I have my tux all  ready to go. Other than that, I have some kiddo plans for geocaching around T town if we don't need a canoe to get around.

JOANN VARNELL Theater Critic
Sleep. Wake. Hang out with the toddler and document new words and funny moments with video/pictures. Sleep. Wake. Church. I'll also eat whenever and wherever I can fit it in. Maybe shower. You know, the usual.

ALEC CLAYTON Visual Arts Critic
It's going to be a great big weekend full of theater. The Seafarer at Harlequin, Hair at Capital Playhouse and California Suite at Tacoma Little Theatre.

NIKKI TALOTTA Music and Features Writer
My house is officially becoming a ranch. This weekend I'm getting two more chickens, a pretty white dog, and some neon fish to go along with the existing chicken, koi fish, tom cat and two barefoot children. Wish me luck.

JENNI PRANGE BORAN Arts and Features Writer
Saturday, pizza and cake to celebrate my son's 5th birthday.  Sunday, babysitter permitting, Super Bowl at the Harmon Tap Room where my husband and I will enjoy discount food and beer during the game, and a lovely cab ride home afterwards.

REV. ADAM MCKINNEY Music and Features Writer
Venturing up to Ballard on Saturday to catch Derek Kelley and the Speedwobbles at the Sunset Tavern. The performance will apparently be broadcast on KEXP, so maybe listen for me girlishly creaming Tristan Marcum's name from the crowd.

JOSH RIZEBERG Tacoma Hip-Hop Writer
I'll be teaching my spoken-word/poetry class at the D.A.S.H. Center for the Arts on Friday from 6-7 p.m. Saturday I'll be recording two verses for Jon Salt's new album at Remedy Recording with DJ Phinisey and I'll be hitting Illizm's video shoot in Everett to make a cameo.

NIC LEONARD Olympia Hip-Hop Writer
I'm going to the Andre Nickatina show on Saturday at the capitol theatre then probably go get drunk at the Brotherhood afterwards.

MOLLY GILMORE Olympia Arts and Features Writer
I'm going to see The Seafarer at Harlequin and taking a day trip to Port Townsend.

.

JENNIFER JOHNSON Food & Lifestyles Writer
Friday date night, Saturday gym and homework, Sunday church and potluck dinner.

LINK: Even more local events that we recommend

LINK: Comprehensive South Sound Arts & Entertainment Calendar

ARTS COVERAGE TO END ALL ARTS COVERAGE >>>

At this point it goes without saying. If you're looking for coverage of local arts in Tacoma, Olympia, and all points in between, the Weekly Volcano is THE place to find it. Our goal is to consistently provide the best local arts coverage possible to our fantastic readers. We're  always on the lookout for ways to shine a light on all the awesome creativity we see around us.

This week's Volcano arts section includes a feature on Olympia's Flat Win Co., as well as reviews of Dawn of 2012 art show at Fulcrum Gallery, Lakewood Playhouse's Play It Again, Sam, Capitol Playhouse's Hair and Harlequin's production of The Seafarer - among other bits of awesomeness.

Here's a look at the Volcano arts coverage waiting for you this week in print and online.

FEATURE: THE FLAT WIN CO.

You know the old saying about selling snow to an Eskimo?

Well, that's one way to explain the Flat Win Co., the business/art project of David Scherer Water of Olympia.

Although he hasn't yet sold rain to Western Washington, Scherer Water does sell, among other things, dirt, rocks, gravel and - perhaps most impressive - nothing.

Scherer Water demonstrates the virtues of these products at Olympia's twice-yearly Arts Walk and the annual Lakefair.

In the four and a half years since he started the company, he has sold, he says, more than 5,000 products - including combs, flattened beer cans, twigs and, of course, nothing.

He says this, though, in character. ... -- Molly Gilmore

VISUAL EDGE: DAWN OF 2012

There's quite a range of imagery and styles in the new show at Fulcrum Gallery, Dawn of 2012. The show features emerging artists - a loosely defined and often over-used term that generally means artists who have not yet received the recognition they deserve. Some of us are emerging all of our lives.

But in this case the artists truly are emerging. Some of these artists have never before had gallery shows. They're young, innovative and exciting. Surrealistic and pop imagery abounds, and there is an interesting variety of media, including repurposed materials.

One of the most exciting works is Gabriel Brown's "Floating Islands Estates," which is a surrealistic city of floating houses suspended from fluffy clouds.

