Nothing says "home for the holidays" like those end-of-year spreadsheets at the day job, right? Really though, if you're stuck at a desk for the duration of the week, it really does help to have a little extra jingle in your cube. So, on the heels of Liz's post yesterday, here's a handful of internet-corners that will help to get the jolly in your ho-ho-ho!

An absolute classic, and easy to run in the background while you work, A Charlie Brown Christmas is about as key to the holidays as whatever time of year it was when they used to run The Wizard of Oz on television, commercial-free, and all the kids would watch it in the rec room while the adults smoked cigarettes and drank in the kitchen upstairs and played Pinochole. It's nostalgia-inducing, sweetly familiar, and won't cause one bit of offense to the old dude in accounting across the hall if you happen to turn it up a little bit at your favorite parts!

And in case you missed it earlier this month, Damien Jurado put out a totally killer version of ACBC's signature song, "Christmastime is Here", that you can read all about {and get a download link for} over at the Secretly Canadian site.

Cue super-adorbs kid's choir in the making-of video above. <3!

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In the pig-pile rush to get our best-of-2011 lists done, we thought we'd take a break and pick up the continuation of that what's-in-heavy-rotation post from last month, wherein we let you know what was taking up space on the imaginary radar of late, along with upcoming shows and appearances. So, without further ado, here's the second piece of that post, where almost none of the bands have anything particular coming up on the calendar or release radar, but we've still got them in repeat mode regardless:

We're not sure if this is a band-produced or fan-made video, but in either case, Yellow Ostrich's WHALE is pretty high up there on the list for Best Mixtape Openers Ever To Exist {which makes the grand assumption that ubiquitous you still makes actual mixtapes, of course} with it's stripped-bare, big-empty-room drumbeats and veritable choir of multi-vocals to bleed into the start of something good. Regardless of your format or fancy, you'd be doing yourself a favor by picking up this track to have in your tracklisty mix-making arsenal. YO doesn't have any tour dates coming up at the moment, but head on over to their corner of the internet anyway to keep an eye on what's coming next for these gents. {band site}

On the roots-y-Roadhouse-y front, there's a few alt.indie acts that fall under the umbrella of "General American Songwriter" that have made it into our mixes of late, like the entirety of Gillian Welch's The Harrow and the Harvest and Caitlin Rose (photo above)'s Own Side Now. Gillian's album has proper and snippet-streams all about the web, but even though there were a slew of Fleetwood Mac covers, we couldn't find a video or track link for our favorite song of Caitlin's, "Coming Up" -- and it's hands-down the best representation of her we can muster. Should you come across it out there, please purchase it immediately and blast it on your next drive at full-volume, preferably as the closer of the mix you just made that started with that Yellow Ostrich track. {buy Gillian's music} {buy Caitlin's music}

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It's all happening!

***UPDATE***

Since this post, two stellar things have come to pass: one, Quasi and Rocky Votolato have been added to the line-up, which has taken the night from full-throttle amazing-style to absolute non-negotiable -- and two, we've got not one, but two pairs of tickets to give away to the show!

We'll be running a ticket giveaway for the next week, and all you've got to do is send us a love letter telling us why we should pick you and a friend to be our lucky free attendees! Drop that email to tig {at} three imaginary girls {dot} com with the subject line "ColdBeerAndCigarettes" sometime between now and 10a on Thursday, July 14th. We'll pull two lucky winners out of the hat and notify you by email before the end of the business day that Thursday, and you'll be on the list for the show on Saturday night. Easy as that!

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Thanks to an invite from the lovely folks over at Tiny Human / Barsuk, we spent about forty-five minutes after work yesterday swooning in-person to David Bazan's live Ustream webcast {which, if you didn't catch it live, is archived for your viewing and listening pleasure here}. Talk about happy hour! Initially set up to be a four-ish song quickie set that we were stopping to catch a glimpse of,  the webcast turned into almost an hour's worth of performance and Q & A, including songs from the brand-new release strange negotiations as well as some choice back-catalog cuts.

