On Sunday, September 12th at Neptune Coffee, the Imaginary Crafty Listening Party will commence (Kelly's showing everyone how to make fabric flowers, woot!), and it will feature an original crafting soundtrack from Superchunk and the Thermals' new albums.

We have a full review of The Thermals coming up (it's a power pop romantic masterpiece), but we thought it would be good to specifically plug the seminal work of 90s punk pop royalty Superchunk. Especially since the new LP Majesty Shedding arrives along with must-have generational-rousing reissues of the band's second and third releases, No Pocky For Kitty and On The Mouth (1991 and 1993, respectively).

First of all, Majesty Shedding is the band's full-on reunion after many years and comes after Superchunk rubbed fan's tummies with their toys in the attic EP Leaves In The Gutter.

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{Visqueen photo: Ben Haley / Bunnygrunt photo: JoshBomb}

September marks the biggest festival season in the Pacific Northwest. In a move to test our endurance, the biggest of the mammoth festivals take place within days of each other: Bumbershoot from September 4-6 in Seattle and Music Fest NW from September 8-12 in Portland. But, besides those mega-shows, we've got plenty of our favorite Seattle bands taking to the stage. In this edition of the Imaginary Mixtape we'll share tracks from noteworthy bands with shows in the coming weeks, feature some exclusive live recordings from the Athens Popefest, and a sneak preview of brand new songs by The Thermals and Superchunk.

You can listen to a stream or download the MP3 version of the podcast on the imaginary bandcamp page. Bandcamp prohibits tracks longer than 25 minutes {I think it's some regulation against jam bands?}, so the podcast is split into three sections. Click below to listen via the bandcamp stream.

PART 1: Preview of some September Seattle shows, Bumbershoot and Music Fest NW

PART 2: A listen to more Seattle bands with September shows and a preview of our Imaginary Crafty Listening Party albums for September

PART 3: Live tracks recorded at the 2010 Athens Popfest and some lovely Seattle indie-pop

If you are the type that likes to listen to podcasts in itunes (and who doesn't), download the .m4a file here {it's one single file with fancy chapter markers!} and then open it in your itunes {big thanks to Jigsaw Records for hosting the file!}.

Tracklisting: Imaginary Mixtape - September 2010:

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{Thermals photo: Westin Glass / Superchunk photo: Jason Arthurs}

Last month's Imaginary Crafty Listening Party was bumpin with Lo & Behold Shrie teaching us all how to embroider {and armed us with TIG birdies to practice on} while we blissed out to the new Darren Hanlon and Menomena albums.

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{ed note: originally posted 7/27 -- but it's this Saturday! Let this serve as a reminder that it's time to get rollin'!}

Join us on Saturday, August 21, 2010 from 5pm-7pm as get a sneak listen to False Priest, the new of Montreal record that wont hit the stores until September 14 (on Polyvinyl).

And this isn't just any old listening party, it's a radtastical roller skating par-tay at the Lynnwood Bowl & Skate and is going to include a room dedicated to double dutch jump rope (courtesy of Double Dutch Empire), a costume contest (dress up as your favorite of Montreal stage character or band member) with prizes to see of Montreal (Paramount Theatre on October 27) and prize packs from Polyvinyl Records.

There will be a $7 cover (includes roller skate rental!!!) and the event is all ages (bar w/ ID). Of course, as with any respectable outing involving the hokey pokey, the bar will have drink specials.

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{Fantastic photo from the Imaginary Flickr Photo Pool by Explosion 5000}

Summertime brings with it all kinds of lovely things: lazy all day BBQs, iced drinks aplenty, and songs that mark {and in most cases fuel} all the sun-filled good times.

On Friday {July 23} from 9am-10am, I get to talk about *my* most notable summer songs of the moment on KOUW's Weekday show from 9am-10am with host Steve Scher and fellow guests Josh Powell {Vera Project Programming Co-Director} and Larry Mizell Jr. {wordsmith at The Stranger, Raindrop Hustla, KEXP DJ, and Commissioner, Seattle Music Commission}. Even though I've met all those dudes a few times already, I'm still in awe that I get to talk tunes with them.

I've gathered a list of seven songs to take, and by 8.45am on Friday I have to whittle them down to three selections. It's proving to be a difficult task. What are your slam dunk favorite summer songs... either by bands who are from Seattle or are coming to town? Tell the class all about them!

