Spew

5 Things To Do: Friday

MICHAEL SWAN: FRIDAY, OCT. 16, 2009 >>>

1. Viva Oz Vegas, the Vegas-style floor show extravaganza, hits Olympia’s Capitol Theater stage at 8 p.m.

2. The Gig Harbor Film Festival with more than 60 features, documentaries, shorts, and foreign films begins its three-day run today.

3. Tacoma mayoral candidates Jim Merritt and Marilyn Strickland will discuss questions posed by the public and CIVITAS, a student group, about urban issues facing Tacoma at The University of Washington Tacoma in the William W. Philip Hall’s Milgard Assembly Room from 5-6:30 p.m.

4. The Heroes of Improv Comedy performs at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at the Midnight Sun Performance Space in Olympia.

5. Andrew Vait & The Lonesome Pioneers and Danny Godinez play an 8 p.m. gig at Krickett’s Family Restaurant in Parkland.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

Hot times at The Royal tonight

JOSE GUTIERREZ JR.: DEVON THE DUDE IN OLY >>>

One of the most underrated MCs on the map will slinkily and smoothly make his way to the stage tonight at Olympia’s Royal Lounge, when Devin The Dude headlines a strong show and line-up featuring Tac-Town’s Jay Barz, Olympia’s party crew, Junkyard Gang and DJ Luvva J (yours truly) on the 1s and 2s.

Since his days with Houston’s Odd Squad in the mid-‘90s, Devin has captured the minds and hearts of his listeners with blistering comedy, wordplay and an uncanny ability to tell stories — many of a sexual nature (check for his verses on “F**k Faces” with Scarface and “F**k You” with Dr. Dre).  Still for some reason or another, one of the most respected and sought after talents in the rap game is still slipping in and out of the mainstream radar. That’s OK though — those who know — KNOW.  Those who don’t can come and get a dose of the Texas legend tonight at the Royal in Oly. 

Devon The Dude plays Tacoma's Station 56 tomorrow night.

[The Royal, Devin The Dude, Jay Barz, Junkyard Gang & Luvva J, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 9:30 p.m., $15, 311 Capitol Way N., Olympia, 360.705.0760]

5 Things To Do: Tuesday

MICHAEL SWAN: TUESDAY, SEPT. 29, 2009 >>>

1. Local restaurants compete for Best Soup Award 2009 from 4-6 p.m. at the 6th Ave. Farmers Market. All proceeds ($10 tastes) go to local honey farmer Shanetta Ludwig, a.k.a. The Bee Lady, who lost her husband a few weeks ago.

2. Check out the work of nature shutterbug Keith Lazelle who snagged 14 beautiful shots of the Hoh River ecosystem in the Olympic National Park. They’re on display at the Washington State History Museum.

3. Seldon Edwards, author of The Little Book, will discuss the book's extraordinary tale of Wheeler Burden, California-exiled heir of the famous Boston banking Burdens, historian, philosopher, rock idol, recluse, writer, lover of women and Harvard baseball hero at 7 p.m. inside the Olympic Room at the Tacoma Public Library’s downtown branch.

4. Tobe Hixx is the guest comic for Ha Ha Tuesday hosted by Ralph Porter at 8 p.m. inside Jazzbones.

5. It’s Team Trivia Night at 9 p.m. at Farrelli’s Pizza on Sixth Avenue.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

5 Things To Do: Friday

MICHAEL SWAN: FRIDAY, SEPT. 18, 2009 >>>

1. Goldfinch, Cotton Jones and Tall Girl will perform at 8 p.m. inside Urban Grace in downtown Tacoma.

2. Northwest Erotic Comedy Competition hosted by Riggs begins at 8 p.m. inside Jazzbones.

3. Tacoma Pyrate Punx presents Rum Rebellion, Red White & Die, Crouton Cartwheel Crusaders, Cuntry Cuntrol at 6 p.m. for an all-ages show at Hell's Kitchen.

4. Neil Simon's The Star-Spangled Girl will hit the Tacoma Little Theatre stage at 7:30 p.m.

5. Prodigal Sun Productions hosts a staged reading of Shakespeare’s Hamlet at 8 p.m. inside The Midnight Sun Performance Space in Olympia.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

Photo by Adam Ydstie

Clean and sober and funny

STEVE DUNKELBERGER: IS THIS ON YOUR RADAR? >>>

Last Saturday I dropped by Applini's Two Clean & Sober Club in Puyallup to catch local comedian Tk Kasnick kill the otherwise sober crowd. Susan Jones, the upcoming star of Living Large headlined the show, supported by the cute and twisted Jaqi Furback.

Have you been to Applini’s yet? Ironically, it's in the same building that used to house Mugs and Jugs sports bar.

