The Imaginary Zine is a 60-page old school printed zine recounting our first 10 years with some of our favorite blog posts and stories from our imaginary friends. It is extemely limited with only 333 handcrafted zines made.
It also includes a cd chock full of rare, live, or exclusive songs by some of our favorite local artists, including The Long Winters, BOAT, Tullycraft, Exohxo, Tennis Pro, Math & Physics Club and many more!
If you are a fan of smartly written music that wallops with chutzpah and high energy, and were to ask for the line up coming this Thursday night, May 13 to The Crocodile, you would appear rapacious. A four band cavalcade that also serves as a CD release party for The Redwood Plan's first full-length Racing Towards The Heartbreak, it might be the best value for your local night life buck this week. (Just from their last show at the venue alone, it would be worth the door price.)
Starting with the headliners, Brooklyn's The Shondes returns with their sensual yet ornery helter-skelter, which should feel very pleasing to acolytes of K Records' fiercest female-led albums, and fans of klezmer cabaret alike. My Dear One is their debut on new label Fanatic, and is a sidewinder of a break-up album (of a sort). The title track and "You Ought To Be Ashamed" unleash sharp-witted fire on the lily-livered and capricious, but also "Make It Beautiful" by including plenty of violin.
The Redwood Plan's album is a collaborative production between the band and creative hard rock recording visionary Martin Feveyear. Maelstroms of emotional need and deferred hopes are chronicled through mad-tempo tracks like "For What It's Worth," "Swing," and "Push," full of femme-focused vim and verve from Lesli Wood (Ms. Led). With her new husband Larry Brady (Shorthand For Epic) anchoring and adding the oompah to Betty ST's beats and Sydney Stolfus' guitar and backing vocals, this allows Ms. Wood to treat the stage like a combination feminist monster truck rally or an intellectual salon if debate was carried out with throat level kicks. It's all just sweaty bodies knocking into each other with a whole lot of groove and chant. See them and you'll walk away with all eleven full throttle episodes of Racing Towards The Heartbreak.
(Photo by human?)
I am in luck that both rip-roaring shows are in very close proximity to each other, so it's not the time-and-mind-squeeze it could have been. But this Saturday night, April 24, my favorite band-and-trivia driven contest/concert Grudge Rock is happening at the Crocodile about the same time as my new favorite Seattle band Wehrwolve is playing at the Rendezvous. I will make it through somehow, possibly killed by over-enjoyment imminent in Belltown that evening.
Here's the drill again on Grudge Rock: Two local bands go head to head on a Rock 'n' Roll family Feud, with all the questions being about MUSIC! A very Three Imaginary Girls kind of community spazz attack. One band will win all the prize money, and the other gets a set of steak knives, you bastards! (And coffee's for closers!) Just kidding, the LOSERS get consolation prizes. The important thing is that both bands play live, and that it's hosted by velvet voiced and sexy mutton-chopped Professor Jake Stratton, who unlike Richard Dawson doesn't try to kiss everyone but instead flies the flair like he does as BloodHag vocalist (RIP now, unfortunately), and Rat City Rollergirls announcer.
Which way are you headed this Saturday night? The imaginary calendar shows there are a bunch of options...
Tonight {4/21} is the big night! Seattle is finally going to see the Wedding Present perform their landmark album Bizarro in its entirety at the Crocodile!
And I'm not the only one who's excited that the band is working their way around the globe with this special treat. Marty Donald of the Lucksmiths told us why "Brassneck" is one of the most amazing first tracks ever. Derek reminded us of the excitement of first discovering the Leeds band and this album, and Jill shared her story of how helpful Bizarro has been in helping navigate romantic mine fields.
And you! You all have been commenting with some great stories and tales of giddiness as well! It's so good to know that we Weddoes fans are in such good company!
To prepare for the show, here's one final pre-show Bizarro-era video.
The psych-rock wash of "Like The Ocean, Like the Innocent" (in 2 parts, no less) will soak you promptly as you begin to spin The Besnard Lakes newest, Are the Roaring Night. Montreal-born, the quartet sprawls, using tones and textures as a lulling device before they come blasting out, laggard and blistering in a swift gesture.
They first hit the US indie market with Are the Dark Horse, a bit druggy and redolent of Black Mountain. They've delved deeper now, and the live show - as evidenced on their TV debut on Jimmy Fallon - is something to behold (just watch the guy dancing behind the drummer, so impacted he occasionally tries to throw off the spirits with angled and mangled arm juts). And listen to how long they hold the melodic chug as the chorus comes in, before the modulation shifts down and the vocals go falsetto. It's good, guitar-sodden tension - thick rock made diaphonous. That opening voice in the backgroung of "Like the Ocean" (part 2!) triggers memories of Grandaddy's Sophtware Slump, disaffected and yet jumping all in for a participatory rock throwdown. It's the paradox of The Besnard Lakes: They wail across the guitar walls, falsetto here and then warmly mid-range, mostly taking all elements at a medium clip, never too fast (and very little is too slow).
In an unlimited-part series, we're going to celebrate and countdown to the upcoming Wedding Present show at the Crocodile. On Wednesday, April 21, our Balladeers for the Brokenhearted will take the stage and play their influential 1989 album,Bizarro, it its entirety from "Brassneck" to "Be Honest" and some (fingers crossed) b-sides. {Enter to win a pair of tickets to the show}
To mark this momentous event, I asked some fellow weddoes fans to share theirBizarro story, explaining what their favorite song from the album is and why.
Want to share your Bizarro story? Email your story to us at tig @ threeimaginarygirls . com with the subject line of Bizarro.
Today's entry is short and to the point. Thanks to Damian Davies for sharing this pictorial Bizarro story of his first show!
