Are y'all getting excited about this year's City Arts Fest yet? There's so much goodness packed into only three days! Since Victoria did such an incredible job picking stuff you can't miss,  I thought I'd join the fun with a list of my must-sees: 

Thursday 10/20

MUST SEE
Hedwig and the Angry Inch Movie Sing Along
SIFF Cinema
8pm | $12 
buy tix 

How do I even being to express my love for this movie? I can't. It's too much. If you've never seen it, you HAVE to. Like, right now. And if you have, how can you pass up a chance to sing "The Origin of Love" and "Sugar Daddy"? I mean, seriously. you guys. seriously. I only wish I had an official foam Hedwig hat/wig/thing to wear to this. 

RUNNER UP
Crystal Castles 
w/Crypts, Nightmare Fortress 
Showbox SoDo
7pm | $27.50 adv, $32 doors
buy tix

These guys won my heart with their cover of Platinum Blonde's "Not in Love" featuring Robert Smith. I proceeded to buy their CD immediately and fall for their crazy retro electonic-y pop tunes. I kind of bet they're adorbs on stage too. 

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We have been lucky enough to get a sneak listen to the new BOAT album, Dress Like Your Idols, releasing March 22, 2011 on Magic Marker Records and it rocks our sloppy pop socks off. If the album's cover art didn't give it away, the album is an aural thumbing through their personal record (and cassette tape) bins, paying homage to their influences with blatant Pixies references ("When Frank Black Says (No. 14 Baby)") and sly Pavement croons (as in "Kinda Scared of Love Affairs"). The collection of pop songs prove they are ready for prime time. They are still experts in the friendly quirk pop genre, but this time the expertly recorded songs burst with a swagger confidence (confi-pop?). And one Long Winters' inspired track, "Landlocked" even features guest vocals by John Roderick.

In true to analog BOAT cardbaord cutout form, the band has put together a special limited edition cassette gift for the first 100 pre-orders of this, their fourth studio album. The cassette features demos from Dress Like Your Idols and covers (click through to see track listing and video).  Plus the b side will feature a D. Crane mix-tape.

I can't wait to see what tricks and treats the band has up their sleeve when at their album release show at the Tractor Tavern on Friday, March 25 (with Pickwick and Concours d'Elegance).

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We kinda don't know where to begin on this one as it combines so many things we love, our hearts are on the cusp of exploding. A couple more watches and we could be toast (albeit tasty brioche french toast like served at Odd Fellows).

Our dearest man about town and Long Winter, John Roderick, offers a tour of Seattle that exposes his favorite nooks and crannies of our fine city with stops at Odd Fellows, Pretty Parlor, The Crocodile (including a chat with photographer great Charles Peterson), Earthwise Salvage, The Showbox (the night of the Telekinesis show), Shelby Earl recording with Eric Corson, and Le Pichet.

Behold the latest in Rhapsody's Rock Star Guide to the Galaxy -- Destination Seattle - featuring at least four eyewear change ups, three curse word bleeps, a kitty and a Barsuk hoodie (watch it).

What would have been mentioned on your rockstar tour of Seattle?

I like J. Rod's choices, but I'd make sure to show off Remedy Tea, Bimbos (predictable, I know, but you can't deny the power of the no-meato burrito and their happy hour margaritas), Gainsbourg (absinthe cocktails), Molly Moon's Ice Cream, and Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon. Ok, so my tour would basically be a food and drink tour of the city. I'd also include a stop at Velouria and Sonic Boom/Easy Street Records for proper fashion accessories.

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at Nectar

Gregarious indie pop of Headlights and The Love Language

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at Chop Suey

a showcase of rock from Calgary

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at The Showbox at the Market

An all-ages show to support and remember the legendary Seattle musician John Spalding.

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Last night I saw Of Montreal put on one of the craziest and funnest shows I've ever seen* (watch out for Chris B's review!). I was having the time of my life, until they decided to close with "Smell's Like Teen Spirit" (which I'd heard that they had been doing quite a bit on this tour). While Kevin Barnes started the song by saying "this means no disrespect", I feel like covering Nirvana in Seattle, especially that song, feels just the opposite. Or at least just really cheesy. I feel like there's a moratorium on doing it, and it's not over yet.

Am I just being a crankypants? Everyone else seemed to be having the time of their lives. All I could think was that they were too young, or didn't grow up here. After the show ended, and I looked visibly irritated, my friend (who just moved here) told me to get over myself. He explained that Of Montreal are the kind of band that always covers songs, and while it used to be the Kinks and the Who, now they have a younger audience, and they have to cater to them (they also covered Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out"). Am I really the only one who feels like covering Nirvana in Seattle is inappropriate? If so, do you feel like maybe someday it might not be inappropriate?

For reference, here's a clip of them covering it in New York. 

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at Neumos

By the time Helio Sequence was about to hit the stage I looked back behind me from the front and yeah, it was a sold out show for sure, complete with crowds of girls still yelling out "Obama!".

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This morning I pulled stella by starlight's self-released EP from it's DIY photocopied sleeve, slipped it into my computer and I haven't stopped listening to this 7-song EP since.

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