Spew

Boos and ewws in Olympia

CHRISTOPHER WOOD: OLYMPIA FILM FESTIVAL SCARES ME >>>

The man parks his black car in front of a white building, pulls a blue cooler out of the backseat, and sits down. Who — or what — is he waiting for? I wonder. And how much of this movie have I already missed?

Luckily, the only bad luck to befall me yesterday, Friday the 13th (beside the requisite Jason Voorhees slasherthon on TBS), involved arriving several minutes late to the Capitol Theater, home to yesterday afternoon’s “Demonic Possession and Unhealthy Obsessions: Horror Shorts Showcase" (catchy title) — part of the Olympia Film Festival. A theater volunteer at Will Call further aggravated my tardiness, confusing my name with Missus (or possibly Mister or Doctor) Cunt Catalyst.

No worries — I get that a lot.

The aforementioned man belongs to This is the Place, the first work screened. His name is Simon, and Simon kills people. Two ditzy gals give this silent journeyman a ride … will their road trip derail into terror? When chicks like this spew inanities like “I wanna fuck Keith Richards,” a pointy object through the jugular seems only imminent — and welcome.

Night Moves: Motopony, The Drug Purse, $2000 Puma, Jerry Miller, Doxology, Joshua Cain Band, Dom Pachino

WEEKLY VOLCANO: MUSIC IN THE SOUTH SOUND TONIGHT >>>

Don’t know what to do tonight? Don’t worry, we have you covered.

Daniel Blue and Motopony will be at Urban Grace in Tacoma debuting a new record along with Goldfinch, Indian Valley Line and Barton Carroll at 8 p.m.

If you’re dazzled by small-town scenester degeneration in slow motion, The Drug Purse, is your best bet tonight. They are joined by Basemint, Head Bangs, and Spectacular Optical at 8 p.m. inside The Den @ urbanXchange.

$2,000 Puma’s music possesses the intense propulsion of great rock ‘n’ roll. Check them out with Sugar Beats and Polka Dot Dot Dot at 9 p.m. inside Bob’s Java Jive.

Moby Grape guitarist Jerry Miller will play a free show at Doyle’s Public House at 9 p.m.

Doxology’s energized and engaging live shows have been winning fans over since the band’s creation in 2004, and the band’s updated approach to crafting bigger than life pop has won over more than a few ears. Check them out tonight with Ben Union, and Roman Holiday at 8 p.m. inside Jazzbones.

The Joshua Cain Band delivers swampy, gospel-inspired roots rock at its best. They are joined by Aces Up, Austin Jenckes, Hartwood and Shotgun Kitchen at 9 p.m. inside Hell’s Kitchen.

Dom Pachino and Bomshot are out promoting Dom Pachino's new solo Project Tera.Iz Him album with a hip-hop show at 9 p.m. inside The Clipper in Olympia.

LINK: More shows in the South South tonight

LINK: Concert Alert

Art at Work: Arts Symposium, FootFalls

MICHAEL SWAN: ONE CITY. 30 DAYS. WHAT WILL YOU DO? >>>
 
Art at Work Month: Saturday, Nov. 14

November 2009 marks the eighth anniversary of Art at Work: Tacoma Arts Month. There is something for everyone to enjoy throughout the month: lectures, music, dance performances, readings, workshops, theater performances, visual art exhibits and more.

Here are today’s highlights:

The fourth annual Arts Symposium, an almost free event dedicated to providing local artists and arts organizations with nuts and bolts information in order to become and remain successful in the arts, will be held from 9 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. in Wyatt Hall at the University of Puget Sound.

The BareFoot Collective presents Tacoma choreographers Kate Stricker and Stephanie Pederson production of FootFalls at 8 p.m. at the Jan Collum Ballroom.

Dance Theatre Northwest presents a festival holiday dance performance at 7 p.m. inside Narrows Glen at 8201 Sixth Ave.

There are many more events today. For a complete Art at Work schedule, click here.