What was your first show... or what do you *wish* it was?
Latest comment by: sucker54: "My first show was the Wedding Present in 1988 in Dublin, they were supporting the George Best album at the time. It still ranks as one of my favorite shows and I've been obsessed with the band ever since. Can't wait for the show in the Corocodile and having ...
In an unlimited-part series, we're going to celebrate and countdown to the upcoming Wedding Present show at the Crocodile. On Wednesday, April 21, our Balladeers for the Brokenhearted will take the stage and play their influential 1989 album, Bizarro, it its entirety from "Brassneck" to "Be Honest" and some (fingers crossed) b-sides. {Enter to win a pair of tickets to the show}
To mark this momentous event, I asked some fellow weddoes fans to share their Bizarro story, explaining what their favorite song from the album is and why.
Want to share your Bizarro story? Email your story to us at tig @ threeimaginarygirls . com with the subject line of Bizarro.
My giddiness to post today's entry pretty much matches my excitement to see Bizarro performed in its entirety because it combines two things I love: all things Lucksmiths and all things Wedding Present. It makes perfect transitive sense that one of my favorite song writers, Marty Donald of the Lucksmiths, also adores David Gedge's biting verses and accusative guitars.
Huge hugs and thanks to Marty Donald who sent us his "Brassneck" thoughts all the way from Australia. I agree with him, there is little that matches the rush of adrenaline from this, the album's first track. Let's all find and sign the petition to make sure the Bizarro celebration tour heads Australia's way.
Latest comment by: aboombong: "This has always been my favorite by the band. And given all their other excellent work, that's saying something. "
In an unlimited-part series, we're going to celebrate and countdown to the upcoming Wedding Present show at the Crocodile. On Wednesday, April 21, our Balladeers for the Brokenhearted will take the stage and play their influential 1989 album,Bizarro, it its entirety from "Brassneck" to "Be Honest" and some (fingers crossed) b-sides. {Enter to win a pair of tickets to the show}
To mark this momentous event, I asked some fellow weddoes fans to share their Bizarro story, explaining what their favorite song from the album is and why.
Want to share your Bizarro story? Email your story to us at tig @ threeimaginarygirls . com with the subject line of Bizarro.
I completely identify with today's installment from Jill Zak. In all the Wedding Present shows I've been to on both sides of the pond, I've noticed that a majority of the audience is male. So, it's extra sweet to have a fellow female weddoes fan chime in *and* point out that using Wedding Present quotes is a great way to "test" a persepective date.
Thanks Jill Zak for sharing your Bizarro stories!
In an unlimited-part series, we're going to celebrate and countdown to the upcoming Wedding Present show at the Crocodile. On Wednesday, April 21, our Balladeers for the Brokenhearted will take the stage and play their influential 1989 album, Bizarro, it its entirety from "Brassneck" to "Be Honest" and some (fingers crossed) b-sides. {Enter to win a pair of tickets to the show}
To mark this momentous event, I asked some fellow weddoes fans to share their Bizarro story, explaining what their favorite song from the album is and why.
We're going to kick off today's installment of Bizarro-ness with one entry that features one of my favorite Gedge titles of all time: Gedge as the patron saint of the ex-boyfriend.
Want to share your Bizarro story? Email your story to us at tig @ threeimaginarygirls . com with the subject line of Bizarro.
Big thanks to Derek for this tale of Bizarro love!
____________________________________
It really is very difficult to single out one song from Bizarro to focus on. It was a landmark album in my development as a music fan. But for me, I think it has to be the first single, “Kennedy". Incredibly, I actually have MTV to thank for first introducing me to the band.
Latest comment by: Derek: "Thanks, Eric. Never occurred to me, and it makes so much more sense now. My confusion literally hinged on that one misheard name. I actually caught three shows this tour, and they were great, great, and...great. "
Remember when, a couple years back, we could call the Wedding Present a local band while frontman David Gedge took up a brief residency in Seattle? Well, let the good Gedge times roll once again as the full band returns to town as part of a small tour across the US to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the release of their seminal album Bizarro. On Wednesday, April 21, The Wedding Present will take the Crocodile stage and play the brilliant Bizarro album in it's entirety from "Brassneck" to "Be Honest" and some (fingers crossed) b-sides.
To unleash my WP geekus maximus in the healthiest of ways, I asked some of my favorite fellow Wedding Present fans (i.e. you, me and a Lucksmith) to let us know your Bizarro story. In an unlimited-part series, I'll spread out the joy starting next week as we countdown to the big show.
Of course, if you have a favorite piece of the Bizarro puzzle, feel free to join in the fun and post it below or me at tig @ threeimaginarygirls . com with the subject line of Bizarro.
This Morning Benders have been getting all kinds of buzz for their brand-new album Big Echo, including being awarded a prestigious "Best New Music" honor from Pitchfork. On Friday night, they'll be bringing those songs to the cozy confines of the Crocodile.
Even better: a) two of our favorite bands around here, Miniature Tigers and BOAT are opening and b) we have a pair of tickets to give to a lucky TIG reader.
If you want to go see The Morning Benders, BOAT and Miniature Tigers (and you surely do), but would prefer spending the money that would have gotten you in the door on drinks and/or t-shirts, send an e-mail to tig@threeimaginarygirls.com before 9am on Thursday, April 1 with "morningbenders" in the subject line. Oh and be over 21 before Friday.
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Imaginary. You could call it that.
Imaginary. You could call it that.
A chat about our favorite songs this week on KUOW's Weekday show
A chat about our favorite songs this week on KUOW's Weekday show
A chat about our favorite songs this week on KUOW's Weekday show