Three Imaginary Girls - The Catch

Tonight's recommended show: Disney Cover Night

ChrisB — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:20:12 +0000

Disney Cover Night features bands like The Pale Pacific, The Catch and Kane Hodder and goes down like a spoonful of sugar at Chop Suey at 8pm, 21+, $7.

Awesome Bumbershoot rumor

imaginary dana — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 15:56:07 +0000

I just heard a rumor about Bumbershoot! Wanna hear it?

Tonight's Recommended Show: The Mooney Suzuki, The Photo Atlas, The Catch, The Sutures at El Corazon

ChrisB — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 15:16:03 +0000

Tonight's recommended show begins early, at 7:30 pm. Getting to the show on time is well worth it.

The Catch, the Lashes, and U.S.E. at the Comet

Sarah Joann Murphy — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 06:55:47 +0000

27 Apr 2007

use07apr5.jpg

Friday was an amazing night for Seattle music fans, and also an impossibly difficult one; if only there were a way to be absolutely everywhere at once. Blood Brothers at the Showbox, Night Canopy with Cloud Cult at Neumo's, the Stooges in a venue in which they should never be seen, Siberian out in Kirkland... and nearest and dearest to my heart, Grand Archives with the Lights at the Crocodile. Phew. With all of these choices, I was nonetheless ecstatic to be crowded in at the Comet to see the Lashes and the Catch, with their pseudo-secret guest United State of Electronica. Trusting that Imaginary Dana would report back every detail of Mat Brooke's new endeavor, I settled in comfortably for a night many of us have been waiting a whole year for.

Even the first online rumors of this "secret" show set off blog dialogues about every band on the bill. All over Capitol Hill were Ben Lashes' smart and snarky handmade flyers - "If you heard that U.S.E. are playing the Comet this Friday, please don't tell anyone!!" The show opened with a last minute addition from San Francisco, Music for Animals. The band was charming both on and off-stage, though their sound leaned a bit too much toward Sublime-infused cock-rock for my taste. Despite the fact that the room was eager to get to the rest of the bill, the crowd responded with enthusiasm to their set.

After some jumbling of equipment in such tight quarters, the Catch took the stage. Lead singer [and U.S.E. member] Carly Nicklaus has earned comparisons to another charismatic diva, with the Stranger's Trent Moorman declaring her "Seattle's own Beyonce." Stepping up to the mic in four inch heels and tauntingly singing with searing energy, it's apparent she's holding true to her title. Amy Rockwell, on keys, has a sweet sexy voice that shines through on her backing vocals. The once all-girl lineup has transformed over the past year to include the Pale Pacific's Justin Harcus on bass and the Divorce's Garrett Lunceford on drums. Their new songs clearly demonstrate the strength the two new members have brought to the band. For those of us who still [and will always] miss members in the original incarnation, there's nonetheless no denying that Garrett's hard hitting drums give the songs a much dancier feel. The bass solo midway thru whip-smart track "'06: 101" is a uniquely Justin addition.

Jenny Jimenez — the Catch's former bassist who can now be found playing any number of instruments in Night Canopy — appeared mid-set and wrangled her way up to the microphone. The timing couldn't have been more perfect, as it allowed her to join in on "Nothin' But Time," soulfully crooning the refrain, "I really, really miss you." It was an absolutely magic moment.

The Lashes took it up a notch further, turning their monitors out to the crowd before they launched into their first song. Everything good and bad has already been said about this Seattle-gone-major-label band, but this was the perfect setting to see them perform their pure pop music with frantic energy, and unending showmanship from lead singer Ben Lashes. The line between band and crowd blurred as he sang alongside those standing in the front row. To match the track "Nate's Song" (a song penned by bassist Nate Lashes, off of their major label release, Get It) they debuted "Eric's Song." Guitarist Eric Lashes had multiple solos during the set, Ben miming the predictable crowd reaction by kneeling down in front of him in only slightly mocking excitement.

Closing with nothing less than debauchery, Ben emerged from behind the drum kit with two pitchers of beer. Marching thru the crowd and up to the dividing wall between the stage floor and the bar, he refilled glasses before finally showering the crowd with what remained. Suffice it to say not everyone was thrilled, but it certainly was not lacking in entertainment.

Creeping past midnight, the overworked soundman began the task of getting ready for U.S.E. to take the stage. The crowd was already chanting "U! S! E!" and the sold-out venue filled with palpable energy. A multicolored ball shot out color from the corner of the red-lit bar as the band huddled behind a black curtain before finally taking the stage. Launching into their first song, there was roughly a minute of everything U.S.E. is famous for before — BLAMMO! — the power blew and launched the packed Comet into quiet darkness. After not one but two of these mis-starts, Nicklaus smiled into the mic and declared, "Turn off the TV's! No one is watching them!" How true.

Soon enough they began in earnest, minus the colored lights and a fog machine for the sake of keeping the mics and amps on. Two songs in, I abandoned all illusion that I could capture the proceedings. In all honesty, it was the Catch's Lunceford who put his hand on my shoulder and wisely pointed out, "You have to put that camera down and dance." It was an utterly intoxicating show, sweaty and screaming and laughing in absolute joy. Those lucky and brave enough to stand front and center had to brace themselves to keep from becoming one with Noah Star and his dual keyboards.

It's phenomenal to think that this group of musicians can consistently create such love and enthusiasm amongst themselves and all within earshot. A friend visiting from Austin asked just what U.S.E. was, and the best text reply I could give was that it's an insane electronic dance party with the most loving, empowering, D.I.Y. heart. The band's requests for hard-earned drinks was granted by honorary member [and Chop Suey booker] Kris K. Running out of time as last call drew near, trying to choose between a new song and an old favorite. The as of yet unnamed track is currently referenced as "When You Get That Feeling" after the lyrics "What's the reason we party? / Love is the reason / When you get that feelin' / Love is the only reason." The band launched straight from the new material into their closing song. Sadly, there wasn't time to grant the crowd's requests for ten more, not two. By the end, the band was surrounded by friends, family, and near members all dancing amongst them. Any hopes of taking photos descended into crossed fingers and blindly pressed shutters; the floor shook so much that even standing still you'd nonetheless be moved about.

Walking home that night I was exhausted and bedraggled, covered in glitter, ears ringing, but most of all completely blissed out on all the "Emerald City" goodness.

It was an utterly intoxicating show, sweaty and screaming and laughing in absolute joy. Those lucky and brave enough to stand front and center had to brace themselves to keep from becoming one with Noah Star and his dual keyboards.

Friday night's special secret guest at the Lashes/Catch show at Comet will be....

imaginary dana — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 22:38:24 +0000

I thought they were supposed to stay secret, but the Lashes themselves let the proverbial cat out the bag...

Allalom — We Make Our Own Mistakes, Vol. 1

Diana Salier — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 07:00:00 +0000

yes

http://www.allalom.com/

allalom06jul.jpg

What makes a good compilation? Unlike mixtapes, compilation albums don't generally have a central theme, and they only offer a taste of each band on the record. I figure the way to judge a compilation is by the number of great songs that are really worth listening to. In the case of We Make Our Own Mistakes: Vol. 1 from Allalom Music, the answer is about half — a really good number for any album.

"Birds Equal Magic" by The Divorce is the perfect opener for the compliation, with its Killers/stellastarr*-esque beginning guitar riff. After singer Shane Berry leaves you feeling down ("Pray if you wanna/there's no way out/you can beg for your mama/but she's not listening"), The Catch picks you back up again with some female-fronted rock in the form of "Hofmeister." Strangely enough, singer Carly Nicklaus sounds almost exactly like the actress who played Mimi in the original cast of Rent, and I had to look them up on MySpace to make sure it wasn't her. But don't be scared; there's no Broadway bravado to be found here.

"Rooster" by The Broadway Hush and "Emily" by Sameer Shukla will satisfy your hankering for the pop side of indie. "Rooster" sounds like what would happen if Mirah got a little happier and sang over a bright electric guitar. It's a feel-good song with a tinge of sadness and nostalgia that can temporarily make you stop worrying about your job, your lack of money, or what you're going to eat for dinner tonight. Sameer Shukla sounds like the long-lost cousin of Rooney or The Turtles, or really any kind of 60's pop band. So it's not surprising that he lists The Beatles and The Beach Boys as two of his musical influences. "Emily" bounces right along with its fuzzy guitars and piano behind "oohs" and "doo-bee-doo"s. Dolour's "An Easy Life" and The Cloves' "Prescriptions" round out the "great songs" half the compilation.