It was an absolute privilege to attend, and while we're still gushing, let's add the fact that we literally can not say enough good words about strange negotiations and all it's inherent amazingness -- especially so soon after the homerun hit of Curse Your Branches. We're still absorbing the album and will have a full review up soon, but in the meantime, the three words that matter most about it are as follows: buy this record. We promise, you won't regret it.

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You'd better book a sick day, folks. Because KEXP is taking over Ballard next Friday {May 20th}, and we're pretty sure you're not going to want to miss a minute of it. On top of countless gigs around town at night, they'll be at the Sunset starting at 6a, with live bands and a live broadcast all day that's free, open to the public, and all ages. (Hot damn.) Dig this lineup:

7a: David Bazan
9a: Yuni in Taxco
11a: Point Juncture, WA
1p: Buffalo Tom
3p: Joan as Police Woman
5p: Shabazz Palaces
6:30p: The Black Crabs
8:30p: Marshall Scott Warner

Yes, David Bazan really is on at 7a. For anyone else caring to join us at that moderately unholy hour, we'll be the ones mainlining quad shots in the front row.

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Yep, you read that right: we've got an exclusive presale for David Bazan's just-announced Showbox show, and you are invited!

Bazan + Band will be taking the stage down at the Showbox (Market, of course) on July 16th -- a ways off, of course but tickets are going on sale this Saturday, April 16th. BUT: since you're an ever-informed imaginary reader, you've got the chance to pick up tickets before everyone else! Kind of like having a backstage pass to the box office, isn't it?

On Friday, April 15th, from 10a - 10p, you'll be able to pick up your advance ticket by pointing your clicker-finger to a special link (we'll be providing it on Friday morning) and entering our secret password to get past the gate. Easy peasy!

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It's safe to say here at Three Imaginary Girls that we go to a lot of shows. Sometimes, two (or three) in one night, if there's more than one must-see happening going on about town. And so it's no surprise that in 2010 alone, just on my own, I managed to go to shoot at least two shows a week on average, attended another two dozen-ish (or so) sans camera, plus several festivals, house parties and a handful of KEXP in-studios. We're talking everything from nights at the Sunset and Neumos to four days in Portland for MFNW, out locally for long weekends at Bumbershoot and Sasquatch, and down to SXSW and back again.

On any given night there are plenty of shows taking place, in rooms across Seattle and across the country, where boys and girls and instruments and fans all convene inside four walls to make, appreciate, and experience live music -- but not all of them are Shows. When I reference shows in this post, I'm talking about the nights that we collectively See A Show, the nights that remind me us why we live in Seattle in the first place. Seeing A Show has the ability to alter the fabric of our respective existence, to leave us forever changed -- full of those everything-I've-ever-done-led-to-this-exact-right-now kinds of moments.

With a history timeline at the ready via flickr sets and hastily scrawled notes from stage right, I give you some of my greatest moments of 2010 as an appendix to the ever-popular top albums of the year lists that have been popping up all over our radars.

First place:
Neil Young (solo) at the Paramount

This might be construed as an easy out for a list-topper, but it was by far the most stupidly amazing few hours I spent in a venue all year. Not only was I among the lucky few that got to hang and shoot from the soundboard, but I also had the privilege of being allowed to watch the set after shooting (sans camera gear) from the third-level mezzanine. It may as well have been a live reel of Young in his prime, for how good he sounded -- without a doubt one of the top ten shows of my life, probably in the history of Ever.

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Musicfest, Musicfest Northwest, M-F-N-Dubs, Baby SouthBy -- whatever you want to call it, this past weekend's slew of shows down in Portland were nothing short of an absolute blast. We ran rampant through the quadrants for four days straight, shooting every show we could get our hands on, swooning exponentially more as each night passed. Here's just a fraction of what went on for the first half of the fest, during Thursday's and Friday's sets.