5 Things To Do: Saturday

MICHAEL SWAN: SATURDAY, NOV. 14, 2009 >>>

1. Maestro Christophe Chagnard of the Northwest Sinfonietta and Maestro Harvey Felder of the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra together present Mozart Meets Beethoven — an all out battle … in tuxedos at 7:30 p.m. inside the Rialto Theater.

2. King’s Book's Open House and Poetry Marathon will feature 15 renowned poets reading their poems along with two open mic sessions from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

3. Art And Kimonos — featuring art by Lynn Farren, Sarah Utter and Karen Utter, plus a vintage kimono sale — will be held from noon to 4 p.m. at Fibers Etc. in downtown Tacoma.

4. The Tacoma Art Museum presents "Redefining Northwest Art," a panel lecture on how the history, geography, and diverse cultures of the region have influenced the art of the Northwest from 1:30-4 p.m.

5. Doxology, Ben Union, and Roman Holiday play an 8 p.m. show at Jazzbones.

Specials, 10 best food movies

RON SWARNER: FOOD MATTERS >>>

Weekend Pork Special: Primo Grill will use Cheryl Ouellette’s local pork for slow roasted pulled pork with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and caper mint salsa verde.

Moctezuma’s: For a limited time, the Tacoma Mexican restaurant will be offering a $7 two-item combo meal and $3 Classico margaritas.

Plan Ahead: Asado offers a winemaker’s social and paired tasting with Gramercy Cellars Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $65. Reservations needed.

Food For Thought: The 10 best food movies

LINK: Weekly Volcano’s Eat & Drink section

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

LINK: South Sound Happy Hours

LINK: Wine and beer tastings

LINK: South Sound coupons

KUPS gets a Woodie

MICHAEL SWAN: LET US BE THE FIRST TO CONGRATULATE THE TACOMA RADIO STATION >>>

College radio can be an uncut gem — a diamond in the rough. College towns throughout the nation have embraced the aura of this media outlet where students can uncover and share a whole world of music, opinion, and news with as many people as their signal towers can reach.

The "gem" tag certainly fits the University of Puget Sound radio station KUPS. Today, as the students behind the North Tacoma radio station were busy filing records and socking each other in the arm arguing over the best Elliott Smith song, an MTV cameraman burst into the studio and New York DJ Matt Pinfield slapped a big winner sticker on their microphone.

Yup, KUPS won the 2009 mtvU Radio Woodie.

According to a press release, “KUPS beat out about 300 of its peers as the top U.S. college radio station, after it garnered the most votes from college students nationwide. The award from MTV college television network mtvU recognizes college radio stations for their role in championing independent artists before they achieve mainstream success. Quite a number of artists who made their first breakthrough on college radio have later found national fame.”

That’s so snug. Congrats to the entire staff behind KUPS. Tune in to MTV on Friday, Dec. 4 to watch the students score the award.

Enjoy these links:  

LINK: Previously on Spew

LINK: What the hell is mtvU?

LINK: KUPS is boss

TOMORROW: Jen Elek and CUD at Traver

MICHAEL SWAN: NEW EXHIBIT TO OPEN AT TRAVER GALLERY >>>

Traver Gallery Tacoma hosts an opening reception tomorrow for two exhibits that will run through Dec. 6.  Seattle Artist Jen Elek will show her first solo show with Traver, Signals, that “draws on the countless messages received in daily life and the role of color in their transmission,” according to a press release. The second show is American Glass: How Soon Is Now? a show by CUD, aka John Drury and Robbie Miller that offers altered photographs, paints, blown glass, sand-castings, prints, mosaic and unorthodox combinations of all of the above.

For a complete description of both shows, visit the Traver Gallery Web site.

The reception is Saturday, Nov. 14 from 4-7 p.m.

[Traver Gallery, 1821 Dock St., #100, Tacoma, 253.383.3685]

Photo: Butchgirl #9, blown glass, by Jen Elek

NIGHT MOVES: Batrider, The Fun Police, Brooklyn Pool, Mad Rad and Round 7

WEEKLY VOLCANO: MUSIC IN THE SOUTH SOUND TONIGHT >>>

Don’t know what to do tonight? Don’t worry, we have you covered.

