This is so much more than a recommended show and a ticket giveaway, even though *technically* this post is all of those things.

We're coming to you bright-and-early this fine Wednesday morning to talk to you for a moment about Youth Rescue Mission. They're new to the concert-going masses, but if you've kept an ear to the ground, you've seen them here and there about town as far back as one of the Collective Presents shows last year out at Columbia City Theater, where they played for free and wowed a full house. They've scored some bills since, picked up a bit of airplay on KEXP, and as of this week, are hitting the streets with a debut album: it's 39.4 minutes of some of the most emotionally entrenched new music we've heard this year. No kidding.

It could be the (sounds like) twelve-part harmonies, it could be the wave of alt.indie.earnestcore that's been sweeping the town lately, but whatever the hell it's technically called, we're filing it under LIKE. Caps Lock Intended. There's a seamless element to the sound of this ten-song effort that's likely brought about by good production and a family affair (a fair amount of the band members are siblings), coupled with an urgency of tone in the vocals and a catchy instrumental underpinning that makes you want to open up the proverbial vein for more, more, more. "Very Nice Things" starts up the album with a goosebump-inducing level of honesty, "Problem Solver" is a surprise picker-upper, "Great White" has high moments that show you what the band is really capable of, and "Dark Star" (no, fellow Heads, not a cover tune) closes out the journey as a good closer should, with a near-flawless flourish and an element of flat-out longing. Obvious verbage, perhaps, but there's really no other way to put it.

Simply stated, anyone who's ever had an emotive pang in their gut at any level needs to give this album some time -- 78.8 minutes, to be specific, which is just enough to listen through twice for the things you didn't catch the first time. And we know there's a veritable plethora of things going on Saturday night (ahemreallygreatshowattheCroccoughcough), but if you lace up your running shoes, you can probably hit YRM's set up out at Columbia City Theater to start your night, and still make it over to a good part of the Damien Jurado / Viva Voce show out in Belltown. And to entice you to do just that, we're giving away a pair of tickets for you and your +1 to start the night off right out at CCT! Amen!

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The first two weeks of 2011 have set the bar pretty high for shows: Lovesick Empire killing the stage at a real-life $5 cover night at Neumos, Damien Jurado selling out Columbia City Theater, and back-to-back nights with The Head and the Heart (an impromptu night at Porterhouse in West Seattle last Thursday, and Friday's packed house at Neumos). Suffice it to say that what we're about to see this week is no exception.

On Friday night, the Great Hall of the Fremont Abbey will be filled to the brim with nothing more than the voices of some of our favorite artists -- The Maldives, Sean Nelson, Grand Hallway, Goldfinch, Drew Victor, Shenandoah Davis, Pablo Trucker, and a half-dozen other talented local folk will be hosting an entirely acapella evening, and we're already counting down the minutes to the show. It's the second annual installment of a show called BARE, where we'll be spending the evening sans instruments, electronics, or any kind of amplification -- just the audience, the voices, and the rafters of the hall.

***UPDATE: We've got two tickets to give away to the show, and we want to send you and a friend! Send an email to tig {at} threeimaginarygirls.com by 5pm on Thursday, January 20th with the subject line BareItAllAtTheAbbey, and tell us why we should choose you to attend the show.

We totally get it if you don't want to run the risk of the show selling out, so click here to pick your tickets up while you still can -- the event is all ages, and prices are only $12-$15 depending on where you'd like to sit your seat.

We'll see you at the show!

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Normally song titles like "Blessed Be Honey Bee" and "Napoleon's Left Shoe" make me want to run for the hills. However, with Grand Hallway, I cannot get enough. Singer Tomo Nakayama's voice is pure gorgeousness, warm and honey-toned. I also have a wee crush (shh, don't tell her!) on vocalist/piano/accordion player Shenandoah Davis. Her vocals are fantastic and I am relatively positive she can play every instrument known to man - and probably some that aren't.

This isn't a put-on. These kids are phenomenally talented and genuine, which is why with such precious song titles, even a hard-ass like me can get into it. I would hazard that Grand Hallway's sound could be included in the realm of orchestral or chamber pop, much like Belle & Sebastian. The show is Wednesday, November 17th at the Triple Door. Opening the evening are the lovely Nick Jaina and Drew Victor.  Doors at 6pm, music at 7:30. All-ages. Tickets are $10.