If you're near a radio or computer Friday morning, tune into KUOW, 94.9 FM from 9a-10a! For those outside of Seattle, you can listen online.

And if you want, email the station (weekday@kuow.org) or call in and let us know your thoughts on what you're going to go see and what your summer soundtrack song is. The phone number is 206.543.KUOW (800.289.KUOW).

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{Menomena photo by Ben Moon. The Darren Hanlon photo is by someone equally as talented, but unknown to me}

It's time to get out your basket of needles and thread and join us for some quality crafty times! This month we'll be gather at Neptune Coffee (in Greenwood) on Sunday, August 8 from 1pm-3pm and hear brand new albums by Menomena (7/27 release on Barsuk) and Darren Hanlon (9/21 release on Yep Roc).  We'll have a raffle with Menomena and Darren Hanlon -themed prizes, a Neptune beverage special, and a stitching tutorial!

Stitch n B!tch class:
Bring your own craft or join in our first imaginary craft tutorial led by Shrie of Lo and Behold (see flickr / website for crafty portfolio). Shrie is going to show those of us interested how to embroider. If you want to join in, we'll have imaginary-themed stitching kits available so you don't even have to guess what supplies you'll need to get started (but make sure to bring your own scissors - those things are expensive!). Shrie will bring everything we need to learn to stitch and leave the Imaginary Crafty Listening Party with a finished and beautifully stitched craft.

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Yes, you're reading that correctly. And yes, we're just as excited as you are!

We're cordially inviting you (yes, you -- with the shirt! Hi!) to join us this Friday, July 16th at Solo Bar in Lower Queen Anne. The generous folks at Solo have pushed their happy hour aside so that we can host a night of music for A Drink For The Kids, starting at 6pm. There will be DJ sets from some of your favorite imaginary hosts, including the one and only Damien Jurado (!) who will be guest-headlining for us at 8pm. Expect lots of vinyl, lots of drink specials, and a rad hang!

In case you're not familiar, here's how A Drink For The Kids works: A designated sponsor (in this case, it's Pyramid Brewing Company ) will be supplying a few types of ale for you to enjoy, and the bar will have a designated liquor special too. You buy one of these specials, and the proceeds go directly to the Vera Project. And while you're getting your drink on, we'll be spinning some killer tunes. The end.

Yes, really. We know. It's pretty genius.

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Join us Sunday, June 27 from 1p-3p at Neptune Coffee for the second edition of our Imaginary Crafty Listening Party! Last month we had a glorious time making new crafty friends and debuting the new Math & Physics Club album.  This time around, we'll fill the air with the likes of two album we think should be on your must-have summer playlist:

Carissa's Wierd - They’ll Only Miss You When You Leave: Songs 1996-2003
This retrospective reminds us why Carissa's Wierd should be counted as one of the most important bands to come out of Seattle. They perfected elegant sadness and inspired the beard-core movement that has penetrated today's music charts.

The album releases July 13, 2010 on Hardly Art and they will knock our socks off at the Showbox at the Market on July 9. Listen to "Die" on repeat.

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Skeletons with Flesh on Them {Photo: Steve Louie}

Thanks to everyone who joined us at the Crocodile last Saturday night for the big birthday show with Aqueduct, Math & Physics Club, and Skeletons with Flesh on Them. It was wonderful to spend the special evening with you... even if none of us could break out the candy in the #8 pinanta {thanks to Skeletons with Flesh on Them for supplying the pinata!}.  It was such a joyous time, it made us wish that we could celebrate a birthday more than once a year. Good thing time flies!

Double thanks go to our photographers Steve Louie and Lori Paulson for capturing the evening in photos.

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{MAPC photo by Steve Louie}

We had such a blast at the Croc on Saturday! We hope you did too! Big thanks to everyone who came out and celebrated with us!

We just can't stop celebrating, and we're continuing on with a super fun bash at Moe Bar this Wednesday night! You'll find imaginary folk behind the bar and behind the decks blasting our favorite tunes. Please join us as we raise many glasses to our dear ChrisB who will be moving on to his new blog Another Rainy Saturday. We'll be raging from 8-11pm, and we hope you can join us! The night has no cover, but tip your *ahem* imaginary bartenders! See you Wednesday!