By now, you're heard the reports on Ben Gibbard's show at the Crocodile on Wednesday night: it was pretty much an epic event. The set list killed. The room was packed. Some people liked the hat, some people didn't. Yes, Zooey Deschanel made an appearance at the end. (And yes, it was basically the most adorable thing ever.) Since you've likely already seen the unauthorized video content -- the first three rows aren't texting in this photo, they're all taping the night for posterity on their iPhones -- and thus heard the details on the new songs (the one about the Smith Tower brought a tear to our respective eye -- we can't wait to see if it shows up on the new album!) as well as the Zooey-duets, we'd like to talk to you a little more about the benefit details, and what an amazing success it was.

If you'll notice there in the background, you'll see the Teen Feed banner -- that's the organization that Ben's performance was a benefit for, and at last count, the ticket and merch sales brought in over ten thousand dollars that went directly to the organization. Ten thousand dollars! To put that into scale, the Noise for the Needy benefits that ran for Teen Feed earlier this year wound up netting them twenty-five thousand dollars -- and with that amount of money, Teen Feed was able to go from feeding youth six nights a week to seven nights a week, meaning they could literally function three hundred and sixty-five nights a year. So, on the scale of operating an organization, while ten thousand dollars might seem like a drop in the bucket, the folks over at Teen Feed are able to take funding in that amount and basically turn it into absolute above-and-beyond amazingness. In fact, we're convinced that Megan Gibbard is made out of magic.

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Odds are, if you're here at Three Imaginary Girls poking around, you've heard of Ben Gibbard. And if you're in the greater Seattle area, you've definitely heard about the sold-out show coming up this Wednesday at the Crocodile. (And if you're like us, you might be acting half your age and figuring out just how early you have to get to the venue to secure a spot up front.) But what you may not be as familiar with is the beneficiary of the night, Teen Feed -- so, we thought we'd sit right down with their Executive Director and find out all about it for you.

Imaginary Victoria: So, let's have a little background on the who-what-and-where...

Megan Gibbard: Of course.  Teen Feed is a 7-night-a-week meal program for homeless youth ages 13 – 25.  Every single night, from 7-8pm, we serve up to 70 youth a healthy and safe meal – it very well may be the first time that day they’ve been safe.  Teen Feed is more than just this meal, however. Present at every Teen Feed meal are our Case Managers (we call them Support Coordinators) to build relationships with youth, share a meal, and help with resources and encouragement.  Our Street Talk Outreach Program (STOP) meets youth directly on the streets, in their environment, before they're even ready to ask for help.

Teen Feed works with the community to offer basic needs, build strong relationships, and ally with homeless youth as they met their future off the streets. We achieve our mission through three main initiatives: meals, outreach, and case management. It is difficult to go to school when you’re hungry. It is difficult to succeed at work when you aren’t sure where your next meal will come from. So, the food always comes first at Teen Feed – then, we get down to the business of working alongside youth as they find that path from the streets.

I recently spoke with a woman who was homeless on the Ave in the early 1990’s at the age of 13.  She said that she had a moment, a watershed, when she realized that she needed to get off the streets and start pursuing college.  Teen Feed was right there to help her when she needed it.  Teen Feed is important because all people need to be fed – and every youth on the streets needs safe adults right there with they’re ready to ask for help.

This same woman spoke in front of 150 Teen Feed volunteers recently and said:

“I look at my husband, and he’s a lot like his parents.  I look at my children, and they’re a lot like him and I. I look at myself, and I’m a lot like all of you.”

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Just as we thought this Monday would never end, a piece of news so exciting popped into our inbox to help count down the minutes til quittin' time: Ben Gibbard and Jay Farrar will play at the Showbox at the Market on January 24th! Our own imaginary victoria flew down to San Francisco a few weeks ago and spilled the deets on how awesome the show was (and based on her review, we can only hope they'll add Mr. John Roderick as the opener!), and for those of you (myself included) seething with jealously and wishing you were there, now we'll all get our chance. Tickets go on sale December 5th at 10am, and the show is all ages/bar w/ ID.

Thanks, Jason Tang, for the hot tip!

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at Bimbo's 365

Thanks to a tweet from a fellow I met on the Long Winters messageboard quite some time ago (hello, internets!) I found myself pressed up against the stage of a 750-person capacity club last weekend, camera in hand. It was Saturday night, and Bimbo's 365 was proudly hosting the San Francisco installment of the six-date "One Fast Move or I'm Gone" tour, celebrating the release of the album and documentary of the same name, the former a collaborative project between Jay Farrar, Ben Gibbard, and a love of all things Big Sur.

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A surprise appearance from Mr. Benjamin Gibbard! (!!!!!!!!)

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Burn to Shine's forthcoming Emerald City edition is quintessentially us. Like the other houses featured in the previous three Burn to Shine installments, this house was destined to be destroyed... but not before some stunning musical performances by great local performers like Tiny Vipers, Eddie Vedder, and Burn to Shine curator Benjamin Gibbard.

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Death Cab fans, alert! I just got this gem in my inbox...

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Wow, I haven't heard mention of this up until now... but it's official Barsuk Records will be releasing the soundtrack to the motion picture Kurt Cobain About A Son on September 11th, 2007.

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Ben, why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?

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Don't fret, but act quickly.

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