But the compilation is so diverse, you might hate these songs and love some of the other ones that I haven't mentioned. We Make Our Own Mistakes: Vol. 1 features a diverse listing of songs, some of which aren't indie rock at all. There are some soft rock tracks like Sacha Sacket's "Stuck In The Sunset" (try saying that five times fast), standard singer-songwriter fare (Kat Jones, Jared C), and a bonus instrumental track by Anaphylaxis that sounds completely unlike the 13 tracks that came before it. Overall the album has something for everyone and some terrific tracks that will hopefully afford the bands some deserved recognition. Go add them as your friends on Myspace. Then you can say you knew them before everyone else did.

"Rooster" sounds like what would happen if Mirah got a little happier and sang over a bright electric guitar. It's a feel-good song with a tinge of sadness and nostalgia...

SXSW 2006 Preview

three imaginary girls — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 08:00:00 +0000

16 Mar 2006

sxsw06mar1.jpg

The Three Imaginary Girls posse is heading south and partaking all that is South by Southwest. For years, we've heard recounts of the good times and once in a lifetime showcases. Folks, we are beyond excited to experience it for ourselves.

My head has been reeling with each 10 page highlighted print out igLiz hands me. There is so much amazingly fun stuff to do and see and I don't want to miss a minute of anything. Obviously my overachiever self will need to take a Texas-sized (veggie) chill pill in order to focus on the matter at hand: musica, musica, musica!!!

Yeah, I had a hard time figuring out what would make the list and what to prioritize. I created an indie-rock logarithm that, among other factors, weighed out the probability that a band would come to Seattle + the historical nature of their performance + the likelihood that I'll be able to get into the venue before it reaches maximum capacity (nothing like being denied and long bathroom lines to marsh the mellow). Given these factors, I found those Nordic bands rose top!

And for you non-Seattle-ites, we are proud to have a slew of our highly recommendable local bands representing there. If you aren't coming to SXSW from the Pacific Northwest, make sure to check out those fine Seattle / Portland folks! And if you really want to go where the cool kids are, make sure to stop by any one of the KEXP events taking place at the festival.

Break out the SXSW venue map, the show schedule and the cowboy hats 'cause here's our list of must sees:

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15
Bourbon Rocks
8:00 p.m. The Carrots {Austin TX}

Buffalo Billiards
12:00 a.m. Derby {Portland OR}

Dirty Dog Bar
1:00 a.m. The Ark {Malmo SWEDEN}

Emo's Jr.
11:00 p.m. Aloha {Cleveland OH}

Emo's Main Room
9:00 p.m. Voxtrot {Austin TX}
11:00 p.m. Serena Maneesh {Oslo NORWAY}

Eternal
9:30 p.m. Jose Gonzalez {Gothenburg SWEDEN}

Flamingo Cantina
12:00 a.m. The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster {Brighton UK}

Lava Lounge Patio
12:45 a.m. Maritime {Milwaukee WI}

The Parish
8:00 p.m. Envelopes {Stockholm SWEDEN}
12:00 a.m. The Ponys {Chicago IL}
1:00 a.m. Art Brut {London UK}

THURSDAY, MARCH 16

Austin Music Hall
8:00 p.m. the Zutons {Liverpool UK}
9:45 p.m. Morrissey {Manchester UK}

The Drink
Nordic Night
8:00 p.m. Astrid Swan {Helsinki FINLAND}
9:00 p.m. Loney Dear {Stockholm SWEDEN}
10:00 p.m. The Latebirds {Helsinki FINLAND}
11:00 p.m. The Royal Highness {Copenhagen DENMARK}
12:00 a.m. Disco Ensemble {Helsinki FINLAND}
1:00 a.m. Sign {Hafnarfjord ICELAND}

Emo's Jr.
10:00 p.m. Headphones {Seattle WA}

Karma Lounge
1:00 a.m. Figurines {Copenhagen DENMARK}

Molotov Lounge
12:00 a.m. The Hidden Cameras {Toronto ON}

The Parish
8:00 p.m. smoosh {Seattle WA}
Barsuk/Saddle Creek
9:00 p.m. John Vanderslice {San Francisco CA}
10:00 p.m. The Starlight Mints {Norman OK}
11:00 p.m. Two Gallants {San Francisco CA}
12:00 a.m. Mates of State {East Haven CT}
1:00 a.m. Nada Surf {New York NY}

The Parish II
Barsuk/Saddle Creek
8:30 p.m. Detachment Kit {Brooklyn NY}
9:30 p.m. Rocky Votolato {Seattle WA}
10:30 p.m. The Long Winters {Seattle WA}
11:30 p.m. Criteria {Omaha NE}
12:30 a.m. Aqueduct {Seattle WA}

Redrum
Sidecho/Made In Mexico Showcase
8:00 p.m. The Catch {Seattle WA}
9:00 p.m. Some By Sea {Seattle WA}
10:00 p.m. The Divorce {Seattle WA}
12:00 a.m. Stars of Track and Field {Portland OR}
1:00 a.m. Damien Jurado {Seattle WA}

The Velvet Spade
8:00 p.m. Velella Velella {Seattle WA}

FRIDAY, MARCH 17

Antone's
1:00 a.m. Neko Case {Tacoma WA}

Blender Balcony at the Ritz
11:30 p.m. volcano! {Chicago IL}

Blender Bar at the Ritz
8:00 p.m. Brakes {Brighton UK}

Cedar Street Courtyard
9:30 p.m. Billy Bragg {London UK}

Dirty Dog Bar
9:00 p.m. Isobel Campbell {Glasgow UK}
10:00 p.m. The Lashes {Seattle WA}
11:00 p.m. OK GO {Chicago IL}

The Drink
Nordic Night
8:00 p.m. Ane Brun {Stockholm SWEDEN}
9:00 p.m. Real Ones {Bergen NORWAY}
10:00 p.m. Sarah Hepburn {Copenhagen DENMARK}
11:00 p.m. Animal Alpha {Oslo NORWAY}
12:00 a.m. Veto {DENMARK}
1:00 a.m. Quit Your Dayjob {Malmo SWEDEN}

Latitude 30
9:00 p.m. Tilly and the Wall {Omaha NE}
10:00 p.m. Sukpatch {Minneapolis MN}
1:00 a.m. Tapes 'N Tapes {Minneapolis MN}

La Zona Rosa
12:00 a.m. Arctic Monkeys {Sheffield UK}

Molotov Lounge
11:00 p.m. The High Violets {Portland OR}

Red Eyed Fly
8:00 p.m. The Brunettes {Auckland NEW ZEALAND}
11:00 p.m. Band of Horses {Seattle WA}

Stubb's
10:00 p.m. The Subways {Welwyn Garden City UK}

SATURDAY, MARCH 18

Antone's
11:00 p.m. Superchunk {Chapel Hill NC}
1:00 a.m Robert Pollard . {Dayton OH}

The Drink
1:00 a.m. The Village Green {Portland OR}

Emo's Annex
Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar
9:15 p.m. Richard Swift {Los Angeles CA}
10:15 p.m.Pink Mountaintops {Vancouver BC}
11:15 p.m. I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness {Austin TX}
12:15 a.m. Okkervil River {Austin TX}
1:15 a.m. Magnolia Electric Company {Chicago IL}

Emo's Jr.
11:45 p.m. Ester Drang {Seattle WA}
12:45 a.m. David Bazan {Seattle WA}

Habana Calle 6 Patio
7:30 p.m. Dressy Bessy Denver CO
8:30 p.m. Bedroom Walls {Highland Park CA}
Magic Marker Records
9:30 p.m. The Galactic Heroes {Portland OR}
10:30 p.m. The Owls {Minneapolis MN}
11:30 p.m. Tullycraft {Seattle WA}
12:45 a.m. The Bats {Christchurch NEW ZEALAND}

The Hideout
10:00 p.m. Instruments {Athens GA}
11:00 p.m. Gerbils {Athens GA}

The Jackalope
1:00 a.m. The Spits {Seattle WA}

Maggie Mae's
10:00 p.m. The Joggers {Portland OR}
1:00 a.m. Plan B {London UK}

Our recommendations for SXSW 2006 can't-miss shows.

Best Northwest Releases of 2005: Imaginary Staff Picks

three imaginary girls — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 08:00:00 +0000

You weren't the only one we asked to vote. We asked our imaginary staffers to gather their best-of-the-year lists too! Here's what has been in highest rotation on our iPods this year.