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Missing on summer? We feel you. So do our friends over at Sound on the Sound, who have been posting a series of exclusive videos of their trip out to Doe Bay this past August of some stellar local bands. Gorgeous content from some of our favorite songsterers and songstresses are yours for the viewing, over at their website. You can watch and hear tracks from...

* The Head and the Heart
* Drew Grow and the Pastor's Wives
* Grand Hallway

and a whole slew of great bands. Keep an eye out on their site for updates throughout the month of October -- thanks, SotS! We can almost feel the sunshine.

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Remember that one time? You know. Before we knew about The Head and the Heart and all their full-frontal amazingness?

Right. Us neither.

If you've yet to experience the sorta-indie-roots-ish, not-quite-americana vibe that these kittens have been putting out all over the PNW recently, you're in for a treat. You have not one, but two chances to get your swoon on with The Head and The Heart this weekend, and both times in the company of some stellar headliners.

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{photo credit: the lovely Laura Musselman, courtesy of our imaginary flickr pool}

Now that we're all done with Sasquatch, it's time to set our sights on the next raddest lineup to hit the west coast: it's Noise for the Needy, 2010 edition. There's close to seventy-five bands and djs playing a baker's dozen of venues next weekend, when NFTN takes over every corner of Seattle from June 9th (Thursday) through the 13th (Sunday). Among the notables in big font this year are John Vanderslice, Visqueen, Horse Feathers, Delta Spirit, the Maldives, The Album Leaf, Animals at Night, The Portland Cello Project, and The Redwood Plan -- along with enough supporting acts to make your head spin. Tickets are available at Brown Paper Tickets, or you can just buy a la carte at each show / venue -- although there's some sweet all-access wristband deals being offered if you want to rock it like that.

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at The Tractor Tavern

 

Tomo Nakayama (and all of Grand Hallway for that matter) is a pleasure to watch perform.  The eight piece orchestral indie-pop band played to a bursting Tractor Tavern, last Saturday, with headliners Black Whales andAmateur Radio Operator. Having never caught Grand Hallway live before, I was surprised by Tomo's ability to alternate between intensity and composure, while weaving together delicate songs that tug at the heart and mind in equal measure.

If you missed it, you have a chance to catch them again at the Triple Door, March 6th, backed by the 50 piece Seattle Rock Orchestra and the Perkins School Children’s Choir. I can't imagine a better place to experience their brand of sweet orchestral pop in it's full glory. Bam.

 

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Bumbershoot takes place at the Seattle Center this September 5-7 and there's about a million and a half things to do (bands, literary panels, art shows, Flatstock, kettle corn lunches) over the three-day fest.

To help folks (especially ourselves) prepare for Bumbershoot 2009, we put together this lil mix of some of the things you should add to your Bumbershoot scheduling spreadsheet. We hope this helps you pick your must-sees or at least provides a soundtrack as you wander to and fro.

 

{go listen}

I believe that one reason Seattle and the Northwest in general puts out a crap-load of great music is the constant incest between bands. Whereas incest usually creates mutant babies, Grand Hallway is a band where it gives birth to a unique (but not in that “special” way) and lovely sound that encompasses the octet’s orchestral swells on songs like “Blessed Be, Honey Bee,” and the delicate finger picking of “Usagi No Uta” off their newest release, Promenade, out this September.

The band is mainly Tomo Nakayama, formerly of Asahi and Jen Wood Trio. The rest of the lineup includes members from the Maldives, Sleepy Eyes of Death, Widower, and Voyager One. More than this, on their newest album they also had help from Heatwarmer (a band whose songs are such a mash-up of different styles that I continue to see them live just to figure out exactly what the hell I think of it, and have decided, I love it), Cory Gray, and Goh Nakamura.

Grand Hallway’s songs are melancholy, melodically Beatlesque simultaneously Japanese and European, at times sparse and at others dense, but they always hit home in a direct and charming way that brings a listener into the folds of what the Northwest music scene has to offer. Don’t miss them at 3:15 on the Northwest court, Monday of Bumbershoot.

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at The Crocodile

Loney, Dear. Gotta love the Swedish folk. They love to tell stories about their experiences on tour in America. Lead singer Emil Svanängen recalls his day spent visiting the Sub Pop offices (and being very appreciative of them) and walking around memorizing the street names near the Crocodile.

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