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Tacoma jazz guitarist Ed Taylor has Gibson Guitars in his camp, an honor that allows him to play what he feels are the best guitars in the world. His Gibson of choice: the Steve Howe ES-175, which he works masterfully on his latest CD, Songs From A Taylor. The Weekly Volcano
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Cougars. You can call me stupid if you want, but up until a month ago I thought they were either animals or Washington State University students/alums, and I was quite unfamiliar with the third definition. As the urban dictionary says: Cougars are older women who frequent clubs in order to score
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In my fall arts guide article last week, I said I was majorly impressed back in ’99 by Claire Johnson’s realistic paintings of scenes in a San Francisco nightclub and that I looked forward to seeing what she’s doing now. Well, I saw what she’s doing now — in a group
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In its 11th year, the Commencement Bay Maritime Festival showcases Tacoma’s working waterfront with special attention to the nautical experience: boat building, dragon boat races, boat rides, and even train rides. Kids got a kick out of entertainers like Ladybug the Clown and Mario Lorenz who made balloon swords and
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Do you love the Grateful Dead? Do you enjoy supporting the arts? Then put down that burrito — we have a show for you. Dark Star Orchestra will grace the Pantages Theatre on Thursday, Sept 27 with its unique interpretation of the Dead’s music on their DSO Rex Caravan Tour.
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Remember Donkey Kong? This would have been in the early 1980s, and you would have been standing in a video arcade, bar, truck stop or bowling alley, trying to save the damsel in distress from the gorilla. It was voted the third best coin-operated arcade video game of all time.
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Anticipation is an amazing thing. It can make one fixate on things with almost intolerable clutches. Tacoma is now released from said clutches. Bombay Bistro really truly opened yesterday. Let the gluttony begin. Like locust descending on a field of sweet corn, Tacomans from far and wide poured into Bombay Bistro
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They say one thing leads to another. It certainly seems to be true for local congressional office director and part-time jewelry artist Linda Danforth. “Things” have led Danforth most recently to combine her political job with a part-time crafting business — and also with operation of a downtown artists’ co-operative,
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“Accomplice” Harlequin Productions is staging a mystery production of false identifies and cross purposes titled “Accomplice.” [State Theater, through Sept. 15, 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, $24-$33, 202 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia, 360.786.0151, www.harlequinproductions.org] “Doubt” “Doubt” portrays a strong-minded nun’s struggles with conscience and uncertainty about herself, her gut instincts and justice. [South Puget
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Lakewood Playhouse has hit a long ball with its first time at bat this season. The community theater’s staging of Agatha Chirstie’s “The Hollow” simply was entertaining from first line to curtain call. I have to admit that I wasn’t particularly looking forward to seeing the show since I had seen
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THE 11TH HOUR: A dire warning about the demise of planet Earth, presented in a deadening format of talking heads and what often looks like stock nature footage. The doc has a lot of valuable information, but fails to convey it in an effective, involving way. Rent Al Gore’s “An
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Billy Bob Thornton is in full “Bad Santa” mode in “Mr. Woodcock,” an uneasy comedy about an adult who returns home to discover his mother is planning to marry the gym teacher who made his high school days a living hell. The thing about Thornton is, he makes no compromises
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The Brave One How many films have there been about victims of violence who turn into avengers? Charles Bronson made five. Kevin Bacon’s “Death Sentence” was released two weeks ago. How are we supposed to respond to them? When Bronson’s kill count got above 50, why didn’t the scales of justice
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Despite the image Bobble Tiki has created for himself with his writing in the Weekly Volcano and despite the rather impressive number of friends Bobble Tiki has wracked up on Myspace, believe it or not Bobble Tiki isn’t always a social butterfly. Sometimes when Bobble Tiki’s weekend rolls around, all
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Far too much of the time in life having fun gets put on a back burner in favor of “more important” things — like money, jobs, responsibilities, and even rigid ideals. Screw that noise. No matter how noble your cause, if you’re not having fun in this world, what’s the point? Call
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While Rich Wetzel’s third release The Mayn Thing strengthens the trumpeter’s links with the big band legacies of Stan Kenton, Woody Herman and Don Ellis, it declares in no uncertain terms that his “mayn” man is still the legendary screech king, Maynard Ferguson. Which means plenty of brass-plated pyrotechnics. It
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Many moons ago, when I still worked the door at Jazzbones and Jason MacKinnon still owned the joint, the two of us got into a good natured argument. Or rather, MacKinnon got into a good natured argument with me, and I found myself along for the ride. If you know
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Thursday, Sept. 13 SWAMPABILLY junkyard jane As the saying goes, “Time flies when you’re having fun,” and for Junkyard Jane it’s been a barrel of monkeys for the past 10 years as Billy Stoops and Leanne Trevalyan have been hosts to a non-stop party. Junkyard Jane was formed in 1997out of stragglers
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on sale now This Providence, Search/Rescue, The Real You, Chris Wise Seattle. Sept. 21 (all ages) 7:30 pm. $10-$12 (El Corazon, TW). Mark Pickerel and His Playing Hands Seattle. Sept. 27 7 pm. $10 (The Showbox, TM). Keali’I Reichel Tacoma. Sept. 29 8:30 pm. $25-$55 (Emerald Queen Casino, TM). Bill Mays, The Inventions Trio
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Sugar skulls are candy concoctions given as gifts to the living and deceased during the Mexican holiday Dias De Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Typically, sugar skulls are made of a sugar paste that’s been pressed into a ceramic mold — as the name implies. However, sometimes they’re