{50-41} * {40-31} * {30-21} * {20-11} * {10-1}
{top 100} * {imaginary picks}

Overall Imaginary Staff Picks for Best Northwest Releases of 2005

The Long Winters, Ultimatum
Daylight Basement, Any Kind of Pretty
Death Cab for Cutie, Plans
Tullycraft, Disenchanted Hearts Unite
Harvey Danger, Little By Little
Math & Physics Club, Movie Ending Romance/Weekends Away
The Elephants, The Elephants
The Decemberists, Picaresque
The Catch, Get Cool
Slender Means, Neon & Ruin

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Char, Imaginary Girl

The Decemberists, Picaresque
Death Cab for Cutie, Plans
Minus the Bear, Menos El Oso
Tennis Pro, Cassie's Junior Varsity Make-Out Squad
Harvey Danger, Little By Little
Aqueduct, I Sold Gold
Blue Scholars, The Long March
Crooked Fingers, Dignity and Shame
Dear Darling, Songs of Friends and Family
Fruit Bats, Spelled in Bones

Dana, Imaginary Girl

The Elephants, The Elephants
Tullycraft, Disenchanted Hearts Unite
Daylight Basement, Any Kind of Pretty
Math & Physics Club, Movie Ending Romance/Weekends Away
Slender Means, Neon & Ruin
The Long Winters, Ultimatum EP
The Catch, Get Cool
Infomatik, Technologies
Tea for Julie, Division
The Pale Pacific, Urgency

Liz, Imaginary Girl

Math & Physics Club, Movie Ending Romance/Weekends Away
Boat, Life is a Shipwreck, We Must Remember To Sing In The Life Boats
The Elephants, The Elephants
The Catch, Get Cool
The Long Winters, Ultimatum EP
The Divorce, The Gifted Program
The Wedding Present, Take Fountain
Love Hotel, Masculine Feminine EP
New Pornographers, Twin Cinema
Tullycraft, Disenchanted Hearts Unite

ChrisB

A Frames, Black Forest
The Catch, Get Cool
Daylight Basement, Any Kind of Pretty
Harvey Danger, Little By Little
New Pornographers, Twin Cinema
Anna Oxygen, Meet Jennifer 7"
Sleater-Kinney, The Woods
Slender Means, Neon & Ruin
Tennis Pro, Cassie's Junior Varsity Make-Out Squad
The Pale Pacific, Urgency

Chris Estey

The Long Winters, Ultimatum EP
Daylight Basement, Any Kind Of Pretty
Degenerate Art Ensemble, The Bastress
The Dead Science, Frost Giant
Buttersprites, Buttersprites
Damien Jurado, On My Way To Absence
The Elephants, The Elephants
The Withholders, Stay In My Corner
Tennis Pro, Cassie's Junior Varsity Make-Out Squad
Sameer Shukla, There's Only One Side Tonight

Erik Gonzalez

The Decemberists, Picaresque
Sleater Kinney, The Woods
Stephen Malkmus, Face the Truth
Mon Frere, Real Vampires
Death Cab for Cutie, Plans

imaginary boy embracey, Film and Theater Editor

New Pornographers, Twin Cinema
The Decemberists, Picaresque
Math & Physics Club, Movie Ending Romance/Weekends Away
Boat, Life is a Shipwreck, We Must Remember to Sing in the Lifeboats
The Salteens, Let Go of Your Bad Days

imaginary jessica

Blue Scholars, The Long March
Crystal Skulls, Blocked Numbers
The Divorce, The Gifted Program
Mono In VCF, The Voltage Control EP
Slender Means, Neon & Ruin

Joseph Riippi, Imaginary NYC Correspondent

Tullycraft, Disenchanted Hearts Unite
Crooked Fingers, Dignity and Shame
New Pornographers, Twin Cinema
The Long Winters, Ultimatum EP
Luke Temple, Hold a Match for a Gasoline World
Boat, Life is a Shipwreck, We Must Remember to Sing in the Lifeboats
31 Knots, Talk Like Blood
Sleater-Kinney, The Woods
Banner Barbados, Since Your Caught My Eye Demo
Colin Meloy, Colin Meloy Sings Morrissey

sero(tone)n, Imaginary Calendar Editor

Awesome, Delaware
Crooked Fingers, Dignity and Shame
Crystal Skulls, Blocked Numbers
Daylight Basement, Any Kind of Pretty
Death Cab for Cutie, Plans
The Decemberists, Picaresque
Math & Physics Club, Movie Ending Romance/Weekends Away
Minus the Bear, Menos El Oso
The Sun-Ups, The Fatal Flaw
Tullycraft, Disenchanted Hearts Unite

Stella

Crystal Skulls, Blocked Numbers
Brandi Carlile, Brandi Carlile
Slender Means, Neon & Ruin
Daylight Basement, Any Kind of Pretty
Harvey Danger, Little By Little
Blue Scholars, The Long March
The Ruby Doe, Always With Wings
The Valley, The Valley
Minus the Bear, Menos El Oso
Tea for Julie, Division

Travis Hay

Death Cab for Cutie, Plans
The Divorce, The Gifted Program
Harvey Danger, Little By Little
Kane Hodder, The Pleasure To Remain So Heartless
The Pale Pacific, Urgency
The Posies, Every Kind of Light
Schoolyard Heroes, Fantastic Wounds
Sleater-Kinney, The Woods
Super Deluxe, Surrender!
Vendetta Red, Sisters of the Red Death

{50-41} * {40-31} * {30-21} * {20-11} * {10-1}
{top 100} * {imaginary picks}

You weren't the only one we asked to vote. We asked our imaginary staffers to gather their best-of-the-year lists too! Here's what has been in highest rotation on our iPods this year.

Three Imaginary Girls Best Northwest Releases of 2005 Readers' Poll Results {50-41}

three imaginary girls — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 08:00:00 +0000

{50-41} * {40-31} * {30-21} * {20-11} * {10-1}
{top 100} * {imaginary picks}

#50 Common Market — "Common Market"
(SCIONtific Records)

{official website} * {buy it}

#49 The Catch — Get Cool
(Made in Mexico)

{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#48 Degenerate Art Ensemble — The Bastress
(Tellous)

{official website} * {buy it} * {interview}

#47 Boat — Life is a Shipwreck, We Must Remember to Sing in the Lifeboats
(Oh No Disaster)

{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#46 Tennis Pro — Cassie's Junior Varsity Make-Out Squad
(B-Side)

{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#45 Key Note Speaker — Fiction
(Self-released)

{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#44 The Cloves — Waiting for the World to Be
(Self-released)

{official website} * {buy it}

#43 Paris Spleen — The Gentleman's Club EP
(Self-released)

{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#42 The Valley — The Valley
(Swingline)

{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

#41 Kinski — Alpine Static
(Sub Pop)

{official website} * {buy it} * {review}

See all the winners in the TIG Best Northwest Releases of 2005 Readers' Poll (see winners #50-41 here).

Tales from a Brave Ulysses

Joseph Riippi — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 07:00:00 +0000

X. "Dolour and The Catch @ Pianos, NYC, Sunday May 29"

A few months ago I read a review of an Interpol show. The band had just played somewhere in North Carolina, and the reviewer said the band was a perfect representation of the urban sound of New York City. Okay. That must have thrown most of North Carolina for a loop. "Perfect" is a tough word to use, especially when one is comparing a musical sound to an abstract thought.

But while I would argue that Carlos D. and friends represent more of the idea of what New York City seems to be - i.e. a conglomeration of exceptionally beautiful people in monochromed ties with Joy Division-esque voices that only occasionally break from singing to smoke a clove - than the actual reality of the city, I would say that even if a band captures a feeling of a city, it is only in a subjective conjuring of memories through which the event really occurs that the event really causes the band-city bond.

Seeing The Catch and Dolour in New York City was odd, a misaligned moment where two seemingly different worlds collided. The bands were being matched with the wrong city. It's like when college friends meet high school friends - two entirely separate spheres suddenly collapse and overlap onto each other, trapping you on the inside ellipse of a Ven diagram.

I haven't been back to Seattle since New Year's, after which I came back to the East Coast and haven't been further west than Knoxville since. But I miss it something awful. Hearing that Dolour and The Catch were playing at Piano's last weekend - I was in a bar and met someone graduated from Seattle University a few years ago - made me think for a quick bit that I was sitting in Chop Suey talking about an upcoming show. It was great. Bottle that moment with a lemon-lime or vanilla-cherry flavoring and you've got a winning new 2-liter pop for the summer.

The Catch is on first. You've been sitting out in the well-lit front bar of Piano's, a lovely lower eastside haunt on the day before a holiday. Sunday night and you don't have to work tomorrow. Somewhere in George, WA a cleaner-upper is gathering trash from the slumbering Sasquatch! festival.

Sundaynightmistyurbanconcreterain. Get out of the F train and turn south off Houston St. on Ludlow. See Piano's up ahead with a long line out front. No, you get closer and it's just half the bar outside smoking. New York is going to take some getting used to. Every bar look crowded because of the group out front smoking.

You walk in and order a Guinness. Another Guinness. Give it some time and wait around and listen to conversations about how happy people are that they don't have to work tomorrow. Fuck the Westside stadium. Bloomberg is awesome. Bloomberg is a tool. So far it's not unlike any other concert you've been to, in Seattle or New York. It's comforting. Music here is music there. Guinness here is Guinness there.

