Three Imaginary Girls - capitol hill block party

Smoke Ring For My Halo

Chris Estey — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:42:30 +0000

8.3

http://www.amazon.com/Smoke-Ring-Halo-Kurt-Vile/dp/B004I3U7SK/?tag=wwwthreeimagi-20

{Kurt Vile is going to be playing the Capitol Hill Block Party on Friday, July 22, starting at 5pm on the Main Stage.}

Kurt Vile has an occasionally insouciant vocal presence, yet a luscious guitar tone. "Baby's Arms," the new single, is as much a raspberry blown at the world as a lustful kiss splattered on the cheek of his sweetheart. "I get sick of just about everyone / so I hide in my baby's arms." That's how this timelessly rebellious dichotomy is presented on his new, fourth full length Smoke Ring For My Halo.

Vile only kind of means being mean. He likes to sing about "a whole lot of dirt" (a mocking, baiting masterwork called "Runner Ups"), yet was raised in a genteel bluegrass, Jesus-loving household. According to rumor, he tried to bring the banjo of his youth back on this album, but maybe those got left in the outtakes (next time?). This has injected his songs with a transcendently shimmering, out of time feel, in which lyrics despairing ("I'm already gone" from "Jesus Fever"), flinching to fight ("On Tour," in which he compares being on the road to Lord Of The Flies, eek), and pervert-playful ("Peeping Tom") won't be heard at first. Instead, one marvels and is moved by all the picking, strumming, and shivering layers of acoustic and electric guitaring.

Vile is on tour with Thurston Moore (!), having thrilled live audiences at All Tomorrow's Parties back in May and just recently at the 2011 Pitchfork Festival, and each time he plays his Violators blow mellow audiences to the back -- and then bring them forward for a mid-gig stripped down set-within-a-set. He's a record-loving kid from Philadelphia that insists he isn't a "record nerd" but his music betrays this dismissal. He is already almost as vocally soulful as a teen Mark Lanegan and proficient like a middle-aged Richard Thompson or Lindsay Buckingham. He is a cocky little shit and I love hearing him complain about everything but his baby's arms, and I wouldn't miss an opportunity to hear him play music that song fiends delight in as much as ambient hounds. That -- and the sort of laid back, not afraid to be sarcastic Smoke Rings -- sounds like a legend in the making.

{Kurt Vile is going to be playing the Capitol Hill Block Party on Friday, July 22, starting at 5pm on the Main Stage.}

Recommended CHBP Show: The Posies

Imaginary Amie — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:55:20 +0000

It is clearly no secret that I love The Posies. But honestly, guys - if you have never seen them play live (which seems impossible if you've lived in Seattle for more than a year), you should head out to the Capitol Hill Block Party on Sunday to see them take the main stage at 3:30pm. These guys are the real deal - an awesomely rockin' local band that's more than earned the term LEGENDS. They consistently put on a good show, and they will (excuse the cliche term) rock your frickin' socks off. For reals!

Go go go go go go GO.

{Photo submitted to our Sparkly Indie-Pop Photos Flickr Pool by Mr. Jason Tang}

Capitol Hill Block Party 2009 lineup announced

ChrisB — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:10:02 +0000

I'm really swamped at my day job - being that it's Monday morning, but I'll put this up now. The first many acts for the Capitol Hill Block Party was announced this morning. They are:

SONIC YOUTH, THE JESUS LIZARD, THE GOSSIP, DEERHUNTER, BLACK LIPS, EARTH, THE THERMALS, THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART, MOONDOGGIES, SPINNERETTE, THE DUTCHESS AND THE DUKE, MIKA MIKO, THE BLAKES, SLEEPY EYES OF DEATH, GIRLS, HEY MARSEILLES, THE MALDIVES, TRUCKASAURUS, AKIMBO, PAST LIVES, FUTURE OF THE LEFT, MICACHU, STARFUCKER, FAUX PUNK, NEW FACES, HOTELS, PICA BEATS, FLEXIONS, THEY LIVE!, AUDICITY, BOW+ARROW, SOL, JAPANDROIDS

Who are you excited for? For me, it'll be The Gossip, but overall, I think the lineup is pretty solid.