Tomorrow night the club continues its Applini Idol contest from 7-10 p.m. A DJ spins every Friday night. Classic rock band Legacy pops in Saturday night. Check out their upcoming events here.

[Applini's Two Clean & Sober Club, 1015 N. Meridian, Puyallup, 253.604.4307]

5 Things To Do: Tuesday

MICHAEL SWAN: TUESDAY, SEPT. 1, 2009 >>>

1. Author Michael J. Vaughn will read and discuss his book OUTRO, which uses Gig Harbor’s karaoke scene as a backdrop, at 7 p.m. inside Tacoma's Wheelock Library.

2. The Tacoma Mountaineers 7th Annual Photographic Exhibition opens today at 9 a.m. at the Tahoma Center Gallery in Tacoma. It runs through Oct. 30.

3. Saxophonist and host Kareem Kandi is ramping up the jazz open mic every Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at Sax on 6th.

4. Comedians Jesse Case and Brett Hamil join host Ralph Porter at 8 p.m. for Jazzbones' Ha Ha Tuesdays.

5. Tempest Lounge presents iPod Tuesdays where you bring your MP3 player and become the DJ beginning at 9 p.m.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

No better way to spend a Sunday

MATT DRISCOLL: DK ROSS BENEFIT TODAY AT MECONI'S >>>

Life really fucking sucks sometimes. I don’t know how else to say it. When you look at a picture like that of David-Kenny Ross, the young boy struck by a boat while kayaking on American Lake earlier this year, and think of the severe brain damage and broken bones this young man sustained, there’s really nothing else you can say. As a parent, it makes my heart simply ache. It also makes me wonder if there’s any way — even small — that I can help Ross and his family.

Meconi’s in Tacoma was thinking the same thing, and today they’ll be holding a benefit for Ross to show their support for a boy who didn’t deserve the cards he was dealt, and help his family deal with the mounting medical costs.

Music will be provided by Loose Gravel & the Quarry, Chrome Molly — an AC/DC tribute band, 2112 — a Rush tribute band, and many more.

Comedians Chris Brannon and Riggs will also be on hand.

The event runs from noon to 8 p.m., and — really, truly — there’s no better way to spend a Sunday.

Donations small and large will be accepted and appreciated.

[Meconi’s Tacoma Pub & Eatery, with Glenn Harrell, Relentless, Grease Guemsey, Loose Gravel & the Quarry, Dave Roberts, Chrome Molly, Riggs, 2112, 709 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.383.3388]

5 Things To Do: Tuesday

MICHAEL SWAN: TUESDAY, AUG. 11, 2009 >>>

1. Captain America visits Comic Book Ink from 9-11 p.m. after a full day of massive discounts as part of Marvel’s 70th Birthday Party.

2. Jewelry artist Nancy Worden incorporates non-traditional materials such as seed pods and plastic hair curlers into her jewelry to tell a story from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Tacoma Art Museum.

The Makedonians perform an all-ages show at 7 p.m. in front of the fireplace at The Mandolin Café.

Jazz saxophonist Kareem Kandi hosts an open mic tonight at 7 p.m. inside SAX Restaurant and Lounge.

Ralph Porter hosts Ha Ha Tuesdays with guest comic Roy Haber at 8 p.m. inside Jazzbones.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

Wild and crazy banjo

MICHAEL SWAN: THIS JUST IN >>>

Steve Martin will join the Steep Canyon Rangers for an evening of bluegrass and banjo Nov. 3 at Benaroya Hall in Seattle. Comedian Martin has earned three Grammys for his banjo work — well, two of his albums were mostly comedic (1977's Let's Get Small and 1978's Wild and Crazy Guy). His third Grammy was earned with Earl Scruggs on Foggy Mountain Breakdown in 2001.

Tickets for the Nov. 3 are $55, $65 and $75. Tickets go on sale Saturday, Aug. 15 at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster locations, or by phone at 800.745.3000.

Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad

PAUL SCHRAG: COMEDY-VARIETY-EXTRAVAGANZA-BAT-MITZVAH-SURPEME >>>

What happens when nice Jewish girls go bad? They get to go on HBO and Comedy Central. They also get to perform at the 4th Ave. Tav in Olympia.

Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad is a mix of comedy, music, spoken-word and show-stopping burlesque, which according to the press release features “the gals who learned to smoke at Hebrew School, got drunk at their Bat-Mitzvahs and would rather have more schtuppa than the chupah.”

You won’t want to miss Dana Eagle, Cynthia Levin, Sister Schmaltz and The Goddess Perlman.

[4th Ave Tav, Thursday July 30, 8 pm, $12 in advance, $15 at the door, 210 4th Ave. E., 360.786.1444]