Enter the back room through the soundproofed door and sit at a candlelit bar to watch The Catch rock fucking out for their friends. Only about 20 - 30 people have turned out for the show, including some of the bands aunts and uncles. Almost every song is dedicated to a fan/friend. And thanks is given where it is due for the people who rent the floors the band will sleep on that night.

But wow, The Catch's new record, Get Cool is freaking awesome live. The band is like Visqueen with a little more melody, a little less dirt, and throw in some keyboards and harmonies and memories of Saturday mornings with Josie and the Pussycats. Four women who rock their keyboards and distorted guitars in an homage to dirty Seattle rock with a glimmer of cuteness glazed over all of it. Their overall image is that of, "Yeah, we're hot. We know. So fucking what? Shut up and listen to this kickass Van Halen cover."

All poise and flirt, like a bratty 16 year-old younger sister to the head-cheerleader in high school, they open their set with "Get Cool's" "Hofmeister." The line "You don't have to play cool with me/ I'm cool too, it's not easy but I'll still return your smile" sums up well the coy attitude of the band. Their name comes from the "oh he/she is such a catch!" but you get the feeling they aren't about to (permit me the overused pun) be caught by anyone. The Catch does, and will always, subscribe to that indelible mantra of the ages: Hos before bros.

Now Dolour is busy setting up and you have another Guinness and look around. It's not Seattle, and it's obvious that two of the prototypical Seattle bands, who could easily get a strong and loyal sell-out crowd at the Crocodile (go! Friday! TIG turns 3!) are having a rougher time across the country. But for those few people in the crowd that just happened to turn out and hadn't heard the band before, the loss of their innocence is resulting in screams of "You guys are fucking awesome!" and, when The Catch announces their last song, "NOOOOO!!! We want more of YOU!" There is a reply of giggles.

Dolour's newest record, New Old Friends, was named one of the best local records of last year by TIG readers, and not without reason. New Old Friends is a record all over the gamut of "sounds like this" music critiquing. The creative mind of Shane Tutmarc brings out the best of pop music in his studio-sculpted stylized pop, and in the live setting he and some friends show that even with just a two guitar, bass and drums set-up (add occasional piano) Dolour's songs are at their very heart and soul just plain and simple good songs. How many groups can that be said about? When the song is good however it is presented?

Shane and co. started out with some stuff off the older "Suburbiac" record, and then made their way through to the New Old Friends record, my personal favorite, "Big Party" sounding wondrous in the live setting.

You smile the whole set. There is little to say about Dolour but that the music is simpl good music. The songs are good, and their varied presentation between the live setting and the studio just shows the quality of the songwriting.

And after the show there is the "nice show" parting line to give to the bands as they tear down their gear. Moving out of the venue, past the Guinness tap and past the smokers outside, it's back into New York after the brief visit to Seattle. Music isn't about a place, it's about a person. It's adhesive between a person and a place. Listen to Pearl Jam in San Diego for years and Pearl Jam might as well be from there. No place actually has much to do with it. Music is about the people who make it and the people who hear it. Pearl Jam is Seattle because more people in Seattle listened to them there than did people in San Diego. Same with the Pumpkins and Chicago, Lou Reed and New York.

For me, however, seeing Dolour and The Catch, even if in New York City, will always be the best part of Seattle. Pop music to be loved.

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Tales from a Brave Ulysses is a traveling epic through modern art, music, and culture. This week's installment: Dolour and The Catch @ Pianos, NYC, Sunday May 29.

TIG on KEXP for May 2005

three imaginary girls — Fri, 20 May 2005 07:00:00 +0000

Saturday May 7th, Three Imaginary Girls played some of our favorite local tracks of the moment on KEXP's local Northwest music show, Audioasis. Lisa Wood hosted the event, and despite my minor on-air brochitis attack (I was too busy coughing to notice that the mics were on!), I think a fabulous time was had by all.

Here's our set list, with a bit of off-the-air imaginary commentary.

{7:08} The Conversation Heart — "Candy Bitches"
I am so impressed by the new album, Grenadine, by the The Conversation Heart. This track offers proof of the record's sugary hooks and boy sass vocals. Its chorus is more infectious that chicken pox in pre-school. I believe igDana told Lisa that it's the unofficial imaginary theme song for summer. It just might be true.

{7:12} The Catch - "All About Me"
Liz and I love the brand-new-this-week Catch release Get Cool so much we nearly came to blows over which song to play on the air. She wanted to play track two {"Wait"}, and I wanted to play track six {"Empty Your Pockets"} for it's infectious "nah nah nah nah nah nahs!". It came down to an arm wrestle, and we won't tell you who won — because we're all winners with this release, as every track is a bauble. Ugh, that was an awful joke. Char, what's up next?

{7:14} Tullycraft - "Molly's Got a Crush on Us"
Speaking of brand new releases, Disenchanted Hearts Unite by mainstay local band Tullycraft was also released this week. And yes, we sang backup vocals on this song. If you are in a band and you need any "nahs" or "bahs" or "oohs" or "ahhs," Three Imaginary Girls will likely come and sing, if you ask us!

And handclap!

We are mean handclappers!

I might even branch out and attempt a tambourine shake or two, for the right local band.

{7:16} Black Nite Crash - "Soft Focus"
Black Nite Crash gave us this unreleased exclusive, and we thank them. Their latest recordings sound amazing. You can hear them at their MySpace site.

{7:27} Dear Darling - "El Dorado National Forest"
This is track is from the somber and lovely Dear Darling release Songs Of Friends And Family. "El Dorado National Forest" is the perfect beginning to a dreamy mix tape for your secret crush, and not just because their name is Dear Darling.

{7:30} New Bad Things — "I Suck"
Hark, New Bad Things is my new favorite old band! I heard them for the first time a week ago and immediately fell in love. You can imagine the heartbreak when, moments after proclaiming my love, I found out that they had already broke up... years ago. Don't you hate it when that happens? But that still didn't stop me from spending last Friday afternoon ebay-ing their entire collection. Not that I ever spend my Friday work afternoons doing anything other than my day-job.

......

......

I did find the entire collection, and was so awe-struck that I didn't even check the seller's history before taking the advantage of the "Buy It Now" option.

{7:35} An American Starlet — "There are Times I Know I Have it Coming"
What an honor to be the first to play this unreleased song from alt-country band An American Starlet. It was recorded live—in frontman Ian Parks' living room—without any overdubs and on the first take. The result is a spectacular sound and, lucky for us, that's how they plan on recording their entire new album.

That's all we've got for this time. We're already planning for our next setlist, so go ahead and send your local CDs our way. We'll be on the air next on June 11th, and At the Spine and Cantona will be performing live.

Good times!

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Saturday May 7th, Three Imaginary Girls played some of our favorite local tracks of the moment on KEXP's local Northwest music show, Audioasis, including tracks from Dear Darling, the Conversation Heart, the Catch, and more.

Get Cool

JimiC — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 07:00:00 +0000

8.2

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00092998S/wwwthreeimagi-20

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Get Cool is the very brand new release from Seattle sweethearts the Catch. It straddles a potentially dangerous line: too punky to be noo-wave, too noo-wavey to be punk. Let's split the difference and call it power pop.

It does call to mind in feel the great pop bands of the mid- to late- 70's that just missed (and missed out on the spoils of) the nascent new wave movement, bands like Robin Lane and the Chartbusters, the Records, Bram Tchaikovsky, and the Motors. (Know 'em? If you don't, stop and get thee to a used record store. If you do, continue reading…).

There's something of a bubblegum quality to the songs as well, especially in the vocal inflections on the uptempo tracks, which sound like they come from a teenager run wild rather than the twentysomethings they proclaim themselves to be in album closer "After Party."

But Get Cool isn't all sweetness and light. Many of the songs are about boys (which fits nicely, corrected for gender and orientation, into my holy troika of rock topics: girls, God, and drugs) and problems associated therewith. There's little of the carefree teen in album opener "Nothin' But Time," which sounds equal parts sexy and angry (kinda like my wife, bah-dum-bum) with its theme rooted in longing. It's a little punky and a little formulaic — it sounds a little like a Blink 182 or Green Day song, in the best of ways — and occasionally lapses into Courtney Love-isms on the vocals, but from there the album takes off into a much more interesting direction.

Amy Rockwell's monophonic-style noo-wavey keyboards bubble into the mix more prominently and help keep things feeling light. Carly Nicklaus' vocals have an engaging and enthusiastic quality, with just a hint of a sneer (often reminding me of Nina Gordon/Louise Post from Veruca Salt — and that's definitely a good thing, damnit!). It give the listener the impression that much fun was had making this record, always a cool (and hard to capture) quality. When the tempos come down, that same bubbly voice convincingly shifts gear to a more intense and provocative feel. The rhythm section of Jenny Jimenez (bass) and Alissa Newton (drums) remains tight throughout, always critical to the success of any album with pop aspirations, which Get Cool clearly has.