It'll be July 24th and 25th.

Rumor Mongering: Treepeople at CHBP?

imaginary stella — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:24:16 +0000

I was just doing some web-surfing in search of details of this year's Capitol Hill Block Party, I found a zinger: A rumored appearance of Treepeople.

Is this true?

Fingers crossed it's real. I'd definitely wade through the crazy crowds to see Doug Martsch and company ala 1992 again.

Capitol Hill Block Party 2008: Menomena

Jon Harthun — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:20:07 +0000

25 Jul 2008

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Menomena has always been a band worth noting, masterminding albums that age finer with every listen. Genius as they be, Menomena’s destiny isn’t in filling sports arenas.

After witnessing a choir-backed performance nearly a year earlier at Bumbershoot, it’s hard not to feel like the band’s live show has been watered down. Sure, a choir could have been more of an aesthetic choice than anything; it at least complimented Menomena’s over-the-top approach to making music.

Choirless, Menomena jumpstarted things with “The Pelican,” pounding away on electric piano, smashed cymbals, and blasted riffs. As they continued, thumping bass guitar lines and buzzing synth seemed to take a front seat on the soundboard as they muffled those charming vocals and sly, crisp drumbeats the band seems to structure itself around. Things seemed to work themselves out as songs like “Rotten Hell” slinked along clear as a bell.

Menomena is undeniably talented. It’s just a matter now of tightening up and fleshing out those talents to produce a live show. Though they do a great job at duplicating studio feats in live settings, after two shows, I’d still rather put on the old headphones and sit in the comforts of my living room.

Menomena has always been a band worth noting, masterminding albums that age finer with every listen. Genius as they be, Menomena’s destiny isn’t in filling sports arenas.

Capitol Hill Block Party 2008

three imaginary girls — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:46:53 +0000

25 Jul 2008

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We are all still reeling from the amazing, sweaty, crowded goodness that was Capitol Hill Block Party 2008.

Throughout the weekend we had an imaginary army racing around the Pike/Pine corridor, listening to bands and snapping photos. The result of our intrepid adventures is the huge list of live show reviews below.

Please chime in with your own thoughts/experiences/memories in the comments below. And so without further ado, here is...

Our official imaginary Capitol Hill Block Party 2008 coverage!

Abe Vigoda
Black Whales
The Cave Singers
Champagne Champagne
Kaylee Cole
Common Market
DeVotchKa
Girl Talk
Grand Ole Party
Fleet Foxes
The Hands
Head Like a Kite
The Heavy Hearts
The Hold Steady
Jaguar Love
Jay Reatard
Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground
Kimya Dawson
Les Savy Fav
Little Party and the Bad Business
The Loved Ones
Man Plus
Menomena
Mika Miko
Natalie Portman's Shaved Head
New Faces
Past Lives
The Physics
Pleasureboaters
PWRFL Power
Say Hi
Scribes
Sleepy Eyes of Death
Thee Emergency
Truckasaurus
U.S.E.
Vampire Weekend
Voyager One
Kristen Ward
The Whore Moans

Viva le Block Party!

We are all still reeling from the amazing, sweaty, crowded goodness that was Capitol Hill Block Party 2008.

Throughout the weekend we had an imaginary army racing around the Pike/Pine corridor, listening to bands and snapping photos. The result of our intrepid adventures is the huge list of live show reviews below after the jump.

Capitol Hill Block Party 2008: Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground

imaginary dana — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:32:17 +0000

26 Jul 2008

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When I originally saw the Capitol Hill Block Party lineup, I knew if there was one band I couldn't miss, it was Seattle's own Kay Kay & His Weathered Underground. The band opened the Main Stage on Saturday to a beautiful day with an intent crowd -- utterly captivated with this eclectic, larger-than-life band.

