Three Imaginary Girls - Northwest News

Imaginary exclusive! More Than Shapes, starring John Roderick of the Long Winters

imaginary victoria — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:21:07 +0000

Adam Pranica, filmmaker and principal over at Dorsia Films and true indie rock enthusiast, with the perfect opening line:

"In the winter of 2011, Victoria VanBruinisse came up with a crazy idea to invite John Roderick of The Long Winters over for a potluck dinner. He played a few songs, told some stories, and ate all of the food."

And that's pretty much the long and short of it. When I found out that I was going to be in New York at CMJ for this past year's City Arts Festival, and would subsequently be missing the only performance by the Long Winters for the 2011 calendar year, I almost cried. Not literally, but still. It was a huge disappointment, a sigh to end all sighs, the conundrum that comes from being vested in so many interests and not being able to be everywhere at once. And so I did what any fan would do: I suggested to John that perhaps he might want to play a show in my living room. I base much of my interactions on the simple methodology of the old adage that it never hurts to ask, because as the lottery tells us, you can't win if you don't play.

Well, we played alright, and we won. All of us, and that's you {yes, you!} included, because we won something big: a beautiful, candle-and-twinkle-light-lit evening with two dozen of our closest friends, where we enjoyed food, comraderie, and a series of brilliantly performed songs by the one and only John Roderick. And because of the genius embedded in Adam Pranica, Tyler Kalberg, and Zach Varnell -- the latter two being names you should recognize from the Notes from Home series -- we get to share the collective product from that near-perfect night with the world.

Totally legit: Sasquatch! 2012 lineup announced

imaginary victoria — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:38:58 +0000

In the throes of a killer party at the Neptune last night, we were thrilled beyond belief to find out the details on another most excellent year for the Sasquatch! music festival, taking place out at the Gorge on Memorial Day weekend {May 25-28}. Sasquatch! is by far one of our favorite fests every year, and 2012 is going to be no exception.

We're particularly excited about partying down with the likes of Jack White, Beck, Tenacious D, Beirut, Girl Talk {hell yes!}, The Head and the Heart, Tune-Yards, Wild Flag, Blind Pilot, Mark Lanegan Band, The Cave Singers, Grouplove, Ted Leo, Deer Tick, Alabama Shakes, We Are Augustines, Shearwater {!!!!!}, Charles Bradley, Pickwick, Hey Marseilles, Sallie Ford, Dyme Def, Fresh Espresso, and Katie Kate -- but by no means does that even scratch the surface of the seemingly-zillion fantastic bands included on this year's lineup. As usual, there's a thoughtful mash of notable locals and squee-worthy headliners, so much so that slapping down the ticket price to spend the long weekend with twenty-plus thousand of your closest friends is an absolute no-brainer.

Don't miss: Sasquatch! lineup announcement / party / show at the Neptune {2/2}

imaginary victoria — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:40:42 +0000

It's coming! The crowds, the sun, the bands -- my stars, THE BANDS. We're beside ourselves with anticipation as we wait for the announcement of this year's Sasquatch! music festival lineup, and it won't be long now! The news will be public in less than forty-eight hours, as the folks at Sasquatch! HQ gear up for the announcement party taking place tomorrow night {2/2} at the Neptune. And you can join in, too! The show is all ages and tickets are just $16.00, which is a fair price to pay to be spending the night with the likes of Junip {feat. Jose Gonzales}, Matthew Caws {of Nada Surf, also playing a sold-out show later that night at the Tractor}, and The Physics.

Add the cherry on top of Luke Burbank playing host, and you've got the best party / show / festival lineup announcement / gathering-thing this side of the Puget Sound. We can't wait to start making our schedule for this year's trip to the Gorge, and hope to see you tomorrow night!

{All ages / $16 adv / 7p doors. Photo of the main stage at Sasquatch! 2010 by Victoria VanBruinisse.}

Meet the mayor at municipal music events today {Saturday, 1/28}

Imaginary Gemma — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:30:41 +0000

If you’re in the mood for some civic engagement this weekend, the City of Seattle is hosting its third annual open house on Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm. The mayor and other city officials will be available for a Q&A, and workshops on credit reports and how a bill becomes law will be offered. Meanwhile, The Fred Hoadley Trio will play Latin jazz and Eagle’s Jump, featuring Arlie Neskahi, will play Native American music. There will be an on-site farmers’ market selling local produce and food trucks selling lunch. The Seattle Animal Shelter will also be onsite with adoptable animals.