While the Catch are working overtime to remind me of late seventies power pop (not too mention a little Runaways style sassy rockin'), I think they might have had more of an ear for the early nineties pogo poppers like Elastica in the UK and the aforementioned Veruca Salt from here at home (okay, well from Chicago). Like those bands, there's some snotty attitude mixed in with the young, popular, and sexy party vibes. And like those bands, the Catch have a great ear for a tune.

"Wait" goes from the tension building verse bits into the short, sharp and punchy bounce-around-the-room chorus. "Between Friends" has nifty little white-girl funky breakdowns between verses that sound strangely at home in their punky surroundings. "All About Me" cribs some of it's melody from Buddy Holly, than takes some words from... Doris Day? "I'm gonna wash that man right out of my hair…" Oh, wait... "I'm gonna take my hips to a man who cares…" sorry, that's PJ Harvey. Carly puts her sexy on for "Nice," almost moaned rather than sung, with an almost predatory Guyville-era Liz Phair flavor. De-licious, and my favorite. The album ends with "After Party," which sounds just like, well, an after party: a little messy and a lot of fun. (The CD also includes the "After Party" video, where you can play Spot-Your-Favorite-Seattle-Indie-Rocker. Good times, good times...)

In the end, the Catch does a great job ignoring that line between punk and noo-wave, creating a sound that would appeal to mainstream pop-punk fans, guitar-pop fans, old school power poppers… just about anyone who likes any kind of pop music. Highly recommended for a good time!

It give the listener the impression that much fun was had making this record, always a cool (and hard to capture) quality.

Three Imaginary Girls' Buttrock vs. New Wave Rockstar Karaoke Holiday Bash

three imaginary girls — Mon, 22 Nov 2004 08:00:00 +0000

Kick off the holiday season imaginarily with Motley Crüe, Missing Persons, and mistletoe! December 2, 2004 at Chop Suey

We all know that nothing says 'Happy Holidays' like Bon Jovi and Big Country. So, we've rolled them all together and on Thursday, December 2nd, Three Imaginary Girls will present the Buttrock vs. New Wave Rockstar Karaoke Holiday Bash at Chop Suey!

The night will feature rockstar performances by local musicians and celebrities singing their favorite Buttrock or New Wave song. Rockstar performers include members of...

Aqueduct
American School of Warsaw
Argo
The Catch
The Divorce
Dolour
Dorkweed
The Fastbacks
The Femurs
The Fitness
Harvey Danger
Hypatia Lake
Iron Composer
The Jeunes
Kane Hodder
Lila
Graig Markel
The Ruby Doe
Megan Seling of the Stranger
The Senate Arcade

Of course — in imaginary style — you won't need mistletoe to get lucky. The event will feature dangerous drink specials, John Roderick of the Long Winters as Santa Claus, and a raffle {with prizes from Sonic Boom Records, Vain, Nice Promotions, YUM YUM Records, Jade Tree Records and more!}.

Steve the Karaoke King (of Twilight Exit, Molly McGuires, and the Comet Tavern fame) will serve as KJ for the big event, which means the song selection and the sound system will both be incredible. Need further incentive? Imaginary Karaoke parties always tend to attract surprise guests, including Vendetta Red's Zach Davidson, the Posies' Jon Auer, and the Vells' Tristian Marcum. Merry Christmas to you, indie-music fan!

EVENT DETAILS
WHAT: Buttrock vs. New Wave Rockstar Karaoke Holiday Bash
WHERE: Chop Suey, 1325 E. Madison
WHEN: Thursday, December 2, 2004. Doors open 9p. Open Karaoke immediately thereafter.
COST: Only $5 in advance, $7 at the door. Advance tickets available through Ticketweb

Want to find out or relive what happened last year? Check out our Buttrock Karaoke party recap!

And make sure to join us at the PRE-BASH PARTY at Vain to celebrate the opening night of ‘LIVELOUD’, the work of imaginary photographer extraordinaire, Ryan Schierling. The TIG-party pre-funk runs from 6p-9p and Three Imaginary Girls will be spinning tunes to accompany complimentary beverages. More info...

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We all know that nothing says 'Happy Holidays' like Bon Jovi and Big Country. So, we've rolled them all together and on Thursday, December 2nd, Three Imaginary Girls will present the Buttrock vs. New Wave Rockstar Karaoke Holiday Bash at Chop Suey!

Three Imaginary Girls to Sponsor Ladyfest Showcase w/ The Catch, Ms. Led, Scream Club, Schoolyard Heroes, Smoosh, and Mon Frere

three imaginary girls — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 07:00:00 +0000

Seattle, WA, June 14, 2004 — ThreeImaginaryGirls.com, "Seattle's sparkly indie-pop press," will be co-sponsoring an all-ages Ladyfest Showcase on Saturday, June 26, 2004 at Graceland.

The night will feature a stellar lineup of some of the finest female Northwest artists, including The Catch, Ms. Led, Scream Club, Schoolyard Heroes, Smoosh, and Mon Frere, and will also feature DJs Les Saucettes spinning 1960s French-pop between the bands' sets.

Opening band Mon Frere impressed the imaginary girls when they won the finals of EMP's Sound Off competition 2004, a yearly contest for all-ages bands in the Northwest. The trio features clangy keyboards and raw, piercing lead vocals from front-woman Nouela Johnston.

Also on the not-to-be-missed list are Smoosh, featuring sisters Asy and Chloe, whose indie-pop keyboard/drums songs display musical prowess well beyond their years (they're 12 and 10, respectively). The duo has opened for Death Cab for Cutie and Sleater Kinney, and has their first full-length release coming later this year on local label Pattern 25.

"Smoosh write and play really good songs. They craft catchy-cute melodies with sophisticated timing changes, sweet vocals, and incredible song-writing — and they're so damn cute!" said imaginary girl Dana. "We fully expect they'll be superstars one day."

The bill also features the aggressively punk-pop Schoolyard Heroes, the audacious mohawked rap-rock babe duo Scream Club, the infectious melodies of post-punk feminist-rockergirls Ms. Led, and the foxy sass-mouthed new-wave pop hooks of headliners, The Catch.

"We can't wait to see Scream Club live, with that so-scary-it's-foxy matching makeup and mullet aesthetic they've got going on," said imaginary girl Char. "Any band that garners undying praise from Time Out, Yeti, Venus, Bust, Bitch, and Yoko Ono in one press page has to be stellar."

"And The Catch — they're the styliest girls in town. I can't wait to see what color leg-warmers and pumps they've got on, or to hear all the great material from their forthcoming release this summer. Plus you get to hear Schoolyard Heroes and Ms. Led, all on the same bill? I can't believe we get to sponsor this all in one night. It's too good," exclaimed imaginary girl Liz.

Three Imaginary Girls are no strangers to the Seattle rock scene. During the past two years, the girls have reviewed hundreds of live shows and CDs in Seattle and beyond. They also book local music showcases, and have hosted various rockstar karaoke events, such as their Labor Day buttrock karaoke party, their Silly Love Songs Friday the 13th Pre-Valentine's Day Bash, and an indie-rock holiday party that raised hundreds of dollars for local charity, TreehouseForKids.org.

EVENT DETAILS
WHAT: Three Imaginary Girls Ladyfest show with The Catch, Ms. Led, Scream Club, Schoolyard Heroes, Smoosh, and Mon Frere. This event is all-ages.
WHERE: Graceland, 109 Eastlake Ave E.
WHEN: Saturday, June 26, 2004. Doors open 8p.
COST: $10. Ladyfest 5-event passes are available for $35. Advance tickets available on the Ladyfest Seattle website.

ABOUT LADYFEST SEATTLE
Ladyfest Seattle is part of a global tradition of all-volunteer, non-profit organizations raising awareness of women's issues through artistic pursuits. The original Ladyfest was held in Olympia, WA in 2000 and generated over $30,000 for women's charities. This year, Ladyfest Seattle will donate all proceeds to the local women's health center Aradia and Amnesty International. Voter registration will be available at all events, the quota of male to female artists in an act has been abolished, and half of the events will be all-ages.

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ThreeImaginaryGirls.com, "Seattle's sparkly indie-pop press," will be co-sponsoring an all-ages Ladyfest Showcase on Saturday, June 26, 2004 at Graceland.

Three Imaginary Girls to Host Second Annual Rockstar Suicide Karaoke Silent Auction Bash

three imaginary girls — Thu, 13 May 2004 07:00:00 +0000

Seattle, WA, May 13, 2004 — You've seen William Hung sing 'She Bangs' and George W. Bush sing 'Gay Bar.' But have you seen Sean Nelson sing 'Like a Virgin?'

You could.

ThreeImaginaryGirls.com, "Seattle's sparkly indie-pop press," will be hosting a Rockstar Suicide Karaoke Silent Auction Bash on Thursday, June 10, 2004 at the Crocodile Café to celebrate their second anniversary.