Immediately upon taking the stage, the 10-member band (according to Kay Kay superfan ChrisB, that's "a light showing" for them) got the presumably bleary crowd clapping along with their first song -- and this wasn't a simple clap-clap kinda thing. Without prompting, the audience nearly instantaneously sprang to life and clapped along in exact rhythm with the band, as if well-rehearsed.

From there, the band launched into a set filled with complex-yet-cohesive music that shifted styles in an almost perplexing array of sounds -- and I say perplexing in that my notes made no sense in their rapid fire descriptions: "circus maudlin" followed by "70's glam-ish" and then "Santana-like guitar parts" and then "soaring pop." It makes no sense at all, yet Kay Kay does and did. While the music wasn't hook-filled, there were so many delightful disparate parts to relish, such a wave of delicious melody, that I found myself carried away in the bounty of the band. Even the instrumentation was eclectic, featuring an electric cello and French horn in addition to more traditional rock band instruments.

I am loathe as a music writer to say things like "I can't find the words to describe this band," and yet, Kay Kay's performance left me oddly at a loss for how to shorthand describe or compare them. I will say, I now understand why ChrisB has been describing them as the best band in Seattle right now.

Capitol Hill Block Party 2008: The Physics

Chris Estey — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:31:31 +0000

26 Jul 2008

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I knew the Vera Stage was going to be the scene of some sweet home-brew hip-hop as I passed the tent where people were paying five dollars to hit ex-Stranger writer Ari Spool in the face with pies as Ol' Dirty Bastard and Kelis rapped and sang "Baby, I Got Your Money" on the sound system pre-show. The weather was somehow both cool and humid (?) and the vibe reminded me of when I saw The Saturday Knights for one the first times at the Block Party on the same stage two years previous. The rap music that ensued did not disappoint.

Thig Life, "Justo" D'Amato, and Monk Wordsmith have been partners since teenagers, growing up in the South end of Seattle and living on a steady diet of quality hip-hop. Their fandom comes out in their rhymes and music, as they show their influences proudly but also honestly discuss the daily thrills and spills of being marginalized by society even when you're smarter than most of it.

I was sitting down for the first part of the set in the back on the sound platform, and you know you're at the Vera when the kids who step in front of you get embarrassed about blocking your possible view of the stage. (Try finding that at any other venue or venue-sponsored event.) It all opened with Scribes, a guest rapper with anger and authority at well, the angry authorities. Various themes touched on the crippling corruption of church and State, and it was pointedly more raw and political than the band he was warming the crowd up for.

I need to check out The Physics' Future Talk album (produced by D'Amato) as the lively songs seemed to get the crowd dancing more than most of the shows I saw this weekend. The themes may be familiar but that isn't always a bad thing. Without a gimmick or a guise, The Physics are using their lives as resources and on songs like "I Heart Beer" and "Ready For We" are unafraid to show all sides of themselves. Thanks for bringing the party, guys.

Capitol Hill Block Party 2008: Grand Ole Party

ChrisB — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:56:01 +0000

26 Jul 2008

grandoleparty08jul.jpg

One of the great things about rock and/or roll is that you can appropriate anything you want and make it into your own image. Case in point: San Diego's Grand Ole Party using the name that is commonly associated with the Republican party.

Grand Ole Party are not a bunch of Bush-voting conservatives. No, they're a bluesy rock band that kicked ass during their set at the Capitol Hill Block Party on Saturday night. Playing for a large crowd at the Vera stage, Grand Ole Party - especially its singer/drummer Kristin Gundred - held their rapt attention for about 40 minutes. She has a powerful voice that could be welcome in a gospel choir. Beth Ditto of The Gossip is her closest contemporary comparison point.

The songs are funky but have a lot of blues influences, too. Thematically, they're a Southern rock or gospel band with a garage rock aesthetic. Gundred sings about sin, death and good vs. evil. You know, the kind of light fare you'd expect from a garage band.

For about 40 minutes, Grand Ole Party ran through most of the songs from their excellent album Humanimals (which was produced by Rilo Kiley's Blake Sennett). Gundred, who was flanked by bassist Michael Krechnyak and guitarist John Paul Labno, is the first singer/drummer I've ever found compelling. Aside from an interruption due to her mic shorting out, the set was pretty close to flawless.

