Depending on how you look at it, I was either 15 minutes too late for the matinee show or an hour early for the late show at Tacoma's newest all-ages venue, the Frameshop (99th Street East and Portland Avenue). I had intended to see Set Your Goals, a fun, poppy hardcore band from San Francisco who were in town recording their full-length with Barrett Jones and playing a few local shows before going on tour, but instead I pulled up to the small venue just in time to see the band loading out their gear. Damn! But at least I finally made it out to the new space, which has been hosting shows since December.

Started by 22-year-old Brian Skiffington and his friend Rachelle Keenan, the Frameshop began as an attempt to alleviate Tacoma's severe lack of all-ages venues.

"Anybody who's been to Tacoma knows that the all-ages scene consists of bars (that kick minors out at 9:00 pm), churches, or church-run venues that censor what can be said on the stage, and basements, which are stinky and usually only last a couple shows before they are shut down," says Skiffington. "The Frameshop isn't some immaculate place to play, but it is everything those other venues aren't, so to speak. Most all-ages clubs tend to only do weekend shows because of high overhead to rent out a space for a show that might not do well. Having the venue makes it very flexible for bands to coordinate playing here."

The Frameshop is basically one room. The front door opens to the main, dimly lit showroom, where bands set up on the floor against the back wall. The ceilings are low, the windows are covered—it feels a lot like a tight basement, only it doesn't stink. And though the venue has only been around for a few months, it's already had a successful run, proving kids in Tacoma do want an all-ages venue of their own. Skiffington, who has been booking shows for about five years, recognizes that, and has already plotted out some big goals for the Frameshop's future.

"Right now the venue is nonprofit in the sense that we've met our overhead within $100 every month since we opened. Ideally, we would be able to co-op with the city and get funding to help out with the ridiculous overhead of maintaining insurance and keeping up with rent."

Due to some tension with neighbors, Skiffington also hopes to move to a new venue by this spring. In the meantime, though, the Frameshop will keep putting on hardcore, rock, and punk shows in Tacoma's suburbs.

"The area of the venue is the sketchiest suburb ever! There is a bar named Skeeters, and a corner store that sells 'pussy'-scented incense," says Skiffington with a laugh. Still, he continues, "Anybody that made it to the Champion show knows that you just don't get to see bands like that in spaces like this anymore."

To inquire about booking or get more info, e-mail reflexzombie@yahoo.com.