The night will feature rockstar performances by local artists and celebrities, including members of Harvey Danger, the Catch, Kuma, the Spits, Kane Hodder, Fey Ray, XXX Audio, Radio Nationals, the Fastbacks, American School of Warsaw, Black Nite Crash, the Malinks, Jet City Fix, Slomo Rabbit Kick, and Tennis Pro, as well as KEXP DJs Quilty 3000 & Darek Mazzone, photographer Charles Peterson, Joan Hiller of Sub Pop Records, Chris Olsen from NoVoteLeftBehind.net, Carla DeSantis from ROCKRGRL magazine, and Pete Hilgendorf & Ben Heege of Blue Disguise Records.

The trick to suicide karaoke? The rockstars can't practice their songs beforehand. It's up to show-goers to decide what songs each rockstar performs via a silent auction. Once the auction ends, each rockstar takes the stage, and performs whatever song was chosen by the bidder. Auction winners will also receive gifts from the karaokers, such as signed CDs, posters, t-shirts, and other merchandise.

"Anyone who attends can bid on the song each rockstar will sing. Last year, the Pale ended up singing 'Roxanne' (The Police). I think it's one of the best things I've ever heard," sighed imaginary girl Liz.

"And hearing Erik Blood from the Turn Ons sing Journey's 'Open Arms' was a very close second," added imaginary girl Char.

KJ extraordinaire Biff Moss will host the event, and promises even more excitement. Biff is an experienced auctioneer, so expect live auctions. And best of all, his system has the capability to plug in electric guitars. Yes. The rockstars will be able to bring their own guitars (or guitarists) to fake along with their karaoke performances. Experts predict karaoke will reach such great heights.

As if you needed further incentive, the Imaginary Karaoke parties always tend to attract surprise guests, including Vendetta Red's Zach Davidson and the Posies' Jon Auer (both of whom unexpectedly took the stage at their Buttrock Karaoke contest last summer).

"I'd highly suggest getting there early to get a spot in the karaoke rotation," said imaginary girl Dana. "How often do we all have the chance to sing onstage and through the amazing sound-system at the Crocodile? Everyone sounds amazing. Well, almost everyone does…"

EVENT DETAILS
WHAT: "Rockstar Suicide Karaoke Silent Auction" Bash!
WHERE: Crocodile Café, 2200 2nd Ave.
WHEN: Thursday, June 10, 2004. Doors open 8p. Open Karaoke immediately thereafter.
COST: Only $5.

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You've seen William Hung sing 'She Bangs' and George W. Bush sing 'Gay Bar.' But have you seen Sean Nelson sing 'Like a Virgin?'

You could.

Three Imaginary Girls to Host "Silly Love Songs" Karaoke Bash on Friday the 13th!

three imaginary girls — Tue, 27 Jan 2004 08:00:00 +0000

"w/the Turn Ons, Dolour, In Praise of Folly, An American Starlet, Love Hotel, the Catch, Black Nite Crash, Radio Nationals, Ms. Led, Water Kill the Sun, Electric Kisses, the Lashes, the Long Winters, and more!"

Seattle, WA, January 27, 2004—Three Imaginary Girls, "Seattle's sparkly indie-pop press", will be hosting a rockstar-laden "Silly Love Songs" Karaoke Bash on Friday, February 13, 2004 at the Crocodile Café, featuring love song karaoke performances by some of our favorite local indie-musicians.

And those with a record contract aren’t the only ones invited to profess their love {or lack thereof} on the Croc's stage. All attendees are invited to participate. Whether love-lorn or beloved, attendees are in for more treats than a bag of Necco candy hearts!

For example, the happily married Sean Nelson {of The Long Winters and Harvey Danger} has promised to karaoke, "...two nakedly prostrated lover-to-beloved love songs, which will nonetheless be dirge-like because of the bittersweet nature of all love, which is sacrifice."

And poor single Ben Lashes of The Lashes: he claims his search for Ms. Right has been met with obstacles and restraining orders. But that hasn't stopped him. He has promised to karaoke a Cure song because, "...girls love the Cure." He’s hopeful he will find a girlfriend at the party when star-stuck Cure-fan females recognize that he and Robert Smith share a haircut.

Need more reason to attend? Shane Tutmarc of Dolour intends to perform a love dirge. "I sing for the broken-hearted!" he proclaimed.

Imaginary girl Dana explains, "We're encouraging love duets, dedications, and dirges, because really — how often does the day before Valentine's Day fall on Friday the 13th? We couldn't pass up that opportunity."

"Who knows, it could turn into an indie-rock night of speed dating AND replace those expensive Valentine’s Day dinners that so many couples fall prey to," said imaginary girl Liz.

"We hope someone gets engaged onstage that night," said imaginary girl Char. "That would rock."

Three Imaginary Girls are no strangers to the Seattle rock scene. During the past 18 months, the girls have reviewed hundreds of shows in Seattle and beyond. They also book local music showcases, and have hosted various rockstar karaoke events, such as their first anniversary suicide karaoke celebration, a Labor Day buttrock karaoke party, and an indie-rock holiday party that raised hundreds of dollars for local charity, TreehouseForKids.org.

EVENT DETAILS
WHAT: "Silly Love Songs" Friday the 13th Karaoke Bash!
WHERE: Crocodile Café, 2200 2nd Ave.
WHEN: Friday, February 13, 2004. Doors open 8p. Open Karaoke immediately thereafter.
COST: $7. Advance tickets available online through Ticketweb!

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Three Imaginary Girls, "Seattle's sparkly indie-pop press", will be hosting a rockstar-laden "Silly Love Songs" Karaoke Bash on Friday, February 13, 2004 at the Crocodile Café, featuring love song karaoke performances by some of our favorite local indie-musicians.

TIG's Rockstar Buttrock Karaoke Contest!!

three imaginary girls — Thu, 04 Sep 2003 07:00:00 +0000

30 Aug 2003

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Holy Aquanet, who would've thought that a buttrock event on a holiday weekend could have become such a smashing success?? With surprise rockstar performances, hottie rockstars in black liquid eyeliner, and TIG-endorsed drink specials a-flowin', we had the imaginary times of our lives, and we can't wait to tell you all about it...

But first, special thanks to Unsung: the karaoke indie film, for co-sponsoring this event; to Megan Seling, Matt Nicols, Nabil Ayers, imaginary boy embracey, and Lee Hullender (Unsung) for judging; and to all our FANTASTIC participants for hitting those high notes in such fine style.

A few imaginary moments we'll never forget...

Holy shite, let's jump right in with our grand prize winner: Jenny Jimenez from the Catch. Her dazzling combination of fan kicks, gymnastic-routine splits, wigs, shoe changes, on-the-job-torn fishnets, Lita Ford and Samantha Fox simply rocked everyone's mullets off and earned her top honors. Turns out that Naughty Girls *Do* Need Love Too. Who knew?

If we could bottle the evening's performances of Mz. Jenny, well, not only would we all be very rich... but the world would also be a better, sexier, sassier place.

Thankfully she graced the stage three times throughout the evening. Twice Lita-style and once doing the Miss. Fox song.

We ran into Jenny a few weeks before the contest and she told us about how she had been practicing and had her outfit planned out already. It was then we knew that we were in for something big. But again, who knew that she would actually put Lita Ford to shame with her dance routine? It was like some outrageously sexy aerobics class gone very, very wrong in all the right ways.

Many in attendance still haven't recovered. Especially Steve the KJ, who after Jenny's performance, could only stammer the words, "Um, could she do that again, please?"

Whoo-eee. That girl can KICK!

As much as I love the guys in eyeliner (we're getting to that — be patient!), the women owned buttrock. Case in point: Bre Loughlin from Kuma belting Motley Crue's "Shout at the Devil" like she was born with fishnets in hand {hmm, strange mixed metaphor there}.

Bre remarked how strange it was that the front row actually looked scared when she sang. And no wonder: have you seen the lyrics to this song? "He'll be the love in your eyes. / He'll be the blood between your thighs. / And then have you cry for more. / He'll put your strength to the test. / He'll put the thrill back in bed. / Sure you've heard it all before." Eep. I'm shuddering just reading it. Why don't indie rockers write lyrics like that?

But music, schmusic — really, isn't buttrock about the clothes? Bre knew that rule — look at that outfit. She told us she'd been propositioned at 23rd and Jackson on her way to the club.

We're not surprised. HOT!

And how about Carly and Amanda (The Catch, United State of Electronica) singing, gyrating, living Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar on Me?" Hot and sticky sweet, indeed.

I was most excited to see who was going to choose this song as it is quite close to my heart; I think it is the only song in my record collection that is of the "buttrock" persuasion. I remember the special day I purchased it on 7" at my local mall record store. After years of practicing it in my bedroom mirror, I still wouldn't have been able to top their performance.