Batrider possesses that most appealing aspect of grunge — you can hear them fighting to find the perfect pop melody, each misstep inspiring fits of feedback over waves of crashing cymbals and lurching bass. They play Le Voyeur in Olympia at 10 p.m.

The Fun Police. Is this a band of officers that inspires fun, or is it fun they police? This question and more will be answered tonight at Stonegate Pizza on South Tacoma Way.

Brooklyn Pool (pictured) will be busting out a brand-spanking new record tonight at The Den with Colonies, Organ Donor, and Phantom Fireworks at 7 p.m.

Mad Rad — the rowdy Seattle hipster electro-hip-hop group that (at one point at least) was banned from seven venues on Capitol Hill — will join Nasty Left, DJ Darwin, DJ Hanibal and the Friday the 13th Bogeyman Art Show featuring artists James Hume, Jeremy Gregory, Brook Pawlicki, James Bender, GRYM, Ann Koi, AcidTest, Laura Eklund, Matthew Scott and Ryan Loiselle at 9 p.m.

Tonight in Tacoma, as part of Art at Work Month and the seventh incarnation of the Tacoma Round — the popular grassroots series in which artists, poets and musicians share a stage — a team of nine SOTA students led by Beautiful Angle gorilla-art conspirators Lance Kagey and Tom Llewellyn will build a wall of their own.  The show begins at 7:30 p.m. inside the Warehouse in downtown Tacoma.

LINK: More shows in the South South tonight

LINK: Concert Alert

Art of Work: Round 7, FootFalls

MICHAEL SWAN: ONE CITY. 30 DAYS. WHAT WILL YOU DO? >>>
 
Art at Work Month: Friday, Nov. 13

November 2009 marks the eighth anniversary of Art at Work: Tacoma Arts Month. There is something for everyone to enjoy throughout the month: lectures, music, dance performances, readings, workshops, theater performances, visual art exhibits and more.

Here are today’s highlights:

The University of Puget Sound Jacobsen Series features new assistant professor of voice Dawn Padula at 7:30 p.m. inside the Schneebeck Concert Hall.

The BareFoot Collective presents Tacoma choreographers Kate Stricker and Stephanie Pederson production of FootFalls at 8 p.m. at the Jan Collum Ballroom.

The Round 7: A Benefit for Tacoma School of the Arts China Service and Study Tour will take place at 8 p.m. inside the Warehouse. Full details here.

There are many more events today. For a complete Art at Work schedule, click here.

Pacific Grill Rewards, 7 Seas tasting

RON SWARNER: FOOD MATTERS >>>

Beer Tasting: 7 Seas Brewing Co. out of Gig Harbor will be at the Mandolin Café today from 6-8 p.m. with beer and giveaways.

Earn Money Eating: Pacific Grill has launched a rewards program.

Plan Ahead: Chef Charlie McManus discusses food trends and the changing culture of food at the Dec. 2 City Club of Tacoma meeting. Reserve your spot here.

Food For Thought: Eating local even in winter: it can be done.

LINK: Weekly Volcano’s Eat & Drink section

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

LINK: South Sound Happy Hours

LINK: Wine and beer tastings

LINK: South Sound coupons

5 Things To Do: Friday

MICHAEL SWAN: FRIDAY, NOV. 13, 2009 >>>

1. The Sound We Make and Whiteout, the greatest plays ever written by Nick Stokes, will be staged inside Old City Hall at 8 p.m.

2. The Blue Mouse Theatre celebrates its 86th anniversary by going green with popcorn in eco-friendly bags, a screening of the silent flick Green Goddess and, of course, salad with Green Goddess dressing, at 7 p.m.

3. The City of Tacoma and Puget Sound Poetry Connection presents the Distinguished Writer Series featuring reader and poet Brian Desmond followed by an open mic at 7 p.m. inside King’s Books.

4. Artifakt Presents Friday The 13th Bogeyman Art Party with Mad Rad, Nasty Left, DJ Darwin, DJ Hannibal, plus art by James Hume, Jeremy Gregory, Brook Pawlicki, James Bender, Grym, Ann Koi, AcidTest, Laura Eklund, Matthew Scott, Ryan Loiselle at 9 p.m. inside Jazzbones.