For more publicly-sponsored live music after the open house, catch light rail down to SeaTac. Gabriel Mintz, Kris Orlowski, The Requisite, Kristin Gaerlen, Chad Knight, Quixote Radio, Whitney Ballen, Josh Baez, Justus Yearous, and This is Your Captain Speaking will all be performing on random trains.

Must-see film: Calvin Johnson and Chris Estey chat, and we get to watch

imaginary liz — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:21:16 +0000

We are always bursting with pride to count Chris Estey as a friend, let alone be honored enough to have him share his words on Three Imaginary Girls. But today, the thunderous applause coming from the imaginary office for Chris is deafening.

This morning we heard the amazing news that there are now public screenings scheduled for Have You Ever Had a Beard?, a new film which captures the first meeting of our dear Mr. Estey (wait, should we make that the title of a new advice column?) and the King of Indie, Calvin Johnson (wiki K Records, Beat Happening, all things rad)!

This meeting of the two mega-minds took place in the historic Columbia City Theater where Chris and Calvin chat and delve into their contrasting tones: Calvin's mysterious cosmos, mesmerizing baritone, and weighted works, with a concentration his latest solo incarnation ("he spits literary bop prosody in the form of three songs") versus Chris's torrential confessionals told with his signature unsurpassable jubilance that spills out like a spoken-word graphic novel (and inspired by Phil Ochs’ seminal Greatest Hits album).

The world premiere of the movie is at Portland's Hollywood Theatre on Friday February 24, 2012. Calvin Johnson (who will perform a couple of songs and answer questions) (!!!!) and directors Kathy Wolf and Pat Thomas will be in attendance.

The Seattle showing is a couple weeks later, on Monday March 5th at the Northwest Film Forum in Seattle at 7 pm. Rumor has it that both Calvin Johnson and Chris Estey will be at the Seattle showing (be still my heart!!!).

Mark your calendar!!! We'll let you know when tickets are available for advance purchase.

(photo by Kathy Wolf)

Portlandia: The Tour sells out, DVD in stores soon

Imaginary Nicky — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:35:30 +0000

Fans of all things Carrie Brownstein have an extra reason to rejoice this holiday season: having just wound up her amazing Wild Flag tour, Brownstein and SNL's Fred Armisen have recently announced they are taking their comedy hit Portlandia on the road with a six-city tour! The duo don't just star in the series, they also co-created and wrote everything too, accounting for the ease with which the characters interact onscreen. Can't you just imagine the pair sitting in a cafe together, brainstorming and kidding around? There are so many great moments in the series, from the "Flyer Wars" skit, to one couple's quest to find out just "how local" their locally sourced meal is... whether you're a self-proclaimed hipster, cyclist, or groupie, there's sure to be a moment in the series where you find that you and your friends are gently laughing at yourselves (I, like many of us, have been known to "put a bird on it" myself).

Celebrate SIFF's Grand Reopening of the Uptown with Favorite Films {10/20-10/27}

Imaginary Amie — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:59:53 +0000

I would like to take this moment to announce that I think SIFF purchasing the Uptown Cinemas and rescuing them from languishing in certain doom is the best thing that they have ever done, ever. EVER.

Okay, now that I have that out of the way - let's get to the good stuff. The Uptown is having its Grand Reopening this week! Starting Thursday, 10/20, there will be a serious of Sing-Alongs (Hedwig, Purple Rain, and Grease) as part of the Heineken City Arts Fest, and then they're gonna show a whole bunch of awesomeness -- officially known as Uptown Cinema Classics -- starting on 10/23.

You can view the full schedule here, but the films I'm most excited about are West Side Story, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The Royal Tennebaums, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, LA Confidential, and The Godfather. They'll also be rounding out the week with Bob & the Monster (which we heartily recommend you get tix to!). Even better: all these films are only $5 - OR FREE with a same-day receipt from any Queen Anne area business. omg. what.

Anyone up for drinks at The Mecca followed by a film?

Support your fave Indie Video Store on Saturday! {10/15}

Imaginary Amie — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 00:42:30 +0000

I know in this age of streaming movies, mail delivery, and video on demand, it's tough to find people who still make a habit of going to their local video store to actually, you know, RENT physical DVDs. Coming from the VHS era, in which this girl's life was saved, enhanced, and made more interesting by her next-door rental joint, I still make a point to walk over to the Video Isle near my house every once in awhile in hopes that video stores will stick around for awhile longer.