Yes, you're right, igDana. The women understood the importance of dance moves for the ultimate buttrock experience.

And let's not forget Jessie S.K of Ripley with her buttrock-tacular rendition of the Cult's "Firewoman." Jessie not only did the dance move, but also tied her scarves to the microphone stand AND brought her own air guitarist!! If that doesn't say buttrock, why, I just don't know what does.

What about the wonder-woman who pinch-hit for The Lawnmowers boys! While we had a hard time believing that the incredibly Lawnmower boys might have been — dare we say — intimidated by a karaoke mic, we totally understood why they voted to send in Lawnmowers bassist Tanner's 'ringer' wife, Holly to face the glorious karaoke stage to sing on their behalf. And you know what? She not only earned their free drink tickets, but she made it to the finals! She Axl'd it up with "Welcome to the Jungle" and made the team proud.

GO GO Girl Power!

Right, right. Now let's start the discussion of boys in buttrock attire. The eyeliner. The tight pants. The posturing. It was all the dancefloor could do to NOT split their pants in David Lee Roth air splits.

What a champ Ollie Byrd from Yeek Yak Aiforce was. He was the first black-eyeliner-donning fellow in the door and then proceeded to overcome adversity: namely, we didn't have the song he'd been practicing over over a month Motley Crue's "Home Sweet Home."

If there's one thing we should have learned from buttrock, it's that you can't stop rock and roll. You've gotta rock and roll all night.

Ollie clearly understood these principles. He didn't pack it in and settle for just singing some fast jangly shoe-in. He belted out a spot-on a capella "Home Sweet Home" and then launched into a smashing rendition of his second-choice song, Poison's classic power rock ballad, "Every Rose Has it's Thorn." He earned our honorary imaginary best in show prize! Congrats Ollie!

I think igLiz's fuchsia taffeta prom dress nearly fell down to her beige pumps when Robb Benson (of Dear John Letters) revealed onstage that he lost his virginity back in the day to Def Leppard's "Love Bites."

Did I mention Robb was wearing a doo-rag bandana-thingy? He was. While we didn't have the soundtrack to his de-flowering, he settled instead for the tender love ballad "Rock of Ages." Luscious.

How could any buttrock cover performance rival the the Divorce show at the Crocodile last June?

Somehow Shane and Jimmy summoned their inner Kip Winger and belted out a rendition Whitesnake's "Here I Go Again" that still has me mumbling something about, "I'm goin' down... a road... I go! again! on my own!"

{ed note: igLiz, David Coverdale was the lead singer of Whitesnake, not Kip Winger. Kip Winger was like, totally the lead singer of like, Winger. Duh. ~igDana}

Is this is the song with that Tanya Cataine in the white flowy dress rubbing herself all over the car?

{ed note: igLiz, it's Tawny Kitaen. ~igDana}

Hmm... that was in 1987, right? Sorry, I was a big Crowded House fan then.

{ed note: You might remember Tawny as being in Bachelor Party with Tom Hanks? Or that she was also married to athlete Chuck Finley? ~igDana}

And just when we thought things couldn't get any sexier, what with that Divorce boys singing, what happens then? Goddamn Zach "my God what product does he use in that gorgeous hair" Davidson from Vendetta Red) crashed the party and grabbed the mic to duet "Wanted Dead or Alive" with Jimmy from the Divorce. How lucky were we all to witness that, and more importantly, what product does he use in that incredible hair?

Holy hell. At some point it occurred to me: we're throwing a party and Zach and Jimmy are singing Jon Bon Jovi!! Someone get me another TIG {and thanks to Frank and Adrian at Chop Suey for making our imaginary dream come true by naming a drink special after us}!

Did anyone else hear Zach regretfully tell me that he couldn't marry his cousin igChar because we're kinfolk? I told him that I'm from Michigan — we encourage that sort of behavior there!

Lucky me!

Perhaps that was when I was momentarily stunned / terribly entertained when I caught my hugely-haired reflection in the glint of Brent from Dorkweed's awesome shiny cop reflective sunglasses. He rocked the place with his buttrock'd Pat Benatar's "Heartbreaker."

Oh, plus Dorkweed gets super extra bonus points for the red Loverboy pants. Word.

Sean Moe from American School of Warsaw not only sported a faux mullet, but he did "Lick It Up" by... um, er... Def Lepard?

{ed note: NO... and Def Leppard as two "P"s ~igDana}

um... it was... the Scorpions?

{ed note: NO... actually strangely no one sang any Scorpions songs that night. ~igDana}

um... something with Kip Winger in it?

{ed note: NO! It was by Kiss. ~igDana}

KISS! No way, I can't be stupid on Kiss!

{ed note: Don't worry about it... it was late-era Kiss. Sans make-up Kiss. There is no shame in not knowing late-era Kiss... except maybe for "Lick It Up." ~igDana}

{ed note: Oh, I know that song... except I thought they were singing "Live It Up" ~igChar}

{ed note: A-ha... finally, the MTV-obsessiveness of my youth has worked to my advantage. For this issue, I rule! ~igDana}

Grr... damn, it doesn't ring a bell... but I DO know the other song that Sean performed as one of our top-five finalists. "Jump" by VAN HALEN. The vision of Eddie VH staring directly into the camera for the video of that song while he plucked that dunk dunk dunk dunk, dunk dunk dunk dunk part and smiled that "Dude, Party On" smile that he does so well is seared into my head. I remember how my older sister was going to marry him and her best friend was going to marry his brother.... what was his brother's name it was... um...

{ed note: Alex. ~igDana}

How very sweet and humble (not to mention, newly shorn and rather gorgeous) was Jon Auer when he came backstage and stated that he, "...usually plays with the band called the Posies," and requested to sing a karaoke tune.

How could this have happened, Jon Auer imploring me??

I bet he felt strangely compelled by forces he didn't understand, forces that I like to call the "Aussie effect." Namely, the scent of Aussie Scrunch spray intrigues all men. Try wearing it one night — you'll see! If they're in their late twenties or older, then you smell like every girl they ever dated in high school... if they're younger, then you smell like their babysitters. No young man can resist the allure of the Aussie!!

But I digress, there I was with JON AUER asking ME if he could sing!!! Good heavens! A happy coincidence, as just that moment I had the slip for Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me" in my hand, and no one took responsibility for submitting it. Jon grabbed the mic and kicked all kinds of Robin Zandler ass, so much so that judge Matt Nichols awarded him the "Best impersonation of a rockstar" award.

Darn, why don't we have any pictures of Jon Auer singing!??

{photographer's ed note: I think I was belly up to the bar at this point. Perhaps getting SOMEONE another TIG? ~Ryan Schierling}

That was such a sweet rendition of one of my favorite "Knock-the-drainage-pipe-off-the-house-at-2am-while-dancing" songs.

Oh, wait... I have the Cheap Trick boxset in my music library. Score for me! I do have more buttrock in my collection than just the "Pour Some Sugar On Me" 7" record. Whew. I was beginning to question my upbringing.

That guy Dex Manley, the star of the Unsung movie, was awesome!! He totally took off his shirt while singing "Ice Cream Man."

{ed note: hey igChar — I'll give you five bucks if you can tell me who sings "Ice Cream Man." ~igDana}

Ooh! It's that one guy with all the hair and he always wears that half shirt and in his videos he had all those costumes!! What's his name??!?

{ed note: David Lee Roth? ~igDana}

Yes, that's him!

{ed note: OK, close enough. Five dollars for you. ~igDana}

I knew that Ben Hooker of Visqueen had it in 'em. It began with his exchange with emcee igDana.

igDana: "What are you singing??"
Buttrock Ben: "Maiden... the best band EVER!"

From there he proceeded to belt out a bitchen' rendition of Iron Maiden's "Aces High" with dance-routine assistance from Cory Murchy AKA "Rico" of Minus the Bear. His wails left us screaming for more and his ferocity left us inspired. The combined effect earned Ben the judges' award for "Best Falsetto."

Now we know what can happen when you let a drummer out from behind his kit...

Ingrid "Ingo" Wurl — Steve the KJ regular, friend to all those imaginary, and cast member for Unsung — it's about time someone awarded that girl a prize for her pipes and sexy fashion sense! Ingo rocked the mic with a karaoke fav, Guns and Roses' "Sweet Child O' Mine" which won her a spot in the judges top five. Her finalist performance was controversial — was Journey really buttrock? — but after Ingo had her way with "Don't Stop Believin'", well, we believed.

Ingo went on to win the "best looking in a ripped shirt award." I don't think we need to explain why...

Speaking of controversial buttrock songs, could "I Touch Myself" by the Divinyls ever be consider as buttrock? Justin Benson from Argo raised the question with his remarkably- early- in- the- night- for- so- torrid- a- song-choice performance, but before we could answer it, he belted a buttrock favorite: the good ol' "You Shook Me All Night Long." And no one would dare question AC/DC.

