Hilltop Tacoma is going through some drastic changes over the last 4 years (2019-2022). It’s no longer the historically Black neighborhood that it once was, full of men and women that served their country and stayed in the PNW to make a better way for their families, inducing a serious White flight that is now attempting to circle back and push out the residents that made the community close knit and family oriented. It’s a shame but it’s the name of the game. That’s how change works good or bad, it affects people and it doesn’t affect everyone the same, for some there is opportunity for others there are empty promises unfulfilled. The change has come and will continue so why not highlight the few that aren’t harming the environment and have become a haven for some?

SATURDAY JULY 8th at THE VALLEYThe Valley has quietly (and, frequently, not-so-quietly) become one of the most reliable music venues in Tacoma, thanks in large part to the eclectic stream of bands that come through its doors. At its heart, though, the Valley is most suited to bringing in the kind of barroom bands that fit the venue’s classic Tacoma aesthetic – which will surely be represented when PNW record label Ruckus In The Boonies presents the Summer Smoke Out. Along with barbecue and vendors, the Summer Smoke Out will feature a cavalcade of bands; at the time of this writing, there are 10 in total, perfect for partying throughout the humid day and into the night.Valley regulars like Stoned Evergreen Travelers, Old Dirty Buzzards, Ghost Train Trio, and James Hunnicut are just some of the acts that will be performing, but the event is unofficially a celebration of the Pine Box Boys and their 20th anniversary. The San Francisco-based outfit has been practicing doom-laden, murder-obsessed alt-country for two decades, honing their craft to a razor-sharp edge. Few modern country acts have the same flair for storytelling that the Pine Box Boys have, spinning blood-drenched yarns packed with a kind of charismatic foreboding. With nine other bands performing – most of whom also make their homes at the intersection of country, rock, and punk – and the sweet smell of barbecue smoke perfuming the air, the Summer Smoke Out seems like the perfect way to kick the hot months off in style.SATURDAY JULY 8thThe Valley:Summer Smoke Out, w/ the Pine Box Boys, Old Dirty Buzzards, Stoned Evergreen Travelers, James Hunnicutt, Blood Fire & Rainwater, Ghost Train Trio, Emery Villains, The Selfish Bastard, Yotes, The Hoods Open Mic Challenge with Billy HoodDoors at 4pm, $151206 Puyallup Aveinstagram.com/ruckusintheboonies

The Church Cantina When you’re in a city full of bars, pubs and dives, setting yourself apart from being “just another bar” is about curating the crowd and achieving this feat is usually predicated on the atmosphere. It should be obvious that decor is a major part of marketing your business and grabbing your piece of the market through your target customer. Church Cantina has done an amazing job of this and it starts at the name. A church theme can attract those with gothic ideologies or personal style, especially in the evening. Traditionally, a Cantina serves drinks and meals and has decor specific to a crowd or less popular audience. I have to say they checked all the boxes. Their logo is a Gothic style cathedral with ‘The Church Cantina’ written underneath in the same gothic style font with a red and black color scheme used for their menu.

THEM | Thursday, Dec. 15There’s a sense of timelessness to THEM that belies the young age of the band members, all women in their late teens and early ‘20s. The Seattle four-piece has an innate ability to recall ‘70s Laurel Canyon, ‘80s synth-pop, ‘90s slacker rock, mid-00s twee, and all manner of decades of teenage pop heartache.