5. Seven Deadly Sins: The Musical, written and directed by Pierce College’s own Fred Metzger at 7 p.m. inside the college’s theater.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

TONIGHT: Robbie Walden & the Gun Slingers

RON SWARNER: ADD SOME AMERICANA TO YOUR NIGHT >>>

Robbie Walden & the Gun Slingers will perform a free show tonight at Doyle’s Public House.

While the band might be categorized as Americana, Walden tries to steer clear of labels.

“I’ve never been one to label my music ’cause I just write and whatever comes out comes out,” Walden told me in a previous interview. “When I write, I like to write stories and messages. Things people can relate to or get a chuckle out of. I will say that my major influences have been a lot of country artists. Edwin McCaine and Tracy Chapman have become influences in my later years. But I really like the stories country tells, especially old country. So even when I don’t write a traditional country sounding song I still write a story, like country.”

Walden and his trio blend country, folk, pop and rock, and quite well, I must add.

[Doyle’s Public House, Thursday, Nov. 12, 8 p.m., no cover, 208 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.7468]

FUTURE THING: Bad sweater contest

MICHAEL SWAN: DOYLE’S THANKSGIVING EVE TRADITION IS ON >>>

You knew there was a reason to hold on to the Christmas-light-laden and obscenely geometric printed green-and-red sweater. You once thought even the one with reindeer had potential. Now it’s time to explore your closets because, ladies and gentlemen, the bad holiday sweater contest is back at Doyle’s Public House Wednesday, Nov. 25.

“The night before Thanksgiving provides the perfect opportunity to break out the classic bad holiday sweater,” wrote Doyle’s co-owner Russ Heaton on their Facebook page. “Everyone has one that was gifted or re-gifted to them from an aunt or a not so good friend. If you do not have one fear not. Head down to the thrift store and splurge the $5.

Heaton understands that not everyone has a bad holiday sweater, so he will allow bad Cosby sweaters, too.

Prizes will be awarded for individual, couple and group.

[Doyle’s Public House, Wednesday, Nov. 25, 8:35-11:35 p.m., no cover, 208 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.7468]

New open mic Sunday

RON SWARNER: THE MANDOLIN CAFE ADDS ANOTHER OPTION FOR LOCAL MUSICIANS >>>

Aspiring acoustic performers, poets, and storytellers: unite, and take over the Mandolin Café’s new Open Mic Night Sunday, Nov. 15 from 6-9 p.m. Everyone from open mic virgins to established artists are welcomed to the new Sunday night session, which will be hosted by versatile guitarist Billy Farmer.

Farmer has a smile ear to ear.

“It’s SO alluring for the performing artist to show their craft in a fine establishment with a reputation for excellence in both entertainment and menu,” beams Farmer over the opportunity to host the open mic at the Mandolin. “It’s been my hope for a long while to set this up at The Mandolin and now the time right.”

The Mandolin Café will serve supper to performing musicians in its green room.

“The meals for the musicians will be a full meal, probably a pasta dish or chicken with garlic bread and a beverage,” explains Mandolin co-owner Creig Kostoff.

Besides adding another night of music to the popular Tacoma cafe Kostoff is most excited about offering each musician a CD of his or her night’s performance.

[Mandolin Café, every Sunday, 6-9 p.m., sign up 5 p.m., all ages, no cover, 3923 S. 12th St., Tacoma, 253.781.3482]

GROCERY STORIES: A new column

KRIS BLONDIN: I’M BAAAAAACK >>>

So it’s been a while since I have graced these fine pages, or as you see it now, on your fine computer (but only if you have a Mac ☺). Either way, I am so happy to be here and contributing to the Weekly Volcano — the coolest newspaper online or in print, this side of the Cascades.

As you can see, my column is called Grocery Stories, a little play on words in an attempt to give you a theme for my little scribblins’ and thoughts. In a nutshell, I like to grocery shop. I like to cook. And best of all, I like to eat, then regurgitate it into something you, the consumer might like to read.

Check out my first column on the Weekly Volcano Web site.