Only TIG-artist extraordinaire Randy "Cold as Ice" Wood could make a blue stretchy jumpsuit look so natural. And yes, we mean that as a compliment!

Randy's outfit was to die for! I wonder if this is the first time he has worn it... or if he wears it around the house... I wonder if he originally got it for a Thanksgiving dinner celebration, or to jump out of a cake... the possibilities of what one could do in that suit are endless. It was fabulous. The judges agreed, awarding Randy a special "best jumpsuit" award — not a category we anticipated for the event, but apt and deserved nonetheless.

He looked like Evil Knievel.

But he was as Cold as Ice.

I know!

Speaking of costuming, Theo Craig from Water Kill the Sun went all artsy-craftsy and constructed a faux metal mask that made me want to whip out the candy corn. He and fellow WKTS-ster Gavin Gregory presented a rousing rendition of Quiet Riot's "Cum on Feel the Noize" worthy of the song title's Us and Zs.

Theo's PBR shirt... Gavin's authentic demin-ware and the moves on both boys screamed, "Cruising the strip mall for chicks."

They inspired girls rocking boys. We all got wild, wild, wild.

{ed note: Wow... Liz you're getting good at this sing-along thing! ~igDana}

And in true Buttrock 'n Roll fashion, the night ended when the place had to turn off the sound system and mics before our final winners could be picked and our last song sung.

Just Tommy Lee would say, "Darn those pesky noise ordinances!"

Didn't the same thing happen to Pretty Girls Make Graves at SxSW??

Oh... I feel their pain!

The Catch

imaginary char — Wed, 03 Sep 2003 07:00:00 +0000

30 Aug 2003

TheCatch_3910.jpg

The Catch: an adjective used by mothers everywhere. "OHH, you should date Herbert, he's such a CATCH!" Which basically means Herbert makes oodles of money and would never allow his mother in law to be sent to a home when she becomes incapable of figuring out which colored pill gets swallowed at what time of day. I assume the saying is a progeny of "Honey, there's more fish in the sea." As if dating was a sporting event where you go home with a string of freshy gutted meat or you end your day empty handed and hungry. I'm not certain if this was an intentional interpretation of the band's name, but seems logical because their combination of style, sexiness, talent and attitude make them all quite the catch.

It's also one of those catch phrases {pun, intended} I want to get back into current day circulation. "Dreamy" "swoony" and "swell" are also on my list. Kudos to the Catch for unwittingly helping me restore kitschy sayings from yesteryear. And double thanks for entertaining me to the point of fanaticism.

Carly Nicklaus {guitar, lead vocals, sass factory} was feisty. She commanded the audience to listen to her with her sheer stage presence and height. She's tall. Very tall. I'm not sure if she is that tall in reality, or if I was just dwarfed by her stellar guitar playing and fitful singing.

With her legs shoulder length apart, hands at stomach-punching level and cigarette dangling dangerously from her lower lip, Amy Rockwell {keys, vocals, routine badass} played her keyboard as if she was attacking it. It was such foxy rock and roll I kept forgetting I was watching a local band {these women live in MY city?}.

The tempo changes in each song showcased Alissa Newton's {drums, vocals, instigator of fun} ability to not only hit things hard and with conviction, but to change it up and still keep the seemingly rebellious band mates in-line and on-time.

Jenny Jimenez {bass, vocals, dancing diva} represented the low end groove with skill and style. Her brazen two-tone locks looked saucy in the stage light. At the end of each set, Jenny should throw her hair stylist's business cards into the audience like confetti. I'm certain people would dive for them as if they were diamonds.

I'm a sap for harmonies. To see every person on stage with a mic in front of them builds my anticipation to the point of adolescent giddiness. "Who's going to sing next? Oh my goodness, maybe they ALL will!" Not only did they share the vocal duties, they also passed around a cigarette. It gave me such a warm feeling of community.

Their sound is best described as bratty 80's pop with a present day punk twist, a rockin' edge and a stage entertainment value that can't be beat. They are slightly new wave, but not to the point of where I was breaking out my L.A. Gears and Dep hair gel.

At the end of one of their songs, Carly busted out the distorted guitar double strum and let the pure rock reverberation naturally fade away. So rad!

"Na, na, na's" were thrown in for the bratty spunk that made me want to quit my day job and be their roadie. Too bad the waiting list is probably six pages long... and filled to the margins with swoony boys names and phone numbers...and pager numbers...and email addresses... *sigh*

If you want to see The Catch in a more retro 80's environment, check out Jenny when she gets her buttrock on at our karaoke party Rumor has it she's going to tell the world {or at least those in attendance at Chop Suey that evening} about how Naughty Girls Need Love Too. Sassy! {or should I say Foxy!?}

"Makers on ice, Parliaments Lights. One more drink and I'll stay with you tonight."

Three Imaginary Girls Rockstar Buttrock Karaoke Party

three imaginary girls — Wed, 27 Aug 2003 07:00:00 +0000

You loved the karaoke party. You loved it so much...

...that we're throwing another rockstar karaoke party, but we can't do it without our beloved imaginary friends. Not convinced? Our theme will certainly change your mind: We're having a buttrock rockstar karaoke party. So, dust off your imaginary air guitar and start growing out your mullet, because you only have a couple of weeks for preparation!

So far, the following buttrockers at heart have agreed to don ripped, tight denim and eyeliner...

Dear John Letters!
The Divorce!
Dorkweed!
Ms. Led!
Minus the Bear!
Yeek Yak Airforce!
Kuma!
The Silver Surfer!
The Catch!
Water Kill the Sun!
Ripley!
The Lawnmowers!
United State of Electronica!
Stadmiller!
French 75!
King of Hawaii!
American School of Warsaw!

...and many, many more... {we'll update the list, so check back often!}

Did we mention that it's a contest? And YOU can join in the festivities!! Compete against fellow rockstars and scensters alike for gnarly prizes from local merchants (think free drinks, free shows, free t-shirts, and free Harlequinn romance novels!). Our fabulous judges include Nabil Ayers (Sonic Boom Records), Matt Nichols (KEXP), and Megan Seling (The Stranger) and TIG's own imaginary boy embracey!

You choose the song. You choose the outfit {the more AquaNet used, the better}. You work the judges. You go home with awesome gifts and a newfound respect for Winger. It all goes down on Saturday, August 30 {that's right, we've graduated to weekends} at Chop Suey.

Plus, the show is a benefit for Unsung: the indie-rock karaoke movie! Unsung is a local independent comedy currently in pre-production in Seattle.

The idea for the movie was conceived when a few friends at the back of a karaoke bar wondered who the hell made those whack videos playing behind the singers. Instead of doing the research and finding out the sad truth, the group decided to make it up. Thus, a film about a fast-talking scam artist out to make the greatest karaoke video ever was conceived.

Three Imaginary Girls and Unsung will be hosting a raffle, where anyone can win CDs, t-shirts, show tickets, and more! "Saturday Nite, High and Dry!"

Get your Aquanet on!, August 30th, 2003 at Chop Suey.

Three Imaginary Girls - The Catch

Tonight's recommended show: Disney Cover Night

Awesome Bumbershoot rumor

Tonight's Recommended Show: The Mooney Suzuki, The Photo Atlas, The Catch, The Sutures at El Corazon

The Catch, the Lashes, and U.S.E. at the Comet

Friday night's special secret guest at the Lashes/Catch show at Comet will be....

Allalom — We Make Our Own Mistakes, Vol. 1

SXSW 2006 Preview

Best Northwest Releases of 2005: Imaginary Staff Picks

Three Imaginary Girls Best Northwest Releases of 2005 Readers' Poll Results {50-41}

Tales from a Brave Ulysses

X. "Dolour and The Catch @ Pianos, NYC, Sunday May 29"

TIG on KEXP for May 2005

Get Cool

*Three Imaginary Girls' Buttrock vs. New Wave Rockstar Karaoke Holiday Bash*

Kick off the holiday season imaginarily with Motley Crüe, Missing Persons, and mistletoe! December 2, 2004 at Chop Suey

Three Imaginary Girls to Sponsor Ladyfest Showcase w/ The Catch, Ms. Led, Scream Club, Schoolyard Heroes, Smoosh, and Mon Frere

Three Imaginary Girls to Host Second Annual Rockstar Suicide Karaoke Silent Auction Bash

Three Imaginary Girls to Host "Silly Love Songs" Karaoke Bash on Friday the 13th!

TIG's Rockstar Buttrock Karaoke Contest!!

A few imaginary moments we'll never forget...

The Catch

Three Imaginary Girls Rockstar Buttrock Karaoke Party

You loved the karaoke party. You loved it so much...

Three Imaginary Girls' Buttrock vs. New Wave Rockstar Karaoke Holiday Bash