Dec 05 Friday
BIMA presents two evenings of live virtuosic acoustic instrumental music with Wes Corbett and Simon Chrisman. This extraordinary duo brings original compositions and mind-blowing technical ability to the Frank Buxton Auditorium for a night of unforgettable music.
About the ArtistsWes and Simon started down the musical road at around the same time, on the same small island, but only met by chance and with the accidental help of Bill Frissell and a local noodle shack. Fast friends from the start, theyve made music together every chance theyve had along the way, making two records with chamber grass outfit the Bee Eaters, and stealing chances to get in a two or two when passing through each others city of residence while on tour with other bands. Now, sixteen years after meeting, theyre releasing their first duo recording
A native of the Pacific Northwest, Wesley Corbett has been playing the banjo since he was 16, after a split from the classical piano. He has performed with many of the most influential acoustic musicians of our time, including Mike Marshall, Darol Anger, Sarah Jarosz, Sierra Hull, Bruce Molsky, Robert Earl Keen, Tony Trischka, Molly Tuttle, and Laurie Lewis (among many others), as well as touring internationally with the Indie-Popgrass band Joy Kills Sorrow. From 2011-2015 Wes was the professor of banjo at Berklee School of Music in Boston, MA. He now lives in Nashville, TN and plays in the Molly Tuttle Band.
Hammer dulcimer virtuoso Simon Chrisman brings an unusual style to an instrument that has previously been thought to have limited range and technique…his inventive virtuosic touch and sophisticated rhythmic sensibilities are redefining the instrument and earning the attention of musicians from all over the world. He tours with the Jeremy Kittel Band and the Bee Eaters, and has performed with Darol Anger, Bruce Molsky, Mike Marshall, Laurie Lewis and Seamus Egan.
Experience the magic of the season with two of music's most beloved voices in an unforgettable evening of holiday favorites and chart-topping hits!
Colbie Caillat, the 2X GRAMMY Award-winning songstress behind the 6X Platinum smash "Bubbly" and beloved holiday album Christmas in the Sand, brings her signature warm, West Coast style to the stage. With over 15 billion global streams and a catalog of multi-Platinum hits including "Realize," "Try," and her GRAMMY-winning duet "Lucky," Caillat's soulful voice has captivated audiences worldwide across pop and country music.
Gavin DeGraw, the GRAMMY-nominated powerhouse known for iconic anthems like "I Don't Want To Be" and the 4X Platinum hit "Not Over You," delivers his distinctive fusion of pop, soul, and folk. Fresh off his acclaimed Christmas EP A Classic Christmas and the 20th anniversary celebration of his breakthrough album Chariot, DeGraw's versatile artistry shines whether he's sharing the stage with Billy Joel or crafting intimate acoustic moments.
Together, these two extraordinary artists—who previously collaborated on the GRAMMY-nominated "We Both Know"—promise an evening filled with holiday warmth, beloved hits, and the kind of musical chemistry that only comes from true artistry.
Don't miss this special seasonal celebration featuring two voices that have soundtracked countless memories and will create new ones this holiday season.
For five unforgettable seasons, Harlequin’s A Christmas Carol has captured the hearts of audiences across the South Sound. Now, in our 5th anniversary production, we invite you to rediscover Dickens’ timeless tale of hope, redemption, and the true spirit of the season. Whether it’s your first visit or a return to a beloved tradition, this year promises to be the most memorable yet—with a reworked script, new characters, an updated set, new special effects, and all the warmth, music, and holiday magic you’ve come to cherish. Traditions evolve, and who knows what the future holds? Don’t miss this milestone year of A Christmas Carol at Harlequin.
Scrooge has no honor, nor any courage. Can three ghosts help him to become the true warrior he ought to be in time to save Tiny Tim from a horrible fate? Performed in the original Klingon with English supertitles, and narrative analysis from The Vulcan Institute of Cultural Anthropology.
Dec 06 Saturday
Slow Burn is a new high point in a remarkable career that now spans more than three decades and includes a long list of accolades; four GRAMMY nominations, three NAACP Image Award nominations, a Soul Train Award for Best Jazz Album and four RIAA Gold Record certifications. In 2009, Billboard named James one of the Top 3 Contemporary Jazz Artists of the decade. In 2024 year Boney became the first ever artist to score 20 number one singles on the Billboard Smooth Jazz chart.
But Boney James has never been one to look backwards and Slow Burn, which the artist produced, marks several firsts. Beginning with the album's opening track, 'Arcadia.' The very first notes on the album are the acoustic bass playing of the legendary Marcus Miller. It's one of the few times that Miller, known for his electric bass guitar work, has committed his standup bass playing to a recording and the first time that James has incorporated an upright bass into his own music.
The Farm Fresh Market, featuring Ayala Farms, run Saturdays October 11 – December 6 from 9 am to 2 pm at the Historic Shell Station. Locals and visitors take advantage of the seasonal flowers and support local farmers. Live music from 11 am to 1 pm.
Echoes of the Floating World features a striking collection of 18th, 19th and early 20th-century Japanese woodblock prints from the Tacoma Art Museum and others, displayed alongside works by contemporary Northwest artists. This exhibition honors the rich legacy of ukiyo-e while exploring its cultural impact on today’s artistic expressions.
Hours-
Monday CLOSEDTuesday CLOSEDWednesday 10 am – 5 pmThursday 10 am – 8 pmFriday 10 am – 5 pmSaturday 10 am – 5 pmSunday 10 am – 5 pm
We are protesting project 2025. TacomaRama marching band will join us for the next 4 years. We will meet each month on the Saturday closest to the 18th each month. Always 10am, always Reconciliation park. Feel loved and supported.
The period from the 1870s to the 1900s, known as the Gilded Age, saw the rise of the railroad, textile industry, and production. It also saw a rise in migration to US cities, providing workers to fill low paying jobs producing many of the fashions of the era. This era marked a turning point in fashion as new technologies and changing cultural norms transformed the ways in which people dressed.
Explore this history and enjoy the rare chance to see clothing, notions, and artifacts of the period from the Washington State Historical Society collections.
Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music unveils the profound legacy of Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul artists who shaped the soundscape of American culture and used their music as instruments of resistance, identity, and representation.
Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul embody the profound influence of African American music on culture and history. From the spiritual foundations and transformative movements of Gospel hymns to the revolutionary improvisations of Jazz, the Blues’ Southern roots rising from the Mississippi Delta, and Soul’s powerful amplification of the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, these genres have defined the unique sound and undying spirit of a nation that continues to echo through contemporary Black music today.