Songs like "Nasty Habit", "Insane" and "Look Out Young Son" had the rocking along with the band.

GOP was the final band I caught at CHBP this year and I wouldn't have chosen to end the already-memorable weekend with any other band.

Capitol Hill Block Party 2008: Jay Reatard

Jon Harthun — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 06:08:17 +0000

25 Jul 2008

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There have always been bands I haven’t given the time of day simply because of their monikers. Case in point: Jay Reatard.

I was unsurprised to be greeted with wild-haired, ironic flying-v toting post-punk rockers. But like mama always says, don’t judge a book by its Pitchfork cover story.

Though skeptical, I was pleased once I witnessed a band who could churn out songs so quick and so raw they were seconds away from tearing my face off. Unfortunately their high-energy antics brought out the mosher in some of the crowd, most likely those too drunk to realize that punk has been on its deathbed for quite some time.

Fortunately, in their tight jeans and golden slacks, Jay Reatard managed to rise above the punk rock grave, deconstruct the genre, throw in garage rock, slaughter that, and beat it into something compact and forceful. Though they may have felt like a gimmick at times, perhaps running on the dreaded 15-minute course, at least they’ve got great music and marvelous stage presence to show for it.

There have always been bands I haven’t given the time of day simply because of their monikers. Case in point: Jay Reatard.

I was unsurprised to be greeted with wild-haired, ironic flying-v toting post-punk rockers. But like mama always says, don’t judge a book by its Pitchfork cover story.

Capitol Hill Block Party 2008: Fleet Foxes

imaginary dana — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 05:40:20 +0000

26 Jul 2008

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I'm not sure how much more TIG can say about Fleet Foxes that we haven't already said here or here or here or here or here (or see the other 31 Fleet Foxes articles on TIG here, and no, I'm not being hyperbolic here).

Fleet Foxes played the Main Stage on Saturday around 6p, packing out the intersection and delighting all the fans who came to hear them play while simultaneously annoying all those in transit to other shows (ChrisB, I'm looking at you).

For their throngs of fans, Robin Pecknold and his fleet of foxes soared over the crowd with their peaceful, dulcet tunes, providing a perfect transition from the sunny daytime at the Block Party to the mayhem of the evening ahead.

Capitol Hill Block Party 2008: Scribes

Cory Banks — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 05:13:15 +0000

26 Jul 2008

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If you're looking for lyrical, intelligent rhymes, Scribes has got 'em. Each syllable he drops is complex but still accessible, demanding your attention while the beats move your body. With his baseball hat tilted to the side, he stalked across the stage during his opening number, making eye contact with everyone in the front row like he was daring them to bob their heads. Seattle's hip-hop scene is filled with the smartypants flow, from Blue Scholars to Common Market, and it's easy to imagine Scribes joining that list soon.

I don't know if the audience at Vera's all-ages stage was looking for rhymes about current events, though. The monitors were blasting Ol' Dirty Bastard while we waited for the show to start, and that got the crowd interested, but the beatboxing during sound check fell on deaf ears. Why? ODB is fine, but when a guy grabs a mic and drops beats like an 808, you don't stand idly by. Get up, Seattle youth, and shake your ass.

Capitol Hill Block Party 2008: DeVotchKa

Cory Banks — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 05:09:47 +0000

26 Jul 2008

devotchka08jul.jpg

There was nothing romantic about the Main Stage at this year's Capitol Hill Block Party. How could there be? Unless you fantasize about beer gardens, massive throngs of people and hot dogs with cream cheese, there's very little dramatic atmosphere for an outside stage. The Block Party is not for lovers.

That didn't stop DeVotchKa from wooing the audience Saturday night. In fact, their lush melodies and passionate crooning brought to mind gypsy tents instead of beer tents, and made perfect strangers turn to each other with a romantic glint in their eye.