Saturday, 10/15, is officially Independent Video Store Day, which is the perfect excuse for you to get off your ~~ass~~ couch and head to the store nearest you to browse the aisles and find something awesome. And Scarecrow, the grandaddy of ALL video stores in Seattle, is also celebratin' with sales and events -- and donating a portion of their pre-paid rental sales to RE EL GIRLS. I spent many days of my Senior HS year skipping classes (no wonder my GPA was so low...) and digging into the rows and rows of tapes at Scarecrow, so they have a special place in my heart.

You should swing by from 11am-midnight and check out the following:

50% off their entire inventory of used Blu-rays, DVDs, VHS, and Laserdiscs
$3 off new DVDs & Blu-rays for sale
Movie recommendations from the Seattle Film Community (TIG's will be there too! just sayin')
Drawings for prizes: 50 free rentals, a theater rental at Grand Illusion Cinema, prize packs from Criterion (!!!), Kino, Zeitgesit Films, and more
Pre-paid Rental Sale: Get 10 rentals for $35, which saves you $10. Scarecrow keeps track of what you've used, and they never expire.

So, I'll see you there, right? You'll probably be able to find me in the horror section, lamenting my lack of a region-free DVD player...

City Arts Fest 2011: really, how can you not?

imaginary victoria — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:42:31 +0000

Bands. Art. Comedy. Community. These are just a few of the things you can expect from the upcoming City Arts Festival, taking place at various venues throughout the city from Thursday, October 20th through Saturday, October 22nd. They've done a damn fine job of showcasing a ton of local artists as well as featuring some national acts, both sure to pack their respective houses -- and thus, it's through a sea of tears that we give you some of our picks for what you should do to make the best of those seventy-two hours.

City Arts isn't bringing us to tears, of course, unless you count tears of JOY at reading the full lineup! But we are a little sad to report that part of our imaginary team will be in New York for CMJ this year {for those of you keeping score at home, yep: it's the same week / weekend}.

THURSDAY

The Don't-Miss: The Long Winters / Campfire OK / Cobirds Unite / Cataldo
Where: Showbox at the Market
{tickets}

The Long Fucking Winters. At the Showbox. Seriously!! The rumors are true -- we're presenting this show, it's going to kick ass, the night will be full of surprises, and the lineup is killer. Cataldo will be warming up the night, fresh off the release of their latest album Prison Boxing, Cobirds Unite will send the masses swooning, Campfire OK will undoubtedly win the house over... and all of this before John Roderick and Company take the stage. Any night when he and Rachel Flotard are in the same house, whether they perform together or not, is sure to go down as one for the books.

The Runner-Upper: Seateeth
Where: Theatre Off Jackson
{tickets}

Recommended mini-festival: Fall Free For All in Tacoma {October 8-9}

imaginary victoria — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:55:36 +0000

Mark your calendars, friends in Tacoma {and friends in Seattle who are up for a ride!} because the Fall Free For All is coming your way this weekend, and you're not going to want to miss it.

First off? Yep, it's actually free. Free-free, no-strings-attached free, ain't-gonna-cost-you-a-thing FREE. Second, the weekend includes performances from bands like Pearly Gate Music, Drew Grow and the Pastor's Wives, Kelli Schaefer, Laura Gibson, the Local Strangers -- along with plays, movie screenings, and tons of theater exhibitions and family-friendly events. And third? You hardly have to lift a finger to sign up to go: just head on over here to sign up for your free wristband.

Live at KEXP vol. 7: on sale now!

imaginary victoria — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:27:53 +0000

Welcome to Rocktober, everybody! And what better way to start the month than with a celebration of what makes the Seattle music scene so great? Yep, we're talking about KEXP. The fall pledge drive is on, and it needs your pledge of support!

You can call anytime this week {locals call 206.903.KEXP, toll free is 866.903.KEXP}, log in online and do an electronic pledge, or walk yourself on over to the station and give. There's tons of great thank-you gifts -- shirts, totes, lunchbags, 500 Club memberships -- nothing is too small to count. Whether you can give five dollars, five dollars a month, five hundred dollars, or five hundred dollars a month, everything makes a difference and everything is appreciated. We've given to the station at varying states of financial gain (and diress), we've been one-time donors and Amplifier Club members, and year after year we remain in good standing in whatever capacity we can, giving our hard-earned money (and time, when we can!) to support a cause that's near and dear to our hearts for so many reasons.

