Tomorrow morning, before the crack of dawn, I'll be headed to Atlanta, GA to visit my mom and sister for the weekend (they moved there a few years back, after I had already survived a Delaware childhood). Besides getting to visit with the fams, I am elated that my mom agreed to not only transport me from suburban Atlanta to Lil Five Points to visit ATL's Criminal Records, but also go on a mini-roadtrip to Athens for the day on Saturday!

It's no secret I love all that is Athens, GA. Over the last *cough* decade+, I have enjoyed many a stroll down Lumpkin Street and have worn out more than one 40 Watt Club t-shirt.  I really don't think I will ever get over my Athens-obsession.

The highlights this time around? A visit to Wuxtry Records and lunch at The Grit.  While running around GA, I will also have my eye out for some thrift stores (the southern ladies usually donate some pretty fly wares) and I might even spot a Nana Grizol or Cars Can Be Blue!

Anything else we should do while in the sweetest of small towns for the day? Any GA local releases I should look out for in the shops?

In case you're not roadtripping this weekend and will be in Seattle with your marshmallow peeps, there's plenty of stuff to keep you busy (hello Miniature Tigers and Surfer Blood!):

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This Morning Benders have been getting all kinds of buzz for their brand-new album Big Echo, including being awarded a prestigious "Best New Music" honor from Pitchfork. On Friday night, they'll be bringing those songs to the cozy confines of the Crocodile.

Even better: a) two of our favorite bands around here, Miniature Tigers and BOAT are opening and b) we have a pair of tickets to give to a lucky TIG reader.

If you want to go see The Morning Benders, BOAT and Miniature Tigers (and you surely do), but would prefer spending the money that would have gotten you in the door on drinks and/or t-shirts, send an e-mail to tig@threeimaginarygirls.com before 9am on Thursday, April 1 with "morningbenders" in the subject line.  Oh and be over 21 before Friday.

The Miniature Tigers were recently in town to play a TBTL-listener party at Azteca (on Eastlake). I jumped at the chance to have a few moments with a band that released one of my favorite albums of 2008 outside an authentic Mexican (chain) restaurant.

We talked about possibilities about songs they'd like to cover (they nailed "Mamma Mia" at the TBTL show), what is on their Summer 2009 Soundtrack and a couple other things.

Here's a video de neustros conversación:

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It's a travesty I haven't written about Miniature Tigers until now. Their debut album Tell it to the Volcano (released on Modern Art Records earlier this year) has helped me push through many a manic day with it's dorm room-romantic one liners and infectious reverb'd choruses.

Miniature Tiger's well-rounded pop songs have the sweet licks of a Fountains of Wayne with lyrics laced with Elliott Smith (on meds) anxieties. Add in a bit of Weezer boy argyle sweater leanings and Feist radio appeal and you've got the album that is in running for one of my top 10 records of 2009.

I am doubly ecstatic that Miniature Tigers are going to be in town this Thursday (May 21st) at Chop Suey with Kevin Devine -- after all, Mr. Devine released one of my favorite albums of 2008 and I've been counting down to the day I could see either one of these bands - let alone both of them the same night.

Thinking of joining me there?

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