Don't believe me? Okay, here's my evidence. The girl in front of me during "Transliterator" leaned back into me, swayed to Tom Hagerman's bouncy piano and Shawn King's swirling rhythms, and tilted her head up to my ear to sing along with frontman Nick Urata. She was so taken with DeVotchKa's vibe that she had to share it with someone. And she was _way_ out of my league.

No, I'm not making this up.

Special note goes to Urata's theriman playing throughout the set. One wouldn't think such a space-age instrument would blend with the band's old world violin and horns, but it fit perfectly. And Urata makes the most dramatic faces while coaxing sounds out of the thing.

DeVotchKa's set was truly a beautiful way to end the Block Party. They played an even mix of their back catalog, including crowd favorites "How It Ends" and the instrumental "Death By Blonde." Even the drunk guy who climbed atop the stage to dance -- finally dispatched by an surly-looking security guard -- couldn't break up the passion of their performance. While the Block Party may not be for lovers, DeVotchKa certainly is.

here was nothing romantic about the Main Stage at this year's Capitol Hill Block Party. How could there be? Unless you fantasize about beer gardens, massive throngs of people and hot dogs with cream cheese, there's very little dramatic atmosphere for an outside stage. The Block Party is not for lovers.

That didn't stop DeVotchKa from wooing the audience Saturday night. In fact, their lush melodies and passionate crooning brought to mind gypsy tents instead of beer tents, and made perfect strangers turn to each other with a romantic glint in their eye.

Don't believe me? Okay, here's my evidence...

Best photos of the Block Party 2008

three imaginary girls — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:30:53 +0000

We're still reeling from the rock and roll madness that was the Capitoll Hill Block Party this weekend. We have so many great words and photos from all the great shows, which you can read here.

We've pulled out a few of our favorite photos for a quick view of the amazing weekend.

Here are the best of the best, so far, after the jump. Which are your favorites?

Capitol Hill Block Party: New Faces

ChrisB — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 04:57:57 +0000

26 Jul 2008

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The New Faces are good. Maybe even very good.

They're not rewriting rock or doing anything innovative (but who is these days anyway?). They borrow liberally from The Strokes, Franz Ferdinand, and Interpol and are not subtle about it. To be fair, though, those bands also cribbed extensively from the Velvet Underground, Gang of Four, and Joy Division while finding their own sound. But hey -- the New Faces shouldn't be penalized for listening to CDs, and they certainly shouldn't be penalized for listening to the right ones.

That's where the criticism ends, though. The New Faces packed a crowd into The King Cobra on Saturday afternoon and they delighted them. Although they're all under 21 (they were the winners of EMP's Sound Off! contest this year and only one band member has graduated from high school), they rocked an audience that was exclusively older than they are. That is no insignificant feat.

New Faces signed to Loveless Records shortly after winning Sound Off! and it is easy to see why. They have a poise and on-stage presence many bands twice their age will never see. I have heard a few songs from their debut album Two Years, and they are tight and focused. Their songs are catchy and upbeat and they rock both live and on Memorex.

Their influences are obvious but they do them justice.

The New Faces are good. Maybe even very good.

Capitol Hill Block Party 2008: Champagne Champagne

elle — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 04:42:00 +0000

25 Jul 2008

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The two Champagne Champagne MCs, Pearl Dragon and Thomas Gray, wore t-shirts emblazoned with pop culture iconic figures of the early 90s: one with Nirvana, the other with Beavis and Butthead. Their nod to that time went much further than their clothing choice and into the type of hip-hop they bring. This wasn't "gangsta" rap or even the socially conscious flow like Common or Common Market; Champagne Champagne bring clever rhymes and good times a la the bygone rap acts.

To call this another ex-Blood Brothers project would be erroneous, as it has nothing to do with what they did. What this new act does do for drummer Mark Gajadhar is bring him out from behind his kit, boasting his topnotch ear for a legitimate beat. As the DJ for Champagne Champagne under the pseudonym DJ Gajamagic, he isn't taking the modern route with a laptop -- sure, there was one on stage, but from what I could see he also had a pair of turntables and a synthesizer. Just to throw you off, he even busted out a melodica and sang the hooks.

