Grand Duchy is the Pixies’ Frank Black (born Charles Thompson, a.k.a. Black Francis) and wife Violet Clark. The duo recently released their debut album "Petits Four," one of my favorite albums of 2009 so far. They’ll showcase their infectious pop sound at Jazzbones on Saturday (May 2), with a little support from Tacoma’s own synth-pop gurus, the Nightgowns (formerly the Elephants.) And that seemed like as good a reason as any to ring the couple up at home in Eugene, Ore.

Click here to listen to some of what they had to say,

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This just in from Snoqualmie Casino:

SNOQUALMIE, WASH. – April 30, 2009 –The Robin Trower concert scheduled for Wednesday May 13 at Snoqualmie Casino has been postponed. The concert has been rescheduled for Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 8PM.

Tickets for the May 13 show will be honored for the rescheduled show on July 2, or ticketholders may receive a full refund at the point of purchase. For more information visit www.trowerpower.com.</blockquote>

Duuuuudes! I typed this blog entry with the hand that shook hands with David Hasselhoff. You know, the guy with the talking car? Huge in Germany? Did lots of slo’ mo’ beach running with Pam Anderson? Shweeeet!

But seriously, while I normally focus on pop music on this here blog, you know I had to make an exception for clips I gathered on the set of “America’s Got Talent,” which taped today at Tacoma’s Pantages Theatre. Not only did I get face time with the Hoff, I also kicked with new host, Nick Cannon, and judge

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STG Presents just released more details regarding Neko Case’s June 2 Tacoma homecoming show. Case – the rising alt-country star and former Tacoma resident who immortalized T-town with her songs “South Tacoma Way” and “Thrice All-American” – will headline Tacoma’s Pantages Theater at 8 p.m. on June 2. That’s two days before her scheduled appearance at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre.

Case will have support from Calexico’s Joey Burns and John Convertino for the Tacoma show. Tickets are $33 and will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Saturday (May 2). Find more details on the Broadway Center

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Live Nation announced details for the Blazed and Confused tour, which will bring Snoop Dogg, Slightly Stoopid, Stephen Marley and Mickey Avalon to the Gorge Amphitheatre on July 18.

Tickets are $33.50 to $99 and officially go on sale at 11 a.m. Saturday (May 2). But discounted pre-sale tickets are available now here. (Someone remind me of the difference between “pre-sale” and plain ol’ “on sale,” again? Just sayin’.)

Sonic Youth, the Jesus Lizard, the Gossip, Deer Hunter and the Black Lips are among the names headed to Capitol Hill Block Party, organizer Fuzed Music announced today.

The event, which takes over several blocks of Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood every summer, is quickly becoming one of this region’s hippest music festivals. Click here for a few scenes from last year’s shindig, featuring Vampire Weekend and Gov. Chris Gregoire.

This year’s Block Party is set for July 24 and 25, and you can find a more complete lists of performers and other details

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If you read my post from Friday, you know I’ve recently become a fan of Tacoma sludge metal duo, Lozen. And last Friday, guitarist Hozoji Matheson-Margullis and drummer Justine Valdez celebrated the release of "Oona," their new E.P., at the New Frontier Lounge. Click on the clips below to check out what you missed, and surf on over to their MySpace page for details on next week’s gigs in Seattle and their next hometown show, set for June 20 date at Bob’s Java Jive.

Rumbles

So Long

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Was meaning to post this follow-up to the Beyonce scandal post. But it appears the clip of her supposedly singing a hideously off-key version of “If I Were a Boy” on the Today Show was a hoax – perpetrated by one of her fans, no less. (Not sure if that’ll keep lawyers from getting involved.) Click here for the Rolling Stone report. And I, for one, will remain on the lookout for lip-syncing fakers. Word!

I was just talking to the Galaxies’ Chuck Naubert for a story I’m working on, and he pointed out a little event up in Seattle that had slipped under my radar. (Yeah, shame on me!) That would be the book launch part for rock photographer Jini Dellaccio, the 92-year-old Gig Harbor native who chronicled the rise of the original Northwest Sound. Members of the Sonics, the Wailers and more will take part in a musical tribute. Find more specifics here.

Neko Case – the woman who immortalized Tacoma with her songs "South Tacoma Way" and "Thrice All American" – is finally coming back. Seattle Theatre Group is expected to announce details regarding a June 2 appearance at the Broadway Center’s Pantages Theater next week, a date added as the singer’s June 4 show at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre neared selling out.

Case lives in Tucson, Ariz., these days, but spent many of her formative years in Tacoma. Before she was famous, she tended bar at Bob’s Java Jive and was a go-go dancer for Tacoma garage-punk band Girl Trouble.

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