Last month I was alerted to the fact that one of my favorite musical artists EVER had been in a terrible bike accident that almost resulted in the loss of her hands, and I immediately started crying. Not because I know Heather Duby personally, but in addition to crying over how horribly painful and emotionally traumatizing something like that is, I think her music is so beautiful and amazing that I couldn't imagine a world in which she wouldn't be able to play it.

I caught on to Heather's amazingness at some show, somewhere, in Seattle around 2000 or so - and once I heard her, I made sure I was at every single place she played . I scooped up Post to Wire and Come Across the River as soon as they were available, and loved her electronic-y collaboration with Elemental. This girl can play keyboards like whoa and her voice - her VOICE - is gorgeous, gorgeous, and more gorgeous - just like her. One of my favorite memories of all time will be the night I told her I had purchased her new album at the (old) Croc, and she immediately took me to the back bar and bought me a shot. I LOVE THIS WOMAN. And I was positively crushed when she moved to NYC.

But, I digress. We all know what a bitch expensive medial care is - with or without insurance - and thus, I'm asking you to help me rally around Heather by attending this rockin' benefit on Saturday night (11/26) at The Crocodile. I know, I know, Visqueen's last show is that night too - if you can't make both, you can always drop Heather a few dollars of support on this page.

The Crocodile Presents:
A Benefit for Heather Duby with
Helms, Alee, The Redwood Plan & More
Saturday, 11/26 | Doors at 8pm | 21+ 
Tickets $10 ($12.50 w/fees online)

I'm so proud of the Pacific Northwest music scene, as she has given us some of the best records released anywhere (although Suburban Kids, Art Brut, Manhattan Love Suicides, and Graham Coxon — I love you like a sister).

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This podcast features some of our favorite Northwest indie tunes of the moment, as well as a set of bands playing at the Athens Pop Fest 2006: Bugs Eat Books, Bunnygrunt, Cars Can Be Blue, Heather Duby, Optimus Rhyme, Stuporhero, The Gazetteers, The Long Winters, The Trucks, and Umeko.

Personal and terrible, Duby guides her listener through songs that are formed like the most tragic of art: Something dire made out of something beautiful.

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Best releases of 2003, in the opinions of the imaginary staff...

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at The Crocodile

Dear Imaginary Friends, I owe you all an apology; I've been sadly negligent with my imaginary live show writing duties of late. But fret not, I have been musically busy these past weeks, developing my initial indie-album crushes for the year.

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at Graceland

One of the best things about going to Graceland for a show is seeing 'the drummer boy' who works the front door. He is the one who takes your money and stamps your wrist.

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Since the top five on this list all also appear on our Top 10 overall imaginary albums of the year list, we've added some Honorable Mention local bands!

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