{Sasquatch photo by asclepius6 from the Imaginary Flickr Photo Pool}

Do you hear that?

It is the sound of folks feverishly tweeting and posting about the amazing #Sasquatch line-up just announced. After weeks (who are we kidding, months!) of mathematically calculating probabilities based on tour schedules and record release dates, we finally have a firm answer of who's going to be at the Gorge this Memorial Day weekend, as well as explanations as to why certain folks don't have a Seattle tour date in the next few months.

Not to sound like everyone else every other year, but this year's line-up has left me speechless. The Sasquatch folks have brought together the best of the best of the best (except Allo Darlin, which I'm guessing will be begged to participate next year) to celebrate their 10th Anniversary.  I mean Wilco, Bright Eyes, Matt & Kim, The Radio Dept., The Thermals, Stornoway, and The Young Evils!?!?!?  You're killing me!!!

Are you headed that way? Who are you most excited about (mine bolded below)? Anyone else you think is going to be added to the bill before we pack up our roadtrip munchies and head Quincy, WA way?

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It was quite the Monday night earlier this week, when Rhett Miller and the Old 97's took over the Showbox with a little help from Langhorne Slim. 2011 has started off with a run of great shows: nights with the Head and the Heart, Damien Jurado, Lemolo, Cahalen Morrison & Eli West, and Jose Bold have packed the last twenty-odd days (and that's just naming a few). Not to mention last weekend's Crafternoon, where we listened to the new Radio Dept. album and made some of the cutest Valentine's Day cards this side of the sound.

Coming up, we'll be seeing what's sure to be stellar evenings from Say Hi, Cotton Jones, The Builders and the Butchers, John Darnielle, the Cave Singers, and the annual Dancing on the Valentine spectacular, which is coming our way on February 11th at the Crocodile -- save that date! What's coming up on your dance card in the next few weeks? What have you seen in 2011 so far that's knocked your socks off? Talk about it below, and visit our imaginary flickr pool to fawn over (or add) some photos.

{Big thanks to David J. Lee for the shot of our favorite serial ladykiller above!}

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Get ready, ladies and gents. It's time to get your Rhett-o-sexual on.

The Old 97s are going to be at the Showbox this coming Monday {January 24th} and we want to send you and a friend to the show! Come stand in the front row and bask in the glory of all things Rhett. Boys and girls, serial ladykillers, straight out foot-stompin' fans and everyone in-between -- if you've got a heartbeat and a hankering for a good time, you've found yourself the right show.

Don't believe me? Take a minute to dig on our review of the last time we saw these boys come through town. Talk about swooning to the max! And as if a night with the Old 97s isn't enough all by itself, opening the show will be none other than the esteemed Langhorne Slim -- who we've loved unreservedly since seeing his KEXP in-studio back east at the Museum of Television and Radio, c. 2005.

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Join us Sunday, December 5th from 1pm-3pm at Neptune Coffee as we gather to craft holiday style. In this month's edition of the Imaginary Crafternoon Listening Party, we're going to work on our craft projects and listen three new releases in their entirety from beginning to end:

The Old 97's - The Grand Theatre Volume One - The eighth studio album that somehow captures the vigor and daring of their live show (finally).

The Young Evils - Enchanted Chapel - One of our favorite releases of the year, from Seattle or otherwise. It's full of "strumming, crisp drumming on a kick, tambourine, and a bright blue briefcase full of melodic punk-blues defines the schema."

The Matinée Holiday Soirée - a 5-song ep featuring festive songs by Northern Portrait, Strawberry Whiplash, Bubblefum Whiplash, Chamgagne Riot, and Math and Physics Club that will be a holiday staple for years to come.

While listening to these three stellar releases, we're going to have some paper craft projects going. We'll have some card stock, craft paper, and scissors for folks to cut out snowflakes or create holiday cards. Feel free to bring any paper, craft punches, or crafty items to share and/or join in the fun.

You don't have to partake in the craft paper piles, bring your own knitting needles, or current craft project and join us for fabulous crafty conversations and good times! As always, it's a free all-ages event and we'd love to have you join us!

JUST ANNOUNCED: We're going to have some hot crafty raffle action at this Sunday's event. Participants will be entered in a raffle to win a fabulous partying gift {a pair of tickets to see the Old 97s at the Showbox on January 24, 2011 or a Matinee Recordings / Math and Physics Club indie-pop treasure}.

