By ADAM McKINNEY Comprising a murderers’ row of blues veterans, the five-piece ensemble Joe Blue and the Roof Shakers brings a wild energy to performances. It’s busted out stone-cold classics since 2006, imbuing favorites like “La Grange,” “Mardi Gras in New Orleans” and “Pride and Joy” with a raucous, lived-in strut. Harmonica, horns, dirty guitars, …
By TOM SIMPSON Lacey in Tune goes into August with SWAY, a Northwest cover band that features contemporary hits by artists like, Bruno Mars, Usher, Rihanna, David Guetta, Lady GaGa, Justin Timberlake, The Weeknd, Jason Derulo, LMFAO and Ariana Grande. The band also throws in classic hits by Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Prince for …
By ADAM McKINNEY Anyone who ever trashed disco has been proven wrong by decades of cultural reappraisal. What is true – and what many always knew to be true – is disco is a joyous and far-from-pretentious musical genre designed to be enjoyed by everybody. Seattle’s Sonic Funk Orchestra, in its desire to recreate the …
By TOM SIMPSON Instead of music or acting, this evening focuses on creatures of all sizes and types – including the most creepy-crawly of all, snakes and spiders. “Creature Teachers” is a dynamic duo, composed of animal lovers Shanti Kriens and Amanda LeBlanc. Kriens and LeBlanc take creatures of all sizes directly into classrooms and …
By JONAH BARRETT for OLY ARTS Get dressed up and get fancy for the third-annual Center Stage Awards and Gala at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts this July. “This year’s gala will have a Midsummer Night’s Dream feel,” said executive director Jill Barnes. “Think fairies, fireflies and outdoor gardens.” The gala is …
By ADAM McKINNEY Blessed with a clear, strong and achingly vulnerable singing voice, Mikaiah Sawyer is one of the brightest spots in the Olympia music scene. Drawing inspiration from blues and folk, smoothed with a penchant for crowd-pleasing pop-rock, Sawyer possesses the ability to get listeners to rise to their feet or shed a tear …
By TOM SIMPSON For the past 15 years, the Jimmy Vegas Band cover group has entertained audiences at special events and festivals. The band’s repertoire is enormous, ranging from rock hits composed by John Mellencamp and Tom Petty to country standards by Johnny Cash, from soul classics by Marvin Gaye and KC and the Sunshine …
THEATER REVIEW by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Animal Fire Theatre’s The Winter’s Tale is the way Shakespeare in the Park should be done. The outdoor setting is a clearing surrounded by sky-high evergreens, and on the perfect summer’s evening when I attended, even the mosquitoes cooperated by going somewhere else. Despite a peculiarity, which …
By TOM SIMPSON Las Vegas performer Justin James comes to Lacey in Tune for a Saturday evening family-friendly performance. James combines a sharp comedic wit with the skills of a hypnotist for an enraptured performance like no other. As a national touring artist for over twenty years, James has created unique evenings for corporations, college …
Visual Arts Review by SUSAN CHRISTIAN (special to Oly Arts) Marilyn Bedford is showing her paintings at the small home gallery — Allsorts in Olympia — for the next two weekends. In this exhibit of Bedford paintings there are works from several series as well as single works which punctuate themed groups; a few works don’t …