Inside issue number nineteen:
tent cities, 24 hours of zine-making, periods, poetry, comics, Sundance Kids' tour diary, Spokane's Fucking Bike Club, star balloons, donuts, the horses of Vantage

Download the PDF.

Want to get involved? Email us!

All of you need to grab your favorite written work, photos, and comics and send them to thefinger (at) forsleepwalkers.com, or post them to this website. Issue #19 of the finger is about to be produced, and we need your help. Hurry. The deadline is July 28. Let us know if you have any questions.

Former Olympia resident Gavin Dahl toured with and interviewed Josh Martinez this winter. Listen to exclusive live audio, look at photos and hear stories from the icy roads of Montana and Idaho. Josh Martinez will bring his original brand of underground pop to Evergreen State College in Olympia, on Wednesday March 11, 2009.

        KEEP GOING

Finger 18.2 is currently at the printer. You'll soon be able to find it in Olympia, WA at these fine locations: Danger Room, Rainy Day Records, and Last Word Books. You should still be able to find copies of 18.1 at those places, too.

And while you're waiting for 18.2 to get printed, you can read it online by downloading the PDF.

As always, if you're interested in getting involved, you should email us right now.

This issue will come with an updated copy of The Finger's Finger Complex Compilation CD: Finger Comp Comp. Download the comp by clicking the image below (it's kinda big. 86 MB)

Here's the track listing:

01. right stuff - huff this! 02. honeyhead - brother 03. raiders of the new space age 04. shojob - hidari 05. new life - bird names 06. everyone - small sur 07. 6'6" - cataldo 08. nurse in reverse - paleo 09. harpsicode - mathematicians 10. wicker frames - polka dot dot dot 11. blueberry - johanna kunin 12. stuck in a rhythm - briana marela 13. skinny arms - adam jessup 14. radiation: haiku - please step out of the vehicle 15. pancakes - finn riggins 16. where the horizon's longing - ben kamen 17. maria francesca - world history 18. tennessee - beatbeat whisper 19. cities - cabinet of natural curiosities 20. feeling naughty - revolt and virginia 21. you were my zion - shelby turner 22. sung with the birds 23. 06.10.2008 - queen of refuse 24. old school pizzeria - moustachesKEEP GOING

For at least a year, downtown Olympia has been lacking a consistent all-ages venue. Mariella Luz of K Records is about to fix that.

"Back in April I was at a Mount Eerie and Why? show at the VERA project.  I was chatting with Phil (from Mt. Eerie) and Kevin Erikson from the Department of Safety in Anacortes - and we were talking about how Olympia didn't have an all ages venue," said Luz in an email interview. "There have been lots of good ones over the years but there isn't one at the moment."

The Eagle's Hall and the Midnight Sun still do occasional shows, the Black Front Gallery held all-ages shows for a short time but is now being replaced by a shoe store, the Manium had an increasingly inconsistent presence up until about a year ago, and the Yes Yes has been closed down for a number of years.

"We were all talking about how stupid that is because Olympia has historically been such a musical town and we don't get many touring bands to come through anymore.  We agreed that someone needed to do something about it." said Luz. "The next day I decided that would be me."KEEP GOING

Sitting down in a comfortable chair, I’m handed a pencil and a piece of paper. On the paper has been drawn a
small box. In the box is a drawing of a screaming head with large incoherent text lying behind it. I am told to continue this story however I see fit. Laughing at the absurdity of this drawing I pause to scratch my head. A smirk crawls across my face as I think of something to add to this drawing while unfolding its absurdity.
As I finish I begin giggling like a schoolgirl wondering where it could possibly go from here. This is called comics night.KEEP GOING

Local botanical and alternative medicine enthusiasts are coming together to “offer education and personal health
consultation free of charge.” Operating under the fiscal sponsorship of Done & Done, the clinic will “serve to empower people to take charge of their own health by making low/no-cost natural medicines available” to community members. Find out more by emailing olyfreeherbalclinic@riseup.net.

Reference Librarian Kelsey Smith is sharing her love for zines in a big way.
After months of diligent organizing by Smith and zine-loving allies, a new zine collection was brought into circulation at the Olympia Timberland Library this past Spring. Zines can be checked out for three weeks at a time. For more information on the collection, write to zines@trlib.org or stop by the library’s reference desk at 313 8th Ave. SE.

ISSUE 18.1 IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE!

From the inside cover of this issue:
README: Like many fumbled beginnings, some things naturally call for revision. These pages mark the fourth year of The Finger, just as they celebrate four years of tired eyes and wide smiles, memorable debauchery and friends.
This issue of The Finger will be printed in multiple editions. Version 18.1 of The Finger is a special, low-budget edition with a print run of 50.
Finger 18.2 will be released with a higher print run, additional content, a whoapow cover and an updated compilation CD that includes more bands.
Check thefinger.forsleepwalkers.com for daily development snapshots and official releases of upcoming versions of this issue of The Finger.
Want to sneak your own work into Finger 18.2? Want to help us distribute or organize shows or sit on the lawn and watch lightning play with the moon?

Email us right now.
Send us letters: p.o. box 743, olympia, wa 98507

Interested in having a real life copy of Finger 18.1 and the Finger Finger Comp Comp delivered to your home? Email us.

ALSO: This issue includes a compilation of bands that have played at the finger complex:
Flee the Century, Small Sur, Cataldo, Paleo, Mathematicians, Polka Dot Dot Dot, Ramona Córdova, Johanna Kunin, Briana Marela, Please Step Out of the Vehicle, Adam Jessup, Shelby Turner, Finn Riggins, World History, PWRFL POWER, queen of refuse, Moustaches.

Interested in downloading Finger 18.1 or the compilation? OK, click here.

 KEEP GOING

August 21st

Show begins promptly at 7p.m.

The Solvents (Port Townshend)

www.myspace.com/thesolvents

Wisdom Teeth (olympia)

www.wisdomteef.com

www.myspace.com/wisdomteef

The Jetty Cats

(www.myspace.com/jettycats

Killywell

(myspace.com/kilywell)

This show will melt your face off.  Seriously, you may even want to wear flame retardant masks or prepare other provisions for maximum face protection.