Rocky Sandoval | Friday, March 24There are certain qualities that just can’t be teached. In hip-hop, things like flow, rhythmic complexity, and lyrical finesse can be learned and honed over time. But, then, there are those intangibles that come fully formed in artists – smoothness, for instance. A sense of poise and ease with words is one of things that just comes baked-in with some emcees. For a nearby example, we can look at the Tacoma-based Rocky Sandoval. Blending hip-hop and R&B, Sandoval has his finger on the pulse of what will get listeners up and moving, seamlessly blending storytelling with the kind of club-ready production that creates a concoction so intoxicating that you may be incapable of resisting that sexy vibe.

NW SINFONIETTAThe Northwest Sinfonietta is the premier chamber orchestra in the Puget Sound and has been blazed a trail that helps them lead the charge in a way most wouldn’t expect. It began in 1991 and has received international nods for not only high level performance but also unique community efforts to be inclusive. It’s a mission they continue to make their main focus, partnering with local arts community advocates and businesses to evolve their audience. It’s not a secret that the world of classical music is still very White and a lot of that has to do with enough exposure to the art form for it resonate not only with the ears but the feelings and cultures of other backgrounds, races and ethnicities. Traditionally the areas, venues, composers and even orchestra members are predominantly White, but that isn’t to say that people from other backgrounds haven’t contributed to the art form since it’s beginnings. But like many other arts their contributions have been hidden, forgotten or undocumented altogether. NW Sinfonietta is doing the work to rediscover, uncover and introduce works from composers and musicians of other races and places. The Artistic Partner model they adopted in 2015 is keeping a rotation of different ethnic backgrounds involved, at the selection of the NW Sinfonietta, and allowing more input for the musicians themselves. Karen Choo is a large part of why the connections are being made here in Tacoma for discovery and changing of the old guard. She helped to onboard Tacoma artist and arts advocate Neon Dion with the help of Spaceworks Tacoma. Their work together on the NW Sinfonietta’s premiere of Grammy nominated Black composer Carlos Simon’s Graffiti saw the Pantages theater lobby and seats filled by a very diverse and excited audience. That was a win in the right direction for the NW Sinfonietta and they plan to double down on their results. They recently began collaborative work with Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center, T.U.P.A.C. is a Black lead ballet group. In addition, the NW Sinfonietta have been offering discount codes to their performances sometimes making tickets as low as $10, as well as, connecting with small businesses to do ticket giveaways. In Tacoma, the NW Sinfonietta wants to remove the invisible barrier to entry for spaces like the Rialto and Pantages Theater where many non-whites have felt as though the space is not for them and does not cater to their culture or community identity in any way. We recommend keeping your eye on their website for what’s next to come but if they keep making the right connections and pushing for change the chances are you won’t have to go looking for it anymore. Tickets for This Land f/ T.UP.A.C. May 20th & 21stnwsinfonietta.orginstagram253-383-5344

In 2006, a few things were happening in the greater indie rock landscape, including the ever expanding tendrils from the past few years’ rediscovery of previously discarded genres like psychedelia, garage rock, and goth; the excitement of hundreds of bands scrambling to see where everything was going next; and the birth of two bands: the Growlers and the Coathangers. For the Growlers, surf-rock and an arid, dusty atmosphere led them to describe their sound as “beach goth”; as for the Coathangers, they embraced an increasingly hooky brand of punk, bolstered by an unfuckwithable swagger.

Naked Giants | Saturday, February 18It’s awfully hard to give a much better first impression than Naked Giants did with “Dead/Alien,” the opening track on their 2018 debut LP SLUFF. A flurry of dissonance eases you into what turns out to be a brashly infectious blend of surfy punk, strangely melodic noise, and the kind of unbridled enthusiasm that can’t be manufactured. When they burst on the scene, Naked Giants’ triumvirate of merrymakers – Grant Mullen, Gianni Aiello, Henry LaVallee – were yet another group of fresh-faced, high school grads, bringing their energy and ambition with them, in all its’ bottled-up glory. In 2023, Naked Giants have established themselves as one of the more surprising entrants in the Pacific Northwest’s crowded field of melodic indie punk.