Photo by Kyle Johnson

The four walls of King Cobra shook when the bass dropped on their second song. The MCs had everyone singing "black baby Jesus," while the next song's chorus stated, "She looks like Molly Ringwald/She looks beautiful to me." The boys had the crowd hyped up, a crowd much larger than I think has been seen in the new Pike/Pine club.

Photo by Kyle Johnson

I enjoy champagne whether it's a $5 bottle of Andre or top shelf stuff the CEO of my work brings in. Onstage, Champagne Champagne is even better, easily in place to be the next mass hyped Seattle hip-hop group.

Photo by Nathan Howard

Capitol Hill Block Party 2008: Past Lives

elle — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 22:11:04 +0000

25 Jul 2008

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Imagine if you took that ability and extracted it, concentrating it down to speaker pumping serum: Past Lives is born. I checked out BB's new lineup -- deeper, and in my opinion better, singer Jordan Billie, bassist Morgan Henderson, and drummer Mark Gajadhar with new guitarist David Welch -- when they foirst popped up, opening for HEALTH, one of their first handful of shows. Freshly minted, the performance felt like they hadn't quite found their footing, yet a promising act was on the horizon.

Past Lives have more than gelled together in the past few months, gaining attention and practice by playing in nearly every small stage of the area. Now at their mass audience debut at CHBP, the musicians looked more confident and comfortable than ever. The punk end bumps your head, the pop end jumps your feet.

By the middle of the set, they had ramped up past all the foot thumping pop and were headed towards a full on blow out. Up in the front, we forgot where we were, our minds set on dancing. The last song was a full force head thrasher. With my hand on the edge of Neumo's stage, I could feel the speakers pushing the air.

Before any announcements or rumors were made, I could read all over The Blood Brothers' Capitol Hill Block Party 2007 performance that the end was near; six months later it was official. One thing the decade-long band did right was seamlessly blend the best elements of pop and punk, and not in a cheesy pop-punk sort of way.

Imagine if you took that ability and extracted it, concentrating it down to speaker pumping serum: Past Lives is born. I checked out BB's new lineup -- deeper, and in my opinion better, singer Jordan Billie, bassist Morgan Henderson, and drummer Mark Gajadhar with new guitarist David Welch -- when they foirst popped up, opening for HEALTH, one of their first handful of shows. Freshly minted, the performance felt like they hadn't quite found their footing, yet a promising act was on the horizon.

Who are you most excited to see at Capitol Hill Block Party?

imaginary dana — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:21:14 +0000

It's only a few more days till this year's Capitol Hill Block Party! We're going to have a huge team of imaginary writers and photographers there covering the event, and we're all trying to figure out how to see all the bands we want to see.

I know I've gotta see Little Party and the Bad Business and Kay Kay & His Weathered Underground, and Natalie Portman's Shaved Head are gonna be crazy loads of fun headlining the Vera stage.

But what about you? Which bands are you most excited to see at Capitol Hill Block Party?

Want a pair of free tickets to the Capitol Hill Block Party?

imaginary liz — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 04:15:15 +0000

Come next weekend, all of Capitol Hill will be alive with the sound of the best indie-rock / hip-hop / lo-fi / etc (local and national) as the Capitol Hill Block Party takes over the upper Pike-Pine Cooridor.

Don't be left out! Enter to win a pair of tickets (we've got two pairs to give away) from Three imaginary Girls.

Email us at tig @ threeimaginarygirls.com with the subject line "CHBPTix" before 12p on Monday, July 21st and you'll be entered to win.

{Psst.... don't forget to include your first and last name in the body of the email so we can tell who you are, since it doesn't float to put names on the list like lolbff4eva@yahoo.com or VampiraOneNighter@musica.com}

What to see all the fun that's going to go down? BEHOLD the full schedule!!!

So our headliner prediction for the Capitol Hill Block Party was wrong...

imaginary dana — Wed, 07 May 2008 18:50:06 +0000

It's not Public Enemy after all. It's DevotchKa.