THEATER: THE SEAFARER

We often speak of a movie or play as a "rollercoaster ride," but it's easy to forget that even the best rides begin with a slow, clanky climb up a hill. In the latter Harry Potter novels, Jo Rowling seemed to relish torturing readers with hundreds of actionless pages, the better to unleash hell toward the end.

Of course, if a writer constructs his or her story this way, then the payoff had better be worth the wait. In the case of Conor McPherson's The Seafarer, boy, is it.

I knew almost nothing about the show when I walked in. "That's good," director Scot Whitney laughed, and like Whitney, I don't want to drop spoilers. Suffice it to say that as we get to know "Sharky" Harkin (Jason Haws) and his blind, irascible brother, Richard (David Wright), we become slowly convinced the play is going nowhere ... and we're wrong. ... -- Christian Carvajal

THEATER: PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM

I haven't seen the film version of Play It Again, but I'm confident I know exactly what old Woody's version of Allan Felix is like, and Smith's rendition is a healthy departure from the type. Like most of his recent roles - Hamlet in Rosencrantz & Guildenstern, Vice Principal Panch in Spelling Bee, and others - Smith brings a flailing, manic quality to the typically depressed set of standard Allen neuroses, allowing injections of slapstick throughout.

Felix's romantic tribulations after his wife walks out form the core of the story. He experiences a series of romantic flubs and faux pas in his desperate attempts to convince women he is not the loser he thinks he is. ... -- Joseph Izenman

THEATER: HAIR

The musical Hair is much like a jam band concert: it's multi-sensual, it elicits an emotional ride, and it's probably about 15 minutes too long. That said, director Heidi Fredericks shakes every last nugget from Hair's theatrical dime bag at Capital Playhouse.

There's no questioning the difficulty of the material, for this company or its audience. The script is not, shall we say, overburdened with plot, and the lyrics must be hell to memorize, let alone sing. When Leonard Bernstein griped, "The songs are just laundry lists," he had a point. But is any song in the Broadway canon more irresistible than "Let the Sun Shine In?" It lifts itself out of a dirge, "The Flesh Failures," that's as lovely (and hauntingly worded) as "Sun Shine" is bright and beatific. ... -- Christian Carvajal

LOCAL FILM: KEN CARLSON & LYQUOC VO'S IRRESISTABLE

Last year, Olympia filmmaker Ken Carlson and his team, Mutually Assured Productions, embarked on an experiment. They decided to build their very own film festival from scratch, calling it the Olympia Awesome Film Festival. This one-day event debuted in May, successfully attracting short movies and their makers from across Washington and beyond. OAFF exuded a laid-back style that showed potential to widen its fan base and stick around for years to come.

But alas, sometimes you have to shelve a great idea to make way for an even better one. With 2012 here, Carlson could either foster his fledgling fest into its second year, or quit while ahead and move on. He went with door number two.

Already he's found a project to replace OAFF: writing and producing a feature-length concept with fellow Olympia resident and friend Lyquoc Vo. They haven't yet given away too many plot details of Irresistible (a working title), other than the tough heroine is loosely based on the "femme fatale" archetype of film noir. And given Mutually Assured's track record, it wouldn't surprise me to see violence make a cameo. ... -- Christopher Wood

FEATURE: TACOMA'S GLBT BOOK CLUB

In amorous Spain, Catalonia to be precise, Valentine's Day is superseded by the late-April holiday La Diada de Sant Jordi, Saint George's Day, a celebration during which lovers exchange books. What better way to show the object of one's affection what's inside one's heart than with a literary work that moves that person? A book that speaks to his or her soul?

But, where to find such a book? Anyone in the Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender community is in luck, as recently imported Tacoma resident Matt Lemanski has joined forces with King's Books to form its seventh active book club, the GLBT Book Club.

Above all, Lemanski is a book lover. Sure, he wrote poetry in his teens and 20s. "Like everyone does," he says. As far as movies go?  The last movie he saw in an actual theater was 2007's Juno.  It's no surprise then that his work life found him, after obtaining a Masters in Library Sciences, at a library in his home state of Michigan.

"As part of my job, I was required to lead three book discussions, which I did not enjoy. Those who attended were not looking for books to expand their experience. They were looking for books to underline the bubble they were living in," recalls Lemanski.

He adds with a smirk, "One month we read David Sedaris.  That did not go over well."