{Old 97s and Young Evils photos by Victoria VanBruiniesse}

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{photos: Victoria VanBruinisse -- more photos to be posted soon!}

Last night's Old 97s show was the dreamiest night I've had in a long time.  We started off by sneaking into the band's soundcheck, getting primo happy hour-action at Frenchie fancy Maximillion at the Market {oui oui!} then heading back to the show and having our vintage embroidered cowboy boots knocked off by both the Old 97s *and* their opening band David Wax Museum. The full recap of the night will be up in the next 24 hours {complete with set list, blow by blow recap of each dream weaver swoon, and tons of hot hot amazing photos}, but for the time being, let's sit back and drink in the brilliance of last night with this here photo of the day post. 

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It's immeasurable how much Three Imaginary Girls adore the Old 97s. I personally have been smitten since I first heard the magic line "My name's Stewart Ransom Miller, I'm a serial lady-killer" waft from the KEXP airwaves {"Barrier Reef" on the album Too Far To Care} within weeks of settling in Seattle. From that moment on, I've purchased Too Far To Care about 25 times to give to friends in hopes of cheering them up / reminding them of the power of a great song.

Years after that first informal radio introduction, I was a lucky part of a three girls / one Rhett Miller interview. If I wasn't already convinced that there should be a Rhett Miller Rockstar degree program, I was after that lovely afternoon. Like all the Old 97s, frontman Rhett is as kind and friendly as he is talented and {let's be honest} heartbeat-skipping handsome. My fellow members on the RMR degree program committee compare most frontmen/ladies to him. Rhett is great on stage with the disarming banter and humble dance moves and just as genuine and appreciative off stage when he crosses paths with a fan. We wont name names, but both new and more seasoned showmen could learn a thing or two from him.

And why should you care what Rhett and the Old 97s are like both on and off the stage? Three Imaginary Girls is happy to offer you a chance to sneak into their soundcheck, meet/greet them before their show, and tickets to the big {21+} show at the Showbox at the Market on June 30.

To enter to win this timebomb of a prize, just email us at tig@threeimaginarygirls with the subject line "RollerskateSkinny" before 9a on Friday, June 25.

{Photo by Lisa Johnson}

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{photo of DJ Spooky by Jeremiah D. Johnson}

Arriving later than I wanted to, I swiftly ran from the press gate across the Center to catch Telekinesis' KEXP Music Lounge session, and as always, their tight pop hooks and charming melodies did not disappoint, and I cursed my love of Rhett Miller, knowing that I'd have to choose him over Michael Lerner and co's fun pop beats (Bumber-schedule conflict #1!).

Next up I hit Flatstock, and of course found dozens of posters I'd be proud to hang in my apartment (including the ever wonderful Seattle Show Posters). Flatstock is always a Bumber-highlight for me, despite my general dislike of buying posters for shows I did not attend (but I generally make room for posters for shows I wish I had attended).

After Flatstock, I sauntered over to SIFF Cinema and caught four delightful shorts that won Best Grand Jury Prize at SIFF earlier this year, featuring a wonderful animated short called Photographs of Jesus, about a photo warehouse where people constantly ask for zany photographs that don't exist, like ones of dodos (extinct in the 1700s), one of Hilter at the 1948 Olympics, and of the moon landing, but with 12 other people on the moon. Also featured was a very wonderful and very short documentary called The Herd, which starred a deer who wanted to be and believed it was a cow. It was just as endearing and cute as you might imagine.

Got any Bumber-photos at all? Please put them in our flickr pool!

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Late last night, Bumbershoot unveiled their final lineup for the Labor Day weekend festival this year (barring any unforseen cancellations, of course). As usual, it looks like a pretty great lineup. I was especially thrilled that The Yeah Yeah Yeahs will be playing a Main Stage show. Also added were Cold War Kids and Old 97s, also playing Main Stage sets. Disappointing: that Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground, De La Soul and The Long Winters will be playing at the same time (9:30pm on Saturday night).

The full schedule is here.

I (and a lot of TIG writers) will be writing more in the coming days uptil to and through Bumbershoot about who we are excited to see this year but who are your "can't misses"?

{Photo of Cold War Kids by Julie Harmsen from the TIG Flickr Pool.}

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at Bumbershoot 2008

She asked, "Do I have a car?" I said, "Do I have a CAR!"

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at The Tractor Tavern

I doubt there was a soul inside the small club who had been fooled by this billing, and yet, when Rhett Miller, Murry Hammond, Ken Bethea, and Philip Peeples of the Old 97's walked on stage, the hollers erupted.

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