This weekend, some of Seattle's best music websites (and even better friends) are celebrating their birthdays and they've got your weekend booked with fantastic shows that showcase the talent and diversity of the Northwest. Back Beat Seattle is turning one on Friday and Ear Candy is celebrating it's birthday with what its founder, editor, chief, etc... Travis Hay calls "Ear Candy's Weekend of Awesome" and has shows Saturday and Sunday night at different clubs. Also quite thrilling: Dagmar and Amelia from Back Beat and Travis from Ear Candy have all written for TIG before starting their own flourishing websites.

Back Beat's show is Friday at the Blue Moon and it features Blood Red Dancers, THEESatisfaction and What What Now. It all goes down starting at 10pm and you'll need $5 and ID proving you're at or over 21 to get in the door.

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Kid Koala is one of the giants in turntablism and is one of the most skilled DJs around.

Next week, he's bringing his ambitious project The Slew to Nectar for a show next Thursday, September 24 that should be one of the best parties of the week. The idea behind The Slew is that Koala is spinning records from six turntables while being backed by the former rhythm section from the rock band Wolfmother. Even if with it being on a work night, I'm intrigued to check it out. I've enjoyed what I've heard from the album The Slew: 100%, which you can download from Kid Koala's website.

Even better, we have a pair of tickets to give away to a lucky reader. To enter, you just need to be over 21 and send an e-mail with "TheSlew" in the subject line to tig@threeimaginarygirls.com before Monday morning (Sept. 21) at 9am. The winner will be notified shortly after that.

Photo by SekondHandProjects from Kid Koala's MySpace page.

at Nectar

I first saw Sean Horton, otherwise known as DJ Nordic Soul, perform at the Moderat/Truckasaurus show last month and really felt that his DJing was one of the highlights of the entire gig. He transitioned from slow and easy to bass-thumping rhythms, spinning treasures like Gui Boratto, Mu, Justice and Modeselektor. With that listing of tracks, I think I've found my DJ of choice in Mr. Nordic Soul.

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DFA's The Juan MacLean and Kompakt's new star The Field will blow through Nectar tonight, revving up my Monday and setting the pace for the week.

The last time The Juan MacLean played Seattle, another imaginary, the illustrious ChrisB, was fortunate enough to see The Juan MacLean and thought pretty highly of their performance.

Electro-minimalists The Field's barebones steady build-ups sweeping into sweet climax are the perfect antidote to herky jerky electro. His technique is sly and comfortable and never surprising. The bumping bass pushes it to the dancefloor, though the encompassing feel of his music is more IDM, amazing headphone fodder.

The Juan MacLean, stage name of John MacLean and accompanied by Nancy Whang, by contrast is rolling pop, steely and aloof. Their drum-driven style, laced with acid-house and subtly tweaked, is a smooth partner to The Field. Post-disco elements and an overt dance-pop vibe are prevalent, as with most DFA artist albums.

 

June 08 / 9:00PM @ Nectar Lounge

21+ / $15 adv

Nectar, Decibel, KEXP & The Stranger Presents:

DFA + Kompakt Tour

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On Monday, June 8, The Juan MacLean will return to Nectar on a co-headlining tour with The Field. Tickets are $15 - and worth it - but even better: we have a pair of tickets to give away to one of our lucky readers. To enter, just send an e-mail to tig@threeimaginarygirls.com before Wednesday, June 3 with "Juan MacLean" in the subject line. The winner will be notified shortly thereafter.

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Dark Material is the award-winning, 7-minute documentary that screens at SIFF this year. It was scored by local trip-hop artist Anomie Belle.

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at Nectar

Gregarious indie pop of Headlights and The Love Language

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at Nectar

Before a few weeks ago, no one I talked to even knew who Gui Boratto is. However, his show at the Nectar Lounge last night was packed. God bless our wonderful KEXP, but if they hadn't been hyping him all day, having him perform on air in the early evening, there would have been half the number of people there and a whole lot more room to dance my ass off.

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This show will shake Nectar down to the beams. Don't miss Brazilian laptop extraordinaire Gui Boratto @ Nectar!

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Alice Russell may not be a bigger name than Duffy or Amy Winehouse but she does have a bigger voice. She plays at Nectar tonight.

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