It didn't take much twisting of the arm when Lemanski was offered a position with the Pierce County Library. ... -- Jenni Prange Boran

PLUS: COMPLETE SOUTH SOUND ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

PLUS: RAMPANT GOOFINESS

BEST LOCAL MUSIC COVERAGE IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

The Weekly Volcano never sleeps. It's true ... or very close to true. We average only a few hours of shut-eye a night, be it because it's hard to sleep when you're so busy watching Battlestar Galactica (Rev. Adam McKinney), or simply because there's just so much to do.

Included in all this doing? As always, another shining installment of the Weekly Volcano music section. This week the Volcano delves into the SCMC conference coming to Tacoma's Marriot Hotel Feb. 4, and spills a few words on the Trasholes, Leezy Soprano, Zodiac Death Valley and more.

It's just further proof that the Weekly Volcano music section is your every-Thursday chance at the best in local music coverage anywhere in the South Sound.

Here's a look at the sonic goodness coming at you in print and online in this week's Volcano ...

FEATURE: THE SCMC

The Songwriters Composers Music Conference (SCMC), based out of Washington D.C. and coming to Tacoma Feb. 4, bills itself as a nationally-travelling event designed for unsigned artists, bands, songwriters, producers and independent labels. The SCMC says it offers lessons for success in the music business along with a chance for aspiring musicians, songwriters and producers to show off their skills in front of a crowd of prominent music industry "artists & repertoire" (A&R) representatives and major label types. Admission to the conference, which bills itself as open to anyone but seems most geared toward hip-hop, is $25, which includes an itinerary full of music business-related instruction. But the SCMC also promotes $300 and $500 packages promising private one-on-one meetings with the SCMC A&R panel and a chance to perform at the SCMC showcase in front of the A&R panel and the major labels in attendance. The SCMC website - scmcmusicconference.com - says of the $500 "VIP All Access" offer, "This package was created for artists, producers, independent labels, and managers who are looking to take their careers to the next step." ...

For some within Tacoma's tight-knit, historically DIY music scene, offers and advertisements like the ones made by SCMC raise red flags of concern. Longtime "anti pay-to-play" activist Bon Von Wheelie (Bonnie Henderson), drummer of the Tacoma band Girl Trouble, is one of those people. Von Wheelie's activism against those she views as preying on the naiveté of young artists has been documented in the Volcano before, most notably her nearly-two-year legal battle with Ohio-based Gorilla Entertainment. She instantly bristles when anyone offers to sell aspiring bands a chance at fame and fortune. ... -- Matt Driscoll

HIP-HOP: LEEZY SOPRANO & MORE

So who has the crown right now for Tacoma hip-hop? Many would say Leezy Soprano is running the show. He had a breakout year last year and this year he's keeping his buzz big with the release of his newest project, United We Ball, available for download here. The first single to hit YouTube is "Leezy."

Soprano is teetering on national-success right now. The video got nothing but love on Worldstarhiphop.com, and Seattle and the rest of the region are recognizing the genuine realness and skill Soprano brings to the table. He just might be making the best street hip-hop in the area right now. Soprano has a flow that most of these lazy unoriginal Tacoma gangsta rappers wish they had, along with the authenticity that many rappers in Seattle lack. Soprano has just the right mix of energy, reality and lyrical seriousness to make his flow undeniable, noticeable and dope. ... -- Josh Rizeberg

WE RECOMMEND: ZODIAC DEATH VALLEY

The music of San Francisco's Zodiac Death Valley straddles the lines between psych-rock, pulsing new wave, freak-folk, and the sun-beaten pop of Dire Straits. It's an infectious combination, aided largely by impeccable songwriting. The band's music is nothing if not filled with memorable hooks and substantial melodies. These are hefty songs, carrying with them a kind of weight and import that isn't usually found in the usual roundup of psych-inflected groups. ... -- Rev. Adam McKinney

WE RECOMMEND: THE TRASHOLES

Lead singer and guitarist Ian Call's voice rides that line between adolescence and adulthood, which only makes each voice crack sound that much more punk rock. It's exciting to see another young band following the lead of other s***-kicking acts like the defunct Freakouts and Durango 95. - Rev. AM

PLUS: BETTER LIVING THROUGH MUSIC - Death By Stars and a benefit for the Tacoma All Ages project

PLUS: CONCERT ALERT

PLUS: THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE LIVE LOCAL MUSIC LISTINGS IN THE SOUTH SOUND

PLUS: PURE, UNBRIDLED NONSENSE