Three Imaginary Girls presents: The Long Winters at the Showbox! {10/20}

imaginary victoria — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:53:25 +0000

Is this actually happening?

It sure is: not only are the Long Winters playing a show at the Showbox as part of the 2011 City Arts Fest, but the night is being presented by... us! That's right -- we are presenting {what will likely be} the Long Winters' only full-band show on the calendar this year. Pinch us!!

So, what does that mean, exactly? Well, first of all, we'll have some extra features on the Long Winters and the other bands on the roster over the next few weeks leading up to the show. Expect an interview or two, a custom-designed show poster from our friends over at Seattle Show Posters, and maybe even a few surprises! But first and foremost, we'd like to gush a little bit about TLWs and give away a pair of tickets to a lucky reader and their guest for the October 20th show.

Celebrate the official Neptune grand opening with a week of events!

imaginary victoria — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:03:39 +0000

Been to the Neptune for a few shows already? Yup. Us too -- most notably that killer night we spent in the front row with Okkervil River back in June! While plenty has been going on there, technically, the venue hasn't been open-open, really, and still isn't yet. But it will be next week, and to celebrate the Real Official Grand Opening, STG will be kicking off a bunch of excellent, free events. Check it out!

Fresh from the press release:

"Through the spring and summer months STG operated The Neptune Theatre with a limited number of events as we continued to make significant improvements to the venue," said Josh LaBelle, STG Executive Director. "Now we're excited to bring you an explosive line up that includes events central to community involvement, beginning with five free public events - you'll also see local artists, concerts, comedy and film at The Neptune Theatre during our Grand Opening season, that runs from fall equinox right into winter solstice."

All events listed below. Doors at 6:30 / show at 7:30, money at no-thirty! It's all free! Seating is first-come, first-served.

Sun., 9/25: Rocky Horror Picture Show
Full frontal festival environment with costume contests, complimentary hair & make-up and props! (Did we mention it's FREE?)

Monday morning check-in: John Roderick and the warmest day of the year

imaginary liz — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:12:34 +0000

Happy Monday morning!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and was able to make the most of what the experts have claimed to be the warmest day of the year. My weekend was packed with some mundane blah stuff which was thankfully overshadowed by one hellava Saturday night in Columbia City. After an amazing dinner at my new favorite restaurant (Island Soul, do not leave without trying one of their coconut corn muffins!), my friends and I headed over to the Fishboy / BOAT / Aqueduct show at the Columbia City Theater.

All the bands went above and beyond, but the highlight of the night was a surprise super special guest appearance. Mr. John Roderick joined BOAT on stage to chime in on "Landlocked," and then stayed on stage for a super-rock rendition of the Long Winters classic, "New Girl." {!!!} To say it was jaw-dropping would be an understatement. It's been a while since I've heard the Long Winters rock-style, and boy oh boy, I hope this is a sign for things to come (next album, more shows).

My favorite part of the story? The part in which I found out that BOAT and John hadn't actually ever practiced "New Girl" together. The band just sprung it on John when he arrived to the show that night {sprung = asked really nicely}. This just furthers my claim that BOAT (with J. Rod on lead vocals now and again) would make a great house band for the next late night talk show. Watch out Roots!

How was your weekend? What were your highlights?

Huge thanks to Button Dave for capturing the magic and posting to youtube:

(videos after the jump)

There's still time to get to Portland for MusicFest Northwest this weekend!

imaginary victoria — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:42:48 +0000

There's still time-a-plenty to get your Friday donewith and head on down to Portland for this year's installment of what's quickly becoming our favorite regional city-wide music festival, MusicFest Northwest. For four sweet nights (well, five technically, if you count the goings-on around town that started Wednesday) some of the best local and national-worthy acts sweep in and take over our hip sister city. There's a little something for everyone, and we can state from direct experience that you will have a hell of a weekend should you make the venture down south! The price is reasonable (although we can't recommend the line-skipping VIP wristband privileges enough), the city is bikeable, driveable and parkable, and there's plenty to do in your late-late off-hours around town to keep things... well, let's just say 'entertaining.'

