TNT restaurant critic Ed Murietta gave me a ring on his way home last night after noticing that the Olde Shipwreck was conspicuously dark. And when I stopped by just a little while ago, the rock venue was obviously in the process of being gutted, with tables pushed out of the way and more furniture discarded with the trash outside.

A couple of employees inside said the place had been shut down since Tuesday or Wednesday. Hell’s Kitchen booking agent Flash Connel said he’s been getting calls from bands looking to make up canceled gigs for

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Jingle Bell Bash, the annual holiday gala put on by KBKS-FM (Kiss, 106.1),will bring Pussycat Dolls, Nelly Furtado, JoJo, Natasha Bedingfield and Cartel to the Tacoma Dome on Dec. 10, the station announced today. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, and will be available through Ticketmaster.

Krist Novoselic has been playing with Flipper, the Bay Area punk band that is credited with influencing his own group, Nirvana. And Flipper will play at the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in England in December, Novoselic told me when I met up with him for a few fleeting minutes today at the University Bookstore Starbucks on Pacific Avenue.

He was at U Books to introduce his buddy, political writer Steve Hill, the author of “10 Steps to Repair American Democracy: An Owner’s Manual for Concerned Citizens.” During their appearance, they pushed Amendment 3, a measure that would bring

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“Guns ‘N Roses” is back. A press release from House of Blues landed in my inbox this morning announcing a new GNR gig, set for Dec. 10 at the Everett Events Center.

In case you forgot, Axl Rose – the Howard Hughes of rock – debuted his new lineup at the Tacoma Dome back in 2002, the day after the scheduled Vancouver, BC tour launch got nixed (Rose was a no show) in the midst of a big ol’ riot.

Not that it was the first riot

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He goes to rock concerts, apparently. I spotted the Elvis of glass blowing, one of Tacoma’s most beloved native sons, hanging out in front of KeyArena last night as I headed into the Elton John show. (Between the eye patch and the ‘fro, he’s pretty hard to miss.) And even if I knew next to nothing about glass art (uh, the Chihuly hanging in the News Tribune lobby sure is purdy) I thought I’d say hi.

“Elton gives a great show,” he said, looking a little taken aback to be interviewed about another famous guy. And he wouldn’t

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Pop princess Hilary Duff will close out grandstand festivities at the Puyallup Fair & Exhibition Center grandstand for the second year in a row. Hordes of shrill, screaming pre-teens will no doubt be involved. And Hilary took a few minutes off from a commercial shoot to chat late last month. And here’s what she had to say …

… about hanging out at last year’s fair.

… about the odds of her cutting a death metal record.

… about the album she’s actually

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Atlanta’s Third Day – one of the most popular Christian rock bands of the past decade – will be the main attraction at the Puyallup Fair & Exhibition Center grandstand on Thursday (Sept. 21.) And bassist Tai Anderson took a few minutes out to chat before the band’s tour started. Here’s what he had to say …

… about his first impressions of the Puyallup Fair and the band’s love of Puget Sound.

… about the band’s early days and the benefits of good timing.

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When I read that Elton John wanted to make a rap album, I figured he’d completely lost his mind. I mean, it’s one thing to appear at the Grammys with Eminem. But an entire rap album from the Rocket Man? That’s the worst idea since Frank Sinatra tried disco. (Look it up. It happened.)

But as Friday night’s show at KeyArena approaches, I’m having a change of heart. Big, crazy pimp glasses? Birthday parties with $200,000 catering bills? Designer wigs that cost more than your car?

Elton John

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Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic will host a reading by author Steven Hill, who will discuss his book “10 Steps to Repeir American Democracy: An Owners Manual for Concerned Citizens” at 6 p.m. Monday at University Bookstore in Tacoma.

Hill is director of the New America Foundation’s political reform program. His book highlights elements of American democracy that he feels are in need of repair, from winner-take-all elections to the influence of big money.

Novoselic has lived in Tacoma at various times; near Point Defiance and off of 38th Street in the late ’80s and early

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Just received this announcement from KPLU-FM (88.5) regarding its new signal in Olympia:

(Seattle-Tacoma) Now listeners in Olympia can hear KPLU – NPR News and All That Jazz – much clearer on its new signal serving Olympia at 90.1 FM (KPLI).



Olympia represents a significant listening area for KPLU, which employs a full-time reporter to cover the state capitol. The expanded service allows KPLU to provide more service to the area, reaching Olympia’s 60,000 residents and up to 130,000 people in the outlying areas. KPLU bought the frequency from TVW cable television in

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