SATURDAY, JULY 9 2016: South Sound events + craft beer …
The Mix Block Party + 7 Seas Brewing Bash = all day party
Lobsana + Northwest Brewing Bash = kaleidoscope of fun
Loving Mary + Puyallup River Brewing = Total good times
THE MIX BLOCK PARTY
As you probably know it’s Tacoma Pride Festival week in Tacoma. The annual celebration honors the LGBTQA population of Pierce County with cultural events and educational opportunities. One of our favorite Tacoma Pride events is the Block Party held outside The Mix, which is always a gathering for hordes of LGBT people aiming to let off some well-earned steam. It’s truly a fun time filled with joyous people converging on one intersection. With scores of DJs, go-go dancers, three outdoor bars, food trucks and performances from Purple Crush, Adra Boo and host Ms. Honey Bucket, the Block Party is a perfectly raucous place to gather, beginning at 5 p.m. And, not for nothing, the party is going until 2 a.m. if you’re so dangerous.
PREFUNK: In seven years, they’ve overcome a fire, became the first Washington craft brewery to release cans, upgraded from a cramped warehouse location to a sprawling tap room and brew facility, developed the 253 Pilsner charity program, voted “Best Brewery in the South Sound” seven years running by readers of South Sound Magazine, blazed a path of environmentally friendly packaging, voted “Best Brewery” by Weekly Volcano readers and are weeks away from opening a ginormous brewing facility, taproom and market in downtown Tacoma. From noon to 8 p.m., 7 Seas Brewing Co. will celebrate seven years in the brew business with local bands, food, games and 7 Seas brews at their Gig Harbor location.
LOBSANA
Consider “chillwave.” Weird word. Carles, the brutally sarcastic persona formerly at Hipster Runoff, coined it. Specifically, they’re pop songs that use decades-old synth tones and heaps of reverb, with production that suggests the cheapest home-recording equipment available circa 1994. Seattle’s Lobsana has been called chillwave with their kaleidoscope, mind-bending music. Anna Moore is the artist behind Lobsana, a project that began back in 2011 as more or less a lark. Catch Lobsana with Skull Kid, Jesus on The Moon and Animyst at 8:30 p.m. in The Valley.
PREFUNK: Originally known as Laughing Buddha, then rebranded as Trade Route Brewing, five years ago Dan Anthony and Greg Steed purchased the brewery in Pacific, Washington and renamed it Northwest Brewing Company. Over the five years the brewery grew from 800 barrels a year to a touch under 7,000 barrels. Northwest Brewing was also the first in the state to brew hard root beer. They’ll also open a new taproom in the Sammamish Plateau soon. First, at 1 p.m., Northwest Brewing will celebrate their fifth anniversary with a huge bash featuring live music, food trucks and Northwest Brewing beers.
LOVING MARY
Although country music fans will recognize Rebecca Lynn Howard her frequent Grand Ole Opry appearances and from her radio single “Forgive,” she most recently has been gaining attention with her new music project called Loving Mary. The Nashville-based band began as a fun, organic departure from the pop/rock world for noted producer Marti Frederiksen, Canadian pop star Suzie McNeil, and for some back-to-band fun for country artist and Grammy winner Rebecca Lynn Howard and songwriter/producer Elisha Hoffman. Loving Mary will spread the love at 8 p.m. in downtown Tacoma’s Steel Creek country bar.
PREFUNK: Puyallup River Brewing will load up the truck with their award-winning beers for a tasting at Total Wine & More in Federal Way from noon to 3 p.m.