The big knock-it-out-of-the-park set on Thursday was David Bazan / Rocky Votolato set over at the Doug Fir. After the stage was properly warmed up all day with KEXP in-studios from the likes of the Cave Singers and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Rocky took the spotlight (after what was likely a gorgous set by Joshua Morrison, that we hit town a little too late to catch) and the room over for a good forty minutes, with a set that pleased both rabid forever-fans and fringe-fans alike. There was something almost infectious about his performance, as he surpassed the standard singer/songwriter storyteller vibe and instead delivered each song with a repectful, earnest, homage-y vibe that struck the major chords of our very own indie-lovin' heartstrings.

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Technically, you can get your Musicfest Northwest (MFNW) on starting tonight -- there will be a few gigs going on around town down in Portland to warm up the masses -- but our imaginary coverage will officially begin tomorrow and we can't hardly wait!  There's quite a few acts and sorta-showcases that we're espcially stoked to see... so without further ado, here are some of our picks for the best-of-the-fest shows for the next four days.

Please note: the approximate start times are listed for the first band only and are subject to change -- always check your internets before heading out!

Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside
Thursday, 10p @ Berbati's Pan

Having seen and heard a lot about these darlings since their 2009 blip on our Seattle radar, it's going to be quite a treat to catch them at a hometown show. Full of good ol' fashioned big-bodied electric sound and a pair of lungs that just won't quit, Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside are as swoon-tastic as it gets!

David Bazan + band / Joshua Morrison
Thursday, 9p @ the Doug Fir

Does this even need an explanation? Hot on the heels of two stellar performances at Bumbershoot, David Bazan (along with the current installment of his band) have fine tuned their sound to some true indie rock perfection. Achy and anthematic to the core, we're super-stoked to catch them at a venue like the 'Fir. Add in local favorite-home-safe Joshua Morrison, and you've got a night on your hands to remember.

The Thermals
Thursday, 10:30p @ the Crystal Ballroom

The Thermals killed Bumbershoot, the new album rules, and we'll be there with bells on. 'nuff said.

Okkervil River / Bobby Bare, Jr.
Friday, 10p @ the Crystal Ballroom

One of those lineups that makes you grateful that the bookers are playing close attention: a headlining set with OKR and a warmup by local favorite Bobby Bare, Jr. sounds like the next best thing since sliced bread. The boys of Okkervil have been hard at work, following up their last album with some amazing work next to the great Roky Erickson, and judging by the sound of the twitterverse, on to the next recording of something beautiful.

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Somehow, in the avalanche of amazing bands at Seattle Center this past weekend, we managed to scrawl some furious notes on a fistful of locals and indie bands that brought the noise / love / ache / bliss. Here's a few of our picks to start the best-of Bumbershoot chatter that we'd like to share, in no particular order:

1. David Bazan at the KEXP 'Secret Stage'

It's no secret at all that KEXP's hideout is one of the best things about Bumbershoot: a great selection of all the best acts of the weekend, in a cushy, sit-down theater that's got impeccable sound and flawless sightlines. Thanks to a thoughtful friend, we had two seats for the 1:15pm Sunday performance -- and sat rapt with attention while the band proceeded to rip the roof right off from above us. Longtime fans of Bazan's solo work and earlier Pedro The Lion need not hate on this revamped sound: the new (and reworked versions of older) songs are nothing short of big-guitar bring-it-ness. Anthematic, cinematic renditions from Curse Your Branches had us covered in goosebumps; and the six-song power set left us both satiated and eagerly anticipating the next show -- you can catch David Bazan + Band (with the lovely Head and the Heart opening) at the Showbox over Thanksgiving Weekend.

2. The Tripwires at the Mural

Honestly, I can't think of a better way to start a festival day than with a full-frontal rawk set from some of Seattle's very own power-pop royalty foursome, the Tripwires. Promptly at 11:45am, the band took to the Mural stage and shot a big bag of awesome into the waiting arms of the still-caffienating crowd. Opening with "Let's Get You Started" (one of the best tracks off their newest album, House to House), they set the tone -- and the standard -- for a truly excellent day. Sangster + Sangster + Ramberg + Pickerel + espresso + sunshine = a brunch-rock set to remember.

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