Sleep in, fill your sunny days with KEXP in-studios at the Doug Fir {full lineup available here}, and get your nightlife on at our recommended {** = MEGA recommended} shows below -- scheduling conflicts included:

Photoessay: Bumberweekend 2011!

imaginary victoria — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 20:09:30 +0000

Another beautiful Labor Day weekend has passed, and with it came three days spent at our annual Seattle Center-ed music and arts festival, Bumbershoot. While we didn't catch every single act on our dance cards, we managed to get ourselves in front of the stages of a lot of long-standing and new-style favorites: bands like Lemolo, Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside, and Pickwick, just to name a few. Between the bands, sunshine, the yummy eats, and KEXP's gorgeous semi-secret music lounge -- it was a weekend to be reckoned with!

Here's a few bright spots from the weekend...

Kasey Anderson & the Honkies:

Bumbershoot preview: how to get the most out of your Saturday {9/3}

imaginary victoria — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:48:22 +0000

With over ninety-something options vying for your attention from opening gates until the closing bell, making the most out of your day(s) at Bumbershoot definitely takes a little bit of planning. All the normal festival rules apply: pack light, wear layers, don't forget the sunscreen (and remember pace your drinking!).... but on top of all that -- first and foremost -- get that schedule out and go over it with a fine-toothed comb. We did, and came up with a handful of can't-miss acts and installations to help make your Saturday the best it can be:

Flatstock {all weekend, Fisher Pavillion}
A true no-brainer for the concert-lover in all of us, Flatstock fuses memories of some of the greatest shows on earth with track-stopping-ly gorgeous graphics. For as far as the eye can see -- almost literally -- and for all three days of Bumbershoot, Flatstock displays row after row, booth after booth of a staggering per-square-foot amount of artistic content. With so much talent in such a small space, and no additional costs to check it out once you're on Bumbershoot grounds, you'd be silly to pass it up.

Recommended Happy Hour next Monday: imaginary DJ sets and cheap eats & drinks at the Croc

imaginary liz — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:39:43 +0000

{photo of an imaginary DJ hand by Andy Pixel}

This Monday, August 22nd, please join us in the Croc’s back bar as the imaginaries take over the DJ booth and ply you with our favorite songs, drink specials and cheap eats from 5pm to 9pm!

It’s all part of the Crocodile’s weekly happy hour booze and schmooze series, The Office (aptly named since most of the important work in this town gets done at a bar). For the Three Imaginary Girls happy hour, each of the four TIG DJs has a distinct style and vision for their set. We’ve planned them out with care for maximum Monday post-work bliss.

Of course, we’re still firming up our playlists – so if you are planning to join us and have any requests, shout ‘em out in the comments section and we’ll do our best to fit them in!

For more info and to spread the word to all your friends, check out the Facebook event page for the Office and share / like / RSVP!

Get thee to Inklings: A Flatstock 2011 preview show at 112 PrintWorks {8/20}

imaginary victoria — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:45:26 +0000

There's so much to do on top of digging the bands at Bumbershoot -- comedy, performance art, vendors -- and one of our favorite extracurricular activities while we're on-grounds at Seattle Center is to take the time to dig on Flatstock. Posters as far as the eye can see, artists and admirers afoot, with more per-inch graphic creativity and inspiration than practically anywhere else on the planet.

This year, you can get a sneak peek of what's good this year at Inklings: A Flatstock Preview, taking place Saturday, August 20th at 112 PrintWorks out in Fremont. The latest prints from all 75 Flatstock Seattle artists will be featured, a taste of what's to come at Fisher Pavilion during Bumbershoot proper.

Photoessay: Pickwick, the Petty Party and Mallard at Columbia City Theater

imaginary victoria — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 21:44:33 +0000

Happy Monday, everyone! Here's hoping you had a good weekend, because we sure did -- we celebrated the movin-and-shakin-est of nights this past Friday at Columbia City Theater, helping our friends at Sound on the Sound celebrate their fifth anniversary with a sold-out show. The sparse, stripped-away, super-catchy Mallard opened up the night (and to a nearly packed house, at that), the Petty Party / American Girls took to the task of getting the dancers warmed up with -- don't laugh, we're serious -- an entire set of Tom Petty covers, and Pickwick blew the roof off to a full house of dancing, happy fans til well past midnight.